His focus?  Interesting characters around the Midwest (think Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois).   But, he made the best of the worst, compiling his favorites together in the aptly named book: Favorites.  To make a long story short, he kindly sent me an extra copy for review.

It isn’t very often that I have the opportunity to read something that really stays with me.  My life is on information overload, but these days, really, who’s isn’t?  I read a lot: blogs, news sites, social networking websites, you name it, I’m on it, but most of the time, it just doesn’t stick.   Favorites, however, stuck.

Mr. Mathews possesses a particularly thoughtful turn of phrase.  At times I would thrust the book into hub’s hand and demand, “Read this!  Read this one!” just because I wanted, no needed, to discuss it with someone.  Days later I still think about some of these people and wonder what became of them.

Many of these are tear jerker stories about people that society has almost forgotten.  Thanks to newspaper columnist and book author Garet Mathews, though, society never will.

My favorites of Favorites: (in case you were wondering)

*She’s Too Old To Be A Caregiver But She Doesn’t Care

* For This Old Soldier, The War Isn’t Over

* Mortality Tables Creep Up On You

* Thoughts of Baby Girl Don’t Go Away

* Suitor, 91, Has Tough Standards

Want a copy of your own?  Yes, of course you do!  Go to Newspaper Writer and pick one up right now!  You can chose to read it in full online (but, seriously, nothing beats the feel of a book).  Shoot me an email when you are finished – or leave a comment below — and we’ll discuss.

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