1. What are you currently reading? Lady Bird and Lyndon by Betty Boyd Caroli. I have read a lot (perhaps too much) about Jackie. I know nearly as much about Mary Lincoln. I'm conversant, if not fluent, in Abigail Adams and Michelle Obama. But that's it. There are many, many First Ladies I could know much, much more about.
In 2021 I took on Nancy Reagan. This year I'm turning my attention to Lady Bird Johnson. I must admit I like her far more than I did Nancy. I was aware that Lady Bird came from money, but I did not realize how painful and complicated her childhood family dynamic was. That's something she had in common with Jackie, Mary, and Nancy.
Ms. Caroli is a good storyteller. As I make my way through Lady Bird's story, I wonder what other similarities I'll find.
2. What are you currently reading? Summer Secrets by Jane Green. Cat is a nice girl with a good heart and a serious drinking problem. She just can't keep it under control. And when she drinks, she does things that hurt others and leave her drenched with regret. In that way, she is like alcoholics I have known in my own life, and you may have known in yours.
Cat's saga centers on mistakes that were made on Nantucket in the past, and how they reverberated and even repeated themselves in the future. It's about pain and transformation and getting sober. In short, it's far more serious than its "beach read" title suggests.
This book starts out so slow that I almost gave up on it. Seriously, the sleepy pace at first was getting on my nerves. But I'm so glad I stayed with it. Ultimately, it was quite moving.
3. What will you read next? I don't know.
