by Austin temperatures finally soared into the triple digits. And stayed there. When it gets this unrelentingly hot, all I want to do is sit inside with a good book or soak in some cool water. Perfection is a combo soak-and-read, complete with Caribbean beach and refreshing beverage (coming soon!).
Here’s the reading that’s kept me occupied inside lately.
Books 36–41 in 2019
No. 36: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Young adult literature fearlessly tackles the hardest topics. Wow–The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian takes on poverty, discrimination, alcoholism, friendship (loss and acquisition), and death through teenager Arnold Spirit’s “diary.”
Spirit, known as Junior, lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation and dreams of becoming a cartoonist. Naturally, his diary includes drawings (nicely rendered by artist Ellen Forney). The story revolves around his decision to travel off the reservation–22 miles each way–to attend the “white” high school, Reardon, for a better education. In the process of leaving, Junior loses a close friend and encounters many new (and not always positive) experiences.
Though the book is fictional, author Sherman Alexie was born on the Spokane Indian Reservation and is a Spokane/Coeur d’Alene tribe member himself. I checked Alexie’s background because some verification of background experience was necessary to keep the gut-wrenching depictions, dialogue, and attitudes in True Diary from feeling exploitative.
True Diary was intended for the Little Free Library but I may have to keep this exceptional book for myself.
No. 37: The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
Ruth Ware’s new book, The Turn of the Key, is on my “to read” list, so when I stumbled across one of Ware’s earlier books, a lovely used hardback copy of The Woman in Cabin 10, I bought it.
I didn’t know anything about Cabin 10 other than it had been on The New York Times bestseller list. Oooh, a nice wilderness mystery sounded like fun! Imagine my disappointment to discover “the cabin” is on a luxury cruise ship, not in the woods (hello, Leah–did you not look at the cover illustration?).
Sadly, the shipboard mystery didn’t do much for me. Sure, it had many aspects that usually draw me in: a woman protagonist who’s a journalist, travel, crime. But it’s one of those stories where women with cute nicknames are “striking” and men function as past, current, or possible lovers. The premise was a bit too breathlessly hysterical (*OMG! Did Lo really hear a body go overboard in the middle of the night?!? And does nobody actually believe her about the mystery girl?!? *insert Valley-Girl inflection*). Red herrings! Feats of impossible escape! An eye-rolling ending!
Maybe I should try another of Ware’s books . . . or not.
No. 38: Show Your Work! 10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered by Austin Kleon
Previously, I reviewed another Austin Kleon book, Keep Going: 10 Ways to Stay Creative in Good Times and Bad. Kleon’s series (Keep Going, Show Your Work, and Steal Like an Artist) sticks to a format–well, I’m assuming Show Your Work follows suit. Happily, I like his graphic layout (bright cover, pocket-sized paging, and bold black-and-white illustrations) and 10-point content.
Kleon is supportive, informative, and inspirational. One of my favorite parts was the last 10 pages. Why? First, he gives a “behind the scenes” look at the notebook pages where ideas for the book where developed. Then, the final pages are “notes & illustration credits” for all the lovely quotes and photos Kleon used.
If you’re in the creative sphere, get these wonderful books. They’re as good as a really supportive mentor.
No 39: Death at Whitewater Church by Andrea Carter
When someone left books No.2 through 5 of the “Inishowen Mystery” series in my Little Free Library, I just had to read them. Perhaps I was just slow and someone had already snapped up No. 1, Death at Whitewater Church. I would’ve nabbed it immediately, as I’m avidly reading about Ireland in preparation for an upcoming trail trip.
With its beautiful setting and scenery, the Inishowen peninsula’s landscape is as much a character as Benedicta “Ben” O’Keefe. She’s a solicitor (that’s lawyer in the U.S.) with a secret who’s reinventing herself in this small fictional Irish town. Ben also has a nose for crime. Which comes in handy when a corpse is discovered at a deconsecrated church. I dove into Whitewater like Ben plunging into the cold sea for her bracing morning swim.
No. 40: Treacherous Strand by Andrea Carter
I enjoyed the fast pace and characters in Whitewater so much that I returned for a second helping with Treacherous Strand. This one revolves around a mysterious French woman who committed suicide by drowning–or did she?
Who knew a solicitor could finagle so much detective work? Somehow, Ben manages. Situations begin to feel a bit contrived (how many times can she casually grill a murder suspect?) but I enjoy the town and characters Carter has created.
These are great summer reads. Each book moves well and the cold Irish countryside is a pleasant antidote to Texas’s hot summer sun. I’m going in for #3!
No. 41: We All Have a Past by John Vernon Nyfeler
Long-time residents describe Austin as a small town within a big city. When you tap into the architectural community here, that’s especially true. So it wasn’t a surprise to see Austin’s own turn out for noted architect John Nyfeler‘s book celebration. Nyfeler–yep, we’re related; John is my father in law–read from his newly published memoir and rumination, We All Have a Past, and distributed inscribed copies.
Fortunately, I was able to read John’s book right away. Some family lore was familiar; many “characters” and stories I knew. But new insights came in his personal essays–those ruminations–on everything from faith and belief, anger and bullying, homelessness, and overcoming bias. We All Have a Past is slim, elegant, and smart (adjectives that describe the man himself) and made me proud to be part of this clan. Well done, John.
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