Summer Reading

It's Summer time and the reading is happening.  I felt as though I wasn't reading much as 2016 began but since I am not working and have been vacationing I am reading again.  It feels good.  I much prefer reading over TV watching.

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline is a fictional story about Molly and Vivian.  Molly is a teenage foster child in the current system.  Vivian was orphaned and put on an orphan train.  From 1854 to 1929 orphans from the east coast were brought to the Midwest for adoption.  It often ended with these children becoming indentured servants.  This is a story of two women that want families and to belong to someone. I'd like to read more about the orphan trains in the non-fiction genre.

 The Bartender's Tale by Ivan Doig is the story of a young boy, Rusty.  His father came to his aunt's house and took him home because he's ready to start first grade.  Rusty's Mom was never part of the picture and his Dad runs a bar in Montana so Rusty had lived with his aunt and her family up until that time.  Rusty is an endearing character and his father is an interesting character.  Rusty's best friend Zoe, Proxy and her daughter Francine, and Delano are some of Ivan Doig's best characters.  Along with the bar's regular customers and their problems and the main characters I laughed out loud. Sometimes I got a little teary eyed.  A good book!

Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld is a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. My only regret was that I should have read Pride and Prejudice and then read Eligible.  Even though I know the story it would have been good to read the original story and then the modern retelling.  This is a laugh out loud book.  I think I'll read Pride and Prejudice next.  Or wait a year and then read them both in the proper order. I had written about reading American Wife also written by Curtis Sittenfled several years ago.  I enjoyed it also and hadn't read any more of Curtis Sittenfled's books.  I may have to check out some of her other books.

Today I am planning to visit the library.  I need a good book or three for my poolside time next week.

Read on, my friends.