Prodigal Summer

by Barbara Kingsolver

I picked up this book at the library because I was actually looking for a different book by Barbara Kingsolver, and they didn't have it, so I chose a different one. I had no idea what this was about, but it didn't take long to get sucked right in.

This book is actually three woven into one. There are three separate characters who tell different stories. They all live in the same area, but they don't really interact with each other, so they are really three separate stories. We first met Deanna Wolfe, a nature biologist who is basically a mountain woman. She lives alone in a very rustic cabin, and devotes her life to maintaining the forest around her. When we meet her, she is hot on the trail of something very exciting- she has discovered a pack of coyote, which are not native to the area, and she is very excited to study them further. While out tracking, Deanna meets Eddie Bondo, a coyote hunter from Wyoming, and it doesn't take long for a strange romance to ensue.

The second character we meet is Lusa. Lusa is a young wife who finds herself widowed shortly before her first wedding anniversary. She is now a farmer, with no idea what she is doing, and her husbands family of five sisters is not making life easy for her. She grapples with the decision as to whether she should stay on her deceased husbands farm and try to save it, or should she run, and go back to the life she knew before. The journey on the way to the decision is full of surprises.

And the third character is a grumpy old man named Garnett Walker. We discover that Garnett thinks he has an enemy in his elderly neighbor Nannie. Nannie is an organic farmer, and Garnett is not. Nannie is constantly after Garnett to stop using his pesticides and his herbicides, and the struggle between the two is rather humorous. We find that Garnett is on the forgetful side, but has devoted his remaining time to breeding chestnut trees. The demise of the great chestnut to the blight so many years ago is constantly on his mind, and it is his dream to develop a generation of chestnut that is resistant to the blight.

All three stories interweave to tell a much grander story about conserving the earth. The message is pretty blatant, but the stories were engaging, and I particularly enjoyed the story of Lusa. And while I also enjoyed the stories of the other two people, I found Deanna's story to be a bit disturbing. Deanna's story is, quite frankly, the romance portion of the novel. Some of the details could have been done without, in my opinion. And while Deanna did contribute to the other two portions of the novel, I just felt some of the "details" a little un-necessary, and just not to my liking. But that is my preference, of course.

After I finished reading this book I felt a serious urge to move to an Appalachian valley and try my hand at organic gardening, and goat raising. The message contained within the stories was received loud and clear, and I suppose it did have some effect since I would like to learn more about the science behind organic gardening. I already garden, to some extent, but don't use chemicals, so technically, it is organic gardening, but I would like to learn more about which plants grow well together, and what kind of bugs are good for certain plants, that type of thing.

Overall, I enjoyed the novel, and I will not turn down another opportunity to read Barbara Kingsolver, and I recommend it with reservations. If adult situations bother you, this book is not for you. But if you can get past them with no problems, I think this book is worth reading.

Table For Five

by Susan Wiggs

As this book begins, we are introduced to Lily, a schoolteacher about to have a tough parent-teacher conference with her best friend, Crystal,and Crystal's ex-husband, Derek. In this brief introduction we discover that Lily is a very dedicated teacher, but still tries to keep the line that keeps her from becoming too involved in her students lives. The meeting doesn't go very well, and the fighting couple leave without any resolution. After leaving the meeting, Crystal and Derek meet a tragic end, and suddenly there are three children left without parents.

Enter Uncle Sean. Sean is a single bachelor golf-player who is living the single life to the fullest. Sean becomes single dad overnight, and resigns to put his career as a PGA golfer on hold for his nieces and nephew.

Lily has been in these children's lives since they were born, and decides to help Sean in whatever way possible, despite having doubts in his parenting ability. As this motley group of people move along in the grieving process, we begin to see hope and life after tragedy begin to unfold. The story concludes in predictable fashion, but shows that even amidst death, love can triumph.

As a Mom, this story was heart wrenching. The grief of the children at losing two parents was very well-done and realistic. I found myself full of tears at more than one occasion, and often found it difficult to continue reading. Continue I did, and I was rewarded for my efforts. While this book was overwhelmingly predictable, the characters were very well done and I found myself engrossed in their intertwined lives. This book accurately portrayed the grieving process, and it was engaging to see how each character dealt with it in a different way.

I definitely recommend this novel if you're in the mood for a good cry. I was moved to tears several times throughout the book and couldn't put it down until it was finished. Definitely read with a box of tissue nearby, but overall it was a very satisfying read, and I would love to see another book that furthers the story of this little family.

The Perfect Summer

by LuAnne Rice

I picked up this book after watching a TV movie of another of Rice's novels. The movie was enjoyable as a little something to pass the time, and since books are always better than the screen adaptation, I searched it out. Of course, my library did not have the one I wanted, but they did have this one. And I thoroughly enjoyed this easy read.

The characters developed wonderfully and quickly, enough that I was caught up in the lives of Bay McCabe and her children in the very first chapter. We also met her feisty best friend Tara who lived across the way. It didn't take long to discover that Bay's life wasn't all roses, but that she adored her children and would do anything for them- including put up with a cheating husband. When her husband Sean doesn't come home one night as promised, Bay suspects him of cheating on her once again until she realizes her husband is actually missing. The introduction of the FBI and the charges of embezzlement brought along a fun character in the lead detective that brought a different point of view to the story.

As the search for Sean and the reasons behind his embezzlement begin to unfold, Bay finds herself looking to an unexpected person for help- that of an old friend from the past Daniel Connolly, and his fragile daughter Eliza. Eliza and Bay's oldest daughter Annie become best friends instantly and add yet another layer to this charming novel. Eliza is anorexic and is a cutter, due to witnessing the violent death of her mother a year earlier. She is able to help Annie to cope with her missing father and together the two girls discover the meaning of friends forever.

There was a bit of predictability to this book, but the setting of a seacoast town in Connecticut more than made up for it. Every time the seaside was mentioned, I could smell the salty air and feel the breeze on my face. I will certainly be searching out more of LuAnne Rice's work, as it is heartwarming through and through. This would be an excellent choice for a beach read or for sitting in the garden with a cup of tea. It's more of a girls read though, so I have to recommend this to the ladies, but overall, definitely enjoyable, and recommended here.

The Nasty Bits

by Anthony Bourdain

I've been reading this book on and off for the last few months. It truly is a gem. It is a collection of articles and vignettes, and perfect for filling in the cracks between full-length novels. Or for that 15 minutes before you have to run out the door. I was already a fan of Anthony Bourdain before reading this book. I truly enjoy watching his show, No Reservations, on the Travel Channel. He has such a zest for exploring a new culture, and he is so gracious to his hosts. While he'll tell the camera when something really isn't good, he will profusely thank the host and the chef at the time, because he fully appreciates the effort they put into the dish.

The Nasty Bits was just a fun book to read. Full of commentary from Anthony Bourdain on the restaurant industry, travel, and The Food Network. He has a sincere appreciation for the little guy, and it shows in his writing. He has such a clear voice when he writes too, I feel like I'm in a room having a conversation with the guy, it's such a conversational tone. I would earnestly recommend this book to any foodie or fan of Anthony Bourdain. There are some adult references and some language, so I wouldn't recommend it for just anyone, or for someone under the age of 18, but it really was an enjoyable book to read. And it sure makes me want to travel to Vietnam.

Sense and Sensibility

by Jane Austen

I've never read Jane Austen before. In fact, once again while I was reading I found myself lamenting the poor choices the powers that be had us read in high school. Where was the literature? I took two years of Literature and Composition, and you know what I remember reading? 1984, Dune, The Shining, One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, In Cold Blood, and some Shakespeare. I enjoyed most of them, except Dune. But none of them really were challenging to read in any way. Ah, except one horrible experience with Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. And maybe that awful novel was the reason we never were challenged further?

Anyway, while it did take me a few pages to become accustomed to Ms. Austen's writing style, it didn't take long to become a page turner. I did not know the story of Sense and Sensibility, as I have also not seen any screen adaptations. Apparently I was missing out on something grand because I loved this story. I did get confused on occasion as to which Miss Dashwood was being discussed, but mostly, I thought the story of love and family and friendship was enchanting. I was transported straight to that time period, and I desperately wanted to be invited to one of the many social engagements the Dashwoods found themselves invited to. This novel also showcased the importance of money in the nineteenth century. People married for money, and the lack of money led to lesser choices for a suitable match.

Sense and Sensibility was Jane Austen's first novel to be published, and as I have learned further novels became more and more complex. I will most definitely be seeking out others, including Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Mansfield Park. And I will definitely have to find the movie of Sense and Sensibility because I could just see Hugh Grant as Wiloughby in my mind. I am infinitely glad that I curled up with this novel, and I will not shy away from more.