| A Cottage by the Sea |
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 I had selected my Top Twelve Reads for 2019 until I read The Dearly Beloved; then someone had to go to make room for it. The book is also on my ‘Beach Reads for Clergy’ list, but don’t let that scare you away. It is a story of four friends yearning for friendship and faith; I don’t want to diminish the power of this story, so I will say no more.
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 Even if you read this when it was awarded the Booker Prize in 1988, it is worth a reread as we say goodbye to Downtown Abbey and observe the fading away of centuries of English homes and royalty. Ishiguro, perhaps unknowingly, participated it this thirty years ago. Stevens, the head butler of Darlington Hall, tells his story through reminiscences about his service. I wish he had seized the many moments that would have given him a fuller personal life, but clearly his goal was always to be a perfect butler. He quickly dismisses any regrets and doubts about his service to Lord Darlington. One could conclude that he was his own worst enemy, stuck in tradition, but he didn’t seem to allow himself to feel any such negativity for long. Maybe that’s what matters.  Bridget, abused as a teenager, creates a life for herself, husband, and son. A good mystery and compassionate story of people doing their best to successfully come through trauma with meaning and purpose in their lives.  Olive is hilarious; she says what she thinks. She says out loud what I sometimes think but am too polite/guarded/dishonest to say. I have compassion for every character in Olive’s life, and for Olive, too. As someone how visits old people, I wish I could visit Olive.  This story takes place in Winchester England in 1933, after The Great War and before WWII. Even if you are not interested in handwork (in this case needlepoint) or music (in this case bell ringing), I trust you will still be drawn into this story of 36 year old Violet’s life as she begins to craft a life of her own. This is a heartfelt story that I highly recommend to women; it’s awoman’s story. I probably won’t recommend it to men, but it very likely end up on my Top 12 for 2019.  A story of women pursing their independence in 1937 in Tennessee as librarians on horseback taking books to families living in the hills. A good read with drama and a happy ending.  Her first novel. I read her other two, loved them both, loved this one, too. All three are favorites. Each story is set in rural Canada. Each about families, their love, anger, fear and joy all mingled together. Each about a strong girl, growing to womanhood, planning an independent path for herself, and then returning home in a satisfying and rewarding way.  This compelling story of Kya, who grows up and lives her entire life in the swamps along the North Carolina coast, will undoubtedly be # 1 on my 2019 Top 12 Reads. Kya attends school for only one day, but then a friend teaches her to read and helps her publish her research and drawings of the flora and fauna that she knows so intimately. What I’ve just described is the background to the life story of this independent girl, known as Swamp Girl. As the saying goes, once you start reading, you won’t want to put the book down.  Stephen Mitchell tells the story of Joseph and his brothers. I would call it a contemporary Midrash (an ancient commentary on part of the Hebrew scriptures, attached to the biblical text), with theological reflections and wisdom on compassion, acceptance, humility, as well as forgiveness. It also goes on a new reading category I am creating: Beach Reading for Clergy.  I loved this book; I disliked this book. I wanted to quit reading it; I wanted to keep reading it. I recommend it; I don’t recommend it. I never disliked city girl Vivian (who is telling her life story beginning as an eighteen year old in New York City at the start of WW II until her aging years in 2010) as she made horrendous life choices as a young person. But as she grew older and experienced unexpected changes, I came to both admire and feel compassion for her. Revision: I loved this book; I recommend it. |
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