Author: Anna Quindlen
Narrator: Ellen Archer
Publisher: Brilliance Audio, 2018
Format: 6 disks, 7 hours and 42 minutes
Genre: fiction
Obtained: library
Summary: Nora Nolan lives with her husband, Charlie, in New York City. They both have good jobs, have successfully raised two kids, and have even managed to get a much sought after parking space on their dead end block. When an awful incident occurs in their neighborhood, it is an eye opener for Nora.
Thoughts: I read Miller's Valley by Anna Quindlen not too long ago and have wanted to read another book by this author since then. I just loved her writing style and the way her story made me think. It was very deep. Also, I listened to a book read by Ellen Archer a few weeks ago and just loved this narrator, so when I saw this audio book I could not resist.
Alternate Side was similar to Miller's Valley in that it was deep and thought provoking and had the same non-dramatic writing style. This author brings her characters to life and gives the feel of a nonfiction story. The differences between this book and Miller's Valley was that the story in this one was just not as interesting to me, and there was a sadness and feeling of hopelessness throughout the whole book. It still made me think and was very realistic, which made it even more depressing.
Ellen Archer did a fabulous job of narrating this novel. She speaks clearly and at a wonderful pace. She helped to bring the characters to life.
This was a wonderfully written book about life in New York City which focused on the upper class traditional family and neighborhood. If you like stories about everyday people and aren't looking for a feel good book, this is one to try. I highly recommend the audio version.
Company: Verdant Tea
Tea: Cai Cong Anxi Oolong
Obtained: purchased
I purchased the 5 Teas for $5 from Verdant Tea. This is a company that gets its teas from sustainable small family farms. Both on their website and in my order I could read about the good things these families do for their communities. I also received a hand written note from Verdant Tea thanking me for supporting them- a very nice touch. I got my order quickly and with no problems. It was packaged well.
Today I tried Cai Cong Anxi Oolong, which was grown in Anxi, Fujian, on the southeast coast of the mainland of China. I received five grams of leaves, which was just enough for a cup of tea. The leaves were a dark green and looked as if they were large and had been rolled when they were wet. They had a fresh grassy scent. I poured eight ounces of near boiling water over the leaves and let this steep for thirty seconds. The liquid was a pale yellow and had a sweet, fruity scent. The taste was of grapes blended with florals. It made me think of mountain meadows. It was savory, creamy, and fresh- absolutely delicious. This was a unique, excellent quality oolong. I was so happy the leaves could be steeped over and over again because one cup was just not enough!
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