Summer Reading: 2024

This is the most exciting work of crime fiction I have read in a very long time. To catch the serial killer, Sheriff Crown must contend with his town's racist history. This book has a little something for everyone.

I grew up outside of Chicago, and so I discovered Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel when their first show was only on our local PBS stations. I loved their passionate conversations/arguments over current films, and I looked forward to every new episode. Eventually they became hugely famous, and their influence over the industry was impossible to overstate. While I enjoyed the funny memories of watching them, it was also very emotional since they are both no longer with us. And I’m constantly wondering how they would be reacting to movies that are out now.

I like both book and movie combination, as it relates to myself being apart of the crew club here at St Thomas

This novel follows a family through several generations as they navigate war, identity, and belonging. With breathtakingly lyrical prose, this book will break you open then gently put you back together again.

One of the blurbs compares this novel to a David Lynch film and that really is the most apt way to describe it. It is dreamy, mesmerizing, and strange in all the best ways.

Full of wit, adventure, and heart, this novel is a fun twist on the Western. It feels at once refreshingly modern yet true to the gun-slinging heroes signified by the genre. And it’s just a downright good time!

The Exorcist is a great mix of 1970s nostalgia and unsettling supernatural events. The demon possession storyline could be a metaphor for how people react when faced with something terrifying and confusing and how they rebuild afterward.

This book is set in a100 year old café in Tokyo where visitors have the unique opportunity to travel back in time. But the journey does not come without risks - customers must sit in a particular chair, they cannot leave the café and they must return to the present before the coffee in their cup gets cold. This moving story explores the age-old questions : Who would you want to meet and what would you change if you could travel back in time?

I’m choosing a series instead of a book. But the Wayfarers books are wonderful! It’s life in the future, with characters you care about. In the Fleet, everybody has a home, and nobody goes hungry. What if we had a world like that?

A history of the brains behind a classic of American comedy. Acclaimed film directors David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker deliver an uproarious oral history of the making of their 1980 film, Airplane! which, in the words of Abrahams, elevated "stupidity to an art form." This delightful book, like Airplane! and many other ZAZ productions, is multilayered, incisive, and surprising. The authors detail how they created the sketch comedy outfit Kentucky Fried Theater in Wisconsin before moving the operation to Los Angeles and gaining a wide following.

I've never read anything that has done more for my thinking on good and evil, the human condition, and the eternal as these stories have.  Lewis bring topics that often seem dry and dogmatic in a sermon or theology book to life by using the reader’s imagination.

When the Bloodmoon rose, death came rushing into the world. Now the water is bitter, blight consumes everything, the Crone haunts the hills, and the Druid of Blackthorn searches desperately for hope. Sorensen's lyrical tale of light overcoming darkess is a matchless work of Celtic-inspired lore.

This is not my all-time favorite, but it is my most recent favorite! I’m already a good chunk of the way through book two, which if you know how big these books are, you know that’s quite the feat! It is an epic, world-building, fantasy novel with more going on than can be recounted, but two of my favorite themes are the value of human life and acting honorably even in the face of severe adversity. Highly recommend if you like a good, long read that will suck you in and still keep you busy for a while.

This book weaves together this incredible mix of art, science, religion, and technology into this gripping mystery that really challenges what we think we know and makes us ponder the future of humanity in such a thought-provoking way.

Khaled Hosseini beautifully portrays Laila's strong bond with her caring father, Hakim, amid Afghanistan's challenges. Their love reflects invaluable family support during tough times, a sentiment I deeply relate to from my own experience.

This book is an amazing nonfiction graphic novel that takes readers on an enthralling journey through the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa. Set against the backdrop of turn-of-the-century Paris, this fast-paced thriller not only explores the dramatic heist but also delves into the enigmatic life of Leonardo da Vinci and the painting's mysterious origins. The book offers a captivating blend of true crime, art history, and cultural commentary. This lively storytelling and fascinating historical insight make it a compelling read for anyone interested in art and history.

This book offers a delightful glimpse into the life of twelve-year-old Clotilde “Coco” Irvine, a young girl growing up in the opulent world of 1920s St. Paul. With a lively wit and a droll sense of humor, Coco's diary entries vividly capture her adventures, problems, and romances as part of the city's social elite. Her innocence and youthful exuberance provide a charming portrayal of the Jazz Age through the eyes of a young teenager. This engaging diary is perfect for readers interested in historical accounts, especially those intrigued by history that took place in our own backyard, including the residence that would later become the governor's mansion.

Warrior Girl Unearthed is a sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley. Set in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, this high-stakes thriller follows Perry Firekeeper-Birch, a teen who uncovers a plot involving stolen Indigenous graves and, with her friends' help, sets out to protect her community's heritage. Along the way, Perry confronts family secrets, generational grudges, and the painful legacy of colonialism. Warrior Girl Unearthed is a gripping tale of identity and resilience in Indigenous Communities.

This is an award-winning novel that follows the life of twelve-year-old Güero, a Mexican American boy navigating seventh grade and life on the border through poetry. Known as Güero for his red hair, pale skin, and freckles, he feels at home speaking both Spanish and English, and he runs with a group of misfits called Los Bobbys. Facing the challenges of adolescence, including school, girls, and bullies, Güero finds solace in his family's traditions and his love for music. As he confronts the complexities of his identity and heritage, Güero learns to express himself through poetry, making this book a poignant and inspiring read.

I love this book because it is poetically written praise to the Virgin Mary. It also showcases the Biblical knowledge and literary gifts of the original author: Abba Georgis of Segla.