Russell, Rachel, and Rachael discuss our December challenge, award winning books, and learn a lot about the fortitude of the human spirit.

Books we discuss include:

• “James” by Percival Everett (National Book Award for Fiction 2024)
• “Notes on an Execution” by Danya Kukafka (Edgar Award for Best Novel 2023)
• “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption” by Laura Hillenbrand (Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Biography 2010)
• “Seabiscuit: An American Legend” by Laura Hillenbrand (William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2021)
• “North Woods” by Daniel Mason (The Rachel Timm Pulitzer Prize Award 2024)
• “Night Watch” by Jayne Anne Phillips (Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2024)
• “Yonder” by Ali Standish (Kirkus Best Book of the Year 2023)
• “Orbital” by Samantha Harvey (The Booker Prize 2024)
• “Forrest Gump” by Winston Groom (New York Times Top Best Seller 1994)
• “Gump and Co.” by Winston Groom (The Rachael Miller Award for Best Book No One Has Heard Of)

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael chat with Charles Perkins, known to us as “Jerry Beardman”. Listen to find out why.

Books we discuss include:

• “The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley
• “The Time Machine” by H.G. Wells
• “Where The Sidewalk Ends” by Shel Silverstein
• “The Hardy Boys” series by Franklin W. Dixon
• “Encyclopedia Brown” series by Donald J. Sobol
• “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen
• “Where Wolves Don’t Die” by Anton Treuer
• “The Call of the Wild” by Jack London
• “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen
• “Holes” by Louis Sachar
• “Shutter” by Ramona Emerson
• “‘Til Death” by Jason Anspach
• “The Empyrean” series by Rebecca Yarros
• “Red Rising Saga” series by Pierce Brown
• “The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife” by Anna Johnston
• “Arlo Finch” series by John August
• “The Book of Doors” by Gareth Brown
• “The Only One Left”, “Home Before Dark”, “The House Across the Lake” by Riley Sager
• “The Ruinous Love Trilogy” series by Brynne Weaver
• “Twelve Angry Men” by Reginald Rose
• “A Christmas Story” by Philip Grecian, a play based on the 1983 motion picture
• “Claus: Legend of the Fat Man” by Tony Bertauski (Russell is once again asking you to please read this book.)

Books and Beans meets the second Saturday of each month, 9 AM at Links Coffee House Cafe.
Books and Brews meets the 3rd Wednesday in November and December (usually the last Wednesday of the month), 5:30 PM at Ballad Brewing.
Let’s Make a Scene - Reader’s Theatre Series meets Monday, December 9 from 5 PM to 7 PM to read “A Christmas Story” by Philip Grecian.

Russell, Rachel, and Rachael discuss our November challenge, books written by an Indigenous author.

Books we discuss include:

• “The Sentence” by Louise Erdrich
• “Where Wolves Don’t Die” by Anton Treuer
• “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie
• “The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fightfight in Heaven” by Sherman Alexie
• “Heart berries : a memoir” by Terese Marie Mailhot
• “Crazy brave : a memoir” by Joy Harjo
• “Redbone: The True Story of a Native American Rock Band” by Christian Staebler, Sonia Paoloni, Thibault Balahy (Illustrator)
• “The Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley
• “Black Sun” by Rebecca Roanhorse
• “The Only Good Indians” by Stephen Graham Jones