The Room on Rue Amelie

The Room on Rue Amelie by Kristin Harmel

"The smallest acts of courage are the ones that change the world."

In 1939, American and newlywed Ruby Henderson Benoit moves to Paris with her French husband Marcel. Her dreams of a romantic life in Paris are shattered as war breaks out and France falls to the Nazis. Her marriage collapses as well, but not before Ruby learns a secret about her husband Marcel.

Ruby's neighbors, the Dacher's are affected by the anti-Semitic laws passed in France. Charlotte is eleven when French Jews are forced to wear the yellow star and she can no longer attend school. When the government begins rounding up and deporting Jews, Charlotte's life changes forever.

RAF pilot Thomas Clarke joined the army to protect his country. After his only surviving family member is killed in the Blitz, he questions his efforts and his desire to defend his country. However, he continues to fly and his plane is shot down in France and he makes his way to Paris.

War brings Ruby, Charlotte, and Thomas together. The bonds they form in the room on the Rue Amelie keep them together, and renew their hope and sense of purpose.

The Rue Amelie sits between the Eiffel Tower and the Hotel des Invalides. I've circled it on the map. This map I have was published in Germany sometime before 1979 (The Gare d'Orsay still exists on the map).

Rue Amelie is circled.

 Paris

I really enjoyed this novel and cried at the end.

***Spoiler Alert***

Author Kristin Harmel was researching WWII connections to Florida for her novel When We Meet Again when she came across the story of Virginia d'Albert-Lake, an American who married a Frenchman and moved to Paris in 1937. Virginia became a member of the Resistance and worked on the Comet escape line before her capture in 1944. She was imprisoned at Ravensbruck. Ruby's story is inspired by Virginia. Harmel was inspired by Virginia's choice to remain in Paris during the war even though as an American, she had been given the option to return home.

Virginia's diary survived the war and was published in 2006 An American Heroine in the French Resistance. 

Murder Between the Lines

Murder Between the Lines is the second book in the Kitty Week's series by Radha Vatsal.

Murder Between the Lines takes place in 1915 amid the mounting tensions of World War One. Kitty (full name Capability) Weeks is a reporter for the New York Sentinel's Ladies' Page. For her latest assignment, she is sent to interview the headmistress of Westfielf Hall, an elite all-girls boarding school. Though not featured in her article, Kitty is drawn to student Elspeth Bright and her scientific research. On Christmas Day, Elspeth is found dead and Kitty believes she has been murdered. Kitty begins to dig into Elspeth's death and her research about batteries. Her investigations lead her to the Women's Suffrage Movement, President Wilson's policies, submarine warfare and the United States Navy, and again to Westfield Hall where all is not as it seems.


I enjoyed this story and liked the character of Kitty. I was not completely satisfied with the novel's ending and the resolution to Kitty's investigations.

The Lilac Bus

I finished this on June 30th, but didn't have a chance until now to blog.

The Lilac Bus by Maeve Binchy features two novellas The Lilac Bus and Dublin 4. In The Lilac Bus, Binchy tells the interwoven and  stories of 8 people who take the Lilac Bus from Dublin home to  the town of Rathdoon every Friday night. Nancy, Kev, Mikey, Celia, Dee, Judy, Rupert, and Tom have very different lives and personalities, but for several hours they come together on the bus, which is indeed lilac-colored.  I liked Celia and Tom's stories the best.

Dublin 4 features four short stories about the quotidien desperation and bravery of Dubliners.

Grave Mistake

#106 Grave Mistake by Ngaio Marsh

New Zealand crime writer and theater director is often compared to her contemporaries Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. I've read two or three of Marsh's Inspector Alleyn mysteries and I like them, but still favor Christie.

In Grave Mistake, a rest cure at the local spa turns deadly for Sybil Foster. Sybil is the snobby and nervy owner of the grandest estate in Upper Quintern. Sybil escapes to the spa to avoid a visit from her stepson, "Charmless" Claude. Her death is ruled a suicide, but the autopsy findings change that. Suspects include: Claude who was searching for a family legacy; daughter Prunella and her undesirable fiance, Gideon; the rather attentive new gardener whose name is Gardener; Dr. Basil Schramm, Sybil's latest flame; Verity Sybil's dear friend who had a dark past with Dr. Schramm.

Julia's Cats

Julia's Cats: Julia Child's Life in The Company of Cats by Patricia Barey and Therese Burson

In 1948, the newly-wedded Julia Child settled into married life with Paul in Paris. She loved the sights, sounds, smells, and of course the food. But her life wasn't complete until an adorable little feline joined their household. Minette was supposed to be a mouser, but as Julia's culinary skills took off, the cat enjoyed far better fare.

Minette helped Julia's French skills take off. One day she stopped at the local market to buy fish and stumbling over the words, asked if there were any fish heads. The fishmonger gave her one and the following week, asked Julia about her cat. The two became friends and often exchanged stories about their cats (34).

Minette

Julia's Cats follows Julia's career across France, in the United States, and elsewhere in Europe, almost always accompanied by a minou. A cat-lady through and through, Julia listened for the "minouminouminouminou" (here kitty kitty kitty) of French housewives wherever she went, and more often than not, stumbled upon a feline friend. So enamored with cats, she created a new word for them, "poussiequette".

I am a cat-lady as well and love to look for cats in the neighborhood. Our honeymoon in France was peppered with cats, included "Minou" the local village cat, and we still talk about the feral/mangy street cat that I wasn't allowed to pet, but did take a picture of.

Julia's Cats is filled with anecdotes and stories from Julia and Paul's letters, friends, and family. Julia's Cats is an ode to the felines (and other furry friends) who enrich our lives.

The Tea Book

The Tea Book: Experience the World's Finest Teas, Qualities, Infusions, Rituals, Recipes by Linda Gaylard

Linda Gaylard is a tea sommelier; a profession most people probably don't know exists. She writes, "The tea sommelier has the challenging task of convincing tea drinkers that there is much more to tea than a mug and a tea bag. Beyond the bag there is mystery, history, travel, industry, culture, and ceremony: a whole new world to explore."

Gaylard's book reveals the history, mystery, culture, and ceremony of tea. First is an overview of what tea is: the plant, its varieties, and colors. Gaylard explains the anatomy of the tea plant, its growth cycle, harvest, and terroir.  A full page is devoted to each major tea-producing country: information is provided about that country's contribution to world tea production, harvest times, what tea varieties are grown, and more.

The book then turns to culture and ceremony. Gaylard walks readers through tea ceremonies of China, Japan, Korea, Russia, and Morocco. I loved seeing pictures of tea cups and pots from around the world.


The final section of the book is devoted to recipes. The recipes are divided up by type of tea: black, green, white... And they include cool, hot, non-alcoholic, and alcoholic brews. I liked the section on tisanes and herbal infusions useful. I want to expand my garden and grow herbs and spices to infuse in teas.

I can't wait to try new teas with friends. For young tea enthusiasts, I reccomend Fancy Nancy Tea Parties

Do Your Laundry or You'll Die Alone

Do Your Laundry or You'll Die Alone: Advice your mom would give you if she thought you were listening by Becky Blades

I guess I don't have to worry about dying alone since laundry seems to have taken over my life. Said laundry might kill me though. The advice in this book ranges from light-hearted to serious and was written when Blades' elder daughter left for college.


#76: Plan a trip to Paris. Thought it may be a faraway fantasy, setting your sights on a trip to Paris releases your inner French girl and makes every day more chic. Studying Paris--or any place you long to visit--is a luscious way to spend your web-surfing time. By the time you get there, it will feel like a long-lost friend.

I dream of my next trip to France. I prefer real travelling, but arm-chair travelling is far less expensive. 

#83: Own a tutu and a boa. Because you just never know.

#91 Black is the new black. Black is not back because black was never gone.

I own several black dresses. Now I just need a tutu and a boa to go with them.

# 145 Use Titles of Respect. Call your friend's dad "Mr." even if he says you don't have to. If you know someone is a doctor, call her "Dr." She worked hard for it.

My best friend still calls my dad "Mr." and he appreciates it. My title is Dr. 
 Also, your professor is not your best friend; address emails to your professor or TA using his/her appropriate title. And READ THE SYLLABUS.

#216: You're never too old for crayons.