Julie

The Grapes of Wrath follows the Joad family who were Oklahoma sharecroppers forced to migrate west during the Dust Bowl and Great Depression. After the bank seizes their drought-stricken farm, the Joad family, head to California in search of work and a better life. Along the way, they encounter hardship and exploitation, and meet other families making the same journey. This is a five star book, in my opinion. The hardships, heartbreak and misery contained within should make you not want to read it; but it is so well done that the exact opposite happens. With themes of hardship, hope, and the resilience of the human spirit I don’t see how one could not read this book and be changed by it. There but for the grace of God go I comes to mind.

This is a frightening book that everyone living a a free country should read. Thought police, erasing the past based on propaganda in vogue at the time and a new language where words mean what you are told they mean. I am glad I read this book; should probably read it again. Does it sound familiar; it should because we are living it now. It can (and has) happened so fast.

I hope this is the begin of a series as it was that interesting and had characters that lend themselves to a series. It is a medical mystery/thriller where elderly patients are dying at home after minor surgeries. Anesthesiologist Dr. Kate Downey wants to know why.

Initially, I thought it was a bit predictable, but that changed and became quite entertaining. The aunt character is particularly enjoyable.