Week 1: Andy & Don by Daniel de Vise

At the end of April, I decided to look for some lighthearted books to read in May. So much death and horror in the news, it was time to spend some time in … Mayberry.

Nope. Mayberry is only on TV.

As May turned out to be even worse than April (with the police murder of George Floyd, followed by rioting throughout the country reminiscent of the 1960s), it was clear the sweet life Andy enjoyed with Opie and Aunt Bee was pure fiction.

In the book Andy & Don, the author delved into Andy Griffith and Don Knotts’s childhoods, family lives, and careers. But the reality is they were just playing roles on TV. (I’m embarrassed with how naive that statement sounds.)

Don had a tough childhood, while Andy’s was privileged. Their stories about serving in the military and then scrapping around on both coasts for jobs in entertainment tell of a different time. Ultimately, The Andy Griffith Show defined both careers.

In the end, though, professional jealousy, alcoholism, infidelity, raging tempers, and illness drag down our heroes. Spoiler: Mr. Griffith thwarted an already-underway plan to add a statue of Barney to Andy’s “hometown,” which already had a statue of Andy and Opie. Sigh.

Andy & Don is worth reading, though. The story about how they “discovered” Jim Nabors – and how Aunt Bee (Frances Bavier) watched out for him – was sweet.

Week 2: Catch and Kill by Ronan Farrow

Yup. Mayberry is gone.

Catch and Kill tells the true story of the take down of serial rapist Harvey Weinstein. It is a disgusting tale that may not be a page turner simply because there are times you’ll just need to take a break from it all.

Ronan Farrow is famously known as the son of Mia Farrow and (maybe) Woody Allen (or perhaps Frank Sinatra). Ronan’s done a lot in his young life, his privilege notwithstanding, with an amazing brain coupled with a strong work ethic.

This book also reveals the shameful account of NBC network folding under acts of intimidation by the Hollywood producer. In the end, Farrow is finally encouraged to shop his story around elsewhere.

He took it to The New Yorker magazine and won a Pulitzer.

The book’s narrative moves like a thriller. It doesn’t let up, as Farrow dodges foreign spies hired to try to stay one step ahead of him, in order to intimidate the all-too-many women with #MeToo stories to share.

And what does the title mean? “Catch and kill” is a disgusting practice used by unethical “journalists” to cover up the truth. In this case, we learn of tabloids paying off individuals for stories, including air-tight non-disclosure agreements, and then “killing” the story to protect the high roller whose reputation would be harmed if the truth surfaced. Sickening stuff, cover to cover.

Week 3: The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom

It was time to dig into the 240 gallons of books we received earlier this year from Dad and Mom’s vast collection. The Time Keeper was one of Mom‘s treasured volumes. It made me happy to discover it, as I’d introduced my parents to Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie many years ago.

Mitch Albom’s books are simply wonderful. Part fairy tale, part fable, they lift the spirit and bring hope.

Not that the story’s narrative is an easy one; there are tears to be shed throughout.

The protagonist, Dor, starts off in biblical times. He is the first person on earth to try to figure out how to measure time. His fascination with counting the moments ruins his life and, ultimately, saves others.

Make time to read this one.

Week 4: Stamboul Train by Graham Greene

How wonderful to become reacquainted with Graham Greene! Long ago, his novels filled at least a month of my summer reading (gosh, it might have been during junior high school). Discovering two boxed sets of Greene’s work among the books from Mom & Dad was a treat.

English writer Graham Greene wrote Stamboul Train in 1932. When his publisher released it in America the next year, they changed the name to Orient Express. (Two years later, a film version – not to be confused with Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express – was released.)

If you were to take a three-day train trip, what might tempt you? From Belgium’s Ostend to Istanbul, the wintry journey introduced characters of varying ages, backgrounds, beliefs, and intents.

I wasn’t expecting the blatant antisemitism shown toward the protagonist, Carleton Myatt, but remembering that the setting is 1932 Europe, it sadly makes sense. His is just one story, though, which intertwines with that of a dance-hall girl, an author, a kept woman, and a revolutionary intellectual.

And yes, there’s a murder.

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I’ve already begun reading my first June book: To Sir, with Love. Set in post-war London, it’s one more setting that proves Mayberry is but an escapist fabrication. With that in mind, how can we not work toward a better world for the future of all children?

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