Zippy - Karen Buxton

I didn't spent much time looking for hidden meanings, or "this is why
I'm the way I am" pronouncements. I think it's because I spent my
early childhood in a small town (population 500). The dogs and the
kids roamed the streets, there were nice homes, abandoned homes, as
well as many that should have been abandoned. My dad had a beer
every night, and didn't say a whole lot to my mother who spent the
first half of every day on the couch sick with asthma and back pain.
Sounds dreary, but I didn't see it that way. There was a lady (Mrs.
Robinson), that my friend and I liked to go and visit, who had at
least 15 dogs and more cats than could be counted. Of course the
thing that is engrained on my memory of my visits to her house is the
smell. Horrid! I've often wondered what eventually happened to her
and all of her animals. Speaking of smells...There was a family that
lived in town that had three daughters. The girls were always very
stinky. Occasionally they would come to primary, and during class
one day the girl my age took off her shoes, and stunk up the whole
room. I remember being pleasantly surprized, on another occasion,
when my mother and I went to their trailor, and the girls were taking
baths. My older sister, who is the same age as Kimmel, remembers
going to a friend's house for a sleepover. When it came time to go
to bed, the bed was covered with a huge pile of questionable laundry
(dirty? clean?). The two girls simply crawled under the pile of
laundry and went to sleep.

Anyway, enough reminiscing. I was interested in Danielle's comments
about the "car repair" episode. My impression of the event was that
he was not only getting frustrated with the project, but that Zippy
was driving him crazy with her questions etc. Her presence was not
helping the situation. I just figured that he was inviting her to
leave for her own well being. I didn't believe that he was going to
physically harm her, just throw a tantrum. Again, my impressions
might be coming from my own experiences. My dad was always fixing
the cars. It's always interesting how differently we all view the
same event. I appreciated Danielle's more positive take on the
episode.

I also very much enjoyed the pig story even though it was somewhat
troubling to me. I also got a kick out of the story about her
parents fighting and her mother riding away on Zippy's bike. There
were many humerous events as well as many tragedies. As a child she
wasn't necessarily aware of the humor or the tragedy, but as adults,
I'm sure that we more clearly see the absurdities, and the sorrows.

I've written much more than intended, and I hope I haven't bored any
of you with my own life history. Thanks for indulging me.

Yay for Zippy!

I love Zippy. I read it once before about five years ago- my Mom recommended it to me after her book club read it. That is why I recommended it for us. I had forgotten how truly wonderful it is. It was great fun to read again and rediscover Zippy. I also read the sequel so hopefully I will not get the two confused. The first is the best but the second still has the same flair.

It was interesting to read two memoirs in a row both wonderful in their own way. I was annoyed with Mike Ramsdell for jumping around the timeline in his story because I felt like he was covering something up. With Zippy it didn't bother me- she told the stories that connected to a theme for each chapter and she generally got older as the book went along but she definitely skipped around the timeline. I think that added to the ending feeling abrupt. But I think maybe she didn't want an ending. She wanted to leave us with a feeling of continuation- a feeling of future stories. This book was just a snippet - one facet in the kaleidoscope. I am amazed at how this book hangs together with no obvious direction. It is a memoir told from her young eyes and not her current eyes.

I love how innocent and oblivious she is. I love how active she is. I love her opinion of herself and of her family. I love that the whole town raised her since her parents couldn't. I think her relationship with her father is interesting because it is obviously not the norm for his relationships. He was a different Father to her than he was to her other siblings. She takes this for granted. He is a good father to her- I love it when he tells her to go away because he is frustrated with the car he is working on and is going to start swearing soon. There is something so sweet in that moment- so respectful of her and who she is and so representative of their relationship. He is imperfect and they both know it and accept it. There are boundaries to what she gets to see and what she doesn't. It isn't hidden from her but he is a better person when he is with her. I think it is funny how she feels encouraged to be a rebel by him. It makes her His Girl.

I love that she never sees herself as a victim. She describes some terrible conditions for a childhood and yet she remains impervious to them. She doesn't remember suffering because she wore the same pants all year long and the laundry never got done and the house is falling down and has no heat. Her mom was on the couch but that was comforting to her- she always knew where to find her. I can relate to this somewhat because my Mom was always on the couch with a good book while I was growing up too. Not because of depression but because of illness- repeated pneumonia and strep throat and those kinds of illnesses. My Mom was much more responsible for us- she always knew where we were and she kept the house pretty tidy (as tidy as possible with 4 rugrats tearing it apart all of the time). It makes me appreciate my Mom more- knowing now how ill she was and how hard it must have been for her to pick herself up and take care of us. I am impressed with Zippy for her lack of resentment and her innocent oblivion to how bad things must have been.

On of my favorite stories from this book is the one where she protects Rose from the band teacher. Rose didn't even tell her what was wrong- just that something was wrong and her Mom didn't believe her. Zippy figures it out sort of by thinking of the band teacher. She doesn't really understand but she knows that it can't continue. She uses her stubborn personality and protects her friend by staying and walking home with her everyday. She could have been putting herself in potential danger too but instead she bullies the band teacher. It's great! And she doesn't even quite realize what she has done. I also love that she punishes the band teacher for not letting her play drums ("because it is a boy instrument") by making him lug around the bells. I love that she her sense of what's right in the world and the way she follows it and stands up for it. Zippy addresses so many issues that we go through in our youth without making too big a deal out of any of them. And yet they shape her and who she is.

So this is not a very well written review- my thoughts are kind of disorganized today... and everyday... but hopefully it makes enough sense... I wish I could write like Haven...

Zippy

I have to say I was skeptical about this book at first. And the introduction that spoke about how here sister was just as skeptical about reading a story of a girl growing up in the middle of nowhere and no tragedy in her life...how interesting could that be?

In any case, I was surprised by this book. She relates such interesting stories and memories such as the pig hurling episode with such a tongue in cheek approach that you can hardly not smile at the thought of it. (My sensibilities tell me to be shocked, but I found my self laughing none the less.)

I also loved her candor in regards to so many different realities. One example of this was how she didn't want to be Dana's friend and vice versa and that her other best friends or the second best friends were quickly drawn away from her to this new girl. Etc... I loved the fight for no reason and how they made up and became friends again. Haven skirts around the idea that Dana's home life was different than hers but not that it was as bad as it really was...does any of this make sence? Anyway, she was able to intimate something different than what she is actually saying.

This was a fun and interesting read. I wish that I would be able to remember all the little stories of my childhood...I see pictures and I wonder sometimes what what happening that we needed to remember that moment. I guess my mind is going in my old age!

Thanks for the read!

Michelle

A Train...

I just wanted to first say that I needed to post for "A Train to Potevka" before I could step up to Zippy.

I really enjoyed this book. It had interesting stories and intrigue and held my interest. However, like so many of you, I found it difficult getting past the writing at times. He is a great story teller and the writing is just as though he were telling you the story as opposed to me reading the story.

I love spy stuff, so knowing that this was essentially a true story made it all the better. I have often wondered in my life what it would be like to be a spy in the truest sence of the word. Would it be hard to be LDS? Would there be a lot of intrigue? Where would I be, etc. Knowing me, however, I would have probably ended up in the middle of North Dakota translating something or other...not very exciting.

Thanks for having us read this. It was interesting to see the spy game in action.

Michelle

All is Zippy

I LOVED this book. It was thoroughly enjoyable. I was entranced by Zippy's childhood recollections. I remember reading a review of the book... "finally, a memoir about a happy childhood." I'll admit, I kept waiting for the "this is why I am the way I am" comments, but they never came (thank goodness).

I don't have my book in front of me, but I know I marked several different pages for one thing or another. Danielle P. said, "I delighted in the character's matter-of-fact approach to things, her mature yet childlike way of expressing herself." I noticed that as well. The author recounted events in an almost adult fashion, but with the innocence of youth. It takes talent to recount a story as a child would perceive events, but include enough information that an adult reader can understand between the lines.

I actually felt myself in the book - wishing I grew up in a small town like Zippy did. I remember mocking older people who "wished for a simpler time" and this was back when I was in high school. Now, I'm the one wishing for a simpler time, one in Mooreland with my family. Haven really knows how to tell a story. I've already purchased the next Zippy book.

I loved her relationships with her family, especially her dad. Aside from his drinking, gambling, etc., there were parts that reminded me of my own dad. I had pages marked as examples, but...

Good choice. Thanks Danielle W.

Zip, Zip Hooray!

I had the great fortune to listen to a Book on CD version of A Girl Named Zippy read by none other than the author herself. Though I am confident I would have laughed and cried as readily as I did had I read the print version, this audio book allowed me to feel somehow closer to the places and people the author described. I can still picture Zippy's mom curled up on the couch with a good book. I see her brother breaking down the bathroom door and slapping his sister. (An act, incidentally, I totally applauded when it happened, though I am a pacifist at heart.) Her father, too, with all those dogs in the front yard.

I began to listen to the book on a flight from Salt Lake to Dallas. I had to put it aside, however, when tears started running down my cheeks after hearing the letter Zippy's mother wrote when she thought her baby girl might die (hope I am remembering this right; it's been a few weeks since I read it). I knew I wouldn't be able to bawl properly on an airplane full of strangers. I also could not properly laugh aloud in a plane: One of the funniest scenes was when Zippy's best friend's mother (did I get that right?) got nailed by that pig running straight toward her and knocking her on her butt (or was it her face?).

Most of the book made me laugh and not cry, I am happy to say. I delighted in the character's matter-of-fact approach to things, her mature yet childlike way of expressing herself. And I really like how her character could have come off sounding really snotty and snobbish (since she was so smart), but I really loved the girl.

I also love hearing stories of the bond between father and daughter. It seemed the two in this book had a nice relationship; I sensed no anger or resentment from Zippy. She alluded a bit to her father's gambling and -- maybe drinking? -- problem but this didn't seem to interfere too much with her adoration of him.

I thought the book ended a bit abruptly. I didn't feel that crescendo before the resolution you get in a great book. Perhaps because there were so many crescendos in all the vignettes. Or perhaps I didn't want the book to end yet. In any case, I look forward to reading more from this author. It was a tidy and fast read with lots of laughter and color.

Finally read it!

Gina came to visit me and let me borrow the book. It is a very interesting book. I agree that it was not very well written in a technical sense but he can tell a story. He seems like someone who likes to talk and tell stories which seems an interesting characteristic for a spy. Though it seems his assignments were to teach and to negotiate or get info from people so the government used his personality to the best advantage.

I continued to be bugged by his jumpidnng around in the timeline but only where it concerned his romance with Bonnie. I felt like he was trying to hide his emotional infidelity to his first wife with the jumping around. I wonder just how close in age Bonnie and his son are too. I think he confused the time line somewhat to confuse the reader as to what was going on there. I don't think he needed to confuse that part of things. I don't think he was unfaithful to his first wife but I don't think he was ready to deal with the issues behind all of that in black and white writing.

I thought it was interesting when he talked about how his values as a church member were called into question at times on his missions. The untruthfulness in context of a mission would not have bothered me as much as the other possible problems like not being able to drink alcohol or Tea or other more serious issues that would make him stand out when he needed not to stand out. I wondered why he drank the black tea and not just the hot water but maybe the tea is just herbal or added some nutrients that I don't know about.

I too want to hear the story of Sasha and will have to look if he has written anything else! :) It is amazing to me how Mcdonald's is such a symbol of americanization and how loved and hated it is. Especially as it is something taken for granted here and not our most favorite example of our cuisine.

Sorry I am jumping around so much. I am writing this while keeping my son occupied too so I get distracted and then come back to it.... I was saddened by how untrustworthy the Russian people were. I worry that America is heading that direction more and more. People are a lot more guarded than they were when I was a child. I'm not sure there is truly justification for the change in attitude towards our neighbors. I don't think crime is any higher than it used to be - just different and more public knowledge. It's sad that urban legends of razor blades in Candy have now made trick or treating a thing of the past... that kind of thing makes me sad. Hopefully we will never get as bad as the society he described in Russia. anyway... enough of my ramblings.

very thought provoking book Gina- thanks for lending it to me. I will mail it back to you along with a few other things this week. :)

A Train to Potevka

I am sorry I haven't posted until now. I was able to lend the book to D so she'll be posting soon too... before our due date for the Zippy book.

Ramsdell did a great job for a "first book" and though it seemed a little rough starting out (because I am so used to seasoned writing), I got used to his style a couple chapters into it. It was an autobiography... a unique one. I've never read an autobiography before.

I was glad I had New Moon to read when I got bored with the back and forth of Ramsdell's life and then general Russian history. When he skipped to history I would put the book down and read New Moon. My husband kept making fun of me because it took him like 3 sittings to finish that book and it took me 3 weeks. I just wasn't in a hurry... what's wrong with that?

I haven't posted because everyone said what I wanted to say about the book. I had the same feelings about the scenerios that played out. What was the back story with his ex-wife, how old was Bonnie, what happened to that little boy who took them to the front of the McDonald's line and how was he compensated for being given the wrong orders and left to die of starvation? So many unknowns... makes me want to track Ramsdell down and interview him.

The main theme for me was how desperate the Russian people are... how blessed I am to live in the United States and have free reign over the food I eat and how much of it I have. I felt so humbled as Ramsdell was starving for so long and in the condition he was... I don't think I would have made it. I would have probably dropped myself in the deep snow and stayed there to fall into the slumber of death. I really think I would have.

My heart sunk when Ramsdell said that he never went back to Potevka... that he never was able to thank those kind strangers who showed they had compassion in his time of need. I am sure it broke his heart too, that he didn't revisit the woman that reminded him of his mother.

I have to thank my husband for recommending this book. I learned so much about the Russians and I hope to research their way of life even more.