Books and More
> Unique Critiques
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November 2009 |
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 The
Battle for America
by Dan Balz & Haynes Johnson
Reading the Battle for America brought back many memories and
many new insights into the most exhilarating and exciting election the
nation has experienced. Balz and Johnson manage to condense two years of
campaigning and rivalry into a gripping insightful book. The book
provides not only a great analysis and summary of the primaries and
election, but it also includes excellent interviews with top campaign
aides and new revealing campaign memos. While we all know the outcome of
the election and primaries, the book gives new insight into Obama’s
doubts, McCain’s internal blunders, and the final decision that made
Sarah Palin a household name. It’s a great read and one that will help
you relive every moment of that exciting 2008 presidential campaign from
start to finish. – Joe Crock (WH) |
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 The
Devil’s Eye
by Jack McDevitt
The
interstellar antiquities dealer Alex Benedict and his partner Chase
Kolpath are reunited on an adventure when they receive a cryptic message
for help (and a huge sum of money) from famed horror writer Vicki
Greene. When they attempt to contact Ms. Greene they learn that she has
received a “mind wipe” and now has no memory of her past life. Alex and
Chase decide to retrace Ms. Greene’s last whereabouts and activities,
which leads them to the far away planet of Salud Afar, known for its
ghastly legends. There, they uncover a chilling secret and coverup of
unparalleled proportions. – Dave LaPenotierre (WH) |
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 Still
Alice
by Lisa Genova
At
the age of 50, Alice Howland appears to have it all: a successful career
as a nationally respected Harvard professor, a loving husband, and three
grown children finding their paths in the world. After a series of
increasingly alarming memory lapses, Alice is stunned to learn that she
is a victim of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. What follows is a
heartbreaking, terrifying journey into the life and mind of a brilliant
woman who refuses to give in to her cruel fate without a fight. Told
from Alice’s point of view, the author succeeds in crafting a memorable
story about the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s on the victim as well
as on her family. First-time novelist Lisa Genova is a neuroscientist
intimately familiar with her topic. The result is a beautifully written,
medically accurate tale that often reads like a true account. Highly
recommended! – Yvette May (WH) |
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 Womenomics
by Claire Shipman and Katty Kay
Womenomics
is an
excellent book about writing your own rules for success. It begins with
a discussion on the importance of women in companies, as well as the
benefits of having women in top managerial and executive positions.
According to the authors, companies that employ a larger percentage of
women are more profitable. Women in leadership positions are more
nurturing of subordinates, preferring consensus to confrontation and
empathy over ego. In addition, women’s natural social skills translate
well in the business environment. The authors point out that today’s
women achieve their career goals by working smarter without putting in
longer hours. Maintaining a flexible schedule can also help them perform
more effectively. These suggestions are already taken to heart by the
younger generations, who realize that they can achieve more balance in
their lives without sacrificing their work ethic. The book offers
helpful suggestions for women who need to say goodbye to guilt and fear
to negotiate more time for themselves. – Pari Gadhia (WH) |
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 Almost
Home
by Pam Jenoff
Get
ready for a suspenseful book with several twists and turns. American
diplomat Jordan Weiss returns to England where she spent part of her
college years at the beckoning of a school friend who is ill. She has
not been back since an accident that took the life of her college
boyfriend. Weiss simultaneously investigates organized crime as part of
her job, reconnects with and supports college pals, and tries to seek
answers to her boyfriend’s death. Things are not as they seem in the
alleys of London or the back roads of Cambridge. In the end, Weiss finds
“home” in her in searching. – Kathleen MacCubbin (RO) |
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 Nero
Wolfe Is Back!
With
the very-able help of the people in BCPL’s ILS department (thank you!),
and the reissue of many of his books in paperback and on CD that BCPL
are purchasing, Nero Wolfe has made a triumphant return in my
reading-life. I had forgotten how well Rex Stout writes; his
descriptions of characters, settings and situations, as well as his
very-exciting mysteries that have given me many hours of sheer pleasure,
whether I’m listening while riding to work or cleaning my house.
Rex
Stout began writing the Nero Wolfe mysteries in 1934, with the
publishing of Fer-De-Lance, and continued until 1975 with the
publication of A Family Affair (Death Times Three was
published posthumously in 1985). During these years, his novels
reflected happenings in the world such as World War II, the “Red Scare,”
and the Vietnam War, as well as the rise of television (an invention
that Wolfe hates and takes great pleasure in turning off!). Wolfe’s
trusty sidekick, Archie Goodwin, provides both complete narration and
hilarious commentary on the happenings in the New York City brownstone,
ably aided by Fritz Brenner, Saul Panzer and the other detectives who
Wolfe employs.
If
you choose to listen to these books on either tape or CD, you are in for
a real treat. Michael Pritchard is a fantastic narrator and draws the
listener into the action every time. Run, don’t walk, to your nearest
book or CD shelf and start your Wolfe-adventure! – Susan Maranto (RO) |
|
 Dog
on It
by Spencer Quinn
Did
you ever wish that your dog could tell the story of your life instead of
you? Chet, a K-9 police school dropout, lives with Bernie, a somewhat
unsuccessful, divorced private-eye. At the beginning of Dog on It,
Bernie is approached by a prospective client whose teenaged daughter
Madison has “disappeared,” only to reappear a short time later. When
Madison REALLY disappears, Chet and Bernie are on the trail, and before
the case ends, they will encounter kidnappers and really BAD guys in
their quest to find Madison. This is the first of a series with Chet and
Bernie. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures! – Susan Maranto (RO) |
 Little
Bee: A Novel
by Chris Cleave
A
16-year-old Nigerian orphan who calls herself Little Bee suffers
brutality on a beach in her homeland. Resourceful and intelligent, she
insinuates herself into the lives of a well-off British couple who are
dealing with their own demons. Lest you think you’ll be overwhelmed by
the harrowing events of Little Bee’s trials and the sad state of Sarah
and Andrew’s lives, never fear. Little Bee’s narration, which puts us in
her head, sweeps you along and even uplifts. A remarkable lead character
and fine language and writing make this a memorable read. – Susan Bath
(RO) |
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 Bicycle
Diaries
by David Byrne
Artist, Talking Heads co-founder, and recreational cyclist David Byrne
travels the world, offering insights, impressions, anecdotes and passing
whimsy from atop the seat of his folding bicycle. Few topics are left
unexplored by Byrne, as he shares reflections on everything from
decaying urban landscapes to cultural isolation. Along the way, readers
are introduced to contemporary artists, accompanying musicians, and
historical figures that add a layer of eccentricity to Byrne's travels.
The light conversational handling of such complex and varied topics
reminds one of a late night conversation with a curious, well-read
friend. – Brad Keene (RO) |
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September & October 2009 |
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 Blue
Collar, Blue Scrubs: The Making of a Surgeon
By Dr. Michael Collins
Blue Collar,
Blue Scrubs
is a memoir written by Dr. Michael Collins, an orthopedic surgeon.
Collins, the eldest of eight Irish-Catholic boys being raised in Chicago
in the 1960s, was living at home, working for a construction company
breaking up concrete and frequenting the local bars after graduating
from Notre Dame. He writes candidly and with a dry humor about his
decision to become a doctor despite his lack of a pre-med background,
his difficulties in both getting into medical school and then finding
the tuition as well as romancing the girl whom he eventually marries.
Collins’ voice comes through as a gifted storyteller in this sometimes
poignant and often hilarious accounting. – L.H. (TO) |
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 Short
Girls
By Bich Minh Nguyen
The title refers to Van and Linny Luong, first generation
Vietnamese-American sisters who grew up in Michigan. Nerdy Van is a hot
shot immigration lawyer with the “perfect” marriage to a
Chinese-American. Linny is single, a fashion plate, and has never
finished college. She works for a business like “Let’s Dish” in Chicago
while having an affair with a client’s husband. Their father has always
been an embarrassment because of his inventions for “short” people and
his refusal to become a naturalized citizen. However, as the book opens
he announces he is becoming a citizen and the girls must show up for the
ceremony and the party he is throwing afterward. This proves to be the
catalyst that helps them each to reconnect and move forward. Nguyen
makes the struggles and experiences of each of these characters very
real and understandable and you want them to succeed. – R.H. (TO) |
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  Julie
& Julia
(Movie)
I never watched Julia Child when she was on television, but the friend I
went to the movie with said that Meryl Streep caught her perfectly. This
is a laugh-out-loud and two-Kleenex movie which flips back and forth
between the 1940s/50s, as Julia Child finds her passions in life
(eating, cooking and writing cook books), and 2002/03, as
Julie Powell
blogs and cooks her way through every recipe in Julia Child’s
The Art of French Cooking
in one year and ultimately reaches her life’s desire of becoming a
published author. Be sure you’ve eaten before you go or you’ll be
ravenous when you come out. – R.H. (TO) |
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 The
Magicians
By Lev Grossman
Quentin Coldwater is no Harry Potter. He's older when he gets an
invitation to wizard school (wizard college in Quentin's case), for one
thing, and that age difference creates some of the charm of
The Magicians
as well as some of the problems with it.
Quentin arrives at Brakebills, his parallel to Hogwarts, by a seeming
accident and is immediately thrust into an incomprehensible entrance
exam. He flies through the calculus portion of the test, but is
surprised when a rabbit he has to draw begins to hop about the page
until he can draw the fences to restrain it. Details about Quentin's
classes are relatively sparse; instead, the book concentrates more on
Quentin's relationships. Imagine all the teenage angst of college,
combined with the difficulties of magic. No "swish-and-flick" here:
working magic depends on memorizing and applying endless rules,
conditions and exceptions. Quentin eventually learns that Fillory, a
Narnia parallel, is real, but adventuring there can be deadly.
While I can see how
The Magicians
is billed as Harry Potter for an older audience – there's drinking, sex,
and angst – I fail to see why reviewers have praised it so much. Quentin
Coldwater is not an engaging character, and Grossman does not enliven
his book with the sense of wonder Rowling brought to her books. – D.R.F.
(TO) |
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Pandora.com or the
Music Genome Project
(Web site)
I came across Pandora radio by chance one day. After I explored the Web
site, I realized it is worth passing along to others. In a nutshell, you
tell the Web site what kind of music you like, or a particular artist or
group you prefer. Then it will personalize a radio station for you that
only plays the type of music you have chosen. You can actually create up
to 100 unique "stations." When you select an artist, group or music
genre, Pandora analyzes your selection for its musical qualities and
pulls together a “radio station” that plays similar types of music. You
also have a wide choice of genres to choose, such as “alternative,”
“blues,” “rock,” “country,” “oldies” and many more. Or you can just type
in your favorite artist.
This Web site started out in 2000 as the Music Genome Project. A team of
musical analysts listened to all types of music, one song at a time, and
captured the musical details, such as melody, harmony, rhythm, vocals
and lyrics, of each song. It is an ongoing project which keeps up with
new music coming out every day. Pandora provides access to a vast
storehouse of music.
There are a few downsides to Pandora radio. The biggest is that you only
get to play 40 hours of free music per month, and then the music will
stop. Of course, you have the option to pay for unlimited listening
hours. Periodically, the music will stop and Pandora will ask if you
want to continue. This is annoying, but it’s also a good reminder. And
then there is the pesky advertising, but that’s what allows the site to
be free. So, if you have a few minutes, give Pandora a try and see what
you think. – K.B. (TO) |
|
 The
Big Green Book of Recycled Crafts
By Leisure Arts
This is a great book for crafters, anyone looking for a great activity
for kids (think birthday parties or scout/4-H groups) or holiday
presents. The directions are clear, the photos are wonderful and the
items used are things you can find around your house. There is nothing
worse than a craft using recycled materials that you can only find at a
salvage yard. The supplies are the things you are putting in your
curbside recycle bin – plastic, paper, glass, cans – and there is even a
chapter on recycling parts of clothing to make into something “new.” –
A.L. (TO)
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July & August 2009 |
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 Snitch
by Alison van Diepen
Julia and her
friends had a deal – no gangs! Ever since seventh grade, they have sworn
to each other that they would not allow the gang culture of their New
York high school ruin their futures. But then Julia meets and falls in
love with Eric, a new student. No one seems to know much about him and
he is quite cryptic about his past.
They break up when
she uncovers that Eric was a Crip in the past, and he has succumbed to
the pressure to join the Crips at their school. Eventually, her feelings
for him overshadow her repugnance of the gang lifestyle and she joins
Eric. She feels protected by the gang, but drugs, sex and violence are
rampant, and when Eric begins to lie to her, Julia has grave misgivings.
But getting out is not easy. It usually happens only when you die.
Van Diepen
realistically depicts the world of the gangbanger and the insidious
nature of lifelong protection, with no escape. Julia and Eric are
authentic characters in a real-life tragedy. Their stories offer hope,
but their friends are not always so lucky. Plot twists and a surprise
ending keep things intense. Snitch presents an important object lesson
for today’s teens. It should resonate with Baltimore area youth, in
particular, because of the intimidation of the “Don’t Snitch!” campaign
of the past few years. – L.S. (WO) |
|
 The
Help
by Kathryn Stockett
To read Stockett’s
first novel is a very powerful experience, sometimes tragic, but also
uplifting. In it, she eloquently transports us back to Jackson, MS in
the early 1960s, a time of racial unrest. In the words of Aibileen and
Minny, we are introduced to two maids who are forced to tolerate the
prejudices of their white employers. Along comes Eugenia Skeeter Phelan,
a young white woman, back from college, who finds herself being drawn
into the plight of these and other black maids. During the process, she
begins to question the values of her peers, her family and herself.
Sometimes heartbreaking, there are also some very tender moments,
especially Aibileen's relationship with Mae Mobley, the child of her
employer. Who will ever be able to forget the Green Martian Luther King?
– M.B. (WO) |
|
 Trouble
by Gary D. Schmidt “
If you build your
house far enough away from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you.”
And so begins the latest of Mr. Schmidt’s novels. But trouble has a way
of finding two families, one proud of its Boston heritage and the other
Cambodian which has a terrible past that haunts them, as well as the
reader. The lives of both are laced together, but the knot is finally
broken in the conclusion. Mr. Schmidt stays fast to his New England
roots and with wonderful lyrical language he weaves a tale about these
simple, yet complex, characters and the coastal landscape in which they
live. With flashes of humor and an intriguing plot, this is a fast and
fun read. I promise you’ll want to read his other books. – N.C. (WO)
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 The
Private Lives of Pippa Lee
by Rebecca Miller
Here’s the tale of
a woman with a wild history in search of a little security. The story
picks up, following the titular character after Herb, the husband 30
years her senior, instigates the first major lifestyle change since
their marriage: Fiftyyear- old Pippa has moved with her husband into
“Wrinkle Village,” a retirement community. Despite evidence to the
otherwise, Pippa tries to convince herself that she can handle this
premature step forward in life, but the comfort that she worked so hard
to obtain when she was young begins to come crashing down around her.
Pippa is accompanied by a cast of generally amiable characters and the
book really sinks its hooks into you through the way each intertwines
with the unraveling of Pippa’s status quo.
The book may be the
topic of some upcoming hype as a movie has been filmed, though I’ve seen
no publicized American release planned. The film, featuring a cast that
includes Robin Wright Penn, Alan Arkin, Keanu Reeves, and Winona Ryder,
has been screened at several film festivals and begins its theatrical
release July 10, in the UK. – B.M. (WO) |
|
 The
Teahouse Fire
by Ellis Avery
Left alone in
late-19th-century Japan following a fire, 9-year-old Aurelia Bernard has
the good fortune to be adopted by the Shin family, masters of temae, or
tea ceremony, for hundreds of years. Because on the voyage to Japan she
had begun to grasp the language, the family convinced themselves she was
not a foreigner, just a slow child. Taken under wing by 16-year-old Shin
Yukako, daughter of the house, for the next 25 years Urako, as she is
renamed, and Yukako embark on a journey of growth and intimacy that
first unites then drives them apart. The beauty and discipline of the
Japanese tea ceremony is contrasted with the change and chaos that marks
the beginning of westernization in Japan. Elegantly written and
immensely informative about not only tea ceremony but of Japanese life
at the time, this is, as one reviewer wrote, “a story as alluring as it
is powerful.” – Lisa Wanzie-Armstrong (WO)
Closing Time
by Joe Queenan Joe Queenan, known for
his smart and cynical essays and books on movies, music, television and
all aspects of popular culture, here presents the story of his
coming-of-age in Philadelphia. Raised by an alcoholic and physically
abusive father and an oblivious mother, Queenan and his three sisters
are moved from one poor and depressing neighborhood to another. They are
left to rely on the kindness of relatives and their own inner resources
to make their way in the world and break out of the family cycle of
poverty and abuse. Joe seeks solace and escape at various jobs and
schools, and describes his relationships with an assortment of mentors
and surrogate fathers he meets along the way. The story is written with
Queenan’s usual flair for language, sense of humor and appreciation of
the absurd, and the result is an inspirational story of transcending a
challenging childhood to achieve success and happiness. – J.K. (WO)
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|
 The
Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
by Jacqueline Kelly
In this charming
story that takes place in 1899, we find 11-year-old Calpurnia Tate
(Callie Vee to her family) becoming an avid naturalist under her
grandfather's tutelage. She would rather spend hours with her
grandfather collecting Texas animal and plant life and recording it in
her journal than learn how to knit socks under her mother's eye. She and
her grandfather discover a plant never before documented; while waiting
for word from The Smithsonian, she takes cooking lessons from her
family's cook, learns to play the piano, is instructed in the proper
ways of a young woman, and begins to think about what her life would be
like if she were to go to the university. This is a unique story about
growing up at the turn of the century, well written with a wry wit.
Quite possibly a Caldecott winner. – D.N. (WO)
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June 2009 |
 Beach
Trip
by Cathy Holton
Join four women as they meet in the Outer Banks of North Carolina 30
years after graduating from college. Lola, Mel, Sarah and Annie were
best friends and roommates at a small, southern liberal arts college in
the 1980s, despite their different backgrounds and personalities. While
they have kept in touch and a few have met up over the years, as a
foursome, the roommates have gone their separate ways and drifted apart;
they have not all been together since college graduation. The author
moves the reader back and forth between the college years and the
present. As the stories unfold, the complicated history between these
women comes to light. There are issues the women must face as
individuals and as a group. During the trip, some longstanding sore
points are resolved, but an unexpected ending really brings the story
full circle. If you like to read about women’s friendships, southern
literature or – as the title implies – beach trips, you’ll enjoy this
book. The reunion of these four strong women will stay with you long
after you read the last page.— H.G.(AO-M&D) |
 Drood
by Dan SimmonsCharles Dickens' final novel, The Mystery of
Edwin Drood, was a whodunit that was never completed due to his untimely
death. That's a tough enigma for mystery lovers with a hankering
for sleuthing but especially vexing since the work was curiously dark
and sinister beyond even Dickens' normal propensity for the grimy
underside of Victorian London. Opium dens, psychotic villains, and a
lime pit grave all figure predominantly in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
Simmons' Drood is an inspired novel that twists the storylines
of Dickens' life, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and a pinch of
Peter Shaffer's Amadeus into a single narrative conceit: namely
that Dickens' real life friend, literary rival Wilkie Collins, is
a Salieri style poser who is observing the gothic obsessions
that seem start to haunt Dickens' life and his writings after the
horrific Staplehurst rail crash that nearly killed him. The real
fun comes from trying to sort out if Dickens is truly entering some
haunted obsession or if Collin's opium addiction from laudanum is
projecting jealous and drug-addled illusions onto his friendship with
the great writer.
Occasionally Simmons overindulges his need to utilize the prodigious
research that he no doubt undertook for the novel but this thick but
fast paced novel will have you googling Dickens, Drood, and Collins to
see what is true and what is Simmons' creation. Riveting for history and
literature fans Drood stands on its own as a unique and unusual
fiction creation. -Michael Stevens (Information Services) |
 A
Little Bit Wicked
by Kristin ChenowethKristin Chenoweth, the pixie star of stage
(You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Wicked), and screen (Pushing Daisies,
West Wing) writes a fluffy but fun tale of life in the spotlight.
While she might be just a tad young at age forty to be penning her
memoirs, it is fun -particularly for theatre fans- to read how a true
country girl acted, danced, dated, but mostly sung her way to a notable
place in the Broadway community.
Her narrative voice is funny and good hearted but this theatre fan
and his restless legs will avoid the front row at any Kristin Chenoweth
show henceforth. A breezy read and good beach fare but mostly only
interesting if you're already a fan. -Michael Stevens (Information
Services) |
Web Watch: www.tnid.org
Chris Brunner's Telephone Number IDentification site,
www.tnid.org (formerly Tirs.us,
the Telephone Investigator's Research System) is a speedy, free service
for geolocating phone numbers, including mobile numbers. This is one of
the few sites I find personally useful, beyond its application in the
workplace.
The Caller ID Lookup doesn't always work, but I've consistently noticed
that if you try again the next day, Caller ID is working. Of course,
Caller ID for mobile numbers typically displays little more than the
subscriber's state. Some results lists are extremely long, necessitating
the use of your browser's "find on this page" tool.
Test www.tnid.org by looking up
mobile and land-line numbers you know. An additional useful feature is
discovering the mobile service provider (for example, T-Mobile). Phone
numbers that were previously looked-up are flagged, displaying the
number of times accessed and the last date.
For those of us who recall adult life before the mid-1990s, this is a
service you wished you had in the days when the telephone was the most
important communication device in the home and workplace. — J.D.
Information Services |
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May 2009 |
|
 Waiter
Rant: Thanks for the Tip-Confessions of a Cynical Waiter
By The Waiter
What Anthony
Bourdain did for the kitchen, Waiter Rant does for the “front of
the house.” Here is an inside look at the world of restaurant wait staff,
from the irate customer to the celebrity diner to the feuds between the
chef, the waiters and the waitresses. “The Waiter” (his name and the true
name of the restaurant are well guarded secrets) started out as a
seminarian, quickly changed his mind, graduated college and worked as a
health care marketer. Adrift when he lost his job, his best friend and his
girlfriend, he drifted into the restaurant business. And he didn’t leave.
But he had a desire to write and the brilliant idea of starting a blog
called Waiter Rant (www.waiterrant.net),
which segued into an absolutely hysterical book. It will forever change
the way you look at the men and women who take your order whenever you eat
out. A peek at some chapter headings will give you a heads up: Paupery,
The Tip’s the Thing, Filth, I Hate Mother’s Day, Vengeance Is Mine,
Russell Crowe and Me, Throw in the Apron! Optioned by
Hollywood, we can only hope to see this amusing expose on the big screen
soon! – G. R. (AR) |
|
 The
Believers
By Zoe Heller
Many of us
admire Zoe Heller's brilliant English novel and subsequent movie called
What Was She Thinking?/Notes on a Scandal. Her new book The
Believers is set in the
U.S.
and gives us a memorable and compelling read, despite the fact that none
of us would choose any of the cast of characters for our personal friends
or relatives. For 40 years, the Litvinoff family maintained a seemingly
stable philanthropic life. When Joel, the father, becomes comatose after
suffering a massive stroke, the family's life unravels. Having felt
trapped in their circumstances, the family members begin to change.
Audrey, the wife, by far the most nasty and unlikable character, discovers
a shocking secret. Zoe Heller mercilessly dissects the family's hypocrisy
and thus becomes the new darling author of witty satire and social
criticism. – R. B. (AR) |
 Supreme
Courtship
by Christopher Buckley
President of the United States Donald Vanderdamp is having a heck of a
time getting his nominees appointed to the Supreme Court. After one
nominee is rejected for calling parts of To Kill a Mockingbird
boring in an elementary school book report, the president chooses someone
so beloved by voters that the Senate won't have the guts to reject her.
Bring in Judge Pepper Cartwright, a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader looking, gun
toting, pickup truck driving star of TV’s Courtroom Six. Cartwright
is elevated to the bench. You’ll just have to read it to find out all the
juicy details. – S.Y. (AR) |
|
 Iron
Man: The Invincible Iron Man, Vol. 1 The Five Nightmares
by Warren Ellis
Tony Stark is
now the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and faces his biggest challenge. Ezekiel
Stane, son of Obadiah Stane, wants revenge against Tony for killing his
father. Ezekial is using Iron Man technology to destroy Stark Industries.
If you liked Iron Man the movie, you’ll love this graphic novel.
It’s quick to read and completely engrossing. – E.O. (AR) |
|
Web Watch: www.unshelved.com
During your
next lunch break (or better yet, at home), check out
Unshelved.com, the world's only
daily comic strip that is set in a public library. Written by Gene Ambaum
along with co-writer and artist Bill Barnes, it began in February 2002 and
has been expanding ever since. With comics based on fantasy, real life
events or true stories sent in from fans, they also provide a daily blog,
booklist suggestions, merchandise and more. With characters like – Dewey,
a young adult librarian; beleaguered branch manager Mel; child's librarian
Tamara; Colleen, an old-fashioned computer-illiterate reference librarian;
and Buddy the Book Beaver, the former library mascot turned library page –
where can you go wrong for a little laughter in your day? – K.M.
(Graphics) |
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April 2009 |
|
 Baltimore
Plot: The First Conspiracy to Assassinate Lincoln
By Michael J. Kline
It is February 1861. Abraham Lincoln has just been
elected president of the United States in a very volatile and
controversial election. He has received only 40 percent of the popular
vote. In the State of Maryland he has received only 2 percent of the vote.
In at least seven southern states his name did not appear on the ballot.
Before Lincoln can become president, he must be
inaugurated. To be inaugurated he must make a long, arduous and meandering
railroad journey across at least six states and speak to tens of thousands
of people in very public appearances. Southern sympathizers watch his
every move. They report his movements to a small and secretive group of
people whose chief desire is to prevent the president-elect from reaching
Washington alive. A group of ultra-secretive and very militant pro-slavery
conspirators are gathered in the heart of the city of Baltimore. Their
goal is to intercept the Lincoln Special inauguration train as it makes a
whistle stop at the Calvert St. station of the Northern Central Railroad.
There is only ONE railway track that leads north from Washington, DC, and
it must pass through Baltimore.
Detective Allan Pinkerton and a group of specially
trained detectives will work with great energy to prevent this rendezvous.
One of Pinkerton’s operatives is Kate Warne, the first woman hired as a
private investigator in the United States. Ms. Warne’s task is to work
with the other Pinkerton agents to infiltrate to the heart of the Lincoln
Assassination conspiracy in Baltimore. She has her work cut out for her.
As the Lincoln Special passes through New York, the
train will make a whistle stop in Albany. There is a special theater event
listed in the New York papers that February 18. A new play entitled The
Apostate has opened there with a thrilling Shakespearean actor named John
Wilkes Booth in the lead role. This is the first time in history that the
names of Lincoln and Booth will appear in the same newspaper together on
the same page. It will not be the last.
If you wish to find out what happens next, you must
read this book. -M.P. (CA) |
|
 Beverly
Hills Chihuahua (DVD)
Chloe the Chihuahua is a spoiled fashionista, whose
owner has made her fortune in cosmetics and pampers her constantly.
Chloe’s paws hardly ever touch the ground. When Chloe is left in the care
of the owner’s niece, she ends up being kidnapped in Mexico and is shocked
into the real world of dog fighting and dirt. Many talented dogs play
roles in this movie. Delgado, the ex-K9 German shepherd helps Chloe escape
from the evil dog killer, Diablo the Doberman. Papi, the love struck
Chihuahua, rushes to Mexico to rescue his true love. Computer animation
makes this film a realistic and graphically fun adventure. The voices of
George Lopez, Edward James Olmos and others add authenticity to the sounds
and culture of Mexico. Scenes in an ancient ruin give a glimpse into the
history of the mighty Chihuahua. Chloe learns how to fend for herself, the
true meaning of friendship, loyalty and most of all, how to judge a dog by
his real worth, especially Papi. She even learns a little Spanish. The
commentary is a fascinating discussion of how the trainers and dogs worked
together on the sets and used many individual stunts which were
graphically combined to produce each scene. This light-hearted family film
is a dog lover’s delight.
Humane Society supervised this film. No dogs were
harmed in the making of this film. -S. F. (CA) |
|
 The
Graveyard Book
By Neil Gaiman
Included in this year’s Great Books discussion, and
winner of this year’s Newbery Award, The Graveyard Book is not unfamiliar
to Baltimore County Public Library librarians. Patterned in a general way
on Kipling’s immortal Jungle Book stories, Neil Gaiman’s work is similarly
the story of a human child raised by nonhumans – but instead of the
animals of the Indian rainforest, young Bod is raised by the ghostly
inhabitants of a small and ancient cemetery. Each chapter begins roughly a
year after the previous one ended and are neatly self-contained (helping
make this a wonderful read-aloud experience). In this way we watch Bod
grow from infancy through his mid-teen years, as his contentedness with
his living arrangement diminishes. A movie version is planned, with Neil
Jordan set to direct. The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire, and
Michael Collins are his bestknown films. -B.R. (CA) |
|
 The
Longest Trip Home: A Memoir
By John Grogan
Grogan chronicles his life in the same jaunty,
conversational style as his best-selling book Marley & Me and it’s just as
much fun to read. His hometown outside Detroit is a small, close-knit
community whose center was Our Lady of Refuge Catholic church and school,
and where parents tattled to other parents about their children. The
mischievous little Johnny Grogan and his pals, Tommy, Rock and Sack, were
often at the center of many shenanigans as he circumvented the close watch
and demanding expectations of parents, priests and nuns. Take, for
example, the time he learned, as a new altar boy, how to sneak the last of
the communion wine before rinsing out the chalice and wobbling home from
church. Despite his antics, there is no doubt he loves his parents and
eventually grows to respect their faith and life choices, even as he
chooses another path. After more turbulent and rebellious years as a teen,
he eventually graduates from college, becomes a respectable newspaper
reporter, gets married and has three children of his own. (He did not say
how they’ve turned out!) As his parents grow older and ill, his
tempestuous relationship with them eases, and he becomes their loving
caretaker. As you read this book perhaps you’ll be reminded of your own
misadventures as a youngster, and maybe some you thought about but never
dared try. This book is both laugh-aloud funny and startlingly poignant: a
great nonfiction recommendation. -M.P.(CA) |
|
 Sweet
Potato Queens Book of Love
By Jill Conner Browne
You’ll laugh so hard, you’ll cry. I was first
introduced to this series through American Thighs, and I simply could not
get enough. In it, Jill shares the promise women can use to get any man to
do your bidding, the five men you must have in your life at all times, men
who may need killing and what to eat when tragedy strikes. She gives
serious advice to real women through shameless stories and naughty humor.
“Life is too short – and too long – to spend it being miserable.”
-A.S. (CA) |
|
March 2009 |
|
 The
Prince Charming List
by Kathryn Springer
I normally choose books by their cover: this was cute
and had a title that just screamed fun. About a chapter into the book, I
was surprised when I realized it was just as spiritually uplifting as it
was adorably romantic.
Every man Heather meets always comes up lacking. When
two completely different men come into her life one summer, she suddenly
has to figure out if what she truly wants is included in her list or is
completely different. Will Heather’s happily-ever-after include handyman
Ian or rebel artist Jared?
This book is third in a series following Front Porch
Princess and Picket Fence Promises but it was great as a single read. It
reminds you of what it’s like to be young and searching for the love of
your life while figuring out who you are and where “God” will take you. –
M.R. (HE) |
|
 Ines
of My Soul
by Isabel Allende
Using the format of a memoir written by 70 year old
Ines Suarez (a real person born around 1507), Allende weaves a tale of
tremendous hardship, fierce battles, brutality against native peoples, and
romance as Ines moves from her life as a seamstress in Spain to Peru and
on to Chile where she and her lover, Pedro de Valdivia, are instrumental
in building the new city of Santiago and the nation of Chile. On top of
this sweeping epic covering the Spanish conquest of Peru and Chile,
Allende shows Ines as a woman of desire for one man, passion for a second
and finally love for a third. Choose this story for good reading and a
history lesson. – P.P. (CO and HE) |
|
 The
Likeness
by Tana French
In The Likeness, by Tana French, Cassie Maddox,
20-something detective with the Irish police, is recovering from the
emotionally devastating Operation Vestal, recounted in In the Woods. Her
world tumbles over when she is called to a murder scene in the
countryside, where the murdered woman is Cassie’s double and is carrying
the identification of Lexie Madison, Cassie’s identity in a former
undercover case – Lexie Madison, who did not exist. To find the killer,
Cassie takes the professional chance of a lifetime and becomes Lexie (the
public was told that she survived – barely – the knife attack).
She returns “home” to Whitethorn House, a community
of five graduate students who have rejected much of contemporary Dublin
society and are living an almost Victorian domestic idyll. Time
progresses, and even as the case to find Lexie’s assailant/murderer
progresses, the emotional boundaries between Cassie/Lexie begin to blur.
Who, actually, was Lexie? What part of her assumed life does Cassie crave
for herself?
Truth, identity, love, murder – paranoia, you name it
– all are entangled in an intense and complex plot. French’s incredible,
lyrical prose adds a masterful touch of reality/unreality to this richly
rewarding book, and Heather O’Neill is pitchperfect as the Talking Book
reader. – D.S. (HE) |
|
 Gran
Torino (movie)
Directed by and starring Clint Eastwood,
Gran Torino is full of twists and turns. Eastwood
plays Walt Kowalski, a cranky widower who can’t accept the cultural
diversity in his ever-changing neighborhood. He is forced to face his
prejudices when a series of violent incidents place him in the unexpected
role of guardian angel to the Hmong-American family that has moved in next
door. Initially, Walt is offensive, but as he gains a fresh perspective on
his new neighbors, your impression of him will change. By the time the
film reaches its surprising and emotional climax, you will be glad to have
spent some time with this complex man. – C.Y. (HE)
Note: This title is due out in June 2009 but was not on order at
the time of the March 2009 Unique Critiques. |
|
 Outliers:
The Story of Success
by Malcolm Gladwell
This is yet another thought provoking offering from
Malcolm Gladwell, the author of the best sellers The Tipping Point and
Blink. In this book, Gladwell explodes the myth of the “outlier” or
“self-made man,” the dearly loved image Americans hold of individual
success by dint of hard work and true grit. He believes, instead, that
context is the true predictor for success.
Gladwell shows what a junior championship hockey
league, Bill Gates’ meteoric rise to wealth, and the deadly feuds of the
Appalachian Mountains all have in common. In each case, a glance back at
the history of the situation provides meaningful clues that explain “how”:
how the registration deadline for young hockey players skews favorably
toward those born right after it; how a teenaged Bill Gates received
unique opportunities to practice and perfect his computer skills; how the
“culture of honor” of the Scottish Highlands was transferred intact to
isolated mountain communities.
Other chapters examine such seemingly unrelated
topics as the rash of fatal air crashes that nearly ruined Korea’s
airline, the Hamburg years of The Beatles, and the usually healthy
residents of a small town in rural Pennsylvania.
The book will make you question everything you
thought you knew about “nature versus nurture,” the existence of genius,
the equality of our educational system, and the roles we play in each
other’s lives. Each study is more fascinating than the last, and
regardless of whether you agree with his premise, you’ll be thinking about
what really fosters success long after you’ve finished reading the book. –
M.B. (CO) |
|
 Flygirl
by Sherri Smith
Ida Mae Jones is a light skinned African-American
woman working as a maid every day in New Orleans in 1939. Her father had
one of the first crop dusting planes in the state. He lets her study all
of his old books and teaches her to fly. More importantly, he teaches Ida
the passion for flying.
After Ida’s father dies, her mother lets her continue
to fly the crop dusting plane only to bring desperately needed money for
the family.
When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, everything
changes. The oldest son, Thomas, drops out of college to fight in the war.
Ida wants to do more to help her brother than just save bacon grease. Ida
becomes Jonesy, and joins WASP, the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots. WASP
was a whites only group of women pilots, and at the time did not even have
official military status. She finds two friends, Patsy a carnival
daredevil, and Lily a rich Jewish girl. They become the Three Muskateers
and help each other through the intense trials. Even her close friends do
not really know her.
Her incredible struggle to be Jonesy with an
unbearable desire to fly, or Ida who does not have to hide, makes this
historical fiction an excellent read for both young adults and adults. –
K.M. (TO)
|
|
February 2009 |
|
 Vegan
Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes That Rule
by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero
The recipes in Moskowitz and Romero’s cupcake
cookbook deserve the title they received; they rule. Although I haven’t
tried every recipe, I have tried a fair few, and they are delish! During a
vegan phase I checked out this book to satisfy my sweet tooth, and even
though I’m no longer vegan, I turn to these pages time and again for
delectable cupcakes. My favorite, and the favorite of many a dairy lover,
is the Carrot Cake Cupcakes. Eating one of these, with “cream cheese”
frosting, is an experience and cannot be limited to just one. Other
cupcake recipes include the basic chocolate and vanilla varieties,
Brooklyn vs. Boston Cream Pie, Pineapple Right-Side Up, Chai Latte,
Tiramisu, Mexican Hot Chocolate and 30 more plus many frosting recipes.
Even if you’re not crossing yourself at the sight of dairy and eggs, these
recipes are worth a try. – S. K. (Marketing and Development)
|
Spain: A Culinary Road Trip... |
Spain: On the Road Again |
Spain: A Culinary Road Trip
by Mario Batali
Spain: On the Road Again (DVD)
As a devotee of the PBS show Spain … On the Road Again, I eagerly
awaited this companion book’s arrival. Full of gorgeous pictures,
interviews and anecdotes from the show, and dishes (I haven’t made any
yet, but I have sure drooled over the book), it complements the historic,
artistic, cultural and gastronomic road trip of Spain taken by Batali with
Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Bittman and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols. This
foursome visited most of Spain’s well-known tourist sites and multistar
restaurants, but they also went off the beaten path to visit fishermen and
clam diggers, family farms raising pigs and sheep, tried their hands at
making cheese, wine, sausages and ensaimadas (a type of pastry), as well
as cooking and eating lots of great food. Enjoy a great trip to Spain
without leaving your armchair as you watch the DVD and read the book. – S.
F. (Essex)
|
|
 Heretic
Queen
by Michelle Moran
This is the story of Queen Nefertari, great royal
wife to the pharaoh Ramses II. Her aunt was Queen Nefertiti, wife to the
heretic pharaoh Ahkenaten. During her early life, she was considered a
heretic also, because of her blood line. But Ramses fell in love with her,
and in the face of opposition from within his own family, and prominent
members of the court and priesthood, he married her and made her his chief
royal wife. This popularly written novel gives us somewhat of an insight
into the daily intrigues which always surrounded the royal pharaohs.
Nefertari proved herself to be an excellent mate for the great Ramses, and
soon became beloved by the people for her beauty and grace. She had
superior intelligence and used it to become an asset to her husband in
conducting the affairs of the country. A good read for anyone with an
interest in ancient Egypt. – B. C. (North Point)
|
 The
Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain
by Peter Sis Imagine yourself as a young boy
whose earliest memories are of loving to draw. Then imagine yourself as
this young boy destined to grow up in post-World War II Czechoslovakia.
Your country had been liberated from the Germans by Allied forces, only to
be re-occupied by former Allied partner Russia, whose idea of “liberation”
for Eastern Europe did not include the same freedoms represented in the
Western Bloc.
Peter Sis uses the graphic format in a superbly moving
and sublimely informative retelling of his growing up in Prague under
Soviet rule and repression from the late 1940s through the turbulent 60s,
and into the celebrations of the falling of the Iron Curtain in the late
80s. As with his previous foray into the graphic format in 1999 (the
Caldecott Honor Book Tibet: Through the Red Box), Sis uses his signature
detailed drawing style, coupled with spare yet insightful prose (some from
his personal diaries from the time) and exacting use of color and
photographs to convey emotional states, to create the perfect vehicle to
recount both the pleasures and the horrors of growing up in a society that
sought to repress individualism at all costs. He makes us feel with
startling clarity both the pain of artistic contraint under the Communist
system and the giddy pleasure of hearing smuggled Beatles and Beach Boys
records, set against the daily realities of bread lines and espousing the
correct party propaganda.
As a very personal case study of what the yearning for
true freedom feels like, The Wall invites us into the world behind the
Iron Curtain few Westerners knew existed and makes us capable of
appreciating on a fundamental level the basic human impulse to be free to
live our lives as we choose. It is also a marvelous example of just how
uplifting and engaging the graphic format can be when in the hands of a
master of the form, and Sis has never been better than in this
autobiography. It’s no surprise that The Wall was also selected as a
Caldecott Honor Book in 2008. – S. H. (North Point)
|
 Dewey
by Vicki Myron
Even if you don’t like cats you will fall in love with
Dewey. Dewey was found in a library book drop in Spencer, IA. The staff
took care of him and he lived in the library for 19 years. Patrons would
travel for miles just to visit with Dewey. Dewey’s favorite section was
Westerns and he took rides on the book trucks every day. His full name was
Deweyreadmorebooks. You will be entertained by Dewey and his experiences
at the library. You will laugh and cry. So, take some time and enjoy a
really good book and be enthralled by Dewey. – B. F. (Pikesville)
|
|
January 2009 |
|
 Murder
Most Maine
by Karen MacInerney
Natalie Barnes owns and runs the Gray Whale Inn on Maine’s Cranberry Island.
Struggling to keep her inn in business, Natalie is thrilled to host the
Lose-It-All Weight Loss retreat at her inn. The trainer of the program is good
looking Dirk DeLeon and gorgeous Valerie Black is his business partner. When
Dirk’s corpse turns up near the Cranberry Point Lighthouse, police find out he
was poisoned. Suspicion first falls on Natalie and her kitchen. Later Natalie’s
boyfriend John Quinton, who once had an affair with Valerie, is arrested for the
murder. As Natalie investigates she finds there is more than one person on the
island that could be a suspect. After you solve the mystery with Natalie you can
check out the recipes included at the end of the book. – N.S. (PA)
|
Mascot: Unraveling the Mystery of My Jewish Father’s Nazi Boyhood
by Mark Kurzem
Though Australian Mark Kurzem’s father had told his family stories of his
boyhood during World War II, it was only in 1997 that he began to share the
whole troubling story – or as much as he could recall – with his oldest son.
Over a period of years, Mark and his father followed scanty clues from his
father’s recollections and mementos to reveal the often horrifying story of a
Russian Jewish child who escaped massacre and was “adopted” by a Latvian police
group which later morphed through the Latvian army into a Wehrmacht SS unit. In
addition to his father’s ambivalence about discovering his own identity, Kurzem
had to deal with the sometimes hidden agendas of the various agencies and
individuals whose help was needed. A surprising number of facts eventually came
to light, but many questions remained unanswered. This book was hard to put
down, yet hard to continue reading. There’s a lot to think about here – truth,
loyalty, seduction, cruelty, responsibility, accommodation … – M.M. (PA)
|
Tropic Thunder (DVD)
Tropic Thunder, starring Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey Jr., is a
satire based mostly on big blockbuster movies and Hollywood lifestyles. The
movie begins by showing a high-budget, Vietnam war-era movie turn into a
complete disaster for the director (played by Steve Coogan of Hamlet 2) and the
actors. After the director decides to motivate and toughen up the actors by
placing them deep into the jungles of Southeast Asia for “real” movie footage,
the actors get sidetracked and have to figure out how to survive as a team. Did
I forget to mention that this team consists of a has-been action star (Stiller),
a drug-addicted comedian (Black), a five-time Oscar winner who undergoes a
change in skin color to fit into his role (Downey Jr.), a rap star, and a young
man just trying to get his breakthrough role? Throughout the movie, other topics
get thrown into the all-star comedy, which include adoption, pandas, and G5
airplanes. The best parts about this movie are the unexpected cameos that are
significant until the end. One is by Tom Cruise who is only in the movie for
about 15 minutes; but his brief role as an overweight, middle-aged, movie mogul
steals the show. The unexpected plot twists and dialogues set an outrageous tone
to the end that you will not see coming. What is possibly the most hilarious and
controversial movie of the year will not leave you disappointed: it will leave
you laughing well into the following week too. – P.C. (PA)
|
The Numerati
by Stephen Baker
The author of The Numerati, Stephen Baker, is also a technology writer for
Business Week magazine. He’s co-author of blogspotting.net – a really hot
blogging site. He presents the not really “mathematically inclined” with a book
re: how modern number crunchers are turning us into data using mathematical
algorithms. In his 256-page best seller, he discusses what’s happening to our
personal information when we surf the Net, blog, make cell phone calls, use the
grocery store-issued shoppers card, and charge things on our VISAs. It is kind
of creepy thinking about what information is garnered about us electronically
these days. Privacy is really a thing of the past. His chapters include ones on
shopping, voting, blogging, politics and a few more. In the shopping chapter, I
was introduced to a “smart cart” shopping cart that I am really not looking
forward to. (I never wanted a talking car, either!) I do not want to run by
Safeway (for example), grab a cart, insert my shoppers card, and have the cart
call me by name, give me a list of my most often purchased items, and remind me
to get Centrum Silver and athlete’s foot powder before checking out! But maybe
some people do!
Employers want to get more work out of us, businesses want to know how to
tailor their advertising for us, politicians want to know how to influence our
votes without us really noticing. Reading this book will give you another case
of future shock. – C.L. (PA)
|
 Wedding
Belles
by Haywood Smith
The “Red Hat” ladies from Haywood Smith’s The Red Hat Club series are at it
again. This time someone is getting married, and it’s the daughter of one of
these lifelong friends. In Wedding Belles, Georgia’s daughter, Callie is
marrying an older man. This does not sit well with Georgia, since the man in
question is not only a former “party guy” but a close friend of Callie’s father.
Will a private detective ease her concerns about the impending nuptials? Georgia
needs to let her smart, independent, only daughter grow up and make her own
decisions. Will the rift between Georgia and Callie be too large to mend before
the wedding day? Her friends try to help her navigate this “tragedy” along with
the other twists that life throws the ladies from the suburbs of Atlanta.
I love the characters that Haywood Smith has created in this series and I
always look forward to the next installment. – E.C. (NO)
|
|
November/December 2008 |
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
When 17-year-old Bella moves to rainy and gloomy Forks in Washington State to
live with her father, she initially regrets leaving her mother behind in sunny
Arizona. But things change rapidly when she starts at the local high school and
meets Edward Cullen, who is a perfectly gorgeous “god-like creature.” Although
he appears to want nothing to do with Bella at first, soon enough Bella finds
herself hopelessly and irrevocably in love with Edward. There is only one
problem: Edward and his family are all vampires. And even though Edward falls
just as hard for Bella, to the point of becoming obsessed with her, he must
always maintain tremendous control over their relationship because, if he loses
control, he could easily kill her.
Twilight is an exciting, fast-paced love story for teens and adults. This is the
first book in the Twilight Saga. – MS (RE)
Forever Changes by Brendan Halpin, Y fiction
Brianna is unlikely to see her 21st birthday; she has cystic fibrosis. But
barring the fact that her father has to beat on her every day to get the mucous
out of her lungs, she has a good life. She has a brilliant mathematical mind,
two very loyal (and popular) friends, and a great dad. But because Brianna
probably won’t live to graduate from college, she’s afraid to even apply. She
doesn’t see the point to it, in fact, doesn’t see any point to her life at all.
Until her calculus teacher talks about the power of infinitesimals – those tiny,
almost zero numbers, etc., that are crucial for things to work. She begins to
understand that her short, almost zero life serves a purpose to those closest to
her. And we realize that, even though we may never be famous to the world, we
too are special to those around us. – RF (PE)
My Father’s Son by Terri Fields, Y fiction
Kevin Windor doesn’t usually pay attention to the news, but he’s putting off
doing his homework. Suddenly, the newscaster declares that they’ve caught the
serial killer who has been terrorizing the community for the last two years.
Kevin’s world turns upside down when his father’s face appears on the screen.
How do you get your mind around the idea that your father allegedly bound,
tortured and branded 11 women? How do you deal with the fear in people’s eyes
when they look at you and see, not a high school kid, but the son of a monster?
Is it possible to continue believing in someone you love when all the evidence
is against them? – RF (PE)
How We Drive, Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us)
by Tom Vanderbilt, CD 620 V
This is an amusing and informative CD to listen to as you drive the beltway to
work, being careful at the same time not to get distracted. Tom Vanderbilt wants
us to remember that we are driving heavy equipment, not a moveable telephone
booth or a floating mirror. Outside of being a brain surgeon, driving is the
most complicated thing a person does. The type of vehicle you are driving, the
type of road you are on and the surroundings influence driving in unexpected
ways. Surprisingly the uncongested two-lane country road is more dangerous than
the crowded city street.
The CD is skillfully abridged and omits many of the numerous references to
scholarly studies that occur in the book. – SS (PE)
Twenty Wishes by Debbie Macomber, Fiction
Anne Marie is trying to find happiness in her life again. A recent widow, Anne
Marie owns the local bookstore on Blossom Street. She organized a book group at
the store and suggested that all the widows read Good Grief, a novel based on a
young woman adjusting to widowhood. Soon all the women formed friendships. When
it became Valentine’s Day, Anne Marie hosted a special book club meeting knowing
this to be the hardest holiday to spend alone. On this night all the widows
agree to create a list of 20 wishes. In making this list of wishes, Anne Marie
and the rest of the club soon learn if you wish real hard your wishes will come
true. A truly heartwarming story, remember to keep a box of tissues handy. – ME
(PE)
Second Chance Jane Green, Fiction
Introduced to author Jane Green by a customer, I began reading the novel Second
Chance. In her charming, British manner, Green tells the story of a group of
school friends who haven’t seen each other in a long time. They come together to
grieve for a dear friend who died a tragic death and discover that their lives
are deeply moved in ways they would never have expected. The story is instantly
engaging and very warm and insightful. – JZ (PE) |
Looking for other book suggestions?:
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Last Revised: 19 November 2009
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