by Kathryn Stockett, 2009 Another fantastic modern novel! A real page-turner, set in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1960’s. Three heroes: 1. Miss Skeeter, the young white girl who just graduated from college and wants to be a writer. 2. Aibileen, the black maid who takes care of Mae Mobley, little 2 yr old white […]
Author: bookhound
The Help
Sleeping Tiger
by Rosamunde Pilcher, 1967 Sweet little romance about 20 yr old English girl (Selina) who goes to a Spanish island in search of her father and finds her true love (George, 37 yrs old) instead. She has to dump her lawyer fiance who is only marrying her for her money and George has to dump […]
The Art of Racing in the Rain
by Garth Stein, 2008 Precious book! Told by Enzo the dog. Set in Seattle. Enzo is a yellow lab mix raised from a puppy by Denny Swift, a race car driver. They are both incredible “people” – the best. Denny marries Eve and they have Zoe. Eve gets sick – brain cancer – and moves […]
Matterhorn-A Novel of the Vietnam War
by Karl Marlantes, 2009 Karl Marlantes is a graduate of Yale, a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford, a Marine in Vietnam, awarded the Navy Cross, the Bronze Star, two Navy commendation medals for valor, two Purple Hearts, and ten air medals. This novel took him 30 years to write. Second Lieutenant Waino Mellas shipped off to […]
The Toilers of the Sea
by Victor Hugo, 1866 Dedicated to the Island of Guernsey. He lived there in exile from France for about 15 years. He wrote Les Miserables while there (1862). Story of Gilliat, a fine, young, lonely man who saves birds and children, cures sickness and is a fantastic fisherman, gardener, and bagpipe player. He falls in […]
The Faith Club
by Ranya Idliby (Muslim), Suzanne Oliver (Christian), and Priscilla Warner (Jew), 2006 Borrowed from BJ Stoner. Started out good – they face their prejudices and stereotypes. Ends up not good. The Christian woman loses her faith – becomes a “Christian Universalist” – Jesus isn’t the only way to salvation. The Muslim woman is so amazing […]
The Innocents Abroad
by Mark Twain, 1869 Mark Twain and about 100 others set sail in a steamer from New York in early June 1867. They are bound for the Mediterranean and the Holy Land. A pleasure cruise-picnicking many days crossing the Atlantic. He writes about seasickness (everyone but him) and their routines – eating, and all their […]
The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom
by Slavomir Rawicz, 1956 (ghostwritten by Ronald Downingin) Dad’s book. Slavomir was a young man in Polish Army taken prisoner in 1939 by the Russians. They were convinced he was a spy. They tortured him for months, then took him – actually he had to walk with 4000 other prisoners – after a freezing cold […]
The Pickwick Papers
by Charles Dickens, 1837 Finished on the way up to Adam and Danette’s wedding. Fell in love with Charles Dickens again! Wow! Fell in love with Mr. Pickwick – a fine old Gentleman, and Sam, his servant, who says ‘W’ as ‘V’ and ‘V’ as ‘W.” “Wictim, Wery, Vay, Vith, Vot, Vos.” Sam’s Dad, Mr. […]
New Mercies
by Sandra Dallas, 2006 (Author of The Persian Pickle Club) Pretty good book. Nora Bondurant of Denver gets called to Natchez, Mississippi, because her Aunt Amalia was murdered and she is the sole heir. Turns out the Aunt was really her grandma and she was murdered by Bayard Lott, a white man who loved her […]
Kristin Lavransdatter: II, The Mistress of Husaby
by Sigrid Undset, 1925 Not as good as first book – very difficult to understand – almost all of it – entangled politics, difficult to pronounce/remember characters. But – still really good! Norway 1300’s. Kristin & Erlend are married. He takes her to his manor – Husaby. She starts to make things better there. Has […]
Quiet Strength
by Tony Dungy, 2007 Insider’s look at the NFL and Coach Tony Dungy, a very Christian man. He put God first and his faith never waivered, despite getting fired by the Bucs in 2002 after he turned the team around over years starting in 1996. And his oldest son’s suicide on Dec. 22, 2005. He […]
The Yearling
by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Pulitzer Prize Winner, 1939 BEAUTIFUL BOOK!! The Baxter’s, Penny (Dad), Ma, Jody-son, live in a clearing on high ground in Florida. They farm and raise or hunt all their food. Tote water from the sink hole. Nearest neighbors are the Forrester’s, typical moonshiners. They are bothered by a bear – Ol’ […]
Perelandra
by C.S. Lewis, 1943 (2nd in the Space Trilogy) Ransom is taken to Perelandra (Venus). It is a land of floating islands, friendly beasts, bubble trees, and yellow gourds delicious beyond belief. The Bubble trees refresh you better than a cool shower on a hot day. The Yellow gourds, which grow on trees, taste so […]
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, 2008 Recommended by Christie Leighton, finished 7-10-10 camping up at Chambers Lake, gorging myself on Gorp, pringles, cheese and crackers and wine! By Mary Ann Shaffer and her niece, Annie Barrows. Annie finished the book when Mary Ann’s health prohibited her from doing so, August 2008. What a […]
The Double Comfort Safari Club
by Alexander McCall Smith, 11th #1 Ladies Detective Series, 2010 Phuti Radiphuti has his leg crushed by one of his delivery men who backed his truck into him. He has to have the lower part amputated. His Aunty won’t let Mma Makutsi visit in the hospital but Mma Ramotswe gets that changed and he heals […]
Out of the Silent Planet
by C.S. Lewis, 1938 Marvelous Book! Fantastic Story! Ransom is kidnapped by Weston and Devine – taken in their spaceship to Malacandra where they were going to turn him over to the Sorns for a human sacrifice, they thought. Ransom escapes and meets up with the Hross – a friendly, large, fur-covered people. He lives […]
Tea Time for the Traditionally Built
by Alexander McCall Smith, 2009 Great book! LOVED this one!! Mma Ramotswe solves the mystery of why the soccer team, the Kalahari Swoopers, are losing all of their games. Actually, her foster son, Puso, figured it out – it was that the owner, Mr. Molofololo, kept changing things and their shoes were uncomfortable so they […]
Tinkers
by Paul Harding, 2009 Finished as fast as I could – like abstract art – all over the place, written like his notes of nature while on acid. It did have a main story in between the “trips.” A man is dying of cancer – laying in his living room – memories of his father, […]
The Miracle at Speedy Motors
by Alexander McCall Smith, 2008 Not the best Ladies Detective book. Mma Makutsi & Phuti Radiphuti buy a bed – velvet heart headboard. It doesn’t fit into Mma Makutsi’s house when they delivered it the next day, so she has them leave it outside. The rainy season starts and ruins it. She buys a cheap […]