READ So many books cross my desk at Bangor Metro, and I purchase even more. Every month, I select a few that catch my attention to highlight in this space. “GHOST BOYS,” BY JEWELL PARKER RHODES — History, socio-economic barriers and modern issues are masterfully woven together in this novel about a 12-year-old boy, Jerome, shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for the real thing. At once devastating and eye-opening, the story is told from the point of view of Jerome, both before and after death. I cried both times I read it — and it’s made me think about what I can do to change the world we live in. (MIDDLE GRADE)
“SALT, FAT, ACID, HEAT,” BY SAMIN NOSRAT — Yes, this was released in 2017. Yes, I wrote about how much I love the Netflix show based on it last month. But this cookbook is a must-own for anyone who loves cooking. It’s a pain-staking ode to good food and the techniques that make it. My cookbook club chose “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat” for our first meeting, and it exceeded expectations. In fact, we couldn’t help but talk a little more about how wonderful a book this was at our next meeting. This exploration of the simple elements of good cooking that elevate food is a keeper. (COOKING) “A CATALOGUE OF SMALL PAINS” BY MEGHAN L. DOWLING — Maine author Meghan L. Dowling’s first novel is a series of vignettes and stories about three generations of women in a family. In delicate and vivid prose, it tells their heartbreak, pain and humanity. This is the book to take to the beach or read at bedtime this summer, with all its beautifully written moments that reveal relationships, secrets and dangers. (FICTION) —SARAH WALKER CARON
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 19