Author Archive for John Hoover
After a 35-year career as a high school social studies teacher, John Hoover and his wife, Sally, retired to Vermont. He lives in Windham where he serves as a Justice of the Peace and Library Trustee. He works part time as a book-seller at Misty Valley Books, is active at St. Luke's Episcopal Church and sings in several choral groups.
Anything Goes: Open up to fiction, history and memoir
By John Hoover ©2015-Telegraph Publishing LLC In casting about for November’s Good Reads theme I remembered these lyrics by Cole Porter: In olden days, a glimpse of stocking Was looked on as something shocking, But now, God knows, Anything goes. This inspired me to turn the Misty Valley Books staff loose with the only direction […]
Compelling, creepy and scary treats for your Halloween reading
By John Hoover ©2015 Telegraph Publishing LLC September is drawing to a close as I write this column. The days have started to cool and the nights have become downright chilly. Very shortly the Autumnal Equinox will announce the official beginning of fall and, following close on its heels comes October, one of my favorite […]
Discover the world through other people’s lives
By John Hoover ©2015 Telegraph Publishing LLC Searching for a theme for this month’s Good Reads, Bill came up with the title, “Try to Remember…” his way of suggesting that we review a memoir we’ve read. Kim suggested that a biography would also fit the theme, which I thought was a grand idea. So, this […]
Eclectic mix of books tantalizes with beautiful writing
By John Hoover ©2015 Telegraph Publishing LLC As the summer of 2015 nears its end, I left it up to the folks here at Misty Valley Books to choose whatever they wanted to review for our August Good Reads column. Their choices are, as always, an eclectic mix of titles (much like the titles that […]
Fun and easy reads to crack open under the July sun
By John Hoover ©2015-Telegraph Publishing LLC Hopefully, dear readers, you will be able to get away on vacation sometime this summer. If you do, and you’re like us here at Misty Valley Books, you’ll want to take something to read with you. Just in the nick of time we’re here to provide you with our […]
Not just for kids: When it’s raining, pore over these fun books
By John Hoover ©2015-Telegraph Publishing LLC June is the month that summer really begins and for our younger readers, the month school lets out for the longest break of the year. So, young readers, what are you going to do with all your free time? I’m sure you’ll have lots of things planned and, I […]
May deals a handful of ‘wild card’ good reads
By John Hoover ©2015 The Chester Telegraph After several months of setting a specific theme for the staff at Misty Valley Books, I’ve made May a “wild card” month, allowing the staff to choose any book they want. As I looked at their selections I was amazed at the breath of interests represented in what […]
With anticipation: Books from our to-read lists
By John Hoover © 2015 Telegraph Publishing LLC Last month, I asked the staff of Misty Valley Books to discuss what they were reading at the time. This month, I asked them to pick a book from their “to read” list and tell us what sparks their interest. Lynne begins our look into the future […]
Good Reads recommends: From our nightstand to yours
By John Hoover ©2015-Telegraph Publishing LLC Most readers have a favorite reading spot: a comfortable chair with a table nearby to hold a lamp and books or snuggling under the bed covers to keep warm. Mine is the end of the couch next to the fireplace with a floor lamp over my left shoulder. For […]
Eyes on love: Crawl between these pages to stir your heart
By John Hoover ©2015 – Telegraph Publishing LLC While there really was a St. Valentine (in fact there were several) our current association of the saint’s day and romantic love has nothing to do with the lives of any of them but rather stems from a line in a poem by Geoffrey Chaucer: “For this […]
Fire-side reading: The warmth of a good book from classics to mysteries
By John Hoover ©2015 Telegraph Publishing LLC The winter solstice has come and gone and the days are getting longer. However, the nights are still plenty long and, with little else to do, it is the perfect time to pick up a good book to help you pass a long winter’s evening. Fix yourself a […]
Kindle the spirit of the Christmas season with these Good Reads
By John Hoover ©Telegraph Publishing LLC — 2014 At the beginning of December, we seem to find ourselves wondering how we’re ever going to complete all the things we need to do before the Christmas holiday arrives. Whether you want to plan a holiday menu, are looking for gift ideas or want to learn more […]
November brings to mind blessings, hibernation and delicious food
By John Hoover ©The Chester Telegraph — 2014 If the colorful foliage is gone, temperatures have dropped precipitously and the upper slopes at the ski resorts are showing signs of snow, it must be November. November heralds the approach of winter and contains the national day of thanksgiving that rolls around the fourth Thursday of […]
Recently read favorites include fantasy, history and thrillers
By John Hoover ©The Chester Telegraph — 2014 If you’re a reader, a person who thinks there’s nothing better than losing yourself in a good book, you most likely have found that each new book has the potential to be the best book you ever read. We call those our “recently read Good Reads” because […]
Vermonters present state in fiction, travel, mystery and history
By John Hoover ©The Chester Telegraph – 2014 One of the things that has so impressed me about Vermont, my adopted state, is the wonderful variety of cultural activities that one finds so readily here. For the person who desires to hear music, there are concerts that range from bluegrass to classical. There are so […]
Picks of the litter: Katz, dogs and more books for animal lovers
By John Hoover About 12,000 to 14,000 years ago, a human and a wolf decided to enter into a beneficial partnership (most likely for purposes of hunting) and thus began our species’ relationship with animals. Shortly after the canines, sheep, cats, goats, pigs, cattle and other animals were domesticated. Each year, pet owners across the […]
Hot summer fare runs from mystery to romance, extraordinary writing to easy reading
By John Hoover Although there always seems to be a lot that needs to get done during Vermont’s all too short summer, life also seems to move at a slightly slower pace. If you’re like me, you often find yourself putting off something that needs doing in order to spend time at the lake or […]
Summer travels are as close as a good book
By John Hoover I have met very few people who haven’t wished to travel, to see other parts of our nation or our world, even if only from the comfort of their armchair. Since summer is the time when many people travel, the owners and staff at Misty Valley Books thought we’d share with you some […]
From humor to history, ‘wild card’ books offer a full deck of Good Reads
Editor’s Note: This week, Chester-Andover Elementary School students Taylor Cote and Olivia Wright, under the guidance of teacher Frank Kelley, have taken a turn at book reviewing. Read their review of Wonder by clicking here. By John Hoover When it comes time each month to write the Good Reads column for The Chester Telegraph […]
Escape from mud season with a handful of mysteries
By John Hoover Whether the body is in the drawing room of an English country house or in an alley in some gritty urban area; whether the main character is a police officer, a private detective or an English spinster, the mystery novel, after almost two-thirds of a century of reading, remains among my […]
