Title: The News From Arkansas: Sense of Humor Required
Author: Valerie Katz
Publisher: Lettra Press LLC
ISBN: 978-1951913915
Genre: Women’s Biographies / Memoirs
Pages: 292
Reviewed by: Anthony Avina

Read Book Review

One of the most difficult things in life to embrace is change. People in general tend to be hesitant to change, and can even come to fear it if it threatens to upend their routines or disrupt their everyday life. However, change can also be something to be celebrated, and some people race to embrace changes that will bring them closer to the happiness they seek. As former US President Barack Obama once said, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”

In author Valerie Katz’s The News From Arkansas: Sense of Humor Required, the author relates to readers the story of how she and her husband came to move from California to Arkansas, and find their lives changed forever. Put together as a series of emails sent to family and friends over the course of the author’s first years living in Arkansas, the book takes heartfelt, heartbreaking and humorous twists and turns as it explores the vast difference between the two states and ways of living overall.

The prospect of moving to a new place, let alone half-way across the country, is both exciting and nerve-wracking. Yet in this book, the author takes the changes in her life in stride and utilizes humor and wit to propel the narrative forward. This book does a fantastic job of blending funny interactions between the author and her family and friends, personal and memorable messages of loss and hope as the author’s boyfriend struggles with his health, and a natural flow that explores the years of living in Arkansas.

This is the perfect read for those who enjoy non-fiction memoirs and travel books which explore not only various locations around the world but the journey of moving across the country; into a new and unfamiliar place entirely. As a fan of memoirs, I found myself connected wholly and completely to the author as she relayed her story. The writing was passionate yet personal all at once, and will do a fantastic job of keeping the readers invested throughout the book.

A memorable, engaging and evenly-paced read, author Valerie Katz’s The News From Arkansas: Sense of Humor Required is a must-read memoir! The personal and emotional aspects do a great job of relating to the reader, as everyone at one point or another has made a big move somewhere or had to leave family behind or experienced the pain of witnessing a loved one going through a major health crisis. If you enjoy entertaining, thoughtful yet emotionally-driven reads, be his is a must-have book!