Little Giant of Aberdeen County - Tiffany Baker (2010)

I liked this book. I really liked this book. I found this one at a Borders Books sometime last year on the table where if you bought one, the other was 50% off. This was my 50% off and I am genuinely sorry that I waited so long to read this story! It was touching and at times, heart breaking. You will fall in love with Truly, a woman with a heart to match the size of her body, enormous, or as her teacher once told her, “giant”.

Truly enters the world in a precarious situation as her birth kills her mother. Left with her father and her sister, Serena Jane, for the first 12 years of her life, Truly is raised by her father, to the best of his abilities. Truly is born large and continues to grow uncontrollably as the result of a pituitary gland problem. Her sister, Serena Jane, is everything that Truly is not. She’s petite, beautiful and garners a lot of attention from other adults, especially women. After the passing of their father, Serena Jane is taken in by a family of upper class in Aberdeen. Truly is sent to live with the Dyersons on the outskirts of town at their farm. She wears boy clothes and outgrows them weekly. She stops attending school for a time period and helps with chores on the farm in the barn. She quickly forms a friendship with the Dyerson’s daughter, Amelia, a social outcast who stutters and has difficulty talking.

As Truly grows up she will come to live with Dr. Robert Morgan, her sister’s husband, and their son Bobby.  Living with the Morgan’s Truly discovers a secret within the house, the combinations Tabitha Dyerson used long ago to treat the ill. She was suspected to be a witch and Truly begins to conjure up many of the mixtures to help ailing citizens of Abderdeen.

Without giving too much of this story away, I would suggest this book for an individual read or a book club read. In fact, my copy had several questions in the back that could be used for a fantastic book club discussion. So much emotion comes out in this story as Truly is constantly ridiculed and teased about her size, yet she outlives most of the characters in the story and does so in a proud manner. You will love Truly and you will wish you could be her friend!

Furthermore, you will wish for a sequel!

Bitter is the New Black - Jen Lancaster (2006)

My sister told me about this author that made her laugh non-stop while she quickly read through her books. After reading Pillars of the Earth this past summer (and its 900+ pages) I found myself in the Book World store on Bridge Street in Charlevoix looking for a good summer laugh. I had passed this store many times on walks into town and noticed the one copy of Lancaster’s book displayed prominently in the front window. Figuring this was my “fun summer-make you want to laugh-easy read” book I plucked the novel from the window, paid my “not-so-Costco-discounted” full price and headed home!

Yes, it is March and I am just now blogging this story, but I really did finish it in February! This was an easy read and one that I read on and off as more Ken Follett passed through my hands. Lancaster is hilarious. She’s got a witty way of analyzing people, expressing her opinion and telling you through the use of footnotes, how she really feels. Going from a six-digit paying job to unemployment we watch Lancaster transform into someone who is bound and determined not to let society ruin her life. She explores the complexities of large corporate businesses and their lack of concern for those who apply for their job openings. She finds that many times she is too qualified for positions and is refused at the first interview. Anyone that says they will be in touch with her for a second interview is sure not to call back. Even her husband, Fletch, ends up in the unemployment line with her and falls into a great depression as they move from their “dream” apartment into one in a mixed neighborhood (I say that lightly… Surely Lancaster would have a better way of describing the crowd!).

I have to say, this was probably the funniest book I have read in a very, very long time. It was amusing, clever and well written. I now follow Jen Lancaster on Twitter (@altgeldshrugged) and am planning on purchasing the next book as soon as my birthday present iPad arrives! If you are looking for a good laugh in the ‘chick-lit’ category, check out Jen Lancaster.