#14: We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg

Sometimes I pick a book to read because it was recommended by a friend (The Help).  Sometimes I pick a book to read because I think I should (Uncle Tom's Cabin).  And, sometimes I pick a book because it's on sale big-time at Barnes and Noble.  This is how I chose We Are All Welcome Here and it was worth every penny of the $4.99 hard-cover sale price I paid for it and then some.  This book reminded me at times of The Help.  Perhaps because it is set in 1964 in Tupelo, Mississipppi, the home of Elvis Presley (maybe this is why I bought it in the first place--I do love The King!).  Perhaps its because the main characters, while not black, struggle with life (you'll have to read to discover how).  In fact, I think this second reason is exactly why it reminds me of The Help.  This is another book that reminded me that I am a very lucky lady, indeed.  I have lived a life filled with tragedy from the beginning--death of a parent, manic-depressive step-father, death of all grandparents, death of cousin who was too young to die--but have never given in to it.  My life and all of its events, for better or for worse, have made me who I am.  I could've given in and given up, but I didn't and look at me now.  Married, job, two great girls, live in a nice house, most certainly happy on most days and most certainly lucky.  Well, Paige, Diana, or Peacie did not give up or give in either and Lord knows they had reason to.  These 3 amazingly strong women could've given up but they didn't.  And, from the story that unfolded in this book, they had a fairly decent life, struggles and all.  My favorite line of the book came from Paige, "It's funny, it seems like people need obstacles to bring out their finest qualities." I couldn't agree more.  Now, do I want people's lives filled with tragedy and sorrow?  No--absolutely not.  But, if you find yourself in the middle of something that's not ideal, you can bet that you'll come out better for it on the other side.  This is what my mother always called "the silver lining in the cloud."  And, you can be certain that we had more than our share of cloudy days when I was little.  Read this book.  It's not the least but sad or depressing.  In fact, I feel uplifted and thankful for my life--all of it.  #14 was a great read!  I'm sensing a #2 fave for 2011 in this one.