A Walk in the Woods

I love Bill Bryson. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid is one of the most hilarious memoirs I've ever read.

Recently, I picked up an earlier book of his called A Walk in the Woods, about his attempt to walk the Appalachian Trail with an overweight, out of shape, ex-alchoholic friend of his. Needless to say, they didn't make it all the way. But they did hike a good portion of the trail, and this book tells of that experience, along with anecdotes about the trail and the usual Bryson humor.

I can't say I liked it as much as Thunderbolt Kid, but it was an entertaining and informative read, especially for those interested in the Appalachian Trail, a part of the country that lies undiscovered by most Americans.

One of the most sobering facts presented in the book, was that Bryson walked more in 20 minutes on the trail than the average American does in a week. How frightening! Made me want to put down the book and go for a walk!

Daughters of Fire

Daughters of Fire by Tom Peek, is a modern day adventure story set on the Big Island of Hawaii. It is a mix of myth, culture, romance, thriller, mystery, and ancient Hawaiian ritual.

Having lived for many years on the Big Island, I loved this book. Hawaii's volcano goddess Pele comes alive in these pages, and if you have been to the Big Island, then you know, she is an undeniable force. The modern culture clash between Hawaiians and developers played out here is a sad but true tale.

Tom Peek is a wonderful story teller. If you have ties to Hawaii you will really enjoy this book, and if not, it is a great page-turning read none-the-less.

Upside Down Inside Out

Upside Down Inside Out by Monica McInerney is a fun, romantic, somewhat predictable, slightly silly novel about an Irish woman on holiday in Australia who meets the man of her dreams, who is on holiday from London, both posing as someone other than themselves.

If you can suspend your disbelief, it is a nice, lighthearted tale of travel, romance and happily ever after. Nothing amazing here, but enjoyable nonetheless. A fun vacation read.

I do wonder though-who is that blond woman on the cover of the book, when the novel is about an Irish woman with long black hair?

Flight Behavior

Barbara Kingsolver is one of the few authors whose books I just have to have-even when they are still in hardback. Sadly, I was very disappointed with her latest offering, Flight Behavior.

This novel tells the story of the Monarch butterflies changing their migration for the first time in thousands of years and landing in a forest in Appalachia. The whole book is a warning about Global Warming. Although this is a real problem, and I feel strongly about this issue, as Kingsolver does, it didn't make for good reading. The book was preachy and depressing and a far cry from her fantastic novels like ThePoisonwood Bible.

I wish Kingsolver had taken on this subject in a book of non-fiction essays, rather than try to frame it in a novel. It just didn't work for me.

Blind Submission

Blind Submission by Debra Ginsberg is a book lovers book. Set inside a literary agency, and along the lines of The Devil Wears Prada, complete with the boss from hell, Ginsberg has concocted a story that is at times hilarious, at times mysterious, and always fully engaging. I stayed up half the night reading this book.

It probably helps that, like the protagonist, my idea of heaven is being surrounded by wonderful books. Ginsberg's writing is clever and witty-a well crafted tale with a book within a book.

I found much to love here, and look forward to reading more from Ginsberg.

Help, Thanks, Wow

Help, Thanks, Wow by Anne Lamott is a slim volume of thoughts on prayer. This is the latest addition to her non-fiction writing since she became religious and started writing about faith.

She breaks everything down here into what she considers the three essential prayers: Help, Thanks, Wow. If you are a Lamott fan, this is a nice addition to her previous writings, with her direct, honest and often hilarious approach to life. If not, you should still enjoy this new book and then go on to read her previous books, fiction and non-fiction alike.

I enjoyed this book and it is one I can see returning to in the future. However, being a big Lamott fan, it is not my favorite book of hers.

The Stockholm Octavo

The Stockholm Octavo by Karen Engelman is part historical fiction, and part mystery, intrigue, political conspiracy and divination.

Engelman has woven a story full of interesting characters both real and imagined that populate late 18th century Sweden at the time of the assassination of King Gustav III.

She cleverly combines the use of cards, and the mysteries of fans into the novel. The pictures of the cards are wonderful. A fun and engaging read.

The Orchardist

The Orchardist is an incredible debut novel by Amanda Coplin. Set at the turn of the twentieth century in the Pacific Northwest, a peaceful and solitary man named Talmadge makes his living as an orchardist, caring for his apricot and apple trees and selling the fruit himself in town. When two runaway, pregnant teenage girls show up on his land stealing his fruit out of starvation and desperation, his world is forever changed.

Coplin is an amazing writer, getting to the heart of emotions and feelings that seem hidden, things that lie just below the surface. Her writing style is deceptively simple, leaving readers to discover the truth for themselves. Despite great cruetly in the story, there is a quietness to the novel, both expressed through the landscape and the demeanor of the characters.

It is a deeply sorrowful yet beautiful tale, about the search for redemption, place, family, and meaning in life. A haunting novel, that will stay with me for some time.