Books and Quilts

It's no secret that I love reading almost as much as I love quilting, so I thought it time to share some of my recent reads. Since the first of the year, I account for having read 23 books - all but one were audio books.  I will share seven which were exceptionally good in that they left lasting impressions well after finishing. Books with some sort of impact - are memorable, thought-provoking, tap one's curiosity, show evidence of skillful writing, or are exceptionally well-researched - all these factor into my ranking system. Then, I will show just pictures of most of the rest at the end.

The River - Excellent writing; great setting in remote country the of northern Canadian forests; gripping plot. This mystery had me on the edge of my seat. I will definitely read more by Peter Heller.

The Last Days of Night - Exceptionally researched book about the invention of the light bulb and the war of AC vs. DC currents. The big players of the times were all here in this book - Edison, Westinghouse, Tesla - told from the perspective of Westinghouse's lawyer. Fascinating history that I knew little about; I stopped reading more than once to Google information. I kept talking about the book to my husband, and said this would make a great movie - guess what? It is being made into a movie!

The Book of Lost Friends - The setting is the deep South in the years following the Civil War. Freed slaves use pamphlets shared by black churches to post want ads looking for loved ones separated by the ugly selling practices of slavery. Based on factual advertisements, the author creates a fantastic story with memorable, resourceful characters. 

The Echo Maker and The Overstory - two books by Richard Powers are probably the most 'academic' books of the bunch. Especially with The Overstory, I wondered more than once if I were smart enough to read the book. Powers possesses a brilliant mind commanding an incredible range of knowledge. The way he weaves diverse topics into a plot is as skillful as any I have ever read. These were not "light reads;" rather, they required my concentration and attention, but were totally worth it. I will read more by Powers.

Once Upon A River - Wonderful, magical storytelling. Setterfield writes with such impressive attention to details in her weaving of this novel. The Goodreads blurb says it perfectly: "...a glorious tapestry of a book that combines folklore and science, magic and myth. Suspenseful, romantic, and richly atmospheric, the beginning of this novel sweeps you away on a powerful current of storytelling, transports you through worlds both real and imagined, to the triumphant conclusion whose depths will continue to give up their treasures long after the last page is turned." Yes. Yes. Yes.

The Midnight Library - The one book I read the old-fashioned way, rather than listened to. This one might be my least favorite of the best books. The thing that fascinated me was the examination of life's "what-ifs." Consider the idea of how a seemingly simple choice in one's life could result in the most significant impact. The plot is based on the notion that one might stop between life and death to see what might have been. For example, what might have happened if you'd said yes instead of no to to coffee with a complete stranger? In the midnight library, the main character is given a glimpse of what her life might have been had she said yes to coffee, and lots of other what-ifs, too. Issues involving mental health are subtly suggested through a carefully measured melding of magical realism and science fiction.

These seven books top my 23 reads so far in 2021. The rest are just good, entertaining books - they enchant me with great characters, clever plots, captivating settings, and often, historical perspective. I do tend to prefer historical fiction - any era of history suits. Here are some of the others, without commentary.

Note on the next two titles: I am reading Philippa Gregory historical fiction in chronological order, which means I often have to wait awhile on certain titles. Murder on the Rocks is the first of 5 books in the Mack's Bar Mysteries by Allyson K. Abbott; I finished all of them.

And, for you quilters who want to see quilt-related pictures, let me share one in-progress photo of a quilt I am about to have finished to the flimsy stage. I will do a more complete post on it later this week.

Happy Reading and Happy Quilting, Friends!