The World’s Strongest Librarian
by Josh Hanagarne

I read this and loved it so much I picked it for the Women’s Book Group September discussion. It’s a memoir written by a man who is 6’7”, has Tourette Syndrome, likes to lift weights, was raised Mormon, and works as a librarian at the Salt Lake City Library. Unlike  many memoirs, the author presents his parents in a positive light. I’m looking forward to our book group discussion!

Killing Kate
by Julie Kramer

Julie Kramer has become one of my favorite mystery writers. Kramer’s protagonist is a television news reporter. Kramer has worked in television news and it’s fun to get a glimpse into a new-to-me world. In addition to crafting a good mystery in each book, Kramer also includes relevant issues for the news world. In Killing Kate, one of those issues was Nielsen ratings. Would you believe that as a possible alibi for a murder suspect? I’ll say no more.

At the end of September, I’ll be the emcee at the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association Awards, and I’m reading all the winning books in preparation.

Shotgun Lovesongs
by Nickolas Butler

Right now, I’m reading Shotgun Lovesongs, which I’m LOVING (so glad our book group will discuss it in the spring!) about a group of friends in their 30s who grew up together in a small farming community in Wisconsin.

Flora and Ulysses
by Kate DiCamillo

Next up is Flora and Ulysses. I’ve never been disappointed by a DiCamillo book, so I’m looking forward to it!

One Summer
by Bill Bryson

Bryson provides a fascinating narrative of the events in the United States during the summer of 1927. What a summer it was! Aviators were focused on crossing the Atlantic, which Charles Lindberg successfully did; Babe Ruth was on  pace to break baseball’s home run record; Prohibition gave Al Capone an opportunity to consolidate his power through control of bootlegging; unusual and severe weather affected great parts of the country, and Herbert Hoover’s reputation was growing. This is history at its most interesting!

Many of us have heard of Malala, the 15 year old Pakistani girl who was shot in the head by a member of the Taliban while on a school bus. The book I am Malala goes behind the headlines to give a context for this remarkable young woman. The book places Malala in the Muslim culture of the remote Swat Valley, as well as in the midst of an unusual family which prizes and loves her despite societal norms which celebrate male children and ignore daughters. Her growth from school girl to international activist is fascinating and inspiring. You’ll want to read this one! A version of the book for young adults (which I have not read) was just released.

Landline
by Rainbow Rowell

Landline is Rainbow Rowell’s (Eleanor & Park) first foray into adult fiction, and it’s a great read! Georgie loves her husband and kids, but she also loves her job. When a big project comes up just before Christmas, she sends her family on a long-planned trip to her mother-in-law’s and stays home to work. Her husband’s reaction make it clear that this is the break-up of their marriage—maybe. Conversations on the old yellow landline she finds in her childhood bedroom add a bit of magical realism to the story—and may offer a way for Georgie to clarify what’s important in her life, and act from that knowledge. This is a laugh-out-loud book!!

Lucky Us
by Amy Bloom

The opening of this book says it all..."My father's wife died. My mother said we should drive down to his place and see what might be in it for us." And so it goes... quirky characters, almost unbelievable situations, but a direct and concise style that makes it all believable and brings it home. It’s a story which is mostly about two half-sisters finding their way with each other and a lot of other folks along the way. I loved this book and I hope that you will too.

All the Light We Cannot See
by Anthony Doerr

The book is set in World War II Europe. A blind girl, Marie-Laure, lives with her father in Paris. When the Germans invade, they flee to Saint-Malo carrying a valuable diamond from the museum where the father is a locksmith. Meanwhile, Werner is growing up in an orphanage in Germany. Werner’s ability to build and repair radios helps him to win favor with the Nazi party  His talents gain him a special assignment tracking the Resistance. Eventually, the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner come together in Saint-Malo. The characters in this story bring to mind the best and worst in human nature. I could not put this book down!

Vacationland
by Sarah Stonich

Vacationland is set in the town of Hatchet Inlet in northern Minnesota’s resort country. The stories in Vacationland could each stand alone, but are linked in that they are all somehow related to Naledi, an old, run down resort. Stonich describes life events that are in turn funny, touching, or thought provoking. The people and places in Vacationland will seem familiar to anyone who has spent time in the northwoods.