Has there ever been a better time to pick up a good book?
Staying at home is our new national calling, and reading a good book is a great investment of our extra time (besides, Tiger King is basically fast food for the brain; you really shouldn’t have too much of it).
If you need book suggestions, here are three favorites I’ve read this year. It took some doing for me to limit this to just three books!
It’s hard not to love with The Love Song of Miss Queenie Hennessy by Rachel Joyce. This is something like a companion book to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, which tells the story of Harold walking the length of England to visit Queenie. Love Song tells the story from Queenie Hennessy’s perspective, and the whole story becomes far richer and more compelling. If you haven’t read The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, start there. But you’ll want to quickly move on to the second book.
If you prefer a nonfiction book about current politics, check out The Death of Politics by Peter Wehner. Peter’s book is part analysis of our current political environment and part prescription for bettering the system. He’s a well known conservative writer who takes a broader view of culture than most, and thus comes across as reasonable, balanced, and healthy. Like any book about politics it has something to anger all sides, but Peter presents his thoughts without stridency.
It is Holy Week as I write this so it makes sense to add a book about faith. Jon Meacham’s book The Hope of Glory really surprised me. First, I wasn’t aware that Meacham was a practicing Christian, and second, I was struck by the grace of his writing. I’ve read many of his books on history, but the Pulitzer Prize winning author is truly a gifted writer and his skill shines in this genre. Looking at the seven last sayings of Jesus is especially profound as Good Friday approaches.
I know the headline for this post says three books, but I can’t resist suggesting three classics I’ve recently re-read:
Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott (which I picked up after watching the movie).
Our Man in Havana, by Graham Greene (which I read in anticipation of a now cancelled trip to Cuba).
On the Road, by Jack Kerouac (which I read once a decade or so and always find something new in it).
The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald (which I listened to on audiobook and found myself appreciating in new ways).
Okay, so that’s four bonus classics. Hey, I can’t help myself, I love books.
Enjoy, stay indoors, and stay safe!