Just Call Us Book Worms

The Coach said this is an excellent book.
It is being made into a movie.
It's next on my list.

Pleasing the Coach makes me happy. Our interests, however, are on opposite ends of the spectrum. He is always on the go and gets jittery if he sits for too long. There's baseball, basketball, football, tennis; he's a pro at it all. He has the energy of a two year old. He never takes a nap and gets by on very little sleep.

Are you getting tired yet?

I am the extreme opposite. I love to be at home. I like going and doing, but I have my limits. I have endured many outdoor activities--all in the name of love.

A true love of mine is reading. I especially love reading both fiction and non-fiction books about World War II. There have been many nights when Brad has come home, and I am happily reading my latest novel.

"Are you still reading that book? " or "Do you have to read tonight?" are frequently asked questions in our home.

Inevitably, my answer is always, "Yes."

The old adage states: If you can't beat 'em, then join 'em!

That is exactly what the Coach has done. He recently announced that he was going to start reading with me. It was one of the most pleasant surprises. Usually, he only reads The Book of Mormon and USA Today. His newest love is non-fiction.

We were recently at Barnes and Noble purchasing books. The Coach was beaming when he finally found one.

"Look what I found, and I think you will enjoy it, too. I was hoping to find a book that you would also want to read."

Its title is Playing with the Enemy.

Well, I just wanted to cry right there on the spot.

Next time he asks me to go play sports with him, I surely won't complain.

A book is like a recipe. When it's good, you want to share it.

The Coach likes to give me trivia from the books he reads.

Here are some facts I have learned:


Lou Gehrig believed he was going to beat his illness up until the day he died. The record Gehrig cherished most was the most consecutive games played which was broken by Cal Ripken, Jr. on September 6, 1995. Lou Gehrig was a very shy person and never went out womanizing with his teammates. He had only been married for eight years when he passed away. Lou Gehrig made his famous speech at Yankee Stadium upon his retirement. He considered himself to be the luckiest man alive because of his wonderful career in baseball. The most interesting fact about Lou Gehrig is that many neurologists still hang pictures of him in their offices and examination rooms. The author ends the book by stating, "ALS is a disease of weakness but Lou Gehrig's disease is associated with strength--the strength of a stricken man who said he felt lucky."





The Coach enjoyed this book immensely. I found this unknown fact amazing. In 1936, Jessie Owens won the Olympic Gold Medal for the 200 meter in Berlin, Germany. What is so interesting is the man who won the silver for this event was also African-American. His name is Mack Robinson--who just happens to be the older and beloved brother of Jackie Robinson.

On April 15, 1947 Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to play Major League Baseball. He is the only player to have his uniform number "42" retired by every team in Major League Baseball.








This is the book the Coach is currently reading. I am sure you have noticed that he enjoys reading anything sports related. However, he recently dropped me a little hint that he wants the biographies for Truitt Cathy and George Washington.

The Coach just informed me that he would like for me to share something from this book:

Roberto Clemente and Lou Gehrig are the only MLB players to have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame before the five year waiting period.

Thanks Coach.

We are enlightened.




Nikki gets the credit for finding this little treasure. We are always on the hunt for a good book to read. We feel inspired to start our own literary group. Because we are Southerners, we would call ours "The Lawrenceville Literary and Sweet Potato Fries Society."

If you want to laugh out loud and shed a few tears, then this is the book for you.

I will never forget Isola and Elizabeth.


Please read it.







A high school English teacher over heard my conversation with an employee at the book store asking her if she had any great selections to suggest about WWII. The teacher later approached me with this recommendation. I told her that I had come across The Book Thief on the Guernsey Literary website but had forgotten about it. She said her students were reading it in a day, which is amazing because it is almost 600 pages.

I read it in about five days.

It was hard to put down.

There is some language in it.







Sarah's Key is another book about WWII and the tragedy that happened when the French Jews were rounded up for deportation.

I liked it because it was written from two different perspectives; a woman from the present and a little girl who survived.

There are impressions you get from reading this book that do not leave you.











Nikki shared this one with me, too.

It was a quick and clean read.

It's getting harder and harder to find wholesome books.

I would also like to mention that I recently read Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol.

It is a clincher from the start but the ending is anti-climatic.

I won't read his next one.

Well, maybe I won't.






This is my current book.

I have only three little words to say about this one:

Captain Jack Elliot.

Please share if you know of any great books I can read!