Mark Joseph Jochim

Heart-wrenching book but quite interesting in the details the author provided about the tsunami and the lives of her children and husband.

Simply a great book, the first I read by Neil Gaiman.

A well-research, beautifully-written novelization of the Cham invasion of the Khmer during the 12th century. Brings the people and temples surrounding Angkor Wat, The Bayon, etc. to vivid life. Loved it thoroughly.

Cussy Mary Carter is the titular Book Woman, a rider in the Pack Horse Librarian program of President Franklin Roosevelt's Works Progress Administration, established in 1935 to bring the written word to the impoverished people living in remote rural sections of the United States. Our librarian has a route centered on the town of Troublesome in eastern Kentucky. She also happens to be the “last of her kind”, the Blue People of Kentucky who have a rare condition that turns their skin blue. Her nickname is Bluet.

We learn of the patrons along her route and become emotionally attached to a number of them as well as town people, good and bad – some rotten to the core. The love of books and reading permeate the story as does the intense racism in these hills, coves and hollers at the time. The description of each element of the story, including natural aspects and of barely inhabitable abodes is amazing at times and it is easy to visualize much of the setting.

One becomes so emotionally invested in the characters that the final hundred pages or so becomes a roller coaster of tears and cheers. By the time that I learned of Henry and Angeline's fates, I had already deemed this the best novel I'd read since finishing The Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas several months ago. It is definitely my favorite book of January and I am looking forward to reading The Book Woman's Daughter in the near futue.

The Little Prince is a novella written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and published in April 1943. It is the story of a child, the little prince, who travels the universe gaining wisdom. On the surface it's a simple story, but this little prince is as wise as they come and his messages of compassion and goodwill continue to endure.

From the book, we can take away seven timeless life lessons:

1. Don't be too fond of numbers
2. Look after the planet
3. Don't judge others by their words, but by what they do
4. Relationships make life worth living
5. The important things in life you cannot see with your eyes, only with your heart
6. It is the time you give to something that makes it precious
7. And finally, remember to look up at the stars

I enjoyed the story and messages in my first read of 2024.