May

 East of Eden (1952) by John Steinbeck

The first time I read this book, maybe fifteen years ago, was an amazing experience. I loved the book. This time, reading 'East of Eden' was even more so. What a brilliant book that explores the fundamental topics of what it means to be human: good and evil.  The character development of all in the novel makes the reader know the person and feel something about the character. The woven story of love and hatred is a masterpiece. My favorite novel!

The Wives (2020) by Tarryn Fisher

Reading i Sverige

My book club, Reading i Sverige, chose this book for the contemporary category. It is a thriller, and I read it in two days. I would actually put it in the category of a beach novel. The story is a fast read, yet it lacks depth. For what it is, it was a fun read.

The Universal Christ (2019) by Richard Rohr

Rohr has written another thought-provoking read that will stay with me. Parts of the book were like a breath of fresh air, and other parts I did not understand. It seems that some of his concepts need to be experienced before I can understand them. His book 'Falling Upwards' made complete sense because I read it after going through a time of 'great suffering.' That may be the case with this book, too.

Audio:

The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz (2020) by Erik Larson

This book was a fantastic history book and read like a novel. I gained an understanding of Churchill and his family. The human spirit's desire to live a full life is what shines through in this book. The Blitz was a terrifying time for England, and yet there were still picnics in the parks on sunny days. 

Let Him Go (2013) by Larry Watson

Any time I read an overview of a book that mentions North Dakota, it piques my interest. North Dakota is one of the least populated states in the USA. The reason for that is evident if you live there; the winters are brutally cold, the summers have a harsh heat, and the wind never stops blowing. There are not many books written with North Dakota as the setting because few people have been there. The author of ‘Let Him Go’ was born in North Dakota. He got everything right in the book in describing the small towns, the culture, cadence of speech. The author has an attention to detail that was surprisingly interesting. Maybe it is because I grew up in North Dakota that I found this book compelling.