The Beauty of a Story

Spring has made a tentative arrival. The apricot trees are blooming, and the brave daffodils and bluebells of early spring have made their appearance. The birds are chatty, catching up on all the winter gossip. I say tentative, for while I love the warm weather, spring in Colorado is a fickle thing. This week is warm and sunny, but next week might bring freezing temperatures and snow. You just never know.

In February I read three books. Stunning, I know.

‘What I Talk about When I Talk about Running’ by Haruki Murakami.

A new to me author, I have seen his fiction books many times but never quite made the leap. The other day while perusing the bookstore, I realized he had written a nonfiction book. Nonfiction is much more my speed these days, so I picked it up as an introduction to this author. I very much enjoyed the book. It is part memoir about long distance running, and part memoir about writing. He compares the two things often in his book, both talking about the discipline of running and marathon and the discipline of writing a novel. His thoughts on both were interesting and thought provoking.

‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’ but Shelby Van Pelt.

I have written a book review on this novel already, so I won’t repeat myself here. Suffice to say I enjoyed the novel about an octopus and his shenanigans. I would have happily had more of the octopus and less of the people, but that is a personal preferences. I liked all the different types of characters in the novel and hearing from perspectives you don’t often see in novels. I did think the ending was a little rushed, and I talk about that more on my book review.

‘The First Forty Days’ by Heng Ou.

This is a book about the first forty days postpartum. It talks about what to expect and has practical tips on how to make the transition to motherhood easier. I was simultaneously overwhelmed and encouraged by this book. Its main focus is how to eat well during that time to support your body and regain energy. I appreciated how practical it was, and it had loooots of recipes to choose from and try. Always a plus.

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What did you read in the gloomy month of February?

Shaina Merrick