I sit here on an unseasonably mild August day, as we approach the tail end of Summer, and reflect upon the fact that it was two seasons back, on a much colder day, that I last wrote anything at all here on what for twelve years had been my most frequent and enjoyable method of processing creativity in the form of books read, films watched, art enjoyed.
Midori Snyder mused today on blogging and connection and reached out to me personally to converse about it, and as I just happened to finish my latest audio book read, I thought it would be nice to come here, dust off the cobwebs, and write.
It was back in what seems like an age ago that I did something I had never done, to my knowledge, in my entire life: I read through a series of books back to back. Richard had recommended the work of Louise Penny, and though the first book was rough in spots, I fell deeply for the inhabitants of the Canadian village of Three Pines and for the Chief Inspector who would soon bring his much larger world crashing into their smaller one, Armand Gamache.
I read the first seven or eight novels, one right after the other, in preparation for the August 2012 release of what was then her new Gamache novel. All these Augusts later I find myself again pining for Three Pines, pun intended, and the new novel that will arrive on the 29th.
For the last few years I’ve taken to “reading” these books in audio format. The narration is top notch and I love to hear the foreign words and foreign accents as they should be heard, not as my Midwest American mind processes them.
The bulk of Louise Penny’s novels in this series had their murder of the moment, but a much more grand and intense story was ever in the background, rearing its ugly head with greater intensity with each novel. Then when that story arc ended, a new story arc began, with tendrils of the past continuing to reach forward to haunt Armand Gamache in the present.
I have written before and will echo those sentiments now: there is no way to get into great detail about the particular novel in question as to do so would take pages of history and far too many spoilers and I will not ruin the experience for anyone who wants to meet these quirky but deep characters for themselves.
Louise Penny is masterful at capturing both the darkness and the light that exist not only in the world outside our front doors, but in our very selves. She processes emotion with skill and through the course of each and every novel leaves the reader wanting to be a better person, in public and in private. This novel was particularly poignant to listen to, as last September Louise Penny lost her husband after a period in which he suffered with dementia. She writes about it here and you cannot help but see from where Armand Gamache gets his courage and his resolute character. There was a detail in the novel, so specific, that stopped me in my tracks and I was just sure that this was a piece of her husband that she had given to a character. I cannot fathom the loss of my spouse and ache at the thought of anyone else having done so.
The story of Louise Penny’s loss, which I had just heard about a few weeks ago, also struck a cord because Monday, July 31st, was the one year anniversary of the death of a dear friend, Patricia Aldridge. Pat was someone I worked with for years and developed a great friendship with over our mutual love of reading and movies. Over the years, as my own grandmothers passed away, she filled that gap and we spent many, many hours sitting in Panera, eating soup and talking deeply about stories that we cherished. I watched my friend succumb to dementia slowly, and then more rapidly, over the course of several years. So much so that the last several years we were unable to talk about books or movies because even though she continued to read and watch television, she had no short term memory at all. And then I watched much of her long term memory go, though I had the pleasure of knowing some of her life stories so well that I was able to teach them back to her, and she would write them down in her journal so she could go over them to try to jog her memory.
I lost Pat well over a year ago, as did her family, but it still hurt to see her go even though I know her last hours were a miserable struggle to stay alive to see her family one last time. She would have loved these books, truly loved them, and we would have had many great conversations about them every year as the new one came out.
Over the course of twelve novels Louise Penny has made me laugh and made me cry. She angered me greatly and I had to sit with that anger until the next novel was published and it brought with it healing and understanding, if not complete agreement with her choices. Louise Penny has surprised me. Most of all she has made me care deeply about a small but mighty group of characters who live in a village that may not be idyllic, but strives to be so for the people who call it home.
I am pleased I waited with this one, as now I have but a few weeks to see where Louise Penny will take me next. What I know for sure is that at least part of it will take place in Three Pines, and that it will feel like home.
Just as you have done many times before, you’ve convinced me to try a book (in this case a series) that I had written off. I’m so glad you’re back and I hope you stay! (And thank you for sharing your personal story about dementia. It’s hard to watch it slowly take over a life.)
My only suggestion is to stick with it. I actually really enjoyed the first book, but some of the criticism I had read of it is valid. I just think the characters are so good that the flaws don’t matter. And then the books just keep getting better.
I’ve just finished running on a bit at Midori’s blog, and now here I am to say how pleased I am to find that you’ve taken pen to paper once again — at least metaphorically. The series you mention sounds like an interesting one. I spend so much of my life rummaging around in non-fiction that it might not hurt me to give the series a try.
The story of your friend Pat is a poignant one. More than once, I’ve wondered if an as-yet-unappreciated value of my blog won’t be that it will help me remember my life, once the memories begin to fade. While my blog isn’t a journal in any traditional sense, I did make an early commitment to writing only about that which interests me, and I think that’s a good decision.
i had to smile when I saw you pop up in my inbox. “What?” I thought. “It can’t be Halloween time yet!” It really is nice to have you make an appearance.
Not yet, but the weather here today certainly felt like Halloween. Hard to believe it’s August. Not complaining, I’m longing for Autumn.
Yes, there is something special about having things about ones life written down. I’ve been journaling in the traditional sense of late as well, brought on by being given some of my friend Pat’s book journals that her daughter thought I would like to have. Which was very sweet of her.
Much of my recent reading has been nonfiction as well, but I’ve been keeping up with the fiction side with a lot of audio book listening while driving this summer. I got caught up with the Flavia de Luce series and now this one.
Hi Carl — yay! so good to see you here. And I love murder mystery series so thank you for this review (Do you know the Maise Dobbs series by Jaqueline Winespear? –I’ve read 13 of them and hate it when the last one is finished and I have to wait for the next one! ) I am looking forward to snagging some of the Louise Penny books… I am also sorry for the loss of your friend. Watching a good friend or family member struggle with dementia is so difficult and heart rendering. My mother in law and brother-in law both suffered and though there were moments when we could still laugh together, it was tough at the end.
It was hard to see. Especially as I was there to witness a break where in one moment she knew exactly who I was, and the next she had to ask me to remind me of who I was. It was horrible, and yet I was glad to be there for her.
I am familiar with the Maisie Dobbs series, not because I’ve read any, but because my wife has and every time a new one comes out I buy it for her. I discovered the series through another blogger who was very fond of them and I knew it was something Mary would enjoy, and she has.
I’m sorry you had to go through the dementia process with family members. It is not something I would wish on anyone.
I actually don’t read a lot of mysteries. Outside of this series and the Flavia de Luce series, I don’t generally keep up with them. But I do buy a lot of mysteries because Charles Finch, Charles Todd, and Jacqueline Winsepear are authors my wife enjoys and they all seem to be fairly prolific.
Very nice review, Carl, and I also thank you for your personal story. I lost both my father and my mother to dementia in the last 8 years, and it is very difficult. I have only read three books in this series so far but I do plan to return to it. (This is TracyK at Bitter Tea and Mystery, at some blogs I have to use this login instead.)
I’m so sorry you had to go through that, Tracy. It was hard enough with a friend, I cannot imagine going through it with a parent, let alone both parents. Pat herself had to deal with this with her parents and she often shared those experiences with me, which made it more sad to see her succumb to this in her own life.
I was just thinking about your blog the other day; I’m glad to see you post after such a long while. Thank you for sharing your story.
Also thank you for steering me to Midori Snyder’s blog post; I have her most excellent ‘The Innamorati’ novel, and have graced her blog at least once after reading her book. She has a new follower in me.
I’m glad I got to point you to Midori Snyder. She is great. I first “met” her back in the days when The Endicott Studio and the Journal for Mythic Arts were flourishing and she is a wonderful person to know.
I love the Three Pines books and am really looking forward to the next one. Apart from the setting of Three Pines – a sort of ‘Brigadoon’ location, not on any maps and with no mobile phone signal – her characters are wonderfully quirky, especially Ruth.
I’m so glad to see you back.
Yes, I love that Three Pines isn’t on any map, and I enjoyed that this book finally addressed that subject. What a great story, and what great characters. We don’t have long to wait for the next one!
I keep meaning to read her. I even bought the first book. I just haven’t got it yet. lol I wanted to do her on Audio but Audible didn’t have the early books when I first joined. I should see what my options are now.
As soon as you can move to the narrated versions, I highly recommend it. The first narrator, Ralph Cosham, passed away unexpectedly a couple of novels ago, and while he was wonderful, Robert Bathurst is doing an admirable job in following him. Cosham once said in an interview that he did not read ahead when he narrated Louise Penny’s novels. His first recorded reading of the end of the book was the first time he would find out how it ends. He said he wanted to be surprised liked the reader, and not have his narration give anything away, even subtly.
I know I’ve seen people complain about the first book, and while I didn’t have that experience AT ALL…obviously, since I devoured the remaining novels one right after the other…I always want to tell those readers to keep going. It is such a rewarding series.
Hi Karl 🙂 It’s been a long time! I didn’t realize it, but I have been looking for a series to read, and I trust your opinion. Hope all is well with your and your family!
oops, Carl! Yikes! Sorry about that! Feel free to delete this and change the K to a C in my comment! 🙂
So nice read your review. I visit your blog frequently in the hope of seeing something new and inspiring. Thank you.
As you can see from the comments you are not alone experiencing that slow sad fade this is dementia in a friend.
My mother had dementia and it is a very tough road to walk with these loved ones. On the bright side she referred to me as “this handsome young man”. Cherish those memories of the bright mind.
R.I.P. is on the horizon, so I though I’d pop in and see what you were reading. While you have been reading, I see you haven’t been posting about it! My bookclub read the first Louise Penny novel and it reminded me very much (in writing style) of the Commissario Brunetti series by Donna Leon, which I love. You might enjoy them, too. I’ve yet to read another Gamache novel, but hope to someday complete the series.
Looking back, I saw your review on Passengers and will admit I liked it more than Arrival. It certainly stayed with me longer. My brother has just recommended the Revelation Space books by Alastair Reynolds to me. Have you read them?
Kelly (and others), see Estella’s Revenge for R.I.P. signups!
Louise Penny’s latest novel, GLASS HOUSES, just arrived. My wife and I are eager to meet Louise Penny at the BOUCHERCON at in Toronto this October.
Hi Carl, now that you’ve handed over the reins to Heather and Andi, I wanted to thank you for starting R.I.P. all those years ago and for having hosted it for so long.
I have been a participant and a fan since R.I.P. III. The event helps sweeten the melancholy end-of-summer feeling I always get this time of year.
You seem a little blog-weary these days, but hopefully we will see you join in as a participant, if not this year, than perhaps the next.
Thanks again, and best wishes.
*then perhaps the next! (clicked ‘post’ too soon)