Keep Reading December 2017

Keep Reading December 2017

I did not do library presentations this month.  I took time to work on scheduling for next year.  This

Seemed to give me more reading time.  I also ended up reading not any really long books.

However, I did take some great reading journeys.

My favorite book for December was actually a nonfiction book.   Churchill and Orwell: A Fight For Freedom, by Thomas E. Ricks.

I have always been interested in both these men.  It seems that even though they never met, they totally respected one another.

I have to admit that I am completely enthralled with George Orwell.  I did not much like Animal Farm and I did like 1984.  I have read bits and pieces about Orwell in other books.  I really want to visit the island on which he wrote 1984.  I The Churchill Orwell book encouraged me to find three of Orwell’s earlier books.  If you are looking for a collection of reading to keep you going for a while.  Try taking this path.

Now for some fun with fiction.  My favorite new book for December was Golden Legend, by Nadeem Aslam.

This book goes by far too fast.  You may actually want to go back to the beginning a couple of times.  There are a lot of very important characters.  This story takes place in Pakistan.  An unlikely group of people are drawn together and struggle to both find answers and survive while the past is threatening along with the frightening present.  You will not be able to put this book down.

There are a growing number of great books showing up from Scandinavian countries and Iceland.  They are often mysteries and sometimes it takes a while for them to be translated.  I recently discovered an Icelandic woman who writes extremely dark and riveting mysteries.  So far I have only found two that have been translated.

The Undesired by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, will grab you from the first sentence.  It grabs you all over again with the last sentence.  Be prepared for a rocky journey.

Yes, I am going to suggest still one more World War Two book.  Actually most of this takes place just after the war in Germany.  We have read a lot about the French resistance so now a little German resistance.  All Germans were certainly not in favor of the war.

Women In The Castle by Jessica Shattuck introduces you to a few of the resisters.  Mostly you will be involved with their wives and their struggle to help each other survive while times were still pretty dangerous for them.

For those of you who are fans of the Three Pines Mysteries by Louise Penny, there is a new one called Glass Houses.  Although this was not my favorite, I am still enchanted.

I am sorry this list is so long.  You also will want to read Call Me By Your Name.  This is short and you can read it before you see the movie.  Andre Aciman uses words to paint pictures that make you forget where you are.  The story is graphic but extremely touching.  I am looking forward to seeing the movie.