Love Conquers All

Hello dear readers. I missed the month of March on my book blog. I was busy with compiling (and typing and typing) anthologies for my Writers in the Schools students, and traveling for spring break with my high school senior. I’m finding some writing time again and want to talk books.  I’ve read some excellent novels, a book of short stories by the star of that genre (in my opinion) - Alice Munro - and one amazing book of poetry since I last posted here.  You can see the list of books I’ve read since July on the column to the right of the screen.

           A Land More Kind than Home  by Wiley Cash is a first novel that you may not have heard much about, and you must hurry out and get the book, now in paperback, from your local independent bookseller. It’s a Southern story of evil and love and families and it blew me away.

The story is told in through three distinct voices – the wise woman Adelaide Lyle, the young boy Jess Hall, and the seasoned sheriff Clem Barefield. All three have experienced tragedy in their lives and have chosen love over bitterness. Love is the answer and (spoiler alert) love wins in this tale of redemption.  Thanks again to Blue Willow Bookshop for the great book suggestion!

        

    The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker is also all about love. It was one of those books that I finished with tears pouring down my face, on an airplane. So hard to hide and so embarrassing. But I couldn’t stop crying; it was such a beautiful story.

            Heartbeats is a love story for the ages. The novel also involves a puzzle as a young woman searches for her missing father and unlocks his mysterious past. Her quest leads to her father’s native country of Burma and the tiny village of his sad origin.  I won’t say anymore except -- read both of these wonderful books!