Recent Reads

52. The Killer Angels
This book won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1975, and has been on my TBR list for ages, so when as part of our Spring 2013 US road trip, we decided to visit Gettysburg, I got the audio book version to listen to on the trip. 

As a person who did not grow up in the US, my knowledge of the US Civil War is sketchy at best. Oh, I understand the broad strokes, but really have little knowledge of the actual battles, and the players involved. This book tells the story of the four days of the Battle of Gettysburg. The story is character driven and told from the perspective of various protagonists, and is wonderfully narrated by Stephen Hoye. I got so involved with the characters that I was rooting for both sides, and found that I have a soft spot for the boys from Virginia and Maine. The only downside to not reading a print book was I did not have maps to look at while listening.

It was rather amazing to be in Gettysburg after listening to this book. I knew the players, and the events, and being there brought the entire story to life. By the way, I would also highly recommend a visit to Gettysburg National Military Park. I've come to believe that one cannot really understand the America of today without understanding the Civil War and its aftermath. Rating: 5 stars.

53. Sixpence House: Lost in a Town of Books
I imagine that most book people would love to move to Hay-on-Wye, a Welsh town with 1500 inhabitants and 40 book stores. While most of us might think about it, the author does just that. This memoir is a meditation on moving and the meaning of home, and on reading and the meaning of books. The book starts out strong and is often hilarious, but it seems to lose steam along the way. Still it is an enjoyable read if your idea of heaven is living in a quirky town with so many indie book stores. Rating: 3 stars.

54. The Scarecrow
I was in the mood for a thriller, so went to by my go-to guy, Michael Connelly. This is the second book in the Jack McEvoy series, and while I finished reading it in two sessions, this is not a book I would recommend. Yes, Connelly knows how to tell a story, and his pacing is good, but honestly, I found the plot rather predictable, and there was no character development at all. Too bad, since I really liked the first book in this series. Rating: 2 stars.