An Italian Wife by Ann Hood

I sincerely cannot recommend this book at all. I finished this book only because I kept trying to figure out what the purpose of the story was. Why did the author write it and what was she trying to say? In the end, I just think the book is a very sad commentary on what is going on in America today. The family immigrated to America from Italy. Josephine is the matriarch of the family. Her marriage was an arranged marriage which she was never happy with. She has seven children and the book then goes into their stories. Yet, it isn't always clear who you are reading about and how they tie into the family. The family is hugely Catholic but it is not a saving type of faith. The priest even has sexual relations with Josephine and one daughter lusts after the priest. There is alot of sex described in the book. It is way to graphic for my tastes. The later generations depict girls that are empty -- turning to meaningless sex and drugs to fill the void. No one in the book is happy. They all seem to dislike their family, hate their marriages. It is really sad. I am not sure why I even stuck with it and read to the end. It never got better. While I agree that America's culture is on a downward spiral and this book probably depicted some of the horrible, ickiness of our culture, I guess that I prefer to read books that inspire and lift up, that teach us to reach beyond our depravity and seek something better. At least if the book can't inspire or teach something it should be entertaining. This book lacked all of that. It has nothing to offer really. Still not sure why I finished it. Certainly will think twice before picking up another book by this author. 

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks

The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks.

The story bounces between Ira and Ruth's story and Sophia and Luke's. Ira is at the end of his life remembering back on his life with his love, his beloved wife Ruth. Luke is just beginning his life with Sophia. It is not until the end of the story that we find out how the two couple's lives intersect. It is a fascinating story. Here is a link to the author's website. Click here. The book really kept my attention. It is a wonderful story. The title is a reference to life being a long ride --- it is also a reference to Luke's profession which is bull riding. I highly recommend this book. It is a wonderful love story. 

Worry is the dark room in which negatives are developed