24 Wednesday Feb 2016
Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, History
Author Pearl Buck drew from her own experiences growing up in China to write this novel, a family saga set in the rural countryside in the years just before the political and social upheavals of the 20th century. The book portrays the life of Wang Lung, a poor subsistence farmer who prevails over setbacks both man-made and natural to eventual prosperity. An atmospheric, reflective novel with strong characterization makes for an enjoyable tale. The book won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1938.
17 Wednesday Feb 2016
Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction
Tags
Camille Pissarro (1830-1903), Jewish family, love stories, man-women relationships, scandals, St. Thomas, widows
I loved this story of a strong woman and her family, friendships, and faith. It’s beautifully written. If you enjoy historical fiction, it’s not to be missed.
“Lilting prose, beautifully meted out folklore and historical references, and Hoffman’s deep conviction in her characters (especially those “willing to do anything for love”) make reading this “contes du temps passé” a total pleasure.”—Kirkus, starred review
11 Thursday Feb 2016
Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction
A pure delight to read. The author depicts a young Irish woman, Eilis Lacey, who leaves a small town in Ireland in the 1950’s to live in Brooklyn and then unexpectedly returns to Ireland. Eilis has to deal with the consequences of love lost and found. What choice should she make?
Brooklyn “is one those magically quiet novels that sneak up on readers and capture their imaginations.” USA TODAY
“[A] masterly tale… There is not a sentence or a thought out of place.” — Irish Times
“Toibin’s prose is as elegant in its simplicity as it is complex in the emotions it evokes.” — The New York Times Magazine
Find this book large print audio cd’s playaway
01 Monday Feb 2016
Posted in Fiction
I don’t read a lot of crime fiction, so I’m not sure why I picked this up, but I’m glad that I did. It was definitely creepy and a page turner, told from the point of view of a police officer, a murderer, and a helpline volunteer at a confidential call-in support center. Don’t read it before bedtime!
“Not for the faint of heart or stomach, but for the rest of you, The Murder Code heralds the American debut of a major new voice in crime fiction.”–BookPage
“He writes like the very best American thriller writers. Cancel all other engagements for the day.”–The Guardian
25 Monday Jan 2016
Veronica Mars is an outcast at her rich California high school after her best friend’s death. While solving mysteries with her private investigator father, she is also determined to figure out who killed her friend. This is a funny, well-written, suspenseful show with great characters and a “film noir” feel.
21 Thursday Jan 2016
I highly recommend this memoir written by Caroline Heller. She describes her parents stories of living in the cosmopolitan city of Prague before Hitler and the devastation World War II brought. Interwoven throughout the book are literature and poetry quotes which sustained her family through their darkest times.
12 Tuesday Jan 2016
Posted in Biography, Non-fiction
In 2009, Gourmet magazine suddenly closes its doors and Ruth faces a world with no job. Part personal narrative, part cookbook, heal with Ruth as she turns to her favorite recipes and foods for the seasons. Beautifully illustrated, the book exudes warmth and cheer. Food therapy at its best!
“Ruth is one of our greatest storytellers today, which you will feel from the moment you open this book and begin to read: No one writes as warmly and engagingly about the all-important intersection of food, life, love, and loss. This book is a lyrical and deeply intimate journey told through recipes, as only Ruth can do.”—Alice Waters
“The dishes are clearly fun and uplifting for Reichl, and the unexpected shift from culinary guru to happy home cook chases her blues away. Reichl reminds readers that getting lost in a recipe can be excellent therapy.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
04 Monday Jan 2016
Posted in Non-fiction
Tags
African Americans, attitudes, public opinion, race discrimination, race relations, United States, whites
The author wrote this book as a letter to his son about what it means to be black in America. His words and ideas are valuable for every American regardless of race or politics. The author not only describes his personal experiences and feelings but also analyzes race in the broader context of American society and history. His powerful insights are the product of a brilliant mind. The audio is read by the author. I haven’t been so moved by a book since reading “A House in the Sky” by Amanda Lindhout.
“The powerful story of a father’s past and a son’s future . . . Coates offers this eloquent memoir as a letter to his teenage son, bearing witness to his own experiences and conveying passionate hopes for his son’s life. . . . This moving, potent testament might have been titled Black Lives Matter.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“Ta-Nehisi Coates is the James Baldwin of our era, and this is his cri de coeur. A brilliant thinker at the top of his powers, he has distilled four hundred years of history and his own anguish and wisdom into a prayer for his beloved son and an invocation to the conscience of his country. Between the World and Me is an instant classic and a gift to us all.”—Isabel Wilkerson, author of The Warmth of Other Suns
28 Monday Dec 2015
Posted in Biography, Fiction, Historical Fiction
I recommend Geraldine Brooks titles to anyone who loves historical fiction. She has done it once again! I was swept away into Second Iron Age Israel, most violent of times. This vivid, imaginative account takes one through the tribal battlefields and into the heart of David’s family of 8 wives and 9 children. Inspired by the lost book of Nathan.
14 Monday Dec 2015
Posted in Fiction
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A woman reflects on her life, particularly her relationship with her late sister, who died after driving off a bridge. The novel alternates between past and present, and includes a “novel within a novel” that adds to the mystery surrounding the two sisters’ lives. Margaret Atwood is an acclaimed writer, and this is my favorite of her books that I’ve read.
“Absorbing… expertly rendered… Virtuosic storytelling [is] on display.”–The New York Times
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