As far as I’m concerned, my blog is a captive audience to talk about books. As a writer, I try really hard to be positive about the work of other writers, because I know how devastating it is to get negative feedback. So I follow the old axiom my mom used to tell me. If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. Here is a list of some of the really great books I’ve read recently.
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett. I’ve blogged about this book before, but I just reread it to lead a book club discussion on it and it is truly amazing. The narration by Tom Hanks makes it that much better. I am in awe of the writing. That said, several of my book club members didn’t enjoy the book because they didn’t feel that there were any redeeming characters. I’ve blogged about that issue before, but in this case, I think if you listen to Tom Hanks read the book you can definitely get behind the narrator’s character. Ann Patchett is known in the book industry as being a “good girl.” Her books generally don’t have a lot of sex or swearing. However, that doesn’t mean they’re squeaky clean. Be aware that this book does contain some isolated profanity. Read more about this book in this LA Times interview or this blog post she wrote for her bookshop, Parnassus Books, blog.
The Great Divorce by CS Lewis. Enlightening, entertaining, inspiring. Never have I ever read a CS Lewis book that weren’t these things but this one in particular resonated with me. A treatise on the things that keep us from God, The Great Divorce inspires the type of introspection that leads to personal change and progress. A must read for any faithful Christian.
Anthony Horrowitz’s The Word is Murder series. (three books: The Word is Murder, The Sentence is Death and A Line to Kill) Horrowitz cast himself as Watson in this book. Sometimes it’s hard to tell where his real life ends and the story begins. Creative, compelling murder mysteries free from sex but not free from swearing. I love this series.
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman. This book deserves all the hype. I haven’t read anything by Backman that I haven’t loved but this book is really quite charming. I am a sucker for anything about the power of connectedness and this book is about the healing that comes into our lives when we take time to build relationships with other people. I don’t recall any swearing in this book.
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller. One of my husbands favorites, this classic is truly tragic in the most pedestrian way. What happens when we believe our own lies about our life story? You’ll find out Miller’s take on that question in this short play. Some swearing in here and allusions about sex but nothing graphic.
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins. I had low expectations for this book, which might have been one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. A lot of times, it seems like authors struggle to write prequels or new stories in the worlds they’ve created but Suzanne Collins does a phenomenal job in this story about how the boy Coriolanus Snow became the truly terrifying character that he is. I let my eleven year old read this one, it’s very clean.
The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson. One of the best narrative history writers in the world takes on Winston Churchill’s time as Prime Minister. The result is fascinating and inspiring. I have a particular love of Winston Churchill so there was probably no chance that I wouldn’t like this book. It ended differently than it would have if it had been fiction, but I guess that’s real life for you.
What have you read lately that is exceptionally good?
