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Have you read "The Giver of Stars" by Jojo Moyes? It's a pageturner for sure. Goodreads summary says "The Giver of Stars" is a historical fiction story about the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky, a group of 5 women who travel through a large region of the mountainous state delivering books to rural residents, through a program inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt that lasted from the mid 1930s to mid 1940s." But have you also read "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek", by Kim Michele Richardson? It's also about the Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky in the 1930s. Goodreads says this about Richardson's book "In 1936, tucked deep into the woods of Troublesome Creek, KY, lives blue-skinned 19-year-old Cussy Carter, the last living female of the rare Blue People ancestry. The lonely young Appalachian woman joins the historical Pack Horse Library Project of Kentucky and becomes a librarian, riding across slippery creek beds and up treacherous mountains on her faithful mule to deliver books and other reading material to the impoverished hill people of Eastern Kentucky." Apparently there is talk of Moyes having plagiarized Richardson's book. If you read both books, tell us what you think about the accusation of plagiarism on Moyes' part.
Before we were yours, by Lisa Wyngate
The Great Alone, Kristin Hannah Galileo's Daughter, Dava Sobel The Gamut, Helen Reed Varina, Charles Frazier Pachinko, Min Jin Lee The Last Boy, Mickey Mantle, by Jane Leavy Once Upon a River, Bonnie Jo Campbell The Ezekiel Option, Joel Rosenberg The Immortalists, Chloe Benjamin The Rainbow Comes and Goes, Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt Ordinary Grace, William Kent Krueger Killers of the Flower Moon, David Grann The Marsh King's Daughter, Karen Dionn Brooklyn, Coln Toibin Evicted, Matthew Desmond Murder on the Orient Express, Agatha Christie In Order to Live, Yeonmi Park The Charm Bracelet, Viola Shipman The Circle, David Eggers A Man Called Ove, Fredrik Backman A favorite of the book club members was In Order to Live, by Yeonmi Park. If you wonder what life is really like in North Korea, this book is a must-read. The biography by a young woman who escaped a country whose inhabitants live in misery beyond comprehension only to find her situation possibly even worse in China is inspiring and heart wrenching. Park's story shows the incredible power of human spirit and determination.  The book reminded me of our local author, Bonnie Jo Campbell's book "Once Upon a River". A young girl is on her own to make a life by herself along the water. She is abused by men throughout the story and in the end she finally finds the life she seeks. A good book club discussion would be a comparison of the two stories.
 We all know J.D. Salinger for that famous book we all had to read in high school, Catcher in the Rye. But did you know that he also enjoyed cooking? Here's a popcorn seasoning recipe that he "cooked up". I tried it and it's very good. Although I had to run out and buy marjoram and I don't think I'll be using it for anything else. Popcorn Seasoning (for 1/2 Cup popcorn) 6 tsps. sea salt 2 tsps. paprika 1 tsp dry mustard 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp celery powder (I use celery seed) 1/2 tsp thyme 1/2 tsp marjoram 1/2 tsp curry 1/2 tsp dill powder (I just use dill) |
