Judy gravitates toward literary fiction. You can tell she’s found a favorite when she can’t stop reading it on the patio, even when the rain comes.
"Let Us Descend" is brilliant! From the 1st page until the last, I was entranced with the lyricism and poetry of the writing. It is a story of American slavery and of separation. Intense, heartbreaking as well as spiritual are just some of the words I use to describe this remarkable book. When I finished the last page, I signed and put my head in my hands and said. beautiful.
Patrick deWitt does it again! His books are fun, funny and so very entertaining. The Librarianist is a delight!!
Nives has recently lost her husband and finds comfort with Giacomina, her favorite chicken who she brings into her home. While watching a TIDE commercial, the chicken becomes hypnotized. Nives call the local vet, an old friend, for help. The phone call is the essence of the book. Secrets are revealed, wounds reopened in this funny wonderful story! At 129 pages, it's a great quick read!
This book is extraordinary! It is upsetting and illuminating, while taking a hard look at our penal system. The book is an excellent conversation starter and a book club pick!
Sallie Kincaid is a force of reckoning. She is smart, resourceful and independant. When her father, the most powerful man in the county dies, Sallie takes the reins and takes charge! The story takes place in the 1920's in Virginia, during prohibition. The book is terrific!
The "Postcard" is based on a true story. In 2003 a postcard arrived at the Berest family home. On the front, a picture of the Paris opera, on the back, four names. The names are those of Anne's maternal grandparents, Ephraim and Emma and their children, Noemie and Jacques, all who perished in Auschwitz in 1942. In 2018, Anne decided to find out who wrote the postcard and why. The book is profound, beautiful and so compelling it simply took my breath away. I cannot recommend this book enough.
Sonia Nasir is a stage actress living in London,. She returns to Palestine to visit her sister, who teaches in Tel Aviv at the university. While in Haifa, Sonia meets Mariam, a local director, who is wanting to direct Hamlet in Arabic. The book is wonderfully written, thoughtful and timely.
I love, love, love this book. The writing and imagery are exquisite .As a person with a degree in Art History, I was swept away from page one!
In the early 1960's a pregnant, Sara King flees Chicago for Memphis, where Mama Sugar welcomes her to her boarding house, the Scarlet Poplar. It is a story of family, community and love. The characters are so rich and real. Just a remarkable book!
Lucy Barton heads to Maine in March of 2020 to ride out the pandemic with her ex-husband, William. It is a story full of emotion, love, loss and deep human connections.
In this follow-up to Pulitzer Prize winner; "LESS", we find author Arthur Less. He has just learned of the death of his former lover, finds that he owes 10 years in back rent and only one month to come up with the money! And so begins Less' road trip across the U.S. in a van named Rosina and a black pug named Dolly. So fun, so funny!!!!
Ford's latest book is wonderfully written and the characters a fascinating. Beginning in 1836 when Afong Moy is the first Chinese woman to come to the US, to Annabel in 2086, this is a saga of challenges and love.
This debut novel by Morgan Talty has won several awards, and for good reason! Set in Maine ,there are 12 short stories about what it means to be a Penobscot in current times. The book is quite simply, fantastic!!
The book is based on the true story of the record breaking horse, Lexington, who also became one of the US's greatest stud sires. Told in different voices, from the young groom, Jarret in the 1850's to Theo, who finds a discarded equestrian portrait in 2019, to Jess, a scientist at the Smithsonian, who helps Theo discover the history iof the horse. Historical fiction at it's best! Author, Geraldine Brooks at her best! I Love it!!
Not just a cookbook, but a wealth of information. Lopez-Alt gives techniques and insights as well as delicious recipes!! YUM!!
Amor Towles' latest novel takes place in 1954. It tells the tale of a 10 day road trip from Nebraska to NYC. The book is action packed, the story captivating and the characters simply wonderful! Buckle up, you are in for a wild ride!
Stuart's book is a powerful and deeply moving story of young love. I was totally blown away!
Do you love food, do you have a curious mind, and do you like to travel l( in person or vicariously)? Then this is the book for you! All seven continents are covered, you will discover so many wonderful and obscure things!
Anna has recently lost her mother, separated from her husband and is at a crossroad in her life. While going through her mother's belongings, she finds clues about her African father and decides to find him. Sankofa is a highly entertaining and beautiful book.
What a wonderful story! It's a thriller, a story about the bonds between fathers and sons, just simply a masterpiece. Lightning Strike is a prequel to his other mysteries but it is also a stand alone.
After reading Josh Henkin's wonderful novel, I sighed and put my hand on my heart. "Morningside Heights" is a story of love and the power on relationships. The book is just a stunning achievement. Bravo Mr. Henkin!
![The New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes: [A Cookbook] By Sam Sifton Cover Image](https://images.booksense.com/images/books/474/858/FC9781984858474.JPG)
Sometimes it is fun to experiment with a recipe. This book is brilliant in that way. Want to make Shaved Cucumbers with Peanut Sauce? The book simply provides you with a list of ingredients and off you go! It is a great way to build comfidence in the kitchen!
This is by far the best book I have read in a long time! At just 100 pages it packs a powerful and poignant punch. I cannot recommend it more highly! Based on a true story of two Dutch women who travel to Morocco, the homeland of their parents. The story will stay with you for a very long time. Translated from Dutch.
Jivan, a muslim girl from the slums, is accused of a terrorist attack on a train. This is a story of lies and corruption, and the consequences of one's actions. A thrilling page turner!
William Boyd is one of my favorite authors! This story is about 3 characters involved in making a move in England in the 1960's. Such a fun read!!
Author of "Station Eleven", St. John Mandel's novel hits all the right spots, from a disasterous Ponzi scheme to the mysterious disapearance of a woman from a ship!
This is the story of the "Troubles", the bitter conflict in Northern Ireland. The book begins in 1972 with the abduction of Jean McConville, mother of 10 children, who is never seen again. I found this true crime story to be a page turner. It was the winner of the National Book Critics for good reason! Keefe's writing brings each character to life with sensitivity and harsh reality.The book serves as a history lesson and perhaps a warning.
Set in Germany and France in the 1940's, it is a story that follows a young girl who escapes the Gestapo with the aid of a mystical Jewish creature, a Golem. Beautifully and lyrically written, I could not put it down!
Jiran, a Muslim girl from the slums, is accused of a terrorist attack on a train. This is a story of lies and corruption, and the consequences of one's action. A trulling page turner!
Shaun Bythell is the owner of Scotland's largest second-hand book shop. Bythell's book spans from January 1st to December 31, 2015, written as a journal of his day to day lilfe as a bookshop owner. I was laughing out loud the entire time I was reading this wonderful book!
Lily King's new novel is not only a novel about writing a novel, it is great literary fiction! Thirty-one-year old Casy is devistated by the sudden death of her mother. The book is an extraordinary
story of loss and love, inspiration and determination. I had me laughing and crying, Terrific!
I cannot say enough about this fantastic book! Colum McCann is a master storyteller! Bassam Aramin is Palestinian and Rami Elhanan is Israeli both have lost their daughters, one to a rubber bullet the other to a suicide bombing. These real men have formed a friendship and together they use their grief to fight for peace.
This work of historical fiction takes place in 11th Century France, it is the tale of forbidden love between a Christian woman and a Jewish man. It is based on 2 fragments from the famed Cairo Genizah, which is a collection of over 400,000 Jewish manuscripts found in the Ben Ezra synagogue in Old Cairo.
Inspired by actual women, Mildred Fish Harnack,Greta Lorke,Martha Dodd and Sara Weitz who risked their lives fighting against the Third Reich..This is a story of love and friendship and the hardships they faced, great historical fiction!
I cannot stop telling people to read this book! Lydia and her son Luca survive the massacre of her family by a drug cartel. This is the story of their escape to El Norte. The characters a so wonderfully written you feel as if you are traveling with them. So good!
if you like historical fiction, this is the book for you! The story takes place in 1648 during England's civil war.
Ok, so this new edition, fully revised and updated threw me for a loop. Do I toss out my beloved, food splattered, dog-earred version that I have had for over 40 years? After looking at this new version, the answer was a resounding yes!
"Oh Olive, you're back!", is the first thing I said when I picked up this book. Olvie Kitteridge is just as persnickety and ruthlessly honest as ever. The characters will move you, suprise you and have you laughing!
What an enchanting and beautifully written book, I am still reveling in the smells and the lyrical magic of Erica Bauermeister's writing.
This wonderful work of historical fiction is a follow-up to "The Guilded Hour", but can be read as a stand alone. The story takes place in NYC in the 1880's where cousins, Sophie and Anna a doctors. Part mystery, part romance, I loved every page.
Calvin is a blogger for the pellet stove industry, divorced from a woman who won't leave him alone and he recently lost his mother. His mother was a world famous author and theologian of John Calvin, hence his first name. At his mother's funeral, he met his aunt Beatrice, someone he didn't know existed...and then the adventure begins! SO MUCH FUN!
Ivy Gamble is a PI and is called on to investigate a murder at the Osthorne Academy where her magically gifted twin teaches. So much fun!
Juliet Armstrong was recruited into a department of MI5, which monitored the comings and goings of British Fascist sympathizers. The work was tedious, fascinating and frightening. After the war ended she thought that all of this was behind her. Ten years later, when Juliet is working at the BBC, someone from her past reappears. It's a funny, smart and as with many spy thrillers, there is a plot twist in the end.
Laszlo Ratesic is a member of the Speculative Service in the Golden State. The Service's duty is to make sure that truth reigns and all liars are to be caught and punished. A roofer falls to his death and Laszlo is called to the scene to investigate. The book is a Fahrenheit 451 for our present times.
Killers of the Flower Moon is a compelling and disturbing account of the murders of the Osage Nation in the 1920's and the newly formed FBI who investigated them. THe book is a great work of literary journalism.
Zack is a six-year old, who survives a deadly shooting at his school. Told through Zach's eyes, this emotional and uplifting page turned teaches us about love and compassion. So good! So timely.
Cathal Flood, horder and all around curmudgeon is trying to keep his son from sending him to an old folks home. Maud Drennan is his caregiver, who is charged with getting his house in order. No matter how hard Mr. Flood tries to get rid of Maud, they somehow begin to bond. This charming mystery is funny and poignant.
In 1969 the four Gold children sneak out to meet with a psychic who proceeds to tell them the exact date of their deaths. This family saga is captivating and beautiful. Benjamin's writing is pur magic!
This is a wonderful story about two girls living 800 years apart. One is a Syrian refugee seeking safety and the other is a girl who apprentices to a medieval mapmaker. It is a sumptuously written story of hope and strength.
Writtten as an oral history, this story of a fictional rock band is a great read. Sex, drugs and rock and roll!
This wonderful piece of historical fiction begins in 1938 when Maud Baum learns that there is going to be a movie based on her late-husband's book, "The Wizard of OZ". The book is very well researched taking you to the backlots of MGM and to the days when Frank and Maud first met. Wonderful, so wonderful! It would be a great bookgroup read.
If you like historical fiction, this is the book for you! It is the story of the women who spied on the Nazis during WWII. I couldn't put it down!
What a wonderful gift for the map lover, history lover and lover of art. Beautiful and fascinating!
Eighty-six year old Rosemary Peterson is interviewed by twenty-six year old Kate Matthews about the potential loss of Rosemary's beloved pool, the Lido. The two women become fast friends in this charming book. Great summer read!
There There is an amazing debut novel from Tommy Orange. This is the story of twelve characters traveling to Oakland for a Powwow, each for their own reasons. I cannot recommend this book enough. Tommy Orange writes in such a beautiful voice.
This novel is really a colleciton of short stories in which the characters intertwine. While not sequel to "My Name is Lucy Barton" this Lucy is acharacter in this book about a small town. Strout writes her characters in such a way that the reader feels they are partat the reader feels they are part of the character. Wonderful!
The essential book for every gardner!
It's a murder mystery, there is romance and it's just simply fun, fun! A great summer read! (Who doesn't want to go to Italy!)
A delightful debut nove by Hartness avout Elvis, a twelve-year-old girl trying to keep her sister from poisoning herself while sleep-eating. Funny and smart.
Another great historical fiction story. Geraldine Brooks exposes the life of King David during his reign in the 2nd Iron Age in Israel. King David is exposed for all his greatness as well as his flaws.
Born in the early 1900's, Amory Clay becomes a photographer and photojournalist, an uncommon profession for a woman. From fashion photographer to the riots in Weimar Berlin and the war in Vietnam, this story is a stunner! I love this book!
Although this book has been out for many years, it is still a must-read. Jack, age 5 lives with his mother "Ma" in a small room. His mother was abducted 7 years earlier and has been held captive by "Old Nick". As difficult this story is to read, it is a story of determination and fierce love.
