I remember it was sometime around Thanksgiving that this book was released and the author, Sally Cronin, had put up a post on Fb announcing it’s release on Kindle. Being in Dhaka, I had no way of accessing the book as Kindle does not work in this country. I asked Sally if the paperback was available. Without a second thought, Sally sent me her book. It was the sweetest gesture. ‘Variety is the Spice of Life’ is the best Thanksgiving gift I could receive.
About the book
The title and book cover, designed by the author’s husband, David Cronin, is apt. Variety is the spice of life is an assortment of poems and short stories reflecting different facets of life which is bound to evoke a range of emotions (like the different tastes of kitchen spices) in the reader.
The beauty of Sally’s poems is that they are short, simple, and direct, and serve as a reminder to the reader to appreciate everyday things which are easy to be taken for granted unless they are taken away- nature, seasons, relationships, youth, health, freedom and a world without war. The poems in the first section, ‘Crab apples’, ‘Kinship’, ‘Lullaby’, ‘Face in the mirror’, ‘Changing Seasons’ and ‘Origins’ are lovely. I’ll share one that echoes my thoughts the most.
Face in the mirror
a smile of recognition
but twinge of remorse
at the passing of the years
each line a story
or reminder of laughter
how closely they match
another’s facial mapping
I’ve morphed into my mother
In the poem, ‘Seasons’ she says,
the seasons of life
as in nature are defined
from cradle to grave
each marks the passage of time
the place we are today
One of my favourite sections is the ‘ A snapshot from my garden’, in which there are poems on bees, butterflies, robins, magpies, doves, blooms, metamorphosis and murmurations. Sally’s love for nature and her keen observation of the changes in nature is evident in her poetry. Below is a stanza from two poems in this section.
The Robin – Size Doesn’t Matter
the
robin
might be small
with spindly legs
but he is feisty
the garden’s emperor
red breasted hunter of slugs
defender of the bird seed tray
squabbling starlings and rampant crows
show respect to this minute warrior
Starlings
the
starlings
not just one
always a posse
on the hunt for food
acrobatic feeders
swinging from peanut holders
squabbling at the sunflower tub
In addition to poems, there are eight short stories in the book, each on a different theme. My favourites in this section were, ‘The neighborhood watch’ – the ending came as a surprise to me. As did the ending of, ‘The Green Hill’. ‘Miss Lloyd’s Robin’ was more predictable and yet, what I liked about it was that it shows no person is completely bad or good. For instance, in this story, the main character, who is a teacher has her prejudices which is unfair to the students but her love for birds makes her go to any extent to feed them, even at the ripe age of eighty, even in the worst climatic conditions. ‘The Secret’ is another touching story of a ninety year old mother’s need to share a secret at the fag end of her life.
Who the book is for?
The book is a pleasing light read for anyone who loves nature, does not want to be bogged down by heavy poetry and appreciates the ability of a writer to say a lot in few words.
What I found endearing? Other than the writing, is the image alongside (from the book). In Sally’s words, she says ‘Dedicated to the online writing community who support and inspire.‘
About Sally Cronin
Sally Cronin is the author of sixteen books including her memoir Size Matters: Especially when you weigh 330lb first published in 2001. This has been followed by another fifteen books both fiction and non-fiction including multi-genre collections of short stories and poetry.
As an author she understands how important it is to have support in marketing books and offers a number of FREE promotional opportunities on her blog and across her social media. The Smorgasbord Bookshelf
Her podcast shares book reviews, poetry and short stories Sally Cronin Soundcloud
After leading a nomadic existence exploring the world, she now lives with her husband on the coast of Southern Ireland enjoying the seasonal fluctuations in the temperature of the rain.
Her blog is https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com
And for more information on my books listed here at Amazon please visit
https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/my-books-and-reviews-2019-2021/
The book can be purchased by clicking here. It’s free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
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