So Many Books, So Little Time

I always see so many articles about recommended summer reading. Who has time to read in the summer? I’m busy in the yard, the garden, and just generally hanging around outdoors.

Winter is my time for reading, and I read A LOT! Most often I will be reading a novel, reading some kind of non-fiction “how to” kind of book, doing a Bible study book, and then I’ve always got my pile of periodicals to peruse.

Nothing is better on a snowy winter afternoon than to nestle under the cuddle blanket my granddaughter made for me with my dog, a cup of tea, and a good book.

I find my reading anywhere. I seldom check out books from the library because I don’t want the pressure of a deadline to return. However, I often buy the books that library has removed from their shelves. Sometimes I might even get a readers “proof” book. I also buy at yard sales, flea markets, on line. OK. I could go on and on. You get it. I love my books.

I thought I’d share some reviews of a few of the more enjoyable books I read in December and January. You can click on any link and read more at Amazon. 

My favorite book this year is Username  by Joyce Faulkner. I don’t like sci-fi. I don’t particularly like horror. However, I do like suspense. This book has so much of it, it was almost painful. 

Pit a serial scam artist against a serial killer in a battle of wits, and see who is standing in the end. I’m still afraid to get out of the car in a dark garage. The beginning is horrifying, but sets the stage for what's to follow, so power through and keep reading. The twists and turns are genius. The fact that the story is set in the Pittsburgh area is especially appealing. I recognized many of the geographical points referred to in the story.  

Maria Edwards, President of American Author Society, says, “Well known for her attention to detail, Faulkner leaves nothing behind as she takes us on a chilling journey into the world of scam artists. While the internet may be a valuable resource for today's society, it is also the rich hunting grounds of scammers and stalkers. How safe are we on-line? How much information is too much? Recommended for mature readers, this novel will leave you looking over your shoulder and turning on every light in the house long after you've read the final page. Username is bound to find a place among the best of today's thriller titles."

Another favorite is Brown Dog Novellas by Jim Harrison Brown Dog is not a dog. It is a man. A unique man. When you begin reading this book, you think B.D. (Brown Dog) is an eccentric loser. You end the book admiring his humor and determination at life and how he loves. I personally wanted to wrap my arms around him and give him a big hug.

From the book jacket, it says, “Brown Dog is a bawdy, reckless, down-on-his-luck Michigan Indian, a former pulp cutter who looks on work as something to do when he needs money, far inferior to the pleasures of fishing. Of course, the flip side of this is that he’s never far from catastrophe”… The book “finds B.D. still marginally employed and looking for love (or sometimes just a few beers and a roll in the hay) as he goes on a road trip from Michigan to Montana and back, in search of an answer to the riddle of family and, perhaps, a chance at redemption.”

Lastly, for this writing, I recommend A Good American, by Alex George. A Library Journal Best Book of the Year, and a Bookpage Best Book of the Year, this is the story of the German immigrant family, told by a third-generation American living in Beatrice, Missouri. It’s where his German grandparents accidentally settled at the end of an arduous journey, and where their family survived with determination, tragedy, and love.

I related to this story because my own multiple “Great” Grandparents migrated from Ireland. I felt the struggles that faced their family with integrating into customs in what to them was a foreign world were probably similar to what my forefathers experienced. It was with bravery and grit that they vowed to be good Americans. If you have immigrant family members, I’m confident you will relate to this story as well.

What are you reading? I would love to know. Please share your good reads with me. You can email me through this webpage, or directly at donna.doutt@gmail.com