Jan 10 – What’s a good book that you’ve read recently?
This is a horrible question to ask me! I’ve constantly got my nose in a book when time will permit. To keep up with the status of my reading life and my reviews of most of the books I read, follow my blog Reading for Me. Let me see if I can come up with a couple of recommendations from books that I have read in the past couple of months.
First on my list would be My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok. I first read this novel while in college and have returned to it several times since then. It is the story of a young Jewish boy who has tremendous talent as an artist. His sketches are appreciated by some of those who see them, but his teachers and father feel as though art is simply a distraction from the “important” work in his life. Asher Lev struggles with finding his place in the world, his family, and his community as an artist, a Jew, and a scholar. I think it is pretty clear that a connection can be made to the life of a musician as well. It’s a beautiful read and one of my favorite works in this genre.
My other recommended novel is Kristin Hannah’s True Colors. Set on a failing horse farm on the upper west coast, three sisters and their father struggle to maintain a close connection after the death of their mother. When a Native American comes through town looking for work, the decision to hire him causes further strife for the family. When a murder occurs in town, the new guy in town is accused and sentenced to prison. Now the sisters must decide if they should join forces to learn the truth about the heinous crime or simply go their separate ways. Like many of Hannah’s novels, this is a glorious depiction of family life in America that is simply beginning for a screenwriter, playwright, or opera librettist to set it for a wider audience.
Livin' Life 