Read's Reading: Happy Holidays

Monday, December 24, 2018

Happy Holidays

Thanks for visiting Read's Reading this year.

I appreciate your interest in my Blog.

Happy Holidays!

"Memories are our treasurers and torments, as Wilder once said, and somehow only in books can it all be set right in the end."

Caroline Fraser, Prairie Fires - The American Dream of Laura Ingalls Wilder

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About Me - Katherine Read

Welcome to my blog. I love reading novels that explore psychological dynamics. Why do people behave the way they do? I love the slow unfolding of a plot in which I come to understand the characters and discern what psychological factors influenced their behavior. Fiction offers access to a finite world, an experience not available in our day-to-day lives. Works of fiction are a literary freeze-frame of characters living in a specific time and place. The sentences the characters speak and the choices they make can be understood and analyzed because the book will never be altered. In fact, one can read a book several times and experience it differently each time, but the reader will have changed, not the book. Well-developed characters can illuminate just how complicated it is to be a human being. Understanding a character's complex history, motivations, and frailties can lead to empathy and a unique version of transcendence.

An asterisk next to the title of a book in the right hand column indicates that I have written a review of that book. The books reviewed in my posts resonate with me. Maybe they will resonate with you too. I usually post reviews once a month on Mondays. A LIST OF ALL 100+ BOOK REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND BY CLICKING THE TAB IN TOP LEFT CORNER. LINKS TO OLDER REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT COLUMN. All books are fiction unless otherwise noted. Thanks for visiting my blog!

Books Read in 2022

HUNTING MIDNIGHT by RICHARD ZIMLER - A tragic story about one man's betrayal of his beloved friend, an African. Takes place primarily in 19th century Portugal.
EVERYONE KNOWS YOUR MOTHER IS A WITCH by RIVKA GALCHEN - This well written but grim story is about a commentary that turns on a non-conforming woman. Based on true story of the 17th century Wurzburg witch trials.
IF I SURVIVE YOU by JONATHAN ESCOFFERY-A collection of painful stories about the author and his family's experience as immigrants from Jamaica who settle in Florida.
THE HUNTRESS BY KATE QUINN-A novel about a Nazi war criminal who comes to America and remakes herself as an innocent German widow.
*MIGRATIONS by CHARLOTTE MCCONAGHY - An excellent novel. The backdrop is climate change and the rapid eradication of fish and birds, but the story is also about personal loss and survival. Highly recommended.
AMERICANAH by CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHE - A provocative novel about a Nigerian woman who comes to America to attend Princeton. The story is a coming of age story as well as a depiction of the hardship and fiction of the American Dream.
BOOK LOVERS by EMILY HENRY - A lighthearted read about a book agent and an editor who fall in love in North Carolina. Some funny dialogue, but not a favorite.
*THE FORTNIGHT IN SEPTEMBER by R.C. SHERRIFF - Nothing bad happens in this quiet, yet powerful book about a family's annual trip to the sea. (See review)
FRESH WATER FOR FLOWERS by VALERIE PERRIN - Finding hope in tragedy is the central theme in this novel about a woman cemetery keeper in France. I liked the plot of the book, but certain themes did not resonate.
HEAVY by KIESE LAYMON - A provocative memoir about how lies, secrets and racism can oppress Black bodies.
THE 86th VILLAGE by SENA DESAI GOPAL - Family dynamics and the caste system are explored in this novel about an Indidan village that the government will allow to be flooded.
*LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY by BONNIE GARMUS - An unapologetic feminist chemist deals confronts sexism. (See review.)
THE SWIMMERS by JULIE OTSUKA - Otsuka is a beautiful writer, but the narrative thread of the novel didn't hold together for me. The story is about the diminishment of a woman due to dementia. The woman is a swimmer and the pool's decline is a metaphor for the woman.
THE LAST BOOKSHOP IN LONDON by MADELINE MARTIN - A WWII novel that captures the experience of Londoners during the Blitz and the power of books to provide friendship, community and escape.
THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY by AMOR TOWLES - Towles is a gifted writer with a rich imagination. Morsels of wisdom scattered throughout this road trip, but didn't quite hold together for me.
THE EDGE OF FARALLON BY PETER SKINNER. Wonderful depiction of the California Coast, but the story felt disjointed.
*SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE by CLAIRE KEEGAN - A beautiful and powerful novel. So much said in so few words.
SWEETNESS OF WATER BY NATHAN HARRIS - An impressive debut novel about a southern white farmer who after the Civil War pay two Black brothers to work on his farm. The people in the town resent this overture. Tenderness, wisdom and love emerge amidst the depravity.
BURY YOUR DEAD by LOUISE PENNY - A fast paced murder mystery in which an historic mystery affects a current day murder. The descriptions of Quebec City make the book an enjoyable read.
*PROPERTIES OF THIRST BY MARIANNE WIGGINS - An engaging saga about the effects of WWII on a California ranching family as they navigate water conflicts and the building of a Japanese-America Internment Camp.
THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by MARIE BENEDICT and VICTORIA CHRISTOPHER MURRAY - Based on the true story of J.P. Morgan's personal librarian Belle da Costa Greene. Her intellect and talent made the Morgan Library and Museum one of the most prestigious in the world. The tragic reality was that da Costa Greene was a Black woman who needed to pass as white to secure and keep her job.
FOSTER by CLAIRE KEEEGAN - A beautifully written novella about a young Irish girl's evolving awareness of the fragility of her family and friends.
GHOST by ALAN LIGHTMAN - An ambitious novel about an undertaker who attempts to bridge his understanding of the scientific any mystical worlds.
HORSE BY GERALDINE BROOKS- Another well researched book by Brooks. The story takes place in three time periods, but the stories all connect to Lexington, the most famous post Civil War racehorse and his trainer, Jarret. At its heart the novel depicts another realm in which discrimination and injustice existed for Black Americans.
MIGRATIONS by MARGARET RENKL(NF) A beautiful collection of essays about the ways nature can teach us about life and death.
THE CURE FOR GRIEF by NELLIE HERMANN - Tragic story about a young girl dealing with the death of three family members. Ambitious, but needed editing.
ALL MY RAGE by SABRA TAHIR - A gorgeous novel about two Pakistani teens trying to escape their small oppressive California desert town. Painful, powerful and poignant.
GOLDEN GATE by MICHELLE RICHMOND - A gripping story about loss and love, understanding and forgiveness. Set in San Francisco in the midst of a hostage situation and secession by California. Seems far-fetched but it works.
THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS by LISA WINGATE - Though I thought the novel could be edited, this story about Black families attempting to reunite with their family members post slavery is beautiful and important.
WASHINGTON BLACK by ESI EDUGYAN - Wash Black escapes from slavery and creates a new life. His intellect and imagination allows him to start a new life within the racist constraints of that time.
A PRAYER FOR THE DYING by STEWART O'NAN - The Civil War has ended and Jacob Hansen has returned to his Wisconsin hometown. One by one people are dying of diphtheria. As sheriff, pastor and undertaker he must make decisions regarding the town he loves. Dark and relevant to our times.
*OH WILLIAM! by ELIZABETH STROUT - Strout is one of my favorite authors. This slim novel is bursting with insights about the complexity of relationships and how little we know about ourselves. Outstanding.
*MIGRATIONS by CHARLOTTE MCCONAGHY - A haunting and beautiful novel about a woman's search for herself and to help save our planet as species after species is dying.
THERE THERE by TOMMY ORANGE - An important novel about several Native American living in urban America and the long history of oppression that they carry and seek to escape.
THE SENTENCE by LOUISE ERDRICH - A complex and timely novel that covers COVID, a crime, a marriage, a bookstore, persistent racism friendship and a haunted bookstore.
FOUR TREASURES OF THE SKY by JENNY TINGHUI ZHANG - A beautifully written tragedy set against the backfdrop of the Chinese Exclusion Act enacted in the 1880s.
*THE 1619 PROJECT created by NIKOLE HANNAH-JONES - An important, tragic and brilliant book.
UNTHINKABLE by JAMIE RASKIN (NF) A very important book describing the collusion between the insurrectionists and those at the highest tiers of our government. The book is gripping as well as poignant as Raskin shares the heartbreak of losing his beloved son Tommy to suicide.
THE PARIS LIBRARY by JANET SKESLIEN CHARLES - The American Library in Paris has a valiant history, remaining open during the Nazi occupation of Paris during WWII. Using source documents, Charles attempts to recreate the ethos of the library and the brave people who worked there. The novel mostly works, though some of the dialogue seemed forced. What is beautiful is Charles' appreciation of the power of books to bring comfort and richness to people's lives.
THE PATRON SAINT OF LIARS by ANN PATCHETT - I read this book in 1992 when it was released and was stunned by Patchett's writing and insight into human emotions. Reading the novel again, I still love the book, but I had more skepticism about the relationship between the main character Rose and her mother. A great read by a gifted writer.
SOUL SEEDS by Carolyn Mary Kleefield (P) A powerful book of poetry steeped in spirituality.
THE NATURE OF FRAGILE THINGS by SUSAN MEISSNER - Set in the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake , this novel describes the historical event in vivid detail. Yet the plot involving a disturbed husband didn't quite work for me.
THE STORY SISTERS by ALICE HOFFMAN - A beautifully written story about three sisters, two of whom experience a horrible incident that is not known by the rest of the family. The ripples and repercussions from that experience bond and haunt the two sisters and the choices they make as young women. Hoffman offers many insights into the human condition. Ultimately, the novel feels like a Shakespearean tragedy.
WINTER AT A SUMMER HOUSE by MARY BETH HINES (P) - A variety of poetic styles and a focus on the significance of noticing and appreciating events within our daily routines.
MAYBE YOU SHOULD TALK WITH SOMEONE by LORI GOTTLIEB (M) - A memoir about a therapist's work helping patients. Insightful comments about the therapeutic process are diluted by some of the personal information she shares.

Books Read in 2021

THE SISTERS OF AUSCHWITZ by ROXANE VAN IPEREN (NF) - Another important book about how people respond to authoritarian regimes. These two sisters are to be admired as well as the author who unearthed their story.
CLOUD CUCKOO LAND by ANTHONY DOERR - An incredible writer trying to make us all think. However, the book just didn't come together for me.
A WOMAN OF MEANS by PETER TAYLOR
A BOOKSHOP IN BERLIN by FRANCOISE FRENKEL (NF)
The WINEMAKER'S WIFE by KRISTIN HARMEL
KNOW YOUR POWER by NANCY PELOSI
THE YEAR OF FOG by MICHELLE RICHMOND
RADIANT FUGITIVES by NAWAAR AMHMED - This novel set in San Francisco in 2008 explores the lives of an Indian-American Family. After years of hurt and misunderstanding, the family experiences tragedy. Well written and quite thoughtful.
LADY SUNSHINE by AMY MASON DOAN
HOLDFAST by KATHLEEN DEAN MOORE (NF)
LOVE AND TREASURE by AYELET WALDMAN
THE STATIONERY SHOP by MARJIN KAMALI
THE TIME BETWEEN by KAREN WHITE
A SPLENDID RUIN by MEGAN CHANCE
*SWIMMING BACK TO TROUT RIVER by LINDA RUI FENG
THE WARMTH OF OTHER SONS by ISABEL WILKERSON (NF)
THE JAPANESE LOVER by ISABEL ALLENDE
THE BAD MUSLIM DISCOUNT by SYED MASOOD
ANXIOUS PEOPLE by FREDRIK BACKMAN
*WHEN THE STARS GO DARK by PAULA MCLAIN
*VERA BY CAROL EDGARIAN
BELOVED by TONI MORRISON, An important, poignant and painful experience.
*THE BOHEMIANS by JASMIN DARZNIK - A compelling novel based on the life of Dorthea Lange.
THE SEVEN OR EIGHT DEATHS OF STELLA FORTUNA by JULIET GRAMES - A sprawling novel about an Italian family living first in Italy and then Connecticut. Enjoyed it, but think it could have been better edited.
WE RUN THE TIDES by VIDA VENDELA - This novel seems whimsical in its intent. Nice writing.
EVENSONG by KATE SOUTHWOOD - An old woman evaluates the choices she made as a young woman.
THE CELLIST OF SARAJEVO by STEVEN GALLOWAY - A sad, melacholy book based on the true story of a cellist who played his cello 22 days in a row during the siege of Sarejevo.
WHY FISH DON'T EXIST by LULU MILLER (NF) - This non-fiction book is part philosophical/part biography/ part biography about the meaning of life.
*AT THE EDGE OF THE HAIGHT by KATHERINE SELIGMAN - An important story about young people whose home is Golden Gate Park.
FALLING TO EARTH by KATE SOUTHWOOD - A gripping and powerful book about the repercussion to one family in the aftermath of a tornado.
WITH OR WITHOUT YOU by CAROLINE LEAVITT - This novel explores what happens to relationships when one person changes dramatically. In this novel, the woman falls into a coma.
THE BUTTERFLY LAMPSHADE by AIMEE BENDER- Bender uses her talents to probe issues of mental illness and family relationships. Structure somewhat disjointed, but worth the read.
INTERIOR CHINATOWN by CHARLES YU - The structure didn't work for me, but an excellent dive into the discrimination faced by Asian-Americans.
*DEACON KING KONG by JAMES MCBRIDE- An richly layered story about African-Americans living in a Brooklyn housing project.
FIFTH CHINESE DAUGHTER- by JADE SNOW WONG (NF) - Wong's 1943 autobiography is rich with tension between the customs of her Chinese parents and Wong's experience of growing up in San Francisco in the 1930s and 40s.

Books Read in 2020

THE PHOTOGRAPH by PENELOPE LIVELY - After the death of a young woman, her family and friends study a photograph for clues to explain her decision.
LOST AND WANTED by NELL FREUDENBERGER - After her college best friend dies, the protagonist pieces together her friend's life since those years.
HAMNET by MARJORIE O'FARRELL - This story about Shakespeare's son seems disjointed from O'Farrell's lyrical and beautiful writing about grief.
SETTING FIRES by KATE WENNER - After a woman learns that the fire that destroyed her house was the result of an anti-Semitic arsonist, she learns more about the fire that had shaped her father's life.
HOW MUCH THESE HILLS IS GOLD by C. PAM ZHANG - A depressing but well written story about a Chinese family seeking a better life in the California gold rush.
SONGS OF WILLOW FROST by JAMIE FORD - A difficult story about a young boy whose mother placed him in an orphanage to protect him. Once he is old enough he works to find her and understand her decision.
AMERICAN SPY by LAUREN WILKINSON - Interesting thriller that takes place in Burka Faso. However, many plot threads strained credulity.
THE SOUL OF AN OCTOPUS by SY MONTGOMERY (NF) - Fascinating read about the cognition and relational capabilities of octopuses.
ASKING FOR LOVE by ROXANA ROBINSON - Beautiful but painful short stories about children trying to understand the new rules as a result of their parents' divorces.
THE WATER MUSEUM by LUIS ALBERTO URREA - Beautiful but heartbreaking short stories about Mexican-Americans.
JACK BY MARILYNNE ROBINSON - The story of a minister's troubled son. 4th book about Gilead, Iowa.
SPLIT ROCK by HOLLY HODDER EGER - A woman works through her mid-life crisis.
CASTE by ISABEL WILKERSON (NF) - A must read.Gives insight into the current state of American politics.
*THIS IS HAPPINESS by NIALL WILLIAMS - A beautifully written story about the arrival of electricity in a rural town in Ireland.
*TRANSCENDENT KINGDOM by YAA GYASI - A brilliant second novel about the sources of tragedy in a Ghanaian family.
WE MUST BE BRAVE by FRANCES LIARDET - An orphaned girl is taken in by a British couple during the bombings of London during WWII.
HEADLONG by MICHAEL FRAYN - An art historian becomes obsessed when he thinks he has found a missing painting.
THE HALF WIVES by STACIA PELLETIER - A gorgeous and haunting story about one day in the life of an estranged couple. The day is the anniversary of their son's death.
WHEN TIME STOPPED: A MEMOIR OF MY FATHER'S WAR AND WHAT REMAINS by ARIANA NEUMANN (NF)
LANDSCAPE: MEMORY BY MATTHEW STADLER - A turn of the century story love story about two men who fall in love.
*THE VANISHING HALF by BRIT BENNETT - Two African-America sisters leave their childhood home in Louisiana. They chose different paths with regard to their racial identity. A fascinating read.
THE PROMISE by A.B. MICHAELS - A story of a promise made in the aftermath of the San Francisco Earthquake.
EDIE ON THE GREEN SCREEN by BETH LISICK - A middle age women bartender bemoans the tech booms' infiltration of San Francisco.
THE TOWER OF JEWELS by R.L. DUFFUS - A wonderful novel set in the early 1900s about famous newspaper editor Fremont Older.
SIGHT by JESSIE GREENGRASS A young woman attempts to find herself after the death of her mother. Emotionally distant but intellectually fascinating.
DEAR EDWARD by ANN NAPOLITANO - Despite the book's grim premise, everyone on a plane dies except for one young boy, this novel is uplifting. With help from a new friend, Edward comes to terms with his grief and wrestles with how he will now live his life.
THE SUMMER BOOK by TOVE JANSSON - A Swedish novelist writes about an elderly artist and her six-year-old granddaughter who spend the summer in a tiny island in the gulf of Finland. In the time of CORONA-19, I was transported to a simpler time and place.
*VALENTINE by ELIZABETH WETMORE - Such a well written novel. Engaging and impressive debut by Elizabeth Wetmore.
*THE GIVER OF STARS by JOJO MOYES - Loved this historical fiction book about the women who were a part of the Packman Library program. The story follows five women who bring library books to families living in remote areas in eastern Kentucky during the Depression.
FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE by by TAFFY BRODESSER-AKNERb- The author is a talented writer. However, I did not connect with any of the characters or their world.
*INTERPRETER OF MALADIES by JHUMPA LAHIRI - Nine beautiful stories about Indians attempting to assimilate to American while retaining the comforting customs from home.
*HOUSE ON ENDLESS WATERS by EMUNA ELON - An elderly man visits Amsterdam to discover the truth about what happened to his family during the takeover of the country by the Nazis. I enjoyed the focus: what were the emotional impacts on children who are hidden by Gentiles, but lost their parents.
*APEIROGON by COLUM MCCANN - A complex and important book about the middle east. Excellent!
*THE WATER DANCER by TA-NEHISI COATES - A painful, but inspiring novel about the emotional dynamics and legacy of slavery.
A TRANSCONTINENTAL AFFAIR by JODI DAYNARD A fcitionalized account of the first transcontinental train(1870) to cross the United States.
*A LONG PETAL OF THE SEA BY ISABEL ALLENDE - Allende's timely novel follows the vicissitudes of a family who become refugees fleeing from Franco's Fascist Spain.
*WHAT WE WILL BECOME by MIMI LEMAY (NF) - A compassionate and wise memoir about a mother's journey leaving her religion and her child's transition from female to male.
THE ALL OF IT by JEANETTE HAIEN - A tightly constructed novella about a woman who confesses to a priest that her husband is her brother.
CIRCE by MADELINE MILLER - This novel reframes the story of the Goddess Circe with a wonderful feminist interpretation.
HABEN by HABEN GIRMA(NF) - Haben writes of her amazing journey as a blind deaf woman living in a world that seeks to limit her options.
*OLIVE, AGAIN by ELIZABETH STROUT - An insightful and gratifying sequel to the Pulitzer Prize winning Olive Kittedege. Elizabeth Strout is one of the best novelists of our time.

Books Read in 2019

*SUDDENLY, LOVE by AHRON APPELFELD - A young woman caretaker helps heal an elderly Ukranian man who feels guilty about his role in WWII.
TRUST EXERCISE by SUSAN CHOI - The National Book Award winner for 2019, well written, but just not my cup of tea.
THE BOOK THAT MATTERS MOST by ANN HOOD - A woman finds comfort when she joins a book club. Each member of the club shares the book that has the most meaning.
THE CONFESSIONS OF MAX TIVOLI by ANDREW SEAN GREER
LITTLE PANICS by AMANDA STERN (NF) - A woman describes her life living with a panic disorder.
EINSTEIN'S DREAMS by ALAN LIGHTMAN - Loved this provocative novel that explores different perspectives of time.
*THE TRAIN TO WARSAW by GWEN EDELMAN - A Jewish couple returns to Warsaw forty years after WWII.
NORMAL PEOPLE by SALLY ROONEY - Two modern young people struggle to figure out who they are and what they want from one another.
VINEYARD BLUES by PHILLIP R. CRAIG - A whodunit that takes place on Martha's Vineyard.
*A LAND MORE KIND THAN HOME by WILEY CASH - A hard scrabble community in North Carolina becomes seduced by a manipulative minister. Beautifully written.
*DEAR AMERICA, NOTES OF AN UNDOCUMENTED CITIZEN by JOSE ANTONIO VARGAS (NF) - A dramatic and depressing account of one man's encounters with our broken immigrations system and the moral malfeasance of those who could change it.
EVERYTHING HERE IS BEAUTIFUL by MIRA T. LEE - A novel about a sister attempting to help her younger sister through the travails of mental illness.
EVERYTHING INSIDE by EDWIDGE DANTICAT - A collection of beautfully rendered stories about Haitians living in Port-Au-Prince and Miami.
MAIDS OF MISFORTUNE by LOUISA LOCK - A murder mystery set in San Francisco.
THE DISTANCE HOME by PAULA SAUNDERS - A powerful family drama about a dysfunctional family in South Dakota.
*THE DUTCH HOUSE by ANN PATCHETT - Her best book yet. Two siblings continue to return to their childhood home to process their past.
BATTLE RATTLE, A LAST MEMOIR OF WWII by ROGER BOAS (NF) - A memoir about a WWII soldier who was one of the first to arrive at one of the concentration camps. Boas is a distant relative.
*ASK AGAIN, YES by MARY BETH KEANE - Keane creates a psychologically suspenseful novel about two families that must process the aftermath of a violent event. Beautifully done.
BORN A CRIME by TREV0R NOAH (NF) - What a painful personal story in the context of growing up in cruel apartheid South Africa. Pain creates humor. No wonder Noah is so funny.
*THE LAST TRAIN TO LONDON by MEG WAITE CLAYTON - Another important historical fiction about a brave woman who saved Austrian Jewish children during WWII.
*PRAIRIE FEVER by MICHAEL PARKER - A wonderful atmospheric novel about two sisters who fall in love with the same man.
*THE GUEST BOOK by SARAH BLAKE - Loved this novel about a WASP family coming to terms with their family secrets.
SEA OF MEMORY by ERRI DE LUCA - A coming of age novel about a young boy and a Jewish refugee who meet on an Italian island post WWII.
THE FIRE NEXT TIME by JAMES BALDWIN (NF) - Baldwin's writing is as important and powerful as ever.
ON EARTH WE'RE BRIEFLY GORGEOUS by OCEAN VUONG - A lyrical novel about a young man who comes to terms with his own sexuality and his Vietnamese family's painful past.
*THE INCENDIARIES BY R.O. KWON - Kwon's bold debut novel gives us compassion for those who feel like they have nothing else to lose.
THE FLIGHT PORTFOLIO by JULIE ORRINGER - A fictionalized account of the heroic work of Varian Fry who successfully helped targets of France's Vichy collaborators escape to the United States.
THE GIRL THEY LEFT BEHIND by ROXANNE VELETZOS - This novel is a fictionalized account of the author's mother's life, a life that began when her Jewish parents fled Romania and left their daughter behind in order to spare her life.
THIN BLOOD by HOLLAND CHILDHOUSE - The reflections of a woman who has terminal cancer. Surprising and uplifting.
*DISAPPEARING EARTH by JULIA PHILLIPS - A unique and compelling novel about the kidnapping of two sisters on the Kamchatka Peninsula.
*WHERE THE CRAWDADS SING by DELIA OWENS - A beautiful novel about a young girl's resilience and perseverance in the marshes of North Carolina.
*WUNDERLAND by JENNIFER CODY EPSTEIN - An excellent novel about the steady march toward War II in Germany and the escalating cruelty toward the German Jewish population.
AMERICAN NATIONS: A HISTORY OF THE ELEVEN REGIONAL CULTURES OF NORTH AMERICA by COLIN WOODARD (NF) - A compelling analysis of the 11 regional areas that have persistently caused division in our nation.
*AN AMERICAN SUMMER by ALEX KOTLOWITZ - Another important work by Kotlowitz showing us the tragic effects of poverty on the lives of people living in the South and West sides of Chicago.
*THE GOOD MOTHER by SUE MILLER -A well written an interesting character study of a woman who loves her daughter and her new lover. Miller understands nuance in relationships.
SO LUCKY by NICOLA GRIFFITH - This novel captures the anger and rage a middle aged woman feels when she learns she has MS.
BECOMING by MICHELLE OBAMA - I loved this autobiography by our former first lady who seems genuine, warm and funny. Loved hearing about her growing up on the South Side of Chicago.
*NIGHT TRAIN TO LISBON by PACAL MERCIER - Searching for meaning, a teacher travels to Lisbon. He becomes entranced by the philosophical writings of a man who was part of the resistance during the dictatorship of Antonio Salazar. Mystery and philosophy.
THE LAST KABBALIST OF LISBON by RICHARD ZIMLER - An engaging and heartbreaking novel about the experiences of the Jewish community in Lisbon in the 1500s.
*HALIBUT ON THE MOON by DAVID VANN - This beautifully written novel gives important insight into mental illness.
WOMEN, PEACE AND SECURITY BY JOAN JOHNSON-FREESE (NF) - A gift from my nephew, this powerful and comprehensive book analytically discusses the status of women throughout the world and the ways that inclusion of women can increase peace and security.
*UNSHELTERED by BARBARA KINGSLOVER - Though they live centuries apart, two families live in the same dilapidated New Jersey home and confront resistance to scientific facts.
THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ by HEATHER MORRIS - Based on the true story of Lale Eisenberg who survived Auschwitz by tattooing his fellow prisoners, helping them when he could and falling in love with a young woman he eventually marries.
THE AGE OF LIGHT by WHITNEY SCHARER - A fictionalized account of the complicated relationship between the famous photographers Lee Miller and Man Ray.
THE KISS QUOTIENT by HELEN HOANG - A young autistic woman finds love.
*WHEN THE EMPEROR WAS DIVINE by JULIE OTSUKA - Otsuka powerful novel shows the dehumanizing effect on a Japanese-American family who is sent to a relocation center during WWII.
*INHERITANCE by DANI SHAPIRO (NF) - When Shapiro learns that her father is not her biological fathers, she is shocked. She discovers the true story of her birth and writes this beautiful memoir that ponders the pieces of a person's identity.
THOSE WHO SAVE US by JENNA BLUM - A difficult and important book about a German woman living through WWII and the choices she makes to save her daughter.

Books Read in 2018

THE BOOK OF SEPARATION by TOVA MIRVIS (M) - This is a heartbreaking yet empowering memoir about the author's struggle to find her way after leaving her religious community.
THE FRIEND by SIGRID NUNEZ - Nunez is a beautiful writer, but the topic of a woman becoming attached to her dead friend's dog didn't grab me.
LISTEN TO THE MARRIAGE by JOHN JAY OSBORN JR - This fascinating novel about a troubled marriage takes place in the their therapist's office.
PRAIRIE FIRES by CAROLINE FRASER (NF) - Through extensive research, Fraser succeeds in learning the true story of Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Little House series of books.
ASYMMETRY by LISA HALLIDAY - These three novellas explore power dynamics between people and between countries. The stories are rich with literary and musical references.
THE SHORT BUS by JONATHAN MOONEY - Mooney travels across the country to learn about other people, who like him, have a disability and don't conform to society's view of "normal".
*THE GOLDEN STATE by LYDIA KIESLING - An outstanding debut novel that combines a coming-of-age story and a classic California road trip. An engaging and inspiring novel.
LOST TIME LECTURES ON PROUST IN A SOVIET PRISON CAMP by JOZEF CZAPSKI, TRANSLATED BY ERIC KARPELES (NF) - The artist Jozef Czapski delivered an inspirational and hopeful series of lectures about Marcel Proust to his fellow prisoner in a Soviet camp during WWII.
ODESSA, ODESSA by BARBARA ARTSON - The story of a Jewish's family's hardships in Odessa in the early 1900s, their journey to New York and their struggles and successes in America.
*THE WEIGHT OF INK by RACHEL KADISH -This novel is both intellectually and emotionally absorbing. Letters are found in the staircase of an old London home that shed light on Jewish life and thought in 17th century London.
*THERE THERE BY TOMMY ORANGE - A unique and powerful novel about the lives of twelve Native Americans planning to attend the annual Oakland Powwow.
NUJEEN:ONE GIRLS'S INCREDIBLE JOURNEY FROM WAR-TORN SYRIA IN A WHEELCHAIR by NUJEEN MUSTAFA AND CHRISTINA LAMB (NF) - The inspiring story of Nujeen Mustafa's harrowing journey from war-torn Syria to Germany.
AHAB'S WIFE by SENA JETER NASLUND - A captivating saga about the life that could have been lived by Ahab's wife from Melville's classic Moby Dick.
*FRUIT OF THE DRUNKEN TREE by INGRID ROJAS CONTRERAS - A powerful and poignant novel about two girls who exhibit impressive emotional resiliency growing up in the turbulent 1990s of Bogota, Columbia.
WEDDING SONG by NAGUIB MAHFOUZ - With poignancy and psychological insight, Nobel Prize winning writer Naguib Mahfouz, describes four family members about the contradictory feelings of four family members about their life choices.
*SECRETS AND SHADOWS by ROBERTA SILMAN - Paul Berger, a middle-aged Jewish man, returns to Berlin to uncover and understand the childhood trauma he experienced during WWII.
*FAMILY HISTORY by DANI SHAPIRO - A tragic and psychologically astute novel about a woman who has everything she wants (husband, children, career) and loses it.
BODIES OF WATER by ROSEANNE CASH - Nine engaging stories about the inner lives of women.
*A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY by J.L.CARR - A poetic novel about a WWI veteran's healing in a small English village.
*THE TROUBLE WITH GOATS AND SHEEP by JOANNA CANNON - Both a coming of age story and a mystery that probes into the secrets of a community.
*MY READING LIFE by PAT CONROY (NF) - A beautiful collection of 15 essays by the writer Pat Conroy that pays homage to the power of books to change lives.
*THE STORY OF MARRIAGE by ANDREW SEAN GREER - A mesmerizing and psychologically astute novel about the mystery and magic in a marriage.
JUST MERCY by BRYAN STEVENSON - An important work on the injustices of our prison system.
LESS by ANDREW SEAN GREER-Arthur Less begins to understand himself and love as he approaches his 50th birthday.
*BETWEEN THEM by RICHARD FORD - The writer explores the lives of his parents in two poignant essays.
*THE FIRST DESIRE by NANCY REISMAN - An insightful book about the family dynamics of a Jewish family living in Buffalo, New York in the two decades before WWII.
THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW by A.J. FINN - A page tuner about a woman suffering from agoraphobia and what she sees in the apartment across the park. Echoes of Hitchcock's Rear Window.
*BECOMING FREUD: THE MAKING OF A PSYCHOANALYST by ADAM PHILLIPS (NF) - Phillips offers a unique perspective on the factors that shaped Freud's development of psychoanalysis.
A PIECE OF THE WORLD by CHRISTINA BAKER KLINE - A compelling historical account of Christina Olsen's life, the subject of Andrew Wyeth's paintings.
DINNER AT THE CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSE by NATHAN ENGLANDER - Part allegory, part mystery, Englander explores the interconnected lives of Israeli and Palestinian characters who live in the fragile Middle East .
THE WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO by JUNOT DIAZ - The novel chronicles the life of Oscar De León, an overweight Dominican boy growing up in New Jersey, who is obsessed with science fiction and breaking the family curse of unsuccessful relationships.
THE DARK FLOOD RISES by MARGARET DRABBLE - Drabble explores the varied way her group of elder friends confronts the emotional and logistical complexities of old age.
*BADENHEIM 1939 -AHARON APPELFELD - A timely allegorical book for this time we are living in. A resort town outside of Vienna prepares for its summer season consciously denying the small signs that foreshadow their fate.
THE POINT OF VANISHING by HOWARD AXELROD (NF) - After he loses his sight in one eye, the author moves into an isolated cabin in Vermont to deal with the trauma and determine his new path.
*THE LOWLAND by JHUMPA LAHIRI - A tragic story about two brothers in Calcutta who are trying to forge their own paths only to be bound to one another by tragedy.
STOWAWAY by LAURIE GWEN SHAPIRO - Based on the true story of Billy Gawronski, who snuck aboard onto one of the boats of Richard Byrd's historic trip to Antartica.
JOURNEY THROUGH TRAUMA by GRETCHEN SCHMELZER - A hopeful and helpful paradigm for those seeking to heal from trauma.
*ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE by ELIZABETH STROUT - Nine insightful and interconnected stories about people trying to make sense of their life choices.
*SING, UNBURIED SING by JESMYN WARD - A story about how the injustices of the past with respect to oppressive racial policies continue to affect the present.
*I'LL STAY by KAREN DAY - A psychologically nuanced novel about the unconscious, trauma and friendship.
ROSEMARY: THE HIDDEN KENNEDY DAUGHTER by KATE CLIFFORD LARSEN (NF) - The true and tragic story about the intellectually disabled daughter ofJoe and Rose Kennedy.
*THE GIRLS by EMMA CLINE- An insightful story about a young girl who becomes a member of a cult.
*HOMEGOING by YAA GYASI - The tale of two sisters born in Ghana in the late 1700s. One sister marries an English officer and lives in a castle while the other is sold into slavery. Heartbreaking.
CAN'T WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING MORE PLEASANT by ROZ CHAST (NF) With great humor and poignancy, Chast's graphic novel describes caring for her parents at the end of their lives.

Books Read in 2017

*A SUMMONS TO MEMPHIS by PETER TAYLOR - An insightful novel about a middle-age man who returns to his hometown and gains a new understand of his young adulthood.
*BEFORE WE WERE YOURS by LISA WINGATE
*DANCING WITH EINSTEIN by KATE WENNER - A traumatized woman consults 4 therapists to deal with her complicated childhood. Her father helped design the Atomic Bomb, her mother rallied against the bomb and Albert Einstein dined with the family on Sunday nights. Wenner understands the gravitational pull of childhood.
*HOTEL AT THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET by JAMIE FORD - In 1986, Chinese-American Henry Lee recalls his first friend and love Keiko Okabe, a Japanese girl "evacuated" from their town of Seattle after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. A beautiful and tender novel.
*HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG by ANDRE DUBUS III - Conflict over the ownership of a house results in tragedy.
*IMAGI E ME G NE by ADAM HASLETT - Five family members narrate this tragic story about mental illness.
*LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE by CELESTE NG - The arrival of a mother and daughter in an orderly suburb causes one family to consider the price of conformity.
*LITTLE NOTHING by MARISA SILVER - A different, but powerful novel about identity.
*NEWS OF THE WORLD by PAULETTE JILES - Set in 1870, this beautiful story is about a journey both physical and emotional between a Civil War veteran and a 10-year old orphan girl who had been captured by the Kiowa tribe.
*PACHINKO by MIN JIN LEE - Spanning most of the 20th century, this novel follows four generations of a Korean family adjusting to their second-class status in Japan.
*SMALL GREAT THINGS by JODI PICOULT - This powerful novel explores the dimensions of white priviege and racism through the experiences of three characters whose lives intersect.
*THE ANCESTOR SYNDROME BY ANNE ANCELIN SCHUTZENBERGER (NF)
*THE ATOMIC WEIGHT OF LOVE by ELIZABETH J. CHURCH - A bright college student believes she is entering a marriage that will be based on an intellectual partnership only to find that her professor husband actually wants a "traditional" marriage. Insight into the emergence of the women's movement.
*THE DIVE FROM CLAUSEN'S PIER by ANN PACKER - A provocative novel about the aftermath of a tragic accident.
*THE GOOD PSYCHOLOGIST by NOAM SHPANCER - This novel illuminates the thoughts and theories behind the treatment of his patients.
*THE NIGHTINGALE by KIRSTIN HANNAH - A harrowing story about two sisters living in Nazi occupied France during WWII.
*THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE by NEIL GAIMAN - A middle aged man return to his childhood home and remembers the mysterious summer he turned seven.
*THE PAINTED VEIL by W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM - Set in England and Hong Kong in the 1920's, a woman deals with the repurcussion of her affair. Vivid and compelling story of personal growth.
*THE REMAINS OF THE DAY by KAZOU ISHIGURO - A beautiful novel about an English butler who realizes that he dedicated his life to being a butler for a man who may not have been worthy of his devotion.
*THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES by SUE MONK KIDD - A heartwarming novel about a young motherless white girl who finds peace and learns about her mother in a community of African American women. A favorite.
*THE THINGS WE KEEP by SALLY HEPWORTH - The heartbreaking story of a 38 year-old woman with early onset Alzheimer's disease who finds love at her assisted living. Poignant and illuminating.
*THIS IS MY DAUGHTER by ROXANA ROBINSON - A complicated story about the effects of divorce and remarriage on two young girls.
*UNRAVELLING by ELIZABETH GRAVER - A heartbreaking story of a young woman whose life is altered by an encounter with her brother.
A FIFTY-YEAR SILENCE by MIRANA RICHMOND MOUILLOT (NF) - A granddaughter moves to France to understand why her divorced grandparents will not speak to each other. She learns of the horrors they endured during the occupation of France, the concentration camps and the Nuremberg trials. Powerful.
A GENTLEMAN IN MOSCOW by AMOR TOWLES -Five years post Russian Revolution, Count Rostov is sentenced to life imprisonment at the Metropol,a grand hotel across from the Kremlin. Due to his erudition and curiosity, he is able to make an emotionally fulfilling life for himself despite his confinement.
COMPANIES WE KEEP by JOHN ABRAMS (NF) - An inspirational book about an innovative, forward thinking company on Martha's Vineyard.
HILLBILLY ELEGY by J.D.VANCE (NF)-Reflections of a man about the sociological, historical and psychological constraints of his Appalachia upbringing.
IF AT BIRTH YOU DON'T SUCCEED by ZACH ANNER (NF) - A comedian with cerebral palsy writes of his experience as an Internet sensation.
INSIDE THE O'BRIENS by LISA GENOVA - The members of a Boston family watch their father struggle with Huntington's Disease and wondering if they should take the blood test to determine if they possess the gene too.
LILAC GIRLS by MARTHA HALL KELLY - A historical novel about the horrifying events that occurred at Ravensbruck concentration camp for women and the New York socialite who seeks to help the victims after the war.
MIA LEE IS WHEELING THROUGH MIDDLE SCHOOL by MELISSA AND EVA SHANG - An uplifting book that focuses on a young girl's first weeks in middle school and not her wheelchair.
MOONGLOW by MICHAEL CHABON - A deathbed confession by the author's grandfather reveals secrets and events previously unknown to the family. Another compelling novel by Michael Chabon.
MR. PENUMBRA'S 24-HOUR BOOKSHOP by ROBIN SLOAN - This novel is part detective story and part a celebration of reading and ideas.
THE BURNING GIRL by CLAIRE MESSUD - A powerful novel about the friendship of two girls.
THE DRESSMAKER by KATE ALCOTT - Historical fiction based on the post Titanic Congressional Hearings. Insightful perspective of people's behavior under pressure.
THE DRESSMAKER'S DOWRY by MEREDITH JAEGER- A gripping historical novel about two immigrants who disappear from San Francisco's gritty streets in 1864. Engaging novel about class and privilege in the past and present.
THE GIRLS by LORI LANSENS - A moving novel about two co-joined twins who maintain their unique identities.
THE OTHER SIDE OF YOU by SALLEY VICKERS- A beautiful novel about the complexities of love and the healing power of being understood.
THE ROSIE PROJECT by GRAEME SIMSION - An Australian professor with Asperger's looks for a mate. Whimsical, poignant and helpful in understanding Asperger's.
THE SUMMER WE FELL APART by ROBIN ANTALEK After the death of their father, four adult siblings come to terms with their chaotic childhood. A compelling read.
THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by COLSON WHITEHEAD - A powerful and painful novel about a slave woman named Cora and her journey escaping slavery by riding the Underground Railroad.
UNSTRANGE MINDS by ROY RICHARD GRINKER (NF) - An anthropology professor explores the biological, cultural and psychological history of autism as he seeks to better understand his daughter Isabel.

Books Read in 2016

At Paradise Gate by Jane Smiley
Away from Her by Alice Munro
Between The World And Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (NF)
Bittersweet Memories by Celia Henick Feldman (Memoir)
Bottomland by Michelle Hoover
Brooklyn by Colm Toibin
Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett
Don't Kill The Birthday Girl by Sandra Beasley (Memoir)
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Evidence of Things Unseen by Marianne Wiggins
Face Time by Hank Phillipi Ryan
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Leaving Lucy Pear by Anna Solomon
Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison (Memoir)
Mermaid by Eileen Cronin (Memoir)
My Brillant Friend by Elena Ferrante
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry By Fredrik Backman
My Life On the Road by Gloria Steinem (Memoir)
My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain
Nora Webster by Colm Toibin
Nutshell by Ian McEwan
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan
Open House by Elizabeth Berg
Plainsong by Kent Haruf
Stretch Marks by Joan Anderson (NF)
The Ballroom by Anna Hope
The Bohemians: Mark Twain and the San Francisco Writers Who Reinvented American Literature by Ben Tarnoff (NF)
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
The God of Animals by Aryn Kyle
The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
The Lies We Tell by Jamie Holland
The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler
The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards
The Mothers by Britt Bennett
The Muralist by B. A. Shapiro
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah
The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida, K.A. Yoshida (Translator), David Mitchell (Translator) (Memoir)
The Season of the Witch by David Talbot (NF)
The Secret Chord by Geraldine Brooks
The Unfinished Work of Elizabeth D. by Nichole Bernier
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
We Are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty
What is Visible by Kimberly Elkins

Books Read in 2015

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
And The Dark Sacred Night by Julia Glass
Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walters
Becoming Freud by Adam Phillips (NF)
Carried Away by Alice Munro
Creatures of A Day by Irvin D. Yalom (SS)
Dream When You Are Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg
Dreaming for Freud: A Novel by Sheila Kohler
Electric City by Elizabeth Rosner
Euphoria by Lily King
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff
Freud's Sister by Goce Smilvevski
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Lila by Marilynne Robinson
Losing Julia by Jonathan Hull
Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson
My Father's Tears by John Updike (SS)
Nut Country by Edward H. Miller (NF)
Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline
Our Souls At Night by Kent Haruf
Sarah's Key by Tatiana De Rosnay
The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker, Translated by Kevin Wiliarty
The Barbary Plague by Marilyn Chase (NF)
The Bookshop by Penelope Fitzgerald
The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant
The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout
The Fatal Shore by Robert Hughes (NF)
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III
The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett
The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood
The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters
The Quickening by Michelle Hoover
The Sense of An Ending by Julian Barnes
The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud
Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum
Time in Between by Maria Duenas
Visible City by Tova Misha
Where You Once Belonged by Kent Haruf
Why Sinatra Matters by Pete Hamill (NF)

Read's Reading

LIST OF ALL REVIEWS

Monday, December 24, 2018

Happy Holidays

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