Thursday, Mar. 13 — Despite the little weather setback this week, the fact that I can once again see that my driveway is made of cement and not ice, and that the grass on the edge of the roads is still there, despite being the color of rust and mud, gives me hope - and more than a little spring fever. Here's what we're reading:
SHOTGUN LOVESONGS
Nikolas Butler
Being from a very small upper Midwest town, there's something comforting about reading a novel about life in a small upper Midwest town. Mr. Butler's fictional farming community of Little Wing, Wisconsin always feels just right as he spins out the drama and humor surrounding four high school friends and their relationships to each other and especially to their close-knit town.
One of the four stayed behind to farm his family's land. The other three left, or at least tried to leave, Little Wing and became successful - a world famous singer/songwriter, a rodeo star and a Chicago commodities trader. The author tells the story by alternating the voices of each of the friends, as well as Beth, the wife of the farmer and an unexpectedly pivotal figure in the lives of the four men. The struggle between wanting more of the world vs.the magnetic pull of the hometown where your roots run deep isn't a new theme, but Mr. Butler handles it with exceptional skill and pitch-perfect emotion. A page-turner that leaves you with a glow at the finish. kobo eBook
FIVE CAME BACK
Mark Harris
My favorite reading experiences are often the surprises. I picked up Mr. Harris' new book because it looked like an interesting and unique small slice of WWII history. What I found was a truly remarkable story, every bit as exciting as any other from that era.
THE SNACKING DEAD
D.B. Walker
When things catch on among booksellers, they really catch on. As a group, we tend to be as obsessive about films and television shows as we are about books. For me, hot TV means House of Cards; for a large number of Schulerites, it's The Walking Dead. There's no cookbook associated with HoC - yet - but there's a dandy (read semi-gruesome) one for the zombie crowd.
So what do you whip up when the gang's gathering at your house for the latest episode? How about some Nachos of the Living Dead or Very-Last-Call Bar Nuts to start, followed by a few Survivalist Heroes or Gory Red Grinders (Squirrel Poppers, anyone?). And for dessert, who could say no to Cold-Blooded Ice Cream Bread Sandwiches or a Gratuitous Violence Jell-O Mold? Wash it all down with cocktails like Bloody Walker or Corpse Reviver and you've got a real undead party going. kobo eBook
So what's everybody looking forward to the most, once this winter finally steps aside? Do you have a favorite outdoor reading spot - a deck, a park bench, a shady piece of ground under a tree? Do you read different kinds of books depending on whether you're indoors or out? Pretty easy to tell what's on my mind this week, isn't it?
Until next week,
Neil
NeilNeil Rajala is Currently Director of Community & Business Services for Schuler Books, Neil's decade with the company has included the wearing of many different hats - and lots and lots of reading.
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