To Be Read

I've never made a TBR stack before. Sometimes I pick my next book before finishing my current one, but mostly I choose what I'm in the mood for from the 100 or so unread books I own. For the 1st time, I'm committing to read at least these books I've recently bought.

Seven stacked books, top to bottom: The Ganymedan, Daughter of Genoa, The Improvisors, I Am Pilgrim, Outlaw Planet, un-a-bridged, and Gilt Frame

I have two more print books on pre-order and a digital book available from Bookshop.org to add to this stack.

Nickel and Dimed

TITLE: Nickel and Dimed: (On (Not) Getting By in America

AUTHOR: Barbara Ehrenreich

I've been working my way through old books. I'd thought I'd read this years ago, but no. Despite reading it so many years after it was published (in 2001), it still feels current (minus the out-of-date statistics). 

The author spent the better part of a year working in low-income jobs and paying for her expenses with her earnings only. She waitressed in Florida, cleaned houses in Maine while working weekends at a nursing home, and was sales "associate" at a Wal-Mart in Minnesota. 

Ehrenreich has a way with words, making for an entertaining read while educating readers about the issues faced by the working poor, a situation that still stymies upward mobility and financial security of this economic class. Well worth reading.

Death at the Sign of the Rook

TITLE:  Death at the Sign of the Rook

AUTHOR: Kate Atkinson

It's been a tough year for me for reading, but hopefully, I'm now back on track.

Kate Atkinson is one of my favorite authors and her PI character, Jackson Brodie, is one of my favorite fictional creations. This latest installment in the series is a complete delight. The mystery -- possibly connected art thefts -- is almost beside the point, serving mainly to bring Jackson and the rest of the main characters together for a murder mystery weekend at a mansion/hotel during a blizzard. Jackson is merely one character in the quirky cast and the alternating points of view bring them all to life, so much so that some of them deserve their own novels. This is a compulsive, delightful read.

Girls of Tender Age

TITLE: Girls of Tender Age

AUTHOR: Mary-Ann Tirone Smith

My goal of reading older books I've accumulated over many years continues with this memoir/true crime book. Tirone Smith grew up in Connecticut during the 1950s, a time when people had no fear of leaving their doors unlocked. Her prose is very readable and full of humor, and her choice of using present tense gives her story a timeless feel.

Two things make this more than a simple memoir. First is the challenge of living with an autistic brother at a time when the condition was poorly understood. Second is the murder of her fifth grade classmate at the hands of a pedophile and the lasting effect that horror had on Tirone Smith's life. Together, these two things elevate a story of childhood innocence into something more memorable. I'm glad I finally got around to reading it.

The Hunter

TITLE: The Hunter

AUTHOR: Tana French

A sequel to The Searcher, this book picks up two years later. Retired Chicago cop Cal Hooper has settled into small town life in Ireland where he is mostly accepted by the locals, especially Lena Dunne with whom he has a comfortable relationship. They both care about fifteen-year-old Trey Reddy who, with their guidance has begun changing from a near-feral kid into a good kid with a good future. So, when Trey's absentee father returns from London with a wealthy investor in tow, Cal senses trouble. 

Slowly, Johnny Reddy's great plan -- to dig for gold in the fields and nearby mountain -- is revealed. Local investors are needed and Cal smells a scam. He wants to protect Trey from her father's scheming, but Trey has plans of her own.

French's prose is compelling and the way she uses the town as a character helps build the suspense. This isn't much of a mystery, but it is a well-written story about characters I've come to love.