Humidity and heat = AC and books!
I chose to take June off from blogging. Then the heat and humidity of a South Carolina summer sapped me of the strength to do anything more in my garden than just water the plants and let them be. Doing so left me nothing to blog about from my garden – how many posts can I write on wilting vines?
Summers in SC are perfect for staying indoors, reading, sipping sweet iced tea, and enjoying Mr. Willis Carrier’s wonderful invention of commercial air conditioning. To keep this short, I’m just posting a list of some of the books I read since June, with maybe one or two lines of description. Tell me what a person reads and I’ll tell you about that person….
June
Kindle
Out of the Silent Planet
by C. S. Lewis
The beginning of Lewis’ lesser-known trilogy for adults. Fanciful yet deep. It rewards constant re-reading.
Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot
Bill O’Reilly, Martin Dugard
I’ve read so many books about the Kennedys – this was one of them. I can’t remember much about it.
Julie Kelly has been the voice of those who have no voice in this matter. Read it and be infuriated.
OUTCRY: Why does Pope Barnabas release Catholic clergy from their vows of celibacy?
Ned Cosby
A piece of fiction which imagines a future pope determined to rid the church of sexual abuse.
Paperback and hardcover
Uncharted (1) (Arcane America)
Sarah A. Hoyt and Kevin J. Anderson
I love Sarah’s blog and love to read her books.
July
Kindle
The Devil’s Hand: A Thriller (Terminal List Book 4) AND
In the Blood: A Thriller (Terminal List Book 5)
Jack Carr
I had to read both of these to finish the series before I watched an episode of Amazon Prime’s Terminal List series. My conclusion: I’m happier with the books.
Blessed With All This Life (The Wilder Bunch Book 7)
Max Cossack
The last of the Wilder Bunch series, and yes, of course I have them all. I was turned on to the famous novelist Max Cossack by his lovely wife who writes the Ammo Grrrll columns at Powerline blog.
Paperback and hardcover
The Bodies of Others: The New Authoritarians, COVID-19 and The War Against the Human
Naomi Wolf
Still finishing this one up – it makes my blood boil!!
August (so far)
Kindle
The Iron Web
Larken Rose
A chilling look at a possible dystopian future, where men have forgotten how to be free.
The Puppet Masters
Robert A. Heinlein
My introduction to a master – thank you, Sarah Hoyt!
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
Robert A. Heinlein
I’m 75% of the way through this and it makes me cheer. The transportees settled forcibly on Luna (our moon) have risen up and declared their independence. I’d heard of this one before I read it – it is a masterpiece.
Waiting in the wings
The Little World of Don Camillo (Don Camillo Series Book 1)
Giovanni Guareschi
Another delightful recommendation from Sarah. Can’t wait.
Paperback and hardcover
One Row at a Time
Rochester A. Baker, Sr.
Rochester is in my Toastmasters club, Two Notch Toastmasters. He has written a lovely book which is both a memoir of lessons learned in his long life, “one row at a time,” and a tribute to his late wife Sheilda. She came with him to Toastmasters meetings years ago, before she passed. A wonderful elegy.
Gotta get back to my latest …
As you can see, I’m still finishing a couple or three. I’ll usually have four or five on the go at all times. Oh, yes, I read two Jack Reacher paperbacks as well this summer, but they’re in the car, destined for the Little Free Library on the corner and I can’t be bothered to dig them up.
A good book, a glass of sweet tea, and a little something to munch on – it don’t get better than this!
– Aunt Gem’s dad
Notes from Aunt Gem 