Hi all. We are so saddened and sorry to see all the tragedy unfolding this past week in L.A. County, which is horrific and mind-blowing. Truly epic and awful. My brother evacuated from Pasadena on Tuesday night and thankfully he and his place are okay but so many others just a couple miles away are not. The wind that hit on Tuesday night was scary – hurricane-force winds and there was no way to control or do anything but run for your lives if you were in the line of fire. So much devastation has been left and I fear the number of dead will rise. I don’t know how it all started if it was from power lines, or a spark, or arson, but tragically it all got out of hand very quickly.
We have been staying in Orange County about an hour south of what’s going on in L.A. and were alarmed by the high winds. You can see the smoke from the L.A. fires in this sunset picture (above) I took last night. Let’s just hope the winds will stop so the firefighters can get this under control. It’s been a daunting event and I’m thinking of all those affected. I hope that Jinjer at the blog The Intrepid Angeleno is all right and others who blog from Southern California are too. It’s like a war zone around the L.A. area. For some much-needed levity, I will add this photo of the dogs, which my husband took around Christmas, to keep hope alive.
Now today we are headed back home on our long road trip north — sort of with a heavy heart — but thankful for the holiday times we’ve had here and seeing my dad and brother, who are both okay. I hope you all are well and I will leave you with a couple reviews of books that I finished at the end of 2024.
Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice / ECW / 224 pages / 2018
3.6 stars. When power and communication go out in an indigenous community in northern Ontario, the band’s council tries to figure out what is happening and how to provide heat and food during the long harsh winter for as long as they can. The story follows Evan Whitesky and his family who does his best to help others in the community, which finds out there’s been a collapse in the cities down south.
Then a white straggler arrives from the south who they don’t know whether to trust and supplies start to run low. You have to wait till the end to see how the reckoning plays out. But the perspective of such a power communication outage on an indigenous community — that seems a bit better adapted to band together and survive off the land — makes the story a bit more interesting, and you root for Evan and his wife Nicole and their small hamlet to get by.
I sort of promised myself post-election that I wouldn’t read apocalyptic societal collapse kinds of novels, but I had been curious about this Canadian novel beforehand and it pulled me in. It’s a bit of a quietly told story full of a cold, snowed in landscape, which looms large in it. The ending is a bit open and not fully drawn, so it was a ripe for a sequel, which came out this past October. I will get to it.
Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maugham / 688 pages / 1915
4+ stars. I read the first 50 percent of this novel as an ebook in October and set it down then picked it up again and read the last 50 percent in December. This classic is a coming-of-age kind of tale about British protagonist Philip Carey and his early life history that seemed a bit like David Copperfield in how he faces many ups and downs from adolescence to adulthood and different places, people, and adversities. Philip is certainly tested along the way.
He’s an orphan (after his parent die early) with a clubfoot who’s raised by his loveless uncle, the Vicar, and aunt. He is very self-conscious about his clubfoot and walking with a limp and it seems to affect much of his life. Philip sets off to find his calling in life which takes many stops and starts along the way from trying for the priesthood, then as an accountant, then as an artist in Paris, then back to England and training to be a doctor and then running out of money and working in a shop and becoming a clothes designer for a while.
And there’s also pale-faced Mildred, you won’t forget her. The saga of Philip meeting Mildred, a waitress at a cafe, and falling for her goes on endlessly. Mildred takes advantage of poor Philip and his cash a number of times but still he’s obsessed with his love for her. (But she not so much.) Oh the sorry choices he makes. He can’t seem to shake his life of her, but eventually things happen to propel him. It seems Philip has to hit rock bottom to eventually be able to rise again.
It’s a long tale that felt like quicksand at some points and I was swimming around in it for a long while. Still I needed to see it through — and to know what becomes of Philip and his journey to solvency and hopeful redemption. Along the way, Philip’s thoughts about the human condition from religion to work, art, and love make it a worthwhile exploration, which you go through with him. Though a bit exhausted by the novel, I was elated to have finished, and the ending seems a bit happy in outlook.
At the end Philip is only 30 years old — what a long journey to that point. You sort of wonder if a sequel was ever considered, but I guess not. Apparently the tale is autobiographical to the author Somerset Maugham’s life — who was raised by his uncle and aunt and trained later as a doctor. He had a stammer instead of a clubfoot that surely affected his life.
That’s all for now. What about you — have you read these and if so, what did you think? Stay well everyone!
Even with all the huge and devastating fires we have experienced in California over the years, these recent fires in the LA area seem especially overwhelming and horrifying. We had a Red Flag warning near Santa Barbara that expired a few days ago but of course the fires down in LA are nowhere near us. I am sorry your brother had to evacuate. We have only had to evacuate once since living here, and that was for the Painted Cave fire in 1990, which lasted only one day but jumped the freeway to burn up homes near to the apartment we were living in. We have had to live with a lot of smoke from nearby fires over the years, which is another side effect of the fires.
I hope your trip home goes well and you get home safely.
I had not heard of the book by Waubgeshig Rice before and I have now purchased an ebook copy. Everything about it appeals, the setting and the indigenous community and the number of pages. I don’t mind apocalyptic stories but I haven’t been reading any recently.
I will pass on Of Human Bondage for now, but now I know more about it after reading your review.
Hi Tracy, I’m glad you & your husband are all right there in the S.B. area. So glad the winds didn’t start anything there. We left yesterday and are on the road — we made it to northern Nevada, so I’ll try to keep abreast of what is still happening in L.A. County. It is surprising the whole amount of it, ugh.
The Rice book is a bit quiet tale but see what you think of it. It’s a pretty quick short read but it makes you wonder a bit about such a collapse. The Maugham novel is way too long, lol. But now I know what it was all about. I check it off my list of classics to read. Hope you good this week and are enjoying your reads.
You know I swear I read Of Human Bondage years ago and I do not remember it being a clunkster. I wonder if I read some other book and have misremembered the title? Erg…aging. // You will be traveling past us in Washington where the rain is coming down today. If only we could share with LA. I, too, am very worried about what is happening with the fire and the winds. And then to have Trump blame it on DEI hires. OMG. That guy is worst. // Love to Jinger, if you are reading this.
Now that you have finished the serious stuff, how about playing along on a not-so-serious look at your year in books by joining in my meme which I resurrected from something that was swirling around in 2017. Take a look: My Year in Books Meme It is both fun and sort of silly, in a Mad-Libs sort of way.
Hi Anne, I didn’t know much about Of Human Bondage when I started or exactly how long it was as an ebook — but man the full version is a chunkster. I was in it for weeks, lol.
I’m glad you are getting rain there — send it south. We are on the road now but we didn’t take the coastal route back – we went inland past Vegas and north. Will hit eastern Idaho today. I will check out your meme when I get home in a few days. Thx for letting me know about it. Have a great week.
So glad that your brother and father are okay. The fires are terrible. My brother also lives in Orange County. He is okay. I feel so bad for the people who have lost their homes. Something must be done to rebuild and the fire fighters and first responders are heroes.
I have read Maugham’s. The Painted Veil which was okay but I preferred the movie. But your review of Human Bondage has me very interested and Philip sounds like a fascinating and complex character.
Hi Kathy, I forgot your brother is in the OC. Good that he is away from it. We were lucky with all that wind that no fires started in that area. We are on the road now so headed back home. I’m keeping an eye on the news of all the destruction.
I hope to get to The Painted Veil – and I don’t think I’ve seen the movie either. I should read & see it. The character Philip Carey is a bit exasperating in ways but you’re sort of stuck with him for a long time. Still I rooted for him to be able to make a good living for himself. That seems the gist of the book.
Wishing you a great weekend & start to 2025.
I feel so lucky (this time around) to be in Santa Barbara and away from the fires. I have (at least) one friend who has lost everything in Pacific Palisades and others who are evacuated or on edge. The video footage of the wind with fire is like nothing I’ve ever seen. I am glad your brother is ok.
Safe driving!
Hi Helen, so sorry to your friend in Palisades and the others. Ugh it’s a horrible situation. And I feel we are both lucky it wasn’t in our areas. I’m glad you are away from it in SB.
Thanks. We are headed back home.
Have a safe drive home!
Thanks Constance. We are on the road! Have a great week.
I couldn’t believe the devastation I have been reading about, horrible. It seems like a hollow sentiment to send sympathy but nonetheless I am. Jinjer has been on my mind as well. When my brother lived in the San Diego area I remember him saying the skies looked like night during the mornings and the smoke was choking everyone. Glad your brother is ok.
Of Human Bondage is on my classics list. The plot of Moon of the Crusted Snow has me interested so I will add that to Goodreads. I’m trying to stop buying books right now, getting everything from the library and reading what I own. We’ll see how that goes!
Have a safe trip home. Looking forward to seeing what you listened to on the way back. Be safe!
A photo of Willow and Stella makes me smile. They looks extremely happy.
Hi Tina, thanks we are on the road home now. The devastation is stunning ugh.
I didn’t realize Of Human Bondage is on your classics list. I would’ve liked if it had been edited shorter, lol. But I’m glad to have read & finished it. I think the Crusted Snow novel is sort of a 3 star book — a quiet debut tale. But I sort of wonder if the sequel will be a bit stronger. The indigenous perspective makes it worthwhile.
Hope you have a good week. talk more when I get home. I thought you’d like that photo. 🙂 !!
Safe travels and I look forward to chatting more soon. We should see if a classic book on our list overlaps as that would be a good buddy read as well.
Sure. Sounds good. I will look at your classics list again to see if I can join you on one soon. Do you know which ones you’ll be reading soon? talk when we get back. 🙂
I read “Of Human Bondage” long, long ago when I fear I was much too young to appreciate it. Perhaps I should read it again.
Hi Dorothy, I had to weigh if I liked Of Human Bondage — I think I did — but it could’ve been edited a lot shorter! Not sure what you’d think of it nowadays. Have a great week.
Susan, the fires in L.A. County are just so horrific. I’m glad your brother is ok, and hope that he continues to stay safe. I have family in Manhattan Beach and they say the smoke and ash is awful, but they’re ok. Another cousin lives in Santa Monica and she and her family have evacuated to her parents’ home (voluntarily). I wish those Santa Ana winds would end, so the firefighters could get a handle on these fires. I worry about San Diego, as well (lots of friends and family there). They’ve only had 0.14 inches of rain since July! Ugh.
I hope your drive home is uneventful and that you get to listen to some good audiobooks. Moon of the Crusted Snow sounds like a good story, but I may wait a while to read any apocalyptic tales… Congrats on finishing that humongous book of Maugham’s. I’ve never ready anything of his, but it sounds like a good story.
Thanks Lesley. The news out of LA County is so bleak. And I’m awaiting and update from my brother about how he’s doing. Very sad about all the families who’ve lost homes. We are gone now — in Idaho. We have stopped here to visit with my sister & brother in law in Sun Valley. Pretty and so different than L.A.
Things are busy so will wait to get home to check in. I am worried about Jan. 20! So apocalyptic tales are not great now to read. Wishing you a good week.
Glad your family is safe and you are on your way home. Safe travels! It’s been apocalyptic in California. Resilient doesn’t begin to describe them, year after year going through that! I’m glad you finished Of Human Bondage and liked it so. I would like to read The Casuarina Tree—due to its reference in The House of Doors. The first review sounds interesting as well.
Hi Carmen, thanks. We have made it to Idaho so far. I wonder too about The Casuarina Tree — wonder what that book is like. OHB was too long! But I made it and liked parts — other parts could’ve been cut, lol. Quite a history of the character’s life story. Have a great week.
I am so glad your brother is okay, Susan. It truly is devastating. One of my coworkers who lives near one of the fires had to evacuate, but her house is okay fortunately. She’s expecting to be able to return to her home soon. My mom who just got back into town today was saying she could see the smoke from the fires all the way in San Diego. I hope you had a safe drive home.
I haven’t read either of the books you featured in your post, but they do sound good. I hope you are have a good weekend and week ahead!
Thanks Wendy, it’s so sad to see LA County now. It’s just awful. I hope they can get a handle on it soon. I’m glad your coworker is all right. How scary. I will see what my brother says today about conditions there.
We are on the road now and have made it to Idaho. Wishing you a good weekend. And hope you don’t get too much smoke where you are.
I’m glad your family is safe. It’s just heartbreaking to see all the devastation around LA! I started Of Human Bondage years ago (maybe 10?) and read about half of it, but set it aside to finish a bookclub novel and never got back to it. At this point I’d need to start over, but would like to read it eventually. Safe travels… how long will it take you to get back home?
Hi JoAnn, thanks, the LA situation is agonizing to see. I am watching the winds. I think with two dogs we’re taking about 4 days to get back, so we should be home tomorrow. I will need to adapt to the cold once again, eeek.
Of Human Bondage is better to break into two – with breaks! It’s so long. It was my biggest read of the year. But luckily it’s pretty accessible. Have a great week.
So happy to hear your father and brother are out of the line of fire. I wonder if there was an arsonist responsible. It seemed they always came out when there was talk of wind in the forecast. These poor people have a long road ahead when they finally get the fires out!
Both stories sound interesting. I’m drawn to apocalyptic settings, finding out how the characters survive and I always wonder how I’d do in a similar situation.
Hope you have a safe and enjoyable trip back home, Susan!
Thanks Rachel. We should be home tomorrow. I keep watching the winds in LA to make sure the fire line doesn’t worsen … particularly near Pasadena. It’s very worrisome in various areas.
I agree : the Crusted Snow novel kept me interested to see how they’d survive.
Hope you have a great week.
I’m sorry your brother had to evacuate, but I’m glad his home and things are safe. Those awful fires have had an impact on a lot of bloggers and their extended families.
Moon of the Crusted Snow sounds like a book I’d have loved reading had we not been living in what sometimes feels like apocalyptic times. I am so glad that I read Of Human Bondage. I read it with Ti, and then I read 1984 with her. I wonder what she is planning to read next.
Hi Deb, thanks … I’m hoping my brother’s place remains okay. We keep monitoring the situation — and hoping other bloggers are ok.
That’s great you finished OHB. I wasn’t sure how it would finish. But finally the novel wound down. I thought it’d go on forever, lol. But the character is only 30 at the end of the book, whoa. Hope you have a great week.
I thought Of Human Bondage was an excellent story, though, and I’m so glad I read it.
Yeah it was quite a coming-of-age tale. And I liked how Philip learns about life and finds his way as it goes on. That made me keep reading — just wondering how he would handle or overcome things and if he would find contentment or a way to make a living that would suffice for him. I know he still wished to travel. I’m a bit surprised that Maugham didn’t write a sequel, lol. But I’m sure a bit of Philip is in his characters in his books after. 🙂 hmm something to ponder as I read more from this author.
I’ll echo all the things that people have said above about the fires. So, so sad. I am glad that several have commented here that I wondered about. Know several bloggers in California, but I can’t always pinpoint what part they are in. Hope you guys have a safe trip home. Take care and hope things get better for your brother and all who have had to evacuate. For those who have lost their homes – my prayers indeed.
Thanks Kay, I agree I’m so sad for those who’ve lost homes — and hope other bloggers’ families are safe. It is very worrisome. I keep monitoring the wind situation there.
We will be home tomorrow. The West is so dry right now. Crazy.
Hope you have a good week.
Oh gosh, I’m sure glad your brother was able to evacuate safely!! These fires start up so dang quick people barely have time to grab their animals and kids and grandmas and get out! That Alta Dena fire, I saw nursing home workers trying to wheel half-dressed elderly people across a busy road to safety and one nearly toppled over into the street!
I wasn’t concerned about my own safety until Friday night when the Palisades fire decided to try to get over the ridge into the Valley. Luckily the firefighters held it back. But yah, Friday night I lost all composure. lol
Thanks for thinking of me!! Happily, we didn’t get much smoke after the first day and we never lost power. Very, very lucky, knock on wood.
Hi Jinjer, so glad you responded. I was worried about you there. The pictures are so worrisome around the whole County. Gosh I did see that nursing home out on the street on the news. It was hard to watch. I hope you remain safe there!
I’ve been monitoring the wind situation and hope it doesn’t worsen the fire lines. Stay safe!
The news out of LA is terrible. I hope that they get contained very soon, for everyone’s sake.
Thanks Marg, I agree. I hope they can get a handle on the fires Asap. But the wind keeps blowing. Damn!
I have so many friends in LA with possibility of being affected. So far, they have been fortunate. I am glad your brother’s place is okay and I hope it remains so. Safe travels, Susan.
Thanks Olivia. I hope your friends remain safe. I know it is so hard watching all this. It’s agonizing. We must hope for the best. And I hope the winds go away. take care.
I’m so sorry to hear about the devastation in L.A. County. It’s heartbreaking to see so many people affected, but I’m relieved that your brother and his place are okay. The winds and fires must have been incredibly frightening.
Moon of the Crusted Snow sounds like a gripping and thoughtful read. I’m curious to see how the sequel continues the story.
Thanks Lux. The LA County fires are difficult to see and read about. I keep hoping things will turn around and stop there. We have left and are back in Canada now. I am going to check out the sequel to Moon of the Crusted Snow. Who knows it might be a bit better. Wishing you a great week. Thx for stopping by.
Very glad to hear that your brother got out of there okay. What a heartbreaking mess and we all watched it in real time on the news. No water, 90 mph winds, no air fight because of those winds. There was no way to fight that. It burns me that so many criticized the fire crews because they were fighting with what they had, water on their backs and that’s it! Impossible. There is a huge push to reunite the pets now. So many were taken to a Utah shelter since LA’a were at capacity. I would DIE if my little pup was left behind but some of those people were on their way home from work. They couldn’t help it.
OHB, pale Mildred. You are right. I will never forget her. I want to see the movie.
Hi Ti, how close are you to the fires? I’m so sorry! What a wreck it’s been. I agree I am worried about all the lost pets and the wildlife that is on the run there, Ugh. It’s so sad to see. Those winds were just nuts. I am hoping it can get under control. I have been checking in with my brother in Pasadena. It’s just so dry. I hope for the best. sigh.
OHB was certainly epic. Thanks for the read-along you did — I can now check that long classic off my list. I didn’t realize there’s a movie — Mildred would be quite the role, lol. Are you getting all the smoke? Hang in there!
It’s good to hear that your family is ok, and also the note from Jinjer that the fire didn’t get to her… good luck to all who are affected, and I hope by now you are safely back home, and your family are all ok.
I read Of Human Bondage when I was in high school. I have the impression that all books were longer then. Can that be right? I remember the plot and the sad pursuit of the unresponsive lover, but not much about how I reacted.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Thanks Mae. We are back home now and I’m keeping an eye on the fire news in LA County. So much damage sigh.
The book Of Human Bondage was long and it probably would be even longer to a young person, lol. I think some of Maugham’s other novels are better — though I’ve only read Razor’s Edge from long ago. Have a great weekend.
I’m glad you and your family are okay! Moon of the Crusted Snow is on my TBR. I’m happy you mostly liked it.
Thanks AJ, my family is okay and my husband & I are back home now. The Crusted Snow novel is pretty short & a quiet book. Not sure if you will need more from it. But I hope the sequel might be a bit better. Have a great weekend.
These fires were terrifying, I am glad you and your family are safe. Hamm, I am not sure your comparison to David Copperfield does any favours to Of Human Bondage. And I haven’t even read David Copperfield. However, I wasn’t a fan of Demon Copperhead. Maybe I just don’t like popular books. Moon of the Crusted Snow, on the other hand, sounds interesting. Fully understand your sentiment about reading apocalyptic novels post election, though.
Thanks Stargazer, I’m hoping the wind doesn’t worsen it. Now they’re saying L.A. might get rain … which would help. I hope it comes. Fingers crossed.
Of Human Bondage wasn’t my favorite and I think Maugham’s other novels appeal to me more. I read Razor’s Edge long ago and liked it a lot … and I still want to read The Painted Veil. OHB is long and seems similar to Copperfield in its life passages kind of story — though I’ve only read Demon Copperhead which was grim but I liked parts. The two books had similarities about orphans going from hell to trying to get on their feet. Hope you’re enjoying the start of 2025.