Linda C. Wright's Blog, page 11
May 26, 2016
An Adult Sized Spelling Test
Recently I read Walk Me Home by Catherine Ryan Hyde. The girls in the story wore bandannas. Notice the two "n"s. It looked weird to me each time I read the word. Next I read The Liars' Club by Mary Karr. She too had a bandana but hers only had one "n". I heaved a huge sigh of relief.
I started a new book the other day, Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Daniel Wallace. And guess what! He's wearing a bandanna. Ugh. I'm back to two "n"s. Miriam Webster defines a bandanna as a square piece of cloth that is used as a head covering or worn around the neck. A variant of bandanna is bandana. Oh, thank God, I really did pass my fourth grade spelling test.
Wikipedia on the other hand says a bandana is a type of large, usually colorful kerchief worn on the head or around the neck of a person or a pet and is not considered a hat. Having taught my dog, Ginger everything she knows, the cute and colorful bandana she wears home from the groomer only has one "n". I'm sure of it.
Synonyms for a bandana are, do-rag, hachimaki, headband and tengkolok. OK. I know what headband is and I can tell a funny story about when I learned about a do-rag. Let's just say the white women got a hairdressing lesson from the black women. But I haven't met anyone yet who is willing to educate me on the care and use of those other two strange bandana word look a likes.
I'm also told that bandanas reached their peak of popularity in the 1970's, 80's and 90's. Based on all the contemporary novels I've been finding them in, I believe a resurgence is happening. Although I struggled with the spelling of this item, I would have been even more freaked out if I'd caught any of these characters wearing a kerchief.
I started a new book the other day, Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions by Daniel Wallace. And guess what! He's wearing a bandanna. Ugh. I'm back to two "n"s. Miriam Webster defines a bandanna as a square piece of cloth that is used as a head covering or worn around the neck. A variant of bandanna is bandana. Oh, thank God, I really did pass my fourth grade spelling test.
Wikipedia on the other hand says a bandana is a type of large, usually colorful kerchief worn on the head or around the neck of a person or a pet and is not considered a hat. Having taught my dog, Ginger everything she knows, the cute and colorful bandana she wears home from the groomer only has one "n". I'm sure of it.
Synonyms for a bandana are, do-rag, hachimaki, headband and tengkolok. OK. I know what headband is and I can tell a funny story about when I learned about a do-rag. Let's just say the white women got a hairdressing lesson from the black women. But I haven't met anyone yet who is willing to educate me on the care and use of those other two strange bandana word look a likes.
I'm also told that bandanas reached their peak of popularity in the 1970's, 80's and 90's. Based on all the contemporary novels I've been finding them in, I believe a resurgence is happening. Although I struggled with the spelling of this item, I would have been even more freaked out if I'd caught any of these characters wearing a kerchief.
May 22, 2016
The Liars' Club by Mary Karr
The Liars' Club by Mary Karr
I often read two books at a time and I'm currently reading On Writing by Stephen King. He raved about The Liars' Club. Since I enjoy memoirs and the writing of them, I'm working on one of my own right now, I thought I'd give this one a spin.
I don't even know where to start to give this book a short recap. Mary Marlene and her sister, Lecia have the misfortune or fortune, depending on how you look at it, of having been born to highly dysfunctional and alcoholic parents. While I believe that the stories within this book are true, many of them seemed so unbelievable based on my personal frame of reference, that I couldn't place them in any kind of reality. This book contains tales of mental and physical abuse of every kind imaginable and then some.
No question, Mary Karr is a talented writer. The story telling is mesmerizing most of the time, but some parts dragged on and others seemed disconnected from the rest. A large portion of the book is Mary as a seven or eight year old. So much happened that I had the feeling more time should have passed and Mary has grown. But no, she was still only eight. For me, the timing was kind of off.
The one big mystery of The Liars' Club is how Mary and Lecia both found their way out with college educations and successful careers. Or maybe that's the life lesson to be learned from someone else's misery, anything is possible. Be prepared however, if you decide to take the plunge on The Liars' Club. It's one wild, disgusting and unbelievable ride.
I often read two books at a time and I'm currently reading On Writing by Stephen King. He raved about The Liars' Club. Since I enjoy memoirs and the writing of them, I'm working on one of my own right now, I thought I'd give this one a spin.
I don't even know where to start to give this book a short recap. Mary Marlene and her sister, Lecia have the misfortune or fortune, depending on how you look at it, of having been born to highly dysfunctional and alcoholic parents. While I believe that the stories within this book are true, many of them seemed so unbelievable based on my personal frame of reference, that I couldn't place them in any kind of reality. This book contains tales of mental and physical abuse of every kind imaginable and then some.
No question, Mary Karr is a talented writer. The story telling is mesmerizing most of the time, but some parts dragged on and others seemed disconnected from the rest. A large portion of the book is Mary as a seven or eight year old. So much happened that I had the feeling more time should have passed and Mary has grown. But no, she was still only eight. For me, the timing was kind of off.
The one big mystery of The Liars' Club is how Mary and Lecia both found their way out with college educations and successful careers. Or maybe that's the life lesson to be learned from someone else's misery, anything is possible. Be prepared however, if you decide to take the plunge on The Liars' Club. It's one wild, disgusting and unbelievable ride.
May 17, 2016
Walk Me Home by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Walk Me Home by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Carly and Jen are sisters who are walking to California in search of Teddy, someone who will take care of them. They find themselves alone after the sudden death of their mother and her current creepy boyfriend, Wade. Teddy was a previous boyfriend who had been kicked out of their home right before Wade came on the scene. Terrified they will fall into the hands of Child Protective Services, they begin the long walk.
When exhaustion and hunger take over, the girls find themselves behind the wrong end of a shotgun belonging to Delores, an elder of the Wakapi tribe. She insists they stay and work off their debt of stolen eggs from her henhouse. The younger Jen welcomes the sense of security they are given in Delores' care. Sixteen year old Carly does not. She's a teenager fighting with every ounce of strength to become an adult. We've all been there in our lives so it is easy to see what drives her.
I've read several novels written by Catherine Ryan Hyde. They all share a message of hope, pitting bad people against all that is good in the world. But please don't think that one is the carbon copy of another, far from it. Ms. Hyde's most well known book is Pay It Forward, which I haven't read yet. I've gotten so much enjoyment from Take Me With You, Worthy and now Walk Me Home that I never seem to get to it. I'm still basking in the glow of a well written book with a feel good ending, knowing there are far more good people in the the world than bad. And that's worth reading about over and over again.
Carly and Jen are sisters who are walking to California in search of Teddy, someone who will take care of them. They find themselves alone after the sudden death of their mother and her current creepy boyfriend, Wade. Teddy was a previous boyfriend who had been kicked out of their home right before Wade came on the scene. Terrified they will fall into the hands of Child Protective Services, they begin the long walk.
When exhaustion and hunger take over, the girls find themselves behind the wrong end of a shotgun belonging to Delores, an elder of the Wakapi tribe. She insists they stay and work off their debt of stolen eggs from her henhouse. The younger Jen welcomes the sense of security they are given in Delores' care. Sixteen year old Carly does not. She's a teenager fighting with every ounce of strength to become an adult. We've all been there in our lives so it is easy to see what drives her.
I've read several novels written by Catherine Ryan Hyde. They all share a message of hope, pitting bad people against all that is good in the world. But please don't think that one is the carbon copy of another, far from it. Ms. Hyde's most well known book is Pay It Forward, which I haven't read yet. I've gotten so much enjoyment from Take Me With You, Worthy and now Walk Me Home that I never seem to get to it. I'm still basking in the glow of a well written book with a feel good ending, knowing there are far more good people in the the world than bad. And that's worth reading about over and over again.
May 14, 2016
Call The Nurse: True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle by Mary J MacLeod
Call The Nurse: True Stories of a Country Nurse on a Scottish Isle by Mary J MacLeod
My sisters and I are going to Scotland this summer to visit our ancestral home. Dunrobin Castle is in the Scottish Highlands and we've been studying about wars and royalty in preparation for our trip. It's not just Nessie, the Loch Ness monster, I'm longing to find, it's to learn about the culture, food and customs of my homeland.
I came across this book, Call the Nurse and boy did I learn a lot! Mary MacLeod and her family decide they want a simpler life and move to one of the many islands of Scotland. She is a nurse and quickly lands a job taking care of the people on the island. At first she is considered an outsider but soon becomes entwined in their lives. Some are kind, some are cranky and all are a bit quirky.
I got an in depth look into the ways of the Scottish people. While the Scots speak English, it's combined with the Gaelic so quite a bit of translation happens. My mouth waters every time I think of the food she described being served at the many gatherings. Scottish pancakes are at the top of my list of must have foods. Hagis, a kind of sausage, is also on that list but I'm not so sure I'm going to enjoy that as much as a sweet fluffy pancake drizzled with syrup.
Call the Nurse is a charming collection of stories of life and death and all that happens in between. I absolutely adored this book. I learned so much and I can't wait to see the Sottish heather on the hillside with my own eyes. Whether you are a Scot or not, this is a book that will make you laugh and make you cry and is sure to warm your heart forever.
My sisters and I are going to Scotland this summer to visit our ancestral home. Dunrobin Castle is in the Scottish Highlands and we've been studying about wars and royalty in preparation for our trip. It's not just Nessie, the Loch Ness monster, I'm longing to find, it's to learn about the culture, food and customs of my homeland.
I came across this book, Call the Nurse and boy did I learn a lot! Mary MacLeod and her family decide they want a simpler life and move to one of the many islands of Scotland. She is a nurse and quickly lands a job taking care of the people on the island. At first she is considered an outsider but soon becomes entwined in their lives. Some are kind, some are cranky and all are a bit quirky.
I got an in depth look into the ways of the Scottish people. While the Scots speak English, it's combined with the Gaelic so quite a bit of translation happens. My mouth waters every time I think of the food she described being served at the many gatherings. Scottish pancakes are at the top of my list of must have foods. Hagis, a kind of sausage, is also on that list but I'm not so sure I'm going to enjoy that as much as a sweet fluffy pancake drizzled with syrup.
Call the Nurse is a charming collection of stories of life and death and all that happens in between. I absolutely adored this book. I learned so much and I can't wait to see the Sottish heather on the hillside with my own eyes. Whether you are a Scot or not, this is a book that will make you laugh and make you cry and is sure to warm your heart forever.
May 9, 2016
The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman
The Imperfectionists is the story of an English newspaper that is published in Rome, Italy. Each chapter tells the story of a different person with a link to the paper, some are employees, their significant others and one is a customer of the paper. In between are flashback of how the paper came into being in the mind of Mr. Ott and how his family over the years led to its demise in a now digital world.
Each character's story stands on it's own. I have to say for the first half of this book, I had no idea how these stories were connected and I almost gave up. These were a bunch of people struggling to make something of themselves in a dirty and dusty newsroom. It was not really all that exciting for me.
It took awhile, but them the story clicked. Finally the author started making the connections. There is not a single likable character in this entire novel. Not one! And their interactions are tense and unpleasant. But I had to laugh at one reference. Anyone who knows me well will understand it.
Accounts Payable, as she's called, made the decision to fire one of the employees in an effort to cut costs. She finds herself on an airplane sitting next to a man she sizes up as dull and drab and must have a job working at Office Depot. Since I worked for Office Depot for over 15 years, I don't know a single person there who would classify themselves as uninteresting. I laughed over that line for a very long time. Accounts Payable finally realizes that he's the one she fired and the overseas flight is not very pretty.
I think the writing in this story is fresh and sharp, but kind of dark. It's not an uplifting book to read by any stretch of the imagination. For me as a writer, The Imperfectionists is a great study in the craft of writing. Not every story has a happy ending and this one shows how rough and raw life can be.
The Imperfectionists is the story of an English newspaper that is published in Rome, Italy. Each chapter tells the story of a different person with a link to the paper, some are employees, their significant others and one is a customer of the paper. In between are flashback of how the paper came into being in the mind of Mr. Ott and how his family over the years led to its demise in a now digital world.
Each character's story stands on it's own. I have to say for the first half of this book, I had no idea how these stories were connected and I almost gave up. These were a bunch of people struggling to make something of themselves in a dirty and dusty newsroom. It was not really all that exciting for me.
It took awhile, but them the story clicked. Finally the author started making the connections. There is not a single likable character in this entire novel. Not one! And their interactions are tense and unpleasant. But I had to laugh at one reference. Anyone who knows me well will understand it.
Accounts Payable, as she's called, made the decision to fire one of the employees in an effort to cut costs. She finds herself on an airplane sitting next to a man she sizes up as dull and drab and must have a job working at Office Depot. Since I worked for Office Depot for over 15 years, I don't know a single person there who would classify themselves as uninteresting. I laughed over that line for a very long time. Accounts Payable finally realizes that he's the one she fired and the overseas flight is not very pretty.
I think the writing in this story is fresh and sharp, but kind of dark. It's not an uplifting book to read by any stretch of the imagination. For me as a writer, The Imperfectionists is a great study in the craft of writing. Not every story has a happy ending and this one shows how rough and raw life can be.
May 7, 2016
The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk
The Caine Mutiny by Herman Wouk
I recently read an article about Herman Wouk. He's 100 years old and still going strong. He's led a great writing life which all of us wanna be authors long to have. I knew his name but had never read any of his work so I was ecstatic when my trusty book club decided to read it. It was the Pulitzer Prize winner in 1951 so I'm always happy when I can cross one of those off my list.
Willie Keith is a Princeton boy, fresh out of college and off to Naval Officer Training school to serve his country during World War II. While there he earns the distinction of having more demerits than anyone else, and barely shy of requiring expulsion. Willie has a talent for making up silly songs which he sings in a nightclub just for fun. While there he meets a beautiful lounge singer, May Wynn. The pair fall in love but struggle to reconcile the very different cultures in which they've been raised.
Willie is shipped off to an ancient rust bucket, a minesweeper, The Caine. His life on board under the direction of an eccentric and overwhelmed, Captain Queeg, turn the pampered mama's boy into a man. As a writer, I pay attention to how characters change and grow in the midst of the story.
Herman Wouk doesn't write fancy prose or use complicated literary devices. He's simply an excellent storyteller. The Caine Mutiny is a compelling story, well told. I felt it dragged on especially during the court martial and I didn't quite understand the the storyline of the naval lawyer, but neither detracted from my overall enjoyment of the novel.
I have to add that the history lesson that lives within these pages is a good one. The Caine Mutiny is one that will stick with me for a long time. Sometimes there is nothing like a good, old fashioned classic to stimulated my gray matter and enrich my reading list.
I recently read an article about Herman Wouk. He's 100 years old and still going strong. He's led a great writing life which all of us wanna be authors long to have. I knew his name but had never read any of his work so I was ecstatic when my trusty book club decided to read it. It was the Pulitzer Prize winner in 1951 so I'm always happy when I can cross one of those off my list.
Willie Keith is a Princeton boy, fresh out of college and off to Naval Officer Training school to serve his country during World War II. While there he earns the distinction of having more demerits than anyone else, and barely shy of requiring expulsion. Willie has a talent for making up silly songs which he sings in a nightclub just for fun. While there he meets a beautiful lounge singer, May Wynn. The pair fall in love but struggle to reconcile the very different cultures in which they've been raised.
Willie is shipped off to an ancient rust bucket, a minesweeper, The Caine. His life on board under the direction of an eccentric and overwhelmed, Captain Queeg, turn the pampered mama's boy into a man. As a writer, I pay attention to how characters change and grow in the midst of the story.
Herman Wouk doesn't write fancy prose or use complicated literary devices. He's simply an excellent storyteller. The Caine Mutiny is a compelling story, well told. I felt it dragged on especially during the court martial and I didn't quite understand the the storyline of the naval lawyer, but neither detracted from my overall enjoyment of the novel.
I have to add that the history lesson that lives within these pages is a good one. The Caine Mutiny is one that will stick with me for a long time. Sometimes there is nothing like a good, old fashioned classic to stimulated my gray matter and enrich my reading list.
April 25, 2016
Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall
Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall
Starla Claudelle, a white girl, lives in Mississippi with her not so nice grandmother, Maime. Her father works on an oil rig, only making it home every few months. Lucinda, her mother has gone to Nashville to become a star. At nine years old, Starla feels that no one loves her.
Starla is a redhead and has a temper to match. So when she punches the school bully, Maime grounds her just in time for the Fourth of July fireworks display. When she's discovered outside the confines of her bedroom, she decides to head to Nashville in search of her mother. Eula, a colored woman, picks up the pint sized hitchhiker along the side of the road.
The year is 1963 and the civil rights movement is beginning to take shape in the deep south. Their journey together shows the bad and the ugly of this time in America. But it also shows that people can be kind and caring while staring adversity in the face.
What I loved about Whistling Past the Graveyard is the development of the rich array of characters. Starla is a child and we see the story through her eyes. Eula shows us what a life of abuse means for a colored woman in a white world. Both of them learn about themselves growing through the course of the story. That is not always easy for an author to accomplish and the way it played out in Whistling Past the Graveyard warmed my heart.
Starla Claudelle, a white girl, lives in Mississippi with her not so nice grandmother, Maime. Her father works on an oil rig, only making it home every few months. Lucinda, her mother has gone to Nashville to become a star. At nine years old, Starla feels that no one loves her.
Starla is a redhead and has a temper to match. So when she punches the school bully, Maime grounds her just in time for the Fourth of July fireworks display. When she's discovered outside the confines of her bedroom, she decides to head to Nashville in search of her mother. Eula, a colored woman, picks up the pint sized hitchhiker along the side of the road.
The year is 1963 and the civil rights movement is beginning to take shape in the deep south. Their journey together shows the bad and the ugly of this time in America. But it also shows that people can be kind and caring while staring adversity in the face.
What I loved about Whistling Past the Graveyard is the development of the rich array of characters. Starla is a child and we see the story through her eyes. Eula shows us what a life of abuse means for a colored woman in a white world. Both of them learn about themselves growing through the course of the story. That is not always easy for an author to accomplish and the way it played out in Whistling Past the Graveyard warmed my heart.
April 21, 2016
On Gold Mountain by Lisa See
On Gold Mountain by Lisa See
In 1867 Lisa See's great great grandfather arrived in America from China. As an herbalist, his services were in great demand by immigrant laborers. This is where her family history begins.
Fong See, her great grandfather started making ladies underwear, married Ticie, a Caucasian woman before building a successful antique business. The family's story involves racism, romance, secret marriages and betrayals. Not only does On Gold Mountain tell the story of a family, it documents the history of America from the building of the railroads through the Great Depression into the post war boom of the fifties.
That is a lot of territory to cover. The story is meticulously researched and Ms. See does a good job of keeping the reader's head focused on the family tree. There is a lot going on and people and places to keep track of. In some areas the story dragged on. I felt some parts were important to document for the family but maybe not so interesting to the average reader.
I love Lisa See's fiction much more than this book, but I fully understand her desire to write it. In any event On Gold Mountain is a wide and sweeping history lesson in the people that help to make American the wonderful place it is. And I'm glad I read it. I learned so much.
In 1867 Lisa See's great great grandfather arrived in America from China. As an herbalist, his services were in great demand by immigrant laborers. This is where her family history begins.
Fong See, her great grandfather started making ladies underwear, married Ticie, a Caucasian woman before building a successful antique business. The family's story involves racism, romance, secret marriages and betrayals. Not only does On Gold Mountain tell the story of a family, it documents the history of America from the building of the railroads through the Great Depression into the post war boom of the fifties.
That is a lot of territory to cover. The story is meticulously researched and Ms. See does a good job of keeping the reader's head focused on the family tree. There is a lot going on and people and places to keep track of. In some areas the story dragged on. I felt some parts were important to document for the family but maybe not so interesting to the average reader.
I love Lisa See's fiction much more than this book, but I fully understand her desire to write it. In any event On Gold Mountain is a wide and sweeping history lesson in the people that help to make American the wonderful place it is. And I'm glad I read it. I learned so much.
April 18, 2016
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn
My reading life follows a predictable pattern. I muddle through a string of so so and decent but unexciting novels and then Boom! I find something absolutely delightful. So here I go again and this time I found Ella Minnow Pea. We were meant to find each other. I had a $5 coupon at the bookstore and forgot to use it for my relaxing cup of coffee. I searched the aisles for a book, which I didn't really need but I couldn't let $5 go to waste. I picked up and put down dozens before Ella Minnow Pea finally spoke to me.
The story is set on the fictional island of Nollop off the coast of South Carolina. The island has been named for Nevin Nollop, the man who wrote the panagram, "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog". When the statue in his honor in the town square begins losing its letters, the councilmen ban each letter from use within hours of it crashing to the ground. It's an omen they say from the great Nollop. The punishment is strict for using a banned letter and the citizens either get creative or are banished to the mainland.
Ella Minnow Pea is wonderful fun! The story is told through letters written by cousins Ella and Tassie and sometimes their parents missives are sprinkled in. If you love language and letters, which I do, you will find Ella Minnow Pea a crazy wild ride through words. It will bring a smile to your face!
My reading life follows a predictable pattern. I muddle through a string of so so and decent but unexciting novels and then Boom! I find something absolutely delightful. So here I go again and this time I found Ella Minnow Pea. We were meant to find each other. I had a $5 coupon at the bookstore and forgot to use it for my relaxing cup of coffee. I searched the aisles for a book, which I didn't really need but I couldn't let $5 go to waste. I picked up and put down dozens before Ella Minnow Pea finally spoke to me.
The story is set on the fictional island of Nollop off the coast of South Carolina. The island has been named for Nevin Nollop, the man who wrote the panagram, "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog". When the statue in his honor in the town square begins losing its letters, the councilmen ban each letter from use within hours of it crashing to the ground. It's an omen they say from the great Nollop. The punishment is strict for using a banned letter and the citizens either get creative or are banished to the mainland.
Ella Minnow Pea is wonderful fun! The story is told through letters written by cousins Ella and Tassie and sometimes their parents missives are sprinkled in. If you love language and letters, which I do, you will find Ella Minnow Pea a crazy wild ride through words. It will bring a smile to your face!
April 11, 2016
The World Made Straight by Ron Rash
The World Made Straight by Ron Rash
Travis Shelton is by all accounts a typical teenage boy. While fishing for speckled trout in his out of the way spot, he comes across what appears to be unattended marijuana plants and helps himself. He sells them to Leonard, the local drug dealer, who lives a quiet life in a rundown trailer outside of town. Travis sees easy money and goes back for more, only this time he's caught by the Toomeys, owners of the plants.
The chain of events lands Travis in a heap of trouble. Leonard takes him in when he has nowhere else to go. Once a teacher, Leonard encourages Travis to study for his GED and shares his love of the Civil War, in particular, the 1863 Shelton Laurel Massacre. The Toomeys meanwhile are laying in wait, watching Travis' and Leonard's every move.
The World Made Straight is a story of conflicts, conflicts within families, between cultures and in history. It is the story of who we are and where we've come from. This novel is a book club selection and as always, I'm grateful to be pushed into reading a story I never would have picked up on my own. But I have to say I just didn't like this book all that much. For me the multiple story lines didn't connect and I felt like I was jumping around in and out of several completely distinct books. The pace was slow and grinding.
I've talked to a lot of people who love Ron Rash. I'd never heard of him until now. Maybe this wasn't the book I should have started with, he's written several others. I wouldn't say the book was good or bad, only that The World Made Straight is much more crooked than I'd like it to be.
Travis Shelton is by all accounts a typical teenage boy. While fishing for speckled trout in his out of the way spot, he comes across what appears to be unattended marijuana plants and helps himself. He sells them to Leonard, the local drug dealer, who lives a quiet life in a rundown trailer outside of town. Travis sees easy money and goes back for more, only this time he's caught by the Toomeys, owners of the plants.
The chain of events lands Travis in a heap of trouble. Leonard takes him in when he has nowhere else to go. Once a teacher, Leonard encourages Travis to study for his GED and shares his love of the Civil War, in particular, the 1863 Shelton Laurel Massacre. The Toomeys meanwhile are laying in wait, watching Travis' and Leonard's every move.
The World Made Straight is a story of conflicts, conflicts within families, between cultures and in history. It is the story of who we are and where we've come from. This novel is a book club selection and as always, I'm grateful to be pushed into reading a story I never would have picked up on my own. But I have to say I just didn't like this book all that much. For me the multiple story lines didn't connect and I felt like I was jumping around in and out of several completely distinct books. The pace was slow and grinding.
I've talked to a lot of people who love Ron Rash. I'd never heard of him until now. Maybe this wasn't the book I should have started with, he's written several others. I wouldn't say the book was good or bad, only that The World Made Straight is much more crooked than I'd like it to be.
