Ellen LevensonOn these long, cold, gray New England days, when I am trying (unsuccessfully) to cut back on sugar and therefore baking less, I turn to reading. Curled in the corner of my family room couch, feet on the coffee table, my dog insisting on pets, I lose myself in a book. Recently, I have read a bunch that I have enjoyed and can recommend.
Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley
When was the last time a book made you smile? Iona Iverson is a cantankerous older woman who embraces who she is. This is a lesson we BA50s should absorb. Iona is colorful and vibrant and full of life. She’s an “Agony Aunt’ (that British for Dear Abby) who commutes by train from the suburbs into London. There is a wide cast of characters, twists and turns, heartbreak and retribution, but mostly just a wonderful story that makes you happy you read it. I have recommended this book to loads of friends, and they are all recommending it to other friends. Now I’m putting it out to the BA50 community.
Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
This book is on lots of people’s best of 2022 list and there is a good reason. It is a great story about a 30-year friendship. Sam and Sadie meet when they are 11 and the ensuing friendship is realistic with ups and downs, and moments of love and anger. The story is unique and well written. Warning, have some tissues handy, I cried.
The Salt Path by Raynor Winn
My book club has been meeting for 19 years, and I love that every once in a while we read a book that no one has heard of, and that opens us up to new ideas and thoughts. The Salt Path is that kind of book. This is a memoir by a British woman about what happened to her and her husband after they became homeless at 50. They backpacked, camping “wild”, the 630 mile path along the coast of Britain. No surprise, there were lots of hardships along the way. As I read it I wondered if my marriage would have survived? How would I have handled the situation? Thus, I was in awe of the dignity they maintained and what they accomplished.
My First Popsicle: An Anthology of Food and Feelings edited by Zosia Mamet
My kids are in their late 20s. Most of my friends’ kids are a similar age. Yet, the majority of essays in this book are written by friends and acquittances’ of Zosia Mamet, aged 34. These writers, in their late 30s and early 40s, opened my eyes to a generation I know little about. Their voices, their experiences, their concerns are just slightly different. The essays by people our age, Rosie Perez, Ruth Reichl, Patti LuPone, Ted Danson, and David Sedaris were more familiar. Many of the 49 essays include favorite recipes.
Armand Gamache Mysteries by Louise Penny narrated by Ralph Cosham
I am currently a little obsessed by these mysteries which I am listening to on Audible. They make walking the dog on these cold, dreary, wet winter days almost enjoyable. I have long loved audio books for walks, long car rides, and distractions while doing load after load of laundry. There are 12 books in this series and I started with the first, Still Life, which came out in 2014. I just finished book number three. All these mysteries take place in the small village of Three Pines, an hour outside Montreal. As with many series, the cast of characters are the same but with each story they grow and become more intriguing. Lastly, as a bit of a foodie, the detailed descriptions of meals served at the local village Bistro were mouthwateringly divine. If you enjoy murder mysteries, Louise Penny is a master and these are for you.
What have you been reading this winter? Please share I’m always looking for a good book.