Jojo Moyes has a new novel and Miki wants you to read it!!!

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

One Sale July 1, 2014

978-0-525-42658-5

It is no secret around here that I am a huge fan of Jojo Moyes.  I have been recommending Me Before You to anyone who crosses my path.  Luckily for those around me, I have a new book to talk about.  One Plus One is the newest novel by Jojo Moyes.  Moyes brings us a brand new story filled to the brim with those quirky, train wreck type characters that we have grown so fond of in her writing.  Moyes has a wonderful way of creating characters that are totally crazy sometimes tragic, but not so much so that we can’t relate.  Her characters have enough vulnerability to make them real, but enough dysfunction, that we are glad to be ourselves as we read about their lives. 

In this novel, we meet Jess, a single mom raising her nerdy daughter and outcast step-son.  Their father has walked out on them, leaving them to deal with the financial mess he has left in his wake.  Jess is forced to pick up the pieces by picking up after other people.  At one of her housekeeping jobs, she comes across the rather wealthy and rude Ed Nicholls.  Once their paths cross, Jess finds that their lives will continue to criss cross. 

Although Jess and Ed’s lives are the main focus of the novel, Tanzie, Jess’s math whiz daughter, is really the scene stealer in this novel.  Jess goes on a mission to get Tanzie to a math competition in Scotland in order to get a scholarship for an elite school they cannot afford.  While Jess’s struggle to do right by her kids is a fantastic story, it is Tanzie’s observations and naiveté really make the novel a delight to read. 

I really enjoyed this novel and will happily recommend yet another Moyes novel to anyone willing to listen.

We Finally Broke Down and Watched 'Frozen'...Here is Pete's Review

A Review of the Movie ‘Frozen’

By Pete Schulte

For a person who likes to draw cartoons, I confess that I haven’t seen as many animated films as I perhaps should. Most of the time they’re really well done with great story lines and musical scores. I’d have to say my favorite of these is ‘Up.’ Luckily I was alone while watching it because I admit to breaking down in tears several times before it ended. I don’t know, some movies just get to you that way. Other favorites include ‘Despicable Me’ and its sequel, ‘Shrek,’ ‘The Lion King,’ and my childhood favorite ‘Dumbo.’

I was looking forward to seeing ‘Frozen’ after hearing such good tributes and after hearing Idina Menzel (or whatever John Travolta called her) sing ‘Let it Go’ at the Oscars. I didn’t know that ‘Frozen’ was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Snow Queen,’ an animated film I’d seen as a kid, a film that I remember scared me at the time. It’s funny how movies can sometimes jog a seemingly forgotten memory back to life.

Frozen tells the story of two sisters with royal lineage. The eldest, the young queen, struggles with the responsibility of power, while the younger princess struggles with, well, everything -- though she has an open heart and is a lot of fun. Anytime you have a backdrop concerning royalty (and in Disney films it’s quite frequent), there is always court intrigue, double-crossing and backstabbing, though the film makes all of this easy to follow. In any case, the queen sister banishes herself to a frozen mountaintop as she fears her dark powers are more powerful than the light. Sadly, she inadvertently leaves her subjects in a deep, endless freeze after fleeing. It’s up to the younger, klutzy princess to save her sister from herself, to save their kingdom from the cold, and to save everybody from the treachery of villains.

If you’re one of the few who hasn’t yet seen Frozen, do see it for the story of sisterhood, see it also for the comedy, and especially the sound and feel of the music. It’s just wonderful. Let it Go!

Now please let us know what some of your favorite animated films are. We would love to hear from you.

Pete has another great book review

Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage (a novel by Haruki Murakami)

I confess I wasn't able to finish Murakami's prior novel '1Q84,' dropping off somewhere beyond the halfway point. But that was one giant book, and I am happy to report that the only thing giant about his latest novel 'Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage' is the title, which is explained in full early on in the story. In contrast to '1Q84,' Murakami's new novel is much shorter in length (Thank God), and much simpler in plot. I would also add that it's one of the most joyful reading experiences I've had in quite some time. Murakami has already won himself quite a few awards, but I think this novel pushes him ever closer to Nobel territory. 

As I've written, the plot is simple. Five high school friends (three boys, two girls) form an exclusive, intimate friendship, though without sexual attraction (or so the narrator perceives). The group is inseparable until Colorless Tsukuru leaves town to attend a university in Tokyo where he studies the building of train stations. Everything is okay during his visits home at first, but come spring a trip home results in the altering of his life forever. Tsukuru returns to his home town and finds that the other four will not talk to him, will not see him, and have entirely banished him for apparently no reason. He falls into a horrible depression, loses weight, and begs for his heart to just stop beating. But it doesn't.

Flash forward 16 years later and Tsukuru is building train stations and has a new person in his life. But his girlfriend, Sara, notices that his banishment from the group all those years ago is still nagging at his present, holding him back somehow. Sara pushes him to find each member of his former group to pinpoint just what the hell happened. This is the story of 'Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage,' a pilgrimage more mental than physical, and yet still takes him from Tokyo all the way to Finland of all places. As Tsukuru finds out, the truth can hurt, badly, but as the saying goes, it'll also set you free. 

Skeeter Learns to Climb a Tree

Introducing: Skeeter, the Abandoned Squirrel

Squirrels Against the World

Tiny, Half a Ton of Fun

Tiny is a real bear who lives at the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, CO

A New Short Story

I'll Be Here All Week

By Pete Schulte

 

The two of them shared a small office. Jake was at his desk when his coworker came over and placed a fresh cup of coffee in front of him. “Thanks, Lefty,” said Jake. “I could use a little pick me up this afternoon.”

“Did you just call me Lefty?”

“Yeah, so what,” said Jake. “I called you Lefty. That‘s your name, right?”

“My name is Eddie. I’ve been sitting next to you for eight months and you don’t even know my name. Do I do something funny with my left hand? Why is it that you called me Lefty?”

“I don’t know,” said Jake. “I thought it was Lefty, you tell me it’s Eddie, so we’re okay, okay?”

“Yeah, you just get to know me better,” muttered Eddie.

“I didn’t mean for you to be sore, Eddie. I swear I didn’t.”

Jake took a quick swig of his coffee. “Listen, Eddie, to make it up to you, let me tell you about this new doll I been seeing.”

Eddie pricked up his ears. “Do tell. I don’t mind hearing about that.”

“Do you know Deb from the third floor, the one with the big cans?”

“You mean Deb from Accounting?” asked Eddie.

“Yeah, Deb from Accounting. You know her?”

“Deb from Accounting…is my wife, Jake. She’s my wife!”

“Now wait a minute here,” said Jake. “Did I say Deb from Accounting? Is that what I said? Because that’s not what I meant. I wasn’t with Deb from Accounting at all, I was really with Bev from Payroll, the one with the long stems, the black stockings.”

“You mean Bev from the fourth floor?” said Eddie.

“You know those legs, right Eddie?”

“I certainly do, Jake, because they belong to my sister. My sister, Jake!”

“Jeez, I’m sorry, Eddie. I just can’t make it right with you. I’m just glad I didn’t mention Gloria from the cafeteria.”

“My mother?”

After bastardizing Eddie’s name and sleeping with Eddie’s wife, his sister, and his mother, what Jake needed was a fresh start. Eddie froze him out and there was nothing he could do but transfer to another department. Later that afternoon he found himself in the office of Mr. Peter Potter, the head honcho of the outfit, the guy who decides things. Potter kept him waiting, so he shot the bull with Millie Dingle, Potter’s receptionist.

“Listen, Jake,” said Millie, “with Potter you got to play it straight. That old so and so hasn’t cracked a smile in years. He eats guys like you for lunch.”

“C’mon Millie, you know I’m not here to crack wise. I’ll play nice with Potter, you’ll see.”

“Just be a stone face, Jake. Don’t let him lay a glove on you.”

Left alone with Potter now, Jake did his best to mirror the old man’s expression, or lack thereof. Potter, his head buried in Jake’s file, finally looked up and scowled. “Jake Apple. What kind of name is Jake Apple?”

“Oh, it has nothing to do with the fruit, sir.”

“Did I say that it did? Did I say that? I just want to know what kind of a name is Apple?”

“It’s short for Appledorph, sir. It was shortened somewhere along the line.”

“Appledorph,” said Potter. “Hmm…I think you should’ve probably kept it as it was.”

“Perhaps, sir.”

Potter went back to the file for a few moments before slowly raising his head. There is a project, Apple, that I think could use a man like you. Do you know Allen Moe? He’s the lead on this one.”

“I certainly do, sir. I can work with Moe. He‘s legendary.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Moe’s men are Barton Larry and Frank Curly. You think you can fit in, Apple? They’re good men and this is a very important project.”

“Sir, are you pulling my leg?” asked Jake, doing his best to stifle a laugh. “You’re kidding me, right?”

“How dare you!” Potter exclaimed. “The impertinence in this office! I’m offering you a position with one of our top teams and you sit across from me and laugh it up like some yuckster from back east.”

“Sir, I mean no disrespect, but you’re wanting me to work on a team consisting of Moe, Larry, and Curly. The Three Stooges.”

“That’s balderdash, Apple, a mere coincidence. Why I’ve got a another man joining the team as early as tomorrow. Do you know Bob Shemp from Finance?”

“Hey,” said Jake, throwing up his hands, “I’ll be here all week.”

　

The end.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Andy Talks Bigfoot

Andy the Serious Actor