Two Other Books for May

I read two other books in May, one already reviewed, and the other a new one.

I re-read Memory (reviewed February 2016) for my book group.  It was my selection and we had a good discussion over it.  It's a very short, but powerful book, and I recommend anyone to read it!

I also read Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy. It was an interesting book.  It was written by Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant. Sheryl lost her husband very suddenly and was left to navigate life with their two young children without him.  As she so beautifully wrote, she felt that she and her children would never feel joy again.  Her friend, Adam Grant, a psychologist, slowly helped her through her grief, telling her that she could rebound from this tragedy....that we are all built with resilience.  I loved how resilience is described as a muscle.

The book offers Sheryl's own struggles with her grief along with insight and wisdom.  Adam offers research studies.  Both were touching and fascinating.

Her life with her husband had been Option A.  After his death, she learned that she had to move on to Option B. There is much in this book for all of us, not just for those dealing with the death of someone.  We all need resilience for many life events over the years.

Books with sequels

I love finding a good book that continues on into other books. I read two sequels this past month and they did not disappoint.  I always recommend that readers read the original book first, then the sequel.  I know that a lot of sequels can stand alone, but I just think that too much could be missed by not reading the books sequentially.

I first read The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom in June 2011. (Review done in June 2011). I re-read the book for one of my book groups.  It was just as good as the first time.

Excitedly, I had already purchased the sequel to The Kitchen House, The Glory Over Everything, so once I finished reading The Kitchen House, I was ready to move on to the rest of the story!

The Glory Over Everything picked up shortly after where The Kitchen House had left off. The first chapter began in Philadelphia in March of 1830 with the character Jamie, who was now thirty-three years old, living in Philadelphia. He had passed as a white man and had made a good life for himself. Only one man, Robert, knew his secret and he was loyal.  However, when Robert's son, Pan, was taken by slave-hunters, Robert asked Jamie to go down to the plantation where Robert had learned Pan was and bring him back to Philadelphia.  This meant that Jamie would have to return South where he was considered a run-away slave.  And this is how some of the other characters from The Kitchen House came into the story.

It was a good read and the author did a good job bringing both books together. And there is certainly plenty of fodder for another sequel!

The other sequel that I read last month was Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout.  I had read My Name Is Lucy Barton in June of 2016 (review done in June 2016), and Anything Is Possible is a sequel to that (in sorts). The book takes place in Amgash, Illinois which is where Lucy Barton was from.

The book is a really a set of short stories about different characters (meant in both senses of the word) who lived in Amgash. Each story seemed to be part of another, and Lucy Barton and her family, tie into each story. And the book ended perfectly! Yes, anything is possible. Fans of Elizabeth Strout rejoice....another huge home run for her!