Area readers recommend a sack full of book 'treats'

When I was growing up on Samford Avenue, Halloween was a big deal. From a Barret Elementary School haunted house with peeled grapes for eyeballs to our next-door neighbors’ annual party that included bobbing for apples, we looked forward to dressing up and raking in the candy.

As Halloween approaches and trying not to eat TOO much candy, I knocked on the digital doors of ten North Louisiana readers to gather a sack full of treats—books that are a pleasure to recommend. Like my former neighbors, who might give me a popcorn ball or a giant Hershey bar, these varied readers offer up an eclectic, delicious list of books:

From Tannie Bradley, book club leader and former Times Book Lover of the Year

"The Violin Conspiracy: A Novel" by Brendan Slocumb

“It was an absolutely awesome book. A great story with all the elements of a great read: mystery, love, betrayal, family drama, social issues. Well-written. Poetic prose. Felt like reading an orchestral composition.” Bradley says “The Violin Conspiracy” generated a lively book club discussion, enhanced by the participation of the author, who is a classical violinist.

From Donna Curtis, Executive Director, Shreveport Green

“Horse” by Geraldine Brooks

“A friend recommended it, and it was very good. I read all over the place, so my tastes are very eclectic. What I liked about ‘Horse’: the interplay between the generations. An interesting way to experience a specific type of life in a different century. The horse itself as a character was touching.”

From Tom Dark, retired Chief Administrative Officer, City of Shreveport

“Life on the Mississippi” by Rinker Buck

“The author, against all advice (‘you’re going to die!’), pilots a small flatboat from the Midwest down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. He tells a great adventure story, but also uses his adventures to teach the reader so much about how the river influenced the settlement of our country.

“My reading these days is often the newest in a series from my favorite authors: Characters Jack Reacher (new one this week), Harry Bosch, Lucas Davenport/Virgil Flowers, etc. Just finished one that was a surprise: ‘The Mosquito Bowl: A Game of Life and Death in World War II’ by Buzz Bissinger. Ostensibly, the story of a football game between squads of Marines on Guadalcanal, but mostly a story of how so many of them died within six months of the game. Just bought Temple Grandin’s new book, ‘Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions.’”

From Lynn Estes Jr., Shreveport attorney

“The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown

“If I pick up a book and can’t put it down, you know it’s captivating. In addition to an interesting plot, it’s got just enough art and religious history to hook you. Although it’s fictional, the history makes it compelling.”

From Shelia M. Goss, local author of “The Joneses” and “My Invisible Husband”

“Life & Love (In the Key of B)” by Ivory Keys

“‘Ivory Keys’ is a pen name for local author Danyelle Scroggins…I absolutely love the Audible version of ‘Life & Love (In the Key of B).’ Ivory Keys had me engrossed in the story from beginning to end. I could visualize the characters and scenes as the narrator read. Perfect combination of story and narration makes this 5 stars.”

From Duke Griffey, retired banker, regular book reviewer

“The Daughters of Yalta - The Churchills, Roosevelts, and Harrimans: A Story of Love and War” by Catherine Grace Katz

“Picking one is difficult but here is one I think fills the bill. I like it for many reasons, and the dust cover inside leaf comment sums it up best— and I absolutely agree: ‘The untold story of three intelligent and glamorous young women who accompanied their famous fathers to the Yalta Conference in 1945, and of the conference’s fateful reverberations in the waning days of World War II.’”

From Ashley Havird, former Caddo Parish poet laureate, novelist

“A Fire to Light Our Tongues: Texas Writers on Spirituality,” edited by Elizabeth Joan Dell and Donna Walker-Nixon

“I am behind with contemporary authors—I'm re-reading Eudora Welty's stories for a talk at The Oaks, and I'm thoroughly enjoying ‘The Summer Book’ by the wonderful Tove Jansson. There is an anthology I'd love to recommend. It's ‘A Fire to Light our Tongues: Texas Writers on Spirituality,’ a superb anthology of short poetry and prose pieces showcasing some of the best writers in this complicated and extremely diverse state…Settings range from the desert of the Big Bend region to the piney woods of East Texas to the urban sprawls of Houston and Dallas.”

From Jan Hinton, retiree, avid reader who recommends books frequently

“The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek” by Kim Michele Richardson

“Oooh! I told anyone who would listen about it and had half of Shreveport googling ‘the Blue People of Kentucky.’ Am now reading the sequel, ‘The Book Woman’s Daughter.’ It’s also difficult to put down. I read Jojo Moyes’ book first (‘The Giver of Stars’), but it paled in comparison to Richardson’s book. They both told about the pack horse librarians in Kentucky, but Richardson actually lives in Kentucky (not England), which led to the story seeming more authentic. But the really fascinating thing was learning about the Blue People. It was a genetic result. No longer seen today. But the terrible prejudice and treatment they endured was awful. Some people thought they were devils…I learned something new at the tender age of 76.”

From Carla Wooley, book club member, fan of the library:

“Curtain” by Agatha Christie

“I can't think of anything better to read around Halloween than a good mystery. Agatha Christie's books have always been like comfort food for me and my daughter, Meg; murder served with tea. ‘Curtain’ was Hercule Poirot's last case — time to say goodbye to a beloved character. Spoiler alert: Hercule Poirot was the first fictional character to have an obituary printed in the New York Times.”

From Liz Talley, local author of “If the Dress Fits,” released this week

“Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus

“This is a quirky tale set against the 1960s in which a brilliant chemist must fight against the patriarchy, the stereotypes and the cultural norms of the time. The tale is delightful, somehow both light and dark at the same time. I particularly loved that the dog, Six-thirty (that’s his name), has a humorous point-of-view. It’s beautifully and ambitiously told.”

Columnist Judy Christie is the author of 18 novels and nonfiction books and is working on a new novel—about a writer. She co-authored “Before and After: The Incredible Real-Life Stories of Orphans Who Survived the Tennessee Children’s Home Society” with NYT bestselling author Lisa Wingate, now available in paperback. For more about Christie, see www.judychristie.com or follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/JudyChristieAuthor.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Shreveport readers recommend a sack full of book 'treats'