Beverly Butler (1)Anmeldelser

Before this, I'd only read one book by Beverly Butler: Gift of Gold, a soul-searching kind of novel (contemporary fiction at the time it was published, 1972) with wit and wisdom. That book, which I've read at least three times, is rather different from Song of the Voyageur.

This first novel of Butler's, published in 1955, is historical fiction where the "general situation and most of the events described...are drawn directly from historical facts" but peopled with fictional characters, set in the author's native Wisconsin. Or "Ouisconsin," what with the book's French-speaking folks.

Now, from the beginning, it almost felt like I'd entered the middle of a story or series where I was already supposed to be familiar with the characters, already invested in their lives, but I wasn't. Besides my expectation for some romance to factor into the overall outcome for Diane, the heroine, much of the story's "general situation" seemed to be a general look at a family and their various doings in and around their frontier cabin. Even with some important, dramatic events popping up, I didn't get the best sense of a focused plot during maybe half or more of the book.

Yet, even though my interest remained only on the mild side, my historical-fiction-loving self still found the old-fashioned reading to be pleasant, with a little thread of intrigue that eventually made me go "hmm." Granted, one specific moment that wasn't pleasant for me involved Diane and the romantic hero. (She said you're hurting her, dude. So let go of her wrist. Just because you want to marry her doesn't mean she owes you anything.) But on the whole, I didn't run into as many offensive moments as I thought might be possible.

See, given that some of the characters' racism toward indigenous peoples would burst out here and there, I was admittedly relieved not to see their ugly words portrayed as acceptable or just a matter of course. (Yes, I get nervous when I don't yet know how an author will handle a historical story's racial aspects, especially in older books.)

And I must say that as the heroine came to a particular realization toward the end, a few of the novel's lines gave me glimpses of the author who would one day write the excellent Gift of Gold.

The author describes her experiences at Pilot Dogs, a facility in Ohio where she trained with a guide dog.

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Cathy lost her sight as a teenager, and now as a college student, she's working to become a speech therapist. When the head of her school's speech department suggests Cathy's choice of profession is unrealistic for a blind person, Cathy becomes all the more determined to succeed. But after a doctor's appointment gives her hope of regaining a measure of her sight, Cathy may roll out a new plan for her future in Gift of Gold by author Beverly Butler.

I remember the day I first came across this novel in my adolescence, seeing the old-fashioned cover art depicting a woman in a green head scarf, holding the harness of a service dog. I had no idea then that the author herself was blind or that I'd be revisiting this novel years later, and then more years after that.

But now having read this book three times, I can say it's just as powerful as it was to me the first time. Maybe more so.

Yes, I still like the old-fashionedness of it, the plastic rain scarves and typewriters and all. Nevertheless, what I may love most is that this isn't some predictable, run-of-the-mill tale merely about goals and dreams. This is a complex, soul-searching kind of read. It's smart in style with wit and wisdom. Not at all fast-paced, but anything but flat.

In the last quarter especially, Cathy's journey pulls no punches. It even gets pretty depressing for a while, but I find it all the more compelling for not being too easy. The truth, growth, and hope in Cathy's story is earned. Plus, there's a nice little thread of down-to-earth romance tied in.

A novel about not only facing your outward challenges but taking a deep, honest look at yourself—so worth the read.

When Cathy lost her sight at the age of fourteen, she faced a very different way of life. It took courage and alertness to explore a new, uncharted world where her other senses had to take over the work of her eyes. But adjusting to blindness was often easier than handling the reactons of people. One friend now avoided her. Another smothered Cathy with too much kindness.
Then came the thrill of independence after completing a tough training course with Trudy, her wonderful guide dog. With her new freedom of movement, Cathy accepted the challenge of going back to public high school.

A revealing novel about what happens and how a teenager feels when she loses her sight at age 14--and how others around her react.

Not as compelling as its predecessor, Light A Single Candle.

I swear to the Flying Spaghetti Monster, I'm catching up on my reviews this month if it kills me.

(Okay, no. I love Goodreads and I'm all about meeting my book challenge, but I think death is a little drastic.)

I hereby aver that I'm going to try to catch up on my reviews, as long as the tasks I skip in order to do so are nonessential, like housecleaning and fretting.

(Much better.)

Okay: I reread this old childhood favorite a couple of months ago as a brain-break. It stands the test of time well – it was published in 1962. Which isn't all that long ago, but it's long enough that there are the occasional little awkward word choices. ("She supposed her nose must have been sniffing these odors for her all her life, otherwise she wouldn't recognize them so surely and easily, but until these past few days, she'd never paid much attention to them. It was queer." It actually wasn't at all. It was just kind of odd. These things happen.)

And of course there are technology quirks. This is way before books on tape, so when fourteen-year-old Cathy loses her vision, she has to get special equipment in order to be able to read. She learns Braille; but as everyone who's ever tried to read for pleasure without benefit of vision knows, recorded books are a lifesaver – much faster than bump-reading. So Cathy gets a "talking book machine" and the special records to go with it.

I remember all this equipment from a couple of decades ago, when I lived and worked in a home for severely disabled children. I was the only program aide there who liked to read, so I was the one who figured out that those records only worked on the talking book machine, which was basically a record player with a weird spinning speed. (I figured that out by trying those discs on my own little stereo. Amusing, but not exactly reading. But I digress.)

So, yes, this is a bit of a period piece – and yes, I feel weird saying that about a book published in the decade in which I was born. But the basic issues grappled with here are still of vital interest: namely, the tendency for the currently-able-bodied to feel deeply uncomfortable in the presence of the disabled, and for that discomfort to express itself in all sorts of offensive ways. Cathy's best friend Pete drops out of Cathy's life when she comes home sightless from what was supposed to be vision-saving surgery. A neighbor gushes over what she considers Cathy's newfound superpowers:

"Isn't Nature marvelous? Lose your sight, and, immediately, Nature sharpens the rest of your senses to where they're practically superhuman to compensate for it. It's a miracle that just seems to happen overnight!"

This same neighbor is equally adorable while speaking to Cathy's mother when she thinks Cathy is out of earshot, after Cathy and her younger brother have announced their intention to try riding their bikes together on their quiet street:

"Susan Wheeler, I don't see how you dare! If I had a child like that, I'd put her in an institution where she would be with her own kind, and I'd know she was safe and in trained hands. I wouldn't have the responsibility of keeping her at home."

Then there's Joan, the girl who offers "friendship" and assistance with Cathy's school-reading load, when what she really wants is the virtuous credit of being such a wonderful person – helping out that poor blind girl!

Cathy has enough to do coming to terms with what it means to be blind in a sighted world, especially when that means putting aside her cherished dreams of becoming an artist. She learns that it's just as much work to learn how not to go nuts from the condescension and general stupidity aimed her way by much of the sighted world.

Light a Single Candle is one of those YA books that's a terrific read for all ages. It feels like a modern classic, and I suppose it'll be considered a just-plain classic soon enough. Unlike many classics, this one's a lot of fun to read. If you haven't had the pleasure, treat yourself.

Another childhood favorite I reread recently as a brain-break – a sequel to Butler's Light a Single Candle, which I'd suggest you read first if you want to pick this one up. Gold could stand alone, but it has much more impact if you know the main character's background.

After losing her sight at the age of 14, Cathy Wheeler had to give up her dreams of becoming an artist. Light ends with a suggestion that she'll go on to become a writer instead. But Gold begins with Cathy in college studying to become a speech therapist.

I remember as a kid feeling disappointed by this turn of events, especially when it becomes clear immediately that Cathy is not in love with her studies. She's hardworking and conscientious, but she fell into her major pretty much by accident, and is now sticking with it more from stubbornness than anything else.

She tells herself she's just being practical. Plenty of people have jobs they don't adore, after all. But as her friends and family pursue work they're passionate about, her stolid pragmatism begins to crack.

The main plot line is ostensibly about the hope an eye doctor offers her for regaining some vision, but really this is a story of a young woman learning not to settle for less than true love – not just romantically, though that's important too, but in every aspect of life. Yes, Cathy is completely blind. She's also solidly middle class, and has all the options that come along with a supportive family and the chance to obtain a university education. Under those circumstances, why on earth would anyone slog through life doing a job that makes them feel just "meh"?

Recommended for all ages.

This was a pleasant little book about the author's experiences with a new guide dog, Maggie.

What a refreshing change from Follow My Leader, which I finished a few days ago. This is a much fuller very real character. Good story, real issues and real solutions. This author lost her sight and I think her insights really helped make this book real. I liked it a lot.

Pretty good. Young girl who is quite tall sent to stay the summer with relatives she doesn't know. This one is not the typical supportive relatives help child to bloom. Poor kid has to deal with very unkind cousins and an uncle who rejects her. I found much of this uncomfortable and there wasn't really enough time at the end to relax in her new understanding and growth.

This was a very quick read. I picked it up after reading Light A Single Candle which is fiction. This is nonfiction and the story of Beverly Butler training and getting a new guide dog. She gives interesting background as well as good stories to illustrate her experience.

In "Gift of Gold" we are back with Cathy Wheeler about 4 or so years after "Light a Single Candle". Cathy is in her junior year at college, with doubts about her choices for a career. She sees her friends going in different directions, her clinics as a student teacher are causing her frustration, and the new 'no nonsense' head of the speech therapy department is making her miserable.

But suddenly she is finding the company of a new boyfriend and a renewed hope for the return of a limited amount of vision to be just what she needs...or is it?

Again the author has done a credible job of fleshing out her characters, and making us see their hopes, dreams, doubts and decisions. I finished reading "Gift of Gold" with a little sadness that there was no third book to enjoy as well.½

Cathy Wheeler is an average 14 year old with a love of life and plans for the future. Suddenly she loses her sight, and finds herself attempting to adjust to the changed attitudes of her friends and the suggestions by those who know "what's best for a blind child".

The book takes us through almost two years of adjustment and growth from the days prior to her loss of sight, to her independence, despite predictions of failure by others.

"Light a Single Candle" and its sequel, "Gift of Gold", were written by Beverly Butler, who lost her sight at about the same age as her protagonist.

Good entertaining and inspirational read for middle grammar through adulthood.½

Cute story but I would have like more about the cat & less about Aunt Julia.

This is a supernatural thriller in which a 13 year old handicapped girl is chilled by odd events and illusions. Some say the house was lived in by a witch. Kirsty doesn't believe such things, but the novel climaxes with her and her step-sister in a terrifying situation. The supernatural seems to be a metaphor for Kirtsy's grief about her loss and her anxiety about ner new family. This would have appeal to Middle School readers interested in the supernatural.

This was a really good book. From when I was in Junior High, and apparently (from the books I have kept from that time) obsessed with death, disease, and other forms of mischance in youth - like this one!

Annabel is stuck on a farm (with no animals) for the summer with relatives she doesn't know and an obnoxious cousin who hates her. While she's dealing with all that, she is being haunted by the local ghost- and her ghost cat. Annabel has to solve a mystery while facing her cousin and facing her own insecurities.

Visiting for the first time on the family farm with relatives she doesn't quite feel comfortable around, fourteen-year-old Annabel gradually unravels a mystery involving a crying cat, an abandoned house, a forty-year-old feud, suspicions of murder, and her own grandparents.