While I'm still in love with quilting, the past couple of months I have been finding more and more time for my first love. It has been wonderful! While the baby is napping in the afternoon and my toddler is playing with his toys or watching Nick Jr I've been on the couch reading. It has become my new favorite escape (again)!
I've noticed over the past couple of weeks others have been asking for recommendations for good books to read, so I've decided to start mentioning on my blog when I have read something I've enjoyed. I don't know how regular of a feature this will be, but I excited about it! I'm hoping someone will find it useful especially with summer just around the corner. Everybody's looking for a good beach read right?
I've actually finished two books recently that I wanted to mention to everyone: Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes and A Friend of the Family by Lauren Grodstein.
Matterhorn is the story of the Vietnam War told by a veteran. It took him more than 30 years to write, and once you read the novel you understand why. It is absolutely brutal! Marlantes starts the novel off right in the middle of the war. No background about the characters, no history lessons, just the Vietnam War presented to you through the eyes of a young lieutenant, fresh out of college. I of course have no idea what it is like to be in a war, but it really was almost like being in the jungle with them. There were times I had to put the book down because some of the scenes were too much for me! **Disclaimer** While I highly recommend this novel, it is not for the faint of heart. If you don't like violence and filthy language this probably isn't the book for you. However, I think this is the closest way to know about the inner workings and thoughts of troops on the ground without having to actually fight in a war.
The book I read while escaping from the jungle of Vietnam was A Friend of the Family. I picked this book up from the library based solely on the publisher. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill is my absolute favorite publisher. I have never read a book from their collection that I didn't like. If you are a reader I highly recommend you check out the link above. I don't think you'll regret it!
The main character is a man who is "living the dream". He's a successful doctor, has a happy marriage, and a cherished son. He, like so many of us, never really appreciates everything he has, and only starts to when he is about to loose everything. As I approached the end of the book, I couldn't put it down. I was dying to know what happened to Dr. Peter, his family and his best friends. The story is essentially the tale of the dangers of trying to have it all including the "perfect" child. I think one of the things I liked best about this story is that I could relate to the main character. I've been known to take things for granted and I also have BIG dreams for my sons. I'm sure I probably won't go to the extremes Dr. Pete does in the story to protect my dreams for my children, but I can see how it would be easy to get caught up in making what I want happen instead of letting them do what they want.
If you are still reading this I appreciate it! I hope if either of these seem interesting to you that you'll check them out. Also, if you have any questions about either of these books please let me know. I would love the opportunity to discuss them with you. I'm always looking for new books to read please leave me suggestions in the comments.
