Author: Vikram Seth

I picked up this book from the shelf in March, thinking it was a novel. When I found it was a biography I was okay with it as I assumed it was a biography of the author. In fact, it is a biography of his Uncle and his aunt, by marriage. I continued to read it while I waited for books I had on order from the library. I finally decided it was time to get it off my Currently Reading shelf in Goodreads.

The book is well written and the background of his Shanti Uncle (this is how he is referred to in the book) comes from family history. The life of his Auntie Henny (who was German) was mainly put together from here correspondence to and from friends. Henry escaped Germany just before war broke out but her mother and sister were killed at different camps near the end of the war.

The author made an interesting comment at the end of the book mentioning that both Shanti and Henny lived through traumatic times in the 20th Century – life in India under British Rule and the subsequent partition into India and Pakistan , the Holocaust, and the Second World War to name just a few.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Kate Mayfield

I’m not sure where this book came from; it was on the shelf at the studio. I doubt I would have purchased it as I don’t often read, or enjoy, a memoir.

It is well written and reads a lot like a novel. The author describes her life growing up above a funeral home that is owned by her father. They live in a small Southern town and are often ostracized not only due to their family business but also because they are newcomers.

Although it doesn’t go into too much detail, there was a lot I learned from the discussions the author had with her father regarding the funeral industry.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: C.J. Box

I guess if you’re going to read one Joe Pickett book you may as well read two. This one is #18 so only a couple of years have passed. The usual characters are all in attendance and it seems that in spite of what he would like, Joe is constantly thrust into and solving police cases.

This story involves an English CEO who goes missing after spending a week on a very posh dude ranch. Joe’s daughter, Sheridan, just happens to work at this ranch. Joe is working at the request of a new governor and it would appear he has been set up to fail in his mission and, therefore, lose his game warden job.

I really do think this will be the last one in the series that I read.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: C.J. Box

I know when I finished the first book in the Joe Pickett series I said that I wouldn’t read any others. We watched a Joe Pickett series on Netflix and I enjoyed it so I decided to read another one. This one is #16 in the series so a lot had happened since the first book and where the Netflix series ended.

All the characters I remembered from the book appeared in the television series, although I didn’t remember the Nate character. He returns in this book along with Joe’s eldest daughter who is now in her early twenties. The story is much more violent than I would have expected and deals with terrorists planning an attack in America.

Goodreads Rating: * * *