{"id":13911,"date":"2023-02-24T23:05:34","date_gmt":"2023-02-25T04:05:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/?p=13911"},"modified":"2023-02-27T06:45:47","modified_gmt":"2023-02-27T11:45:47","slug":"peonies-in-winter-a-book-review-by-lynda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/peonies-in-winter-a-book-review-by-lynda\/","title":{"rendered":"Peonies in Winter – A Book Review by Lynda"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

A Book Review <\/strong><\/em>
by Lynda McKinney Lambert<\/strong><\/em>

Peonies in Winter: <\/em>
A Journey through loss, Grief, and Healing<\/em>
By Sally Rosenthal<\/h4>\r\n

\u00a0<\/h4>\r\n

Book Review_Peonies in Winter_<\/a><\/h4>\r\n
\"Cover

Cover: Peonies in Winter by Sally Rosenthal<\/p><\/div>\r\n



Read MORE at Sally’s Author Page at DLD Books Here.<\/a><\/h4>\r\n

Published: December 6, 2021

<\/h4>\r\n
\r\n

From the back cover:<\/em><\/h4>\r\n


This is a small book for the small hours when we sit alone in the dark or feel as though our grief isolates us. Although we all travel sorrow\u2019s path at some point in our lives, many of us walk that road alone and bewildered, failing to reach out to grasp the waiting hand of a fellow traveler.<\/em>

<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

First impressions…<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n

are important because the cover of a book is a work of art that can grab our attention. This one does not disappoint. The image is a Japanese painting of delicate cerise peonies in full bloom. It is winter time and we can see white snowflakes falling on the deep pink flowers. Slender green branches and leaves are placed on a creamy background. Immediately this first impression of the book\u2019s cover makes me want to turn the page and begin reading Sally Rosenthal\u2019s short personal stories and poems.

The Introduction provides insight into Sally\u2019s themes in this collection: Aging, caregiving, circumstance, loss, and living alone.

In her opening poem, Across My Kitchen Table,<\/em> Sally presents her poems as gifts to the readers. It\u2019s personal and intimate and gives us the feeling that there is far more that Sally intends to share with us as we turn the pages. Find out why the book is titled, Peonies in Winter.<\/em><\/strong>

<\/p>\r\n

The theme of remembering begins in her poem,, Kathleen in 1927. This poem <\/em>is the introduction to her mother, Kathleen.\u00a0 The inspiration for this poem was a photograph of her mother at age 11, taken in England in 1927. This\u00a0 begins a thread of memories of her mother that Sally weaves through the entire book. And, there are other family members we meet as we continue reading.<\/p>\r\n


The fact that the memories and reflections are not in chronological time is refreshing. Memories are like that. They come and they go, like waves on the seashore. They wash over us in layers and are timeless.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n

Sally mentions the notion of time and memory in this book as she speaks about the differences in how we understand time.

Penny Candy,<\/em> is a poem that many senior citizens today will love. In this poem, Sally is a small child who walks with her grandfather to a candy store. The image that is so memorable is that final line when she takes the
small brown bag filled with love,in her hands.<\/em>

In the poem, Solace,<\/em> Sally recounts the final days of her mother\u2019s life. Several more poems focus on her relationship with her mother, Kathleen, such as \u201cA Daughter\u2019s Good Bye.\u201d This thread of goodbyes is like stitching an embroidery picture made of poems as we come near the end of her mother\u2019s life.

A memorable poem is a premonition that Sally has when she lost her wedding ring one week before her husband died.

As the book ends, Sally shares her days of contemplation and loneliness after her husband\u2019s death. This is so relevant as most women will live longer than their husbands and find themselves living alone in their final years.

In particular, she found solace in music. Sally shares two pieces of music that comforted her.\u00a0\u00a0<\/h4>\r\n

“Nothing is Wasted,” by Jason Gray Listen here.<\/a><\/h4>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

“Even in the darkest places, we are met by unexpected light, grace and help, honorable companions, and occasionally a miracle\u201d <\/em>
\u2013 Carrie Newcomer<\/p>\r\n

\r\n





Find Peonies in Winter<\/strong><\/em>at Amazon. Order Now!<\/a><\/h4>\r\n

\u00a9Lynda McKinney Lambert, February 24, 2023.. <\/em><\/p>\r\n

All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\r\n






<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the book ends, Sally shares her days of contemplation and loneliness after her husband\u2019s death. This is so relevant as most women will live longer than their husbands and find themselves living alone in their final years.<\/p>\n Continue reading →<\/span><\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-trusting-god"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4gbwn-3Cn","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":13923,"url":"https:\/\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/part-2-book-launch-a-blurb-and-a-poem\/","url_meta":{"origin":13911,"position":0},"title":"Part 2 – Book Launch – A Blurb and a Poem","author":"Lynda Lambert","date":"March 30, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Part 2 - A Blurb and a Poem Coming Soon...Book Launch Songs for the Pilgrimage \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 *** Special Announcement of Behind Our Eyes\u00a0 - A Zoom event!! Please Join the conversation on THURSDAY - April 13, as I talk about my new book.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "#Trusting God"","block_context":{"text":"#Trusting God","link":"https:\/\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/category\/trusting-god\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/SFTP_Mock-up_10.jpg?fit=1080%2C703&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/SFTP_Mock-up_10.jpg?fit=1080%2C703&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/SFTP_Mock-up_10.jpg?fit=1080%2C703&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/SFTP_Mock-up_10.jpg?fit=1080%2C703&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/SFTP_Mock-up_10.jpg?fit=1080%2C703&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7700,"url":"https:\/\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/more-garden-songs-showcase\/","url_meta":{"origin":13911,"position":1},"title":"More Garden Songs: Showcase","author":"Lynda Lambert","date":"August 7, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Lynda McKinney Lambert's newest book is featured by editor, Charles Portolano, publisher of The Weekly Avocet: A Journal of Nature Poetry. 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Great photos of some flowers and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "#From Lynda's Journal"","block_context":{"text":"#From Lynda's Journal","link":"https:\/\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/category\/from-lyndas-journal\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/EDHSSJ_Mock-up_23.jpg?fit=1080%2C703&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/EDHSSJ_Mock-up_23.jpg?fit=1080%2C703&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/EDHSSJ_Mock-up_23.jpg?fit=1080%2C703&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/EDHSSJ_Mock-up_23.jpg?fit=1080%2C703&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/EDHSSJ_Mock-up_23.jpg?fit=1080%2C703&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":17478,"url":"https:\/\/www.lyndalambert.com\/wordpress\/from-lyndaa-journal_showcase\/","url_meta":{"origin":13911,"position":3},"title":"Lynda’s Journal _ A Showcase of Poems","author":"Lynda Lambert","date":"September 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Lynda\u2019s Journal A Showcase of Poems Post #708 September 11, 2025 See it\u00a0Here! 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