What I Read in South Dakota

My motto is, “Never go anywhere without a book.” Our trip to South Dakota was no exception to this rule. Although we saw beautiful scenery, experienced the inspiration of Mount Rushmore, and enjoyed a day at the lake with family and friends–and I ate more good food than any one person should—, I still managed to squeeze in some reading time.

They Never Came Back by Caroline B. Cooney. Recommended by Jen Robinson. Typical Cooney. A case of mistaken identity, or is it, turns into a family mystery and crisis, when Cathy/Murielle must confront the truth about her parents and her past. This one is quite similar to The Face on the Milk Carton in some ways. If you’ve read that one and want to read it again, reworked, you’d like They Never Came Back.

The Big Steal by Emyl Jenkins. Recommended by Carrie at Reading to Know. Cute ‘n cosy mystery, not really a murder mystery, but rather centering on antiques and theft and family history. Antique appraiser Sterling Glass is hired to determine the truth about an insurance claim filed by the museum at Wynderly, home of Hoyt and Mazie Wynfield, now deceased millionaires who furnished their manor with all sorts of novelties and antiques, some of which may not have been what they seemed. I enjoyed it enough that I’d like to look up the first in the series, called Stealing With Style. You might like it, especially if you’re interested in both mysteries and antiques.

Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy by Ally Carter. I really like the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter. Suffice it to say that my 15 year old daughter read this book, the fourth in the series, and then we had to stop by the bookstore in Sioux Falls to buy books two and three. I already had the first book in the series at home and refused to buy it again. These books are clean and fun and light-hearted and just right for a vacation time read. Semicolon review of I’d Tell You That I Love You, But Then I’d Have to Kill You.

The ones I didn’t finish:

Good Behavior: A Memoir by Nathan L. Henry. I dipped into this one, an ARC that I was sent by the publishers and that is due out in July, 2010. All I can say is this story is supposed to be a “moving story of redemption” about a sixteen year old who’s sent to jail for armed robbery. I’m sure Nate’s story “tells it like it is.” But I looked at the ending (because the middle didn’t look headed toward redemption at all), and it looks as if Nate is trusting in his own will power and desire to make something of his life to keep him out of trouble. I strongly doubt it will work, and even if he does stay out of jail, he has nothing to give his life meaning other than learning and writing. No Holy Spirit. No Jesus. No God. No church. What happens to Nate when he faces death or suffering? How does he choose good over evil, except in a pragmatic attempt to keep himself from going back to jail again? The book is “gritty” and full off-bombs and other crude and profane language, not to mention sex and murder fantasies and actual violence. Not recommended.

Run With the Horseman by Ferrol Sams. Recommended by Laura at Lines in Pleasant Placesin a comment here.I stuck with this one a lot longer because the writing is delightful. But I finally got tired of Porter Osborne Jr.’s fifteen year obsession with sex of all kinds. The book is very Southern, very funny in places, and as I said quite well-written, but there’s an awful lot of speculation in areas I just wasn’t in the mood to visit.

Trail of Crumbs: Hunger, Love and the Search for Home by Kim Sunee. Recommended by My Friend Amy. Korean American adoptee searches for her identity in France in an illicit relationship with an older man. I felt sorry for Ms. Kim in her lostness, but I lost interest in the search which seemed to be going nowhere interminably, although the recipes were interesting.

4 thoughts on “What I Read in South Dakota

  1. I always take to many books on vacation because you just never know what mood you’ll be in! And in the end, I never read much anyway. Oh, well. Looks like you did pretty good though.

  2. Oh yes, you must ALWAYS have a book (or five). And it is fun when my daughter and I can do double duty with the same book, as we do more and more.

    I didn’t like Trail of Crumbs either. It was a bit long-winded and didn’t really go anywhere. I liked the food and travel imagery, but it would have been better with some serious editing.

  3. I travel with a stack of books, etc., either in my lap or in a bag at my feet. DH says that’s where our eldest dd gets her penchant for taking LOTS of things with her, even on short trips. 😉

    My eldest dd (age 6) would be so jealous of your trip to SD. If we ever mention going to Disney World, she brings up Mt. Rushmore. 🙂 Of course, the fact that Laura Ingalls Wilder once lived in SD doesn’t hurt. 😉

  4. RE: Good Behavior – I am going to have to respectfully, of course, disagree with your assessment on this book. I appreciate your position as a christian and mother of 8 (wow!), however as a reader (and subsequent researcher into this book) I feel your opinion is based mostly on assumptions and you fail to see numerous qualities in this piece.

    First you state “All I can say is this story is supposed to be a moving story of redemption” insinuating that the author did not find redemption since “he has nothing to give his life meaning other than learning and writing. No Holy Spirit. No Jesus. No God. No church.”

    My reply would be that in America we promote tolerance of different religions, cultures, and views. I think it truly discredits the author’s experience and triumphs if you ignore his “redemption” simply because his redemption was one of “self triumph” over evil and not credited to God. His redemption is defined by simply transcending beyond the “child forgotten and thrown away” and becoming a successful part of society. Most children in prison at 16 become a perpetual life cycle of human waste, but this author did something extraordinary by all accounts. In this regard I think you miss the value and benefit of this piece. How many other “forgotten children” could possible find inspiration in his work? Find hope? I have read many reviews from book critics, teachers, and even from an educator who takes books to children’s prisons all “raving” about this book. This author has come forth with brutal honesty about his darkest demons in a way that many can relate to…and maybe find hope for themselves. Not to mention this book clearly shines of well polished literature and these values are skipped in your review. I understand your reservation regarding the language and content and anticipate such a warning, however I think you missed the larger qualities to the target audience who don’t have the fortune of growing up in a Christian motherly home such as yours.

    Second you state “I strongly doubt it will work, and even if he does stay out of jail,….” This is purely based on assumptions. This book is written and released as memoir from a man currently at age 34 years of age who literally turned his life around after the time in this book. According to one article he has 7 cats, a wife, and currently works in the medical field in addition to writing.

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