If you are looking for something light to read, this listing of books might help you out. Matt and I have read them and sometimes it’s nice to get a recommendation rather than just grab something unfamiliar and go!
Matt and I both love to read. We have discussed recently that we seem to get less and less time for it though. If you are a reader, lucky you. You have the ability to take yourself wherever you want to go. You can change your mood, open your heart and mind to new ideas, and you can learn. It’s amazing what you can accomplish by reading a book.
Well, you know we have a list for children, but I thought the adult books made the children’s list look less fun and less colorful if you know what I mean. So, I’ve divided them and hope this will make it easier to find a title that you might be interested in and that is at your own reading level!!
We hope you enjoy these titles as much as we have.
Shari and Matt
Replay
by Ken Grimwood
Matt and I have both read this book a couple of times. It’s just one of those. If you are interested in the possibility of living your life over and over again….this is a very interesting perspective. It’s a fiction book, but you just can’t put it down!
reviewed by Shari
I agree with Shari, this has been a book that I return to all the time. If Will Smith is looking for a great role, this would be a great character for him, or me if he happens to be busy.
The Secret Life of Bees
by Sue Monk Kidd
I LOVED this book. And you know, it wasn’t as much the story, as it was the pictures I could imagine in my mind of the places the author describes. There were certain locations I wanted to be in or would love to create for my own family. There is sadness in this book, but there is great joy, warmth and love as well.
reviewed by Shari
Truck and Population 485
by Michael Perry
I read these two books in about 2 evenings, Mr. Perry captures my life (or at least what I think is what my life is like) on pages like no other. With his book Truck he travels through his trials and tribulations of his daily life while restoring a vintage International L-120 Pickup truck, from dealing with his family to developing a new relationship. This is a great read, and ladies, don’t be thrown by the truck part, this story is as romantic a story as any.
The book Population 485 is about his daily life as a volunteer fireman in a small Wisconsin town; his stories about the townsfolk’s tell a story of real America and real American characters. Mr. Perry is a great story teller and I look for all of his new releases and I grab them as fast as he can write.
review by Matt
C.C. Pyle’s Amazing Foot Race
by Geoff Williams
Being a runner, I read anything about running I find, not necessarily books on how to run, but stories about runners and how running effects them. I picked this book up after reading a review about it in Runner’s World Magazine. This is a true story about the 1928 Coast-to-Coast run across America. Coined the “Bunion Derby” by the press, this story follows 200 runners as they run (or crawl) there way from Los Angeles to New York.
The characters are as real as any reality TV story, and their story is told brilliantly by Mr. Williams. After reading I laced up my Nikes and took off for a very long run, I think I made it around the block twice.
review by Matt
The Last Campaign
by Thurson Clarke
Shari and I try not to be political on our site, but I thought it was important for me to do as much research about the political process I could during this pivotal election year. I saw this book at a book store and grabbed it up. I can remember the night that Mr. Kennedy was assassinated as if it was yesterday. My mom and I were watching television when the announcement came across the air, and we both sat in silence, I was just a little boy of 12– but I knew it was a terrible loss for our country. This book is about Bobby Kennedy’s run for the presidency in 1968. It follows Mr. Kennedy on the campaign trail during the last 82 days of his life. If you like to read about history, this is a must read, if you like books about people who changed the course of history, read this.
review by Matt
A Man a Can and A Plan
by David Joachim and the editors of Men’s Health
I jokingly say that if it doesn’t say Stouffer’s I don’t eat it, and that is almost true. I’m an OK cook, but I don’t always cook as healthy as I should. This is a cook book that I can use, check that, anyone can use. 50 great guy meals (and family) that any one can make, if you can open a can you can cook these meals. This book is as easy as reading the back of a cereal box, with pictures and everything. Try the game day stew…..yummy with a capital Yummy!!
review by Matt
The Birds of Winter
by Kit and George Harrison
While I’m working on mattandshari.com, I sit at my desk that overlooks my bird feeders. I’m constantly grabbing my binoculars to see who is visiting my feeders. Winter has the most traffic since my feeders are one of the birds (and squirrels – I don’t discriminate) only source of winter grub. This book is all about how my bird friends survive the harsh winter. You will learn how birds find food, how to attract and feed birds of winter and the hot spots that birds of winter can be observed.
review by Matt
The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid
By Bill Bryson
This is a hilarious book for adults about Matt’s and my age. Many of the antics in this book will bring back memories. Matt read it first and passed it on to me. I was reading it on a flight one afternoon and laughed until I cried and prompted the lady sitting next to me to ask “What on earth is so funny?”
review by Shari
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