The past three weeks have been tough, as we worried about Dad, cared for Dad, and ultimately buried Dad. One tremendous blessing was that he was able to come home from the hospital, instead of going to a short-term rehab facility. Covid would have added tremendously to our pain if we hadn’t had minute-by-minute access to our dear father. Sitting in what used to be Mom and Dad’s library (now Dad’s bedroom) and holding his hand, I glanced up and…
There are times when reading-to-learn ultimately teaches you how little you actually know. I now wonder if an entire year should be dedicated to focusing solely on my Irish books, rather than just the month of March. While that would no doubt lead to much laughter, it might also point me toward “the drink,” which I’ve managed to avoid thus far. The Irish have not had an easy go of it, that’s for sure. Week 1: Are You Somebody? by…
February is a short and often gloomy month, so it felt appropriate to read Great Expectations for the first time. It’s a long coming-of-age story, full of Dickensian characters and coincidences. In the afterglow of reading a really good book, I tend to search for related podcast discussions and non-snooty book reviews. This episode of the Backlisted podcast provides a humorous yet sincere discussion of Great Expectations, Mr. Dickens, and even some sad, sad attempts at musical-theater adaptations. Meanwhile, here…
With all the stress provided by the news media – a pandemic, wobbly economy, and the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol to name just a few – January seemed like a good month to delve into four works of fiction. Week 1: And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini This is Hosseini’s third novel. Somehow, I think that at least part of his haunting stories are based on his experience as a child in Afghanistan. Desperately poor people take…
Mom collected a lot more than books. She collected friends. We moved around a lot in the 1960s and ’70s, and she stayed in touch with each group of friends and neighbors. This was pre-email, of course. Dad used to tease that Mom kept the post office solvent. One friend was Newbery-winning author Madeleine L’Engle. In a future post, I’ll share some of their correspondence. In the meantime, I read L’Engle’s most famous book (finally!) this month. Week 1: A…
Boo! The month of October requires at least one or two spooky stories, don’t you think? My focus in choosing this month’s four books was non-political. Enough, already, right? Presidential election years are always dreadful, but nothing compares to 2020. When you get to the point that you dream about one of the candidates (not the one you support) offering you a job, something’s got to give! Week 1: Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris My dear friend…
When I pulled out this month’s volume by Graham Greene, I nearly put it back. Weeks before this highly contentious federal election, did I really need to read The Ministry of Fear? Well, at least it was a book of fiction. The other three September books were non-fiction, and just as scary. Week 1: Disloyal by Michael Cohen When news hit that Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer was working on a memoir, I wondered how deep the confession would go….
Two of the four books I read this month are often quoted, even in modern times. From William Shakespeare to Oscar Wilde, their centuries-old writings are still read and quoted frequently. Week 1: The Confidential Agent by Graham Greene This is the third in my Folio Society set of Graham Greene books, and it’s my favorite so far. Our hero is … well, a nerd. He’s not in this thriller situation for anything other than good. Identified only as “D,”…
Well, that was a failure. In trying to get my mind off the state of the States, each chosen volume this month instead served to remind me there’s no true escape from greed, violence, illness, and cruelty. Sigh. Week 1: A Gun for Sale by Graham Greene Our magnificent collection of Folio Books from Mom and Dad includes more than a dozen Graham Greene books, so I’m pleased to read one a month for the next year. A British author,…
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…