The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

I love books and movies about do-overs. Remember Life After Life by Kate Atkinson!? One of my favs. And the movie About Time? Fabulous!! I also loved Sliding Doors, an oldie but goodie, about parallel  lives. So when I heard about The Midnight Library, I knew I needed to get my hands on it.

The Midnight Library is where I want to go when I die. That's what happened to Nora. The Midnight Library is loaded with books, each one is an alternate life that she could have led. She's given a list of all of her regrets, and she's given the chance to make different choices throughout her life. These different choices will change the direction of her life. Nora chooses several books with the help of the kindly Mrs. Elm, the librarian, and she is suddenly living the life she would have had if she had gone a different direction.

These are the things I think about sometimes. What if I'd gone to a different college? Poof. I wouldn't have met you, dear TB, and I would not have met my husband. Where would I be living? Would I be happy? Would I have children? What if I'd chosen a different profession? What if I'd taken up skydiving at a young age? What if I had five children instead of just one? What would my life be like?

While this is a creative, well-written book with a solid ending right out of "It's a Wonderful Life" where she sees how her life impacted others, I think this book would be best read in a group where it could lead to some interesting discussion. So read it and call me. -June

Café on the Edge of the World by John Strelecky

The latest from BT! Thanks, dear friend.

A traveler is seeking something (meaning?) and gets lost on his journey and ends up at a café in the middle of nowhere.  On the menu are the specials and the following questions:

1.  Why are you here? (transforms into Why am I here? As the diner discusses with the waitress and cook…perspective on purpose.)

2.  Do you fear death? (Don’t need to as long as you are doing #1 properly.)

3.  Are you fulfilled? (See #1)

 I read quickly, but am not a speed reader. This “book” (I say pamphlet) estimates it will take the reader 3.5 hours. It is 100 pages of pablum and took me an hour.  Says over 4 million copies sold world wide which goes to prove that the masses will do anything to avoid introspection and “finding” the answers to the BIG questions!  Reminds me of the hoopla around The Secret…and what was that one where God is a black woman? I liked it much better.

 There.  Now you don’t have to buy/read. - BT