Everything I Never Told You

After reading  Celeste Ng's novel Little Fires Everywhere I reserved another book by her on the cloud Library. That is how I got to read Everything I Never Told You. I read the entire  book on this rainy day. The book isn't very long. The story is about a family of five. Just like in Little Fires Everywhere the mother in the family favors one child over the other two. In this story Lydia is favored over James and Hannah. Lydia's Mom wants her to become a doctor. Lydia's father wants her to be happy and have a group of friends. Nobody, including Lydia, is asking what Lydia wants. Lydia, age 17,  goes missing one morning and is later found dead floating in the near by lake. This book won many awards in 2016 and I agree it is suspenseful. This sad tale is set in Ohio in the 1970's. This book certainly kept me busy turning pages all day. 

A Spark Of Light

I read another Jodi Picoult novel. This one is called A Spark of Light. Jodi's novels are always about a controversial topic and this one is abortion. The book is divided into chapters and the entire book takes place in a single day. The first chapter is 5 pm, the second is 4 pm and so on until the last chapter is 8 am. Then comes an epilogue. So the story goes backward in time. The setting is an abortion and women's health clinic in Alabama. A man comes in with a gun about 10 in the morning. He kills several staff and takes the rest of the staff and patients hostage. The gun man deals with a hostage negotiator named Hugh. Hugh comes to realize that his daughter and sister are in the clinic. I liked the relationship between Hugh and his daughter and his sister. The story is told by ten different characters so it does get confusing. In past books by this author she did a good job rendering the story from both sides and making all characters relatable. In this case the gun man and the pro life demonstrators are not believable and not fleshed out. This was not her best book.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

Christy Lefteri is the author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo. The story is about a married couple named Nuri and Afra. Nuri was a beekeeper and Afra was an artist. Living in war torn Syria they decide to emigrate to the U.K. where Nuri's cousin, also a beekeeper, now lives. Their journey is complicated and dangerous. A blast has left Afra blind. She still completes art with colored pencils. She draws by feeling the mark the pencils make on the paper. Since she is blind she cannot see which color pencil she is using so her pictures are somewhat wild. Both Nuri and Afra suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Their mental health issues display in different ways. This story about their journey felt very real to me. The author is not an immigrant but her parents left Cyprus. She works with refugees. She really seems to know what life is like for refugees in Turkey and Greece.

Porcupine!

Look who I met on my hike from Lake County Demonstration Forest to the McCarthy Creek campground! A PORCUPINE! I followed it for a few minutes snapping pictures and trying not to get too close. The porcupine saw me and kept waddling down the trail. This porcupine appeared not to be in any hurry. This is more exciting than moose scat!

How lucky am I to see a porcupine again! I kept following for several minutes before saying, "Could you step off the path for a minute so I can get by?"  Apparently the porcupine did understand because it stepped off the path to the right.

I said, "Thank you very much. You have a good day now."

I hiked to Ferguson  Creek. McCarthy Creek is only 1.2 miles further.

The water supply for Ferguson Creek campground is a tributary of the Knife River. I took this picture on the bridge over the tributary. As far as I can see up stream and downstream the creek bed if completely full of these giant boulders. I have never seen anything like this before. How can this stream be full of boulders? Is this entire area full of boulders and the stream has just uncovered the sediment and soil that hides them from my view?

Here is McCarthy Creek. According to the guidebook there is a grassy lined waterfall here. Due to the drought the waterfall is now a water drip. I can see each drop falling separately. The photo doesn't show it but in this pond of water I saw two dozen minnows and a frog. The minnows are more visible by their shadows than their bodies. I hope it rains soon. Even the natural vegetation around here looks thirsty.

Some placed a painted rock in a rotting log that says you are amazing. I am not really sure if I like it or not. I added 3.6 miles today. My new total for hiking the trail is 63.4 miles. I have 269.6 left to go.

The Rainbow Comes and Goes

I listened to Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt read their book The Rainbow Comes and Goes. This is a compilation of emails they each sent to each other during a year before her death. Anderson (or Andy as his Mom sometimes calls him) wanted to get to know his mother better. They did not have a close relationship and he wanted to do what he could to change that. Gloria wasn't a typical mother but she never had a typical life. A month after she was born her parents went on a European vacation without her. At age 18 months her father died of alcoholism. Her mother was absent in her life leaving her in the care of nanny. I would expect that Anderson, being a reporter, would be good at asking the right questions to get to the heart of the matter. And he did do a good job. I could tell he admired his mother but often could make no sense of her decisions. She was an artist and a successful businesswoman. Remember the Vanderbilt blue jeans? They had her name and a swan on the back pocket? I personally never liked jeans that advertised or drew any attention to my backside but many woman did like her blue jeans. This was an interesting book about people whose lives are so very different than my own. 

Wrong Way!

Today I left my house at nine determined to finish the trail between Rossini Road and the Lake County Demonstration Forest trail head. I stopped to water my community garden and headed up to Two Harbors by 9:30. I thought I would be walking by 10:30 or so. I wrote the directions to the trail head on a piece of paper. The trail head is on Drummond Grade Road. I found my way to Drummond Grade Road where I was expecting a parking lot, a picnic table and log outhouses. Instead I found a dusty sign on the road that said Lake County Demonstration Forest and Superior Hiking Trail. Except there was no trail. I drove two miles past it and before it and could find no trail. So here I am with long pants on during a hot day, my wool socks pulled over my pant legs all set to hike and I can't find it. I don't give up though. I drive to Two Harbors and find the Superior Hiking Trail Headquarters. They are not open. I drive to McDonalds for the free WiFi. I get new directions on my phone and use those instructions instead of the ones I wrote down. I go past the very same place with the misleading sign advertising the Lake Country Demonstration Forest and the  Superior Hiking trail. I drive three more miles and I find the trail head with the parking lot, the picnic table and the log outhouse. Now it is noon and I am just getting started. I find the spur to the trail head. This spur is 1.2 miles. I come to the intersection. One way goes east toward Reeves Road. The other way goes west toward Rossini Road. I want to go toward Rossini Road until the McCarthy creek campground and then head back. I make my choice. I walk for another hour and something doesn't seem right. I look at my phone. Sure enough, I have gone the wrong way. I sincerely wished I had walked for five minutes at that decision point and then looked at my phone again to confirm my choice but oh, well, I may as well trudge onward. Before I go on my hikes I prepare.  I look at the guidebook and take a picture of my trail on my phone.  I also take pictures of the written description on the trail. These have come in handy in the past. This time I don't have a map or a description because I wasn't planning to go this way. Not having a map makes me a little uneasy. The trail is well marked though so I don't think I could get lost. I hike to the Stewart River Campsite and head back.  After hiking 5.1 more miles on the trail I was so happy to catch a glimpse of my yellow car in the distance. My new total on the trail is 59.8 miles. I have 273.2 left to go.

Go Set A Watchman

I read Harper Lee's second novel, Go Set A Watchman. She published this at a very old age and it was actually her first book. In the story Jean Louise, formerly known as Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird, thinks back to her childhood. The editor of Lee's first book told her to expand on those childhood memories. Those memories became To Kill A Mockingbird. This book was kept in a box on the shelf. In this story the year is 1950 and Scout is 26 years old and living in New York. She comes home to Maycomb, Alabama to visit her family on vacation. While there she observes her father, Atticus, in a meeting. She is outraged by the racism she sees in this meeting. Scout has always been impulsive and somewhat of a black and white thinker. I enjoyed the book but thought it could be better. I am grateful to the editor who suggested Harper Lee write about young Scout because To Kill A Mockingbird is a better book than this one.

Most Exciting Thing Seen On Superior Hiking Trail So Far

Here is the most exciting thing I have seen on the Superior Hiking Trail so far. What you are looking at right here is proof a moose stood on this very trail. This is moose scat! Not fresh moose scat but moose scat nonetheless.

And here are some little white flowers on red stems. I don't know what they are but they are unusual.

I hiked from the Rossini Road trailhead to McCarthy Creek. My hike was 3.3 miles which brings me to 54.7 miles completed and 278.3 miles left to go on the Superior Hiking Trail.

This is one of several vernal pools I hiked past.

These mature maple forests are wonderful to walk through. The understory is lush and green. Sunlight dapples through the maple leaves refreshing my soul.

If I wasn't so busy watching the ground so I don't fall on my face I could see more beauty by looking up through the trees.

Newton Horace Winnchell

Today I attended a zoom session put on by the Bell Museum featuring a new book by Sue Leaf called Minnesota's Geologist. I have heard Sue Leaf speak a couple of times before and I have read all of her books except this one. She gave a synopsis of the life of Newton Horace Winnchell. He was hired by the state of Minnesota to do a geologic  and biologic survey of the entire state plus start a natural history museum. He traveled the state on foot, on horseback, by sailboat band by birchbark canoe to complete the survey. He must have been a workaholic because he also started and edited American Geologist, a professional journal for geologists.After listening to this zoom session I am very interested in reading this book someday.

Becoming Wild

I listened to Carl Safina read Becoming Wild: How Animal Cultures Raise Families; Create Beauty and Achieve Peace to me. He writes about culture and how humans are not the only species to have culture. He focuses on sperm whales (in the Caribbean Sea), scarlet macaws (in Peru) and chimpanzees (in Uganda). He travels and speaks to researchers about their findings. With the whales he writes about their language. Each pod of whales has their own dialect. Some pods are friendly to each others and other pods do not interact at all. The elders in the group teach the younger ones how to communicate, how to hunt, and how to stay safe. Mammals, birds, fishes and even some insects learn things culturally. Humans are not the only creatures who belong to families and who pride themselves on taking care of others. This book was an eye opener for me.

Rossini Road to Big Bend Campsite

Today I hiked from the Rossini Road Trailhead back to Big Bend campsite. As I started out the sun was shining and it was raining so I had to wear a raincoat and sunhat at the same time. I was excited because only a half mile from the trailhead was a spot called 12 mile view. According to the guidebook you can see Lake Superior from here which is 12 miles away. I walked for an hour and still didn't see 12 mile view. Either I am walking really slow or the guidebook has misinformation. Here is a ferny section of the trail.

I came across a series of beaver ponds.Off in the distance a turtle suns itself on a log in the water.

Despite the rain today was a good day for a hike. Boardwalks are a welcome relief from the constant looking at my feet so I don't trip over roots, rocks or branches. I still manage to trip a few times but not on the boardwalks.

This little stream comes between the two beaver ponds. I have to rock hop across.

This forest is mostly maple with a few white pine. This is a very beautiful hike. Every hill I walk up coming in is going down on the way out. Every hill I walk up going out was a hill going down on the way in. Everything evens out.

Today I saw one chipmunk, two frogs, two toads and two garter snakes and one turtle. Plus I heard some green frogs talking.

On  my way back to my car I am surprised to see this sign. How did I miss it coming in? So where is Lake Superior?

This must be the 12 mile view. I can't really see the lake. Maybe if I were taller it would be visible. Today I hiked 2.7 miles of the  Superior Hiking trail bring me to a total of 51.4 miles completed and 281.6 left to go.

Solstice Walk to Big Bend

Today is the first day of summer so I decided to walk from the Fox Farm Trailhead to the Big Bend Campsite. I walked over a swamp, through a forest and then through a red pine plantation.

I walked over the west branch of the Knife River and some tributaries of the Knife River.

The mammal of the day is chipmunk. I saw three chipmunks. The first one was heard before seen. Although chipmunks are small mammals the noises they make walking around in the duff on the forest floor makes them sound a lot larger and intimidating than they really are. After hearing the first chipmunk for a few seconds, it darted out on the path in front of me. My presence must have frightened the chipmunk because it panicked and ran straight for my left shoe coming within an inch of my toe.Then the chipmunk turned and went back into the forest.

Here I am on a bridge crossing the west branch of the Knife River again. The campsite I am looking for is almost another mile ahead.

Here is the campsite!  And it has a latrine! Sweet! Such luxury!

My walk today brings me to 48.7 miles accomplished on the  Superior Hiking Trail. I have 284.3 left to go.

Tale of Two Cities

I have noticed some differences between my former city of Ramsey and my current city of Duluth. The average June temperatures in Ramsey are (high/low) 78/58. The average June temperatures in Duluth 66/49. Duluth is cooler and the air smells fresher. Maybe the white pines perfume the air here. Summer is delayed. Peonies haven't opened yet up here while in Ramsey they are past their prime. In Ramsey I heard the tornado siren once a month. I hear the monthly siren tests in Duluth too but I also hear church bells ringing which I like. Also when a ship comes into port they sound the horn with one long blast followed by two short blasts. The lift bridge usually responds with one long blast followed by two short blasts. I think that is a very fine tradition although they are probably in contact over the phone and the horn sounds are unnecessary. On foggy days the coast guard sounds a horn every few minutes all day long. Ramsey had some elevation changes but nothing like Duluth. I live on the east hillside neighborhood. If I walk directly to the lake I end up at the rose garden. My walk is entirely downhill. Some blocks are severely downhill. I'm talking downhill where your toenails touch the ends of your shoes downhill. If I walk away from the lake that is uphill for a while. If I walk parallel to the lake it's not level. Today I walked west to Enger tower. That was downhill then uphill and a few blocks of level terrain. My feet and legs have adjusted to the hills now. The roads in Ramsey were pretty good. I saw a few potholes but they were rare and in my old neighborhood, the neighbors petitioned to delay street maintenance to save a few dollars in the short run. The major roads in Duluth are good but near my house some potholes are big enough to contain a human body. I have to take it slowly through those potholes. Luckily I have the best route figured out  now. The sidewalks on busy roads in Duluth are in good shape but the sidewalk on my street have, in spots, heaved up and down so much there is no way a wheelchair or a stroller could get through. I didn't have a sidewalk in Ramsey but I know in the Twin Cities you have to keep your sidewalk shoveled or the city will do it for you and send you the bill. Not everyone in Duluth shovels their sidewalk. At my new house I didn't even know I had a sidewalk for the first month because it was covered in a couple feet of compacted snow. In Ramsey we weren't allowed to park on the street overnight in the winter. In Duluth you can park on the street overnight in the winter. But, and this took me a few days and asking total strangers to figure out, you can park on only side of the street each week. This week we park on the odd side of the street. Next week we will park on the even side of the street. The parking on opposite sides goes on all year long. Sunday night between 5 and 9 pm is the time to switch the parking. My road isn't wide enough for two cars to pass if cars are parked on both sides of the street. Driving home on Sunday evenings means a lot of yielding and coordination. This alternating of parking makes plowing and street sweeping easier. I really can't compare all aspects of the city. The pandemic has ended some of the city services. What I can say is that the Municipality Storm Water Protection Team really thinks outside of the box.

Know My Name

One of my nieces lent me her book Know My Name by Chanel Miller. For a long time we knew her as Emily Doe, the victim of a sexual assault at Stanford University. Two Swedish foreign exchange students saw a guy assaulting an unconscious woman near the dumpsters and put a stop to it. He tried to run away but they tackled him and held him until the police arrived. Without their assistance Chanel might never have known what happened to her that January night. Her assailant got off incredibly easy with only a six month jail sentence of which he served three. Because of that  decision and the subsequent out-roar the law in California has changed the consequences of raping an unconscious person to include mandatory prison time. The judge who decided three months was enough punishment was recalled by a special petition and had to hang up his robe for good.  Chanel's pain and suffering was hard to read about. Her family, boyfriend and friends suffered too. This was a difficult book to read but well worth my time.

Dear Mrs. Bird

I listened to this book by A. J. Pearce and I think that was a good way to enjoy it because the reader had a British accent and the story is set in London during the 1940's. The reader had a talent for voices as well. Any dialogue spoken by Mrs. Bird was recognizable because she shouts at people in a condescending and rude manner. The main character is Emmy who gets a job typing letters for Mrs. Bird's advice column in a women's magazine. Emmy is 23 and thinks Mrs. Bird is judgmental, rude and less than helpful to her readers. When not working for Mrs. Bird Emmy volunteers at a local fire station. Her description of the bombs falling on London are very realistic. Sad moments and comedic moments are mixed together. Emmy is a brave yet dramatic woman severely in need of some emotional regulation.

Nine Perfect Strangers

Liane Moriarty's novel Nine Perfect Strangers was a problem for me today. I could not put it down. I read the whole book in one day. The story of nine strangers gathering at an expensive transformation retreat. The story is set in Australia. Each chapter is told by one of the nine strangers or Masha, the Russian woman in charge of the retreat or Yao, her assistant. I have never been to a health retreat where the customers are told what to eat and what to do. I guess I just don't like being told what to do. After reading this dark comedy about health retreats I am for sure not going to go to one. I would watch the film version of this story though if I had HULU, which I don't. The television series comes out in 2021. Nicole Kidman is going to play Masha. Melissa McCarthy is going to play Frances who is a 55 year old romance novel author. I think Melissa is too young for that part.

Pike Lake

Today I decided my arms needed a work out so I took my kayak out of storage, popped it in the back of the car, knotted my red scarf to the end of the kayak that protrudes, tied the door down and headed to Pike Lake. Pike Lake is north and east of my house and is the closed public landing I could find that is not on Lake Superior. Today was a windy day so I definitely did not want to be on the big lake. I found the public landing. After an inspection by a guy hired by the township to look for invasive species I learned that Pike Lake does have zebra mussels. The water was very clear. Zebra mussels are invasive but they sure do a good job cleaning the water. I headed counter clockwise around the lake which is surrounded by homes. As I paddled along the shore a guy on a jet ski pulling a huge round floating device with two girls on it zipped by me. This jet ski guy looked like he was trying to get as close to the kayaks and canoes that he could. I gave him dirty looks but the door knob kept at it the whole time I was on the lake. When I got half way up the shore the wind picked up. Now I had white caps to contend with. I tried to take the waves at an angle but some water was splashing inside the kayak. I decided to cut my trip short, head across the lake to the far side and head back to the public landing. An eagle soared overhead. A common loon popped up between me and a pontoon boat. The loon ducked under the water and I never saw where it came up again. There is something about floating on the water that is so relaxing. The waves push me around. The currents pull me this way and that. Boating is a sensory experience that I crave. I headed back to the public landing after an hour of paddling. The boat inspector carefully looked at my kayak and gave me the go-ahead. I bought this canoe eight years ago for one hundred dollars. Buying it was a wise choice because I have gotten more than one hundred dollars of enjoyment out of it.

Fox Farm Pond

Today I hiked to the Fox Farm Pond Campsite on the Superior Hiking Trail. I had a 4.1 mile hike and back. I left my car at 10:30 and didn't get here until 1. Nature was calling so I looked around for a latrine. I found none. I chose a spot well off the path because I didn't want to get caught with my pants down. I found a good spot between a 6 inch diameter tree and a 2 inch diameter tree. I figured it would be easier to get up again with these two trees to hold onto. I lowered my trousers and grabbed my trees. When I got good and low the 2 inch diameter tree broke off at ground level. I fell a couple inches to the ground and the tree fell on top of me. I struggled to get up again which was difficult. Then I thought I might as well stay down here until the deed was done. I moved my feet away from down stream and took care of business. I used the 6 inch diameter tree to get up again. Things on the trail don't always go as planned.

This campsite is by a huge beaver pond. Look at this! The level of the beaver pond is way higher than the trail. Those eager beavers did some amazing work here.

Here is another view of the beaver pond. The Superior Hiking guide said to be on the look out for signs of moose along this trail. I did not see any moose. I saw 11 other hikers but they were all heading north.

The total walk was 8.2 miles and it took me five hours to do it. I didn't make very good time. The above picture shows why. Look at that huge tree blocking the path. You can't even see the path! Getting through this spot which is really close to where I parked took me 15 minutes heading south and only 5 minutes heading north. Now I have hiked a total of 45 miles of the Superior Hiking Trail and have 288 left to go.

Sucker River

A full seven days was needed to rid my house of the wood ticks. I finally had a wood tick free day so I went back out on the Superior Hiking Trail. First I sprayed my hat, shoes, pants and shirt in permethrin and let it dry. I drove to the Sucker River trail head. The spur to the hiking trail at this spot is .9 mile long. That was such a long spur I thought I was lost but I eventually found it. 

I hiked across the Sucker River on a very nice bridge. This spot also had a shelter and a toilet which was an unexpected treat. For a few feet the Superior Hiking Trail shares the bridge with the North Country Trail and the shelter and toilet are for the North Country Trail. The water looked inviting. I thought about wading in and decided not to. I wondered why this was the sucker river. Is the river named after the sucker fish or the blood sucking leeches?  My hike took me along a ridge and when I got to the top I found I could see for miles. Dragonflies were plentiful. Some rested right on the path in front of me and I tried not to step on any. During the entire hike I saw no one and except for 2 planes I heard no sounds of civilization. 

I saw a few flowers blooming. The birds were quieter on this trip. I could hear the rushing of water of the Sucker River and Sucker Creek as I hiked up and down. The trail curves a lot. Sometimes I question if the designed of the Superior Hiking Trail chose the most difficult route. I started the hike at 1:15 and by 4:15 I had made it to the Sucker Creek campground. I turned around and headed back to my car. I brought my head net along in case I needed it and I was glad I did. Along the Sucker Creek the mosquitoes were fierce even with all the insect repellent I was wearing. Now I have completed 40.0 miles of the Superior Hiking trail and have 293.1 left to go.

Colorful Snakes

Walking home yesterday I left the sidewalks and took the Chester Creek trail. Right away a snake scares me by traveling across my path and into the weeds. I took this photo. I'm not sure but it could be a hognosed snake. The colorful pattern of the snake was alarming. I am accustomed to garter snakes.

Apartment

Teddy Wayne wrote a book called Apartment. The story is about a grad student at Columbia studying for a MFA in creative writing. He illegally sublets his aunt's apartment for six years now. His first four years in the apartment was his undergraduate study. Living off campus makes him feel apart from the other college students. For two years he works as a copy editor after graduation before entering grad school. In school the students critique each other's work. The narrator's work is given harsh criticism while the other students get gentler treatment. Billy, another student, is the only one who praises the narrator's work. The narrator and Billy become friends and eventually share the apartment. The awkward unbalance of their living situation affects their relationship especially since the writing program at Columbia is very competitive. The narrator's insecurity is brought forth by Billy's writing talent. If you want to read about a young male example of insecurity, this is the book for you.

Sweet Smell of Spring

Walking around Duluth at this time of year is an olfactory treat. The lilacs are in bloom. The bleeding hearts are in bloom. The lupines are in bloom. The crab apple and plum trees are in bloom. The Allium are in bloom. The bridal veil bushes are in bloom. Forsythia is in bloom. Lilies of the valley are in bloom. Azalea bushes are in full bloom. The air is perfumed with the sweet scent of flowers. Here is a photo of my purple shamrocks in bloom.

The Muralist

B. A. Shapiro wrote The Art Forger (which I read not too long ago) and The Muralist. I guess I have been reading a lot of art books. Both of these books are historical fiction. I enjoy getting into the head of an artist. This time the art is abstract which is more difficult for me to appreciate. The artist, Alizee Benoit, is fictional but her lover is Mark Rothko who was a real artist. Her friends include Jason Pollock, also a real artist. Alizee is Jewish and she has family in France that she is trying to get visas for because the Nazis are in France. Alizee works for the WPA  (Works Projects Administration - one of the new deal institutions set up by Franklin Delano Roosevelt). When Eleanor Roosevelt comes to visit the artists working on murals Alizee seeks her assistance to include abstract art as well as representational art. Eleanor helps Alizee get her abstracts included in a contract. Later Alizee asks Eleanor Roosevelt for assistance in rescuing her family. I enjoy historical fiction and I certainly enjoyed The Muralist.

Small Great Things

I was listening to the book Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult. At the same time I am hearing the news from Minneapolis where car loads of white supremacists are rumored to be stashing bottles of gasoline in Minneapolis neighborhoods, the author of this book introduces a character named Turk Bauer. Turk is a white supremacist living in Connecticut. He is married to another white supremacist and her father is the leader of the white supremacists in the area. Reality and fiction are getting a little too close for comfort. Turk Bauer is a disturbing character. He is full of hate and anger. He has swastikas tattooed on his scalp. Turk is a violent man. What is more disturbing is that the author writes about him in such a way that I had to admire him too. He wasn't all bad. He is a kind and loyal husband who wants to assist her through her pregnancy in any way he can. At the hospital he objects when Ruth Jefferson assists his child. He requests that no persons of color assist him new son. Of course things go wrong and like all Jodi Picoult novels there is a long legal trial. I understand this book will be made into a movie. Julia Roberts will play the attorney and Viola Davis will play Ruth Jefferson. I give credit to Picoult for daring to write a book about racism. In the interview after the book she admits her own prejudices and is very honest. I admire that. I enjoyed the book but I thought she developed the character of Turk Bauer better than Ruth Jefferson. The ending was a tad melodramatic but overall it was a good book to read.

A Black Women's History Of The United States

Diana Ramey Berry and Kali Nicole Gross were approached by Beacon Press to write this non-fiction book. Both of these women work at Universities as educators. The history covers the last 400 years. The book is in chronological order. Each chapter is about a segment in history and starts out with a story about a black woman from that era.  The authors challenge stereotypes about black women. Included in the book are artists and free women, slaves and educators, law abiding black woman and other black women who do not obey the law.  I enjoyed this book because sometimes history is so dry and full of facts I get bored. I was definitely not bored by A Black Women's History Of The United States.