Books

I love to read, but often don’t give myself as much time as I need to keep up with the many books that are on my list, shelf, and on our book group agenda. Vacations always seem to be a great time for reading, and our trip to California was no exception. Two cross-country flights provide extended reading opportunities to say nothing of the layovers on the way. I’ve finished six books in the last several weeks, and enjoyed most of them.

My favorite was Little Bee. Sarah had a library copy on her table that she had not yet started, but after reading the back of the book I was intrigued. It is beautifully written and thought-provoking. I can’t wait for Sarah and some of my friends to read it so we can talk about it.

The Help was also a compelling and interesting read. It was one of the fastest reads I’ve done in quite some time. I heard a very interesting discussion of this book on the Diane Rehm show a couple of weeks ago. I would characterize Love and Other Impossible Pursuits as a better than average “beach book.” The story was not one that will stay with me, nor do I think it would be fodder for a good discussion, but it was an enjoyable vacation read.

The Middle Place has been on my shelf for over a year. Kelly Corrigan’s You Tube video was sent to me by several friends, and I had seen a Border’s interview with her as well. It’s a memoir, one of my favorite genres, and well-written. I gave a lot of thought to father-daughter relationships as I read this book. My relationship with my father was certainly very different than Corrigan’s, and I wondered how Sarah would describe her relationship with her dad which I see as much more like Corrigan’s than mine.

The last two books are both books for our couples book group. Replay is a sci-fi, time travel book (definitely NOT my genre). I found it easy to get into, but mid-way found the plot a bit tedious. Tracy (who had already listened to it) encouraged me to keep going, and it did improve. Nonetheless, it’s not a favorite, and I wouldn’t recommend to anyone unless they enjoyed that kind of book. (I did like The Time Traveler’s Wife, however.) The Saint on Death Row is another thought-provoking book. This was definitely worth reading, though I didn’t find it as moving as
Picking Cotton or True Notebooks (one of my all-time memorable books), two other prison stories that have
stuck with me over time. It’s a remarkable story of resilience and
courage in the face of American injustice. A fair trial is something we
think we all have a right to; this story proves otherwise. In a courtroom,
money and power are far more important factors than your rights as an
American. Sad story.

If any of these are familiar to you, I’d love to hear your thoughts about them.