One of the Best Books I've Read

The Summer We Fell Apart by Robin Antalek

2010-03-09T20:51:00.001-06:00

Friend of the Family by Lauren Grodstein

2010-03-09T20:49:00.001-06:00

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2010-03-09T20:46:00.001-06:00

In a Perfect World by Laura Kasischke

2009-11-08T10:59:00.003-06:00

I found this book on a display at Borders. I was drawn to it by the cover and it had some great comments by readers. I picked it up and read it in about a week's time. It was a different type of fiction story, but overall I enjoyed it. It is about a woman named Jiselle who marries Mark Dorn who is a single father of three. He is a pilot. The story is set in future years I believe and there is a flu that is spreading called the "Phoenix Flu". It is starting to kill people and the worry and panic is starting to spread throughout the United States. Mark gets stranded in Germany because of this "virus" which leaves Jiselle to raise and take care of his three children. As I read it, some parts to me seemed to be a bit like science fiction, but overall I would say this book is fiction. It was about the survival of people during a national crisis and the relationship that can build between people when then are doing everything they can to survive.

Say Your One of Them by Uwem Akpan

2009-11-08T10:43:00.002-06:00

This was another book that I had seen written up in many different places. I wasn't sure I wanted to read it since it was a collection of short stories, but I decided to give it a try. I am glad I did. It really was like nothing else I had read. All of the stories are told from the view points of children in Africa. The first story is called "An Ex-Mas Feast" and is about a family trying to save enough money for Christmas. The second story is called "Fattening for Gabon" and is about two children that are being sold into slavery. The next story is called "What Language is That?" which is about two children from different worlds trying to be friends. "Luxurious Hearses" is about a boy on a bus trying to hide his identity during a crisis. The final story is called "My Parents' Bedroom" and is the powerful story about a girl and her family in Rwandan during an unspeakable time. This book is hard to read sometimes because of the names used, but I think worth it. It isn't easy subject matter to read about, but they are all things that are happening in our world and I think we need to know about them. Give it a try!

The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf

2009-10-18T10:27:00.003-05:00

You have to love MEA weekend. It is a time to get things done around the house and also to take some extra time and read a great book. I started The Weight of Silence on the Friday of MEA and finished it on Sunday morning. That is a lot of reading! This was a great book and I had a hard time putting it down when life interrupted my reading. The story revolves around two families and the morning that both of their daughters disappear. Martin is a college professor married to Fielda and they have a daughter named Petra. The neighbor family consists of Toni and her two children Ben and Calli. Their father Griff, is not always present and drinks too much which leads to a very mean side of the man. Both girls are in first grade and are best friends. Callie has not spoken since she was in four years old after a family tragedy. The book covers both what happens to the people looking for the two girls and what is happening to the girls in the woods. It is a face paced story and like I said I could not put it down. If you are looking for a great fall book to read, this is it!

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

2009-10-09T20:50:00.004-05:00

I, along with the rest of the country, picked up this book on the day it came out. I had read his previous books and had enjoyed them. I was looking forward to reading this new one and I was not disappointed. It is very similar to the first two books by Dan Brown, and just as entertaining. The book is a face paced adventure with Robert Langdon, Katherine Solomon, and Peter Solomon. At the beginning of the story Langdon is summoned to the Capital building by who he thinks is Peter Solomon. Once he arrives at the capital building the story takes off and doesn't stop until the last page. One crazy man with a motive and a mission turns the lives of Robert, Katherine, and Peter upside down. It was quite interesting to read about our Capital city and all the secrets, legends, and myths that surround this city. This book isn't earth shattering, but it sure is a fun and entertaining story.

Blame by Michelle Huneven

2009-09-20T14:32:00.002-05:00

As with many of the books I read, if I see it written up with a positive review in more than one place I will go and pick it up. This was a quick and enjoyable read. I read it in about a week. It is just under 300 pages. It is the story of a young college professor named Patsy who is an alcoholic. She is hanging out with a friend named Brice who also has issues with alcohol. She has been in a jail several times and just isn't making much of her life. One morning she awakes in jail only to find out she has hit a mother and daughter with her car and they are dead. She remembers nothing and ends up going to prison for this incredible crime. While in prison she changes her life for the better and learns she needs to get herself together. The story continues as she meets the husband of the woman she killed. Theirs is a story of forgiveness and understanding. Patsy continues her life as she is released from prison. She meets many interesting people and interesting things happen to Patsy. Years after the crimes, she learns a shocking truth about her past. Like I said, I enjoyed the story. I thought some parts in the middle went a bit slow for me, but then things sped up as you head toward the end of the story. Another great read!

Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon...

2009-09-13T09:25:00.002-05:00

I had read one other book by this author called "Your Remind Me of Me" and remember liking it and that it was quite different. I would say the same thing about this book. It was good and interesting, but a bit different. The book has three different stories going on at the same time. As I read I wasn't sure how the three stories were connected, but I can guarantee you that they all come together at the end. In a BIG way! One story is about a brother looking for his brother who is ill. The second story is about a young girl that leaves town with her professor only to find out he might not appear to be what she thought. The third story is about a college boy who leaves school and hit the road with his uncle who he just found out was his father. The stories all relate to one's identity and how they fit into the world. Things can get complex at times so read carefully. He is a great writer and certainly has unique ideas.

The Crying Tree by Naseem Rakha

2009-08-14T13:10:00.003-05:00

As the title of this blog says, "One of the best books I've Read." So true about this one. This one kept me up until 2:20 AM last night/this morning and I'm dragging today, but what a great story. A family moves from Illinois to Oregon during the 1980's. For some reason Nate (the dad) wants to uproot his family and start over again. Once in Oregon, things go terribly wrong. Shep (their 15 year old son) is killed in their own home during a robbery. Irene (the mother) will never be the same after this horrific event. The killer is caught (19 year old Daniel) and put on death row. The family moves back to Illinois to be with family. After many years Irene writes to Daniel in prison and they begin a relationship of friendship (via mail). Nineteen years after the murder, the state of Oregon finalizes the execution of Daniel and nothing will ever be the same for Irene, Nate, or Daniel himself. This was such a well-written book and a heart-breaking story. For a first time author she really knocked it out of the park. I highly recommend this book. EXCELLENT!

South of Broad by Pat Conroy

2009-08-11T12:22:00.004-05:00

I have been hearing a lot about his book from Pat Conroy for the past several months. I guess it has been 14 years since his last book. I read both "Beach Music" and "Prince of Tides" and enjoyed them both. This book comes out on the 11th of August and I plan on reading it after the very funny "This Is Where I Leave You." Will post more later when I finish it.

Finished this book in a few days. I truly enjoyed the story. It is about Leo who has grown up in South Carolina. His older brother commits suicide and Leo ends up in an institution. When he gets out, he is destined to meet a group of friends that will take him through his lifetime. The book jumps to the 1980's when one of the high school friends returns to the group of Charleston friends in need of help to locate her brother who is dying. The adults rally and head to California to find their friend Trevor. It is a great story of friendship and overcoming the odds of hardship while growing up. I'm not sure this book is in the same category as Prince of Tides or Beach Music, but it was a enjoyable and entertaining read.

This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper

2009-08-11T12:15:00.003-05:00

This was another book that I had read about in several different places and all of them gave it very positives reviews. I didn't know the author but thought I would give it a try. Boy am I glad I did. I just started the book and haven't finished but really enjoying it. It is pretty darn funny. Laugh out loud funny actually. It is about Judd who had recently left his wife because he caught her in bed with his boss. That scene was hysterical. Soon after his separation from this wife, his father dies and the family is called back home to spend the seven days of Shiva together. They are a Jewish family, but are pretty much non-participators. It is their dad's final wish that they spend the seven days together. There are 3 sons in the family and a daughter along with some spouses, some grandchildren, and a one of a kind mother who resides over the family. The interactions and conversations between the family members are so funny and so real. I will post more when I finish, but I think this is going to be a highlight of my summer reading.

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

2009-08-11T12:07:00.002-05:00

Last summer I read the first book in this series which was called "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. It was a complicated story, but I really enjoyed it. I had heard a lot of positive press about this second book in the trilogy so I picked it up when it came out this month. It is 500 pages and I finished it in about three days. I really couldn't put it down. It brings back the two main characters of Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist. I thought this was better than the first book. It was pretty much non-stop action from page 1 to page 500. Lisbeth gets herself in a lot of trouble when three people she is connected with are murdered. Mikael knows she couldn't have done it (although he has his doubts) and sets out to help her solve many mysteries that are going on in this story. It is kind of hard to describe the plot because there are so many twists and turns and different characters. I sometimes have a hard time keeping everyone straight because the story takes place in Sweden and Swedish names are used. This is a great mystery series and keep you guessing until the very last page. I look forward to the third book in the series called "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.

The Ravens by George Dawes Green

2009-08-11T12:02:00.002-05:00

This book I literally pick up off the shelf based on the title and the cover. I read the book blurb and it sounded pretty good. Well, what a read it was. It was probably one of the most disturbing fiction books I've read in a long time. I'm not sure there was one redeeming character is this whole book, but like a car accident I couldn't stop looking/reading. I'm very curious to see what other readers think about this book? It begins with a family in the south who win a large lottery. A little over $300,000 million to be exact. They think they have hit the jackpot but little do they know their lives are about to take a turn. For the WORST of course. Two pretty bad guys hear about the win and decide they need to be a part of the winnings. Well, they take the family hostage and the rest of the story just spirals out of control from that point on. I really couldn't put this book down, but was also disturbed at the characters' actions and sometimes the story itself. It was definitely a page turner. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

The Last Child by John Hart

2009-07-31T14:57:00.003-05:00

This was a lucky pick. I saw it at Barnes and Noble and bought it based on the cover and the title. That works out sometimes and at other times it doesn't. This was a great summer read. I read it in about 2-3 days. It was a great page turner and mystery, but also some good literature. It is about a 13 year old boy named Johnny. His twin sister disappeared a year ago and Johnny has been searching for clues as to what happened on the day she disappeared. There is also a detective Hunt who has been working on this case for the last year himself. So much so he loses his family because of his addiction to this case. When Johnny and Detective Hunt team up to finally put an to this mystery, they discover things that will shock them both. This book had me from the first page until the last page. I look forward to reading other books by this author.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

2009-07-31T14:53:00.003-05:00

This was the summer book my book club read. We decided to read a classic. I can't remember if I read this book during high school or not, but there were parts that were familiar. Overall, I thought the book was OK, but not great. I can see why it was such a big deal for its time because of the language and some of the content. It is a kind of coming of age story about a young man that can't quite find his way in the world and doesn't quite know what to do with his life. There are a lot of pressures put on him both at home and at school and for a couple of days he escapes it all and spends time in New York City. I'm glad I read it, but was somewhat disappointed in it as a whole.

Sing Them Home by Stephanie Kallos

2009-07-31T14:44:00.003-05:00

I have had this book for quite awhile and finally got to it this summer. It is a pretty long book with a little over 500 pages. I enjoyed it and thought it was a pretty good story. It does move a little slow at times, but for the most part it held my interest which can be hard sometimes, so I don't think you would have a problem. It is the story about a family whose mother disappeared during a 1978 tornado in Nebraska. The youngest daughter in the family was with her, but survived. Years later the father dies which re-unites the three grown children. The book goes back and forth between the present time and their life growing up in Nebraska with their mother who has MS and their father who is a doctor. During different parts of the book you get to know all three children and how they are coping with both the loss (and unknown) of their mother and now their father. It isn't a page turner, but is very well written and a good story overall.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

2009-06-29T13:37:00.003-05:00

This was the second book I read by this author. This was actually her first published book, but I read it after I read "Dark Places." I think "Dark Places" was a better book, but I did enjoy this story. Like "Dark Places" this is a pretty dark book with many characters that are pretty dysfunctional. This story is about a woman who is a reporter. She is sent to her hometown to investigate the murders of two young girls. When she arrives home her past and her present collide and she isn't sure if she can handle it. She had a pretty rough past in this town and not such a great relationship with her mother. Her sister died at a young age and now her mother has another daughter who is also having a rough time. The woman begins to look into the murders and she would never believe where that journey takes her. This is a pretty short book and reads quite quickly. I think you will enjoy it, but as I stated I thought her second book was better. Just remember if you read either book, both are definitely on the dark side!

The Four Corners of the Sky by Michael Malone

2009-06-24T08:24:00.002-05:00

This is 544 pages of great story telling. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It took me longer to finish that I wanted it to, but I snuck a couple of "kid books" in while I read this. This book has it all. It has a great and interesting story line, great and interesting characters, and great and interesting twists and turns. The story begins with Jack who drops his seven year old daughter off at his family home and takes off. Annie is raised by Jack's sister Sam and her best friend Clark. Annie sees her dad twice over the next 20 years or so. Then one day she receives news that her dad is dying and needs her help to finish up his last con. He is the ultimate con man. This takes Annie on an adventure from North Carolina to St. Louis to Miami to Cuba and finally back home to North Carolina. It is a fun read and just an old fashion good story. There are times when I thought it went a bit far and was a bit unrealistic, but it didn't take away from the story itself. I think the many characters in this book were what I enjoyed most! This was a great way to start my June and I hope you enjoy it also.

Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

2009-06-11T17:47:00.003-05:00

I ended the 2009 school year and kicked off summer with a great read. Her first book is called "Sharp Objects" which I haven't' read, but plan to this summer. This was a great read. It is a bit dark at times as far as theme goes, but I just remind myself that it is fiction. It is the story of Libby who is an adult dealing with a family tragedy the occurred when she was seven years old. Her older brother Ben is in prison for this tragedy, but Libby isn't so sure that he is responsible. She begins a quest to find out what truly happened that night in her family's home. The story takes her to many dark places, but she needs to go to these places in order to get to the bottom of what happened. The book alternates chapters between Libby as a grown woman and her family members on the days surrounding the tragedy. This type of format really worked well for this book. I don't think any reader will be disappointed in this story. Again, it is a little on the dark side with dysfunctional characters, but what good fiction book doesn't have that?

Push by Sapphire

2009-06-11T17:39:00.002-05:00

I saw that this book "Push" was going to be a movie coming out in the fall of 2009. The movie version is called "Precious". The movie looked interesting so I decided to go and buy the book and see what it was about. I read the book during one Saturday afternoon. It is only about 139 pages. It is the story of Precious who is an overweight black girl that has everything against her. It was a tough read at times, but I did enjoy the story because it shows how one person can rise above hardships and be better for it in the end. Precious had one teacher in her life that believed in her and that is all she needed to pull herself out of a very bad situation, move forward, and make a better life for herself. This book is very real, very raw, and full of disturbing images. It is well written and I know everyone will be on Precious' side for her to dream bigger and be more than the people around her are treating her. It might be because I'm a teacher, but it was a motivating story despite all of the dysfunction and horrible things in her life. I look forward to the movie this fall.

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

2009-05-08T22:18:00.003-05:00

This was on several different recommended book lists so I knew I wanted to give it a try. I'm glad I did. I enjoyed the story. It is interesting because the book jacket doesn't give much away as to what the story is about which of course perked my interest. It is about a young girl from Nigeria who encounters a British couple while they are on vacation in Nigeria. Something horrific happens on the beach in Nigeria and the lives of these three individuals will never be the same. Several years later the young girl makes her way to England and her life crosses paths with the British couple once again. This was an easy book to read and I found the story enjoyable. There were parts in the book when I didn't exactly like what the characters did, but I guess that is what happens with certain books. I think most readers would enjoy the story of Little Bee.

American Rust by Philipp Meyer

2009-04-05T19:06:00.002-05:00

The Woods by Harlan Coben

2009-04-05T19:04:00.002-05:00

I took this book along on my spring break vacation because I wanted to have a good"beach" book for when I finished "Cutting for Stone." This was a perfect book to have while on my vacation to Mexico. I actually read it in about a day and a half. It is another quick read by Harlan Coben. This time the story is about a man who lost his sister to murder at a summer camp 20 years ago. Or did he? He starts getting clues that his sister may be alive. The events that occurred 20 years ago come back in full force which forces him to face his past. This is an easy and intriguing read. I literally could not put it down. It certainly isn't anything heavy, but a great book to read while on vacation or when you want something quick and a story that keeps you guessing until the very last page.

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

2009-04-05T19:03:00.003-05:00

This was one of those books that kept appearing on many lists of books to read. It was featured in People, Entertainment Weekly, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. I also saw it featured on the Amazon website and the Barnes and Noble website. I figured I'd better give it a try since it was on so many lists. I loved this book! It is not an easy read at about 500 pages, but well worth the time you will spend on it. I was disappointed when I was done and still think about the story and the characters. The story begins with the birth of twins to a nun and a surgeon who helps deliver the twins. The mother dies during child birth and the father leaves right after the birth. The twins are left to another doctor that works in the hospital where they are born. The book covers the lives of the twin boys as they grow up in the hospital and both eventually become doctors themselves. The story is very detailed, but quite interesting at the same time. It has a slow steady beginning, but builds page after page to an emotional and gut retching ending. I was pretty wiped out after closing this book. This is one of the best books I've read in several months. Please give it a try! I know you won't be disappointed.

Gone for Good by Harlan Coben

2009-04-05T18:59:00.004-05:00

I read this book for my book club at work. It was a refreshing change of what we had recently been reading. This was a quick and "fun" read. I had read one of Coben's other books called "Tell No One." Coben writes a fast story that keeps you guessing until the very last page. This was a story about man and his family. His brother had been missing for many years and on the run after being accused of murdering his girl friend. Years after the murder the brother starts getting signs that his brother may be alive and may not be responsible for the murder. From there it is a roller coaster ride with many twists and turns. I enjoyed the story and I know other readers will also. It is especially fun when you get to the end of the story to see how it is actually going to end.

In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O'Brien

2009-01-31T21:04:00.004-06:00

I received this book as a gift and I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed it. This is a quick read. It is about a couple right after a political election that takes place in Minnesota. The candidate was caught up in a scandal and lost the election. He and his wife leave the city and go north to the Lake of the Woods. As you read about their time trying to get over the scandal you learn about the candidate's experiences in Vietnam. These experiences have a profound effect on the present day situation. The majority of the book focuses on when the candidate's wife disappears from the cabin and the search for her begins. Along the way, there are several chapters that deal with interviews and evidence of who could have been involved in the disappearance. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading other books by Tim O'Brien.

Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

2009-01-31T20:56:00.002-06:00

I had seen this book in the bookstores for many years and finally bought it in January 2009 for my book club. I did enjoy the story, but found it a slow start with a great conclusion. It was an easy read and an intriguing mystery. A young women spends time with an elderly famous writer to write her biography. Ms. Winter (the writer) had a mysterious and eerie childhood and young adult life. As the story built, that is when it got interesting and at times confusing. There were many characters to keep straight and quite a few plot twists and turns. It was a satisfying read, but did take awhile to get going. Once you get going with this book it doesn't take long to finish. Enjoy!

The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb

2008-11-26T16:34:00.003-06:00

If you don't read anything else from this blog, you have to read this book. Wally Lamb is my favorite author. I read She's Come Undone and thought it was good. I then read I Know This Much Is True which became my favorite book of all time. I waited ten years for Wally's new book to come out and it was well worth the wait. It is 700 pages plus of story telling at its finest. It is about Caelum Quirk and his wife Maureen. Maureen was trapped at Columbine during the school shootings in 1999. The book then follows them as they try to recover from this tragic event. As no one can do, Wally then incorporates Caelum's past and ancestors into the present day story. I don't want to give too much away, but it is a whirlwind of a read. I could have read it in a few days, but wanted to take my time because I knew it might be years before Wally comes out with another book. This is a must read!!!

Case Histories by Kate Atkinson

2008-10-26T14:25:00.002-05:00

I found this book by surfing around on Amazon one day. I checked it out at Barnes and Noble and decided to buy it. I finished it in about a week so I guess that means it was a pretty good read. It was both a novel with a character story and also a mystery. The story had three sub-plots within the book. Each of the three stories contained a mystery. The first mystery was about the youngest of four girls that disappeared one night and years later her sisters want to find out what happened to her. The second mystery is about a young woman that was killed in her father's place of business. Her father wants to find out who the killer is. The third mystery is about a woman who is overwhelmed with her life and new baby and can't take it anymore. The woman's sister wants to find out where the young baby ended up after her mother went to prison. All three of these stories are brought together by an investigator named Jackson Brodie. By the end of the book you find out how all of these mysteries are tied together.

Beautiful Boy by David Sheff

2008-10-18T13:57:00.003-05:00

This was a powerful memoir written by a father about is son's addiction. David is a divorced father of Nic and they lived in the San Francisco area. David remarried and had two children with his new wife. Nic started to experiment with drugs when he was in junior high. His father found out about it, but didn't really know what to do. Nic told him it was a one time thing. This was the beginning of ten year drug addition that Nic couldn' stop. David began his own addiction with his son's drug use and became obsessed about helping his son and getting him to quit. Nic was in and out of rehab many times during the ten years and just couldn't stop no matter how hard he tried and how hard his dad tried to help him stop. This book was quite powerful and an inside look at what meth can do to a person. It also told the story of addiction and what it can do to the person using drugs and the people around them. David's son Nic also write a memoir called Tweak which I plan on reading in the future.

Downtown Owl by Chuck Klosterman

2008-10-12T16:38:00.002-05:00

This was a different pick for me, but I had seen it written up in a couple of different places and thought I would give it a try. I'm glad I read it. I didn't love it, but I certainly didn't hate it. It was an interesting read and quite different from most of the books I read. The story takes place in a small town called "Owl" in North Dakota. The book focuses on three people who live in the town. One is a high school student trying to fit in. One is an elderly man living a simple life waiting to join his wife in heaven. One is a new young female teacher who has just moved to Owl and doesn't know what she has gotten herself into. For the most part the three character's stories do not cross. Each chapter is about one of the characters and their life in Owl. It is probably more of a character book, than a plot book, but I'm pretty picky when it comes to plot and the story did hold my interest. Towards the end of the book there is a major storm that hits Owl and I was a bit surprised by the ending. I'm glad I read it, but wouldn't put it at the top of my must read list. Some books are just like that I guess.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

2008-09-27T13:20:00.003-05:00

Wow! What a book. I read all 465 pages in one week's time. This was one of those "unputdownable" books. I must admit it was a bit of a slow start. As I read the first 50 pages or so I was wondering what all the praise about this book was about? But once I hit around page 50, I couldn't put this book down. It was a great story and had it all. I suppose it would be classified as a mystery, but it was so much more than that. I'm also surprised with the title of this book because it was more about Mikael Blomkvist than it was about Lisbeth Salander who was the girl with the tattoo. Mikael has been hired by the Vanger family to solve a family mystery that happened over 40 years ago. The Vanger family is a very powerful family in Sweden. Harriet Vanger disappeared over 40 years ago and her uncle has spent all those years trying to find out who murdered her. Once Mikael starts digging into the family history, he finds out more than he bargained for. With the help of Lisbeth, they crack the mystery and uncover many dark family secrets. Mikael is a journalist that co-owns a magazine and a second story of his reporting, his magazine, and a scandal is also being told. This book had it all. An excellent mystery, a family saga, international business, and a love story of sorts. I think any reader would enjoy this book.

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah

2008-09-24T20:24:00.002-05:00

It was time for another memoir. This was a very touching story of a boy, Ishmael Beah, growing up in Sierra Leone in the 1990's. When he was twelve his country was invaded by soldiers. He was separated from his family and he had to survive on his own. Ishmael writes about his life on his own and what he had to do in order to live. Many boys his age ended up being forced to join an army to fight against the rebels in the country. Life changed very quickly for Ishmael. He was with weapons and killing people in order to save his life and those lives around him. He saw and experienced more at the young age than most do in a lifetime. He was exposed to drugs and became hooked. He was finally rescued and spent quite a bit of time in a rehabilitation center. Through this center he met some very important people who changed his life. This was a shocking and uplifting story.

Undiscovered Country by Lin Enger

2008-09-14T13:26:00.003-05:00

I had read both books by Lin's brother, Leif Enger, and really enjoyed them. This book was recommended to me by a co-worker, and I thought I would give it a try. I truly enjoyed the story and found it a quick read. The story takes place right here in Minnesota so that was kind of fun to read about. The story is about Jesse who is in high school. At the beginning of the book, Jesse and his dad are hunting and his dad is shot and dies. They rule it as a suicide. Jesse knows in his heart that his dad didn't kill himself. He turns toward the one man he knows is responsible who happens to be his dad's brother Clay. No one but Jesse believes this to be true, including his mother, so it is up to Jesse to prove Clay's guilt. The story moves along smoothly and works toward an interesting and satisfying conclusion. Both Lin and Leif Enger are talented writers and I know you will enjoy all of their books.

Crazy in Alabama by Mark Childress

2008-09-07T18:52:00.002-05:00

This was my last read of summer 2008. I actually finished it at the beginning of September. I had read another book by this author called One Mississippi and really enjoyed it. I thought I would try another book by Mark Childress. I was not disappointed. The two books were very different, but both equally good. This was a bit on the bizarre side, but I truly enjoyed the whole story. It is actually two stories in the one book. The first story is about a young boy named Peejoe. He is living in Alabama first with his grandma and then his uncle. It is during the 1960's during the time of Dr. Martin Luther King. Peejoe and his community find themselves dealing with the issue of segregation. The second story is about Peejoe's Aunt Lucille. She has just killed her husband, has his head, and is heading to California to audition for a part on a popular television show. Yes, odd, but oddly interesting! The two stories are separate for the most part, but by the end of the book, come together quite nicely. This book has lots of humor, interesting and unique characters (especially Lucille), but also has a great and touching message.

What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn

2008-08-26T21:32:00.002-05:00

This was definitely a hard book to put down. Once you start, plan on spending some time to finish it because you will want to know how it ends. The book starts out with a young girl who is a loner type child. In her mind she is a detective and tries to solve mysteries in her neighborhood and at the local mall. She then ends up disappearing and the story jumps forward about ten years. The story is still at the mall and revolves around two employees. They begin to form a friendship and the little girl's disappearance comes back for both of them. This is when the story really goes into motion. It is a great mystery while also telling an intriguing story. This was a quick read at 240 pages, and very enjoyable!

Skeletons at the Feast by Chris Bohjalian

2008-08-26T21:19:00.002-05:00

Chris Bohjalian is one of my favorite authors. My favorite book of his is probably The Buffalo Soldier. I enjoyed reading his new book during the summer of 2008. I had read that he took a real life story and wrote a fiction account of it. This story takes place during World War II. It is about a family that has to leave their home and cross the country to safety. The family takes a POW with them. This is where the love story begins. As the family and the POW journey across the country another soldier joins their group. They face many hardships along the way and struggle to survive. It was a different type of focus than most stories about WW II survival. This book had a great plot and character development. Bohjalian is a talented writer and I look forward to more of his books.

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

2008-08-24T19:15:00.004-05:00

This book had been on my list to read all summer. I finally started it on Wednesday, August 20th and finished it on Sunday, August 24th. Just in time before I head back for another school year. This was an amazing book. It starts out nice and slow and gains momentum as it heads toward an explosive ending. I absolutely loved this book and enjoyed every page. It was an interesting book because each chapter was told from the point of view of a different character. When one chapter would end with one character the story would continue in the next chapter with another character. It was an interesting way to tell the story. Mudbound takes place during World War II in Mississippi. The McAllan family moves to a rural cotton farm. The Jackson family begins working for the McAllan's. They each have a family member that fought in the war. The two families collide with conflict and everyone in both families are effected. This book has a great story line, amazing characters, and is the perfect page turner.

Carry Me Home by Sandra Kring

2008-08-17T10:13:00.002-05:00

I can't remember how I came upon this title, but I'm glad I did. This book had one of the most memorable characters I have ever read about. His name was Earl, but had the nickname of "Earwig." The story takes place during the 1940's and during World War II. Earwig's older brother Jimmy gets drunk one night and signs up for the National Guard. The next thing the family knows is he is being shipped out and fighting in the War. The story is about how his absence effects the family members and others in a small town in Wisconsin. Earwig is simpleminded, but what is wonderful about his character is that he can sometimes see and know more than the others around him. The book was well written and just a great story about family, friendship, and survival during difficult times in our lives. This was a great little find!

The Night of the Gun by David Carr

2008-08-17T09:54:00.002-05:00

I took a break from my fiction reading and read this memoir. I do enjoy reading memoirs, but often wonder how they can remember all the details they write about. This memoir had a little different take. In order for David to write his book he went back and interviewed people from his past to get the "true" story of what happened during the 1980's and 1990's. He grew up in Hopkins and worked his way to become a writer. Along the way, he got into drinking, some light drugs, and ultimately heavy drugs. His life took a downward spiral and he knew he hit rock bottom when he left his twin girls in the car on a winter Minnesota night and went into a crack house and couldn't remember how long he had been in the house. The book was told in two parts. Part one was about his life leading up to the drug use and the drug use itself. Part two was his work in rehab and rebuilding his life afterward. Even after rehab he hit several stumbling blocks. It was interesting how he would write about an event he remembered and then go interview a person who was there. Sometimes they had the same memory of the event and sometimes they didn't. This was a great memoir because it wasn't your standard "drug use/rehab" story.

The Garden of Last Days by Andre Dubus III

2008-08-08T09:01:00.003-05:00

If you read "The House of Sand and Fog" by this author, you know what a great writer he is. He does write a bit on the dark side, but writes a wonderful page turner. The same is true of his new book. This was the first book I read on my summer break and it was a great way to start off my summer. This story takes place over the weekend right before 9/11. The main setting of the book is in a Miami strip club. One of the dancers has to bring her child to work with her because she is a single parent and her babysitter backed out on her at the last minute. She doesn't want to bring her to her workplace, but has no other choice. On that same night, one of the "highjackers-to-be" is in the club. There is also another man in the club who is down on his luck and trying to escape his problems. As the night wears on; the dancer, the child, the foreigner, and the young man all cross paths and the night goes from bad to worse real quick. Again, this story was on the dark side, but I couldn't put it down. Dubus sure can write a page turner.

America America by Ethan Canin

2008-08-07T19:58:00.000-05:00

This was another title I kept seeing on many different lists of books to read during the summer of 2008. When I saw it on the "BN Recommends" table, I thought it was time to buy it and read it. I was not disappointed. The story takes place during the 1970's and present day with flashbacks alternating between chapters. Corey Sifter comes from a working class family. He is an honest and hardworking kid who gets a lawn job at the Metarey Estate and his life is forever changed. The Metarey family is backing a political candidate that will run against Nixon. As Corey becomes more and more a member of the family, he realizes how different his life is from the rich and powerful. When political scandal erupts, Corey has to decide between making the right choice and living with a wrong decision that will effect the rest of his life. This was another book that I could not put down. The writing was very strong and it was just a plain good story.

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

2008-08-07T19:35:00.000-05:00

What a book! This is 562 pages of wonderful storytelling. When Edgar was born he couldn't talk. This remains true for the rest of his life. He lives on a Wisconsin dog farm with his parents. They raise a very special type of dog. When Edgar's uncle appears on their doorstop, he brings trouble with him. After a tradegy strikes the family, Edgar leaves the farm with several dogs and begins the adventure of his lifetime. Wroblewski is an excellent writer. I found this to be a quick read even though it is 562 pages. This book is going to become a classic on my bookshelf!

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

2008-08-06T20:57:00.000-05:00

I had seen this book on many "must read" lists for summer 2008. When I see a book on 2-3 different lists, then I figure it must be worth reading. This book was worth reading. At first I wasn't sure if I would like this book because it is told from the point of view of Enzo who is a dog. After a few pages of reading I forgot that the story was being told from a dog. It is the story of Denny and Enzo and their life together. Things start to change when Denny gets married and he and his wife have a child. The story really gets going when Denny's wife gets sick and her parents come into the picture. Denny is a race car driver, but the lessons he learns about racing (Which he shares with Enzo) can be applied to real life and the life you live. Even if you aren't a dog lover or a racing lover, I know you will enjoy this book. Also check out the author's other book called "How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets."

How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets by Garth Stein

2008-08-06T17:03:00.000-05:00

I loved this story. I had read his current book, "The Art of Racing in the Rain" earlier this summer. Look for that review soon. I decided to try another of his books and I'm so glad I did. This is the story about Evan who is a struggling rock band member trying to make it out in Seattle. Evan finds out he has a son from 14 years earlier. Once he meets his son things are never the same. While the story of Evan and his son is being told, you also learn about Evan's childhood, upbringing, and disfunctional family. This was a fast paced book and I found myself not being able to put it down. You need to read both this book and "The Art of Racing in the Rain."

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

2008-08-06T15:42:00.000-05:00

I had followed Randy Pausch's journey via television and magazine articles. Everytime I went to BN to get a book I would see his bestseller on the shelf. I finally bought it yesterday and read the whole thing today. What a great message to send to not only his three children, but to the rest of the world. I will definitely be taking some of his advice and applying it to my own life. I also know I will be teaching my students some of the same life lessons he taught his students. This is both a motivational and emotional read that I know any reader will enjoy.

A Long Time Coming...

2008-08-06T15:36:00.000-05:00

More times than not when I finish a book I will say "That was the best book I've ever read!" Both of my kids look at me and say "You say that about every book." I guess that means I'm enjoying the books I'm reading. And isn't that the whole point? I always tell my students that good readers share the books they are reading. I have always enjoyed sharing the titles of the books I've read with my family and friends. After reading "The Last Lecture", I decided to take this sharing to the next level and try out the "blog" land. We will see where it takes me. I hope you enjoy the site and the books that are listed here. They are "The Best Books I've Ever Read!"