Mary E. Trimble

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik is a remarkably frank biography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933 – 2020), her time as an attorney for the ACLU, as a federal judge, and finally her service on the U. S. Supreme Court.

RBG’s high energy level and extreme intellect allowed her to manage raising a family while excelling first as a law student, then as a self-described “flaming feminist litigator.” Although throughout her career she fought for women’s equality, her main objective was to make the laws of the country work for everyone.

Like many women of the era, RBG was paid less than her male counterparts for the same work done. In one case she was actually told her pay was modest because her husband had a good job! RBG worked all her life to defy gender stereotypes. At one point she fought for a widower and his right to compensation for child care, the same as would be awarded a widow. She didn’t want to be called a “women’s judge, nor a political judge, but a judge’s judge.”

I was inspired by this biography. In my working career as Admissions Director at a well-known deep-sea diving school in the late 1970s, I received less pay than a man in my position would have been paid. When I brought this to my boss’s attention he actually said, “Oh, Mary, we couldn’t afford to pay you what we would pay a man in your position!” RBG fought for equality for pay, for benefits, and for equal recognition for a job well done.

RBG was an amazingly energetic woman. In addition to her many responsibilities, she maintained a work-out schedule and, in fact, had a personal trainer. Her regular exercise routine consisted of squats, curls, planks and 20 full push-ups. RBG’s one regret when reaching her seventies was that she had to give up water skiing.

Notorious RBG is a fast-paced biography with quotations from family members, close friends, United States’ presidents, colleagues, and clerks, as well as quotations from RBG herself. I appreciated learning more about how the courts, especially the U.S. Supreme Court works. RBG was an inspiration, an intergenerational icon, and Notorious RBG does her justice.

New Release: My Brother Eric

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Mary

I am so pleased to announce the release of my latest novel, My Brother Eric. The story is actually a continuation of my last novel, Maureen, but the story stands alone.

When the Cahills learn that a boy from the local high school is homeless and living out of his car, they feel the need to help. But they have a big cattle ranch to run. Will this city kid fit in?

Eric, 16, is living on the edge, and he knows it. He doesn’t know how much longer he can go on like this. Winter is coming on, and nights are already getting cold. The law is bound to find him and report him to Child Services. But Eric is determined not to move again, to finish high school in Chewack.

My Brother Eric is my fifth novel. In addition to my novels, I have written two memoirs, Tubob: Two Years in West Africa with the Peace Corps and Sailing with Impunity: Adventure in the South Pacific.

The book is available in paper or e-book format through your favorite bookstore or Amazon.

Book Review: Moon Bones

Posted on October 10, 2022 by Mary

Moon Bones, is the fifth book in the “A Nellie Burns and Moonshine Mystery” series by Julie Weston. The intriguing mysteries take place in the 1920s central Idaho’s rugged mining country.

When photographer Nellie Burns’ Chinese friend, Sammy Ah Kee, leads Nellie and her Basque fiancé Sheriff Charlie Asteguigoiri to a body Sammy has found, they find more than just the body, they discover a conspiracy to enslave Chinese immigrants. As they delve further, the mystery becomes more complex with murder and greed.

Of special interest to me in Moon Bones, was the deplorable way Chinese people were treated in this time period. In the late 1800s Idaho’s population included about 30% Chinese, most of whom were from the Guangdong area of China. They originally migrated to America to work on the railroad, though some came to prospect for gold. They were not treated well, were restricted from working the mines other than as laborers for white people, nor could they own land. The author does a good job of showing the plight of the Chinese, while also showing their loyalty to those white people they considered friends.

“A Nellie Burns and Moonshine Mystery” is an engaging series about the life and times in central Idaho in the 1920s. If you like a good mystery, I would recommend reading these novels in the order written: Moonshadows, Basque Moon, Moonscape, Miners’ Moon, and Moon Bones. The author has done a good job developing Nellie Burns’ character and her relationship with Sheriff Asteguigoiri, as well as with friends she has made along the way. Weston’s research of the area is impressive as her stories delve into the old mines, ghost towns, landscapes, and attitudes of the times.

Book Review: Beneath the Bending Skies

Posted on October 3, 2022 by Mary

Beneath the Bending Skies, an uplifting historical novel by Jane Kirkpatrick, is the story of Mary Catherine “Mollie” Sheehan Ronan (1852-1940) that takes place in the mid-to- late 1800s, mostly in Montana.

Mollie is only six years old when her mother passes away. Her father moves the family to Colorado and eventually remarries Anne, whom Mollie learns to love. The family moves to Montana as her father dabbles into several businesses, many involving different aspects of gold mining. Mollie strives to be a dutiful daughter, following his often quoted command to “honor thy father.”

When Mollie is 14 she meets her father’s best friend, Peter Ronan, 24 a journalist for a Helena, Montana newspaper. They fall in love and plan to marry. When her father learns of their relationship he is furious and feels deceived by both his daughter and friend. To thwart their relationship, he sends Mollie to a school in California. But being a dutiful daughter has its limits and even though separated, her love for Peter Ronan grows. They eventually reunite and when Mollie turns nineteen they marry, though her father strongly disapproves, causing a rift between them.

After some disasters with a fire at the newspaper building and a major theft in his mining claim, Peter accepts a job as supervisor at the Jocko Agency in Montana serving the Confederated Salish, Pend d’Oreille and Kootenai tribes. Mollie strives to be a gracious hostess to government dignitaries and tribal chiefs alike, to be a gracious wife and loving mother, and to keep a cheerful attitude. Above all, she aspires to be agile, to accept whatever comes her way and maintain a willingness to change.

I have read and enjoyed many books by Jane Kirkpatrick and this is one of my favorites. The author’s ability to capture the essence of time and place in this historical read is engaging, informative and told with dependable accuracy. Beneath the Bending Skies is an unforgettable journey of love, respect and duty.