There's Nothing Better...

...than a good book on a lousy day.

Well that's an exaggeration of course, but I do love to read and I love it when I discover really good books by accident, the ones that become members of my "treasures" bookshelf.

As many of you know by now, I spend a significant amount of my time reading. I do, and always have, loved to read. And as much as I get disgruntled over being a truck driver sometimes, I have to readily admit that there are few professions that would allow me to get paid for lounging in bed reading for hours on end. Trucking, at least, has that going for it!

I love to read, and after Malcolm bought me an iPod and membership to audible.com for my birthday a couple years ago, I have learned to love to listen to audible books as well. I'm able to listen to books while I drive, and its amazing what a difference it can make sometimes on a long dull night of driving. These days I've usually go 2-3 books going at the same time. I love to read...did I mention that?

Spirits are higher in the truck this week, thank goodness! Lots of contributing factors, but one of them has to have been that I re-read a book that I love. I'd like to share it with you!

I picked this up off the bookshelf at the store over a year ago. I liked the cover and that's why I bought it. I love it when I take a chance on a random, unknown book and it turns out to be a wonderful experience.

I really enjoyed this story so much! I have a few ways of judging a book and deciding if its goes on my "favorites" list. One of those methods is to read it twice. If I like it just as much the second time around, if it keeps my attention and gives me just as much enjoyment, it hits the favorites list for sure. This one was already on the list. And then last week I saw it on the library's audio book list, downloaded it, and Oh....it was such a pleasure to listen to! Its now in the top membership of my "favorites" list.

Even if your not a "horsey" person, I still say this is a read worth picking up. I loved the author's writing style. I got attached to the characters, and I enjoyed the multiple stories within the main story. The horses are not the main characters, but its more about their owners and a young woman who breaks horses. Its about relationships and growth. Its a story, but there are deep thoughts about life between the lines. And I love that you can read it for just a story and ignore the deeper thoughts, or you can really think about it if you want. Its just a great read and I also saw the potential for some wonderful book group discussions...if I had a book group to discus it with!

 

I'd not heard of Molly Gloss before, but after my initial introduction to her writing I dug around a little and found another of her books, The Jump Off Creek. Loved it as well. Wildlife, another of her titles, I had a little more trouble getting into and in fact didn't finish, but that could have easily been due to the onset of my sour mood, as I was trying to read it just a couple weeks ago. I'll try again later.

Regardless....The Hearts of Horses is a great book. I highly recommend it. And go ahead and get The Jump Off Creek too. Both books are set in the early 1900's in rural Oregon. Wonderful stories, wonderful writing style. I like this author and her work!

PS: Thank you all again for the encouragment and support. And for those who mentioned that home time by might be the cure for our blues...bless you!!! I don't know what magic you worked, but we're less than 100 miles from home. We have to wait to deliver in Fargo till Friday, so we're stopping at the house till tomorrow sometime. From Fargo, we're heading to Spokane, but can't deliver till Monday so we're stopping at the house for a day and a half on Saturday. And from Spokane we're headed to Illinois but can't deliver till Thursday so we'll be home again on Tuesday for a day and night. The moody blues are gone. My spirits are soaring!