Have you ever read a book that changed your life? Chances are good it falls in the category of inspirational fiction, stories that illustrate the human condition and the capacity to overcome problems. Our book suggestions this week come from our book clubs and staff members.
“The Art of Hearing Heartbeats” by Jan-Philipp Sendker. When a successful New York lawyer suddenly disappears without a trace, neither his wife nor his daughter Julia has any idea where he might be - until they find a love letter he wrote many years ago, to a Burmese woman they have never heard of. Intent on solving the mystery and coming to terms with her father’s past, Julia decides to travel to the village where the woman lived. There she uncovers a tale of hardship, resilience, and passion.
“The Walk” by Richard Paul Evans. First in a series of books featuring a successful advertising executive who loses everything. He decides to walk across the United States, Seattle to Key West, meeting people and learning lessons along the way.
“Same Kind of Different As Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together,” by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. We’re including this book even though it’s nonfiction because it reads like a novel, and because it sparked a memorable discussion at a recent book club meeting. It tells the story of the friendship between a drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery, an art dealer who lives a life of luxury, and how they transformed one another.
“The Ultimate Gift” by Jim Stovall. Another book club selection, this book tells the story of a wealthy man whose death makes his family members millionaires - except for a young nephew, who receives an entirely different gift.