Well, we made it through March. Congratulations! But remember last April's blizzard? We probably still need cheerful books. Readers offer a flood of suggestions, mainly of books that make them laugh.
"I joyfully recommend 'Hag-Seed' by Margaret Atwood," writes Gretchen Heath of Plymouth. "You don't need to know 'The Tempest' (on which it's based) to relish the wit, insights and tale. There are laugh out loud moments in concert with warmth and redemption."
Hilary Laing of Orono recommends "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer. "It amazes me how the writers were able to tell the full story through letters, and I fell in love with the characters," she said.
Ann DeHoff of Minneapolis has a whole list: "Last Days of Summer," by Steve Kluger; "High Fidelity," by Nick Hornby; "Girls' Poker Night," by Jill A. Davis; "The Rosie Project," by Graeme Simsion; "The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry," by Gabrielle Zevin; and "A Man Called Ove," by Fredrik Backman.
"I loved all of these books," DeHoff said. "The characters were quirky and funny, flawed and lovable. I laughed out loud while reading them."
Debbie Anderson of Mound loves "Cowboys Are My Weakness," by Pam Houston. "Short stories about smart women, looking for a good man. And the men who head on down the road, elusive and noncommittal."
Andrea Bolger of Minneapolis recommends the funny and bittersweet, "The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen," by Hendrik Groen. "When I laugh out loud, I know it's a good one."
Julia McGregor of Golden Valley recommends "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand" by Helen Simonson, "a story of elder awakening and love. The other is 'Zions Cause' by Jim Peyton, a collection of connected stories showing the bonds between a disparate cast of characters in a small Southern town. I have laughed aloud at some stories, but the whole is connected by the extraordinary compassion of the town store's owner, Mr. Hayes."
