individual readers send in a recommendation
I really love it when one of our readers comments on a blog entry or another book that s/he has read. Such is the case with Linda Dove, a Sandcastle Book Club member and avid reader. See below to read what she has to say about a new biography! There’s a new biography out on one of my, and most of my family’s, favorite authors
I have two men who follow my blog. One of them is my grandson, the only member of my family who actually appreciates the blog!! The other man is Tom Pinckney, a well-read friend who plays bridge with me and has an open mind about matters. The other day he gave me a list of books he would recommend so I pass them along to
It’s true! Overstory is making a comeback. Four of my blog readers have contacted me to tell me they recently either read the book or they are in the midst of reading it. I just checked it out from the library. I have read the first story so far. Why? Because I need to do more ‘deep reading’ and I want to go on to
Rebecca Peace of beckyonbooks sent me a link to review Ann Patchett’s response to David Brooks’ column, which I pointed out in my last blog post. If you don’t want to click and read the entire short spot here, just know that she completely disagrees with Brooks and sites book after book that she thinks is important, edgy and certainly important and timely literature. In
The first book featured here is entitled HappyLand, by Dolen Perkins-Valdez. The genre of historical fiction is an ideal way to tell a story about an actual historical place or event with the added interest of some ‘made up’ elements. Happyland is set in a real place in North Carolina that was settled by freed slaves after the Civil War. We have the dual stories
Today, as I walked down Fort Johnson Road to Fort Johnson, I thought about the Larsen book I am trying to finish for a book club. I featured it on this blog in 2024 and expected to like it as I did other Larsen books I have read. Well, I’m having a hard time with it, as it turns out. Of course, I was not
When Louis Armstrong sings “What did I do to be so Black and Blue?”, he is evoking a color that holds various meanings to black people. The song was originally in a musical and was sung by a black woman bemoaning the fact that fairer skinned black women seem to get all the men. Of course, that is part of colorism. Certainly, the musical genre
Before we go on to the 2025 ‘Book World’, there are books that I missed featuring on the blog that I obviously should have featured. I know this because I’ve had people tell me, “Oh, I just read the best book!” and then proceed to tell me all about it. I love it when people do this, and I want to share a few of
Some people are extremely affected by the turning back of the clock every year. It makes them sad to not have more time during the day when the sun if shining. Maybe you are that way? Regardless, in the dark afternoons of winter, you might get a little ‘moody’ so here are some books that cater to whatever your mood might be—(taken from Goodreads Book
Marty Drake, a long time blog reader from Chattanooga, suggested The Plaza: The Secret Life of America’s Most Famous Hotel by Julie Satow. Any time my husband and I went to Manhatten, he would point out the hotel because his father always relished staying there while in the city for business. That was during the Mad Men days and generous expense accounts. The Plaza Hotel
