So I read a book that was good, but it may have been just a little sad and disappointing. It's not really the fault of the author, but that of the conditions of the past.  The book was, The Other Einstein, by Marie Benedict, and it was based on the life and first marriage of the greatly esteemed scientist and modern legend, Albert Einstein.


Of course it was difficult to read about a troubling marriage that ended in divorce, but it was also very exciting to read about a female scientist of that time period, who was so smart that she had an amazing intellectual and romantic relationship with Albert Einstein!  Of course, their romance blossomed in their youth, but as they grew older life changed for them and for the conditions of their love.  We all know that early love might not always last, no matter how thrilling, and this is just one of the consequences of youth that apparently mostly no one escapes.


What was great about this book, despite how depressing was the dissolution of a marriage, was that it did show that a woman could be an intellectual of such stature, despite the conditions of women's rights at this time.  It was beautiful to have a view of how their romance brought forth such great ideas, although the author does allude to the conflicts that this eventually created in their relationship.  This was the depressing part, and I do mean tragically heart-wrenching.


I have been trying to read happier books lately, and I'm glad to have experienced this vision of two great lives of the past.  My optimism requires that I believe in a better future, and to trust that folks will get along, despite occasional heartache.

Sometimes a book cover or a title will bring me to read and discover a book.  I feel as if I was lucky to find Sweetbitter, by Stephanie Danler, and found this to be an exciting and fascinating story.  It chronicles the employment of a young lady in New York City at a sophisticated and fancy restaurant, as she makes the transition to being a hard-working career person after college, all on her own.




Growing up is frequently a difficult challenge for anyone, and while our protagonist is already an adult, the finer points of regular employment bring about the character development that is a fine study for this engaging novel.




Of course there is love, hence the title.  There is some very nice sweetness, but as you may have guessed by the broken wineglass on the cover, there is also the bitterness of being an adult just starting out.  I believe that we have all learned of the not quite so perfect nature of love and life, and of the difficult occupation of living here on earth.  We learn that in life this is often made all the better by the nuances of finer living, delicious food, and good company.

For all of you peace-loving children's book readers, I just want to share a relatively new book that is so sweet and delightful.  This book is called, The Poet's Dog, and it is written by the well-known writer, Patricia MacLachlan.


It's a little bit depressing for the kid reader despite a remarkably happy ending, but for the adult, it is so tender and sweet.  Of course it is; it's about a poet and a dog, as well as some very cute kids!


I think that everyone in the world should read this book.  As a new dog-keeper, this book spoke to my hopes and fears about my new fur-baby pet.  There are really cool surprises in this book, and I do so much recommend it.


Thank you for checking in on me here, even though I've been gone for so long.  I'm really hoping that some of you might read this book, or find some other great children's books to read on your own!