Apparently, March was a slow reading month for me and I didn’t even realize it until I went to write this post! I finished only two books last month. Here’s what they were ~
The Life of Charlie is a true story written about a gentleman from Kansas City who lived to be 109. You read that right – 109! This was our March book club selection. The Life of Charlie is one of those books that I probably would never have picked up had it not been for the book club selecting it. And I’m so glad they did! I found Charlie’s story so interesting. As a bonus, Charlie lived in Kansas City and the book has many interesting facts about that location. Having many friends currently living in the Kansas City area, it was fun to learn a little more history of that part of Missouri.
Here’s the summary from Amazon ~
When a veteran Washington journalist moved to Kansas, he met a new neighbor who was more than a century old. Little did he know that he was beginning a long friendship—and a profound lesson in the meaning of life. Charlie White was no ordinary neighbor. Born before radio, Charlie lived long enough to use a smartphone. When a shocking tragedy interrupted his idyllic boyhood, Charlie mastered survival strategies that reflect thousands of years of human wisdom. Thus armored, Charlie’s sense of adventure carried him on an epic journey of the Jazz Age, racing aboard ambulances through Depression-era gangster wars, improvising techniques for early open-heart surgery, and cruising the Amazon as a guest of Peru’s president.
David Von Drehle came to understand that Charlie’s resilience and willingness to grow made this remarkable neighbor a master in the art of thriving through times of dramatic change. As a gift to his children, he set out to tell Charlie’s secrets. The Book of Charlie is a “genuinely original, formula-shattering” (Bob Woodward) gospel of grit—the inspiring story of one man’s journey through a century of upheaval. The history that unfolds through Charlie’s story reminds you that the United States has always been a divided nation, a questing nation—a nation of Charlies in the rollercoaster pursuit of a good and meaningful life.
This is one of those books I’d seen on various book clubs and reading sites I belong to and decided to add it to my audio library. I loved it! Frozen Rivier is the first book I've read by Ariel Lawhon and I’m excited to read more. The audio version was 15 hours long and I can honestly say I loved every minute of it. Jane Oppenheimer was the narrator and she did an amazing job. If you read or listen to it, make sure to read the author’s notes at the end. Here’s the summary from Amazon ~
Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.
Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.
Clever, layered, and subversive, Ariel Lawhon’s newest offering introduces an unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice at a time when women were considered best seen and not heard. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense, and tender story about a remarkable woman who left an unparalleled legacy yet remains nearly forgotten to this day.
Thank you for sharing your book selection with us. I added The Frozen River to my reading list. 📚 I hope that you have a wonderful weekend. 😊
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed The Frozen River too!
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