Evie Walters Takes the Wheel by Kathleen Fox

EVIE WALTERS TAKES THE WHEEL by Kathleen Fox is another road trip adventure which I thoroughly enjoyed. Evelyn (Evie) Walters’ husband of almost fifty years, Royce, has died recently and her adult children (Melony, Wells, and Tessa) are pushing her to move to an assisted living facility even though she is only seventy-one. Inspired by a chance encounter with two young women (called Buns and Braids), Evie decides to buy a camper van and hit the road.  Her destination is Montana where she grew up and met her first love, Novel Daniels. He was a ranch hand who also grew orchids, and she received a rare, special one on the day of her husband’s funeral, furthering solidifying her decision to travel. Life on the road is an adventure, of course, as Evie meets new friends, including a waitress, a billionaire, fellow campers, and a rescue dog named Mrs. Brown. Filled with surprises and growth opportunities (“Do what you've always dreamt of doing because we have a lot fewer tomorrows than yesterdays”) for Evie and her family, EVIE WALTERS TAKES THE WHEEL is a fun, entertaining read. Book Club Questions are included; my favorite is “When the Birdies [her friends and golfing buddies] discuss what they might have done differently, it opens the door to forward dreaming instead of backward regret. What's a “coulda, shoulda, woulda” you still have time to do? Share a dream you haven't crossed off yet. (No limits--dream outrageously.)”

The Last Best Place on the Internet by Richard Cooke

THE LAST BEST PLACE ON THE INTERNET by Richard Cooke, an award-winning Australian journalist, describes “A Human History of Wikipedia.” And it seems particularly relevant as we transition to an age dominated by AI when even Wikipedia’s own entry page now notes that they are receiving fewer visitors. This book feels like more than the history of the past quarter century for this massive site (“the largest and most read reference work in history,” per its own Wikipedia page entry). Cooke has produced almost an elegy to Wikipedia’s human-centered, volunteer efforts, (e.g., he notes its early “radical shift” of including “Talk” and History” sub-pages for articles) and a ban on advertising. He also highlights the controversies surrounding questions about its accuracy and systemic bias (e.g., discussing the efforts to encourage more female editors) while splitting the text into different parts which address questions concerning What is Wikipedia? Where did it come from? Why does it work? What has been the Struggle? and What is the Future? Reading this rather dense and detailed work will encourage reflection on how (subconsciously for me at least) our use of Wikipedia has changed (e.g., “One figure showed that the click-through rate to Wikipedia from AI chatbots was only 0.33 percent; for search engines, it had been closer to 9 percent” and (Cooke refers here to another researcher’s observations), “what we’re witnessing is something more profound: a generational shift in how people relate to knowledge itself. Younger users don't search. They scroll. They don't read articles. They consume fragments.”). The Notes section comprises roughly fifteen percent of the text and Cooke conducted an extensive series of interviews. Library Journal gave THE LAST BEST PLACE ON THE INTERNET a starred review, saying, “Cooke leaves no stone unturned, and the result is a wide-ranging, eye-opening, and entertaining survey of the weird and wonderful world of Wikipedia.”

For a fun exercise in appreciating the numbers of people working on Wikipedia and the frequency of edits, visit Listen Wikipedia which is explained here.

The Mother-in-Law Book Club by Kate Hash

I read THE MOTHER-IN-LAW BOOK CLUB by Kate Hash in two days because I found the characters to be so positive, friendly, and welcoming to each other. The story starts out quite differently when Andi (Andrea Elizabeth Walker, consultant and a soon-to-be-divorced thirty something) can’t resist ranting at two non-stop complainers on her flight to Durham, North Carolina. One of the older women, named Marilyn, invites Andi to her weekly book group and soon Andi is sharing intergenerational relationship advice with the other members (Gale, Rose, Nancy, Tessa). Feeling like an adopted daughter, Andi joins in with the family holiday celebrations and settles into life in Durham; this life “reset” is complete with new work friendships and a new, somewhat secret romance. This is an uplifting story about fate: “It's not always easy to find the people who we are truly meant for in this life. Not just the soulmates and romantic partners, but the friends -- and the friends who become family. Sometimes the universe wants you in a place, not just physically, but emotionally, before it gives you the ultimate gift.” THE MOTHER-IN-LAW BOOK CLUB is a fun, entertaining read recommended for fans of Annabel Monaghan or Kat Mackenzie.

Live Like a Citizen by Eric Liu

LIVE LIKE A CITIZEN by Eric Liu (A Chinaman’s Chance and You’re More Powerful Than You Think) is subtitled “8 Ways to Change Your Mindset and Our Country.” Those eight ways are to see; listen; feel; join; fight; change; imagine; and commit. Liu patiently devotes a chapter to each one, providing a more detailed analysis (e.g., about the differences in listening like a citizen, like a caregiver, a documentarian, a judge, and an immigrant) and giving multiple examples, often sharing stories from his family or his teaching experience or from seminars conducted by Citizen University (where he is CEO). Liu is a former speech writer and well-respected author on civic engagement whose TedTalks on citizenship and democracy have millions of views. Particularly in these times (and as we approach a crucial election), LIVE LIKE A CITIZEN is a rich, fascinating read and one that I found deserves to be digested slowly. I intend to return to this thoughtful book and look forward to recommending it and discussing it with others. LIVE LIKE A CITIZEN received a starred review from Library Journal (“an outstanding example of the many efforts dedicated to overcoming polarization, isolation, and hostility in American society”) recommending it as an “excellent companion” to Putnam’s updated Bowling Alone.

The Memory of Borrowed Books by Anderson

THE MEMORY OF BORROWED BOOKS by Meg Anderson is the number one LibraryReads selection for October and on the Indie Next list, too. This novel, blending mystery, fantasy, and romance, is likely to elicit numerous emotions from its readers. Claire, a 30-something librarian, is the main character along with her father, retired firefighter Jack; her ebullient co-worker, Grace; and the townspeople and patrons of Foxhollow Library. One of those, called “Mr. Broody” by Grace, is Julian, gradually growing closer to Claire as they all learn that the library is under threat and may be closed. Claire also must deal with a magic hidden room only she can see at the library and the memories it contains. A stunning debut, THE MEMORY OF BORROWED BOOKS begins slowly, but it is a powerful story about grief, about hope, and about the secrets we hide, even from those closest to us. A Reading Group Guide is included, followed by Meg Anderson’s Acknowledgments which say in part, “… finally, to libraries, thank you for being places of refuge. Thank you for the stories you hold within your walls and for the way you open your doors to everyone, asking nothing in return.”

Murder on 34th Street by Mariah Fredericks

MURDER ON 34TH STREET by Mariah Fredericks is a fun, holiday-themed mystery story set in New York City in 1932. The delightful main character is named Grace Verlander who is Assistant to the Head of Personnel at Macy’s. She seems to know each of the 8000 (!) employees and is constantly dealing with one crisis (e.g., smudgy counters) to another (e.g., request for a raise) to another (e.g., quality of toilet paper). I especially enjoyed the opening scene as she moves through the store to meet with Santa; it made me think if the West Wing opening when Leo walks through The White House. The staccato pace to her monologue and asides to the reader is quite amusing, particularly in regard to Raymond Di Nunzio, the window designer and a possible romantic interest. But for Grace, work comes first: “Lil [perfume saleswoman and her friend] would tell me to stop worrying about work and enjoy life. But what Lil does not understand is that I enjoy work because work can be divided into a thousand little tasks that can be put on a list, accomplished, and crossed off.” It gets quite involved when Santa’s life is threatened, just prior to the 9th annual Macy’s parade and when a body is found as the parade ends. Several other deaths occur, and Grace tries to investigate, even if it means suspecting Raymond or Lil.  Booklist gave a MURDER ON 34TH STREET starred review (“prose so witty and crackling that readers might start to hear the fast-talking Katherine Hepburn or Rosalind Russell in their heads”) and I sincerely hope that Mariah Fredericks writes more mysteries featuring Grace and this fun cast. Enjoy!

On a related note, Goodreads just posted “92 New and Beloved Cozy Reads for Fall.” Bookmark it now – the list includes so many titles personal favorites that we have enjoyed and reviewed (Everyone in this Bank is a Thief, The Oxford Guide to Scandal and Lies, The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances, The Reimagining of Thornwood House, This Book Made Me Think of You), plus “classic cozies” like Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand or The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, and many more. It is a great resource.

Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson

BAD WORDS by Rioghnach Robinson is a Library Reads selection, #1 Indie Next pick for October and recipient of a starred review from Booklist - maybe in part because people like reading about writers and books? In fact, per Kirkus, this adult debut is “perfect for bibliophiles.” It tells the story of a writer, Parker Navarro, whose work is decimated in a scathing review by a young critic, Selina Chan. They have a public feud and gradually discover more private aspects about each other as their relationship deepens. Their banter in a series of emails is fun and engaging. BAD WORDS had plenty of opportunity to show the growth - personal and professional – of both Selena and Parker. And Robinson generally has given readers a well-written exploration of their relationship and of the impact of social media. Maybe, by chance, I have just been reading too many books where the main characters suddenly jump into a sexual relationship, but I don’t think that necessarily improves the quality of a story even though it is included here. Throughout, there is quite a bit of angst and need for introspection so it seems this book would appeal most to younger adults just starting their careers. It has certainly generated interest, including being chosen as a Good Morning America Book Club Pick.