Book Review: The Dovekeepers

What a gloriously soul-wrenching masterpiece! I stumbled upon this book while playing my favorite game at the library, in which I randomly choose an aisle and go treasure-hunting. I had not heard of this book or this author, and I won't lie; I was first drawn to this book due to the photograph on the cover of the young woman with eyes that looked into my very soul.  In this haunting tale centered around four women dwelling in the Jewish stronghold of Masada during the Roman siege, Hoffman draws the reader in word by word in such a fashion as to render everything else in life meaningless. I found, by necessity, that I simply had to put the book down every couple of chapters to come up for air and contemplate life. Ordinarily I prefer a book that I can dive into for hours on end, but this required so much of my emotional energy that it was impossible to dive in for too long. This was a tale to be savored bit by bit. Upon completion of the book, I sat on my couch in silence for a good ten minutes before getting up and resuming my life. This book is dark. This book is light. This book is heartbreaking and it is triumphant. A testament to the human spirit in the face of unimaginable conditions (although Hoffman has imagined them fully and beautifully.) The book does contain some adult themes, so I would not recommend it for teens, except under their parent's approval.

On Creative Pursuits

Does anyone else tend to flit around from one creative pursuit to the next? When I was a kid, I loved art class. As I got older, I was a band kid and loved playing my clarinet every chance I had. That continued on through college. I added singing in there for awhile, too. I had a long period of drawing, and a short period of painting. In 2007 I wrote prolifically on this blog. (Check out the archives for that year, lots of good stuff in there!) Every now and then I get a burst of wanting to crochet. I briefly had a photography business. I still enjoy that as a hobby, although it's been on the back burner for awhile. My latest pursuit?

Playing the ukulele.

I tried playing the guitar once, but that never really clicked. I had heard of ukuleles before but never had much interest, until I saw this scene from How I Met Your Mother.

I was in love. I needed to get hold of a ukulele immediately.

A few minutes later, I was distracted by something parenting related, and a few years passed. I picked up the guitar again and experienced the similar disappointed feelings of having  difficulties with the instrument. I remembered my previous idea of trying the ukulele. It started churning in my head once again. Later that week at the public library I saw a poster. It had one word on it. Uku-curious? It advertised a ukulele club which meets weekly at the library. I very excitedly ran up to the circulation desk for more information. To my utter delight, the first portion of the club meeting was dedicated to newcomers. I didn't even need to have my own ukulele; the library owned quite a few and I could borrow one for awhile! I attended the first meeting, and as soon as they put the ukulele in my hands, I knew I had found something magical.

As I often do when beginning a new pursuit or interest, I read everything I could find on the subject. I found a fantastic YouTube channel called The Ukulele Teacher and I spent hours watching and learning.

However-- the time had come for me to return the borrowed ukulele to the library. Whatever would I do??

I suggested to my husband that a ukulele would make a fantastic Mother's Day gift for me and I even provided him with an amazon link to a reasonably-priced beginner's instrument. Boom. (That's not an affiliate link, by the way. Just an ordinary link to show you what we ordered. I earn nothing if you click on it.)

My little daughter and I making kissy-faces for a selfie. Should I say a uku-selfie?

I have been playing for a few months now and it has brought me so much joy. I sit on my back porch strumming and singing. I haven't made it back to the  ukulele club for awhile, but I am so grateful for its existence and the part it played in manifesting my dream.

I think I'm going to go learn this one next.