Readers’ Corner – June 2021: “Great Escapes”
By Bonnie McCune ~
The Underground Railroad (Colson Whitehead) Pursued by a merciless slave catcher, Cora is a young runaway in pre-Civil War Georgia who makes a perilous journey north toward freedom. The author seamlessly mixes historical fiction with a touch of magical realism to bring the Underground Railroad to life. In this story, he creates a literal railroad with its own locomotives, engineers, and secret stations that transport fleeing slaves to safety. Cora’s escape is both brutal and heart-wrenching, although she manages to retain her dignity and hope during a time of unspeakable cruelty. A modern classic.
The Long Haul: A Trucker’s Tales of Life on the Road (Finn Murphy), a paean to life on the road, confirms our suspicions—that a never-ending road trip would be great fun. Murphy left college to pack, haul, and drive moving trucks more than a million miles, discovering human behavior, funny stories, poignant and haunting happenings along the way. His insights and honesty illustrate a way of life few know. More than thirty years ago, he dropped out of college to become a long-haul trucker. Some of his insights are unique snippets into life, and his teachable moments valuable knowledge for all of us.
North Of Normal: A Memoir of My Wilderness Childhood, My Counterculture Family, and How I Survived Both (Cea Sunrise Person) If a trucker’s life is enjoyable, a childhood with a hippie family definitely is not. A powerful memoir of an upbringing in the Canadian wilderness, it reveals the truth behind the fantasy. No, a careless mother isn’t nurturing, and lack of heat, power, and running water aren’t fun. The author had to bushwhack her own path out of this mess, became a model, went through intensive therapy, and finally adjusted through self-discovery and acceptance, adversity, and strength.
Author Kathleen Duhamel writes humorous contemporary romance featuring “seasoned” characters. Her newest is Fed Up. https://www.kathleenduhamel.com/ Author Bonne McCune’s latest is Never Retreat, a suspenseful romance in Colorado’s wilderness. https://BonnieMcCune.com
