| March 21, 1998 My Worst Date
by David Leddick. This is a funny, smart novel about Hugo,
a 16 year old boy from Miami. He's got a great mom, a cool best friend, and a sexy
boyfriend who's not exactly what he seems. Hugo's a romantic guy with a surprisingly wise
view of life, and he's worried about making money for college and about falling in love.
The way David Leddick uses point of view in this book is really wonderful, too. I couldn't
put this one down. I never knew a kid like Hugo when I was in high school, but I wish I
had.
Benediction
by Diane Salvatore. Another wonderful story about love and
growing up. This time it's the story of Grace, a girl from New York, and her discovery of
herself through a turbulent year of high school. It's very different from My Worst
Date, though, rather than cool and funny this book is passionate and real, and it
reminded me of all those nights I spent as a teenager wondering what was wrong with me.
Grace's experience, I think, will resonate for anyone who's ever felt like an outsider,
for whatever reason. This book is one that I've already re-read and plan to again, and
it's also special to me because it was a birthday present from a dear friend.
Mail by
Mameve Medwed. You'd never think something like this story could
happen, but believe me, truth is stranger than fiction. This novel is about a writer named
Katinka who falls in love with her mailman. But that's just the beginning. In the end she
has to figure out for herself what she's looking for in life, and she learns enough to
make some decisions. I loved the description of the writing classroom in this book.
Rosie by
Anne Lamott. I read this one in January, actually, but it was one of
the best novels I'd read in a long time. Elizabeth and her daughter Rosie are two of the
most fascinating characters you'll ever find. I also love their friend Rae, who's got
problems with men like you wouldn't believe. Anne Lamott also wrote a wise and wonderful
book about writing and life called Bird by Bird, which I read in
December. I really like her sense of humor and her outlook on life. One of the few writers
I've actually written to about her books. |
