I crave books

Subtitled: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America.

This memoir tells about the life of Emmett Till, who at 14 was murdered during a vacation to Mississippi. His crime: allegedly whistling at a white woman. The time: August 1955. His case became a cause celebre for the early Civil Rights Movement-especially when the white killers were acquitted.

The most gripping part of this book was the description leading up to Emmett’s attack and the aftermath from trying to get the body back to Chicago from Mississippi and the trial.

I skimmed the first and last thirds of the book but found the part related to the crime and trail to be a fascinating and horrifying glimpse at the beginning of the Civil Rights movement.

This was a read for book group. I can’t decide what this was supposed to be about; it’s either a memoir of a drag queen or a love story gone wrong. Not sure. It was a quick read. I didn’t dislike it, but I wasn’t sure what the point was, and (unlike the other memoirs we’ve read this year) I felt the author didn’t share enough emotionally.

Plus the book I had included some “extras” in the back, one of which was an interview with the author. In the interview when the author mentioned knowing James Frey and his wife, I immediately began doubting everything I’d just read. Especially because the author candidly shares his battle with alcohol and how he frequently blacked out.

Again, I feel I’m coming a little late to the party on this book, finally reading something that’s been suggested to me be several others. But it’s the April pick for an online discussion I’m part of so the timing was right to read it.

As many others have said, I laughed and cried while reading Marley’s adventures. I am a cat owner, but have relatives with dogs and I think the feelings pet owners have for their charges are universal.

I was surprised (and impressed) by how much of his personal life the author shared (although it is subtitled life and love with the world’s worst dog) and think it’s also the story of a marriage. And that’s probably what has made it so widely read. Because it’s not just about the dog.

I’ll be interested to see how the movie version of this story turns out.

This weekend was all about hearts. First Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult, then this pick for book club, Heart in the Right Place (which has several patients with heart problems).

This memoir tells how Carolyn Jourdan, US State Senate Counsel, and former Tennessee redneck, returns home following her mother’s heart attack to help her physician father with his rural family practice clinic.

It’s a sweet tale, with vivid descriptions of the odd cast of characters who come to be treated by Doc Jourdan. It’s also the tale of Carolyn’s struggle to decide if she should remain in east Tennessee as her father’s receptionist or go back to her high-powered Washington life.

This was a fun, quick read, with lots of pithy observations on the human condition. It’ll be fun to talk about at Book Group.