The Life We Bury

The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens  303 pp.

Joe Talbert needs a subject for a biography assignment in a college course. He finds one in a local nursing home. Carl is in the last few months of his life after spending most of it in prison for the brutal rape and murder of a 15 year old girl. The heroic Vietnam veteran Joe meets and interviews doesn't seem like he could have done the horrible deed. Joe and his neighbor and now new girlfriend begin investigating to get the backstory on Carl's murder conviction which was largely based on the girl's coded diary. While this is going on Joe is dealing with an alcoholic mother, his beloved autistic brother, and trying to stay afloat financially. It's an intriguing story with well written characters. My only complaint was the occasional, dangerously dumb things Joe and his girlfriend do towards the end of the story.

Walking the dog

Walking the dog / Elizabeth Swados 388 pgs.


Carleen Kepper is a convict and a lifer.  Although she was not present at the scene of the crime, she was involved in an incident where two cops where killed and one severely injured.  It was basically a rich girl prank that went to far...Carleen was too into drugs and her hardcore boyfriend (although she was also married at the time).  In a stroke of luck, Carleen is paroled and is now a dog walker.  She really does have a way with dogs.  But she is also a very wealthy artist whose works are worth millions.  Prison has a way of changing a person.  Now that Carleen is out, she would like to get to know her daughter who was conceived during one visit when she and her husband decided to divorce.  Does this all sound completely wacky? Let me assure you that it is!  But it is also wonderful. Carleen is on of the most interesting characters I've discovered in a long time.  Her daughter Pony is also amazing as are most of the others in the book.  Great read for anyone who enjoys a little bit of chaos in their books.

Freak the Mighty

Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick  169 pp.

This was a re-read of a book I selected for the 4th-6th grade book club. Max is a giant of an eighth grader who suffers from a learning disability and low self-esteem. He lives with his grandparents since his father was imprisoned for murdering his mother. His life changes with the introduction of Kevin, aka "Freak", who is trapped in a child's body and leg braces due to a birth defect. Together they become "Freak the Mighty" with Max providing the leg power and Kevin the brains. When Max's dad is paroled the story takes a dangerous turn. In spite of the horrible review Publishers Weekly gave this book, I really like it. The story also contains great fodder for discussion with the kids.

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Literary, 1330 pages.

So, I meant to finish this epic, sweeping, really long book when (almost) everyone else did, back in August for our last summer-reading program meeting, but that didn't work out. I was only on page 990 or so at that time. Then I meant to finish it last year, maybe in December, so I could count the page total in 2012, but that didn't work out either. I finished it this morning and now I understand what everyone was talking about at the last meeting with the marriage, and the moving out, and characters not seeing each other anymore, and what Thernadier was trying to do, etc.. I found it a very satisfying end. Marius is redeemed, Jean Valjean gets his belated due, Thernardier is sent off to work his malign nature on America. I'm a little concerned that what Jean says about Fantine, and about seeing Cossette for the first time ten years ago might raise some of the same problems in her marriage that Thernadier was trying to raise, but hey, it's over. Yay.

Check our catalog.

Ebook.

DVD

Les Miserables / Victor Hugo 1432 p.

Our Adult Summer Reading program choice.  I had read it 25 years ago, forgotten it, and enjoyed it again the second time.  I was surprised to find that I liked quite a few of Hugo's rather long-winded passages about the progress of human history, the rights of women and men, and social justice.  (Up to a point, of course - he does tend to like to hear himself write.)