BOOK REVIEWS
But Cats Don’t Talk
But Cats Don’t Talk:
Lynne Heinzmann’s heartfelt novel, But Cats Don’t Talk, wrestles with grief, growing up, complicated relationships, and, as the title suggests, a talking cat. Beginning with a tragic loss, the novel brilliantly captures a budding pianist’s drive to succeed and make her family proud, even as the notes in her life fall out of tune. As unpredictable and dynamic as one of the sonatas played by Heinzmann’s narrator, Rebecca, the novel carries the reader through the highs and lows of the teenage experience while conjuring the visceral emotion of music. Every time Rebecca sat down at the piano, I found myself holding my breath, as if I had a front-row seat to a high-stakes piano recital—performed, of course, with the accompaniment of BC, Rebecca’s beloved cat, snoring on top of the piano. A charming, clever, and heartwarming exploration of grief, the drive to carry on in the face of adversity, and the bonds that unite us in complex melodies. A moving, relatable, and quirky must-read.
~ Michael Belanger, author of The History of Jane Doe
But Cats Don’t Talk:
If your cat could talk, here’s what it would say: “Go get a copy of Lynne Heinzmann’s terrific young adult novel, But Cats Don’t Talk. You’re going to love it, especially the parts where BC, Becca’s beautiful, brilliant kitty, sleeps in his bed on top of the concert piano, purring melodically while Becca performs. Okay, so BC also sometimes trash-talks and totally undermines Becca’s confidence but, see, that’s just because he’s a complex character. As all cats are.” And your cat would be absolutely correct. You will love this wise and uplifting novel, rich with laughter, loss, grief, and comfort, all gracefully intertwined. Heinzmann’s writing is wonderfully flexible, moving seamlessly between scenes of extreme sadness and moments of consolation and joy. So take your cat’s advice: get your paws on this novel and curl up with a great read.
~ Hollis Seamon, author of Somebody Up There Hates You
But Cats Don’t Talk:
Lynne Heinzmann’s But Cats Don’t Talk is a heartfelt, deeply moving story that captures the emotional aftermath of unexpected loss. Heinzmann’s ability to use the written word to showcase the true depth of a teenager’s reaction to the loss of a parent is expertly crafted through intricate descriptions, weaving in and out of the pages like the swirling majesty of music notes. The sudden death of Becca’s mother, the hero in her personal narrative, catapults the main character into a journey of growth, accompanied by an unlikely, yet cute ally named Dak and her—suddenly talkative—cat, BC. Forced into an awkward living situation with her alcoholic aunt, it becomes clear to Becca her dream of performing Beethoven’s 32 sonatas in a year must continue with her own determination, her own stories inspired by the ivory keys, golden pedals, and middle-C. But could a revelation about her past derail her plans? Will she find the one person who deserves to hear her music, the one person she truly plays for? Grief finds its way to all of us, and Heinzmann’s ability to capture the stages through a young woman’s experience is not only masterful, but heartwarming.
~ S. H. Clark, Author of The Secrets of Constellations and Chasing Moonbows
BUT CATS DON’T TALK:
A charming testament to those who color outside the lines!
This story is unique and relatable on many levels to anyone who has lived through the sometimes painful process of becoming an adult. It simultaneously attests to the hope and promise of life's complications and the family (and feline) bonds that sustain us. The author is truly adept at character development, and those portrayed here are brilliantly flawed, yet extremely likable, relatable, and engaging. This book presents many opportunities to start meaningful conversations around topics such as loss, bullying, and mental health with one's own budding adults or with those we call our friends.
~ Authur, Reviewer on Amazon.com
FROZEN VOICES
FROZEN VOICES:
In her debut novel, Frozen Voices, Lynne Heinzmann has performed magic beyond even the skills of Harry Houdini, one of her most delightful characters. Heinzmann pulls off an astonishing feat of literary legerdemain, resurrecting real people who, in February 1907, were passengers on the steamship Larchmont, a vessel which sank off the coast of Rhode Island, taking 137 souls down with her: “drowned, frozen, or scalded to death.” In giving voice and vitality to a group of these passengers, Heinzmann combines meticulous historical research with a humane and generous imagination. Readers will live and breathe with the four narrators of the novel, as we see them before, during and—for some—after the disaster. Frozen Voices weaves the characters and events aboard this doomed ship into a complex and spellbinding tale. In the end, readers are left with exactly the reactions that should follow such an act of wondrous conjuration: we are amazed and deeply touched.
~ Hollis Seamon, author of Somebody Up There Hates You and Corporeality
FROZEN VOICES:
Lynne Heinzmann uses painstaking research and a gift for characterization to bring historical figures to life and recreate the tragic loss of the Larchmont. Carefully spun through the voices of those who survived and those who didn’t, this tale will draw you in and keep you in suspense until its final pages. Frozen Voices convincingly recreates the journey of the Larchmont and those on board through both the icy waters of the Atlantic and the all too human heart.
~ Karen Osborn, Author of such novels as Centerville and The River Road.
FROZEN VOICES:
It’s an ambitious piece of storytelling with multiple and intersecting points of view and characters that are clearly and indelibly drawn, including Harry Houdini. I was reminded of E.L. Doctorow.
~ Richard Hoffman, author of Love & Fury and senior writer-in-residence at Emerson College.
FROZEN VOICES:
This is a crisp and readable novelization of the steamship Larchmont disaster, which claimed the lives of 137 people off the Rhode Island coast in February 1907.
The best historical fiction often simultaneously relates little-known or forgotten events while breathing life into the people affected by them. Frozen Voices is in this category....
Locksmith's apprentice and aspiring magician Millard Franklin is among the livelier personae.... Perhaps [Heinzmann's] most fascinating character, the magician Harry Houdini plays a relatively minor but pivotal plot role as Millard's prospective employer.
Realism asserts itself, however, in the tragic and dismal climax, and the starry-eyed quality of the story's beginnings serves as a stark contrast to this poorly understood event. Contrast is the book's strongest suit. Well worth reading.
~ Jackie Drohan, Historical Novels Review, Issue 80: May 2017
THE CURIOUS CHILDHOOD OF WANTON CHASE
THE CURIOUS CHILDHOOD OF WANTON CHASE: Children’s Book is More Than It Seems
NEWPORT THIS WEEK: BOOK REVIEW
Upon viewing the colorful cover of “The Curious Childhood of Wanton Chase,” and seeing the book’s size, one would assume it is a children’s book. While it is that, it is also an adult book that charts the history of the Rose Island Lighthouse as seen through the eyes of Wanton Chase and through pictorial inserts that provide everything from facts about wars and medicine in America to favorite recipes from Chase’s grandmother.
The book is the first in the Rose Island Lighthouse series and is written by Lynne Heinzmann. Rose Island, which was a British fort during the American Revolution, includes a lighthouse that was placed on the site in 1869. Later, the lighthouse fell under the control of the U.S. Coast Guard between 1941 and 1971, when it was decommissioned.
Chase, whose grandfather was the lighthouse keeper between 1886 and 1918, lived there between 1910 and 1916 from age 1 to 7, as it was thought the salt air would be good for his ailments, particularly his breathing issues.
His family would visit on weekends, weather permitting. It was a solitary life as Chase would help his grandparents with chores, play outdoors, and occasionally have a child to interact with, typically one of the military personnel who staffed the fort on the island.
The book beautifully alternates between tales of Chase and the history of the lighthouse. Drawings of Chase engaged in different activities accompany old photographs of the lighthouse, the island, and its inhabitants. A background history of life in America during the period when Chase lived there sheds light on his experiences.
Chase came to love the island and reluctantly moved back to Newport to live with his parents, brother, and two sisters. He had grown to love his solitary life and wondered what it would be like to have more than one friend at a time. He ultimately adjusted to the mainland and went on to complete high school, work at the Navy’s Torpedo Station, marry, raise a family in Newport, and live to be 99.
“The Curious Childhood of Wanton Chase” is well-written and hard to put down. The book is a great start for those not acquainted with Rose Island and Newport. For those familiar with the area, the book will enrich their knowledge of Rose Island and the establishment of the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation.
~ Lucie-Anne Dionne-Thomas has been an inveterate reader all her life, owns hundreds of books, and enjoys sharing her thoughts about what she reads.
THE CURIOUS CHILDHOOD OF WANTON CHASE:
In The Curious Childhood of Wanton Chase, Lynne Heinzmann has created a charming hybrid, with chapters of alternating non-fiction and fiction, telling both the historical details of lighthouses on the New England coast at the beginning of the 20th century supplemented by the imagined inner life of a boy, Wanton Chase, who grew up on Rose Island, offshore from Newport, Rhode Island. This well-crafted book is as enchanting as it is informative and will surely engage young readers, as will the sweet pastel illustrations and historic photographs.
~ Peter N. Nelson, author of I Thought You Were Dead and A More Unbending Battle: The Harlem Hellfighters' Struggle for Freedom in WWI and Equality at Home
THE CURIOUS CHILDHOOD OF WANTON CHASE:
The Curious Childhood of Wanton Chase is the work of a talented quartet of Rhode Island women who have created a charming and historically rich account revolving around a prominent Narragansett Bay landmark, the Rose Island Lighthouse off Newport. Although this book is aimed at a middle school audience, adults will take equal pleasure bouncing between the charming adventures of a young boy surrounded by a rapidly changing world. Lighthouse enthusiasts can stand over the shoulder of lightkeeper Curtis as he lovingly tends the navigational aids on Rose Island. Students of Rhode Island history will enjoy a shopping trip down Newport’s main business row, Thames Street, with young Wanton and his grandmother. Military enthusiasts will get a glimpse of the historic, but never fully completed, Fort Hamilton. The Curious Childhood of Wanton Chase is a great addition to a youngster’s bookshelf as well as the library of an adult.
~ Brian L. Wallin, Rhode Island Author, Lecturer, Historian; Co-author of World War Two Rhode Island; Narrator Rhode Island Fast Ferry Lighthouse Cruises
THE CURIOUS CHILDHOOD OF WANTON CHASE:
As one of the founding members of the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation, I am always looking for ways to teach people about the rich heritage of the beautifully restored lighthouse located a mile offshore from Newport Harbor in Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay. So, when I read this book, written by Lynne Heinzmann and her Book Team, I was thrilled. These four talented women have superbly woven Wanton’s true-life stories with historical facts, original illustrations, and photographs to create The Curious Childhood of Wanton Chase, a vivid and accurate portrayal of what it was like for a young boy to grow up living in the lighthouse. The book is written in a style that is enjoyable to read, educational, and captivating for all ages. I heartily recommend it.
~ Charlotte E. Johnson, Founding Member of the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation
THE ISLAND ADVENTURES OF PAUL STEDMAN
THE ISLAND ADVENTURES OF PAUL STEDMAN
Must read 🏆 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book is fantastic living history coupled with historical photographs and information.
SYNOPSIS
This entertaining and informative book gives life to the true memories of Paul Stedman, a boy who lived in the Rose Island Lighthouse (Newport, Rhode Island) in the 1930s with his grandfather, the lighthouse keeper. In this second book of The Rose Island Lighthouse Series, charming short stories about Paul’s adventures are adeptly intermixed with factual chapters, whimsical paintings, and historical photographs. Written to be enjoyed by readers of all ages or shared with young children, The Island Adventures of Paul Stedman provides a fascinating peek at life in a New England lighthouse early in the Twentieth Century.
REVIEW
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this fascinating account of Paul Stedman and his life at the Rose Island Lighthouse, located in Rhode Island. Heinzmann takes us through the functions of the lighthouse and also nine entertaining and true stories. In between each story is factual information with historical photographs. The juxtaposition with the historical information is invaluable and lends depth to the narrative as told through the child’s eyes.
Paul Stedman is not the first child the lighthouse has seen; the first book in this series covers the stories of a child who lived at the lighthouse between 1910 to 1916. The Island Adventures of Paul Stedman is the second book in a series about the Rose Island lighthouse, providing a history of the lighthouse in the 1930s.
I greatly appreciate the vibrant art by Robin Roraback throughout the book. It is sure to capture the attention of children as they listen to Paul's adventures. In addition to the stories, the book covers such lighthouse topics as how a Fresnel lens works and the purpose of a fog signal. It also provides historical insight into life during the 1930s, the role of the Newport News Torpedo Station, and the Fall River Line.
From a teacher's point of view, I find it effective to have this type of living book to use as an educational tool. Looking at history through the lens of living at a lighthouse resonates with students and causes them to view lighthouses differently going forward. This is especially the perfect read before going to visit the Rose Island Lighthouse.
~ Jamie Pasho, Reedsy Discovery
THE ISLAND ADVENTURES OF PAUL STEDMAN:
In writing The Island Adventures of Paul Stedman, Heinzmann, Roraback, Fournier, and Harris have done a remarkable job of showing what it was like for a young boy to grow up nearly a hundred years ago, living in a New England lighthouse with his grandfather, the lighthouse keeper. Through delightfully told stories, beautifully painted original artwork, well-chosen photographs, and carefully researched historical passages, this book depicts an accurate and compelling picture of life on Rose Island in the 1930s. If you are a lover of lighthouses—like me, a history buff, or just someone who appreciates good stories, you will enjoy this book.
~ Jeremy D'Entremont, author of 18 books and hundreds of articles on lighthouses and maritime history, historian for the American Lighthouse Foundation, and founder of Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouses
THE ISLAND ADVENTURES OF PAUL STEDMAN:
Lynne Heinzmann and her team have created a wonderful book that documents life on Rose Island, Newport, RI, during the 1930s, through the eyes of Paul Stedman, grandson of Lighthouse Keeper Jessie Orton. Rose Island Lighthouse (1870) is situated on an 18-acre island in Newport Harbor, at the entrance to Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island, and has been tastefully restored by the Rose Island Lighthouse and Fort Hamilton Trust. This engaging book intertwines stories of island life during the Depression Era pre-WWII period relayed by the keepers, combined with factual accounts of American life, industry, and occupations prevailing during this difficult period in history. As the Executive Director of the Rose Island Lighthouse Trust, I'm so pleased to have this book, written to let people know of the rich maritime heritage of Rose Island Lighthouse and the important role this little island once played in American history.
~ Brian Tefft, Former Executive Director, Rose Island Lighthouse and Fort Hamilton Trust