Book Chatter

Sunday Matters

Good morning! My daughter was supposed to fly in tonight but due to weather and her campus closing for snow, we switch her flight so she could come in this past Friday. Gives her a little extra time. She is loving visiting with The Otter Pup and Root Beer the cat. No big plans while she is here besides a good haircut. She just wants to chill.

As for my son, he continues to interview. Right now the most promising opportunities are for Denver and Kansas City.

Right Now:

Coffee. Breakfast. Off to student ministry. I might try to sneak a chapter in before I go.

This Week:

Not a lot scheduled but this Monday I do have a follow-up ultrasound for a lump that was found four months ago. The radiologist was pretty convinced it’s benign but wants to check for growth now that a few months have passed. Hoping it’s gone, to be honest.

Reading:

The School for Good Mothers. Although I might be done with it by the time you read this. Also reading Memorial Drive for club.

Watching:

We finished All of Us Are Dead. Looking forward to Season 2. Supposedly they have a green light to start filming.

Grateful for:

Books that instantly pull me in.
This is super dumb but I discovered Chick Fil A’s gluten free egg and cheese sandwich. Makes for a nice breakfast now and then.

Have a wonderful Sunday and great week!

Our Country Friends
By Gary Shteyngart
Random House, 9781984855121, November 2021, 336pp.

The Short of It:

This was the perfect read for me after my surgery. It gave me “Big Chill” vibes in a totally good way.

The Rest of It:

I do not know why pandemic reading appeals to me so much during a pandemic, but it does and Our Country Friends is no exception. Yes, it takes place at the beginning of the pandemic when things began to shutdown and folks were asked to quarantine but there’s very little doom and gloom when you decide to invite your friends to an old country house to quarantine together.

There, in the country, these friends come together with their various “talents” and co-exist as the world shuts down around them. There are good meals to be had, good drink, and an energetic child to keep them all on their toes. All these friends seem very high brow and academic. Writers, and the like. An actor. An app developer. Crooked routes to romance and romantic trysts. All set within an old, country house that begins to wither before their eyes.

The story unfolds like a play on a stage. I found it to be very enjoyable with just enough of the pandemic touches to remind us that a threat does exist. I highly recommend this one. There’s humor, plenty of awkward interactions, and promise (the kind that only lifelong friendships can provide).

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher.
Disclosure: This post contains Indiebound affiliate links.

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