Favorite Book of 2016 - Jenny Sparks

Writers read!  And here is one of our By the Bay 2 authors’ favorite books of 2016.

Written by Jenny Sparks

Title: A Prayer For Owen Meany

Author:  John Irving

Genre: Literary Fiction

Setting:  1950’s to 1970’s New Hampshire

Format:  Kindle

Pages:  658

Publication date:  1989 (Kindle 2012)

Publisher:  William Morrow

Opening Line: I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice- not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother’s death, but because he is the reason I believe in God; I am Christian because of Owen Meany.

Favorite Passage: She was a passionate reader, and she thought that reading was one of the noblest efforts of all; in contrast.

Review: In all honesty, I chose this book because my first grandchild, Owen, was born this year. I thought it would be fun to read a book with his name involved. (As it happened, my daughter-in-law, Owen’s mother, also read the book at the same time and for the same reason.) To my happy surprise I found myself engrossed in a tale about two men and their lifelong friendship. It begins in their youth in a small New England town and follows them as they navigate the pitfalls of growing up- death, school, girls and war. It’s well worth your time.

About the author: Jenny Sparks lives in Virginia Beach with her husband, Mike, and two goldendoodles, Millie and Twyla. "Millie's Missing Key" in By The Bay is her first published work. She considers herself a hobbyist writer and is pleased to be included in the By The Bay anthologies.