This is a powerful and subtle novel that intertwines two stories. At the heart is the relationship between Patricia and Charlene in 1963 Vietnam, and their efforts to help Vietnamese civilians. The narrative – told through correspondence between Patricia and Charlene’s now adult daughter Rainey – examines themes of duty, compassion, and the impact of war.
Category: Reading: 4 Stars
Misquoting Jesus by Bart D. Ehrman
If you have more than one edition of the Bible at hand you can easily see differences in many verses. Consider Romans 16 v 7. Bart D. Ehrman describes the scholarly approach on reconciling those difference to understand what the original, inspired, words were.
Somebody’s Fool by Richard Russo
The third novel of the North Bath trilogy, this book novel picks up ten years of Donald Sullivan’s (Sully’s) death. Many of the characters are at inflection points in their lives. Seeing them unfold through Russo’s prose is a beautiful journey.
Kitchens of the Great Northwest by J. Ryan Stradal
The story of Eva Thorgold from birth to adulthood as a successful chef told through the stories of others. It’s like a series of short stories when Eva figures a little or a lot. Is it a novel or a collection of related short stories?
The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal
J. Ryan Stradal’s novels focus on conflicts in midwestern (often Minnesota) families working in the food industry. Edith and Helen are two sisters with very different temperaments. They separate with animosity in young adulthood and are estranged for decades before (spoiler alert) finally reconciling.
