THE WALKING PEOPLE * HOW NOT TO BE A DICK * THE PAINTER * BELOW STAIRS

The Walking People by Mary Beth Keane - The Walking People were wandering people who traveled around Ireland and were also known as tinkers or travelers.  This story revolves around Michael and Greta, both born in Ireland in the early part of the 20th century, and takes us through their lives.  Theirs are not big lives, but the story is written so wonderfully well that maybe all lives are big, just by their nature.  Like some of the best stories, this one is also about different kinds of love, which is why it's ultimately so good.  

How Not To Be A Dick An Everyday Etiquette Guide by Meghan Doherty - Can you imagine Amy Vanderbuilt or Emily Post using the word dick on any page in their etiquette books let alone in the title?  I can't help but think there might be an etiquette infraction right here in the title, but be that as it may, the guide itself is full of common sense and modern day advice for the personality and manners challenged among us.  The little pictures of Dick and Jane are distracting to me, but some will find them amusing.  

The Painter by Peter Heller - No.  Halfway through, the painter was still talking about himself and his fishing, and the people he'd killed, so I skipped to the end to see if anything exciting ever happened in this book, and it didn't.  End of story.  Let me know if you liked it, and try to explain to me what I missed.  
Below Stairs by Margaret Powell - This is a nice little memoir by a woman who was "in service" as a Kitchen Maid and then as a Cook in private English homes in the 1920s - her experiences varied from awful to respected.  It's a nice easy read for between the really good fictional novels.