The Patron Saint of Liars (Ann Patchett)

 

I was reading a different book in preparation for my book club meeting when I realized I was reading the wrong book and so I quickly switched to this one. LOL I still didn't get this one read before book club, which I really regret because this would have been a great one to discuss. I feel like there was some kind of symbolism between the healing water spring where the hotel/home for pregnant girls was built and the main character's inability to make connections and give/feel love and connection....but I struggle to put that together succinctly.

The ending was quite surprising and quite unresolved. Call me weird, but I kind of like a book that leaves you sitting there stunned, in the middle of the road, like I did with Cecilia. 

I read a lot of reviews that said they did not like the main character, Rose. I found myself really sympathizing with her and feeling bad for her. I wanted her to find happiness....but she never did. (I added disabilities as a tag because I felt like Rose had a disability when it came to making healthy connections with other people).

Goodreads says:

In 1992, celebrated novelist Ann Patchett launched her remarkable career with the publication of her debut novel, The Patron Saint of Liars. On this 25th anniversary, read the best-selling book that is “beautifully written . . . a first novel that second- and third-time novelists would envy for its grace, insight, and compassion” (Boston Herald).

St. Elizabeth's, a home for unwed mothers in Habit, Kentucky, usually harbors its residents for only a little while. Not so Rose Clinton, a beautiful, mysterious woman who comes to the home pregnant but not unwed, and stays. She plans to give up her child, thinking she cannot be the mother it needs. But when Cecilia is born, Rose makes a place for herself and her daughter amid St. Elizabeth's extended family of nuns and an ever-changing collection of pregnant teenage girls. Rose's past won't be kept away, though, even by St. Elizabeth's; she cannot remain untouched by what she has left behind, even as she cannot change who she has become in the leaving

Lines of Courage (Jennifer A Nielsen)

 

I'm not good at war stories. I can't keep track of the battles, the locations and why each countries hates another. However, World War I did become a little clearer for me with this book. I became attached to each of the characters. One was from Austria-Hungary (Austrian-Hungarian?), one was British, one was French, one was German and one was Russian. The author's note at the end to explain some main aspects of WWI made things a little more clear for me. Of course, all the characters lives intersect and in the end they all come together....which was a little too convenient....but maybe that's okay when it comes to J fiction. 

I really enjoy Jennifer Nielsen's books and I also enjoyed this one. She does a great job of creating characters that are in difficult situations  all while making them relatable and inspiring.

I  really liked her note at the end. She said she wrote this during the covid-19 pandemic.  "...a time of heightened anxieties, worries about the future, frightening news headlines, and isolation. The First World War could be described in the very same way.....which is why lies of courage matter; those lines we extend from ourselves to offer strength and encouragement to others. And those that flow toward us, boosting our courage for whatever the future may bring."....World War I was called the "War to End All Wars." That didn't last long, of course, but may you be the generation that ends the conflict, whether on a global scale or in your community, or with your closest relationships. May you do so because nature wants to heal. And with a little courage, we will too." (from the author's note at the end of the book)

I'm all for anything that encourages people to end conflict. 

....which brings me to the Russian invasion in Ukraine....maybe she could write a book about that to help me make sense of it.

Goodreads says:

The stories of five kids living through World War I, each of whom holds the key to the others' futures... if they are lucky - and brave - enough to find each other.

World War I stretches its cruel fingers across Europe, where five young people, each from different backgrounds and nations, face the terror of battle, the deprivations of hunger, and all the awful challenges of war.

Felix, from Austria-Hungary, longs for the bravery to resist Jewish deportations before his own family can be taken.

Kara, from Britain, dreams of someday earning her Red Cross pin and working as a nurse - or even a doctor.

Juliette, of France, hopes her family can remain knitted together, despite her father's imprisonment, as the war's longest battle stretches on and on.

Elsa, from Germany, hopes her homing pigeon might one day bring her a friend from out of the chaos.

And Dimitri, of Russia, wants only to survive the front, where he's been sent with no weapon.

None of them will find exactly what they want. But the winds of fate may cross their paths to give each of them just what they need. 

The Upside of Stress (Kelly McGonigal)

 

This is a great book! It is definitely one to read again and read it regularly.

NOTES

- People who thrive under stress have a different sort of hardiness (courage to grow from stress):

    - they think about stress differently. They see it as a normal aspect of life
    - they see it as an opportunity to grow
    - they believed that difficult times require staying engaged with life rather than giving up or isolating oneself
    - no matter what happens, you can continue to make choices and change the situation

People who are good at stress allow themselves to be changed by the experience of stress. They find ways to make meaning out of suffering.

The book is divided into three important ways to deal with stress:

Engage
Connect
Grow

p. 102: Mindset interventions don't just stick; they also snowball. Every time these students perform well despite - or perhaps because of - their nerves, they learn to trust themselves under pressure. 

p. 103 Do you see stress as helpful and giving you motivation? Or do you see it as harmful?

    "If you experience stress of anxiety, try to channel or use the energy those feelings may arouse in order to do your best" and "You are the kind of person who performs better under pressure."  
vs 
 "If you experience stress or anxiety, try to focus on the task and do your best."
vs 
 " Please try to do your best."

Students who learn to channel and use the energy stress arouses outperform others.