Yard Sale Finds

Oh my.....I disappeared there for a while.  I am preparing to move and seem to spend more time putting things in boxes and then digging through the boxes looking for those same things, than reading these days.  Last week, Sara and I held a yard sale.  While gathering books for the sale, I came upon some old favorites that have been sitting on my shelves for a few years.  If you haven't read these books, I highly recommend them......

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger.  This one has been on my list of favorites forever.  This story of the adventures of 12 year old Reuben Land, his sister, Swede and his father, as they seek his older brother who is on the run from the law has both beautiful writing and unforgettable characters.  I am especially fond of  Swede, who writes epic poetry and sees the world in a unique way.  Minnesota and South Dakota come to frigid life in this story that will stay with you long after you close the book.

Excellent Women by Barbara Pym.  Or really anything by Barbara Pym.  If you can't sleep, the writing of Barbara Pym will send you into a quiet English world where spinsters make cups of tea and the biggest scandal is that the vicar gave a hearth rug to an attractive widow. When I took this book off the shelf, some of the pages fell out from age and re-reading.  The worlds depicted in these books are very small, yet you become fond of the characters and their self-effacing ways.  The modern world occasionally sneaks in with the introduction of an atheist anthropologist or a charming neighbor, but for the most part, life is calm and measured. 

Finny by Justin Kramon.  I love looking on my shelf to see the bright yellow cover of this wonderful story written by my very first employee at The Open Book. Finny is the kind of girl who does not make life easy, and in response, life hands her a few real challenges.  The story of the relationship between Finny and Earl is genuine.  The supporting cast of characters are what make the book so special to me.  Earl's piano-playing, narcoleptic father and Poplan, the boarding school matron who becomes a kind of substitute mother to Finny are drawn with care and detail.  Much more than a coming of age story.......


So....eventually we will get back to the Appalachian trail and some reviews of newer books. In the meantime, scan your shelves for some old favorites and revisit them.  Or swap some of your best loved books with friends (ones you can trust to give them back!).  And whatever you are reading, don't forget to keep those pages turning.