“Finding Dorothy”

 

Told in two points of view. Maud Gage Baum’s life story. Hollywood and the making of the film “The Wizard of Oz.”

Being enough. Expectations. Hollywood. Perseverance. Friendship. Protection. Creativity. Sacrifice. Determination. Trust. Greed. Love. 

Maud Gage Baum found herself lodged between the expectations of her Suffragist mother (Matilda Joslyn Gage) and her free spirited husband, L. Frank Baum. Fighting to support their growing family. Finding hope in happiness. Creating moments to cherish.

”The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” brought the Baum family unexpected financial security. However, it also left Maud navigating the movie business in Hollywood all alone.

The Hollywood subplot revolved around Judy Garland. This relationship showed the corrupt manner in which studio execs treated their starlets. 

I was hoping, as always, for a “happily ever after” ending…not sure I got it. But, I have been humming “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” for days now.

“Marrying the Ketchups”

Whenever there is a disclaimer that says -“laugh out loud funny” - why aren’t I laughing out loud? Did I miss something? Gretchen, Teddy, and Jane. Likeable enough. Broken. Trying to maneuver the pitfalls of failed relationships and overbearing family.

The funniest line in the book? “We need to talk about Grandma.” I’m pretty sure you could write a whole book on that subject. Hmmmm, maybe it’s time to write that book about my Grandma…

Lighthearted. Frustrating when the characters didn’t move on quickly enough. Happily ever after ending? Satisfying ending. Loose ends tied. Broken people taped back together. Funny? The jury is still out on that.

The Cat Who Saved Books

 

Translated by: Louise Heal Kawai

If my cat could talk, I’m not sure I’d want him leading me on a fantasy adventure. Even if it was to save books? Well, maybe. 

A teenager on an adventure of self discovery. A talking cat. An unlikely ally. A dusty old used book store.

But, beyond the fantasy, there was something to be learned…

”In our stifling daily lives, we’re all so occupied with ourselves that we stop thinking about others. When a person loses their own heart, they can’t feel another’s pain. They lie, they hurt others, use weaker people as stepping stones to get ahead - they stop feeling anything. The world has become full of those kinds of people.” (P 146)

”Books teach us how to care about others.” (P172)

”I think the power of books is that - that they teach us to care about others. It’s a power that gives people courage and also supports them in turn…Empathy - that’s the power of books.” (P 174)

These are the questions I am left with: If books show us ideas outside of ourselves. Other ways of living. Other ways of feeling and doing things. Then why aren’t more people empathetic? How are those lessons not learned? Or are they just ignored? If one doesn’t read, are they at a distinct disadvantage in understanding the people around them? 

If my cat could talk, what would he say about the world we inhabit today?

“The Frozen River”

To be a midwife in the late 1700s. Post Revolutionary War. What a gift to be able to read and write. To keep a diary, that still exists to this day.

So many pieces that speak to women’s rights today. Fighting to be heard. Qualified to do her job, her calling. Someone to be respected. The patriarchy battling a woman who was a force of nature. 

Twists and turns. I almost shut the book at one time because I was afraid of what was going to happen…

Never underestimate the power of a determined woman. Strength. Resilience. Empathy. Righteous. Caring. Love. Hope.

Christmas Reads 2025

 

 

 

NO reviews. Just the books that kept me off my phone and helped to preserve my sanity…

1. “Studmuffin Santa” - Tawana Fenske
2. ”Everyone This Christmas Has A Secret” - Benjamin Stevenson
3. ”Murder at the Snowed Inn” - Imogen Plimp
4. ”Christmas in Paradise” - Brittany Larsen
5. ”Unlucky Christmas” - Melissa Baldwin

“What if the President is an Idiot?”

I know that I will be sitting with this book for a long time. Pondering. Thinking. Sorting out my feelings. Here are a few things that jumped out at me…

A perfect storm. A car wreck you can’t look away from.

”…when people stop demanding leaders of integrity, they start worshiping leaders of spectacle.” ( p 47)

”In a democracy, accountability depends on courage - the willingness to speak truth to power, even when the truth is unwelcome. Under Trump, courage became career suicide.” ( p 52)

”…the death of accountability wasn’t just Trump’s doing. It was collective. America stared into the mirror and chose entertainment over ethics, volume over virtue.” ( p 53)

”…[Trump’s] Ukraine missteps revealed the core flaw of his presidency: he didn’t see the world as a map of nations, but as a stage of characters, some to flatter, some to insult, none to truly understand. And when admiration for a tyrant replaces allegiance to a principle, the cost isn’t just diplomatic confusion. It’s human lives.” ( p 71)

”The lines between journalism, entertainment, and propaganda have blurred beyond recognition. Politicians now campaign not for votes, but for viral clips.” ( p 101)

”…accountability isn’t vengeance; its preservation. It’s the system reminding itself that democracy without consequences is just aristocracy with better marketing. Trump’s America tested the immune system of democracy. The cure, as always, lies in vigilance.” ( p 105)

Resilience. Hope.

“Roll Of Thunder, Hear My Cry”

 

I felt as if I had rolled up on a train wreck…I knew the outcome would be horrific, yet I couldn’t look away. I had to slow down, peer into the ugliness, walk away, and yet continually look over my shoulder.

Segregation. Hatred. Power. Jim Crow. Survival.

In a world where one group of people looks down on another group of people, simply to feel superior, no-one wins. It’s like playing a game where only one team knows the rules. You’re kept guessing. Trying to participate. Trying to succeed. Yet always falling short. You can only turn a blind eye to the truth for so long. But how do you react? How do you tip the table to make things fair? Is it even possible?

Community. Hate. Rage. Lies. Conflict. Jealousy. Humiliation. Pride.

We can’t erase this chapter in our history. But, we can only learn from it. Resolve to never slip back in time; to be decisive and hate filled. We need to plow forward. Seeing the future as the great equalizer. Vow to value and respect all life.