Patch is running a new weekly feature called Patch Picks, highlighting editor and reader picks of great local businesses, destinations, services, organizations, ways to spend a day off and more.
You’ll find useful lists to help you, your family, friends, and significant others find the best places for everything from Sunday brunch to New Year’s Eve celebrations, pumpkin patches, date night destinations, florists, girlfriend nights out, kids party places, parks and more.
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Thursday is National America Read Across America Day, so we went straight to the source in Arlington to find a couple of picks from Patch contributors. Feel free to leave your own "must reads" in the comment section.
- Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson- A lighthearted look at an English widower who is caught between generations. When his old-fashioned approach meets the new-world charm of a shopkeeper, sparks fly.
- Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand- A non-fiction account of World War II hero Louis Zamperini. In 1943 Zamperini took to the skies above the Pacific Ocean, searching for a lost plane. During the mission, his own engine fails, leaving him and his co-pilot stranded and searching for ways to survive.
- Room: A Novel by Emma Donoghue- Room tells the story of five-year-old Jack and his mother, both of whom live their entire lives within the confines of an 11x11 space. The two are captives of a man named Old Nick, but as Jack ages, it becomes clear that the room may not hold him forever.
- The King's Speech: How One Man Saved the British Monarchy by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi- Whether you’ve seen the movie upon which the book is based or not, Lionel Logue’s diaries make for a fascinating read. Discover how one man found the courage he needed to lead England through one of its darkest times.
- Swamplandia! By Karen Russell- Alligator wrestlers in the Everglades provide the crux of this colorful story. Russell’s debut novel follows a 13 year old as she navigates this unfamiliar and often frightening land.
