4 stars
In the early 1960's, Alaska had just become a state and the livelihood of many families depended on fishing. This book follows four teenagers as they deal with family and friends during those early years of statehood. Dora comes from a tough family situation and has taken refuge with her best friend's family. Ruth lives with her sister and disapproving grandmother and must deal with the consequences of her actions. Hank and his brothers are running away from a cruel stepfather and Alyce must spend a summer on her father's fishing boat when all she wants to do is dance. These four lives intersect in surprising ways and I enjoyed reading about their trials, heartache and the growth they experience during this one summer. The ending is a bit too tidy but as I came to connect to these characters, I felt it was well deserved. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Sailor and Fiddler: Reflections of a 100-Year-Old Author by Herman Work
3 stars
When an author turns 100, there has to be a lot of history to cover in an autobiography, but this isn't quite that. Herman Wouk, author of Time and Remembrance, Marjorie Morningstar, and The Caine Mutiny uses this book to write short reflections of different episodes and inspirations in his life. I enjoyed many of these short interludes but also felt a little a little disconnected. Many times I didn't recognize the names of people he discussed and I am not especially familiar with all of his works. However, there was still much to enjoy here and it is always interesting to hear from someone who has lived so long. I received a digital ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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