Philosophy Made Simple by Robert Hellenga

A long time ago, Maggie recommended a book titled The Fall of a Sparrow by Robert Hellenga. While I remember almost nothing specifically about that book (and Maggie also did not remember it, although I am quite sure it was she who told me about it), I do remember I liked it (which is not uncommon for me, unfortunately, to know I liked a book or movie but not be able to articulate why exactly, mostly because I can't remember the details). The author teaches at Knox College and since Emily just started as a freshman there, I picked up this book somewhere...garage sale? library sale? and finally read it.

It was about Rudy, whose wife has been dead for a year, and whose three daughters are grown. They had all lived in a lovely home in Chicago, but Rudy rather impulsively decides to sell that home, move to Texas and buy an avocado grove. This is his story...as a relatively new widower, as a man at a cross-roads in life, as someone who is not ready for a retirement home. There is a bit of philosophy here and there as Rudy makes his way through a book of the same name, but mostly it is about his settling into a completely different life.

The book had a certain charm and I would read more by this author. I found the writing delightful and descriptive as he weaves the threads of Rudy's life into a cohesive story, even if it is somewhat fantastical. One of his daughters gets married to an East Indian and the wedding is in Texas. Rudy cooks a lot and muses about his life so far and has adventures of his own as the groom's relatives and Rudy's new Texan acquaintances all mill about in this story.

Robert Hellenga also wrote a book titled Blues Lessons that I will seek out and read, and his wife's name is Virginia. There are so many times I see the name Virginia and always think of my darling Virginia.....street names, bird names, plant names, various characters both real and fictionalized.