Reading up a storm these days!

One thing about traveling - at least on long airplane rides - is that you can plan on getting a lot of uninterrupted reading time.  I knew we had a couple of long flights to go to Theo's baptism, so I loaded up.  On the way there, I finished A Spool of Blue Thread, latest Anne Tyler novel - just available on Kindle February 10th - and we left the 11th!  Good timing indeed.

I love Anne Tyler novels - and I've read a few - she's written 17.  This one did not disappoint.  Maybe it was because two of the main characters were close in age to Harry and me!

As usual her stories deal with families and relationships - always a topic of interest.  This one was told in flashback fashion - kind of going back and forth.  Then I thought it had ended - and there was a part 2!  

I was thinking the 2nd part was not going to be so compelling, but it was.  The part that made it so satisfying was being able to figure out for yourself how the flashback stories defined the family and it's dynamics.  I also felt that many of the themes she defined were universal - I could see our family sometimes!

I was surprised when I mentioned this title to Harry - and he'd never heard of the orphan trains in American history!  I kept thinking I'd read this before because one particular passage seemed so familiar - but the rest of the story was new to me.  Perhaps I'd read an excerpt somewhere.

This period in American history is compelling.  At first glance it seems horrific to think of sending kids off to be bartered for almost.  Many found loving homes.  Many found tolerable situations.  Many were abused.  But one of the themes the author emphasizes is the belief that being left on the streets of New York would have probably been even more horrific - with less chances for happy endings.

Some of the situations in the story seem a little too "tidy" for lack of a better word.  But it's a good read mostly - very compelling at times - something you need on an airplane ride!

 

I had finished everything on my Kindle - well not really, but everything I really felt like reading was finished up.  So I was browsing through Amazon for a title for the long flight home - which included a 3 hour layover in Chicago.  Hannah suggested All the Light We Cannot See - said it had been her D.C. book group's choice recently.

Hannah usually makes good recommendations - and this one was exceptionally good reading.  The reviews were all positive.  One reviewer said, "Do we need another book about WWII?  Yes, if it's as beautifully written as this one is."  And I agree - although I haven't tired yet of reading WWII stories.

It's the story of a young German boy, orphaned in a coal mining town, who has a real skill and knack with radio transmitting.  A parallel story is told of a young blind French girl who must evacuate when the Germans invade Paris.  Their stories move along in a dramatic fashion - especially since we all know so much about the war and Hitler's Germany and the fall of France and the Allied triumph.  

As their stories move these two young people towards each other, we know what's going to happen - but it is no less dramatic and compelling - perhaps that is the nature of war.

It was a real "page turner" as they say - and I highly recommend it.

Harry put this one on our Kindle at the recommendation of some good friends.  I had read The God Who Weeps, so I was familiar with the authors and thought I'd give this a try too.

It is well-written, well-documented, and very thought-provoking.  I found myself wanting to stop and discuss passages with Harry - but we were reading it at different speeds so that got awkward.

I recommend this one too!

Time to choose another book!  After all, Harper Lee's "latest" isn't coming until July!!