READING THROUGH THE UNITED STATES...CALIFORNIA

California...

When I went to look at the California novel choices available on Goodreads, there were close to five hundred books to choose from. Of course that was just one list that I looked at. Yikes!Honestly decision making is not my strong point, I agonize of the simplest of things. Should I get the Big Mac or the Quarter Pounder can be a sweat inducing and panic causing decision. I’m sure there is a whole post in that statement involving my terrible food choices lately and psyche. For now though let’s stay focused on the topic at hand, or in other words how I made a choice without really having to choose. You see...

I have Oprah Winfrey to thank for my California choice. Not far into that incredibly long list I ran across the novel White Oleander by Janet Fitch and remembered that it was once an Oprah’s Book Club choice. A novel that I had squirreled away on to be read list in my head years ago. I jumped on it.

The book in a nutshell is a story about complicated mother daughter relationship and young woman growing up. It is however so much more. The writing flowed like poetry, the words sinking into my brain creating imagery and sketches. Not only did I read by I saw. I was there every single moment with Astrid, wanting to crawl through the pages and be the mother she so desperately needed and wanted. It is a book that you could read more than once and find new little intricate details with each read. It is a hauntingly beautiful novel.

So thank you Oprah for not only saving me time but also having such excellent taste in books. I was not disappointed.