This Can't Be Normal

This Can't Be Normal by Diana Estill

When one experiences a moment of introspection and delves deeply into his or her past, there can only be something similar to an implosion within the general zeitgeist of a time that can never be repeated. It is the mind's own ceremonial expungement of the past that stubbornly holds on. This can be something that happened anywhere from five minutes to fifty years past.

Such is the humorous and dramatic sequence of events that makes up This Can't Be Normal.

The author, Diana Estill, grants the reader a peek at certain pieces of her life as only she can narrate. Don't be fooled, this is not a run-of-the-mill, sappy, lesson learned autobiography. It is a quirky, detailed compilation of life stories that holds elements of tribute, community, reinvention and epiphany.

"And even after I’d turned around, I had to travel a long distance in the opposite direction before I could make another U-turn and retrieve my disgruntled passenger. What if he thumbs a ride with a trucker, gets picked off by some nut case, and I have to explain my way out of a murder rap?"

As the story unfolds, Estill offers a special look at her own family and friends, that causes a touching moment for the reader, allowing everyone into intimate parts of her own life for a short period of time.

"Hubby squinted and looked at the recipe card. 'Yep, it says two cups.' He blended the ice cream and then gave me a bowl filled with what looked like frozen baby poop... I studied the disaster and made a face. Then I scooped a teaspoonful of his creation into my mouth. It tasted like chocolate spinach with a mild fruitiness and a hint of Bermuda grass."

This book is a scathingly honest articulation of a southern woman and her insight into the layers and layers of the soulful dynamics of married life, child rearing, and social interaction; all wrapped up and, to a large degree, depicting emotional nuance.

Estill, by far, holds an incredible voice within her writing. The central theme remains concrete, whilst the story continues to multiply and jump from one scene to the next. This Can't Be Normal is a quick read, full of simple, engaging stories that beset meticulously complex meanings. The essential affection and altruism within the average American family is not lost here. It is celebrated.

This Can't Be Normal by Diana Estill, 2013 ebook

The Saskia Brandt Omnibus

Grab your coffee, this is a long one. I haven't read a trilogy this engrossing in a long time. The trilogy encompasses three books, DEJA VU, FLASHBACK, and THE AMBER ROOMS. The stories were well-written, action packed and I was a bit sorry when they came to an end.

The Saskia Brandt Omnibus by Ian Hocking

Dr. Ian Hocking brings a refreshing aspect to time travel. The books are an embodiment of the terminology "technothriller". Though the Saskia Brandt Omnibus may be placed under the sci-fi category, it is most definitely in a class of it's own. I most enjoyed the fact that being a "sci-fi" book, the entire story stayed rooted on planet Earth. These three books are an obvious culmination of the time and study the author dedicated to the idea of travelling through time and addressing well-known historical data.

In DEJA VU we meet Saskia Brandt, an investigator who doesn't realize that her own actions are being dictated by someone or something else. She is in the midst of investigating David Proctor, who is accused of bombing a British facility in 2003, but he has no recollection of the incident. Proctor's genius daughter invents something that changes the course of everyone's lives. In the meantime, as Saskia finds her secretary killed at the office, she realizes that she is being hunted.

Then we smash into FLASHBACK, this is where the magic happens. As we delve into the realm of time-travel, and face human turmoil, we jump between continents and several various points in time. Saskia's character takes a bit of a backseat as the author demonstrates an intricate web of peril and outright exposure. We meet some of the characters from DEJA VU, but there are new intriguing faces that come into play. Dr. Hocking's cunning story development and quick-witted repartee made this book an absolute page turner.

And lastly, THE AMBER ROOMS. The author's vast researching skills are evident in this last book of the series. This book brings together some of the gaps from the other two books. I quite enjoyed the interesting facts about pre-revolutionary Russia placed into the story. Saskia Brandt is transported back to the last crumbling days of Tsarist Russia. Unlike the other two predecessors, this book only relies on technology to supplement the story, not to make it the main attention grabber.

The characters are well developed and brilliantly brought together. I commend Dr. Hocking for keeping the characters human. They are not above dying, feeling turmoil, or being physically and mentally injured. No one gets off unscathed. 

You can read these books independently and still find a gripping story to follow. I must admit, I finished this series in record time. I had a hard time putting it down. It's a wonder why Dr. Hocking had to self-publish these books. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a consuming, techno-induced tale of adventure, terrorism, counter-espionage and the human condition.

The Metamorphosis

Take time to slow down and smell the roses.
Forever, I've heard the colloquialism without giving it much credence. But after reading The Metamorphosis, I realize that perhaps it really is time to slow down and take a moment to savor life.

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

It's eerie enough that this book published in the early 1900's seems more valid now than ever. A society anesthetized on callous mediocrity exists on the pages of Metamorphosis. It's a warning of the not so distant future that encompasses a society; busy keeping their heads down and working nonstop, they begin to lose their humanity.

A deep divide is created. People are valued only by their ability to outperform their neighbor. There is no self-worth as an individual. The story predicts the future of women as the major presence in the workforce. Women become the major bread winners who have pushed out most men from high paying, lucrative careers.

Roughly characterized are individuals who epitomize two major insect categories: the beetle that keeps its head down and scurries on, and parasites that leech onto healthy host subjects and suck them dry. So is the life of Gregor Samsa, the main character. In a trifecta of evolution, Gregor begins as a vital male worker, a traveling salesman who clocks countless hours to provide for his mother, father and sister. He is never able to fulfill his family's sense of entitlement. They accrue more debt and never show a drop of sympathy for his back-breaking work loads. Instead of any love, they depict a detached tolerance for Gregor.

Gregor himself has become immune to the callous treatment of his parents and sister. He only pushes himself harder because he equates a larger paycheck to love from his family. As he comes and goes, constantly in a chaotic jumble of motion, he has lost all of his traits as a man. Then, one day, he wakes up to find himself metamorphosed into an insect. A beetle, to be exact.

Everything goes downhill from there. In twist of irony, Gregor becomes more human-like with his feelings and emotions. In place of tolerance, his father begins to abuse him. His weak mother is unable to handle his physical change and begins to ignore him. Grete, his sister, becomes more visible and begins to replace Gregor as a provider. Grete comes to resent the useless beetle that her brother has become.

Even in with his final breath, Gregor is more devoted to his family than ever, believing that his death would benefit everyone. They take everything from him. His pride, his humanity, his dignity. Perhaps society is also to blame. It has come to a boiling point where generations have indoctrinated themselves with a vicious rapacity. The ultimate goal in mind has become avarice.

The story is powerful and moving. It causes the reader to feel a deep sorrow for the helplessness of a dehumanized and neglected man.