Comments on: Book Review: Traveling with Pomegranates ~Kidd & Taylor

By: Patricia

Patricia — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:39:22 +0000

Pat Winthrop,
I too had problems with this book about the $ factor – it took me 26 years to earn my trip to the UK with my daughter, I felt the loss of fertility after cancer and confused it with creativity loss; now seeing that is part of the process.

I share life with 3 daughters two of whom did not realize the end of school was just arriving in Auntie Ems house on the start of the yellow brick road – one was angry and one just confused. I found the references to Greek Mythology reassuring that I was not alone – kind of part of every woman’s journey. At 60, I am changing my life and rhythms now too, and having some health issues – I wondered if Ms Kidd might be on a faster journey to the end than I was? experiencing the issues so early?

I found the reference to her “finding” her Bees novel on the original journey – fascinating and related to maybe that is how I will find my book?

I have had Ovarian Cancer – and have not been on this story’s journey in the same way….and found it reassuring to read about someone else’s journey….I can truly identify with your feelings too and thank you for sharing that your journey was so different and you rallied to the discoveries in your own way and in your own time.

I wish more people would share their stories, for I think this is often how I learn the best.

Thank you so much for adding to the discussion and welcome, welcome. I appreciate your thoughts and ideas.

By: Pat Winthrop

Pat Winthrop — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 02:57:13 +0000

Loved “Secret Life of Bees.” Did not enjoy this book. Was an effort to slog through the self pity, self-loathing, angst and complete self absorption of both mother and daughter, They deserve each other.There are a multitude of reasons to become depressed besides not being accepted to graduate school to study Greek History. As for the Mother, get a life! Age 50 is not the time to “meet the Old Woman.” If menopause was the trigger for reflecting on one’s self worth and impending mortality, I would have “called it a day” at age 39 when I developed breast cancer and went into early menopause. Sounds like they need to stop contemplating their navels, wake up and realize that common folk have trouble relating to two women who can afford multiple trips to Greece simply to “find themselves” and each other.

By: Patricia

Patricia — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:40:46 +0000

Cath,
This book has been very inspiring to me and I am giving it to daughter #2 for a graduation gift from Information Sciences School (Librarian) this December. I hope you enjoy it…and it will make the Secret Life of Bees an amazing read when you choose to pick that one up too.

Hilary,
This was an amazing – inspiring read for all of the good things you tagged about my description.
I will be over to read about apples this evening after my company leaves Thank you

By: Patricia

Patricia — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:37:21 +0000

Mark,
Thank you for you good words and for stopping on by….I just read the after thoughts pages for this book again last night and have decided to attempt to work on Kidd’s Blood Pressure controlling technique on myself…for 2 hours of writing and editing she does 2 hours of BEING…and has now controlled her BP for 8 years. So I will add my own variation of this to my practice and see it I can achieve some health from the this book also.
.-= Patricia´s last blog ..Book Review: Traveling with Pomegranates ~Kidd & Taylor =-.

By: Patricia

Patricia — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:34:14 +0000

Sara,
Thank you for the book recommendations and for your kind words. I truly did enjoy this book and the beauty of it as Mother and Daughter transition – not only through countries and roles, but through some of the historic and present pathways of a woman’s journey. I had an few minutes last night before bed and found myself just reading one of the excerpt before dozing off and it calmed me.

Writing right now is rather a pressure as I want this ebook to truly bring in donations for UNICEF so I am having tremendous problems working on relaxing and right now enjoying the process.

I am taking the train to San Francisco to share Thanksgiving with my IT – daughter but also to get some hands on training with the technical details I am not able to “get together” for success.

I want to publish it on US Thanksgiving day…and honor all the wonderful gifts, pictures and recipes that others have shared with me on this my adventure

By: Hilary

Hilary — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 11:51:28 +0000

Hi Patricia .. love the title of the book and the way you’ve woven the tales together so we’re tempted to buy – I certainly am. Then there’s the historical elements to the books .. Greece, Greek mythology, fruits – pomegrantates, foods for thought and health, bees, Joan of Arc and the Middle Ages in France, then Charleston .. that has that romantic feel ..

Thanks – for showing us and describing these stories so well -
Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters Inspirational Stories
.-= Hilary´s last blog ..A is for Apple – an Apple a day keeps the doctor away … =-.

By: Cath Lawson

Cath Lawson — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:06:59 +0000

Hi Patricia – this book sounds wonderful. I’ve had the Secret Life Of Bees on my must read books for ages and still not got round to it. But I think I’ll be checking out this one first. As much as I enjoy fiction, I love reading true and inspiring stories about real people.

By: Mark

Mark — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 22:10:04 +0000

Sounds very interesting. I will add Traveling with Pomegranates to my list, thanks! .-= Mark´s last blog ..“It Is Just My Luck …” =-.

By: Sara

Sara — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:20:16 +0000

Patricia — First of all, you made me want to look at this book because of the way you lovingly wrote about it. It’s clear that it touches you in many different ways — as a mom, a woman, a traveler in life…

I also feel that you are at some point of transition about writing and what you want to do with it.

To answer to your question, I have two favorite books written by women. I have reviewed them both on my site. They are:

“Everyday Sacred” by Sue Bender. This a beautifully written book about the simple things in life and one woman’s exploration of them. She includes wonderful drawings as well as her brief stories. I loved it.

“Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life” by Natalie Goldberg is a bit tougher read, but it made me feel as if I knew Natalie and she helped me discover things about writing, I’d never considered.

Good luck with your UNICEF book. I know you Patricia and therefore, I’m confident it will a success:~)
.-= Sara´s last blog ..The Journey Begins: Part One =-.

By: Patricia

Patricia — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:38:09 +0000

Barbara,
I think my weekend will be quite lovely! next week I am going to San Francisco to get hands on help with publishing the e-book from my IT gal…..I will stay through Thanksgiving and am taking the train which is very fun for me.
I too hope you have a lovely weekend and have plans for a great Thanksgiving – I think you must have something besides scones up your sleeve

The other night I just could not sleep thinking about the UNICEF book and wanting to do it just right and I stopped tossing and turning and bundled up and came back to read some of this book again.
After an hour with this lovely writing I went back to bed and had lovely dreams about creativity and felt optimistic about my progress…I think you would really enjoy this read…