I was sick today which means I don’t have anything to write about my day, unless of course you want to hear about my endless trips to the bathroom, which I think it’s safe to assume you do not, so I’ll talk about what I’ve been reading lately. In a blog post I wrote last week I mentioned having just finished Bear Town by Frederik Backman, and while I would recommend either of the the other two books he’s written over this one, it still might interest you if you enjoy fictionalized sports stories, which I am not, probably from a childhood spending way too much time reading Matt Christopher books that were given to me en masse on every holiday and or birthday that I can remember. Bear Town is the story of a little league hockey team, who through their winning season brings their town together and takes their mind off of their current problems. There are a few twists and suspenseful moments, but I didn’t find it all the great, but given that Bachman’s books are originally written in Swedish, I’m more than willing to blame the translator.
The second book I just got done reading is Camino Island, by John Grisham. Is it just me or does it seem like he’s putting out books with even more frequency now than his standard once a year in the fall? I don’t necessarily consider it a bad thing, given that I’ve been a huge Grisham fan for as long as I can remember, reading everything he writes, but I just hope that this doesn’t mean I don’t have a new one to look forward to reading over the Christmas holiday, because that would be a bummer. Camino Island is about the original manuscripts of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s five novels being stolen from high security vault in the Princeton library, and a struggling writer who’s been paid to get close to the prime suspect. The majority of the story takes place on an island in Florida, the perfect setting for a summer read, and one I would definitely recommend checking out as it is my favorite Grisham book in recent years.
In the span of about twelve hours I read Me, and Earl, and the Dying Girl, the debut novel written by Pittsburgh native Jesse Andrews. It’s the story of a boy who’s mom forces him to befriend a girl diagnosed with leukemia, and his eccentric friend Earl that tags along. It may not seem like a story about cancer is funny, especially when it pertains to a child in high school, but this is one of the funniest books I’ve read in recent memory, the narrator, high school senior Greg Gaines says what’s on his mind, but what he doesn’t say, his inner voice, is absolutely hilarious. I literally was laughing out loud as I read, pestering my wife to stop what she was doing, demanding her full attention so I could read a paragraph or two to her, which she too found irresistibly funny. It’s a very quick read and I would highly recommend it. Whether you are looking for a good laugh, a story of friendship, or a little bit of both, this novel has it all for you.
I’m always looking for a good book recommendation, so feel free to comment below what you’ve been reading so I can check it out. Thanks!
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