Tuesday, October 1, 2013

september: 28 & 29

this month i read:

the interestings, by meg wolitzer (this was my book club's pick for the month, and i really liked it!  6 friends - 3 men, 3 women - meet at summer camp in the 1970s and the book follows their friendship through to the present day.  well written, interesting plot line - i'd definitely recommend it!)

in the place of justice, by wilbert rideau (i read this opinion piece in the new york times this summer and was intrigued enough to read rideau's book, a memoir of the 44 years he spent in jail in louisiana, mostly in angola prison.  rideau is a great writer, and i learned a lot about race and prison life - some of it pretty stomach-churning.  the book got slow near the end as he describes putting together the one last big appeal that would eventually free him, and i skimmed about 50 pages before reading the last chapter...but you know - with nonfiction books you can do this and not miss much.  in the last chapter, rideau describes living as a free man and then the death of his cat, the first pet he ever had (at 65 years old, after his release from prison) and...all of a sudden i was crying.  kind of a lot.  ruby was at the foot of the bed looking at my disdainfully while this was happening, and then she walked up and laid down next to me and put her paw on my arm.  oh, ruby.  thanks for the love.  but! (back on topic): this book is very well written and rideau's story is compelling. and i'd recommend it if the subject interests you!)


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