A few ‘must reads’

Pardon my hyperbole when I discuss books. There are so many great ones and I want everyone to enjoy them as much as I have. My English teacher friend and I earmark books as “Must Read” and share them. We don’t always end up with the same level of enthusiasm, but I trust her enough to read what she recommends. I will give you a few “must reads” and try to tailor them for varying tastes.

“The Heart’s Invisible Furies” by John Boyne

My most recent “must” is “The Heart’s Invisible Furies” by John Boyne. It’s the saga of an Irish man over 70 years and his family relationships. It is funny, sardonic, heartbreaking and sweet but never saccharine.

“The Cartel” by Don Winslow

The author researched the Mexican drug cartels, mostly in person, for 10 years. The grisly business is portrayed with horrifying detail. Made me realize that “Breaking Bad” and “Queen of the South” and “Narcos” are all pretty factual. Yikes! This is a brutal read but I found it to be an education. The guys in our family loved this book.

“What She Ate” essays by Laura Shapiro

This story documents six women through history and how food impacted their lives. Sounds crazy- just read it. Easy to pick up and put down but enlightening. A great read for young girls as well.

Anything, and I mean anything, by Bill Bryson.

Start with “A Walk in The Woods” (forget about the movie). I guarantee you will laugh out loud. Then read “At Home.” You will learn so much history and be entertained to boot.

More to come. So much more!

Becky Bechhold is a Daniel Island resident who describes herself as “a voracious reader.” Prior to moving to the island, she was part of a book club that had met for over 20 years. She has a record of all the books they read. After Becky contributed a list of book suggestions for a summer reading issue in The Daniel Island News this past June, a reader got in touch to compliment Becky’s insights and ask for more! She was more than happy to oblige.