Percival Everett reimagines Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man who accompanies Huck on his journey. In Everett's retelling, Jim, who prefers to be called James later in the novel, is portrayed as literate and resourceful, further exploring his character and experiences. "By giving Twain’s secondary character much-deserved agency, Everett allows him to be something he couldn’t be before: the hero.”

In short - I thought this was a wonderful read. 5 star read for me. It was not a light read because of the topics and trauma in the lives of its characters, but it was those characters who pulled me in. I cared about them before I knew how it would all tie together. As the history, secrets, trauma, and wonderful parts of their past unfolded, it brought more light to who they were. The book made me think, feel, and learn, all while being highly entertaining to read.

“A kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.” Fred, from “A Christmas Carrol”.

This is the part I loved the most about this book. Rich Villodas's time on the Sermon on the Mount really got me thinking much deeper about a few topics and not only what Jesus really meant, but it also helped me think of ways to apply those teachings in my life better. This is what the author calls "walking the path."

I once had a manager whose idea of a one-on-one meeting was to spend the entire time complaining about my teammates. - by name. But let’s talk about the kind of meetings that actually matter if done correctly: the one-on-one meetings. When done right, these gems can transform your work, school, and home life.

My good friend implored me to read "Everybody, Always" by Bob Goff. Bob Goff is a New York Times bestselling author and known for his unique perspective on life and faith. In this book Goff challenges readers to love everybody, always, even in the most difficult of circumstances. Through his own personal stories and experiences, Goff shows how loving others can change both their lives and our own.

“It’s time to liberate our dusty ideas about what friendship is and who it’s for. We’ve gotten so used to the idea of moving through life with just our family and a tight circle of friends that we’ve lost our ability to imagine a wider web of connection encompassing a gorgeous mess of layers and levels of closeness. What if neighbor is just another word for friend?” - Shannan Martin