Looking Back

December 31, 2016 – Looking Back

Looking back, this has been a year of profound sorrow and exuberant joy.  Of course, Elliott’s passing in February made for a difficult start to the year.  But I’ve kept his strength and his spirit close to my heart and it has allowed me to embrace the happier moments that followed.  Being grandmother to Sylvie is an incomparable experience and I am so grateful to my daughter and son-in-law, who are marvelous parents.  I’ve taken advantage of the opportunity to travel once again, with trips overseas and within the United States.  As much as I love to travel, I love coming back home again and being in the space that Elliott and I created and shared for so many years.  Life has been good to me.  As I look ahead to 2017, I think I’ll be fine, but I admit to being concerned about the future of our country and our world.

On a personal level, the year ended on a positive note.  My mother, Katie, celebrated her 91^st birthday in late December. 

Katie celebrated her 91st birthday with a glass of sparkling cider.

I spent a wonderful weekend with Elisa, Christian, and Sylvie at Christian’s parents’ home in Yorktown, where we celebrated Christmas and Hanukkah all together.  This past Friday, I got together with friends from Annandale High School for a visit to the National Gallery of Art to see the superb Stuart Davis exhibit. 

A 1928 painting done during the year Stuart Davis spent in Paris.

One of Davis' "egg beater" paintings

Swing Landscape, 1938, by Stuart Davis

And, I’m happy to report that I met one of my major goals for this past year:  I read an average of one book per week.  In fact, I completed reading the 53^rd book a couple of days ago.  Not all of the books I read are worthy of mention in this post.  However, since I know many of you welcome reading suggestions, I’ll go ahead and provide you with titles of the books I would recommend.

Fiction:

News of the World by Paulette Jiles – a gem of a book set in the West during the post-Civil War period.

Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson – a short novel of coming of age in Brooklyn, told in a unique voice.

Razor Girl by Carl Hiaasen – a wildly improbable and funny novel set in Florida.

March by Geraldine Brooks – based on the life of the father of Louisa May Alcott and his Civil War experience.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi – spans several centuries with a setting in West Africa and the U.S.

The Never Open Desert Diner by James Anderson – mystery set in the Utah desert.

Miss Emily by Nuala O’Connor – poet Emily Dickinson and her Irish servant girl.

My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout – short novel, beautifully written.

Epitaph by Mary Doria Russell – historical novel set in the Wild West.

The Last Painting of Sarah de Vos by Dominic Smith – two narrative threads: a woman painter in 17^th century Holland and a contemporary art copyist.

The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild – a fascinating look at the contemporary art world.

The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd – abolitionist Sarah Grimke and her slave companion in pre-Civil War period.

Still Time by Jean Hegland – a Shakespearean scholar’s descent into Alzheimer’s.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lenox by Maggie O’Farrell – set in modern-day Scotland.

Memoirs:

American Born Chinese by Gene Yang – a graphic book for young adults.

Negroland by Margo Jefferson – growing up Negro middle-class in the 1950s and 60s. 

On My Own by Diane Rehm – the recently retired public radio talk show host chronicles the loss of her husband and the year following his death.

Funny in Farsi by Farioozeh Dumas – an Iranian girl growing up in America.

Other Non-fiction:

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari – fascinating and easy to read.

The Only Street in Paris by Elaine Sciolino – life on the rue des Martyrs.

Also, on the topic of books, I want to mention that Portrait of Elliott, the book I wrote about Elliott’s life, will be available in a couple of months as an e-book and a paperback.  I’ll keep you posted on the progress. 

Best wishes for a happy and healthy new year.