November’s books take us on a river, to the Old West, to a deserted island, to London, and more.

Week 1: Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome

This delightfully humorous book seems surprisingly modern, considering it was published in 1889. As the title indicates, three young men decide a two-week boat trip up the Thames River is just what they need to get rid of their aches and pains. They pilot their own boat, they camp, they cook out. All with a dog named Montmorency.

Originally intended to be be a travel guide, Three Men in a Boat was wildly popular for its comedic narrative from the very start and has never been out of print.

Week 2: My Girls by Todd Fisher

This was a hard-to-resist e-book for just $1.99 (thanks, BookBub.com).

As you may remember, Todd Fisher lost his sister and mother within a day of each other back in 2016. I’ve read memoirs by both Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher over the years; this brought their stories full circle.

As an aside, it was cool to see the name “Joey Singer” included. He was Debbie’s piano player for decades. Before that, he accompanied the Singing Hoosiers at Indiana University back when I was a member.

Week 3: True Grit by Charles Portis

Westerns are just not my thing. Mattie Ross’s quest to avenge her father’s murder, though, that’s another story.

Fourteen-year-old Mattie hires the meanest Federal Marshal she can find – Rooster Cogburn – and together with a Texas Ranger by the name of LaBoeuf, they eventually agree to seek out the murderous Tom Chaney together.

Although Mattie hires Rooster because “I am told you have true grit,” it doesn’t take long to see that it is the heroine who is the grittiest of them all.

Oh, and no contractions in this book. Why this is so appealing, I do not know.

Week 4: The End of the Affair by Graham Greene

This is considered to be one of Greene’s best novels. It takes part in London during and after World War II.

This story of a classic love-triangle is complicated when the cuckolded husband suggests that his friend (unbeknownst to him, the “other man”) hire a private detective to seek out details of the affair. What a mess!

The most interesting characters, for me, were the father and son detectives. The son was just a child, but played an interesting role in unraveling the truth.

Bonus Book 1: Lord of the Flies by William Golding

With calls for book bans in the news recently, I couldn’t remember enough from my childhood reading of Lord of the Flies to figure out what the beef might be. Upon rereading the novel, I guess “beef” should be changed to “pork.”

Yes, I can understand how this 1954 tale of British schoolboys failing disastrously at governing themselves when their plane crashes on a deserted island during World War III can be upsetting to read.

This is no Gilligan’s Island. It’s a foretelling of current days, as a hunger for power brings out the absolute worst in children.

Rather than banning this book, it should be taught in schools, showcased in libraries, and recommended re-reading for adults.

Bonus Book 2: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

How did I not know this was a memoir? Maya Angelou wrote about her childhood from the day in 1931 when, as a three-year-old, she boarded a train with her four-year-old brother so that they could live with their grandmother. From California to Arkansas, the toddlers traveled alone.

Some of the stories are warm, others downright harrowing. The author does not spare our feelings as she shares her experiences with racism and misogyny. She does not hold back describing the man who raped her at a young age.

A few kind people helped her along the way. And books. Reading books and later writing poetry and books helped a lot. Little Marguerite Johnson prevailed.

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