Among many other good changes in my life this year I've decided to recommend good books I've read as I finish reading them instead of waiting to put together a list that never quite happens. I have hesitated to recommend this treasure of a book in the past because I once recommended it to an friend who is an English major and, probably because I liked the story so well, her review of it caused me to bury my love for this book in order to either protect the book, or my simpleness in reading, I'm not sure which. Just for the record, I love reading and a book has to be pretty bad not to get a good review from me. Wish You Well is a book I have read several times. It is easy to read, the story line catches your interest right from the start, and I get totally lost in the idea of living off the land without money or material things and having a great life despite the lack of what we have come to believe are necessities. I'm not a fan of David Balacci, but this book is totally different from his usual political spy thrillers that I just can't get into. My only qualm with the book is that it goes a little over the top with the whole "preserve the mountain at any cost" idea, but their reasons for preserving are sound, so it works. It doesn't sugar coat rural life in farm/coal country, in fact, it shows it for the hardness that it was, but you come away feeling good in the end and at this time of economic unrest, I was left feeling a spirit of survival that gave me hope that I could survive whatever may come. I recommend it to you.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Wish You Well
Among many other good changes in my life this year I've decided to recommend good books I've read as I finish reading them instead of waiting to put together a list that never quite happens. I have hesitated to recommend this treasure of a book in the past because I once recommended it to an friend who is an English major and, probably because I liked the story so well, her review of it caused me to bury my love for this book in order to either protect the book, or my simpleness in reading, I'm not sure which. Just for the record, I love reading and a book has to be pretty bad not to get a good review from me. Wish You Well is a book I have read several times. It is easy to read, the story line catches your interest right from the start, and I get totally lost in the idea of living off the land without money or material things and having a great life despite the lack of what we have come to believe are necessities. I'm not a fan of David Balacci, but this book is totally different from his usual political spy thrillers that I just can't get into. My only qualm with the book is that it goes a little over the top with the whole "preserve the mountain at any cost" idea, but their reasons for preserving are sound, so it works. It doesn't sugar coat rural life in farm/coal country, in fact, it shows it for the hardness that it was, but you come away feeling good in the end and at this time of economic unrest, I was left feeling a spirit of survival that gave me hope that I could survive whatever may come. I recommend it to you.
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1 comment:
I loved that book too, and I too have read it multiple times. There are some parts to the book that are hard for me to get past, mostly the mothers injury. But, I agree that it is a great story, and a simple, entertaining read.
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