There’s nothing quite like kicking back with a quality novel. Unfortunately, the demands of the college lifestyle typically leave little time for recreational literature. If you find yourself yearning for a quick book fix, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve got this week’s installment of a quality novel brief enough to read in a weekend.

TITLE – Holiday Inn

AUTHOR – Kevin Kling

There’s something special about holidays. It’s a time for families and friends to join together, to celebrate tradition and to joke and tell stories. This is the launching point for NPR commentator and storyteller Kevin Kling, whose book Holiday Inn delivers humor, philosophy and history across holiday themes.

Each chapter is its own short story centered on a specific holiday. Kling’s background as a performance storyteller is wonderfully obvious throughout, masterfully narrating a number of anecdotes from his own past. Kling’s Minnesota roots heavily influence Holiday Inn – his literary voice and regional idioms are stereotypical in the best way.

Kling’s anecdotes, while quintessentially Minnesotan, are easily applicable to the Midwest as a whole. He magnifies the kitschy, campy nature of Midwestern culture, happily embracing the regional quirks that draw ridicule from most.

This celebration of Midwestern life ranges from warmly humorous to somberly sentimental. Holiday Inn represents what so many love about the Midwest. Mature when need be, but otherwise playful, Kling’s work conveys thoughtful outlooks on life in a succinct and delightfully entertaining package.

Holiday Inn is available from local bookstores as well as online retailers.