Each week (give or take one or two here and there) I share three things I like – It could be a book, a movie, a podcast, an album, a photo, an article, a restaurant, a food item, a beverage, or anything else I simply enjoy and think you might too.
1) The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles
Towles is best known as the author of A Gentleman in Moscow, which is an excellent novel and a sort of modern classic in its own right. The Lincoln Highway is a decidedly different kind of story. It takes place in the 1950s and follows brothers Emmett (18) and Billy (8) Watson as they seek to make their way to California after their father’s death and the repossessing of their farm. It is the story of a quest, replete with colorful and unexpected characters, redirections, obstacles, heroes, and villains. But the plot isn’t really the point; the people are. And the people in this story are wonderful–colorful, thoughtful, devious, unpredictable. It’s not a coming of age story because it all takes place in just a few days. But the characters do develop, or at least their stories are unspooled so they gain depth. The Lincoln Highway is a book to sit with, to read at a leisurely pace (which matches the boys’ progress, or complete lack thereof). Towles writes with exquisite description and economy, so even though it is a long novel, it does not bog down or take wrong turns. If you are looking for a literary delight, I highly recommend this one.
2) The Arcadian by Steven Pressfield
It is a good sign when a novelist only releases a new book every few years. It says something about the craft of each book. And Steven Pressfield is no exception; his books come out sparingly and wonderfully. Pressfield writes some of the best historical fiction I have ever read, especially Gates of Fire. The Arcadian is another historical masterpiece of research and mythology. Pressfield excels most at putting the reader in the context and the conflict about which he is writing. He makes history come alive in particular locales (the mountains of Spain in this case). His books are love stories, but not romances–telling of loyal love, familial love, the love of brothers in arms. You can read the synopsis of the book for yourself, and like any synopsis it doesn’t really reveal what the book is about or how good it is. So just trust me when i say that it is a gripping, smart, adventurous read that you will very much enjoy.
3) Brach’s Pumpkins Mellowcreme Candy
I understand many of you despise these (and their running mate, candy corn). And that is fine. It simply means more for me. And, as a matter of fact, I don’t even know if they are good. But I know they are perfect for fall. I know they pair well with peanuts and bonfires. I know that once I start eating them there is a near certainty I will eat enough to regret it. I know that one must use a power washer to get the sugar film off your teeth after eating them. I know there is not one natural thing about them, and for that reason they function as an ode to mankind’s inventiveness. And I know that I have never been disappointed to see these in a candy bowl on an end table, a church reception, a business lobby, or anywhere else.