Likely Stories - How to Read a Book

“How to Read a Book,” by Monica Wood, follows the lives of three people who are in desperate need of belonging.

Violet is twenty-two and has just spent 600 days in prison for a drunk-driving crash that killed a woman who was a wife, a mother, and a beloved local kindergarten teacher. Violet is smart and loved to read, but she fell for the good looking bad boy who lead her astray. Her mother dies when she is in prison, her sister refuses to visit her, and the so called boyfriend has vanished. Violet is all alone.

Harriet is a 64-year-old volunteer retired English teacher. She leads a book club every week for a select group of twelve woman in the prison, including Violet. Book club is the only bright spot for the felons. The women may not always like the book Harriet chooses, but they know it is a safe space for them to honestly share their thoughts and dreams during their mind-numbing detention. Harriet is a widow whose adult daughters have moved to England. Her niece currently lives with her, but she will soon be leaving for graduate school on the opposite side of the country. Harriet will be alone.

Frank is a retired machinist who needs something to occupy his time. His wife was killed in a car crash and his daughter is busy with her young family. Frank is alone.

One day, Frank wanders into the local Indie bookstore and puts himself to work, repairing this and fixing that. Soon he is indispensable to the bookstore. And then it happens. Frank is working at the bookstore and in walks Harriet. He is smitten. Just a bit later, in walks Violet. Of course Harriet immediately recognizes her, but so does Frank. Violet is the one who killed his wife. And now their lives begin to intersect in transformative ways. It’s a complex situation of family, grief, humor, growth, and acceptance. The characters begin to explore what their lives mean and how they want to be remembered. How much redemption and forgiveness will you offer to another, and how much grace are you capable of receiving?

“How to Read a Book,” by Monica Wood is absolutely marvelous. It’s a page turner! It’s a stay-up-past-your-bedtime book! The story will make you examine the willingness to pardon, and the possibility of making amends. We could all use a little bit of each.

RECENT EPISODES OF LIKELY STORIES

Likely Stories - My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

The book that I'm reviewing today is challenging. It was an unsettling read, and I thought about it for weeks after I finished it. I hesitated to recommend it on Likely Stories. But these difficult books catch our attention for a reason, they are important to talk about and examine.

Likely Stories - American Road Trip by Patrick Flores-Scott

War is hell. And what comes after war, when soldiers return home, is often its own version of torment, one that takes exceptional patience and grace from everyone--those who love the soldiers as well as the soldiers themselves.

Likely Stories - Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live by Susan Morrison

I’ve been reading a lot about Saturday Night Live lately, for a couple of reasons. First, I talk about the show when I cover the history of television in my Introduction to Mass Communication class at Baylor, and I like to keep up with what’s going on with SNL. Second, Saturday Night Live just celebrated its 50th anniversary, so there’s been plenty written about it in the last year or so.

Likely Stories - The Celebrants by Steven Rowley

In nineteen-ninety-five, five college friends, distraught over the suspected suicide of their friend and haunted by the question “would Alec have died had he known how much he was loved?” enter into a lifelong pact to hold living funerals.

Likely Stories - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

Many times on public radio, you hear folks say, “Long-time listener, first-time caller.” Well, that’s me! I’m Maggie McCarthy—a long-time listener of KWBU—bringing you my, hopefully, first book review on Likely Stories.

Likely Stories - Spencer's Mountain by Earl Hamner Jr

A true story of a family’s deep love and incredibly difficult struggles in rural Virginia during the Great Depression becameone of the most beloved television shows of all time.Welcome to “Likely Stories.”I’m Diane Kemper.

Likely Stories - The Colonel and the King: Tom Parker, Elvis Presley and the Partnership that Rocked the World by Peter Guralnick

‘The Colonel and the King: Tom Parker, Elvis Presley and the Partnership that Rocked the World’, sheds new light on the infamous Colonel Tom Parker and his sometimes questionable choices in managing Elvis Presley's career. I'm Kevin Tankersley, and this is likely stories on KWBU.

Likely Stories - A Case of Mice and Murder by Sally Smith

Welcome to this week’s installment of Likely Stories on KWBU. My name is Gia Chevis, and I confess that I watch what is probably an unhealthy number of cozy murder mystery shows, mainly British and British-adjacent. I am absolutely the target audience for A Case of Mice and Murder, the first novel in Sally Smith’s newish detective series.

Likely Stories - Thirst by Mary Oliver

In Thirst, Mary Oliver invites us into a quiet conversation between sorrow and faith, where nature and grace meet in every line.

Likely Stories - Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

A teen pilot, a hacker ex, a murderous mega-corp, and an AI that’s lost its moral compass. Illuminae is a fast-paced sci-fi thriller told through transcripts, files, and messages you won’t want to stop reading.