Favorite Authors

Geraldine Brooks

Sometimes I just cruise the isles at our library looking for anything that leaps out at me.  I've discovered some new authors this way and one my favorites is Geraldine Brooks.  She has just a few novels.  The first one I read was People of the Book, which tells of the writing of a sacred text about 500 years ago and then follows all the people who own, or come into contact with, it through the ensuing centuries.  I found this book to be a very interesting perspective on the lives of people  touched by the text, while I immediately recognized my enjoyment of Ms. Brooks' writing style.

Next I chose to read Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague.  The title intrigued me as I considered how a story about the plague could possibly be called wonderful.  In this story of one of the most devastating episodes in European history, we meet a young mother who, after losing her own family to the plague, discovers that she can either stew in the bitterness of her own heartache or find redemption in helping neighbors as their village goes through this year of death together.  Both of these books are historical fiction, which is perhaps why I was drawn to them.

I am now reading Brooks' latest novel, Caleb's Crossing.  This story takes place on the island of Martha's Vineyard in the 1600s and covers the relationship of English settlers to the native residents.  The character of Caleb is actually based on a real person who became the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College in 1665.  Again, the writing style of Geraldine Brooks draws me into her story from page one.  As described in the book cover, "Geraldine Brooks once again takes a shard of little-known history and brings it vividly to life".  These books will both make you cry and feel good about being human.  If you enjoy historical fiction, I hope you will try one of these works to see if you appreciate this author's writing as I do.

John Grisham

Of course everyone knows John Grisham, and I read a few of his books many years ago.  Although I enjoyed them, I tired of the lawyer theme in all of them.  A while back, I took an audio book from the library of Grisham's book Bleachers, which was actually read by the author, and enjoyed it very much - it wasn't about lawyers.  Nevertheless, I didn't read any more of his books until recently.  My latest was Street Lawyer which seemed to fit in with some of my recent posts about politics, religion, morals and such.  A young lawyer on the fast track to partner in a big city firm leaves everything to represent the homeless and finds the rewards, though not financially substantial, enriching nonetheless.  I enjoy Grisham's casual style and witty humor, making his books easy to read.