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Mrs. Murfreesboro: The ‘Boro’s Top 10 reads for this summer



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By: JEANNE BRAGG, Post Columnist
Posted: Sunday, June 21, 2009 7:34 am
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Since all news reports indicate that summertime means reading time in America, below are Mrs. Murfreesboro’s Top Ten reads for this summer (in no particular order).

1) “West with the Night” by Beryl Markham
. One of my favorite books – ever – this is a true story of a British woman transported to Africa as a child where she learned to tame horses and fly airplanes, later becoming the first person to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean from East to West. Markham’s prose is pure poetry, and although I’ll never get to travel to Africa, this book connected me with the land in a very special way.

And “speaking” of Africa.....

2) “I Dreamed of Africa” is another “fave.” It is a true story by Kuki Gallman, an Italian heiress who builds a farm in Kenya and dedicates her life to the preservation of her adopted country. Although it is not as beautifully written as Markham’s (English is not Gallman’s native language) it is very sad at times, and memorable. And be warned: do NOT look at the photos in the middle of the book until you have finished it. They will spoil the story.

3) “Missing May.” This is a young adult book by Cynthia Rylant given to one of my children by the Easter bunny years ago about a very sad life of a foster child; and about friendship, loss and renewal. It is easily read in one sitting and just the ticket if you need an excuse for a cry.

4) “Devil In White City” by Erik Larson. This is a non-fiction tale about the Chicago World fair of 1893 paralleling the lives of a famous architect and America’s reputed first serial killer. It is full of interesting facts about the city of Chicago and American inventions and you won’t want to put it down.

5) “Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Meth Addiction” by David Sheff.
This book is painful to read; a non-fiction account of a loving father who chronicles his son’s addiction to methamphetamine. Sheff comes to realize that he cannot control or change his son’s behavior and his confessions will help and enlighten many people in similar circumstances.

6) “The Charm School” by Nelson DeMille. I love DeMille, especially newer ones featuring witty, sarcastic investigator John Corey (“Plum Island,” “Night Fall” and “Wild Fire”). I was introduced to “The Gold Coast” 15 years ago and “The Charm School” was my second DeMille read. It still remains my favorite – a suspenseful page-turner about the relations between the U.S. and Russia during the cold war. And again be warned: it is anything BUT charming.

7) “Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing” by Ted Conover. I heard Terry Gross interview Conover on NPR regarding truth vs. deception in investigative reporting and was hooked. Conover went under cover to portray life behind bars and his accounts are riveting. You learn that no one wins in the penal system.

8) “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” by Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Another not so warm and fuzzy read, but a vividly depressing account of a prisoner in a Siberian labor camp. The book exiled Solzhenitsyn from Russia (lucky him), and although grim, gives a new insight into one’s idea of a “bad day at work.”

9) “Thoughts of Home: Reflections on Families, Houses and Homelands” from the editors of House Beautiful Magazine. When I turned 50, this is the only gift I asked for from my family. It is a beautiful collection of essays chronicling authors feelings of “home” and is a must for anyone who values family and home life. I asked my siblings to each write their own Thought of Home, and their essays will be by my bedside for my lifetime. It makes a great gift.

10) “Love in the Time of Cholera” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. This book kind of bounces all over the place, but it is about love in all forms and is a must for hopeless romantics.

So – happy reading ...‘til next week!
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Tags: Jeanne Bragg, Mrs. Murfreesboro, Voices
Member Opinions:
By: justdance on 6/22/09

I wouldn't dare pick up any of these books to read during the summer! Isn't summer reading supposed to be light, funny and entertaining?

Sorry, but these all sound way too depressing to me.

By: ChristianLane on 7/22/09
THESE BOOKS ARE DOWNERS.. YOU WILL NEED PROZAC IN HIGH DOSES IF THIS WAS ALL YOU READ. SOMETHING LIGHT, REFRESHING AND INSPIRATIONAL IS WHAT I AND MY BOOK LOVING FRIENDS PREFER DURING THE BEAUTIFUL SUMMER MONTHS.


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