Melissa’s Picks
Working at Litchfield Books just might be considered a “dream job!” I am a retired teacher and have spent most of my career reading books that were required for my job. That left very little time for pleasure reading. Now I get to read for enjoyment (and that’s a GREAT thing)! The biggest problem right now … there are too many good books to read! I’ll share some of the titles that I’ve read recently that I think you would enjoy.
The Paris Library, by Janet Charles
Based on the true World War II story of the heroic librarians at the American Library in Paris, this is a story of romance, friendship, and family, and explores the consequences of our choices. The plot switches between two time periods: 1939 and 1983.
Paris, 1939: Young and ambitious Odile Souchet has it all: her handsome police officer beau and a dream job at the American Library in Paris. When the Nazis march into Paris, Odile stands to lose everything she holds dear, including her beloved library. Together with her fellow librarians, Odile joins the Resistance. But when the war finally ends, instead of freedom, Odile tastes the bitter sting of unspeakable betrayal.
Montana, 1983: Lily is a lonely teenager looking for adventure in small-town Montana. Her interest is piqued by her elderly neighbor, Odile. As Lily uncovers more about her neighbor’s mysterious past, she finds that they share a love of language, the same longings, and the same intense jealousy, never suspecting that a dark secret from the past connects them.
The Children’s Blizzard, by Melanie Benjamin
Wow! This is one of those books that will keep you reading until the wee hours of the night! It is a story of courage on the prairie: the freak blizzard that struck the Great Plains, threatening the lives of hundreds of immigrant homesteaders--especially their children. Based on actual oral histories of survivors, the novel follows the stories of Raina and Gerda Olsen, two sisters, both schoolteachers--one who becomes a hero of the storm, and one who finds herself ostracized in the aftermath. It's also the story of Anette Pedersen, a servant girl whose miraculous survival serves as a turning point in her life and touches the heart of Gavin Woodson, a newspaperman seeking redemption. It is Woodson and others like him who wrote the embellished news stories that lured immigrants across the sea to settle a pitiless land. Boosters needed immigrants to settle territories into states, and they didn't care what lies they told them to get them there--or whose land it originally was. I think you’ll really enjoy this book!
The Dutch House, by Ann Patchett
Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a story of paradise lost. It is a sort of dark fairy tale about a brother and sister who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, siblings Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives they return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested. A beautiful story of loss, grief and how childhood trauma can travel with you throughout your life. Despite sounding bleak, the book is far from that. You can laugh, cry and debate outcomes with this family, their friends and companions. An interesting book with an ending that will stay with you for quite a while.
Keep Reading!