Audiobook Review: The Appeal by John Grisham

The Appeal by John Grisham has its own appeal right now, as read by Michael Beck, reviewed by Star Lawrence

With the economy crumbling around our poor little ears (have you priced the cost of going bankrupt lately? Trust me—you can’t afford to even go broke!), this David & Goliath story has magnetic charm. I could not wait to get back to it and click on the CD player, despite the slow Southern accents and occasionally blah-blah-blah Grisham style.

David is a Ma & Pa law firm in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, representing some downtrodden and dead cancer victims in a nearby “Cancer County” that had been drinking death water poisoned by an evil chemical company run by a Wall Street billionaire (natch).

OK, corny setup. But wait.

As the poor lawyers are continually harassed by mustache-twisting bankers wanting to call in their loans, the evil billionaire uses brute spending power to stack the deck in the state supreme court, which will be ruling on the huge verdict the Hattiesburg jury delivered in favor of the cancer victims. Why not just get a sympathetic justice elected and dump the woman who still had in interest in the “little guy”?

Of course, they find a family-first type who goes to church a few times a week and push him out there.

But what I wanted to know was—will the rich keep getting richer? See? I am a romantic!

I won’t tell you, although I did not love the deus ex machina Grisham came up with at the end. Ever feel like calling an author and yelling?

The reader Michael Beck is a favorite of mine and does the accents well without overplaying them into Foghorn T Leghorn territory.

Overall, this was a disk-flipper (my version of a page-turner). But my fists are still clenched. And you will see why.

Star Lawrence is a writer in Chandler, AZ, and can be reached at jkellaw@aol.com. Her audio reviews appear on http://chandlerazoo.blogspot.com and on http://thebookgrrl.blogspot.com.

Book Review: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Skeeter Phelan is a young, white woman who’s graduated from Ole Miss in the early 1960’s. Directionless and bored living at home with her parents in Jackson, Mississippi she has plenty of time to observe and reflect on the southern tradition of white families employing black maids to run their households and raise their children. When an opportunity to write a book for Harper & Row arises Skeeter decides to enlist several black maids in Jackson to tell their stories of what it’s like to work for white families. Aibileen, the maid of Skeeter’s friend Elizabeth, agrees to help. Despite being fearful of losing their jobs and even their lives, many other maids, including Aibileen’s feisty best friend Minny, come to Skeeter with their stories and their book, despite several set-backs, is eventually written.
The Help is told from the multiple viewpoints of Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny. Because of this we get both sides of the story – what it was like to be white and privileged in Jackson, and what it was like to be black and invisible. This novel is very much character-centered and Stockett does an amazing job of creating realistic and sympathetic characters. Her use of historical details helps draw the reader into this world and her measured pacing keeps you hooked until the very last page. Though tragic at times, the novel’s message is essentially hopeful. Read this if you like an engrossing story, well-drawn characters and tales of people turning tragedy into triumph. -Anbolyn (Downtown)

Book Group Spotlight

The Mystery Book Group at the Hamilton Library discusses mysteries every third Thursday of the month at 1:00 pm. They usually have 6-8 attendees and have been going strong for almost 8 years. They read a variety of mysteries from police procedurals to books featuring hard-boiled PIs or amateur sleuths and are always looking for new members. In March, they'll dicuss The Turnaround by George Pelecanos. You can pick up your copy of the book at the Hamilton information desk. For more information call 480-782-2828.


Hamilton Mystery Book Group
Meets every third Thursday of the month (March 19)
1:00 pm
Hamilton Library

Audiobook Review: Ordinary Heroes by Scott Turow

Ordinary Heroes by Scott Turow is a World War II story of extraordinary grit, read by Edward Herrmann, reviewed by Star Lawrence

My father served as a doctor on a destroyer off Iwo when the flag went up. My daughter’s father was in Laos and North Vietnam, not even South Vietnam, in the special forces in 1965. Both talked very little about it.

In Ordinary Heroes, Scott Turow tries to explore his own father’s experiences in World War II in a fictionalized form. His father, he says, in an interview afterward on disk, stopped talking about war when Turow entered his teen years—at that point, his father was talked out and had achieved whatever peace or compartmentalization or whatever he was trying to get or had given up on it. “What percent of what people tell us do we understand?” Turow says he once asked a professor. About 10%, they concluded.

The construct for this story is a son trying to find out why his father, a lawyer with the Judge Advocate General’s office in France, was almost executed in France for letting a dashing American OSS officer go when the latter was suspected of spying for the Russians at the end of World War II.

It is also a story of how Stewart Dubinsky’s father met his mother. The son had always been told, rather vaguely, that they met when his father entered a concentration camp, that she had been an inmate lucky enough to survive the horrors. But no.

This is a mystery, a love story, and a grim, horrid story of the ravages of war and madness.

Edward Herrmann handles the voices well, including the French/Polish accent of the beguiling resistance fighter Gita, who steals the book as Turow notes in his interview..

Not really “ordinary.” But heroes, yes. Maybe “Quiet Heroes,” would have been a better title.

Star Lawrence is a medical writer and reporter based in Chandler, AZ. Her other reviews and ramblings can be found on http://chandlerazoo.blogspot.com.

Black History Month

In honor of Black History Month, why not read a classic African-American novel? Listed below are several classic novels written by African-Americans that are owned by the Chandler Public Library system:

Another Country by James Baldwin

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman by Ernest Gaines

Beloved by Toni Morrison

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

Jubilee by Margaret Walker

Middle Passage by Charles Johnson

Native Son by Richard Wright

Quicksand and Passing by Nella Larsen

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

The Wedding by Dorothy West

The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor

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

Juliet Ashton, a thirty-something, single writer lives in London just after World War II. She’s written a series of humorous articles about the war and is searching for an idea for a new book when she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams who lives on the island of Guernsey in the English Channel. Soon she is corresponding with several members of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Increasingly fascinated with her new friends in Guernsey and the stories of how they survived during German occupation she sweeps off to visit the island and to meet its engaging, quirky inhabitants. Juliet soon realizes that she has ready-made friends on this special island and decides to stay while she works on her book.
This epistolary (written in the form of letters) novel is one of the best books I’ve read in a while. Though seemingly a “gentle” read it is a layered narrative that depicts the bravery, courage, and endurance the citizens of Guernsey exhibited during times of hardship. Despite its serious subject matter, this novel is upbeat, delightful and heartwarming. Don’t miss out!
-Anbolyn (Downtown)

Audiobook Review: Hollywood Crows by Joseph Wambaugh

Hollywood Crows by Joseph Wambaugh is retro, but a fun
listen anyway, read by Christian Rummel and reviewed by Star Lawrence

Stephen King threw Hollywood Crows on his “best of” list in Entertainment Weekly. I thought, “Joseph Wambaugh, wow, pretty Hill Street.” Turns out the precursor to Crows, Hollywood Station, had been Wambaugh’s first book in a decade.

At first, I was sort of cringing when I heard corny lines like “Hollywood, where men are men and so are the women,” but within two disks, I was hooked. Crows—the pronunciation of CRO—Community Relations Officer—do the PR work, schmoozing people with unauthorized people parked across their driveways or noisy neighbors who suddenly go quiet (that one did not end nicely).

They also interact with the “regular” cops from the Hollywood Station, including my favorites, two surfer cops nicknamed Flotsam and Jetsam. Their blab is hilarious, so Valley-guy and jargon-frontloaded, their follow cops treat them almost as lovable mascots. Yet, their weird gut feelings (“That house is seriously bad juju, bro.”) edge the story forward in its leisurely pace.

Weaving the elements together as only a master can, Wambaugh brings the cops into contact with Ali Aziz, a Middle-Eastern strip club owner, and his gorgeous honey-haired wife Margo, who is not as sweet as her hair.

Christian Rummel is a slightly nasal reader, hilarious as F&J (see above).

I wouldn’t say this story is exactly plot-driven, but it does end up someplace. And the trip is worth the hours. What more could you ask? I mean, what more could you ask, dude?

Star Lawrence owns the health humor site, Health’s Ass, at http://healthsass.blogspot.com. She can be reached at jkellaw@aol.com.

81st Academy Awards Discussion

Who do you think will win at the Academy Awards this year?

Join movie buff and librarian Henry as he leads a rousing discussion on last year’s best films and performances.

81st Academy Awards Program
Wednesday, February 18
7:00 pm
Downtown Library
Please register at 480-782-2803 or online.

While you’re waiting to attend this program, check out some of the Academy Award related items below:

Books
75 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards by Robert Osborne

The Complete Book of Oscar Fashion: Variety’s 75 Years of Glamour on the Red Carpet by Reeve Chace

Oscar Fever: The History and Politics of the Academy Awards by Emanuel Levy

Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards by Mason Wiley and Damien Bona

DVDs
(each of these films has been nominated for an Academy Award this year)

The Dark Knight

Kung Fu Panda

WALL-E

Duchess

Iron Man

Book Review: Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor

Amber St. Clare uses her feminine wiles, wit and considerable charm to climb her way out of the slums of 17th century London to the lofty position as King Charles II favorite mistress. Along the way Amber continuously plots and schemes to ensnare the one man she perhaps truly loves but can never have. Amber’s personal drama takes place amid the political intrigue of Restoration England and the court of the Merry Monarch. Detail is not spared in this 976 page novel. Kathleen Winsor’s panicked description of the Great Fire of London make the reader swear they smell smoke; her graphic account of the plague makes one feel fortunate to live in modern times. In contrast, the fashion and customs of 17th century London are vivid and lavish. Character development is not lost in all the period detail. Winsor’s main character, Amber St. Clare, has been described as a latter-day Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the Wind. Amber is certainly more promiscuous than Scarlett but the ambition and drive to improve their station in life is comparable.

Forever Amber was written in 1944, and its publication caused much controversy. Fourteen states and the Catholic Church actually banned the book due to its “sheer sexiness” and “blatant sexual references”. Nonetheless, it sold over 100,000 copies in its first week of release and became the best selling U.S. novel of the 1940’s. By today’s standards, Forever Amber could be described as lusty and sensual, but certainly not sexually explicit. I would recommend this epic novel for anyone who savors a captivating and romantic masterpiece. -Linda G.

Lincoln's Bicentennial

200 years ago this week one of America's greatest men was born in a log cabin in Kentucky. Learn more about Abraham Lincoln, his life and his presidency from one of the items below:

Books
Abraham Lincoln: A Presidential Life by James M. McPherson

Looking for Lincoln: The Making of an American Icon by Phillip B. Kunhardt III

One Man Great Enough: Abraham Lincoln's Road to Civil War by John C. Waugh

The Age of Lincoln by Orville Vernon Burton

Manhunt: The Twelve Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Lincoln's Melancholy: How Depression Challenged a President and Fueled His Greatness by Joshua Wolf Shenk

"We Are Lincoln Men": Abraham Lincoln and His Friends by David Herbert Donald

Abraham Lincoln by Thomas Keneally

The Presidency of Abraham Lincoln by Phillip S. Paludan

DVDs
Lincoln

Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided

Audiobook Review: Heyday by Kurt Andersen

Heyday is a “rush” of a tale, written by Kurt Anderson, read by Charles Leggett, and reviewed by Star Lawrence

You think 1968 was a memorable year? How about 1848? Heyday is a sprawling epic of 1848-1849, starting with revolutionary riots in the streets of Paris and finally zeroing in on four unlikely friends as they crash through interesting times.

Ben Knowles is a refined Englishman on holiday with a friend in Paris. He encounters a wild-eyed girl dashing through the streets in a mob and in the melee (which involves a stab with the beak of a taxidermied penguin he is carrying) he gets separated from his friend and later sees the man under a pile of bodies shot by the French soldiers.

Bereft, Ben journeys to America to make a new start and on his first night sees a bewitching blond actress (and part-time prostitute) dining in his hotel. They meet later, naturally, and he also becomes friends with her brother Duff, a tortured soul who has basically tossed his moral compass at 22 and amidst babbling his rosary over and over, commits all sorts if poorly thought-out crimes. The fourth friend is Timothy Skaggs, who is older, a newspaper reporter, photographer, astronomer, wit and raconteur.

Spoilers will ensue if I explain more, but eventually, the four set off across the American continent, eventually ending up as gold panners in the hills around Sutter’s Mill (1848—Gold Rush—remember from school?).

Unfortunately, the French policeman whose brother was shot in the wake of the penguin beak stabbing, has a long memory and is a couple of thousand miles behind them, but coming up fast.

I will leave it there and you can fetch the 22 disks. The narrator Charles Leggett is very listenable, keeps the voices straight without weirding out, and makes Heyday as rousing an adventure as any TV show.

You just supply the pictures yourself. Simple.

Star Lawrence owns Health’s Ass, a health humor site, at http://healthsass.blogspot.com. Anyone out there want to print her audio reviews? She can be reached at jkellaw@aol.com

Calling All Janeites

If you're a fan of Jane Austen, take advantage this week of the unique opportunity to ask questions of a noted Austen scholar. Dr. Joan Klingel Ray, author of Jane Austen for Dummies, is taking questions on the Barnes and Noble discussion board until February 13.

Book Group Spotlight

The Wednesday Night Book Discussion group at the Downtown Library has been talking about books since the late '90s. This group reads primarily literary fiction with occasional forays into mysteries and memoirs. They average 10 attendees a month and are always looking for more people to join in the discussion.
In February they are reading Body Surfing by Anita Shreve. If you are interested in attending, the books selected for discussion can be picked up at the Downtown Library adult reference desk.

Wednesday Night Book Discussion
Meets the last Wednesday of the month (February 25)
7:00 pm
Downtown Library

Sunset Library Staff Picks

Have you ever wanted to know what librarians read?

If you have, below is a list of some of our staff's top picks just for you!

Sue H.

100 Years of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Chronicles 100 years and six generations of the Buendia family in the small town of Macondo. The story begins with the family settling in Macondo, it follows Jose Arcadio and Ursula through their lives, through war and turmoil to the end when it rains for three years and the village is more or less washed away.

Stiff, Mary Roach
One of my favorite books of all time. If you ever thought about donating your body to science after you die, Mary Roach has researched every possible avenue and then some. She takes the subject of human cadavers and conjures imagery that is fascinating and funny.

Traffic, Tom Vanderbilt
Everyone thinks they are really a good driver, however, Tom Vanderbilt explains just why you really aren’t. He also points out driving behavior that we’ve all exhibited that is so absolutely inappropriate and unsafe. This would be the perfect book on CD to listen to while stuck in traffic.

FlashBang, Mark Steele
This book made me laugh out loud. Pretty regularly. It’s a worthwhile read if you think you would like to have an impact on people’s lives. Mark Steele challenges you to go beyond what is easy.

Pigs in Heaven, Barbara Kingsolver

Stone Diaries, Carol Shields
This is a wonderful story about Daisy Stone Goodwill and her attempt to find her own place in life. It begins with her birth in her mother’s kitchen and ends with this wonderful passage of all the things she didn’t experience in life due to ignorance, lack of opportunity, courage and carelessness.

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, Deborah Madison
This is a great basic vegetarian cookbook for people who are looking for recipes that are dishes just like your grandma made but are vegetarian. If there are vegetarian “comfort foods” these are it.

The Shipping News, Annie Proulx The Shipping News narrated in third person is the story of Quolye who against all odds achieves some measure of success and happiness. I loved this book.

The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan
Pollan definitely does his research. Plus he’s a good writer on top of it. If you ever wanted to know how food is grown/raised and processed this is the book for you. There aren’t any gruesome “Fast Food Nation” scenes but he points out that we all need to take responsibility for what we eat.

The Lost Painting, Jonathon Harr
Carraviaggo’s Taking of Christ painting was lost for over 200 years was discovered by an Italian graduate student. This is a great story about her discovery, journey, and the history of the painting.

Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson
As Greg Mortenson’s website states “One man’s mission to make promote peace… one school at a time… Three Cups of Tea is at once an unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of how one man really is changing the world—one school at a time.”

Ezra S.

Sophie's Choice, William Styron
The novel opens with Stingo, a young southerner, journeying north in 1947 to become a writer. It leads us into his intellectual and emotional entanglement with his neighbors in a Brooklyn rooming house: Nathan, a tortured, brilliant Jew, and his lover, Sophie, a beautiful Polish woman whose wrist bears the grim tattoo of a concentration camp...and whose past is strewn with death that she alone survived.

Darkness at Noon, Arthur Koestler
During Stalin's purges, Nicholas Rubashov, an aging revolutionary, is imprisoned and psychologically tortured by the party he has devoted his life to. Under mounting pressure to confess to crimes he did not commit, Rubashov relives a career that embodies the ironies and betrayals of a revolutionary dictatorship that believes it is an instrument of liberation.

Beyond Good and Evil, Friederich Nietzsche
In the book the philosopher attempts to systematically sum up his philosophy through a collection of 296 aphorisms grouped into nine different chapters based on their common theme.

Democracy in America, Alexis de Tocqueville
In 1831 Alexis de Tocqueville, a young French aristocrat and ambitious civil servant, made a nine-month journey throughout America. The result was Democracy in America, a monumental study of the life and institutions of the evolving nation. Tocqueville looked to the flourishing democratic system in America as a possible model for post-revolutionary France, believing that the egalitarian ideals it enshrined reflected the spirit of the age and even divine will. His insightful work has become one of the most influential political texts ever written on America and an indispensable authority on democracy.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Hunter S. Thompson
Hunter S Thompson's ether-fuelled, savage journey to the heart of the American Dream.

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!: Adventures of a Curious Character, Richard P. Feynman
Feynman was the quintessential inquirer whose investigations led him, at times, to sophisticated equations, at other times to a kind of social mischief that is delightful in its purity and inspiring in its intellectual courage.

Something Wicked this Way Comes, Ray Bradbury
The memorable story of two boys, James Nightshade and William Halloway, and the evil that grips their small Midwestern town with the arrival of a "dark carnival" one Autumn midnight. How these two innocents, both age 13, save the souls of the town (as well as their own). What would /you/ do if your secret wishes could be granted by the mysterious ringmaster Mr. Dark? Bradbury excels in revealing the dark side that exists in us all, teaching us ultimately to celebrate the shadows rather than fear them.

Michelle W.

The Painter of Battles, Arturo Pérez-Reverte
A reclusive war photographer encounters a man whose life he destroyed by publishing his portrait, and who has come to seek revenge. This is both a story of suspense and a meditation on the nature of violence, responsibility, and the balance between fate and choice.

Under Enemy Colors, S. Thomas Russell
In the tradition of Horatio Hornblower comes a new sea story about a British naval officer guarding the waters between England and France – and hiding his true identity as the son of a Frenchwoman. A rich adventure with a compelling narrator.

Bound, Sally Gunning
In colonial America, a young woman is sold into indentured servitude. Escaping from a violent master, she seeks shelter in an even more dangerous setting – among the revolutionaries who want freedom from England. Richly detailed historical fiction.

Pig Island, Mo Hayder
A journalist tracks his old nemesis to the island retreat of a religious cult, where rumors of horrific deaths and a supernatural creature lead him into a web of secrets and danger. A suspenseful and gruesome mystery with a shocking twist.

The Tenth Man, Graham Greene
Ten prisoners are given a cruel command by their captors – they must choose one among them to be executed. This short, subtle literary work examines the character of the man who gives away his fortune to escape death, and the aftermath of his choice.

The Yiddish Policemen's Union, Michael Chabon
An imaginative mix of hardboiled detective story and alternate history about the settlement of Jewish refugees in Alaska, this dark and clever tale comes from a winner of both the Hugo Award for science fiction and the Pulitzer Prize.

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, Junot Diaz
A boy from the rough streets of the Dominican Republic finds solace in science fiction. This fascinating tale unfolds with the stories of Oscar, his mother, and his grandmother, as they struggle to survive and find happiness in a world gone mad.

Me Talk Pretty One Day, David Sedaris
In this collection of brief, humorous anecdotes, the irreverent comedian talks about his family, his childhood, and his attempts to learn French while living abroad.

The Shadow of Albion, Andre Norton
In an imagined world where America never won its independence and the war with Napoleon drags on, a British spy finds himself courting a gentlewoman with a magical secret. This delightful alternate history combines fantasy, espionage, and Regency romance.

Janice C.

Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy, Gary Schmidt
Schmidt's writing is infused with sensitivity and rich imagery. Fully developed, memorable characters, and a fascinating, little-known piece of history, leave a powerful impression on readers. Newbery Honor winner--should have been the winner.

The Book Thief, Marcus Zusak
Death itself narrates this deeply affecting World War II-era story of young Liesel, her loving foster parents, and a Jew hiding in their basement. Beautiful and important. Michael L. Printz Award honor winner--should have been the winner.

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. 1 : The Pox Party, MT Anderson
This amazing story is immense in scope, with both its technical challenges and its underlying intellectual and moral questions. National Book Award winner.

Me and Orson Welles, Robert Kaplow
A delightful escape into a pre-war coming-of-age, and coming-of-stage, story--perfect for a quick and totally entertaining read--especially for those who love Orson Welles.

Godless, Pete Hautman
This book explores the nature of religion, belief, power, obsession and corruption. Hautman uses humor and witty dialogue to lighten his weighty plot. National Book Award winner.

Milkweed, Jerry Spinelli
Spinelli challenges the reader to see the Holocaust anew, to experience it in the moment--a masterful achievement.

The White Darkness, Geraldine McCaughrean
McCaughrean's inspired wordplay and powerful imagery create a haunting coming-of-age tale of obsession and survival. Michael L. Printz Award winner.

The Entertainer and the Dybbuk, Sid Fleischman
This short, unusual book will remain in the reader's consciousness long after the last page is turned. Powerfully written, with sharp and bitter humor, this thought-provoking book will elicit strong emotion.

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden, Joanne Greenberg
This autobiographical story of a young girl is written with stunning insight into the delusions and hallucinations of the mentally ill. A modern classic.

Over a Thousand Hills I Walk With You, Hanna Jansen
Overflowing with love and sorrow, this book explores some of the deeper emotional and philosophical issues of the Rwandan genocide.

Nancy W.

The Condition, Jennifer Haigh
Compassionate, yet unflinchingly honest, witty and almost painfully astute, this book explores the power of family myths, the self-delusions, denials, and inescapable truths that forever bind fathers and mothers and siblings.

Made in the U.S.A., Billie Letts
An alternately heartbreaking and life-affirming story of two gutsy children who must discover how cruel, unfair and frightening the world is before they come to a place they can finally call home.

Where the River Ends, Charles Martin
A powerfully emotional and beautifully written story of heartbreaking loss and undying love. It was a pleasure to read because it eloquently pictures unquestioning steadfast love.

The Glass Castle, Jeanette Walls
This wrenching testimony of childhood neglect speaks candidly, yet with surprising affection, about parents and about the strength of family ties for both good and evil. I was incredibly touched by it. (Nonfiction)

An Arsonist’s Guide to Writer’s Homes in New England, Brock Clarke
Part mystery, part comedy, part insightful memoir, this book defies the conventional formula in producing a wildly entertaining novel.

The Wolves at the Door, Judith L. Pearson
A remarkable true story of Virginia Hall, one of America’s greatest spies brought back to life. The author presents a riveting account with white knuckles suspense. (Nonfiction)

Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson
A remarkable true story of the adventure of one man’s dangerous and difficult quest to build schools in the wildest parts of Pakistan and Afghanistan. This enthralling story proves that one ordinary person, with the right combination of character and determination, really can change the world.

Knit Together: Discover God’s Pattern For Your Life, Debbie Macomber
A prolific author having more than 60 million books in print, Debbie Macomber in her first book of nonfiction deftly weaves her own inspiring story, using the knitting theme of her most recent bestsellers to create metaphors that explore God’s handiwork in creating us for a purpose. (Nonfiction)

Crazy Horse: A Lakota Life, Kingsley M. Bray
Despite living such a short span, Crazy Horse had a tremendous impact on both American Indian psyche and the history of the American West. Before writing this compelling and authoritative book, the author spent twenty years researching the Lakota Indians. Masterful. (Nonfiction)

The Widow of the South, Robert Hicks
Wonderfully imagined and beautifully written, the author not only immerses us in history but also in age-old human truths that are the grist of lasting literature. A stunning and complex story.

Trish C.

A River Runs Through It, Norman Maclean
Poetic and profound, I think this book is the most beautifully crafted book I've ever read. And I learned a lot about fly fishing in Montana. See the film after you've read this gem.

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China, Jung Chang
If you are daunted by Chinese history but intrigued with it nonetheless, read this book. It is a sweeping tale of the impact of history on three generations of Chinese women during tumultuous times. It is completely compelling.

Catch 22, Joseph Heller
Wartime madness. This book manages to be hilariously funny as well as profoundly serious and sad. Masterful.

A Lesson Before Dying, Ernest J. Gaines
Set in 1940s Louisiana, a young black man faces execution for a crime he did not commit. This book made me weep. Gaines is a brilliant writer.

A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry
Be warned! This is not light reading. It is actually depressing. Set in 1970s India, we get a vivid picture of what poverty means through the experiences of four unforgettable characters.

Courtney L.

East of Eden, John Steinbeck
The epic tale of Hamiltons and the Trasks, two families living in the Salinas Valley. Through deep characterization, Steinbeck is able to capture readers’ attention and retain it until the end -- and perhaps for long after. I will never forget this book.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Jonathan Safran Foer
Narrated by the eccentric 9-year-old, Oskar Schell, a boy who loses his father on 9/11. Foer uses photographs, various type settings, and even blank pages to enhance this poignant piece of contemporary postmodern fiction.

Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf
“Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself.” So begins the story of a day in the life of Clarissa Dalloway in post-WWI England. My favorite work by Virginia Woolf.

Invisible Monsters, Chuck Palahniuk
A beautiful model’s life changes when her face becomes disfigured by a gunshot wound. In a non-linear manner, Palahniuk uncovers what’s really goin’ on. A splendidly disturbing read.

Paradise Lost, John Milton
This epic poem in blank verse is an expansion of the story of the fall of Adam and Eve. Much more interesting than you might expect, and definitely worth your time.

Hamlet, William Shakespeare
To read or not to read, that is the question.

The Road, Cormac McCarthy
This post-apocalyptic novel won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2006. The story of a boy and his father traversing a barren landscape. What would life be like with most of civilization destroyed? Just ask Cormac McCarthy.

Sailing Alone Around the Room: New and Selected Poems, Billy Collins

The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahiri

Pet Sematary, Stephen King

The Rolling Stone Interviews, edited by Jann S. Wenner and Joe Levy

Ray C.

Catcher in the Rye, J.D. Salinger
The Catcher in the Rye captures the story teenager, Holden, and his journey to adulthood as he reflects upon recent events. Its simplicity speaks volumes, and Salinger’s writing is impeccable. This story is a must read for anyone who has had to grow up or is about ready to.

What Happened to Lani Garver, Carol Plum-Ucci
What Happened to Lani Garver is the heart-breaking tale of how cruel life can be. It tells the story of Lani, who no one is quite sure who, or what he (if he is a he) is. In the end, the story leaves readers wondering about their own moral system and what really did happen to Lani Garver.

Venus Envy, Rita Mae Brown
When Frazier finds out she has less than a day to live, she writes letters to all of her family and friends, coming out as a lesbian. When she wakes up in the hospital the next day, still alive, she panics. Her terminal illness was really a bad head cold, and she lives! But the letters have been sent, and now Frazier gets to deal with the aftermath. The question is: is this the best thing that happened to her, or the worst?

Rubyfruit Jungle, Rita Mae Brown

Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling

My Sister’s Keeper, Jodi Picoult

On Writing, Stephen King

The Audacity of Hope, Barack Obama

Go Ask Alice, Anonymous

Britney Spears' Heart to Heart, Britney Spears