Despite the way it appears, I don’t often cry while reading. In fact before I read Atonement, I could only think of two other books that made me cry. And now, here I am two months into 2008 and I’ve already cried twice while reading.

You might think it’s because I’ve gone soft. But you’d be wrong. It’s because I keep reading beautifully written, moving books. This time it was Kaui Hart Hemmings’ The Descendants.

I was pretty stoked to read The Descendants because it was based on my favorite short story of 2004, “The Minor Wars.” Thankfully, the novel does not disappoint. For a little bit in the middle I was worried, but the ending is perfect and true and makes the meandering well worth enduring.

read more