Whistling Season by Ivan Doig

This book reads slow and is worth savoring. It is a simple story about homesteaders and one-room schoolhouse education. It reminded me of Peace Like a River. I had picked the book up many times at the bookstore because of the cover and the reference to Montana. I'm glad I finally settled down with Doig's sturdy characters.

Snow Angels by Stewart O'Nan

After reading Last Night at the Lobster, I visited O'Nan's website and discovered a trailer for a movie which comes out next month. The movie version of Snow Angels looked intriguing, so I got the book from the library. It was a quick and very sad read. After two novels, I have a feel for O'Nan's down-hearted characters. I think I will skip the movie.

The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perotta

I enjoyed Little Children enough that I was anxious to read Perrott's newest. I was surprised to find the book is more about the religious zealots in the town than it is about the offending "abstinence teacher." I enjoyed the glimpse of a "promise keepers" type of religions rally.