Concord Favorites

Bound by Sally Gunning

2011-02-25T08:22:00.000-08:00

A entertaining historical fiction set in New England pre Revolution. It's the story of a young girl who becomes indentured due to the loss of her parents. The picture of her life and times reveals her strength and interesting characters she meets. There is adversity, adventure and triumph - all the best of historical fiction.

Submitted by Sallie, CFPL Staff

Born Round by Frank Bruni

2011-02-25T08:21:00.000-08:00

Restaurant critics seem to live a fascinating life, at least to those of us who like good food, but this story is more interesting than some. This is really his story and how his passion for food impacted his life for the good and not so good. A much more complicated person than one would expect for a food critic.

Submitted by Sallie, CFPL Staff

Love Child by Allegra Huston

2011-02-25T08:20:00.002-08:00

I thought this would be about Angelica and John Huston but was surprised to realize it is the story of Allegra, Angelica's sister, whose life was not typical but quite interesting. You keep reading because you want to know who Allegra is and how she deals with the unusual circumstances of her life. Well written.

Submitted by Sallie, CFPL Staff

Gift of an Ordinary Day by Katrina Kenison

2011-02-25T08:20:00.001-08:00

The title really tells the story. This is a very lovely memoir of a woman living in our time and facing the transitions as we get older and our children grow up. It makes one pause and realize that each day is a gift even with all the ups and downs we face.

Submitted by Sallie, CFPL Staff

Clara's War by Clara Kramer and Stephen Glantz

2011-02-25T08:19:00.000-08:00

A very moving story of a young Jewish girl in Poland gathered from her diary. The details of the eighteen months her family lived in the basement of a family who protected them is amazing. Just the daily activities were unbelievable. Holocaust stories are always moving but can be uplifting when you admire the courage of the oppressed and the kindness of others in a tragic time in history.

Submitted by Sallie, CFPL Staff

Alchemy of Loss by Abigail Carter

2011-02-25T08:18:00.000-08:00

The tragedy of 9/11 hit many families and this is one widow's story from the beginning with the disbelief at the loss of her husband, dealing with the circumstances of managing her family and coming to terms with her life. She discovers her strengths and leaves the reader with admiration and respect.

Submitted by Sallie, CFPL Staff

I'll Never Be French by Mark Greenside

2011-02-25T08:17:00.000-08:00

A charming story by the author who follows his girlfriend to Brittany and creates a new life for himself. The trials and tribulations of buying a house, dealing with issues unfamiliar to him and making friends with people who speak a different language grabs your attention and makes you laugh out loud. Delightful.

Submitted by Sallie, CFPL Staff

Wall of White by Jennifer Woodlief

2011-02-25T08:16:00.002-08:00

The true account of the deadliest avalanche in the history of the United States. The detailed description of the avalanche as well as the miraculous rescue of a woman buried for days, makes this a page turner.

Submitted by Sallie, CFPL Staff

This Time Together by Carol Burnett

2011-02-25T08:16:00.001-08:00

A collection of delightful stories of her life and career, some sad and many amusing. Not a big book but a pleasant read and a reminder of what a real, thoughtful and amusing person Carol Burnett is.

Submitted by Sallie, CFPL Staff

Match Day by Brian Eule

2011-02-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

Match Day has been the process of matching medical students to the hospital where they will be a resident in the final process of becoming a medical doctor. The author follows three young women as they struggle with their lives and the dedication to their profession. Well done and interesting.

Submitted by Sallie, CFPL Staff

River of Doubt : Theodore Roosevelt’s darkest journey by / Candice Millard, 2005

2011-02-25T07:59:00.000-08:00

Non-fiction/history

The true story of Theodore Roosevelt's harrowing 1914 exploration of one of the most dangerous rivers on earth, a black, uncharted tributary of the Amazon that snakes through one of the most treacherous jungles in the world. He and his men faced an unbelievable series of hardships, losing their canoes and supplies to punishing whitewater rapids, and enduring starvation, Indian attack, disease, drowning, and a murder within their own ranks. Gripping narrative and fascinating insight into the personality of Theodore Roosevelt.

Submitted by Judith, CFPL Staff

2010-02-26T07:46:00.000-08:00

Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Nonfiction
This a book which should be read by everyone. Well written, thoroughly researched. This is a book of faith, science, medical science and medical ignorance, racism, poverty, with issues that are being discussed today. Henrietta Lacks was a 31 year old black mother of five in Baltimore when she died of cervical cancer in 1951. Without her knowledge, doctors treating her at Johns Hopkins took tissue samples from her cervix for research. they spawned the first viable, indeed miraculously productive, cell-line known as HeLa. These cells have aided in medical discoveries from the polio vaccine to AIDS treatments. Skloot writes in a clear understanding fashion and makes no judgments.

Submitted by Patron

2009-10-24T11:55:00.000-07:00

Gardens of Water by Alan Drew

Novel

Explores interactions of a Muslim and Christian family in an Istanbul suburb brought together during a massive earthquake in 1999.

Submitted by Mimi

2009-10-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell

Travel/History

Vowell takes readers to the sites of presidential assassinations and brings into focus the figures involved and the social and political backgrounds. Unusual tour makes for fascinating reading.

Submitted by J.G.

2009-10-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

Amagansett by Mark Miller

Novel

A reclusive fisherman finds his life transformed when he pulls up the body of a beautiful young woman in his fishing nets. Literary thriller set on Long Island in 1947.

Submitted by J.G.

2009-10-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

The Love We Share Without Knowing by Christopher Barzak

Novel

Linked short stories set up contemporary Japan that explore the need to be loved, understood, and accepted as characters deal with life's sorrows. Perceptively written.

Submitted by Mimi

2009-10-24T11:47:00.000-07:00

Sonata for Miriam by Linda Olsson

Novel

Journeying from New Zealand to Poland and on to Sweden, composer Adam Anker uncovers the truth about his parents' fate during World War II and struggles to come to terms with the consequences of a life-altering choice he had made twenty years earlier.

Submitted by Mimi

2009-10-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

The Lost City by Henry Shukman

Novel

Combines thrilling adventure and personal discovery in a page-turner set in the Peruvian Andes. Was a New York Times editor's pick in 2008.

Submitted by Mimi

2009-06-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

The Dream by Harry Bernstein

Biography

A very interesting biography of the life of the 98 year old author as
his family moves from England to Chicago in the 1920s. Experiencing the
adjustment to a big city, the depression, and falling in love with his
wife of over sixty years, is a touching and good story of the immigrant
experience.

Submitted by The Queen of the Hop

2009-06-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

Ten Degrees of Reckoning by Hester Rumberg

Memoir

A gripping story of the hit-and-run collision of a merchant ship and a 47 foot sailboat with a family aboard. The mother's survival and coping with her life make up most of the book. One of the worst cases of post-traumticstress she was able to sue the company who owned the ship and create a foundation to improve maritime safety. Reading it reminds one of the strength of the human spirit.

Submitted by Queen of the Hop

2009-06-22T09:55:00.000-07:00

Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination by Elizabeth McCracken

Memoir

A touching memoir by the popular fiction writer about the stillborn baby she delivered in the ninth month. It's an honest moving story of her emotions dealing with the loss and the world as she faces the future. Very moving.

Submitted by Queen of the Hop

2009-06-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

Deaf Sentence by David Lodge

Fiction

A retired linguistics professor faces the challenges of retirement, progressive hearing loss, and advising a flirtatious odd-ball graduate student on her thesis about suicide notes. A good book for those who like strong character development and nuanced, introspective, subtly satirical writing.

Submitted by Judith

2009-05-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

Dark Tide: The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 by Stephen Puleo

history

The author places the molasses flood disaster - a compelling story in itself - in historical context: anti-immigration, terrorism, war efforts, economic problems - a lot that resonates today. It held my attention on a long plane ride and I learned a lot.

Submitted by Judith

2009-05-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

Magic Bus: On the Hippie Trail from Istanbul to India by Rory Maclean

travel

Having done the "backpacking trail" across Europe a few decades ago, I was particularly interested in reading about my more adventurous fellow hippies who went all the way to India.
The author retraces their steps, contrasting their world view and the situation then with present-day realities in some very challenged areas. He meets the locals, as well as aging hippies and people who remember the 60's. Quite an interesting look at then and now.

Submitted by Judith

2009-03-17T14:41:00.000-07:00

"Hands of my father : a hearing boy, his deaf parents, and the language of love" by Myron Uhlberg.

Memoir

This wonderful book is more than just a memoir but a fascinating and moving insight into a loving family where the parents are deaf and the children are not. Reading this book is an education into the deaf culture and a moving tribute to the author's parents. It's also an amazing story of what life was like for the author. Very well written and difficult to put down.

Submitted by Queen of the Hop

2009-02-26T13:45:00.000-08:00

The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein

Memoir

The author of this memoir is in his 90s but has written a very interesting book about his experience of growing up in England where the Jews lived on one side of the street and the Christians on the other. The experience itself is interesting and when affections of a young couple from opposite sides of the street become an issue, the story becomes much more complicated. Written by the author as he remembers it from his childhood, the story moves right along and opens the reader's eyes to a life that used to be.

Submitted by Queen of the Hop

2009-02-06T11:17:00.000-08:00

A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering the New World by Tony Horwitz

History
Travel along with Tony Horwitz as he traces the lesser known history of America from the time of the Vikings upto the landing of the Pilgrims on Plymouth Rock. His informative and entertaining book is filled with stories of Vikings, Moorish slaves, conquistadors and others who roamed and rampaged their way across the continent, often leaving little trace behind. Horowitz travels to many of the locations visited by these early explorers, and you will look at our history in a different light after travelling along with him.

Submitted by PJ

2009-02-06T10:14:00.000-08:00

The Leisure Seeker by Michael Zadoorian

Novel
An on-the-road story with a twist. John, suffering from Alzheimers, and Ella, who has terminal cancer, have been married for more than fifty years. Deciding that they want one last adventure, they leave Detriot and head for Disneyland in their aging RV. The novel is a blend of memories, personalities met on the road, difficulties faced and thoughts about the future. At times funny, at time poignent, John and Ella show that how one travels is as important as the final destination.

Submitted by PJ

2009-02-06T10:08:00.000-08:00

Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker

Fiction
This book is reminiscent of the novels of Alice Hoffman. Magic, mystery, family and love are woven together into this beautifully told story of a girl who couldn't stop growing.

Submitted by PJ

2009-01-21T11:12:00.000-08:00

Crashing Through by Robert Kurzon

Memoir

A remarkable story of a man who became blind at the age of three and had the opportunity to have his sight restored when he was forty-six. It would seem a miracle but this very interesting book shows how that is not really the case. What happens is that one's brain has not been seeing all those years and it's a huge adjustment and not completely resolved when you suddenly get your vision. A very insightful personal account and very well done.

Submitted by the Queen of the Hop

2009-01-12T11:35:00.000-08:00

After the Fire: a true story of friendship and survival by Robin Gaby Fisher

This is an amazing true story of two young men seriously burnt in theSeton Hall University fire in 2000. They were new roommates who became best friends and provided great emotional support for each other through many months of heroic medical treatments. The author does a wonderful job of describing the emotions of everyone involved. It's a compassionate human story of real people surviving a horrific accident. It could be a sad book but you come away feeling uplifted.

Submitted by Queen of the Hop

2008-12-11T06:21:00.001-08:00

Brotherhood of Joseph: a father's memoir of infertility and adoption in the 21st Century by Brooks Hansen

Memoir
A very unusual and candid memoir from a man's point of view. Fairly emotional, sometimes funny and sometimes sad, but very real.

Submitted by Sallie

2008-11-10T07:05:00.000-08:00

Tales of a Female Nomad by Rita Golden Gelman

Travel/Memoir

Fascinating memoir of a middle-aged woman who leaves a comfortable suburban married life for one of anthropology study and foreign cultural experiences. Over a fifteen year span, she lives in Mexico, the Galapagos Islands, Bali, New Guinea, Israel, Nicaragua, Thailand, and New Zealand. It's a well-told, enlightening book filled with interesting people.

Submitted by Judith

2008-11-07T06:27:00.000-08:00

What We Keep by Elizabeth Berg

Fiction
As the story opens, Ginny is flying to California to visit her sister, who has become seriously ill. She discovers that there is another agenda to her sister's request to visit: her sister wants both of them to see their mother, who neither has spoken with or seen in 35 years. I found this to be an interesting and heartwarming story as Ginny, now an adult and mother herself, attempts to come to terms with her childhood memories and her relationship with her mother.

Submitter by Debbie

2008-11-03T13:19:00.000-08:00

In Hovering Flight by Joyce Hinnefeld

Novel

This story explores relationships and life stories of characters inspired by the love of birds. The book richly portrays the mother/daughter dynamic and women's friendships, and it led me to a heightened appreciation and mindfulness of birds and their songs.

Submitted by Mimi

2008-10-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

The Lost Estate (Le Grand Meaulnes) by Alain-Fournier

Novel
Published in 1913 (in French) as Le Grand Meaulnes, this little novel depicts that mysterious, dreamlike space between boyhood and manhood. Lost in a romantic fog, Meaulnes chases elusive fantasies of love, beauty, and innocence. The author died in action at the age of 28. This is his only novel.

Submitted by J.K.

2008-09-26T06:13:00.000-07:00

Still Life with Chickens: Starting Over in a House by the Sea by Catherine Goldhammer

Memoir
Well-written story of a woman who moves away from her husband and wealthy town to a more rustic life, with her daughter on the cusp of teenage-hood. To please her daughter, and for other reasons unknown, she decides to raise chickens. I really enjoyed the details about the chickens, as well as the heart-warming portrayal of her transition.

Submitted by Judith

2008-09-26T06:04:00.000-07:00

City of Thieves by David Benioff

Historical fiction
I found this story of two young Russian men trying to survive during the German siege of Leningrad hard to put down, though at times horrifying. The two meet, under arrest in a prison, where they can save their lives by locating a dozen eggs for a colonel's daughter's wedding cake. Their mission bonds their friendship and takes them through grueling adventures. The story is based on the memories of the author's grandfather.

Submitted by Judith

2008-09-26T05:59:00.000-07:00

Apples Are From Kazakhstan by Christopher Robbins

History/Travel

Fascinating travelogue, rich with history, by a British writer who has unprecedented access to the Kazakh president.

Submitted by Judith

2008-09-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

That Summer in Sicily: A Love Story by Marlena DeBlasi

Memoir
The perfect crossover from travelog to fairytale romance, DeBlasi's account of her summer in Sicily tells the story of a great love between a prince and peasant girl that transcended Sicily's medieval social order, enforced to this day by Mafia dons. The sights, sounds and smells of this tale are fleshed out by DeBlasi's daily experience of the harvest and rhythms of life in a country villa. Next best thing to being there.

Submitted by Max

2008-09-15T11:06:00.000-07:00

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

Novel
Wonderful read. History of middle Europe, religious conflicts, and personal stories well-blended.

Submitted by S.N.S.

2008-09-12T07:06:00.000-07:00

The Ridiculous Race: 26, 000 Miles, 2 Guys, 1 Globe, No Airplanes by Steve Hely and Vali Chandrasekaran

Travel memoir
The title pretty much sums up this hilarious book. Steve and Vali, both successful TV comedy writers, decide to race against each other around the world hoping to nab the first place prize: a ridiculously expensive bottle of scotch whiskey. Steve's visit to the Beijing opera is one of the funniest scenes that you'll ever read. If you enjoyed Bill Bryson's A Walk in the Woods, you'll love this book, too.

Submitted by PJ

2008-09-12T07:02:00.000-07:00

The Lieutenant's Lady by Bess Streeter Aldrich

Fiction
An unknown American classic woman's romantic frontier story. Bess Streeter Aldrich has several books of short stories of rural town American life around the turn of the century--very much like Reader's Digest, Ladies' Home Journal or Yankee magazine stories. However, this novel captures the formality of the end of the Victorian age, blended with small-town honesty. The adventures she faces on her journey to tell her best friend's fiance that her best friend did not want to marry absorb readers to find out how the touching romance blooms!

Submitted by Elaine Dreher

2008-09-12T06:59:00.000-07:00

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Fiction
Written as a series of letters, this book details a friendship created between a London author and the members of an eclectic group of folks during Gurensey's Occupation during WW!!. It's the kind of book that you are sad to see end because the characters have become your friends!

Submitted by Stacey

2008-08-06T12:21:00.000-07:00

Mediterranean Summer ny David Shalleck with Erol Munuz

Nonfiction
A fascinating book of a young man's experience as a chef on a sailing yacht in the Mediterranean. It was one of those books I hated to put down. His descriptions of the meals, the ports of call and even working as a crew member while sailing were fascinating. It's clear the author loved sailing and his delight comes through. But his description of cooking in a tiny galley is riveting. You don't have to be a cook or even like to sail to find this book enjoyable. It's a true behind-the-scenes look at life on an elegant yacht from a good writer who grabs your attention and never lets go.

Submitted by Sallie

2008-07-30T13:40:00.000-07:00

I Shall Not Want by Julia Spencer-Fleming

Mystery

I Shall Not Want continues the story of Police Chief Russ Van Alstyne and Reverend Clare Fergusson in a mystery series that began with In the Bleak Midwinter. This solid summer read combines romance, passion, police procedural and moral conflict in a small town setting where everybody knows everybody's business but nobody can explain a baffling series of murders. Enjoy all five books in the series.

Submitted by Max

2008-07-23T09:08:00.000-07:00

Leisureville: Adventures in America's Retirement Utopias by Andrew D Blechman

Nonfiction
When two of Blechman's neighbors from his Mass. neighborhood move to The Villages retirement community in Florida, he becomes intrigued by the appeal of these communities. He decides to follow them south, and lives in the community for 30 days (the time limit for visitors under 55 yrs). He soons discovers that all is not what it seems in the "Disneyland for Adults." This book will have special appeal for anyone who's ever watched The Golf Channel, which has numerous ads for The Villages!

Submitted by PJ

2008-07-23T09:05:00.000-07:00

The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber

Fiction
A great summer read, this romance/thriller/treasure hunt moves back and forth between 17th century England and 21st century America in the quest for a lost Shakespeare manuscript worth millions. The spies, ciphers and political intrigues of one century baffle and tease the scholars, lawyers, rare book dealers and crooks of another century. Does the manuscript really exist? Each character must continually evaluate what he or she may gain or lose in this increasingly dangerous game.

Submitted by Max

2008-06-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

The Man Who Loved China by Simon Winchester

Nonfiction
A fascinating story about a fascinating scientist who went to China during WWII to find evidence that the Chinese were responsible for many of mankind's most familiar inventions long before the western world developed them. If you liked the Professor and The Madman and other books by Winchester, you won't want to miss this one.

Submitted by Ann

2008-06-23T10:39:00.001-07:00

Dalva and The Road Home by Jim Harrison

Novels
Harrison strikes many of the same themes found in Legends of the Fall as he weaves an elegiac saga around five generations of a family that originally homesteaded on the Niobrara River in Nebraska. He skillfully interleaves the voices of the principal characters - all complex.

Submitted by B. Powell

2008-06-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

Novel
I read this book three years ago, but it has stayed with me. It is written as a flashback from the point of view of an adolescent boy in small-town Minnesota in the 1960's. It tells the story of a family trying to find a son fleeing from a violent act. It is a moving, poetically told tale with the enduring themes of family and faith.

Submitted by Mimi

2008-06-12T11:26:00.000-07:00

Outlander by Gil Adamson

Novel
A young woman escapes an abusive husband and makes a wilderness trek across Idaho and Montana in 1903, pursued by revenge seekers. This is a well-written adventure/suspense tale with a strong heroine, an unusual cast of characters, and an interesting historical setting.

Submitted by Mimi

2008-06-12T07:03:00.000-07:00

The Middle Place by Kelly Corrigan

Memoir
A touching laugh-out-loud memoir by a terrific writer and mother as she struggles to come to terms with her own cancer and her father's. It's the author's story about family and growing into adulthood told in a breezy delightful style.

Submitted by Queen of the Hop

2008-06-12T07:00:00.000-07:00

Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish

Memoir
Perhaps you have to be a person of a certain age but I loved this book. I didn't grow up in Iowa in the Depression but so much that happened in this book was very familiar to me. It was like stepping back in time. Young people would probably call it "the olden days" but my they were fun. Take a step back in time and enjoy a delightful book about what life was like growing up on a farm in the Midwest.

Submitted by Queen of the Hop

2008-05-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler

Novel
A "must read" for Jane Austen fans! A chuckle on every page. I loved it!

Submitted by Barbara Duffield

2008-05-23T07:32:00.000-07:00

How (Not) To Have a Perfect Wedding by Arliss Ryan

Novel
A funny spoof on the runaway wedding industry, set in Newport RI. The story is told from multiple viewpoints, giving the reader an inside view of the thoughts of everyone from the wedding planner to the bartender to the dad's new trophy wife. Entertaining, light and a perfect book to tuck into your beach bag.

Submitted by PJ

2008-05-21T09:20:00.000-07:00

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer 8. Lee

Nonfiction
Jennifer 8. Lee (yes, 8 is her middle name) investigates the history of Chinese food in this entertaining, fact-filled book. In the process, she discovers that many of her beloved childhood dishes have little in common with food served in China, and that fortune cookies may actually be Japanese in origin. Through reading this book, you'll find out how little you know about what is possibly the world's most popular cuisine.

Submitted by PJ

2008-05-12T09:07:00.000-07:00

Cold Beer and Crocodiles: a Bicycle Journey into Australia by Roff Martin Smith

Travel/Memoir
Smith, a Time magazine correspondent based in Sydney, realizes that he's never experienced the broad scope of Australian land and character. He embarks on a 10,000 mile bicycle circuit through cities, deserts, mountains, and villages, where the personalities are as diverse as the landscape. A very engaging read.

Submitted by Judith

2008-05-12T09:04:00.000-07:00

Here if You Need Me: A True Story by Kate Braestrup

Memoir
Poignant and inspiring experiences of a chaplain for the Maine Waren Service, which does search and rescue missions. When her husband, a Maine state trooper, dies, Kate takes up his chosen second career to become an ordained minister, while raising her four children. Her well-written stories, rooted in service to others in their time of need, convey humor, pathos, and love in a very readable and moving book.

Submitted by Judith

2008-05-12T08:57:00.000-07:00

The Ponds of Kalambayi by Mike Tidwell

Memoir
Early in his career, Tidwell devoted two years to working in the Peace Corps, teaching villagers to build ponds and raise fish in central Zaire. This well-written book is rich with stories of interesting people and insights into a culture very different from anything I've known. His experiences range from funny to heart-wrenching, and are always attention-grabbing.

Submitted by Judith

2008-04-18T06:45:00.000-07:00

Love in the Driest Season: A Family Memoir
by Neely Tucker

Memoir
When journalist Neely Tucker and his wife settled in Zimbabwe, they knew that years of exposure to world crises had numbed their senses to human suffering. Feeling the need for a constructive response to Zimbabwe's growing orphan population, they began to volunteer at local orphanages where they fell in love with an abandoned baby girl. Their struggle to adopt and save one child re-aligned all other priorities.

Submitted by Max

2008-04-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

The History of Love by Nicole Krauss

Fiction
A very emotional book full of twists, turns, and surprise that had me weeping, but in a good way!
It pulls together an old man, a teenage girl, and a grieving widow; it's funny, sad, and hopeful, and extremely well-written.

Submitted by L.B.

2008-04-16T10:24:00.000-07:00

Deafening by Francis Itani

Historical Fiction
A moving story of the life of a deaf woman in Canada during World War I. It's a beautifully written view of both love and war, and an unforgettable depiction of a world where sound only exists on the margins.

Submitted by L.B.

2008-03-26T11:05:00.000-07:00

Four Seasons in Rome: on Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World by Anthony Doerr

Travel/Memoir
The author captures the experience of fatherhood, historical discovery, travel, and writing while living in Rome with his wife and twin babies on a writing fellowship. He writes with humor and insight - fascinating reading for anyone, but especially inspiring for travellers to Rome.

Submitted by Judith

2008-03-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

March 20, 2008

World Without End by Ken Follett

Historical Fiction
Follett depicts life in a 14th century British cathedral town through the dreams and passions of four children who grow together and apart during times of plague, war and prosperity. Follett's ability to weave the strenghts and weaknesses of his characters into the tapestry of social and economic change held my attention throughout this long-awaited sequel to Pillars of the Earth.

Submitted by Max

2008-02-28T06:37:00.000-08:00

Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before by Tony Hurwitz

Travel/History

This book combines adventure travel and history as the author, a great storyteller, retraces the voyages of Captain James Cook across the Pacific. It provides entertaining reading as well as insight into the indigenous people and the impact of Cook on the islands. It also gives you an amazing sense of the challenges of 18th century sea voyages.

Submitted by Judith

2008-02-06T11:54:00.000-08:00

Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Memoir
Not yet 40, Ayaan Hirsi Ali has already made an impact on discussion concerning the rights of Muslim emigrants in Western countries. Growing up in Somalia, Saudi Arabia and Kenya plagued by political unrest, financial insecurity and the restrictions of Muslim culture, Ayaan fled to the Netherlands where she was granted asylum and citizenship. Determined to make the most of these gifts, she sought a university education and became a member of Parliment. Her frank discussion of the plight of Muslim women has resulted in death threats.

Submitted by Max

2008-02-06T10:33:00.000-08:00

Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill

Historical Fiction
Compelling saga of a girl captured as a slave at the age of eleven, told from her point of view. Captured in West Africa and transported to South Carolina during Revolutionary times, she eventually escapes and helps others. This is an inspiring story of an intelligent and courageous survivor.

Submitted by Mimi

2008-01-30T09:19:00.000-08:00

January 30, 2008

Dough: A Memoir by Mort Zachter

Memoir
Mort's bachelor uncles lead a life of hard work, frugality and thrift, running a day-old bakery in Manhattan's Lower East Side. But while hoarding newspapers and denying themselves any luxuries, they managed to accumulate a fortune that totalled over $6 million. Zachter tries to uncover their motivation while narrating their story.

Submitted by PJ

2008-01-30T09:14:00.000-08:00

January 28, 2008

Lady's Maid by Margaret Forster

Novel
Margaret Forster, author of Precious Lives, a biography of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, imagines the relationship which might have existed between Browning and Wilson, her maid of 16 years. The resulting fictional tale of trust and betrayal explores the lives of 19th century women and the impact of class structure on their ability to pursue independence and emotional and intellectual fulfillment.

Submitted by Max

2008-01-11T12:12:00.000-08:00

In the Mountains of Heaven: Tales of Adventures on Six Continents by Mike Tidwell

Travel/Adventure
One of my favorite travel writers covers out of the way places and the fascinating individuals he meets with humor and insight...a very entertaining and fun read.

Submitted by Judith

2008-01-11T07:11:00.000-08:00

Fieldwork by Mischa Berlinski

Fiction
An American journalist investigates the reasons behind an anthropologist murdering a missionary in Thailand. Interesting insights into the hill tribe culture of Thailand, anthropology field work, and the evangelical Christian approach.

2007-12-14T08:14:00.001-08:00

Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum

Novel
An engrossing look at the lives of ordinary Germans during World War II.

Submitted by Kathy Clute

2007-11-30T09:04:00.000-08:00

Fluke by Christopher Moore

Novel
This wonderful tale of a Hawaiian whale researcher has a witty twist. Nate Quinn cannot take in what he sees when identifying the whale he has been following all day. Through his camera lens he sees not the barnacles and scars usually found on the mammal's tail, but the words "bite me."
From then on his life takes irrational turns and it becomes questionable who is researching whom. For those who love Carl Hiaaasen or Tom Robbins.

Submitted by Linda

2007-11-30T07:50:00.000-08:00

Dough by Mort Zachter

Memoir
Dough, a story of bread and money, examines life's ironic twists as Mort attempts to solve the mystery surrounding the substantial brokerage accounts left behind by bachelor uncles Harry and Joe who ran a day old bread store on Manhattan's Lower East Side. If the money was honestly made, why was it such a big secret? Why did Harry and Joe live like paupers while sitting on millions? Mort explores greed and forgiveness as he struggles to integrate his life's dreams with his sudden windfall.

Submitted by Max

2007-11-08T15:37:00.000-08:00

Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

History/Biography/Politics
An enormously (757 pages) worthwhile read. It felt like a privilege to read this well-researched study of the political genius of Abraham Lincoln made more obvious through fascinating side-trips into the lives of his cabinet members and their families. Goodwin seemed to have real insight into the personal motivations of Lincoln and what eventually made him such a great man for the ages.

Submitted by VGW

2007-11-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

Eat Cake; Step-Ball Change by Jeanne Ray

Fiction
If you are in need of a light and funny read, you can't go wrong with Jeanne Ray. The above two books center on a middle-aged mother dealing with an entertaining but not overly intense family crisis. The stories of course include the usual cast of interesting and sometimes oddball
family members. These were quick reads that held my attention and made me laugh. A good alternative to an evening of bad television programming.

Submitted by Deb

2007-11-02T13:00:00.000-07:00

The Journey Home by Olafur Johann Olafsson

Fiction
This book is a well written and moving story about a woman in the latter years of her life returning to the home of her youth in Iceland, having been away since she was a young woman. The story of her life is primarily revealed in flashbacks as she writes in her journal during her travel from her home in England back to Iceland. It is a moving and sensitively told story that genuinely reflects the female mind and perspective. This is especially wonderful and surprising, given that is it written by a male author.

Submitted by Deb

2007-11-02T12:53:00.000-07:00

The Known World by Edward P. Jones

Fiction
Second only to Beloved in evoking the human reality of slavery without preaching or judging. Characters live and move about a plantation in Virginia owned by a black, slave-owning family.

Submitted by Barbara

2007-10-31T10:18:00.001-07:00

River Town: Two Years on the Yangtze by Peter Hessler

Non-Fiction
Lively account of a Peace Corps volunteer's two years in Fuling, a town on the Yangtze River. Fascinating look at the lives and dreams of the Fuling people and interesting insight into the Chinese culture.

Submitted by Ed

2007-10-31T10:14:00.000-07:00

Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox

Non-Fiction
I stopped complaining about cold lake water after reading this rousing adventure of a champion ocean swimmer who swims across the Bering Strait, the Cape of Good Hope, and in Antarctica. Interesting insights into the emotional and physiological aspects of endurance.

Submitted by Ed

2007-10-25T06:20:00.000-07:00

Any mystery by Diana Mott Davidson

Mystery
This is a fun series of light mystery stories featuring caterer Goldie Schultz (her motto: Where everything is just right!), set high in the Colorado Rockies. Murder, tasty recipes and interesting characters make these books a quick, light read.

Submitted by Foodie

2007-10-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

Minister's Daughter by July Hearn

Historical Fiction
Here's a great historical novel for those who loved The Witch of Blackbird Pond, or anything to do with the Salem Witch Trials, when they were young. The year is 1645 and the Puritans are warring with the Royalists in England. Hearn uses three young women in a small village to tell her story: Nell, apprentice to a local healer, and Grace and Patience, the two daughters of the new minister. Excellent book for teens and adults.

Submitted by Linda

2007-10-22T11:19:00.000-07:00

Skull Mantra by Eliot Pattison

Mystery
Skull Mantra is the first in Pattison's beautifully written series following Shan Tao Yun, a Chinese inspector of the Ministry of Economy in Beijing, exiled in a Tibetan prison. The description of the Tibetan culture, landscape, and the Buddhist monks who share his imprisonment by Chinese authorities make these books extraordinary. I would liken Pattison's writing to Amy Tan's Bonesetter's Daughter. Although I will never see Tibet, I've been there in part through his writing.

Submitted by Linda

2007-10-22T11:12:00.000-07:00

Coroner's Lunch by Colin Cotterill

Mystery
I am not going to Laos, and this book is why; it's TOO HOT. That aside, go there vicariously with Dr. Siri Paiboun, age 72, the state coroner, in a somewhat surrealistic mystery taking place a year after the 1975 Communist takeover. Naturally there is a corpse or two, lots of bureaucratic red tape, and hidden secrets...all to be solved by Dr. Siri sitting on the river bank talking with his good friend over lunch. The series continues with Disco for the Departed and Thirty-Three Teeth.

Submitted by Linda

2007-10-22T11:03:00.000-07:00

The Damascus Gate by Robert Stone

Novel
Follow Christopher Lucas, an American journalist, as he walks from his apartment high on a Jerusalem hill down through the crowds of Muslims, Jews, and Christians as the crowd awakes in the heart of this political hot spot. Holy sites, holy visionaries, holy wars, in a wonderfully written book. Lucas' story enlightened me about the particulars of the Middle East conflict. Stone covers Vietnam, Central America, and Hollywood in his previous novels.

Submitted by Linda

2007-10-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear

Mystery
First in a series featuring a young female detective in post-World War I England. Once people discover this series, they seem to get hooked on it. I loved the strong character development, vivid historical setting, and compelling plot.

Submitted by Judith

Eden's Outcasts: The Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father by John Matteson
History/Biography
Fascinating, well-researched look at the tense yet loving relationship between Louisa May and Bronson Alcott.

Submitted by Judith

2007-10-01T06:14:00.000-07:00

The Return of the Prodigal Son: A Meditation on Fathers, Brothers, and Sons by Henri Nouwen

Nonfiction
Great retelling and explication of the Rembrandt painting and the Bible story. Considered a spiritual classic by a great Catholic master.

Submitted by Mary

2007-10-01T06:13:00.000-07:00

The Seven Story Mountain by Thomas Merton

Spiritual Autobiography
Very exciting, well written spiritual autobiography. A true classic.

Submitted by Mary

2007-09-28T07:23:00.001-07:00

George and Sam: Two Boys, One Family, and Autism by Charlotte Moore

Nonfiction
Charlotte Moore, a British journalist, has three sons. Two of them are autistic. The book examines the process of diagnosis, the repercussions of the boys' behavior on their family life, and the author's growing understanding of her role as reporter from the front lines. The different ways that autism impacts her two sons, and Moore's willingness to accept her sons on their own terms, lends deeper insight into this confounding disorder.

Submitted by Sharon

2007-09-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

Year of Fog by Michelle Richmond

Novel
Although the subject matter of this novel (a child gone missing) is harrowing, in the author's hands the story is less horrifying than it is just gripping. The pace never slows, even as characters are well developed and relationships examined. The vagaries of memory and the mutability of perception are examined; but the suspense of the search never flags.

Submitted by Sharon

2007-09-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick

Biography
Thirty years after his death, Elvis Presley continues to be one of the most important figures in American popular culture. This is the definitive biography; it is a textured, layered examination of the man, and of a time in American life, that is unsurpassed in a sea of books about the singer. If the recent anniversary of his death prompts you to finally read a book about Elvis, this is the book to read.

Submitted by Sharon

2007-09-26T11:10:00.000-07:00

The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman

Memoir
Warsaw zookeepers Jan and Antonia Zabinski shelter the homeless of many species in a war story set during the German occupation. Antonia's unusual understanding of animal behavior enables her to keep peace in a household illegally sheltering a continually changing assortment of fugitives from the ruthless predators loose in the streets. She soothes the frightened and beguiles the savage while confessing her fears secretly to a diary on which the book is based.

Submitted by Max

2007-09-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

If You Lived Here: A Novel by Dana Sachs

Novel
This books is a fascinating read for anyone who has been touched by international adoption. While the story doesn't focus on adoption, it does become an important part of the story of Shelly, as she and her husband pursue adoption in Vietnam. The story involves a Vietnamese grocery store owner in Shelly's hometown and the friendship that the two women forge while each struggle with the painful aspects of their lives.

Submitted by Stacey C

2007-09-24T11:35:00.000-07:00

Passions of Artemesia by Susan Vreeland

Novel
This is one of my favorite books-I always enjoy historical fiction and this account of Artemesia Gentileschi kept me entertained and reading to see how her story would end. Artemesia was a painter in Italy during the early 17th century, best known for her masterpiece Judith. Her story begins with a powerful courtoom drama and the book narrates her rise into a male-dominated world of artists. Her life was full of drama, struggle, joy and visionary thinking-something all women, no matter when they were born, can relate to.

Submitted by Stacey C.

2007-09-24T06:51:00.000-07:00

Tisha: the Story of a Young Teacher in the Alaska Wilderness by Anne Hobbs

Memoir
Terrific book about a young teacher in Alaska in 1920. Love story, well drawn characters and plenty of excitement. Based on a true story.

Submitted by Mary

2007-09-24T06:45:00.000-07:00

An Interrupted Life: The Diaries of Etty Hillesum, 1941-1943 by Etty Hillesum

Memoir
Diary of a Jewish woman in Amsterdam during the Nazi occupation. Considered a spiritual classic. Everyone I know who's read it is blown away.

Submitted by Mary

2007-09-24T06:42:00.000-07:00

The Book of Air and Shadows by Michael Gruber

Novel
DaVinci Code with a Shakespeare manuscript. Hard to get into but it was worth it. Voted one of the NY Times best summer books.

Submitted by Mary

2007-09-24T06:41:00.000-07:00

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

Novel
Riveting novel set in India. My favorite Oprah selection--2 poor beggers in modern India hope for the best.

Submitted by Mary

2007-09-24T06:18:00.000-07:00

Foreign Babes in Beijing: Behind the Scenes of a New China by Rachel DeWoskin

Memoir
This is a memoir about a 21-year-old poetry major (Columbia Univ.) looking for adventure who headed to China in 1994 and became an overnight sensation as the American vixen of a Chinese nighttime TV series. The author wrote about her experience of cultural clashes in real life while performing a fictional version on screen.
A delightful and insightful read!

Submitted by Caroline