For those of us who simply adore a stack of accumulated books on a table, who find comfort in curling up in a quiet corner with the heft of a volume in eager hands, who greedily inhale that musty fragrance of old favorites, who delight in sagging shelves filled and spilling over, who glory in slowly turning pages mint crisp or those with edges fragile and deckled with time ... well, this one's for you.
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favorite fiction authors + my little library
must-see links + what's on your nightstand
Welcome to the May edition of THE BOOKBAG!
Last month we talked about our desert island bookshelves. My list of must-haves ended up being all non-fiction so this month we're going for the fiction, the authors that you'd take along if you were stranded on a desert island.
I've got three. The midnight oil burns when I'm wrapped up in their works. Their genres are completely different yet their common thread is stellar character development. John Grisham with his top-notch legal thrillers, filled with twists and turns and wry, crisp story-telling
Jan Karon for her cozy, charming Mitford Series, comfort reading at its finest
Susan Meissner who introduced me to the world of richly captivating historical fiction
My reviews ...
John Grisham
A Time for Mercy
Camino Winds
The Whistler
Jan Karon
In Which I Find Comfort
in a Book Series
Susan Meissner
A Fall of Marigolds
Stars Over Sunset Boulevard
The Nature of Fragile Things
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My husband hit it right out of the park when he designed and built this wonderful Log Cabin Road Library for our 47th anniversary. We've been up and running for about a month and I've been having a ball ferreting out the best books and magazines to share. The neighbors have been dropping by and seem just as happy about its debut as we are!
If you're on Cape Cod, please drop by, take a peek inside, and help yourself. You'll spot our Eastham location on the Little Free Library Mobile App, nestled in a fledgling patch of wildflowers ... complete with a comfy Adirondack chair awaiting your bookish visit.
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MUST-SEE LINKS
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WHAT'S ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND?
Let's talk about your favorite fiction writers, your experience with little libraries, and what's on your nightstand right this very moment ...
Linda
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What a sweet selection of books I see in your little library!
ReplyDeleteRight now I am captivated by Crossway’s new Elisabeth Elliot bio, but have read more fiction in 2023 than I have in years. The Covenant of Water was supremely satisfying. The ending was gorgeous. I’m predicting a movie in its future…
Your recommendation is enough for me, Michele. I am now #212 on the wait list for 31 copies.
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I can’t WAIT to hear your thoughts!
DeleteWhat is on my nightstand?
ReplyDeleteCome, and let us see,
and perhaps you'll understand
the weirdness that is me.
There's a Buddha and a Bible,
brass knuckles (not a joke),
some beads said to be tribal,
and a can of Diet Coke.
There's an unopened envelope
with a book from Amazon,
a partially unravelled rope,
and an old chess-pawn
whose wide and plastic little eyes
gaze at me in mute surprise.
Buddha, Bible, brass knuckles, beads. And more! I'm guessing you might be the only one in the world right now with such a random collection at your fingertips. It's a wonder you can even find the bed.
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Well...I don't have a nightstand. Beds are made for sleeping in. :) The church has a little free library on the property and there are several others spread throughout our community. One of my favorite fiction writers are Randall Arthur and I have enjoyed Patti Callahan's books on Becoming Mrs Lewis and Once upon a Wardrobe. The latter I have read twice. I don't have much time to read fiction...unfortunately. The church has a library (inside) of mostly fiction books that I have occasionally read and spurts. Lately, my time reading has been consumed with the topics of Fear and Anxiety (sermon series) and Revelation (also a sermon series).
ReplyDeleteWhere do you put a light? Your Bible? The clock? Glasses? Tissues? A picture of your wife? I'm curious!
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Are there more writers or readers in the world? What makes a good book to read anyway? The genre or the writer's style, or his/her celebrity status? Do people just read a book because it is written by a famous person they like; or because of the subject matter? Why can't you judge a book by its cover? Surely the cover tells you what it's about; I would not want to read a book about the life cycle of a silver fish.
ReplyDeleteWhy do I have so many questions in my head right now?
God bless.
Ah ... someone far away has far too much time on his hands. His brain is in overdrive yet always in a humorous, creative mode. I love a good question ... or two.
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Linda, now that I've seen your lovely nightstand, I have a new idea for a post of my own. Hint: My nightstand could cause people who hate dust and read one book at a time to have a serious allergic reaction. :-) Seriously, I appreciate this peek at your fiction list, and I especially love that toile lampshade! Julie Klassen and Suzanne Woods Fisher are current favorite novelists, and I have a hold at the library on Kate Morton's latest book.
ReplyDeleteI'm on page 107 out of 835 pages (large print) of Kate's HOMECOMING. I'm hooked. So excellent. Could be the best fiction book of 2023?
DeleteMeanwhile, don't worry. There's plenty of dust around here. And I still only read one book at a time. I know no other way!
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you inspire me to get a little library too. I bet my son in law would build one for me. Your ideas and blog are always refreshing to visit!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to hear updates if you decide to go ahead with a library, Jean. I'm just loving keeping it at its best ...
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I included some fiction in my last comment. But Jan Karon's Mitford series would definitely be one of my desert island series. Also Dickens' David Coppefield and A Tale of Two Cities. Louisa May Alcott's Little Women, Little Men, and Jo's Boys. Jane Eyre. The Chronicles of Narnia. I've read all of these several times, and they all stand up to good rereading. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo is a favorite, but I have only read it once due to the length (1440 pages!). A desert island might be a good place to revisit it.
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorite Christian Fiction authors are Roseanna M. White, Melanie Dobson, Nicole Deese, Terri Blackstock, Dee Henderson, Susan Meissner, Lisa Wingate, Elizabeth Musser. You might enjoy the Carolina Chronicles series by Lisa Wingate, set on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The seaside is very much a factor, at least in the first couple of books. The first is The Prayer Box.
Yep, I think it was your fictional choices that sparked the idea to do part 2 and I thank you, Barbara! And you're right, a desert island is the perfect place for a 1440 page revisit. And yes please, always, to Jan Karon.
DeleteYour list of Christian authors will be a great resource for those who love this genre. Yes, Lisa Wingate is so very good.
So glad you've dropped in with your bag of goodies!
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I had a stack of 5 books on my nightstand Friday but have been whittling it down all weekend and just have 3 left to go! I did read Nature of Fragile Things but haven't read any other boks that you've mentioned. I'd have a hard time picking just a few favorite authors to be stranded with-- I'm already thinking I'd need to research them and see who has skills that could be helpful above and beyond keeping me entertained because I'm just a literal thinker like that.
ReplyDeleteI love this, Joanne -->'I'd need to research them and see who has skills that could be helpful above and beyond keeping me entertained'
DeleteI never thought of it that way! I'd probably need a whole entourage, for sure.
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I love your Little Free Library! Susan Meissner is one of my favorite historical fiction authors. Her newest one, Only the Beautiful is so wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the thumbs up on Only the Beautiful, Stacie ... I'm on the waiting list at the library!
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I am just over the top with your new Library! If I lived nearby I would not only visit the free library but I would love to donate. It's always wonderful to see what you are up too Linda. I dropped by our local thrift store recently as they were having a sale on all their books. Some $1 but most 50 cents. I picked up three as It was quite crowded in the little library room there but will go back to browse when it's a little less crowded. Happy Monday to you. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
ReplyDeleteCindy, we have a FREE swap shop at the town transfer station/dump. It's a bargain-hunter's paradise ... lots of books to browse through and then take home to share. I'm in my glory there!! My husband waits patiently in the car.
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I agree, Jan Karon's books would be lovely companions on a desert island! Susan Meissner would surely be another good choice. I've only read The Bridge Across the Ocean, but will definitely look for more, based on the enthusiasm for her here. Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs series is one I've greatly enjoyed--well-developed characters, well-researched historical background, beautifully written mysteries. Just started a historical novel titled Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce. The back cover describes it as joyfully uplifting and optimistic--I look forward to a fun, restful read with this one!
ReplyDelete' joyfully uplifting and optimistic'
DeleteNow THAT's what we're looking for when all is said and done! Yes!
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Linda, I absolutely LOVE your LFL! What an amazing hubby you have. The Covenant of Water looks right up my alley, but I may need to wait till I'm ready for another longer book. Right now, I'm in the middle of Rules of Civility, which is very good and Hello Beautiful, which isn't as immersive as I'd hoped. I've got my eye on some shorter middle-grade books to start summer. I'm excited for The Wishing Game by Meg Shaffer to come out later this month, and I want to read The Labors of Hercules Beal, too! (And thanks for including the link to the Summer Reading Challenge!!! oxoxo)
ReplyDeleteMichelle, I love the idea of a parent/child reading challenge. Superb! I hope a lot of readers come your way. If I had a little one at home, I'd be the first one on board. Thanks for sharing your creative, bookish energy with us all.
DeleteREADERS - Don't miss this fun opportunity to do something fun with your kids!
https://bookdevotions.com/summer-reading-challenge-2023/
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I love Jan Karon’s Mitford series. Each book felt like a warm sweater on a cool spring night. I enjoy historical fiction immensely. I love your LFL!
ReplyDeleteAh, that's so beautifully spoken, friend ...
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Your Little Library is adorable! We have an unofficial Little Library at our doctor's office. We used to have one at our mall but I think it got moved to a different section.If I lived closer I would certainly check out your library. I don't have any books on my nightstand but I just checked out two books from the library, The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson. I have no idea if its a "clean" novel or not. We shall see. And the second book I checked out is One Woman's: Army A Black Officer Remembers the WAC by Charity Adams Early. I had never heard of her and the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion from World War II until last month after reading a historical fiction novel about them. Well happy reading!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool idea to have Little Libraries at the doctor's office and the mall. A perfect alternative to staring at our phones all the time, endlessly scrolling and clicking!
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Llinda, I love your little library and how nice for the neighbors to visit and pick out a book. We have a lot of them in my neighborhood. Thanks for the blog visits and I hope you have a nice week.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting that there are a number in your neighborhood, Julie! A true feast for book lovers, for sure ...
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What a FABULOUS anniversary gift! :) I love that. Susan Meissner has been one of my faves for a long time. I also just finished Stars of Sunset Boulevard. Such an interesting story! I really enjoyed A Fall of Marigolds too. I'm waiting for her newest to become available on Libby so I can listen to it. :) I do more audiobooks at this season in my life because it's really hard to make time to sit down and read. :)
ReplyDeleteWhatever works, right? Each season, each kind of book, each unique reader needs her own time and place and pace.
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I do love your little library. Such a great idea. And I definitely need to check out some of these titles!
ReplyDeleteOh good, Donna! I hope you find something that fits you to a T.
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I love these little neighborhood libraries!
ReplyDeleteI had such fun loading it up for the weekend this afternoon. I'm like a kid in a candy shop.
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I love Jan Karon's Mitford series. I finished it last year and am already itching to restart! Such comforting books full of truth and beauty in the plots and characters. I also love Susan Meissner's historical fiction. A Fall of Marigolds was so uniquely written. I had not read any 9/11 fiction, so it was powerful. I am linking up a recent author interview with a local author/friend who wrote a great WWII middle-grade novel (though I loved it as an adult), if you are interested in WWII novel recommendation!
ReplyDeleteAnd I love your little free library! We have several within a few miles of us, so it's fun to stop by and either look at the books or drop off many of our own. Hope yours gets lots of visitors!
What a lovely visit with you today, Elena ... wish we could shrink the miles and talk books in person, glasses of iced tea in hand. Would love to hear more about that WWII novel ... good lit needed at that level, for sure.
DeleteHave the loveliest of weekends.
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