The Night Watchman by Louise Eldrich

I wasn't prepared for this book. I knew very little about it, and only started it because it was a book club selection. And I struggled at first having to remember a large cast of characters that all seemed somehow related. But boy, once I got into it, this is truly one of the best books I've read in a long time!!

Louise Eldrich is part Native American, and the only other book I've read by her (The Round House) is also about life on a reservation. The Night Watchman takes place in the early 1950s when the US government is trying to relocate several tribes, taking them off of their land, and moving them to big cities. The characters are beautifully developed, and the multiple story lines are thought-provoking and full of fascinating details of life on the reservation. 

You will love Thomas. And Patrice. And all of the other people you will meet while reading this fabulous novel. And they will stick with you for weeks after you've put the book down. -June

Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler

I love Anne Tyler. I've read most of her novels, and this little gem may not be her best but is certainly better than some of the other books I've read lately. One of the reasons I love her is that unlike many novelists, her characters aren't beautiful, rich, exciting, mysterious..... or really anything but just normal, everyday folk. Micah is a middle aged guy, living in  Baltimore in the basement of an apartment complex that he manages. He also has is one small business responding to technical issues.

Micah is single and set in his ways. He has a personal schedule that he keeps that includes what household chores he does each day. Women in his life have come and gone, and he's struggling to determine why he is alone at this point in his life.

This is definitely a character-driven novel - not a lot of action going on but the characters you'll meet and the relationships between them will keep you reading. - June