Did you ever read something that you just needed to read at that time? I just finished Rita Mae Brown’s Riding Shotgun and just totally enjoyed it. It has some keen observations of the human condition, modern and not so modern, and truthfulness, and, of course, horses. Thanks, Rita, I needed that.

I was introduced to Rita Mae Brown through the same book most everyone else was: Rubyfruit Jungle, the epitome of early lesbian literature that I suppose that is supposed to be. We read it for a social work sensitivity class or something, one in which we read not only lesbian literature but also literature of poverty (The Beans of Egypt Maine) and the black experience (sorry, don’t remember that one) and who knows what all else. We had this ex-state trooper in the class who was prone to say things like, “Nothing against those Catholics, BUT . . .” who was horrified that his son might pick up this lesbo book and learn something about female anatomy. It was pretty funny.

I’ve only read Rubyfruit and a couple of her foxhunting mysteries. I frankly don’t remember all that much about Rubyfruit, but the horse books are thoroughly enjoyable.

I think this lady has a bone to pick with Monty Roberts. Her observations and theories on horse behavior are interesting, but not any more backed up than those of others that she complains about. It is certainly worth reading. But. And that’s a big but.

Another but is that she’s English and they don’t know how to spell anything. (that’s a grin for those of you who might be too serious)

Easy, engaging writing. Cast of characters right out of life, which means weird and diverse and rich—and a cast of characters you can care about. A plot that keeps you turning the pages. Short chapters, for the most part, that are easy to read (with four kids and a farm, I have trouble with anything I have to get totally immersed in to enjoy). And all about a world that most of us, even most of us horse people, aren’t familiar with. I absolutely totally enjoyed this read.

I’ve read a lot of self-help books over the years, and have a social work degree with a minor in psych and lots of experiential training to boot . . .

And I hadn’t read this book before partly because the universe just hadn’t put it in my hands but also because I expected it to be trite . . .

And it is SO NOT TRITE! Truly effective insights, although I think there are limits to, particularly, first seek to understand since, sorry, sometimes people are just crazy and what I understand is that they are crazy.

Perhaps what I appreciated most was his acknowledgment that first we must be independent before we can be interdependent. I get so sick of people saying they are going to do something just as soon as they can do it “in community”. Just do it already!

I love the structure of this book—a portion of a myth and then a chapter, each building on itself, until the conclusion. Wonderful!

I loved the Albus history. I had a feeling about Snape. I hate the epilogue. And in general I think the whole series brilliant in that it is readable, interesting, fun. I mean, sorry, but I always bog down in the Lord of the Rings stuff. And this creates a wonderful alternative world without it being so darn complicated. I love how with this, I can be out of touch with that alternative world and then, once I’m into the story, totally recall it.

My favorite is still #3. It’s the godfather thing no doubt.

Could I just have suggested that she spend more time on the anti-climax, letting the story resolve a bit without the need to jump ahead and create the happily ever after epilogue? Like, we could have gone to funerals, seen how the wizarding world was going to reorganize itself, and frankly, we could have used a little compassion toward Draco, a little fleshing out there would have completed the character. And made Harry finally better than his dad. Better even than Snape.

he’s a good writer. I enjoy his language, his word pictures, his stories. But this one didn’t have a story, and there were too few stories in it to boot. Read Goodbye to a River.

ok, I haven’t really READ this. I got the book because I’d seen the movie and, remember the goat lady, up on the mountain, who kills the goat and feeds Inman? Well, I know I will be her (in my own way) in 20 years. 20+ years ago I did the same thing, sort of, with who I am now. So I wanted to know more about her. The book didn’t have a whole lot more. Except she didn’t have a mirror.

I have one mirror that is about three inches in diameter.

he’s a good writer. He seems like he doesn’t like anyone, like he doesn’t take sides when reporting about the various people on his Brazos. He writes well enough that it was not hard to keep in mind that he was in a very different environment than I am accustomed to (the river falls as much as 10 feet/mile). His organization of the book isn’t the best but I bet it was the best he could do with it—it is just confusing as to when and where he is talking about a lot, but his stories are interesting and that’s the main thing. He sometimes asks himself a rhetorical parenthetical question and I found that habit a bit offputting. Still. He’s good and I’m half-way through Hardscrabble and will have my eye open for more of his work.

Every time I try to read this, this author’s disagreement between his nouns and verbs totally frustrates me. I realize he is capturing some idiomatic speech, and lawd knows, I’m from Appalachia (apple-at-cha) and so I should know a thing or two about odd manners of speaking, but this somehow just irritates me. Anyway, I’m still trying. Since it is short stories, every now and again, between other books, I pick it up.