My friend Tandy took Little Way to the beach with her, and loved it. I found out today that thanks to a friend’s recommendation, Virginia Onufer has very generously made Little Way a top pick on her prestigious annual Books For The Beach list. Why don’t you consider doing the same? As Virginia’s reader (and my friend) said:

 “It’s a wonderful book–just released and debuted on the NYT bestseller list. A story of family, community, small town America, illness, and a meaningful life. Ruthie Leming – the author’s sister and a non-smoker – is diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer in her early 40s. Little Way tells the tale of what happens in the wake of her diagnosis. The ways in which a community rallies around the Leming family and the ways in which it profoundly changes her brother Rod, the author. It’s a beautiful book and I highly recommend it to you readers. I couldn’t put it down and–despite crying several times during the book.  I felt happy and uplifted after reading it. Little Way is a rare book and I hope you and the beach books list will give it a whirl.”

I’m still here in the Netherlands, and will be all week. I’ve had conversations with old friends about this book, some of whom have read it, most of whom haven’t. It never fails to amaze me how deep this story and its themes touch people. I feel like an idiot saying this again, but I had no idea at all how emotionally complicated people’s lives are within their families, and how much pain and regret and weight people carry. This story helps people to talk about it, and not in a sad or depressing way. I was so glad to read that my friend felt “happy and uplifted” after reading it, because that is what I would hope for. It is a book about tragedy, for sure, and it is a book that does not offer easy and painless solutions. But it does offer hope, I think — and it’s so, so good to read about good people, and friendship. Especially women’s friendship. I told some folks here about the all-night party Ruthie’s best girlfriends threw for her at the church, next to her open coffin, and they couldn’t believe the crazy love those women had for my sister. This book is, in parts, “Ya-Ya Sisterhood” meets “Steel Magnolias.” Yeah, you need to take it to the beach. Read Virginia’s other selections here — and, if you’re moved to buy Little Way, do it through her site, so she can get the commission.