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| This photo was taken at a place that I am very fond of. Alas, it is closed right now, until further notice. |
Let’s face it. For some of us, it’s been hard to concentrate during the past three months. In January I finished reading six books. In Feb-Mar-Apr I finished reading six books, and that was a struggle.
Here are the first lines of those six books.
Book 1
1: Trigger Warning
I’m not mad.
Look, everybody is called a traitor once or twice in their lives, right? Everybody gets falsely accused and wrongly investigated by the FBI and has to testify in front of Congress for over thirty hours, answering the same stupid politically motivated questions over and over again, don’t they?
Book 2
This is a love story. In 1916, during the First World War, two young
Americans met by chance on a mysterious and now-forgotten estate near Chicago.
Book 3
1967
Willa Drake and Sonya Bailey were selling candy bars door-to-door. This was for the Herbert Malone Elementary School Orchestra.
Book 4
Valentine’s Day
As always, Martha Storm was primed for action. Chin jutted, teeth gritted, and a firm grip on the handle of her trusty shopping trolley.
Book 5
Prologue
Joshua Poldark died in March 1783. In February of that year, feeling that his tenure was becoming short, he sent for his brother from Trenwith.
Book 6
June 1988
“Hi, Caller, You’re on the air with Garden Talk.”
Mona Butterfield leaned forward in her seat and took a deep breath to calm her nerves.
And the titles revealed:
Book 1
Triggered: How the left thrives on hate and wants to silence us , by Donald Trump Jr. , © 2019.
How horrible that this was the only book I finished reading in February. I was reading lots of news articles and knocking on doors to get primary election petition signatures, and following primary elections. All the while, the coronavirus outbreak was growing.
Looking back at the "first lines" quote above, it seems highly ironic. Which political figure testified for hours and hours, answering politically motivated questions? Hmm? Benghazi hearings, anyone?
I read this in the hardback version. Because the library is now closed, this book is still sitting in our house.
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In March I was able to finish two books.
Book 2
The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America's Enemies, by Jason Fagone. © 2017
A fascinating look at the lives of code breakers. And also a love story. Read for book club, with a virtual discussion via video meeting, while in coronavirus soft lockdown. This library book is also still in our house.
Book 3
Clock Dance by Anne Tyler © 2018
The library system had a list (back in March) for those who want to read about pandemics, and another list for those who don’t. These were on the latter list. It was great to read an Anne Tyler novel. She always takes me back to my hometown. Read on kindle, borrowed from the library.
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In April I found enough concentration to finish three books.
Book 4
The Library of Lost and Found, by Phaedra Patrick © 2019
Borrowed from the library on kindle. Also on library's list for calming down. It fit the bill nicely.
Book 5
Ross Poldark: A Novel of Cornwall, 1783-1787 (The Poldark Saga Book 1)
by Winston Graham © 1945
Having seen the first three seasons of the TV series on disk from the library, and having been prevented by coronavirus from borrowing the next seasons from the library, I decided to read the series.
Reading a book which you already know the plot line of may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I enjoyed this reading, and not only because it does include the occasional cup of tea. The diatribes of Jud Paynter, the servant, while drunk, I found highly amusing. His inebriated speeches appear in the TV series only in an abbreviated fashion. Reading this book was somewhat like re-reading the Harry Potter books (I have re-read books 1-5). It is comforting to re-enter the lives of the characters I know, and I am less anxious about the lot. (kindle version borrowed from library)
Book 6
Through the Channel, by Melissa Westemeier (third in the Bassville Stories series). © 2020
What a pleasure to read this book. I loved meeting these characters again and spending some time in this town – nothing like my town or our current times, which makes it a perfect book for right now. Mona is endearing, and Maw is hilarious. And in Chapter 25 I found a special surprise. Manure features prominently in some scenes, but so do raspberries (the fruit). This book is still in our house because I bought it and it is a copy with a personal inscription to me, signed by the author.
The Bassville Stories series consists of these three volumes:
I also finished most of this book, but can’t claim to have read all of it.
Howard Thurman: Essential Writings, Selected with an Introduction by Luther E. Smith, Jr. © 2006.
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| These photos were taken outside our public library. Our dear public library! I look forward to returning there sometime, maybe next year! |
1 comment:
Thank you for including my book on your list! What fun to read your thoughts.
And that Library of Lost and Found sounds delightful--the title alone tempts my curiosity. I have begun making my summer reading list at last!
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