The Secret Wisdom of the Earth | 
#BeginsWith @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs
This challenge is really making me go through my TBR and it's like discovering new books all over again that I'm excited to read.
pickThis is one of those books I‘ve had on my TBR shelf for years, and once I started it I wondered what took me so long!
A beautiful and heartbreaking story of a boy in West Virginia whose family is trying to recover from a horrible tragedy. His grandfather becomes an important role model of his life, teaching him about respecting people of all kinds, and about cherishing the earth.
I highly recommend this to literary fiction fans.
My consignment used bookstore had there first ever sale!!
#bookhaul @Nataliepatalie
1. The Secret Wisdom of the Earth
2. No
3. 57 F
4. Peanut butter and syrup
5. @NataliePatalie 👋
@howjessreads #friYAYintro
#ShiningStar was sung by Earth, Wind & Fire. So I give you three excellent books with earth, wind and fire in the titles.
#SeasonsReadings
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @vkois88
-The Secret Wisdom of the Earth 💜
- Vilas Swarup
- Survivor, Shawshank Redemption
- Spaghetti Alfredo
#ManicMonday #letterS @JoScho
Some of my most #beloved novels.
#coolbooks @Linsy
#TBRtemptation post 5! #PhillyMeetUp edition! A @micheleinphilly Pick! There is a lot packed into this fairly thick debut novel, set in the Kentucky forest over the course of a tension-laden summer: coming-of-age, environmentalism, homosexuality, family tragedy and grief, tradition, morality. All told from the eyes of 14-year-old Kevin. #blameLitsy #blameMrBook 😎
#EarthSong I've had this Appalachian-set, coming-of-age novel on my TBR shelf for a while. Any fans? #LyricalApril
Really enjoyed this book. Love a good coming of age story.
so-soI grew up in this part of the country and was about the age of the main character during 1985 (when the action took place). And, while the author did a remarkable job of portraying some bits, others fell into heavy stereotype for me. I, generally, agree with his politics regarding coal, but it's not as pervasive or two dimensional as he tells. His writing is stunning, but overall, I think tends to reinforce negative stereotypes.
Page one. This book, y'all. 💔
Thank you so much @rustoryhuf for the wonderful Valentine's Day goodies! I especially love the owl notepad and button! I can't wait to read these books! You made my Valentine's Day with your thoughtfulness! Thank you to @BookishMarginalia for organizing this! #cupidgoespostal ❣️💘💝💖
pickSet in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, the setting was close to home for me. My grandpa was a coal miner in southwest Virginia, and my family is from towns just like the one in the book. I loved the character development of Kevin, the protagonist, and his relationships with his family and his friend Buzzy. Even after finishing, my heart is still with Kevin in Medgar, Kentucky; I think this is a story that will stay with me.
I am listening to the audiobook of this beautiful novel in the mornings and it is breaking my heart. The writing is almost poetic and the characters are so real that I feel like I know them. I don't want it to end.
pickAll the love. All the stars! THIS was the book I needed right now. All consuming, all wonderful. A beautiful blend of Pat Conroy and John Irving - at least that's what it felt like to me. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
A glass of Fielding Fireside White, black bean and garlic nachos and salsa, a great read = Friday night perfection. 🌟🍷📚❤️🌟
pickComing of Age Audio I liked the story and there were some lovely characters. There were also serious stereotypes and neat little bows. Overall, a decent story that just kind of trickled to an end. I didn't dislike it nor did I love it but it was more than meh.
pickThis book was wonderful. The characters were so well drawn and I was so sucked in by the time frame as well as the premise. Being a born and bred Kentuckian I always like to read books set here but this one was magical to me both as a coming of age story and as a look at life in Appalachia. ⭐️⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️⭐️️
"It was always coal. Coal filled their pantry and put a sense of purpose in their morning coffee."
#evacuationreads #borrowedmomsbook
Me with the phenomenally friendly and interesting Christopher Scotton. He has an incredible story behind his incredible book, and I've kept in touch with him for his writing guidance. If you haven't checked this book out yet, I highly recommend it. I've had it as a selection in 3 of my bookclubs now, and it's been well-received by all 3 groups. Is there an author you've gotten the opportunity to know?
pickThis was an amazing coming of age story. The chatacters were well drawn, believably flawed, and the author treated Appalachian culture and the complexity of the Post-Coal economy with due respect and reverence.
Getting ready to discuss this great book with one of the NYC book clubs that @MrBook and I run! Let the fun begin! 😁📚
About to start discussing this selection for the #2030SomethingBookClub! Full house in the basement of the Houndstooth Pub. NYC bookish get-togetherness are the best kind 😎👌🏻.
And next up! This was recommended, iirc, by @MrBook it somehow kept getting shuffled to the bottom of my TBR stack, but I think I'm ready to dive in.
I'm starting this tonight. I think it was recommended by Mr Book, but not sure. All I know is I love all my boom enablers!
pickThis well crafted novel invited me to spend some time in Medgar, a small town in rural Kentucky. Kevin had arrived in Medgar, carrying a heavy burden of grief and guilt. As Kevin spent time with his grandad and explored wild Kentucky with Buzzy, his burdens grew lighter. A fateful camping trip caused Kevin and Buzzy to rely on newly found strengths. Such a satisfying, good read! So very well done and so very much enjoyed!
@BethFishReads reminded me I downloaded Libib too and really should start working on cataloging my to-read, read and find books to send off to Goodwill bookstore....and here is the stack for the #bookstack picture. These are the ones on my shelves in my bedroom. Kind of my "to get to next stack"
I told everyone I was working today even though I'm not (The Bosses and The Munchkin are going to the mountains for the weekend) because even on my off days everyone has things for me to do. So I'm having an introvert's day out: bookstore, lunch at the park, and then taking a friend yarn shopping and giving her a knitting lesson. And, of course, starting a new book over lunch.
Sometimes the idea of a book gets into your head and won't let go until you have it in your hands. The Interestings has been nagging at me for a while, and then this morning @MrBook reviewed Secret Wisdom of the Earth and I just. Had. To. Have. It. So I made a pit stop after work and used the last of my spare cash till Friday to buy these pretties. I'm bumping Secret Wisdom to the top of my TBR pile.
pickThis is a big story in small-town Medgar, Kentucky. Prepare to be enthralled with its many components: untimely death & grief; environmentalism; transcendentalism; homosexuality; family identity; coming-of-age; justice & civil rights. Kevin & Buzzy's story is poignant, dramatic, & enriching. Similar to Quindlen's "Miller's Valley", with hints of Emerson and Thoreau, and a dash of "TKAM". Pair with: Pure Kentucky XO Straight Bourbon, straight.
More book mail!! #somebodystopme
Starting a new book on a beautiful beach. Life is good!
pickThought provoking and riveting. A book that was emotionally hard to read but impossible to put down.
Chester sighed. We are talking about mountains that have been here for ten thousand years. Mountains that have defined us for generations. They were the one constant in this scratch-a-living life of ours, and now three are gone. Just gone.
