The first week this blog was dark, I was out and about, kayaking, watching glaciers calve and create mini-tsunamis, peering down deep crevasses and trying hard to not fall in, etc. The second week this blog was dark, I have no excuses.

What does it take to jump start my summer blog writing?

That’s easy: a really good book.

What’s on my nightstand? The Year We Disappeared: A Father-Daughter Memoir, by Cylin Busby and John Busby.

This book was recommended as a companion to the June readergirlz pick, Sweethearts, by Sara Zarr.

The Year We Disappeared is the true story of the Busby family in the aftermath of the not-fatal but devastating shooting of John Busby, police officer, father, and husband. Chapters alternate between John’s and his now-adult daughter’s, Cylin’s, experience.

As readers here know, this dual perspective is something I’m drawn to, and it is used to great effect here. As a reader, my experience is broadened and enhanced by seeing the story from these two angles. By seeing the effects of the incident on Cylin, we better understand the conclusion John eventually draws. And by seeing John’s experience, we know exactly how hard it was for him to come to that conclusion. The two perspectives demonstrate the complexity of the issues and the far-reaching consequences of what might seem like small actions when they are isolated.

The injustice of the case is galling. I cannot imagine having to swallow what John had to swallow. The courage and fear of the Busby family is hard to grasp. Knowing what John knew and seeing what Cylin saw paints a vivid picture.

The story all by itself is a worthwhile read, but connecting it to the other books in the June readergirlz collection is fun and fascinating. Check out Cylin’s thoughts here. I guess this kind of connecting is what book clubs do. How fun!

Hats off to John and Cylin Busby and to the readergirlz.