Books 15-18
15. 52 Little Lessons from Les Miserables, by Bob Welch. Really enjoyed this quick, easy to digest read, which combines lessons from Les Miserables, which I consider one of the most spiritual novels (and musicals) in existence, and scripture from the Christian Bible. Welch concentrates mostly on Hugo's novel but does include information and material from the hit musical (which is one of my favorites) and even from a couple of the movies. Using Hugo's work and the Bible, Welch outlines several lessons- about the importance of humility, the need for forgiveness, the perils of selfishness and greed, and, perhaps most importantly, about compassion and giving. I am a deist at best but found a lot of takeaways in this. Also, it was a nice refresher on the novel itself, which I read more than 20 years ago.
16. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, by Gail Honeyman. Where do I begin with this fantastic book? I got the impression this was going to be a quirky rom-com, but it really isn't. It starts out as what looks to be a typical "fish out of water" story centering on our heroine Eleanor. In the story, she starts emerging from her constructed shell after a chance after work encounter with a co-worker and a stranger who has a medical emergency. Eleanor and Raymond wind up visiting the man, Sammy, at the hospital. This is the first step in Eleanor's gradual change. The second is her falling head over heals for a singer in a local band. To say she is set in her ways and a bit clueless about conventional society is an understatement. Some of the funniest moments are when she observes how civility and decorum are so lacking, either right before or right after she does something eyebrow-raising herself. Still, the power of this book is that Eleanor is not just a one-note character. Bit by bit, you slowly find out why she is the way she is. Without getting into spoilers, her past is tragic. I've seen other reviewers refer to this as "hilarious and heart-breaking." That's the best summary I've seen.
17. Wolves and Flax, by Kenneth Clarke. I really enjoyed this slice of local history, which was written by a direct descendent of the Prior family, the first family in what used to be known as Northampton Township. It was neat realizing why some of the streets and developments were named what they were. The family kept a lot of the letters and artifacts from the pioneering Priors, and I really liked the details on how challenging it was for the family to come here in the early 1800s.
18. Be Well, Be Whole, Be Free, by Rachel Pollack. This autobiography covers Pollack's struggles with eating disorders, which started when she was young. She goes into why it was hard for her to seek treatment, why it was a struggle for her to overcome her own inner voice and listen to the advice of her therapists, and her aha! moments when she realized that the inner voice she had followed was a liar. It's an honest story, well written and easy to follow. I'd recommend it for those who also might be struggling with eating disorders.
Currently reading: Driven to Learn, by Albin Weiler, and A Man Called Ove, by Fredrik Backman.