Looking for Me, Beth Hoffman
Teddi Overman has built a successful antiques business in Charleston. But her heart is still tied to the family farm in Kentucky, where her brother Josh disappeared years ago. Hoffman tells Teddi’s and Josh’s stories through a series of flashbacks, exploring their family’s tight but difficult bond. The flashbacks confused me at times, but I enjoyed the descriptions of Charleston and the farm, and the cast of distinctly Southern characters, especially Teddi’s best friend Olivia. (I loved Hoffman’s debut, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt.)
Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays, Zadie Smith
This collection includes incisive literary criticism, wry film reviews, a paean to Katharine Hepburn and notes from both a family Christmas and a week in Liberia. Smith is witty, wide-ranging and smart. I skimmed a couple of essays whose subject matter was unfamiliar or uninteresting to me, but found most of them insightful and enjoyable.
The End of Your Life Book Club, Will Schwalbe
This memoir started slowly, but once I got hooked, I couldn’t put it down. Schwalbe recounts his mother’s two-year battle with cancer, during which he and she created an informal, two-member book club and discussed books of all stripes. There is some necessary eulogizing (and she does seem like an admirable person), but I loved Schwalbe’s reflections on how great books can shape our lives and give us a way to talk to one another. Wonderful.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Muriel Spark
I picked this up on a whim at Raven Used Books. Miss Jean Brodie is a “progressive” teacher at a staid Edinburgh school, who hand-selects a few girls to be her “crème de la crème.” They learn various unconventional lessons from her. An interesting premise, but I found Miss Brodie egomanaical and the girls cardboard cutouts. This one didn’t work for me.
E.B. White on Dogs, E.B. White, ed. Martha White
I found this collection at The Bookstore in Lenox, during our Berkshires trip. I’ve already read many of the pieces that appear in White’s letters and essay collections. They are fun to revisit, though, and this book includes a few new gems (plus several pieces that only mention dogs tangentially). White and I both love dogs in general and dachshunds in particular. And as always, he is a sharp-eyed, good noticer.
The Runaway Princess, Hester Browne
Garden designer Amy Wilde has pretty much given up on men – until she meets a handsome, kind one who turns out to be a real-life prince. Leo dazzles Amy with his thoughtfulness and charm, but her shyness plus a family secret may prevent her from embracing the royal lifestyle. A witty, enchanting modern fairy tale – I loved Amy, Leo, and Amy’s hilarious (and resourceful) flatmate, Jo. So much fun.
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What are you reading?
cakes, tea and dreams 
I LOVED The End of Your Life Book Club. Couldn’t put it down. Marvelous. xox
I may have to look for E.B. White on Dogs. It is not available in my library system, but I checked to see if I could get it from a regional network. However, the three libraries who have the title in their system just look like they have copies on order. There is a 2013 imprint being released.
Zadie Smith! I have so much love for her… I thought some of the essays were (too?) complex, but I loved her advice on writing. What a great summer reading list… Knowing you, there will be approximately 34923 more books for June!
I am reading through Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series. “Still Life” is the first book and so far, the best. My advice….just skip book 2 and go onto The Cruelest Month. the characters are delightful! I want The Bistro of Three Pines in my little rural town. but I will have to just pretend in my own kitchen.