30 June 2009

SUMMER READING





I'm running out of reading material and will have to head to the local library and probably the one in the next town, also, tomorrow. My friend loaned me books for this week and I have read a light-weight romance, The Mascot by Mark Kurzem, The French Gardener by Santa Montefiore (Don't you love her name!), and have just begun Sea of Lost Love also by her.

There was also a pile of books from the library last week, but none of them were of much interest. For whatever reason our library's current fiction shelves were more than (less than?) anemic last week and I am concerned about the continuing potential of the shelves in that small local library.

The Mascot was well written and interesting--written by an Oxford-educated son of a man who was sheltered by the Latvian army during and before WWII. Sheltered and used for propaganda. In his mid-60s, the father becomes overwhelmed by fractious memories from his childhood and reaches out to this particular son in hopes of making sense of his limited memories and knowledge. A compelling read, and as disturbing as intriguing.

A couple of years ago I read The Voyage of the Valentina by Santa Montefiore, and while it was well written I wasn't compelled to search out any more of her work. Last week RvH mentioned she really enjoyed The French Gardener and wanted to share it with me. Again, well-written and romantic, but what I most enjoyed reading the book was location-location-location. Then, while staying at her house on Sunday night I raided her book stash and found Sea of Love, which she hasn't yet read.

It's been awhile since I have been truly captivated by a great book, but I keep searching and reading...

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