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Now that you've read Peace Like a River
April 5, 2003
Now that you've read Peace Like a River by Leif Enger, the 2003
selection for our area-wide book discussion program "A Tale
for Three Counties," you might like to try some similar books.
Librarians in Genesee, Orleans and Wyoming counties join me in
making the following recommendations. These books may be borrowed
from Richmond Memorial Library, 19 Ross St, Batavia or from your
own local library.
· We've been transported to the wide-open prairies and harsh beauty of the Dakota Badlands in Peace Like a River. Silas House's book, A Parchment of Leaves, also presents a strong sense of place. Set in the hollows of Kentucky at the time of the First World War, this story revolves around the lives of Irishman Saul Sullivan and his beautiful Cherokee bride, Vine. The steep ravines and deeply wooded mountainsides of God's Creek are vividly described and strongly influence the characters' lives.
A quiet book in many ways, A Parchment of Leaves portrays the struggles of a young married couple, the prejudices of a community, and the importance of friendship, loyalty and abiding love. The theme of forgiveness is a strong one in this novel.
· Cold Sassy Tree, a 1984 novel by Olive Ann Burns, features a young narrator. Fourteen-year-old Will Tweedy is intrigued by the relationship his widowed grandfather develops with a younger woman he marries just weeks after his grandmother's death.
Will's coming-of-age story is set in the the early 20th century. Will develops his own take on the situation as he watches his family and community criticize a relationship they view as scandalous.
Despite some of the tragedies of life then, there are many moments of laugh-out-loud humor.
· Peggy Parker, director of Perry Public Library recommends Plainsong by Kent Haruf. Set in a small town in Colorado, Plainsong features a teacher who is faced with raising his two sons alone.
The story intertwines the lives and problems of several of the town's residents, including a pregnant teen-age girl and two elderly brothers living in the country on their family's homestead. With his fine storytelling ability, Haruf helps us re-think the concepts of family and community
· Sue Border, director at Woodward Memorial Library, LeRoy suggests Montana 1948 by Larry Watson.
The story is narrated by David Hayden who, more than 40 years ago as a 12-year-old boy, witnessed the anguish of his sheriff father, who was forced to arrest his own brother for the rape of their Sioux housekeeper, Marie Little Soldier. The setting of the novel (rural Montana) and the retrospective look at the narrator's childhood, are similar to Peace Like A River, as is David's observation of the struggle between family loyalty and justice
· Mark Evans, director at Stevens Memorial Community Library in Attica "heartily recommends" revisiting the beloved classic, To Kill a Mockingbird.
Harper Lee's novel is the story of a single-parent family set in the rural South. A local lawyer is the strong father to two bright, lively young children. Their charming small-town world is suddenly torn by racism and racial violence. How they deal with prejudice, racism and justice in their community makes this a riveting and unforgettable read
The Adult Book Discussion Group at Richmond will meet on at 7:45 a.m. Wednesday to talk about Cold Sassy Tree. The discussion ends by 9:00 a.m. Refreshments are served. For more information, call 343-9550.
The library will be closed from noon until 3:00 p.m. on Good Friday, April 18.
Library hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Leslie DeLooze, reference and community services librarian at Richmond Memorial Library, writes a monthly column for The Daily News.
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Books Section
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