Weekly View » Bookmamas

A Quiet Hero: A Life of Ryan White by Nelson Price

Kathleen Angelone — Thu, 26 Mar 2015 05:09:46 +0000

In 1985, 14 year old Ryan White just wanted to go to school like other teens. Unfortunately, he had the misunderstood and dreaded disease AIDS. At that time, other parents feared that Ryan would contaminate their children through casual contact during the school day. Further, most people who had the disease were gay men who were considered culpable for the spread of the disease. Therefore, Ryan’s school system barred him from attending school. Ryan and his family fought the school’s decision and won. Even after the order that Ryan be allowed to attend school, many continued to treat him viciously due to his disease.
In the process, Ryan became the “face” of AIDS for the entire nation. People, both celebrities and everyday folks, rallied to support Ryan. He conducted his life with dignity and grace. Most importantly, he was able to live as normal a life as possible under the circumstances until his death on April 8, 1990. In honor of the 25th anniversary of Ryan’s death, the Indiana Historical Society has published A Quiet Hero: A Life of Ryan White by Nelson Price. This book is the latest in the Indiana Historical Society’s series of Hoosier biographies. Talented profiler Price wrote the book to tell Ryan’s story in a manner that would interest and be appropriate for readers of all ages.
There will be a book signing at Bookmamas on Thursday, April 2 from 5:30-7 with Jeanne White-Ginder, mother of Ryan White, and Nelson Price.

Book Review — A History of Westfield, Indiana: The Promise of the Land

Kathleen Angelone — Thu, 05 Feb 2015 18:09:21 +0000

A History of Westfield Indiana: The Promise of the Land by Tom Rumer is the latest in the popular local history books published by The History Press. At first I didn’t think this book about the suburb north of Indianapolis would interest me. But I was wrong.
A small group of Quaker activists moved from North Carolina to Washington Township/Westfield in 1831 specifically to protest slavery. They left fairly comfortable homes, friends and family to move north. Many had never experienced snow before. More followed and Westfield was officially established in 1834. These settlers had true courage. They didn’t just talk the talk, they walked the walk by moving their families, working in the abolition movement, providing stations along the Underground Railway route and working for the rights of recently emancipated slaves.
The theme of the book is the promise of the land. The author discusses the promise through the ages of American settlement and growth in the area. The settlers promised freedom for African-Americans, education for children, religious tolerance, homes for orphans, working against the Ku Klux Klan and opportunities for business. The fulfillment of these promises makes for interesting reading.
As in all History Press books, the pictures and other illustrations are worth the price of the book. My favorite is a two page spread of a typical hog butchering scene in the early 20th century. The hog is trussed with its innards falling out in the middle of a barnyard. (Fortunately it isn’t in color.) Several people are standing around observing. The images of the buildings, barnyard, trees, clothing and expressions of the observers are priceless.
This book does not disappoint.
Tom Rumer will be one of the featured authors at the Local History Book Fair on Saturday, February 14 from 2-4 at Bookmamas, 9 S. Johnson Avenue. Other authors and their books include Nelson Price (Indiana Legends and Indianapolis Then and Now), Julie Young (Historic Irvington, Famous Faces of WTTV Channel 4, The CYO in Central Indiana), Forrest Bowman, Jr. (Sylvia: The Likens Trial), Fred Cavinder (Forgotten Hoosiers and Historic Indianapolis Crimes) and David Williams (Indianapolis Jazz).

Book Review: Andrew McGroundhog and His Shady Shadow by Peter J. Welling

Kathleen Angelone — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 06:09:10 +0000

Children know about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. But do they know the story of Groundhog Day? Peter J. Welling’s entrancing new children’s book, Andrew McGroundhog and His Shady Shadow, hopes to impart this legendary celebration to the young and young at heart of today.
The book starts with stories about Thane Andrew McGroundhog’s activities. He wears a tartan kilt, he eats haggis, he hikes and he fishes. The colorful, cartoon-like illustrations feature wonderful pictures of the Loch Ness Monster, the signs for the High Road and the Low Road, Hadrian’s Heights and more Scottish themes. One day he meets his shadow and is surprised that the shadow is unhappy with him. As he learns why and how to deal with it, the story of the groundhog’s prediction of the timing of the winter’s transformation into spring emerges. The book even includes a “Scottish” word glossary.
The book is cute and fun just on the face of it. More than that, though, it offers the opportunity for children to begin to learn about the popular images of Scotland and the holiday we celebrate annually on February 2.
Peter J. Welling will be at Bookmamas on Saturday, January 31 at 2:00 p.m. to read his story. Signature at Irvington will serve Groundhog Cookies and Tea. Bookmamas is located at 9 S. Johnson Avenue (1/2 block east of Ritter and 1/2 block south of Washington). Reservations are not required, but can be made by e-mailing info@bookmamas.com. The event is free. Books will be available for purchase. The author will be glad to personalize and sign any book purchased that day.

Book Review: The Spirit Keeper by K.B. Laugheed

Kathleen Angelone — Thu, 21 Nov 2013 06:09:32 +0000

by Kathleen Angelone, Bookmamas

Born the unlucky thirteenth child in an Irish family building a new life on the American frontier, Katie O’Toole’s life was filled with toil, misery and little hope. At the same time, Indian Holyman Syawa dreams of Katie, the Creature of Fire and Ice, in a vision. He and his friend Hector journey to find Katie and bring her back to their homeland. In 1747, Syawa and Hector join Indians in attacking Katie’s home. Most of her family is killed and the remainder are taken captive. Given the option of going with Syawa or staying with the other captives, Katie chooses to accompany Syawa and his friend Hector on their journey to their western homeland.
The Spirit Keeper by K.B. Laugheed, is the narrative detailing her experiences that Katie writes many years later. The novel sounds like the captive narratives so popular early in the country’s history. Even some of the words and syntax are colonial rather than modern. For example, “even” is “e’en” and and “cracked” becomes “crackt.” Told in the first person, the reader learns customs of the Native Americans and experiences the sights and sounds of the journey west through Katie’s eyes. At first Katie feels helpless since all cooking and other necessities of the trip are accomplished completely differently than she learned with her birth family. Slowly, though, she gains skills and language to express herself. She learns of the Indian concepts of gifts, spirituality and personhood. The narrative is chock-a-block with interesting details and adventures. Not wanting to spoil the reading experience, though, I’m not going to relate any of them.
K.B. Laugheed draws the reader into Katie’s world of discovery and adventure. The reader cares about Katie and wants all to go well for her as she learns about the “wilderness,” life and love. It was sad leaving Katie at the end of the tale. Could there be a sequel in the future? I hope so.
Appropriate for teenagers through adults, The Spirit Keeper will appeal to many readers, particularly those who enjoyed James Alexander Thom’s classic, Follow the River. Although completely fictional, this first book is a fine addition to the tradition of American frontier stories.
Meet the Indianapolis author, K.B. Laugheed, at Bookmamas, 9 S. Johnson, on Saturday, November 30 from 1:30-3:30.

Day of the Dead Explores Hispanic Traditions

Weekly View — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 05:11:50 +0000

INDIANAPOLIS — With a growing Hispanic population and greater awareness of their unique culture, the Day of the Dead is becoming a staple on the cultural calendar in Indianapolis. Celebrated on November 2, the Day of the Dead (Dia De Los Muertos) is a day for honoring and remembering ancestors and loved ones who have passed away. The holiday is celebrated in Mexico primarily, although other cultures have embraced the traditions.
Because the Day of the Dead follows closely on Halloween, many people think it is a continuation of the holiday, but they are separate celebrations.
The Day of the Dead is thought to have originated in the pre-Columbian past, and focused on remembering the dead. Altars are built containing favorite images, foods, colors, and memorabilia of the departed, as a way to encourage them to hear the prayers of the living directed to them. Families go to cemeteries and clean the headstones and graves of ancestors, and decorate them. Marigold flowers are popular in grave decorations.

Decorated sugar skulls are part of the Day of the Dead tradition.

Toys for deceased children, and tequila or other beverages for adults, are sometimes left on the grave. Offerings, called ofrendas, are left in homes for the spirit ancestors. Sugar skulls, candied fruits and pumpkin, and bread of the dead (pan de muerto) are common offerings.
To learn more about the Day of the Dead, visit Bookmamas Bookstore on Nov. 3 from 1-3 p.m. (9 S. Johnson), as they celebrate the holiday. There will be remembrances, a celebration of lives of those who have passed before, and personal sharing of poems, stories, and much more. There will be readings from the Remembrance Journal on display at the store. Decorations and costumes in remembrance are welcome. Light refreshments will be served.
At the Indiana State Museum, there is a Day of the Dead Altar Exhibition running through Nov. 3. The exhibition is free with regular admission (adults $10, children $5.50, seniors $9) and open during museum hours (Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.). The Indiana State Museum is located is located in White River State Park at Washington and West streets. Visit indianamuseum.org or call 232-1637 for more information.

Book Review: A Gentleman’s Guide to Graceful Living by Michael Dahlie

Kathleen Angelone — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 05:09:42 +0000

Arthur Camden, the protagonist of Michael Dahlie’s book, A Gentleman’s Guide to Graceful Living, finds that his life has fallen apart. He’s run his family’s import business into the ground and his wife’s left him. He has acquaintances, but no real friends. He finds himself alone among all the characters in his life. His loneliness and sense of loss is deep, but he doesn’t know how to solve it. So, he continues bumbling through the days trying to find meaning in his life.
In that sense, Arthur is an “everyman.” He could be any one of us facing a crucial time in our life and having to make a decision. He is a bit different, though, in that he still has his trust fund and inheritance. So, where one of us common Hoosiers might travel to southern Indiana to spend some time with a childhood friend, he treks to southern France. He rents a Mercedes, but not a showy one. He spends an evening drinking with his friend who then disappears, leaving Arthur on the estate with the friend’s girlfriend and instructions to perjure himself to the police about the evening. This leads to very interesting consequences — none of which match Arthur’s goal in making the trip.
He thinks a lot during his journey out of the morass of his life. Particularly he considers his relationship with his father. He recounts several stories of painful interaction with his father. One involves ordering lobster Newburg in a restaurant. The reader knows immediately where this is going. Arthur has already shown that he doesn’t really care for seafood, and Father wants him to order steak. But Arthur insists that he wants his new favorite dish, lobster Newburg. Of course it arrives and Arthur can’t bring himself to eat the lobster. Although this sad incident shows how Arthur couldn’t please his father, Dahlie uses great wit to mine the humor of adolescent Arthur’s interaction with his father.
Dahlie writes the novel in a spare style reminiscent of Hemingway and Philip Roth. The narrator reveals the events and Arthur’s introspections without making any judgments. The audience wants to know what happens to this bumbling protagonist next and cheers him along his journey of self discovery. The low key delivery of the narrator keeps the incidents from becoming slapstick humor and instead instills them with wit and wisdom. Dahlie tells a fascinating and very readable story of a man who must rebuild his life within the milieu of upper class New York society.
Michael Dahlie, a creative writing professor at Butler University, will lead a discussion of this book on Wednesday, September 11 at Bookmamas, 9 South Johnson Ave. He will also speak at the Irvington library on Tuesday, November 19 at 6:30 p.m. along with other local creative writing professors who have published books recently.

Book Review – Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation

Kathleen Angelone — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 05:09:27 +0000

The introduction to Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation reveals that Michael Pollan had been pondering several issues. These include how to be more connected to his quickly growing son, how to improve the health and wellness of people — particularly his own family — and how to help people connect with nature. His seemingly simple answer to these troubling issues was to cook.
The answer turned out to be anything but simple. Pollan divides cooking into the four basic Greek elements: fire, water, air and earth. The cooking examples of these four elements are barbecueing, braising, bread baking, and fermenting. He researches each element extensively both in typical academic style and by learning to cook with masters of each type of food preparation. He practices and masters barbecueing whole pigs, baking bread, braising a variety of meats and fermenting cheese, beer, and more.
In his typical lyrical style, he produces an extended essay on each of the four aspects of his research. Along with the anticipated information on foods and cooking, he offers information on the biological processes of cooking and digestion. For example, people don’t need the extra stomachs of cows because cooking and fermentation starts the process of food digestion for humans.
Most interesting to me, though, was the inclusion of seemingly unrelated historical, anthropological and literary references. He considers Prometheus and Homer. He offers the history of food preparation. He compares various aspects of cooking, its products, and the food’s consumption to religious rituals. He describes the process and effects of animals drinking alcoholic beverages. He explores the relationship of various styles of cooking to the personalities and social places of the cooks.
In the process of researching and practicing with his son, Pollan transformed his relationship with his son and greater community. He also transformed his relationship to food and nature.
Hence the title of the book. To me, though, the book is more about his innovative thinking providing connections between seemingly unrelated elements of our world.
Discuss this book and Michael Pollan’s other works at Bookmamas with the Shared Pages book club on Tuesday, August 13 at 7:00 p.m. at Bookmamas, 9 South Johnson Avenue.

Applause! Aug. 9-16

Weekly View — Thu, 08 Aug 2013 05:08:31 +0000

• The Indiana State Fair App on your smartphone is really useful for plotting your route to your favorite destinations and food vendors. “Let’s see, on the way to the Free Stage from here, we’re passing the kettle corn place and fried butter stand, which is next to the lemon shake-ups.” Ah, technology, thou art beautiful.
• Big shout-out to a successful Ice Cream Social at the Irvington Historical Society. The jazz band was great, the weather was perfect, and it went without a hitch. Thank you to Wyliepalooza for donating ice cream!
• ABC News on Aug. 2 featured an eastsider, Danielle Emerson Beck, and her Web site, Indy Lost Pets, in their role in exposing a “pet flipper” in town.
• Looking forward to seeing The Man Who Came to Dinner at the Irvington Presbyterian Church Aug. 16. The church has been been doing some innovative programs for the community.
• The Feast of Lanterns will be happening Aug. 24, and they need volunteers to help set up, sit in booths, etc. To sign up to volunteer, visit www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/595497876068 with your information.
• On Aug. 10, Eskenazi Health Center Blackburn will conduct a free children’s health fair featuring sports physicals, immunizations and exciting children’s games. The annual Eskenazi Health Center Blackburn Children’s Health Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Eskenazi Health Center Blackburn, 2700 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. St. in Indianapolis.
• St. Philip Neri Church in conjunction with Englewood Church is hosting a “Celebration of our Community in Peace” at St. Philip Neri Church, 550 N. Rural on Aug. 6 from 6:30-9:00 p.m. There will be grilling hamburgers, snacks and drinks. There will also be entertainment for all ages. They are requesting that folks RSVP by calling the parish office at 317-631-8746.
• The last launch party for Ichabod’s Sketchbook will be held Aug. 9 at 6:30 p.m. at Bookmamas in Irvington. Readings begin at about 7 p.m. The books have featured many good local writers over the past few years. Also, Katie Darby Mullins, Stephanie French-Mischo and Matt Young will be reading from their works published by Midwestern Gothic at Bookmamas, on August 16 at 6:30 p.m. For those of us who love the written word, it’s nice to have a local spot to buy books by locals.
• The Vulgar Boatmen will be performing Aug. 9 at 7 p.m. at Broad Ripple Park, 1550 Broad Ripple Ave. This is part of the “Pay What You Want” series. Get tickets are Indy.gov/concerts — all of the proceeds go to support the Indianapolis Parks Foundation.

Book Review: Dragging Wyatt Earp

Kathleen Angelone — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 05:07:43 +0000

by Carolyn Everett, Bookmamas

Understandably, the mention of Dodge City conjures up visions of cowboys and tales of the Wild West but in Robert Rebein’s memoir, Dragging Wyatt Earp: A Personal History of Dodge City, you learn much more about Dodge City, Kansas, and the author himself.
Rebein skillfully pairs amusing and poignant anecdotes from his life with equally enlightening stories about Dodge City and Kansas history. You discover fascinating facts about Custer and Coronado while enjoying the tales of home remodeling, car rebuilding and “real” cowboys.
The Rebeins, especially Bill, Robert’s father were DIY before DIY was cool. All items that could be salvaged were so they could be reworked and rebuilt into something amazing. While both witnessing and participating in these projects, Rebein and his six brothers learned not only a myriad of mechanical skills but many life lessons along the way. They knew to respect the effort of a job well done as well as to appreciate the artistry in seemingly menial occupations.
Naturally there were moments of play, hence the title, Dragging Wyatt Earp, which refers to cruising in your car on “Wyatt Earp Boulevard,” a road which ran from Boot Hill to the Dodge House. This was a way to see and be seen by your teenage peers and something some Indianapolis teenagers during the mid to late 1960s might recall doing at 10th Street and Emerson Avenue.
The added bonus to this great memoir is the section of family photos inserted right in the middle of the book. They make you smile from ear-to-ear and welcome you warmly into this wonderful life.
Robert Rebein will have his book launch for Dragging Wyatt Earp: A Personal History of Dodge City on Friday, March 22 at 6:00 p.m. at Bookmamas bookstore, 9 S. Johnson in Irvington.