The Bedside Table

With all my travels, I've had time to do some reading. Here are some of the books I enjoyed this summer:


1) A Man Called Ove.   The title character, Ove (pronounced ooo - veh according to my Swedish friend), is a curmudgeon.  How he interacts with his neighbors is the essence of this story.  For some people the beginning is a little bit rough , but please try to push through it.  We all loved it in our book group.




2) After a seven month wait, I was lucky enough to see Hamilton on stage in July.  Before I went I felt it was a good idea to supplement that experience with the book.  I know this is a heavy tome, but it is well worth the time investment.   Our forefathers really were a marvel.




3) This book by Catherine Ryan Hyde is about grief, truth, recovery, family, and the potential for natural beauty to offer solace.  It's a vacation read, but also had some moments that have lingered with me.


4) Kent Haruf's last novel is a poignant look at our desire for companionship even in our later years, when most might think that need has diminished.  Like all of his books, Our Souls at Night is sparse in language but rich in meaning.




5) Not to deny my geeky side, I've been reading I Contain Multitudes.  No, it's not Walt Whitman.  Instead it's a scientific look at the symbiotic and invaluable relationship across all species, animal and plant, between health and development and microbes. I find it fascinating, though some might be grossed out (or bored) by it.


Comments

Maria Shell said…
Thank you the great recommendations Vivien! I am going to add them to my list.
Vivien Zepf said…
Please report back, Maria!
Norma Schlager said…
I read the first one and thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks for the recommendations.