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Top Ten Books From My Shelf

Reg Spittle 4 Comments

During the past three and a half years, I have read hundreds of books; when I finish one that I want to recommend, I post a review.

I have read fiction, non-fiction, children’s books, classics, and books by indie authors.

It was tough to leave out some I love, but here are my Top Ten, in no particular order. Click on the links to see the original reviews. A link to a list of all reviews is at the end of this post.

Okay for Now, Gary D. Schmidt. Junior high schooler Doug Swieteck’s voice touched my heart and made me laugh. This is no formula book; it is filled with twists as the boy seeks refuge from bullies.

Another Kind of Madness: A Journey Through the Stigma and Hope of Mental Illness, Stephen Hinshaw. The author discovers why his father was silent so much and absent from home often.

Rocket Boys, Homer Hickam. Adapted to a great movie, October Sky. The book is even better.

Chasing Zorba: A Journey of Self Discovery in a VW Bus, Jerry Steimel. Jerry is one of my favorite indie authors with this compelling story.

Free Country, George Mahood. George and his buddy set out, wearing just Union Jack boxer shorts, from Land’s End, with a goal: ride bicycles the length of Britain. They begin with no bikes. No money or credit cards. “What?” you ask. It is a true story. George Mahood is one of England’s best contemporary authors.

The Trail Provides: A Boy’s Memoir of Thru-Hiking the PCT, David Smart. I have read a tall stack of books about treks on the Pacific Crest Trail. This is my favorite.

Henry David Thoreau: A Life, Laura Dassow Walls. This one is a gift to those who appreciate Thoreau’s contributions.

Way Out There: Adventures of a Wilderness Trekker, J. Robert Harris. Many of us think hiking a long-distance trail is an adventure. J. Robert Harris’ travels redefine adventure.

Walden on Wheels, Ken Ilgunas. The author graduates college and begins a life that may make you think, “I wish I could do that.”

On the Shortness of Life, Seneca. A classic. Brilliant. I expect some of you have read this one–several times.

I appreciate very much your taking the time to stop by. I would love to hear what you think about any or all of these books, or your own favorites.

A list of all book reviews on Books and My Backpack.

For This Kid, the Worst Bullies Are at Home

Reg Spittle Leave a comment

I loved this book so much that I sent a copy to each of my three adult sons. To be honest, I wished they were kids again and I could read it aloud with them, like I did with countless stories when they were growing up with me.

Gary D. Schmidt’s Okay for Now tells the story of Doug Swieteck, 14, who has just moved to Marysville, New York.

“I hate this town,” he says. But maybe he actually detests a father whose abuse made me want to scream, an older brother who stole Doug’s most treasured possession, and an oldest brother who used to beat him up before being sent to war in Vietnam.

Doug Swieteck’s voice is a masterful creation that will tickle your funny bone and touch your heart. This book is funny, very funny, but life for this boy is hardly fun. He finds refuge and the artist inside him at the town library, where a rare book of Audubon bird plates speaks to him like nothing else in his life does.

Except for Lil Spicer, a girl whose words would repel most everyone. Except Doug Swieteck. Doug gets a delivery job at Lil’s dad’s store, leading the boy to more tests and quirky discoveries. His oldest brother returns from Vietnam a changed man in ways that made me wish I had not judged him so harshly. His story enriches a book already full of engrossing characters and experiences in Doug’s life.

Doug Swieteck sees so much more than anyone around him, other than Lil, a librarian, and his dad’s boss. I wanted him to yell out, speak his mind, let it be known he would not stand for how others treated him. But he shows remarkable restraint, making me think he knew it was best. But, in the end, Doug Swieteck is blindsided in a way that I did not see coming.

Newberry Honor winner Gary D. Schmidt writes on a 1953 Royal typewriter and his works are timeless masterpieces, written for kids, young adults, and big kids like me.

Okay for Now is even better than the earlier accompanying book, The Wednesday Wars, which is no small achievement. I read several other Schmidt books and was especially drawn to Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. His stories grab me like no other author has done for years.