Books Read in June 2023

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1) Those People Next Door by Kia Abdullah

2) Give Me Your Hand by Megan Abbott

3) Stolen by Tiss Stimson

4) The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocum

5) My Darling Daughter by JP Delaney

6) You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott

7) Strange Sally Diamond by Liz Nugent

8) Piece by Piece by David Aguilar and Ferran Aguilar

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9) Brothers and Wives by Christopher Andersen

10) We Knew All Along by Mina Hardy

11) The Black Sheep by Sophie McKenzie

12) A Billion Years: My Escape from a Life in the Highest Ranks of Scientology by Mike Rinder

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13) A Grand Old Time by Judy Leigh

14) The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda

15) The Swallows by Lisa Lutz

16) Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra

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17) Changi by Scott Anthony

18) Before You Die by Stephanie Butland

19) The Fever by Megan Abbott

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

I read this book by Rachel Joyce some years ago and can only vaguely recall that I didn’t enjoy it very much, so I decided to watch the movie because the screenplay is by the author herself.

This is the story of a retired man’s vow to walk nearly 500 miles to visit an old colleague at a hospice, believing that this would keep her alive. On his journey, he encounters all sorts of people. It also gives him time to reflect on his own life.

The theme of relationships is explored on many levels: family, friends, strangers; also explored are honesty, integrity, courage, guilt, hurt, redemption, love and affection. It is also about the different ways people cope with sadness in their lives. There is hope in the end.

Overall, I must say this is one of the rare instances where I enjoy the movie more than the book. What’s more: the soundtrack is beautiful and haunting .