In summer, we’re given permission, as if it’s really needed, to read whatever we want, and to eschew serious tomes. Or to decide that that heavy book you’ve been meaning to tackle is just perfect for long stretches of SSR or “sustained silent reading.” When I was in 4th grade, we did a lot of reading comprehension exercises. Read a passage from the Power Builder, then answer questions about it, then, when you’d finished some requisite number of Power Builders, you were rewarded with a period of sustained silent reading. I loved that latter! And still do.
Here are two books that are simply pleasurable reads. Enjoy!
Who am I?
The Woman in the Photo by Mary Hogan
I’d classify this novel as an airplane read. It’s engaging, but is somewhat overwritten and feels a bit as if Ms. Hogan just dashed it off. It follows a now standard practice for historical novels of linking characters and events of the past with a parallel modern-day story. In this case, the event is the Johnstown, Pa flood (not really a flood but a wall of water from a burst dam) and the main character is Elizabeth Haberlin, a rich young lady who’s preparing for her society debut. In the present, adoptee Lee Parker, eighteen, is finally old enough to receive a bit more information about her genetic heritage which propels her on a search for her birth mother.
The best sections deal with the aftermath of the Johnstown tragedy in 1889 and Lee’s initial meeting with her birth family. A more elegantly written novel about this historic event is In Sunlight, In a Beautiful Garden by Kathleen Cambor.
Whodunnit?
The Poacher’s Son by Paul Doiron
Doiron is the former editor of Downeast magazine so it’s no surprise that this, his first mystery, is set in northern Maine. What one might find unusual is that the main character is a state game warden, and in this wild woodsy setting, represents the law and is, in essence, a cop. Mike Bowditch is a rookie warden, still learning the ropes, and is shocked when his father is a fugitive murder suspect and the object of an intensive manhunt. Jack Bowditch is a longtime brawler and heavy drinker with a long string of girlfriends, and he and his son have been mostly estranged since his parents divorced when Mike was nine. Seemingly bent on self-destructive actions that will destroy his young career, Mike is caught up in the search for the killer, all the while proclaiming his father’s innocence. Engrossing and suspenseful, this will appeal to mystery lovers, especially those also fond of Maine. This book was published in 2010 and there are now six additional Mike Bowditch mysteries.
Casual Dining
To match the easygoing quality of the two books, I’d suggest Oliver’s on Cozy Harbor. With both inside and outside seating, Oliver’s offers lobster rolls, chowder, and fresh haddock plus a number of salads, sandwiches and daily specials. And an indulgent cheddar and blue cheese spread with pita chips that’s positively addictive! Open for lunch and dinner, it’s also a good place to take the kids.
Photos by JWFarrington (some rights reserved)
