Three hearts. Countless letters. One impossible choice.
Through letters exchanged across oceans and Manhattan streets, Irish immigrant Catherine McGuirk navigates love, ambition, and heartbreak. Torn between her seafaring husband, the suitor she once refused, and her own dreams, Catherine’s fate unfolds in an intimate, epistolary saga of passion, resilience, and nineteenth-century life.
My Thoughts:
I know this might sound strange to some, but after I finished reading Dear Missing Friend, written in the form of corresponding letters, I thought, how would I respond if I were to write a letter in the form of a review? You see, a letter would be more fitting, and more worthy because Susan McGuirk has given readers an incredibly personable and thought-provoking experience and as I navigated through the lives of a family and their friends, I have never felt such a deep connection this way before with characters in this format.
19th Century: Catherine McGuirk and her brothers are Irish immigrants who came to America to start new lives in a world full of uncertainties. Through the years, their thoughts, joy, friendships, heartbreak, domestic troubles, loss of children, abandonment, sorrow, loneliness, are shared through letters in such an open way that it’s as if you were part of their family experiencing everything they were going through.
As Catherine’s decisions in life unfolded, years later she was faced with examining the result of her decisions in life, and as a Christian, I felt such a deep conviction of my own choices in life regarding my relationships past and present. Which brought me to Catherine’s dear friend Jane, and a particular letter she wrote to Catherine about “putting things to right.” That letter really moved me. There is much to reflect on with this story about relationships. There were beautiful lessons of mercy, grace, faith and forgiveness.
There were also so many historical threads interwoven with the characters’ lives and one will experience that with these letters. Such as, the whaling industry, the great famine, civil war, the gold rush, immigration of the Irish, the Panic of 1857 and so forth. I also enjoyed reading the poems the author included in the beginning of each chapter by Walt Whitman from his book Leaves of Grass. I am going to buy a physical copy of Dear Missing Friend, and place it next to my copy of Whitman’s book. This is a story I won’t ever forget. This is a story I will always go back to. Even as I wrote this, I wanted to read the story all over again and I will.
I have rated this book five stars and so far, this book is among my five top favorite stories of this year.
A few days ago, I was chatting with my good friend Lisl on the phone and she was talking about creating a blog post of her favorite things. Hello! Stop the presses! What fun! May I join? She is brilliant and our ideas turn into great conversations. Once we utter our silly and often times crazy greetings, before we know it, hours have gone by and we have gone down many rabbit holes. No joke. At some point, we usually start putting our heads together to come up with new blog topics and series. This blog topic, of favorite things, we decided on a few entertaining questions to answer.
After going through and answering these questions, I thought to myself that I would like to dig deeper into this topic. Or do I? It could be a scary place to venture. Kidding! Though I’m still pondering that it could possibly get really complex.
In Lisl’s post, she mentioned, about these things related to the lock-down many are experiencing globally and trying to find our happy place. Or how we can get to know each other more as individuals. I’ve heard many people around the world talk about how they found themselves through these troubling times and they’ve learned they have interests and talents; they otherwise would have probably never realized.
Be forewarned, some of my favorite things are subject to change at a moments notice. I have a tendency, on occasion, to be indecisive. Or is is because I love so many things? Let’s get into this, shall we?
Favorite lunchbox snack? Sugar, of course!
The chocolate variety. Possibly with peanut butter added to the mix. I don’t think I could survive without chocolate.
Favorite game to play outside? Bocce Ball
Love playing this game outdoors with family and friends! It has been far too long since the last time. It is one outdoor game I’m actually good at.
Fun fact: Did you know that Bocce’s origins date back to 5000 BC?
Favorite fairy tale: The Princess and the Pea
Don’t ask me why?
Favorite childhood memory? There are so many but going to the beach often was the best. Immensely grateful for growing up near the ocean. I’m always longing for the beach and try to go as much as possible.
Photo by Stephanie Hopkins
Favorite nursery rhyme? Row, Row, Row Your Boat
Probably because it involves a boat and water.
Favorite bird: Chickadee
They’re so cute and tiny!
Favorite color(s) rose? Red or White
I’m a hopeless romantic. Swoon.
Some of you history lovers may be thinking of the Tudor rose. I dare say, I could be as well.
Favorite sea creature? Does Starfish count?
They are referred to as sea stars. How cool is that!?
Favorite thing about a rainy day? Listening to the sound of rain against the windows and rooftop. There is something calming about the sound of rain fall. Great time for reflection or to gather your pillows and comfy blankets to curl of with a book(s).
Often times when I’m writing or reading, I will listen to a rain app if it’s not raining outside.
Favorite dinosaur? Velociraptor
I know, that sounds vicious and dark. But I have a perfectly good reason why they are my favorite. Honest. Might write about it in another blog post.
Favorite fictional place you’d want to visit?
Middle Earth in Lord of the Rings.
Oh, for so many reasons. Narnia comes in second or sometimes first.
Favorite road to drive on?
There are so many wonderful roads in my State. Choose one?
Goodness, that is simply impossible. I would have to say the back roads to Dahlonega from the Ball Ground area are a treasure. This is ridiculous because I really can’t choose a particular road in North Georgia. Also, the roads in the Blue Ridge Mountains are spectacular. One doesn’t mind getting lost driving along those back roads. Watch out for Dear and other wild animals, such as, Squirrels! I swear, they seem to have a death wish.
Favorite things about America? Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Freedom of expression, individualism, opportunity, diverse cultures and freedom to live by your faith in God.
Favorite 80’s song? Oh, heavens. There are a lot of 80’s favorites! I have to choose just one? What is the fun in that?
U2: With or Without You
Or Free Fallin by Tom Petty. Hmm…Okay, lets go with, With or Without You. Sigh. Not a fair question at all.
Favorite music genre(s)? I have several favorite music genres, depending on my mood. For everyday purposes: Classical music and 90’s Alternative.
Favorite American Classic movie? Picking just one classic movie is like asking someone to pick just one favorite book or one favorite song. Impossible!
All About Eve, comes to mind. I never get tired of watching that one. It’s brilliant and the cast of characters…swoon. The film came out in 1950 and, and, and Betty Davis and Anna Baxter co-stars in it! Love!
BUT, if I had to choose a favorite film period, it would be the 1940’s. Oh, for so many reasons. I think this causes for a blog post about the film industry in the 1940’s. Yes, I think I will.
Favorite Leonardo DiCaprio movie? How can I even…
If I had to choose the best acting, he performed in a movie, it would have to be, Shutter Island. I think. I’m torn. Because of his acting in, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? and a couple of others. Hmm…
Perhaps, many of you will disagree with me on this one. I would probably would disagree with myself too.
Favorite Harry Potter movie? Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (set in 1992-93)
Favorite celebrity? Ryan Reynolds Swoon. Fanning myself over here. I know you must be thinking, really Stephanie? I can’t help it. .
Favorite craft?
Abstract by Stephanie Hopkins
I’m a mixed media artist and I appreciate the essence of crafting as a whole. My Main go-to craft is collage because of its form and I use it quite often in my journals and ephemera making. I’m also an abstract painter and my current focus is creating new paintings and exploring different techniques. Truly, I can’t answer this question by naming one form of craft. Surely many will understand this.
Favorite thing to cook?
Breakfast
Favorite comfort food?
Most foods that are related to pie or stews.
Favorite Asian dish?
Crispy Honey Chicken with Fried Rice though I try real hard to stick to a plant based diet. Alas, I’m failing miserably right now. Though I’m totally blameless, of course.
Favorite ice cream flavor? Rocky Road
Favorite season? Autumn
Favorite holiday? Christmas
Foreign country: Scotland. I’ve never been and one day I will journey there. Might blog about this more.
Favorite TV show: Currently, Miss Scarlet and the Duke. Oh, and Sanditon.
Period shows and movies are my favorite.
I will say I long for more period shows that takes place in America. That I can tolerate and not cringe at every inaccuracy. Don’t think me a snob. I’m a history enthusiast, particular and I can not abide certain liberties concerning real-life events, social norms, objects not of the period, manner of dress and people. History is interesting enough without it being distorted. Though do not mistaken that I’m not aware when it comes to historical, there are allowances for artistic license-if you will. There are so many ways to look at this topic. Maybe we shall another time.
Instrument: Always, Classical Piano. I keep having this strange feeling I might have said something else once?
One of my favorites played on the piano, “Moonlight Sonata” by Beethoven.
Bach/Gonoud – Ave Maria is another great one! Okay, there are a lot of classical favorites played on the piano.
Have you listened to, Chopin – Preludes, Op. 28: No. 15 “Raindrop”? A must!
Swoon.
I seem to be doing a lot of swooning lately. Have you noticed?
Way to Relax: Reading, crafting, sewing and long walks in the woods.
This was so much fun! What are your favorite things? -Stephanie Hopkins
Happy Wednesday! Today I am sharing a glimpse at a recent page in my smash book. I have always been drawn to butterflies and this coming Spring is inspiring me to create in depths I haven’t reached before. They’ve been bottled up inside me far too long and the Butterfly is about new beginnings. How fitting.
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Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. -Nathaniel Hawthorne
Novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne was a 19th Century American writer whose literature of the Nation’s Colonial history is well noted. His writings focus is around new England and evokes moral Puritan inspiration.
My friend and fellow book blogger at Flashlight Commentary started a Presidential Reading Challenge in January and as I have been following her progress, another friend and I became intrigued with her journey. I has spoken to her about her challenge earlier in the year and talked about doing a reading challenge of First Ladies in 2019, because I am backlogged on book reviews to get out. Alas, this wasn’t going to do. I am thrilled with her challenge and admire her for taking on a substantial project worthwhile.
I’m a bit late in the game but I have decided to join the challenge with another friend and I decided to start with Theodore Roosevelt because I wanted to read about him so bad! *laughing* Anyhow, silliness aside, I’ve decided after I finish this book, I will go back and start with Obama and work backwards. Since Trump is the current sitting President, I will wait. I would prefer not to read about Presidents while they are alive but since I am doing a challenge, it will have to do.
The lesser known presidents might present a bit of a challenge and most likely I will order them from Amazon and scouring thrift stories and independent bookstore’s. I’m also in the process of clearing the shelf you see behind me in the picture below to dedicate space for the presidents.
Stephanie M. Hopkins
Be sure to check out Flashlight Commentary’s post on this challenge. She has listed some wonderful titles. Also, I was looking for biographies on my Great, Great Uncle President Woodrow Wilson and stumbled upon it this amazing site: My Journey Through the Best Presidential Biographies
I will be blogging about my presidential reading journey often and will be compiling material and notes to create a journal for this project. History teachers should consider doing this with their students. I think it would be a great tool to learn and visuals really help.
