Comments on: Books read in September

By: Kathy Johnson

Kathy Johnson — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 21:15:40 +0000

I know I’m late to the party, but I do have a couple of poetry recommendations. I highly recommend Poet’s Choice, a book of poems selected and introduced by former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass. Reading this book led me to poets I have enjoyed reading more of. I also really like Mary Oliver’s work. There is also a website, American Life in Poetry, that will send you a poem a week in your email, and you can go through the archives when you have time to look for more gems.

I was just getting ready to look for Margaret Atwood’s poetry, because I’ve loved the few of her novels I’ve read. I got a kick out of that little insider bit about Louise Penny’s Ruth because I also love the Three Pines mysteries!

By: Sarah J Leonard

Sarah J Leonard — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 14:40:52 +0000

In reply to Gillian Goddard. I also absolutely loved Someone. Beautiful prose and a simple, honest story. One of those books where nothing happens and everything happens.

By: lauravanderkam

lauravanderkam — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 19:57:18 +0000

In reply to Meghan. @Meghan - how funny that she was quoting Atwood! I love learning these little inside jokes.

By: LB

LB — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 16:58:15 +0000

Hi Laura! I read The Light Between Oceans (Stedman) recently and thought it very engaging and moving.

By: Meghan

Meghan — Mon, 02 Oct 2017 16:05:47 +0000

Thanks for your commentary on Cotton Kingdom — it’s not a book I may necessarily read, but would be good to dip into for research at some point. Interesting note re: Friday Night Lights. I grew up in east Texas (graduated from one of the state’s several Robert E Lee high schools in 1999 — and it’s still named that), and yes, thanks for pointing out how far things still need to go.
Attica Locke’s books are excellent, and a great look at race and politics in Texas, set against a legal thriller background. I can’t wait to get started on Bluebird, Bluebird, set in east Texas, and her Jay Porter series captures Houston like nothing else does.
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I just finally finished The Children’s Book by AS Byatt — I read half of it about 4 years ago, then put it aside. It’s wonderful, in a murky, too-slow-moving-to-be-called chaotic way.
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Have you read Margaret Atwood’s poetry? It’s magnificent (fun note — some of her poems are used for Ruth Zardo’s in the Louise Penny Inspector Gamache series).

By: Carolyn McNulty

Carolyn McNulty — Sat, 30 Sep 2017 17:29:17 +0000

My favorite poet is Robert Frost. I think you may like Frost because of your interest in American literature. I have a tattered anthology of his poems with favorites marked. A few are “The Tuft of Flowers,” “Mending Wall,” “Two Tramps in Mud Time,” and “The Pasture.” He’s probably best known for “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” and “The Road Not Taken.” I enjoy his simple yet lyrical phrases and the images he creates. He wrote of a simpler time, but I find the messages to remain current. “The Pasture” reminds me to slow down and be mindful of beautiful moments when they come.
By the way, thank you for the recommendation of Bill Bryson. My husband and I are enjoying his books.

By: lauravanderkam

lauravanderkam — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 21:34:22 +0000

In reply to Timothy Hadley. @Timothy- Yes, who would advance to the playoffs was decided by a coin toss. That would be a more accurate way to describe it.

By: MaryC

MaryC — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 20:23:28 +0000

“Bear Town” is the latest by Fredrik Backman (A Man Called Ove) and it looks at how a small town’s hockey team involves the entire town, players are made into heroes (or not), etc. Replace hockey with football/baseball/lacrosse/whatever, and this could be anywhere. Very good and thought-provoking. I’ve been recommending it to everyone.

By: Timothy Hadley

Timothy Hadley — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 17:12:03 +0000

I’m glad you read *Friday Night Lights*. I graduated from Permian High School in 1967, more than 20 years before the 1988 season Bissinger wrote about. Our football team won Permian’s 1st state championship in the fall of 1965, my junior year. Things were different then, at least a little. The football stars were also students. And btw, I don’t think “the playoffs” were decided by a coin toss, unless you mean “which teams were allowed to advance to the playoffs.” In 1988 they had a 3-way tie for the district championship, and only 2 teams could advance to the playoffs, so the 3 coaches met and flipped coins to eliminate one of the teams and to determine which 2 teams would represent the district in the playoffs. Perhaps in that sense “the playoffs were decided by a coin toss,” but not in the way that sentence would normally be understood.

By: Mary Vanderkam

Mary Vanderkam — Fri, 29 Sep 2017 17:05:44 +0000

In reply to Gillian Goddard. Gillian Goddard, Agreed. Someone is one of the rare books I have rated five stars on Goodread. I should re-read it. I wrote something like "every ordinary family has a story." It is a coming of age story--but also goes on into old age.