Six more...

 I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb

The story opens with Thomas Birdsey, a paranoid schizophrenic, sitting in a library cutting off his own arm. Then for nine hundred and some pages the story of his relationship with his twin brother, Dominick, and their desperately messed up family unfolds. It's misery upon misery, yet manages to lead to a satisfying conclusion. The story was good, I only wish it had been told in a hundred (or two) fewer pages.  

Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day by Winifred Watson

Dowdy Miss Pettigrew, unemployed governess, has lived a life of order and solitude but all that is about to change. Looking for work, she knocks on the wrong door only to find herself invited into a world more vibrant and lively than she has ever considered possible. In a twenty-four hour period she will be dazzled by glittering surroundings and fascinating people, and shocked at their disregard for generally accepted manners and morals. 

It was light-hearted and fun to read, but a couple of racist remarks in what was otherwise entertaining dialogue took the shine off it. I understand such remarks would have been accepted in 1938 when the book was written, and we can't change the past, but there's no getting around the fact that they are racist and reflect attitudes that were as wrong then as they are now.  

The One-In-A-Million Boy by Monica Wood

A thoughtful, well-written story about a now deceased 11 year old, referred to only as "the boy", and Ona, a 104 year old woman with a crusty shell. The two became friends when he started doing her yard work to earn a boy scout badge, and then recording an interview he did with her for a school project. When he couldn't complete his Saturday morning work commitment to Ona, his father took over and through conversation with the woman came to know and understand his son as he never had before. The boy was sweet, quirky, often misunderstood and sometimes bullied; the father regretful that he'd been mostly absent from his son's life; and Ona grumpy but determined to fulfill her dream of making it into the Guinness Book of World Records. At 104, time was running out. Their stories are beautifully revealed in alternating chapters that are sad, funny, and ultimately hopeful. A great read.

Mrs. Miniver by Jan Struther

This is an easy read, perfect for your escapism needs. Structured as a series of vignettes from the Minivers' family life, it is beautifully written with keen perception and quotes you'll want to take with you. You may have seen the movie that portrayed it as a war story, but the book is set in the time just before WWII which lends a different kind of poignancy to the story. Mrs. Miniver gives us a housewife's view of life, not a typical housewife given that she is blessed with a cook, a maid, and a nurse to help with the children, but a housewife nevertheless and one with quite a number of good observations to share. Her appreciation for life's little things is profound and contagious, bringing depth to a comfort read that would be worth your time anyway simply for it's wonderful writing. 

Christmas at High Rising by Angela Thirkell

I was a bit disappointed as I was wanting a book of Christmas stories and was led by the title to believe that's what this was. Alas, there was only one, though the rest of the stories were entertaining enough. Apparently many of the characters are taken from Ms. Thirkell's series of books set in the fictional English village of High Rising, but as I hadn't read any of those I didn't have the fun of finding already beloved characters in new settings. There is one essay about dinner parties in Shakespeare that's entertaining, but not enough to make me keep the book. It's going in the donation pile.

Rogue Wave by Boyd Morrison

I listened to the audio version so I can't technically call it a page-turner, but if I'd read a hard copy that's exactly what I'd say. A tsunami scientist desperately tries to warn the people of Hawaii that a massive wave is approaching their shores, but of course no one is listening. It's a disaster story so everything that could go wrong does, with tension building as the time notation at each chapter heading ticks down toward impact. It's suspenseful and a little bit cheesy, and in many ways similar to all the other disaster stories out there, but I've always loved a good (fictional) disaster and this is a big one. Definitely worth reading if you share my slightly grim tastes.

I think I've seen every disaster movie ever made, but I've never read a book of that genre. I'm still not sure I would want to actually read one, but I did like this audio version. Before Rogue Wave I had only listened to books of a more quiet, thoughtful nature and I found they couldn't hold my attention - disappointing since those are the books I usually like best. But this one showed me I can enjoy audio books if there's action and suspense involved, and since I wasn't reading that genre at all I now have a gazillion more options for my already out-of-control tbr list. So, thanks Rogue Wave, I think.