Author: bookhound

Prodigal Summer

by Barbara Kingsolver, 2000 Moth Love – Lusa & Cole Widener – Cole is a farmer, falls in love and marries Lusa, a bug scientist, loves moths. Cole dies in trucking accident. Lusa stays on farm, raises goats, comes to love and accept Cole’s family and Cole’s family comes to love and accept her. Predators […]

Eat, Pray, Love

by Elizabeth Gilbert, 2006 She goes through a divorce – “I don’t want to be married anymore.” And then a broken heart with David. So she decides to spend a year in Italy, India, and Indonesia (Bali). Italy = pursuit of pleasure – food and the language but mostly all about her. India – Ashram […]

The Red Tent

by Anita Diamant, 2007 Story of Dinah, only totally different from the Bible, only the names are the same. Dinah is not raped. Her brothers murder her beloved. She flees to Egypt, mostly about women having periods, babies. Most men are despicable. A few are wonderful. The God of Jacob is only Jacob’s God. Mush […]

Jackdaws

by Ken Follett, 2002 Page-turner, heart-pounding, couldn’t put down. WWII – 6 women recruited to blow up telephone operation in St. Cecile, France. German interrogator, Dieter Franck, almost catches them but Flick (main female) outsmarted him. What a fantastic book! A little too x-rated in parts – not necessary – but, Oh My, what an […]

The Street of a Thousand Blossoms

by Gail Tsukiyama, 2008 Japan – 1930s to 1960s Two brothers, Hiroshi and Kenji, cared for by grandparents because parents drowned. Through WWII, Hiroshi became a Sumo wrestler, grand champion. Kenji became a mask-maker for the Noh Theatre. Both married, both lost wives. Hiroshi lost Aki – suicide – never overcame the guilt of her […]

Jane and the Unpleasantness of Scargrave Manor

by Stephanie Barron, 1996 (I was confused at first because of “Editor’s Foreword” – Did Jane Austen write it or Stephanie Barron?) LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Jane goes to the Scargrave Manor for her friend Isobel, newly married to the Earl. He gets murdered by Barbadoe’s nuts, then Marguerite, Isobel’s maid, gets murdered. Everyone has possibilities. […]

In A Far Country

by John Taliaferro, 2006 “The True Story of a Mission, a Marriage, a Murder, and the Remarkable Reindeer Rescue of 1898.” Full of history of the Lopps, Tom & Ellen, who start a mission in Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, in 1890. Lots of info on whaling, reindeer, natives in Alaska.Very, very interesting. What incredible […]

Starship Troopers

by Robert Heinlein, 1959 Very interesting – fight bugs – but first joins up – goes through boot camp – does “drops” – He’s M.I. – Mobile Infantry. Then does O.C.S. Most interesting part was the boot camp, especially about juvenile delinquents in 20th century. Because we don’t publicly shame them as youth – rub […]

The Bonesetter’s Daughter

by Amy Tan, 2003 WONDERFUL!!! Ruth-modern day San Francisco and her mother, LuLing and her mother, “Precious Auntie.” LuLing’s mother, “Precious Auntie,” who lost her fiance and father on the same day because of the evil Chang family. When LuLing is to marry a Chang, Precious Auntie killed herself which saved LuLing from making a […]

The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax

by Dorothy Gilman, 1970 Laurie recommended. Great, fun book. Wonderful characters and action-packed spy story set in Turkey. Emily Pollifax, elderly lady, works for CIA. Goes to Turkey to rescue an old CIA agent, Magda, and ends up exposing a traitor, Dr. Belleaux, and boosting the courage and confidence of a young Englishman, Colin (whose […]

The Shell Seekers

by Rosamunde Pilcher, 1987 Story of Penelope and her three children, Olivia, Nancy, Noel, and their lives. Penelope’s Dad, Lawrence Stern, was a painter and The Shell Seekers was one of his paintings – three children on the beach. Penelope joined WREN and met Ambrose got pregnant – married – went home to Cornwall – […]

A Passage to India

by E.M. Forster, 1924 Hard to follow, hard to understand, but it was about India under British rule (yet another book in that time period!) Main characters: Dr. Aziz, Fielding, Heaslop, Mrs. Moore, Adela Quested, and many of Dr. Aziz’s Indian friends. Everything okay until Aziz takes Mrs. Moore and Miss Quested to Marabar Caves, […]

Death in Kashmir

by M.M. Kaye, 1984 (Adam home this day for Thanksgiving!) Not as good as her other books but still good. Janet Rushton is murdered on ski slopes of Kashmir. Sarah Parrish gets involved in the mystery. Ends up being Hugo – dear old Hugo! He is going to kill Sarah on the houseboat on Lake […]

Things Fall Apart

by Chinua Achebe, 1958 A story about tribal Africa (Nigeria) and Okonkwo, a warrior, ashamed of his lazy father, mean & angry, and his “clan.” Many superstitions and gods, rules, etc., for living. Grow yams. Missionaries come – His son Nwoye converts. Bad ending – 2nd missionary not good. Okonkwo wants to destroy them all […]

Foundation’s Edge

by Isaac Asimov, 1982 Fell in love with Trevize. He and Pelorat get exiled and they get a super spaceship. They try to find Earth – Find Gaia in the Sayshell sector. The 1st and 2nd Foundation follow him. Gaia lets Trevize decide who wins. He chooses Gaia. Gaia represented by Bliss, Novi, and Dom. […]

Second Foundation

by Isaac Asimov, 1953 First half: The 2nd Foundation defeats the Mule Second half: The First Foundation thinks they defeated the 2nd Foundation – Arkady was programmed on Trantor as a baby so her encephelograph didn’t show she was controlled so her Dad, Dr. Darrell, didn’t think she was. But in reality, the 2nd Foundation […]

Foundation and Empire

by Isaac Asimov, 1952 Really good! Magnifico, the clown, is the Mule! Defeats the Foundation by his ability to control men’s emotions. Almost gets Mis to discover the location of the 2nd Foundation but Bayta figures it out that the Clown is the Mule and kills Mis before he can tell. Mule loves Bayta because […]

Morality for Beautiful Girls

by Alexander McCall Smith, 2001 More #1 Ladies Detective Agency – My favorite so far! #3 Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni is depressed. Mma Ramotswe gets him to the orphanage where he is well taken care of. Mma Ramotswe solves the mystery of the brother poisoning – not killed just sick – it was the cook, not […]

The Rapture of Canaan

by Sheri Reynolds, 1995 Grandpa Herman’s Church of Fire & Brimstone & God’s Almighty Baptizing Wind – he rules his extended family – makes the sermons and the rules and punishment for sinning, like living in a cellar for 40 days, sleeping in a grave overnight, getting dunked. Ninah & James are prayer partners. Ninah […]