Senior Book Break
Subject: Odd Couples
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
Count Alexander Rostov, born into Russian aristocracy, finds himself in Moscow at the time of the Russian Revolution. Sentenced to spend the rest of his life in the luxury hotel, Metropol, he retreats into himself, shunning the company of others. One day he meets a lively 5-year-old who becomes his best friend and partner in mischief. Sofia and the Count bond in wonderful ways that bring joy and purpose to both.
The story takes place from 1922 into the 1950s, so of course, both characters age. Our reader highly recommends this book. It is in Fiction at GBCL
Mucho Mojo by Joe Landsdale
This book chronicles the adventures of Hap and Leonard. Hap is a redneck field worker and Leonard is a gay black man.
“Inheriting one hundred thousand dollars and a small hiccup of a house in a dilapidated district is not so bad, and Uncle Chester made a nice gift of it to his nephew Leonard… though the clean-up is intensive, the floor is rotten, and the neighbors are something from a nightmare.
It is one thing to renovate a house to sell it. It is another to cut down the walls and risk discovering hidden skeletons…”
Our reader loved this odd duo, the series and the adventures they get into. Highly recommend.
The White Masai by Corinne Hofmann
Corinne took a trip to visit Kenya, never expecting to meet the man of her dreams. It was love at first sight when this tall, fair Swiss/German saw this tall, dark Masai man. Neither could speak the other’s language, but they somehow managed to communicate and they eventually married. She stayed in Kenya had their daughter and four years later, returned to Switzerland with the child. Their language, customs and expectations were very, very different. Our reader was quite fascinated by this odd couple. A book found at the book sale.
Love and War by Mary Matalin and James Carville
What happens when an arch conservative meets an unapologetic liberal when they are working for the political campaigns of opposing candidates? Sparks fly, in every sense of the word. This odd couple managed to create a loving life, with two beautiful daughters, without killing each other. This book chronicles their life together, in both of their honest, humorous voices. They take turns telling about the 20 year span between 1992 and 2022, and the political environment of the times. Very interesting and the reader recommends. It is in the GBCL biographies.
Next month our meeting is September 10th at the good ol’ Grover Beach Community Library, 240 No. 9th Street, Grover Beach.
Our subject is orphans: The Orphan Trains. books on adopting orphans, Lost Birds, by Anne Hillerman, orphans in WWII and many others
—Fran Strauser