As you start compiling your 2025 reading list, you will want to include the latest novels from two popular midwestern authors.

I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger (author of Peace Like a River) is set in the not-too-distant future in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Rainy, the main character, embarks on a journey reminiscent of the Greek myth of Orpheus across Lake Superior.  On this journey Rainy tries to deal with the personal issue of grief and the societal issues of injustice, wealth disparity, and climate change.  Not a lighthearted read, but one worth delving into as Rainy works to overcome misfortune and retain hope for a better future.

Jane Smiley, author of the Pulitzer-Prize winning A Thousand Acres, has written Lucky.  This novel is about a young woman who begins as a folk singer and ends up with modest success in the world of rock and roll.  The interesting thing about this book is that it isn’t so much about her rise to fame as it is about her exploration of how to become her genuine self.   The story reminds us that this is your only life and to live it to the fullest, you must seek out your own meaning–not the meaning that society tries to thrust on you.  One “extra” that I really enjoyed about the novel was the songs the author wrote for her character.  It’s fun to see Jane Smiley write rock and roll lyrics!

Both books will give you a lot to think about as you start 2025. I hope you will check them out!