Up until about a week ago, if someone were to ask me what my all time favorite book was, I’d probably say it was Prodigal Summer, by Barbara Kingsolver. Well, move over, Barbara! Kathryn Stockett has hit the shelves!

Stockett’s first novel–first novel!–The Help, is just about as good as a book can get. Set in 1962 Mississippi, The Help focuses on the complex relationships between black maids and the white families they work for. The point of view shifts between three characters: Skeeter, a young white woman who just finished college and wants to be a journalist; and Minny and Aibileen, black women who “tend to” white families. I know this will sound trite, but I’m gonna say it anyway–this book made me laugh, and it made me cry, again and again. I hated to see it end.

I didn’t actually read this book, I listened to it. I always keep an audiobook going in my car, and to listen to when I walk. This one had me making up excuses to drive across town, and did wonders for my exercise routine! I find listening to books to be a much different experience than reading them, and this is one I highly recommend as an audiobook. (I downloaded it from Audible.com.) Three different narrators read the three main characters: Skeeter, Minnie, and Aibileen, lending a wonderful richness to the listening experience.

Ms. Stockett–I can only hope you’re hard at work on another book, and that it’s half as good as this one!

Read with me!
Kay

Do you remember when Oprah’s Book Club was all the rage? Maybe it still is, for many people, but Oprah lost me when she moved away from just plain good fiction. Oh, those were the days! There’s something about the experience of reading a book, then being able to talk about it with other readers, and in its heyday, that’s what Oprah’s Book Club did for me. I’d read her latest pick as soon as possible, knowing many of my regular bookmobile customers would do the same. And then we’d talk books. As you may have guessed, that’s my idea of fun!

Anita Shreve is an author I learned about because of Oprah. Shreve’s book The Pilot’s Wife was an Oprah book, and one I really liked. She’s written a bunch of books since then. Her latest, Testimony is my favorite to date.

Testimony is the story of a sex-tape scandal that tears apart a private school and the small town where the school is located. The story unfolds via the shifting viewpoints of several characters, so the reader has a stake in each of their experiences, and comes to understand the complex storyline through a variety of eyes. The rich characters are, of course, the heart of the story, but be warned, Shreve describes the sexual incident that’s the centerpiece of the drama in detail.

Reading Testimony reminded me of Shreve’s talent as a writer. I think I’ll go back and see if she wrote anything that I missed. I can only hope!

Read with me!
Kay

I first read Adriana Trigiani while working as a bookmobile driver. After reading Trigiani’s book Big Stone Gap, a coworker shared a passage from the book during a staff meeting. The passage, in which Trigiani described the story’s bookmobile librarian and sexpot, Iva Lou, led me and all the rest of the staff to stampede the office computers to get on the waiting list for our chance to read the book.

I’ve read and enjoyed many of the books Trigiani’s written since then, but none as much as her latest, Very Valentine.

Valentine is a 30-something 100% Italian American single woman who’s learning the family business– crafting hand-made wedding shoes–from her 80-something widowed grandmother. When the business falls on hard times, will Valentine find a way to revive it? And, will she get the man as she does so, and if so, which man will Valentine get?

Trigiani’s humor, her depiction of Italian American culture, her descriptions of complex people, beautiful places, and dreamy SHOES, and, of course, a story you’re dying to read more of, make Very Valentine a very satisfying read.

Read with me!
Kay

Love Walked In, by Marisa de los Santos

This story hit close to home. One of the story’s characters is a girl whose mother (apparently) has Bipolar Disorder. The author’s portrayal of the mother is so realistic that while reading this book, I had nightmares about my father, recently deceased, whose struggles with Bipolar Disorder had a devastating effect on my family and my childhood.

Belong to Me, the sequel to Love Walked In, was also a good read. Although it didn’t effect me as deeply, it was great to revisit Love’s characters and follow the next chapter in their fictional lives.

Read with me!
Kay