The Woman In The Photo by Mary Hogan

The Woman In The Photo

by

Mary Hogan

      The audio book I have been listening to the last couple weeks is The Woman In The Photo by Mary Hogan.   It is a historical novel which is my genre of choice and I enjoyed it very much.  The story moves between the past (1889) in Pennsylvania and the present in California.  A young woman of 18 is each story line and it turns out one is the 3rd great grandmother of the other.  Since the present day young woman is adopted it is a bit of a mystery too as she searches out her family from a picture. She inadvertently sees the picture in her file when called to the agency to be given some medical information upon turning 18.  The picture is of an ancestor of the girl, who she was named after, standing by Clara Barton.  The searching and reading the modern day Elizabeth does to find the 1889 Elizabeth in the aftermath of the Johnstown flood was very interesting to me.  The chapters that explain the information she found out about Clara Barton, how she image searched for her ancestors hair style to place her in the late 1800s,  and the disaster that was the Johnstown flood, were all parts of the story that were especially good.  The part of the book that takes place in 1889 starts out slow with frivolous high society teen age girl type events but then progresses to the time when the dam breaks and I was on the edge of my seat for the remainder of the novel.  I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it to others.  It is a really good book.  Please click on the author's name and book title above to follow the links and read more information.  Also, enjoy the video that follows about the flood.  

White Trash by Nancy Isenberg

White Trash

by

Nancy Isenberg

     Author Nancy Isenberg has written a book that I can't unread.  Several years ago there was a television show called "Myth Busters"that did experiments to show whether or not various things people generally thought had any science behind them.   In a similar way the non-fiction book "White Trash"  qualifies as a "myth buster".  The book begins in the 1600's and follows the history of the United States to the present.  The author explains how poor people were manipulated and used from the first immigrates to todays persons of poverty.  They were sent into the dangerous wilderness to tame areas, only to be sent further west when the job was done and higher class people moved into the frontier towns, called them squatters and took away their homesteads.  When the landless poor were finally allowed to vote, their vote was courted only for laws and policies to be written to prevent their upward mobility.  They were lied to and used as cannon fodder in the civil war, during which the southern aristocrats were out to make sure rich people remained on top of the social order.  In example after example, the author describes the way our belief in the American Dream is an exaggeration of opportunities that are not available for many of our citizens.  The founding fathers, whom are we are taught in school were all about building a democracy, believed that poor people were badly bred individuals who were not the same as those from better stock.  Writings of Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin were cited to show their prejudices against the lower classes.  Thankfully, when the reader is about to throw up their hands as each of our leaders is shown to have made statements and written words that showed their snobbery, the book arrives at FDR and LBJ.  Both of whom are described as men who worked hard to try to make changes and provide opportunities for the poor people of America.  LBJ was described as a man who worked not only to make opportunities available to poor whites but he also included civil rights in his policies.  Prior to these two men,  and since these two men,  examples were not shown that any progress has been made to help people obtain adequate education, housing or medical care.  The only other positive example cited was Obama's ACA.  The book describes the phases our country went through while they were justifying looking down at our poor population.  The author explained eugenics, which was so popular in the early part of the 1900s, and examples of the laws that were passed at that time to prevent the spread of the bad genes poor people were supposed to have, were cited.  As hard as this book was to get through it is a book that every American should read.  It was very disillusioning and a person could easily get depressed reading it.  In fact it was very hard on someone as idealistic as I am.  Nevertheless, it is a book that is well worth struggling through.  Please click on the author's name and book title above to learn more information and enjoy the video that follows.  It is an interview with the author that took place August  2016.  

Peppermint

Peppermint

I have been reading a lot of information about the various essential oils and have decided to write a bit about one every month or so.  Since becoming a wholesale customer in YL last month I have enjoyed trying the various essential oils.  The peppermint oil is one that I use at least once daily.  I add a drop to a cup of coffee along with almond milk in place of a snack.  It satisfies me, increases my level of alertness and provides me a general lift.  It is a plant that has been used for centuries.  A history of peppermint can be found HERE.   Some people use peppermint for headaches.  One reason I was interested in peppermint oil was the anti-inflammatory effects attributed to it. The following video explains some of the benefits attributed to peppermint. 

 Peppermint is one of the oils I now have in my standard monthly order from YL.  I received my first monthly essential rewards order today and have it set up to include my favorite oils.  Although I first joined Young Living without the essential rewards feature, I bumped up to that level after getting to know the various oils in my welcome kit.  Peppermint oil is an addition to my life that promotes comfort and health.  I am glad I have added it to my daily routine.