I Love Books

My mother is a book reader, and her mother was as well. They each had stacks of books lying around. Now, I do. When I was in elementary school, I can remember volunteering on Saturdays at the library with my mom. We lived on Riley Street in Plattsburg. At the time, the town library was a volunteer-run classroom in the high school, just a short walk from our house. The woman for which it was named, I believe, was Martha Luckenbill, but I bet a Leader Reader remembers. I would shuffle through the stacks putting books away, perusing titles I knew nothing about, dreaming of writing a book someday myself.  Someday.

As an adult, I have always had a library card. I am thankful Mid-Continent has a membership option. I dreamed of Clinton County having its own library; even ran four unsuccessful campaigns to make that happen, twenty some years ago. But it just wasn’t in the cards. I remember the volunteer-run library in Lathrop, in an empty church. And before that I believe it was in the old one-room schoolhouse.  If not, refresh my memory, please.

I am here to say, people still read books. Print books, audio books, Kindle books - books are read. I love that Pizza Hut brought back the Book-It program for kids, and the Summer Reading program at Mid-Continent Public Library is great.  I believe people find community in discussing books, whether it is a good book or a bad one. I love to talk about what I am reading. It is a rabbit hole I am willing to dive into with you, if you can match my banter with books you love. We may not like the same genre, but we both like to read!

My life is busy, but I can usually squeeze in two a month. I love historical fiction, but feel-good fiction is a close second. Two I have read in 2026 which I would recommend for their warm fuzzies, and community spirit are “The Correspondent” and “Theo of Golden”.  I found myself invested in the characters and I missed them when the book was finished.

“The Correspondent” by Virginia Evans caught my eye because it is written in letters not chapters. The main character enjoys the art of letter-writing and cherishes its impact on others, hence the title. As the character’s retired life unfolds, the emerging group of friends and family soften her heart and enriches her letters.

“Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi roped me in because it is about a small town. When a stranger arrives everyone in town knows about it and can’t wait to find out why he is there. Theo, bit-by-bit, lets them in on his life and rewards them with his genuine friendship and generosity. Its unique story is woven together by portraits for sale in the local coffee shop. 

You can research more on these titles on your own, but I give them both five stars. I am a sucker for a good life story, in which the character touches hearts and transforms community in the process. Two quick historical fiction recommendations from the last year – “Under the Tulip Tree” by Michelle Shocklee, set in the Great Depression; and “Code Name Helene” by Ariel Lawhon, set in World War II. Look them up, you will not be disappointed.

Happy reading!

Your Friend B