The Simpering, North Dakota Literary Society

Written by G.F. Skipworth

Published by Rosslare Press

235 pages

Reviewed by Emma Harrison

Receives:

The premise of G.F. Skipworth’s The Simpering, North Dakota Literary Society is charming. Farika Zingarella is a nun who is handy with a deck of cards. As a result, she won the greatest poker game of all time in 1862, and along with it a large sum of money. Of course, she’s removed from her order, but that’s just the beginning of her story. As way of investment, she creates a “literary society” in the town of Simpering, North Dakota. Her creation becomes an empire, and the stockholders are all women. The ladies, called the Mighty Five, are each individually intriguing, and an entire book could be made up around any one of those larger than life personalities. The historical background from the year 1919, covering everything from the end of World War I to the women’s suffrage movement, adds depth to the zany story of the ladies as they hold economic summits and travel the world.

I enjoyed reading this book. The story and the characters are the center of attention and they're allowed to shine. Skipworth has an easy, colloquial style, and the story has enough heart and humor to carry it through. If you’re looking for a delightful book about a group of women with a lot of spunk, you will like The Simpering, North Dakota Literary Society. ______________________________________________________________

Emma Harrison is a writer who is starting a blog reviewing books, movies, television, and anything else that needs reviewing. Look for her blog coming soon.