Author: Anne Tyler

I’m a fan of this author and will read anything she writes. This story is a little harder to describe than many of her others.

The Whitshank’s, Abby and Red, live in the home that Red grew up in. Their four children have left home but Denny really hasn’t settle well at anything. When Abby starts to display some dementia symptoms everyone wants to help out. Denny moves back home but Stem and his family also move into the family home. Their stories cover the first section of the book.

The next two sections take us back to Red’s parents, Junior and Linnie Mae, and the story of how they came together and obtained the family home. It also recounts Red and Abby’s love story. The final section gives us the meaning for the title – a spool of blue thread that appears almost magically.

Goodreads Rating: * * * *

Author: James Baldwin

This recommendation came from a Facebook group I belong to; it was their February book of the month (I didn’t even know they had a book of the month). It was a small one so I decided to get it from the library and fit it into the pile of my own books that I had already set aside.

Fonny and Tish had been friends since childhood and later make plans to marry. Tish falls pregnant about the same time that Fonny is arrested and sent to jail. Their story reflects the gritty truth about many black lives in America no matter what time period they are set it.

If you like a neat ending you will be disappointed.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Lisa See

This is one of the books included in Kathryn’s 2025 birthday bag. I saw the idea on Facebook and decided to pass it along. On her birthday Kathryn received a bag of books (second hand that I’ve pre-read) each wrapped in brown paper. The idea is that once a month (on her birthdate) she can pick a book to read. Each book includes a bookmark of some sort.

This is one of the books that I didn’t pre-read. I’m a fan of Lisa See though and I hope to get it back one day so I can read it.

UPDATE: During our Spring trip to Regina Kathryn gave me the book back. I loved it both for the story and the insight into the Chinese culture, specifically the lives of girls and women.

Goodreads Rating: * * * * *

Author: Tim Winton

Pat was about to give this book away but I hadn’t read it and he thought I might like it. So it came out of the box (along with another by the same author) and was added to my books-to-read collection.

The author is Australian and the book was shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize. I often find the Man Booker books are not to my liking but I gave this one a try. The writing is lovely, although there were some Australian terms that I wasn’t sure about. It was an interesting story and it wasn’t until the final pages that it all “came together”.

There are three main characters in the book, all of them somewhat damaged. Jim comes from a long line of fishermen and by the end of the book we see he is trying to outrun his family’s past. Lu is a musician who lost his brother, his brother’s wife, and their two children in a vehicle accident. The whole family are considered bad luck by the surrounding neighbours. Georgie has never maintained a long relationship, including one with her family; she is living with Jim and his two children when she meets Lu.

Goodreads Rating: * * *