The Moment of LIft

The Moment of Lift: How Empowering Women Changes the World by Melinda Gates
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

We need a new vocabulary word to distinguish some of the good from the supercharged “feminist”. Maybe coined from this excellent book? “Lifter”? “Empowerist?”   The Moment of Lift was exciting; it was refreshing to hear about several issues where women globally are finding a voice and gaining ability to improve and protect their families and the world. Entertaining, easy to read and to find common ground with. I also appreciate Gates’ honest voice as making a difference as a woman of thoughtful spirituality and faith.

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Angle of Repose

Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 "She was less woman than gentlewoman, and he was less gentleman than man."  Gorgeously narrated book, about a historian writer (who doesn't love those??) and the reluctant frontier woman/illustrator/novelist/mother/snob (his grandmother) he is trying to research and write about, and her marriage.  Angle of Repose is a book about what it means to be Western, and what it means to be married.  There were a few similarities for me with Gone With the Wind: It's long, very regional, and you want to smack the heroine about every other page but you love her and are fascinated by her. A lot of themes for discussion--this would be a great book club read if your club isn't daunted by the length--I can see why it won the Pulitzer. Since it was written in the early seventies, there were some highly relevant  arguments between the crusty historian and the hippy secretary that made me want to stand up and cheer.  You can't beat old-fashioned morality. Would have easily given it five stars except one of the protagonist's relationships weirded me out.


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