This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger

THIS TENDER LAND by William Kent Krueger (author of Ordinary Grace and Cork O’Connor mysteries) is a new work of historical fiction that received a starred review from Library Journal and was a LibraryReads selection for September.  In an author’s note Krueger says, “I’ve poured the best of myself into this story … [as a key character says] ‘open yourself to every possibility, for there is nothing your heart can imagine that is not so.’”  Set in Minnesota in the summer of 1932, Krueger’s novel deals with themes of social justice, survival, and belonging. THIS TENDER LAND tells the story of four orphans, “impish” Odie (the narrator) and his older brother, mechanically minded Albert, plus their very strong Sioux friend Mose/Amdacha and little Emmy whom they all try to protect. Together, the four take a canoe on the Gilead River towards the Mississippi in the hopes of eventually finding family in Saint Louis. Along the way, they encounter cruelty and kindness, sickness and hunger, as well as joy through friendship and music. Booklist also recommends THIS TENDER LAND, saying “teens will enjoy this historical crossover novel of adventure, and identify with its young protagonist.” My only concern is the length – 464 pages is too long for a required read and only the more motivated students will select it as an independent choice. Those who do will find that the characters are appealing and their travels and adventures certainly pull readers through the story. Adults and book groups, particularly those who liked Where the Crawdads Sing, should definitely consider this heartland tale, too. Highly recommended.

A Course Called Scotland by Tom Coyne

Have you found yourself thinking recently about playing golf in Scotland? Well, the newly released A COURSE CALLED SCOTLAND by Tom Coyne is certainly worth pursuing.  In this entertaining book, Coyne recounts his adventures playing famous courses at St. Andrews, Turnberry, Dornoch, Troon and many that are less well-known. In fact, Coyne sets out to play golf on every links course in Scotland (map included) and lists the results of 111 rounds (that’s a total of 657,450 yards and over 1900 holes in just under two months) where he impressively was over par by only about seven percent, or very roughly 5 strokes per round. Those stats are meant to convey Coyne’s serious ability although his writing is extremely humorous and will have you laughing out loud. 

A COURSE CALLED SCOTLAND is a great resource for anyone interested in golf – the kind of book that you can pick up and enjoy over time. It is an amusing and witty storytelling masterpiece, filled with history of the game and tales of family, friends and local playing partners. Coyne previously authored A Course Called Ireland (2009) which was a New York Times bestseller. Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the advance reader copy which was provided in exchange for this honest review.

Alone Time ... Take off your Shoes... Just As You Are

Well, it is summer and a chance to kick back and reflect a bit.  Here are three texts which deal with being good to yourself – and the first two offer some travel ideas as well. 

ALONE TIME by New York Times columnist Stephanie Rosenbloom is the non-fictional account of her solo travels to four cities: Paris, Istanbul, Florence and New York, one in each of the four seasons. Rosenbloom advocates for time alone and cites research that says, “even fifteen minutes spent by ourselves, without electronic devices or social interaction, can decrease the intensity of our feelings, leaving us more relaxed, less angry, and less anxious.”  Although her text is a kind of reflective travelogue, with varied focus on food, beauty, knowledge and home, she does devote about fifteen percent of the book to notes and refers to social science writing by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Flow) or Pew Research Center, for example.  ALONE TIME is a diverting read and I would be curious to also see her thoughts about less urban destinations. Her chapter with advice about tips and tools is definitely worth a look – places to stay, games and apps, etc. are outlined – and she again promotes the ideas of trying something new and valuing unscheduled time so as to better focus on the present moment.   

TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES by Ben Feder is about “One Man’s Journey from the Boardroom to Bali and Back.” Feder is a Harvard Business School graduate and formerly CEO of Take Two Interactive (publisher of Grand Theft Auto) and this debut memoir chronicles events surrounding his decision to take a months-long sabbatical in order to foster self-improvement and rebuild family relationships. TAKE OFF YOUR SHOES is another text about personal growth and living in the moment; however, it also shows how family members reconnected and even goes further to addresses environmental concerns and cultural differences. Sadly, we cannot all stop work and head to Indonesia’s Bali with “just about the friendliest people on Earth,” but do take advantage of overseas assignments if offered. In the meantime, one can learn from Feder’s observations about the value of yoga, meditation and drawing as we continue our own journeys to balance personal and professional lives.   

JUST AS YOU ARE by Michelle Skeen and Kelly Skeen is subtitled “a teen's guide to self-acceptance and lasting self-esteem.” It fits perfectly with the recent New York Times article that we have shared with many of our high school advisories (homerooms): “Why You Should Stop Being So Hard on Yourself” by Charlotte Lieberman. She suggests 3 steps to self-compassion: meditation to let negative thoughts go, consciously being kinder to oneself, and reflecting on how it feels to engage in self-criticism versus letting it go. No doubt, the Skeens would agree and they, too, offer numerous exercises (Try This! Sections) in JUST AS YOU ARE.  They, too, remind readers that “mindfulness can help you stay present with your current experience rather than reacting based on past failures.” Other main messages include "Stop comparing yourself to others--you're special just as you are!" and “You are not alone.” The mother-daughter authors offer timely, relevant examples and speak directly to teens although the tone turns a bit of a preachy at times (“when you are solid in your values, you are less likely to feel overpowered by the opinions and criticisms of others”). This publisher (New Harbinger) offers numerous titles geared for teens and members of our faculty especially liked The Grit Guide for Teens.

So … deep breaths… happy thoughts … and keep reading as you enjoy your summer!