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Genie:
The Beekeeper's Apprentice
by Laurie King --
This is a delightful and well-done addition to the Sherlock
Holmes' casework. Newly written, the style is true to the older
mysteries. In the early years of WWI, Sherlock Holmes has
retired to Sussex where Conan Doyle left him raising bees, thus
the title. He acquires a 15-year-old American girl sleuth. She
is a fitting partner for our hero. Miss Mary Russell helps with
several cases, including the kidnapping of an American senator's
daughter. Add a little Nancy Drew to Sherlock Holmes, with the
writing of an Edgar Award winning author, and you get "The Best
Yet," in my opinion, of the continuation of the Sherlock Holmes
series.
Blessed are the Cheesemakers
By Sarah-Kate Lynch
I found this a delightful read. Not deep or serious in tone,
this book takes an off-kilter, humorous look at life. Peopled by
zany, lovable characters in a magical place where everything
turns out right in the end, this is an irresistible treat.
Corrie and Fee are two cheesemakers who are serious about making
the best cheese in the world. Abbey and Kit are two lost souls
who find their way to Coolarney House in County Cork. Cheese is
make and problems are solves. Wonderful on CD because of the
Irish accent. This one is just for fun.
The Butter Did It By Phyllis Richman
My new favorite author is Phyllis Richman. She is a world famous
food editor and that is what she writes about: food and
newspapers. She mixes the happenings of Washington, DC with
restaurants, chefs and other interesting characters into a
murder mystery. When a world-famous chef dies, people are sure
it is from soaring cholesterol. Only Chas (Charlotte Sue)
Wheatley thinks otherwise. in a style that is cross between
Margaret Truman and Sue Grafton, Ms. Richman serves us a
delectable murder mystery with a garnish of wit and romance that
leaves you hungry for more. If you like culinary mysteries you
will like this book. You will probably want to read her other
two books: Murder on the Gravy Train and Who's Afraid
of Virginia Ham.
The Color of Water By James McBride
James McBride is a musician and writer who has written for the
Boston Globe among other publications. This book is a memoir to
his mother, a white Jewish woman who starts a Baptist church in
her living room and refuses to acknowledge that she is white.
The mother of twelve is an inspiration who, through sheer force
of will, saw all her children through graduate school. As a
young man with an identity crisis, he tries to find out who his
mother was and what made her reject her origins. The answer is a
great read and a fitting tribute to a remarkable woman.
Birth of Venus by Sarah
Dunant --
This book draws the reader into 15th century Florence by
interweaving history with a young girl's story. Combining love,
art, religion and power with the events of that period, this is
a complex historical novel. Written in a more modern style, you
be the judge of the "flavor" of this novel. Real and fictional
happenings are intertwined with a more "modern" dialogue. Still,
the complexity of the characters and events and the interweaving
of historically accurate happenings with the story of young
woman's coming of age an unhappy marriage make this a novel of
epic proportions.
Crook Factory by Dan Simmons
--
This is the fictionalization of a true incident mentioned in
one of Ernest Hemingway's novels. In 1942, Hemingway petitioned
the American Embassy to help in establishing a
counter-intelligence group he called the Crook Factory. This
much is true. Simmons then expands on this to weave a tale of
suspense in Communist Cuba. Hemingway and FBI agent, Joe Lucas
go to Cuba at the behest of J. Edgar Hoover.
Dogs of Babel by Carolyn
Parkurst --
In this novel, a linguistics professor, Paul Iverson,
becomes obsessed with teaching his dog to talk. The dog was the
only witness to an accident which caused his wife's death. He
thinks that teaching the dog to talk will allow him to find out
what really happened. This is original both in style and
content.
Echo Burning By Lee Child
If you haven’t read a “Jack Reacher” novel, maybe you should. He
is the main character in Lee Child’s thriller series. Reacher is
a drifter who ducks in and out of trouble with alacrity. While
hitchhiking through Texas, Reacher is picked up by a beautiful
woman named Carmen Greer. She has nowhere left to turn and sees
Reacher as her last hope. What she wants could get them both
killed. This book is full of suspense. If you haven’t read Lee
Child before, pick up The Killing Floor, which is his first
novel.
Folk Mittens
By Marcia Lewandowski
If you knit, start thinking about the cold weather, which makes
you think about mittens. But how do you knit those mittens?
Never fear, this book will teach you how. I am amazed at the
number of ways there are to knit a mitten. Did you know you
could knit from the cuff to the tip or from the tip to the cuff?
Or did you know that the thumb can have a gusset or not, or can
come from the side or the front of the mitten? No? Well, read
this book and you will. Of course, this is more than a pattern
book. A blend of travel, social history and traditions of many
countries, it is good reading.
Garden of Lies
By Eileen Goudge
This book tells of two babies switched at birth by a strange set
of circumstances. One daughter grows up in wealth, one in
genteel poverty. This is an irresistible page turner you might
stay up all night to finish. There is also a sequel written many
years later called Thorns of Truth.
The Girls with the Grandmother Faces By Frances
Weaver
Frances Weaver writes about life for women over 50, "the girls
with the Grandmother faces." Using a carefree, chatty style, as
if she were in your living room, she encourages these women to
make the most of their opportunities.
In Her Hands: Craftswomen changing the world By
Paola Ginaturco and Toby Tuttle
This is a beautiful book about poor women all over the world who
enhance their families’ incomes by making and selling the crafts
that are indigenous to their country or region. Many earn less
than a dollar a day. They are mothers who are giving life
everything they have, hoping to provide a better future for
their children. In the process they are creating beautiful works
of art that stand for themselves. They are a reminder of the
true meaning of love and sacrifice. The women are lovely, happy
people making the best they can of their circumstances. Batik,
weaving, knitting, painting, and beading, as well as other
crafts are represented. This is a book of celebration that is
bound to move you and leave you changed.
Kite Runner by Khaled
Hosseini
This is a book about Afghanistan's political turmoil. Growing up
in Afghanistan and coming to live in America leaves Amir with a
sense of guilt. He must learn who he is and to expunge the guilt
he feels. Both political events and an engaging story remind us
how difficult it is to triumph over violence. This continues to
be a popular book choice for reading discussion groups.
Knitting without Tears By
Elizabeth Zimmerman
Not another knitting book, you say? Of course, but not just
another knitting book. This book is a classic. It is an easy to
read treatise on knitting by an "opinionated" knitter. Beloved
by many, Elizabeth Zimmerman passes away a few years ago. She
has probably had more to do with making knitting popular and
accessible than anyone else. She is often quoted. If you've ever
thought about knitting, read this book. It is enjoyable, even in
you never knit anything, and if you decide to knit a hat on
circular needles as she suggests, you'll be hooked.
Learning Joy from Dogs without Collars by L.
Summer --
The story of a girl who is raised on the streets by her
homeless mother, this book is about growing up homeless. It is
an honest and courageous look at her life, punctuated by the
fact that she ultimately attended Harvard and make a life for
herself. A good read. The Boston Globe calls it a 'gem'.
Leaving Mother Lake, A Memoir
by Yang Erche Namu and Christine Mathieu --
Growing up on the Chinese-Tibetan border in the late '60's
and '70's, the author tells of the unique matrilineal Moso
culture. Namu's story is of mothers and daughters and the forces
that pull them apart and bring them together as well as the
story of the author's growing up and changing cultures.
Life of Pi
By Yan Martel
A best seller by a Canadian author, this book is a story of
adventure, survival and faith. When 16-year-old Pi is
shipwrecked and lost at sea in a life-boat with a tiger and a
hyena, he must use all his fortitude to survive. Pi recounts his
adventure in this book. The language is poetic and the book is
fraught with passages concerning the meaning of life. Be sure to
read the last chapter to find out what is happening. Is this
just an anthropomorphic Disney type book or is it something
deeper?
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
--
This is not a Stephen King novel, so even people who don't
like Stephen Kin may like it. A combination autobiography and a
treatise on writing, this book tells how and why he writes. He
tells of his growing-up years, his college years and a crisis in
which writing was his salvation.
Pay It Forward by
Catherine Ryan Hyde --
This book ahs as its hero a 12-year-old boy who has his
imagination sparked by a Social Studies project. Do a good deed
for three people and ask them to "pay it forward" to three more.
That makes nine people helped, then twenty-seven and so on. This
excellent book was chosen last year as the Livingston Community
Reads Selection.
Peace like a River by
Leif Enger --
One of Time Magazine's top 5 novels of the year and selected as
one of the best books of the year by all major newspapers!@ The
narrator and main character of this book is an asthmatic
11-year-old 'Rube" Land. He tells of events of his childhood in
rural Minnesota in a way that says, "here is what I saw," and
"here is what happened." When you have finished reading this
book, ask yourself if this character is worthy of being likened
to Mark Twain's Huck Finn. Beautifully written, this story is
sure to touch your heart.
Quite a Year for Plums by
Bailey White --
Bailey White is a popular radio commentator on NPR. Using an
unusual, eccentric cast of characters with a understated
storyline, she writes a joy of a book. The humor is dry, so pay
attention if you don't want to miss anything. Reading this book
is a bit like sitting on the front porch with friends and
discussing the day's events. This is not a book about plot, but
it is about the characters that will touch your heart.
The Secret Life of Bees By Sue Monk Kidd
This is the story of a 14-year-old girl being raised by an
abusive father. After her mother's death when she is four, her
father brings a black woman to be her "stand-in" mother. It is a
long time before she realizes that depth of their relationship.
During the race riots in South Carolina in the sixties, she
finds herself protecting both herself and her friend. When none
of the white people she knows proves reliable, the two women are
taken in by three black sisters who raise bees and honey. This
is a story about growing up, about loving and being loved, and
about finding your way in the world. Each chapter is introduced
by a quote about bees that is applicable to the character's
lives and circumstances. This is a very readable and though
provoking book.
Tombstone Courage by J.A.
Jance
J.A. Jance writes several different series. This one concerns
new sheriff, Joanna Brady, whose husband was recently murdered.
Still recovering from her loss, and trying to raiser her
daughter, she is caught off guard by the events surrounds a
double homicide. Surprising twists lead to an unexpected
conclusion. This book is a very exciting and descriptive book
that keeps you wanting to read the next page.
25 Gorgeous Sweaters for the Brand New
Knitter By Catherine Ham
This is a very good book for the novice knitter or wannabe.
Beautifully laid out and photographed, this book makes you want
to make something right away. If you need any encouragement, try
this! The patterns are simple but nice and all the information
you need is in this book.
When the Dead Speak
By S. D. Tooley
This is a new mystery by a new writer. Sam Casey is a police
detective in Chicago who is also a Sioux medicine woman. This is
a fast paced, complex novel that keeps the reader guessing and
leaves you waiting for the sequel. There is a hint of mysticism
and a dollop of romance to round things out. If you are a
mystery aficionado, then by all means give this book a try and
you might find yourself as hooked as I was.
Wild Orchids By Jude
Deveraux
One of my favorite old stories is "The Devil and Daniel Webster"
by Stephen Vincent Benet. Maybe that's why I liked this book.
Also, I enjoy the opera "Faust." In Wild Orchids, the devil
himself makes an appearance. In this romantic suspense there's
some romance, some suspense and just enough humor to keep you
reading and laughing. When famed mystery writer, Ford Newcombe
lost his wife, Pat, he also lost his ability to write. In an
effort to overcome his writer's block, he tracks down an old
story about a woman who was killed because she loved the devil.
But when he hires Jackie to be his assistant, strange things
begin to happen. As Ford and Jackie become more involved with
each other, the story begins to look as if it were true.
Although very 'romancy' in style, this is an intriguing plot.
And by the way, you might even like to read the other two
stories I mentioned.
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