Best Books Read in 2017

As usual, I kept a list with comments on the books I read in 2017.  These are the ones I think you might enjoy:  

The Girl on the Train, by Paula Hawkins

Interesting who-done-it, although the main character was so screwed up that it was hard to have any compassion for her.  But a well-written book that you don’t figure out before the end, at least I didn’t.

The Sellout, by Paul Beatty

The bizarre story of a young black man in LA suburb called Dickens.  He was raised by a what I would call a psychotic father who home schooled him in black history, punishing him weirdly and sometimes painfully if he didn’t get the message.  He just wants to be a farmer, but his father’s legacy and a former Little Rascals star who wants to be his slave won’t let him be.   Many more things ensue.  Not sure how to categorize this book. I liked it but found some of the things painful to read about. There is some magical realism.   There were some extremely funny scenes, also, like when his father tells him to whistle at a white girl, and he whistles Bolero, because he doesn’t know what a wolf whistle is.

The Wright Brothers, by David McCullough

I enjoyed it, although it took me a long time to get through it.  Remarkable story

Books read while Alan was in the hospital:  I didn't write notes afterwards, so will put a link to a review for you to see.  ** = I liked these better, although all were good.

Divorced, Beheaded, Survived  by Karen Lindsey

Goodreads review of the book

The Nightingale, by Kristin Hannah

Goodreads review of the book

**A Wild Sheep Chase:  A Novel,  by Haruki Murakami

Goodreads review of the book

**The Risk Pool, by Richard Russo

Goodreads review of the book

The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt

Long, but very interesting story of a young boy who takes a painting after a museum is bombed and his mother is killed.  The book follows him and his “adventures” as he hides the painting for years, lives with his alcoholic father, and finally comes back to New York to live with Hobie, a sweet furniture restorer.  Woven all through it is his relationship with Boris, who is shady from the start but who becomes a fast friend.  Some things are too unbelievable, but for the most part, it is an absorbing story.  It took me a while to get through it, but I am glad that I did.  Alan read this too and liked it.