Spent many a late night with this book. Though it's not full of action, it's a fascinating character study--one of those books that I feel the need to talk about because there are so many unanswered questions. It's also the story of a dying town--and the folks that are left. The climax left me gasping in shock, but the conclusion was quiet and almost unresolved. Highly recommended.

It took ages for me to get through this book--no real narrative flow and it really felt like a report on Wharton. She did this and then she did this and then this! But after the US entered the war (along with the American Red Cross) things got really interesting and it became difficult to put down. Great for those interested in the other side of famous writers, as well as for those interested in women and WWI. It gave me a whole other insight to an article I recently wrote about club women and WWI in Dallas--and now I wish I had read this before writing that paper (it's only been sitting on my shelf for about two years!).

Just discovered that the author is an alumni of my tiny liberal arts college, which made the read more fun.
However, I did find the book a bit clunky. Parts of it were just delightful, but much of it just wasn't handled with a deft touch, when it should have been. And certain plot points just seemed too obvious? That's not quite the word, but he just didn't hit the clever mark like I expected. Still, an enjoyable read and I'm glad I checked it out.
Go Hendrix!

sounds like a self-help book, and in a way, I suppose it is. But it's so much more. . .
I found this book quite by accident--on a bargain shelf at an indy store in Asheville. I was travelling with a friend and we decicded it was too fun to pass up. We spent the next few days reading bits and pieces of it to each other and were soon referring to Marjorie regularly. For instance, I was debating about buying a dress, and Adrienne insisted that Marjorie would demand that I buy it. So I bought it.
At any rate, I finished it this week. First published in 1936, it certainly smacks of a social history time capsule. And yet. . .
Marjorie is all about figuring out ways to make yourself happy. She believes that we shouldn't rely on others for that happiness, but on ourselves. And unlike some "being single" books that have been forced into my hands by well meaning friends, this one doesn't talk about being single like it's a bad thing. She has wit and humor and charm, and I just love Marjorie. It's one of those books that I want to share with everyone, but there's no way in h*?* I'm going to let my copy out of my house.

Something that's been sitting on my shelf for a while. . .
I had a class with Kasson in NC, but this is one of his earlier books. Really found it fascinating--wonderful exploration of how we as a nation think about technology and progress. And how those thoughts connect to our republican (small r) ideals--and how that might have seriously messed us up today. This is less about the extraordinary technologial advances of the 19th century (factories! steamships! railroads!) than how we thought about those advances.
Quite useful for one of our upcoming themes at the museum. Great for anyone interested in the intersection of the ideas and ideals of technology and society--but in all honestly, probably only for the history nerd.

Would it be enough to just tell you to go read this book right now?
In simplest terms, it's the story of a West Texas rancher during the horrendous 1950s drought. Kelton weaves the stories of a stubborn man, a dying town, cattle and sheep and goats, immigration, the economy, governmental meddling, relationships, small town life, and trying to stay alive into one heck of a novel. You can feel the heat and the dust, and your heart aches as the ranch slips away.
This is one of those books that is almost constantly on the Top 10 Texas book lists. Rightfully so. But like Goodbye to a River, it's one that everyone should read. It's a quiet novel, and yet it will move you in ways that most books seldom do. It's a page turner, but you don't realize it until you look up at the clock and realize how much time and how many pages have passed. Though quintessentially Texas, yet, the characters could be found in any small town and the agricultural struggles could be anywhere.
Great conversation at book club--everyone universally adored it and there was talk of forcing it onto others.
Highly recommended, even if you never thought you'd touch a "western" novel. A rich, deep, beautiful book that will leave you sighing at the end.