Since it's the month of shamrocks and leprechauns I thought I would start out with a great St. Paddy's read!
An Irish Country Doctor is the first in a series of Barry Laverty, M.B. finding his way (sometimes literally) in the Northern Ireland village of Ballybucklebo.
From Amazon: "Barry Laverty, M.B., can barely find the Northern Ireland village of Ballybucklebo on a map when he first sets out to seek gainful employment there. But Barry jumps at the chance to secure a position as an assistant in a small rural practice.
At least until he meets Dr. Fingal Flahertie O'Reilly.
The older physician has his own way of doing things. At first, Barry can't decide if the pugnacious O'Reilly is the biggest charlatan he has ever met or the best teacher he could ever hope for. Through O'Reilly, Barry soon gets to know all of the village's colourful and endearing residents and a host of other eccentric characters who make every day an education for the inexperienced young doctor.
Ballybucklebo is a long way from Belfast, and Barry is quick to discover that he still has a lot to learn about country life. But with pluck and compassion, and only the slightest touch of blarney, he will find out more about life--and love--than he ever imagined back in medical school.
Previously published as The Apprenticeship of Dr. Laverty."
Yo! Adrienne says: Reading this won't guarantee a pot of gold at the end of your rainbow but it certainly will put a spring in your step. Too fun and light to pass up.
And since we are on the subject of orphans ... I feel a theme coming on. Every once in a while I like to throw a classic in my line up. I had had Jane Eyre on my kindle for like fo-evah so it was time to get to it.
In case it's been fo-evah for you too - here's what Amazon has to say: "Jane Eyre is the heart-wrenching story of a young girl saddled with both a cruel aunt and a bitter upbringing at Lowood School. Her soul not broken from these encounters, she becomes governess to the children of the handsome Mr. Rochester, with whom she falls deeply in love, but the dark secrets of Rochester's past and outside influence threaten to swallow their budding romance. Explore Charlotte Bronte's world full of shocking secrets, captivating characters, and dark romance. Complete and unabridged, Jane Eyre is an essential collectible that is both elegant and portable."
Yo! Adrienne says: I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed the book. I'd suggest you add this to your collection of classics (and read it!) if you are like me and want to catch up on what you missed in English class. Cliff notes don't cut it.
Well. Again, Amazon's got it: "This is how wars are fought now: by children, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children have become soldiers of choice. In the more than fifty conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are some 300,000 child soldiers. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them.
What is war like through the eyes of a child soldier? How does one become a killer? How does one stop? Child soldiers have been profiled by journalists, and novelists have struggled to imagine their lives. But until now, there has not been a first-person account from someone who came through this hell and survived.
In A Long Way Gone, Beah, now twenty-five years old, tells a riveting story: how at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he'd been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts.
I think Amazon says it best: "Orphan Train is a gripping story of friendship and second chances from Christina Baker Kline, author of Bird in Hand and The Way Life Should Be.
Penobscot Indian Molly Ayer is close to “aging out” out of the foster care system. A community service position helping an elderly woman clean out her home is the only thing keeping Molly out of juvie and worse...
As she helps Vivian sort through her possessions and memories, Molly learns that she and Vivian aren’t as different as they seem to be. A young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose destinies would be determined by luck and chance.
Molly discovers that she has the power to help Vivian find answers to mysteries that have haunted her for her entire life – answers that will ultimately free them both.
Rich in detail and epic in scope, Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline is a powerful novel of upheaval and resilience, of unexpected friendship, and of the secrets we carry that keep us from finding out who we are."
Yo! Adrienne says: Read it and prepare yourself to sit with your friend Google and research orphan trains. It happened. It will break your heart. Excellent read.
And since we are on the subject of orphans ... I feel a theme coming on. Every once in a while I like to throw a classic in my line up. I had had Jane Eyre on my kindle for like fo-evah so it was time to get to it.
In case it's been fo-evah for you too - here's what Amazon has to say: "Jane Eyre is the heart-wrenching story of a young girl saddled with both a cruel aunt and a bitter upbringing at Lowood School. Her soul not broken from these encounters, she becomes governess to the children of the handsome Mr. Rochester, with whom she falls deeply in love, but the dark secrets of Rochester's past and outside influence threaten to swallow their budding romance. Explore Charlotte Bronte's world full of shocking secrets, captivating characters, and dark romance. Complete and unabridged, Jane Eyre is an essential collectible that is both elegant and portable."
Yo! Adrienne says: I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed the book. I'd suggest you add this to your collection of classics (and read it!) if you are like me and want to catch up on what you missed in English class. Cliff notes don't cut it.
My cousin told me about a long way gone Memoirs of a Boy Soldier and I was able to track a copy down through Better World Books.
Well. Again, Amazon's got it: "This is how wars are fought now: by children, hopped-up on drugs and wielding AK-47s. Children have become soldiers of choice. In the more than fifty conflicts going on worldwide, it is estimated that there are some 300,000 child soldiers. Ishmael Beah used to be one of them.
What is war like through the eyes of a child soldier? How does one become a killer? How does one stop? Child soldiers have been profiled by journalists, and novelists have struggled to imagine their lives. But until now, there has not been a first-person account from someone who came through this hell and survived.
In A Long Way Gone, Beah, now twenty-five years old, tells a riveting story: how at the age of twelve, he fled attacking rebels and wandered a land rendered unrecognizable by violence. By thirteen, he'd been picked up by the government army, and Beah, at heart a gentle boy, found that he was capable of truly terrible acts.
This is a rare and mesmerizing account, told with real literary force and heartbreaking honesty."
Yo! Adrienne says: Well. This was a tough read. So worth it despite the heartache and box of kleenex I endured. Often I sat with my mouth agape and my hand over my heart shaking my head in disbelief. Sadly, this is a true account. Even more reason to enlighten yourself to the plight of children in less fortunate countries.
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1 comment:
Ah, yes. Jane Eyre. I just read it for the first time the summer before last. Then I watched all the film adaptations made from the 1990s on. Good stuff! Thanks for so many great recommendations again this month. I'm going to set up an Adrienne's Picks shelf at my Goodreads account!
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