A Dublin Student Doctor, Patrick Taylor
I’ve been loving the Irish Country Doctor series and enjoyed this extended flashback to Dr. O’Reilly’s youth and his medical student years in 1930s Dublin. His compassion for his patients is well drawn (I love his emphasis on learning their names, in a time when that was not standard hospital practice). The writing is mostly good and occasionally stunning, and I look forward to the next book featuring these characters.
Introverts in the Church, Adam S. McHugh
Leigh wrote a fabulous post (which turned into a series) about this book, written to introverts who want to serve and participate in church, but find it difficult (and/or have been told they need to be more extroverted to be effective). McHugh presents thoughtful strategies for introverts as they seek to serve in churches and still be themselves.
However, I found the stereotypes of introverts and extroverts troubling, especially since extroverts’ gifts were not often acknowledged. I’m a social introvert who has been fortunate to be part of church communities where my gifts were appreciated, and McHugh is writing for people who’ve been hurt more deeply than I have. Still worth reading. (For more on the gifts of introverts: Susan Cain’s excellent book, Quiet.)
The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D., Nichole Bernier
Kate inherits her friend Elizabeth’s journals after Elizabeth dies in a plane crash, in July 2001. She spends the summer of 2002 reading them, trying to fit these new glimpses of her friend’s life into her image of the person she thought she knew. Bernier’s prose is stunningly precise and lyrical, and she evokes that frantic, paranoid time – the time of anthrax and shoe bombs and undulating uncertainty – perfectly. Kate is a young mom struggling to grieve her friend and care for her small children as her husband travels often, and also weighing the question of whether to resume her pastry-chef career. More than a book about 9/11, this is a book about friendship, about secrets, and about the selves we show one another and the selves we hide away. Highly recommended.
Heron’s Cove, Carla Neggers
I read this on a weekend getaway to Maine – fitting since it’s set on the Maine coastline. Two FBI agents (one an ex-nun whose family runs a business recovering stolen art) work on a case involving a rare collection of Russian jewelry. The agents are in love, but must decide whether the pressures of their jobs will allow their relationship to continue. This is the second in a series and I felt I was missing some pieces since I hadn’t read the first book, though the author did give some background. However, the plot was entertaining and I liked the characters, especially the whiskey-distilling Irish priest. To review for Shelf Awareness (out July 28).
Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies, Marilyn Chandler McEntyre
I’ve heard about this book for years and finally bought it at Glen East. And I did a LOT of underlining. McEntyre makes the case that language is being polluted, misused and depleted in our current public discourse, and discusses 12 ways we can restore words – good, true, rich, valuable words – to their rightful place. She exhorts readers to savor words, to “love the long sentence,” to practice the arts of conversation and poetry, and finally to allow space for silence, which is necessary to allow words to grow and resonate. Brilliant and vital; I’ll be returning to this book again and again.
The Wednesday Wars, Gary D. Schmidt
It’s 1967 and war is raging in Vietnam, while civil rights activists agitate for change at home. But Holling Hoodhood’s biggest concern is the Wednesday afternoons he has to spend alone with his seventh-grade teacher, Mrs. Baker, while everyone else goes to catechism class or Hebrew school. As Mrs. Baker takes Holling on a tour of Shakespeare’s plays, he learns about love, bravery and trust (as well as picking up a few excellent curses). I loved the subtle first-love subplot and the totally believable friction (and deep affection) between Holling and his sister. Excellent. (Recommended by Kristin and Kari.)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Jonathan Safran Foer
This book, as the main character (Oskar) would say, gave me heavy boots. So much tragedy – not only Oskar’s dad dying on 9/11, but his grandparents’ experience during World War II and after. So many lonely people (no wonder “Eleanor Rigby” runs throughout the book). And yet, some truly funny moments (Oskar has a wry, hilarious voice), and some moving scenes of connection and healing. Reading it made me think back to those days after 9/11, when we all, even we teenagers in far-flung West Texas, walked around in a haze, and all we wanted was to hold close the people we loved, and to protect them from anything like that happening again, ever.
Farther Afield, Miss Read
Fairacre’s favorite schoolteacher breaks her arm at the beginning of the summer holidays – horror! Fortunately, her friend Amy comes to the rescue by offering to care for her as she recovers, and then whisking her away to Crete for a holiday. They lounge in the sunshine and enjoy themselves, and Miss Read muses on her own single state and Amy’s marital troubles. Wise and thoughtful and sweet, like all the Fairacre books.
What are you reading these days?
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cakes, tea and dreams 
I really enjoyed “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” too, but my knocked up self was too distraught over Oskar losing his dad to appreciate the humor! I’m going to have to go back to it in a year or so. Looks like you’ve been having a good bookish month!
I’ve been curious to see what you made of Introverts in the Church. I can see your point. It’s tricky to give extroverts their due when they take up the lion’s share of society’s focus. I thought Adam did mention their positive traits, as well as suggesting ways introverts can learn from extroverts. I don’t believe I’ve been hurt deeply by the church because of my introversion (it helps that I’m in the most extroverted of the introverts category) but the book helped me see why I’d struggled at certain points, as well as why aspects of faith function the way they do.