The Midwest is America’s heartland. It’s where farming and industry meet and large commercial cities sprawl into rural towns. It’s the Great Lakes, picturesque colleges and universities, and the wonder of the four changing seasons. To continue our reading road trip, let’s journey to several of the states in the Midwest: Ohio – Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng The picture-perfect Richardson family resides in tranquil, progressive Shaker Heights, a suburb of Cleveland. When Mia Warren, artist and single mother, moves into the Richardson’s rental with her daughter, the family finds themselves drawn to the enigmatic pair. As friends of…
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Florida Mystery Series
Lounging on the beach in the warm sunshine calls for an engrossing page-turner. Starting a fast-paced Florida mystery series is the perfect way to spend a day near the ocean. Famed Floridians Carl Hiassen and Jeff Lindsay have both created unique characters and plots that distinguish them from other authors of the mystery genre. Carl Hiassen Carl Hiassen, one of Florida’s most notable authors, is known for his quirky Florida “eco crime” stories. A graduate of the University of Florida and former assignment writer for the Miami Herald, Hiassen now devotes his time to penning (primarily) mystery novels that take…
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Literature of the Southern States – Part 2
Let’s venture into the deep south – South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi – where the summers are long, hot, and humid and the days fade into stiff evenings cooled by visits on the front porch. From the bayou towns of Louisiana to the quaint historic streets of Charleston, South Carolina, the cuisine, music, and literature of the most southern states will enchant you. South Carolina The novels of Pat Conroy: Pat Conroy is known for his sweeping stories about love and family set in South Carolina, particularly The Prince of Tides and Beach Music. The Prince of Tides,…
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Exploring the Beauty of the USA
The United States is a vast country just waiting to be explored… …and we are so fortunate to have incredible landscapes right outside our doors. From sea to shining sea, the beauty of the USA is the redwood forests of Northern California, the mysterious deserts and canyons of the southwest, the rustic charm of the islands of the Atlantic, and the white beaches of the Florida Gulf shores. Travelers from around the world seek the very experiences and destinations we often overlook. Have you experienced the power and beauty of Niagara Falls in person? Explored Mammoth Cave in Kentucky? Ventured…
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Southern Fiction Part 1
Southern fiction provides readers with a literary escape to the lush green hills of the Appalachians, a glimpse of the Civil War through the eyes of a beloved character, or a tour of small-town America through the streets of dusty coal towns. Let’s explore our first section of southern fiction (deeper south comes next!) by reading our way through West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, and North Carolina. West Virginia Snakehunter by Chunk Kinder: This coming-of-age story explores the life of Speer Whitfield, who reflects on his upbringing in 1940s Appalachia with his large and peculiar family. At turns funny…
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