“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” ~ Charles W. Eliot
I have never walked away from a reading session without feeling totally satisfied in my search for an escape to a distant place or having learned a precious lesson.
Of course, some books are better than others and there are so many other reasons I love to read, but one of them is the thrill of the chase and the constant hunt for the next page turner.
Don’t you love when you pick one that imprints on your soul?
Pillars of The Earth definitely did that for me. I ceased to participate in life while that book was in my hands.
None of the books on this list had the Pillars of The Earth effect, but they were all still great and definitely worth the read.
Who knows? Maybe your next best book is on this list.
As always, I vow to continue to search for the next epic page-turner and share my reading adventures with you.
In the meantime, here is a list of the last several books I have consumed as well as one on standby.
The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
A deeply troubled Vietnam Vet loses his job for the 100th time and moves his family to utter isolation in Alaska. In true Kristin Hannah fashion, the heartbreaking moments are utterly devastating and painfully beautiful. My mouth had to be pulled up off of my lap several times. This is a coming-of-age story about a 13-year-old girl and her journey through The Great Alone.
It was great. I cried and hollered at the same time.
The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
This story takes you to smack dab in the middle of the Great Depression and in the heart of the Dust Bowl. The neverending hardship and tragedy in this story are a true portrayal of one of the darkest times in our nation’s history. Drought and the hope for a better life forced one woman to risk everything for a fresh start.
As usual, I was enamored by the fight to survive as the quest for a better life in California proved to be one horrific nightmare after another. I yelled, “awe c’mon!” about 17 times during this read. It started to feel like luck was going to be the only thing to get them through.
On Mystic Lake by Kristin Hannah
This story begins with Anne Colwater and her husband delivering their only child to the airport to complete her senior year in London. As the couple drives home Anne learns that her husband is in love with someone else and wants to divorce. She retreats to her childhood home where she reconnects with her first love who is recently widowed and navigates his own heartbreak. Needless to say, they get it on and then some, and Anne finds happiness once again for it all to come to a screeching halt as she is forced to make one of the most complex decisions of her life.
It was fine and perhaps if this wasn’t the 3rd Hannah novel in a row I would have loved it. I thought it moved too quickly considering how disconnected Anne was from her hometown of Mystic Lake.
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Micahel Doerr
Cloud Cuckoo Land is a story made up of a whole slew of characters from as far back as 1453 in Constantinople, to 2020 in Idaho, and sometime in the future, careening through the galaxy as the last hope for human existence. Each time period follows a person with very different ideals and life experiences and all are connected by one ancient story.
It took me a minute to get into the groove of this tomb but once I did, it sure had me thinking. We are all specs of dust in this vast universe, but all so intertwined and connected.
The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff
The Lost Girls of Paris is a story about bravery and friendship. It is 1946 in Manhattan when Grace Healey, recently widowed, discovers an abandoned bag underneath a bench in a Manhattan train station, she can’t resist her curiosity and finds a stack of pictures, each of a different woman. As she continues to unearth the story behind these people she learns of Eleanor Trigg, the leader of female spies who was sent into occupied France to aid the resistance.
I never tire of these war stories centered around brave women. It’s worth the read and also, why aren’t we running the world?
On deck…
The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell
This is the first book in a series about the making of England, told through the eyes of Uhtred, a nobleman, who was captured as a child by the Danes and raised to be one. During Uhtred’s life, the Danish Vikings occupied 3 of the 4 kingdoms and King Alfred shockingly defeats the Danes and Uhtred has to choose, England or The Danes.
I was turned onto The Last Kingdom by my band friend and history professor, Dr. John Leazer. He said if I like the series I need to read the books. When I am given good advice, I take it. Stay tuned. I will definitely share my review.
If you are a history lover looking for a new podcast, check out John’s podcast called Common Sense History. It’s great!
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