A Version of the Truth

This book isn't about animal lovers, it's about a young woman that falls in love with herself, via learning. It's not your average "20 something gotta get a man" kind of book, which is why I liked it. I don't think the reviews here do it justice. Excellent read!!!

Cassie Shaw is a master at pretense. She's been faking it since childhood. She would memorize the lines in a book and pretend to read, tell her mother she did her homework at school, and claimed that being called `dumb' didn't matter. Reading was a hurdle she just couldn't overcome. Cassie's difficulties with reading were a result of dyslexia, but the problem wasn't identified until she was well into her school `career'. Learning to read even though it was a slow and arduous process was a joy, but it was too little, too late. Catching up to her classmates wasn't possible. That combined with her lack of self-esteem led Cassie to make a monumental decision. She quit school. An equivalency exam was good enough. Now at the age of thirty Cassie's decision has come back to haunt her. Widowed and broke, she is in desperate need of a job. Employment agency after employment agency turned her away. There were jobs out there, but they required a college degree. Cassie didn't even have a high school diploma. With her back against the wall, Cassie does what she's always done, she fakes it. With a `doctored' application, she lands a great job at the college. Cassie's boss is Professor William Conner, an expert on animal behavior. After years of working at a wildlife center, it's the one topic Cassie is comfortable with. With Connor's encouragement, she starts taking classes and delves into classical literature. Their mutual attraction grows, but there's a web of lies between them. It's just a matter of time before Cassie's façade starts to crumble. A Version of the Truth is equal parts humorous and heart-wrenching. The story line is smooth, but unpredictable and the characters well developed. As an avid bird watcher, Cassie's treks into the wild added a dimension to the story I didn't expect. Oh what it would be like to see the elusive Ivory-billed Woodpecker...

When I saw this book at the store, I grabbed it up, remembering how much I enjoyed their first book. I started it yesterday and I could not put it down until I was finished. I was so caught up in the characters, animal and human alike, and I just had to know how it would end, where the writers were taking me. I am not sure what it is about these authors that grab me, but I think this a not to be missed book. I so look forward to their next one. Read this and if you have not read their first one, Literacy and Longing in L.A., go back and read that one too.

I just finished a Version of the truth which is an absolutely terrific read ... it's just so wonderfully written ... the observations and reflections are thought-provoking at every turn ... and the characters are painted in ways that we have met them all but now see them far clearer ... Kaufman and Mack have again shown themselves to be gifted story tellers.

After being completely delighted by the charm of Literacy & Longing, I couldn't wait to get ahold of the latest from Kaufman & Mack - and it exceeded my highest expectations. It was smart, engaging, thoughtful, and fun. From start to finish, it was truly a pleasure. I could not put it down!