Virgil Wander by Leif Enger is a gentle rumination on life in a small town in the northern Midwest. Enger tells the story from Virgil’s perspective, a man that accidently drove his car into a lake and is taking measure in his place in life. He meets a stranger named Rune, visiting to learn more about the son he never knew he had, who played minor league baseball in the community and disappeared years ago in his plane. Rune allows us to be introduced to the various members of the community as he helps Virgil get back on his feet, and find love and happiness in unexpected places. This book is likely not for a person who’s looking for an edge-of-the-seat cliffhanger, but is perfect for someone who wants to sink into the bones of a community and feel like they’ve lived there all along by the book’s end. Enger does a masterful job of making the characters and setting jump off the page without it ever feeling like he’s trying to do so. A perfect warm and fuzzy look at life.