Finding Your Next Chapter: Five Fab Books for Fall
Open a book and you will discover mysterious worlds, fantastical lives, inspirational humans, sultry dreams, and soul-searching thoughts. Books may provide us with a reflection of self, a glimpse into an unknown reality, or even social transformation.
For me, finding my next book is just a girlfriend away.
While our conversations generally involve mom high and lows, the next wine to try and dish to make, the question “What are you reading?” always makes its way into our chats. My girlfriend circle provides me with recommendations for the next book to read, as well as an outlet to call the minute I finish a book to exclaim my disbelief over the ending or the ecstatic shout of “That was sooooo good!”
Dr. Angela Curfman is an Associate Professor of Teacher Education at West Liberty University. This week she is sharing her top five fav books for fall!
So, I am sharing my recent top 5 favorites with you, here’s to finding your next chapter (book)!
In the Shadow of the Greenbrier, by Emily Matchar. The Greenbrier Resort, one of the most beautiful resorts in America, is one of my top 5 places to visit in West Virgina. This book details a family saga over ten decades and four generations with the Greenbrier as the remarkable setting. You will find yourself drawn into the Zelner family as they present their journeys to find themselves. The historical detail and vivid imagery create a picture in your mind of life at the Greenbrier, including a time in history when it was used as a luxury internment camp immediately following the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, and housed diplomats and their families from countries that had become enemy powers.
2. The Indigo Girl, by Natasha Boyd. A historical fiction text, you will discover Eliza Lucas, the main character, as an inspiration and one that captures the essence of a strong female. Set in the late 1700’s in South Carolina, Eliza is only 16 when she is given the responsibility of overseeing her family’s plantation. You will discover a young girl bravely and boldly breaking the societal norms of the time, while embarking on the path of finding herself. While at times I found myself rereading a paragraph or sentence, it was mostly due to the incredible information about the process of making indigo dye—something I knew nothing about yet found fascinating! And, as a disclaimer, you may experience tears while reading.
All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. Oh my, speechless as I could have pulled an all-nighter with this one! A historical fiction text set in World War II, the story follows two main characters, Marie-Laure LeBlanc, a blind French girl living in Paris, and Werner Pfennig, a German boy living in a children's home in Zollverein, as their paths cross during the war. Absolutely remarkable and uplifting, the star is Marie-Laure whose courage is absolutely motivating. Skip the Netflix series and jump straight into the pages of this beautiful story.
Four Winds, by Kristin Hannah. Four Winds presents you with the struggles, and the bleak and harsh conditions of the Great Depression. The main character, Elsa, reflects the sacrifices that women, mothers, daughters, and wives make to provide a better life for their family. For me, this was a slow read as I found myself wanting to absorb the details, the setbacks, the agonizing choices that are encountered by Elsa. Truly a portrait of hope and resilience, you will find yourself empathizing with Elsa and the choices she makes all in the name of a mother’s love.
The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah. Yes, I did it, back-to-back Kristin Hannah recommendations. Just wait, you will completely understand why she is worthy of reading back-to-back. The character and plot development pulls you in as soon as you open the first chapter. Set in the harsh conditions of German-occupied France during World War II, you follow 2 sisters—each one embarking on their own journey of survival, love, and freedom. Both women, remarkable and resilient in their unique ways, will capture and keep you up late as you follow their paths.
Grab your sexy readers, (I love my eyebobs Number Crunchers) and go find your next chapter (book)!
Salud,
Angie
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