by Pearl S. Buck, 1931 “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” This novel greatly illustrates what can happen when a man gets bored. It’s an amazing tale about Wang Lung (pronounced Wong Lung), a poor farmer in China, and what happens when he goes from poverty to wealth.
by Wendell Berry, 2000 Very sweet tale about a sweet man, the town barber, in Port William, Kentucky. Full of love and pain, the beauty of nature, hard-work, relationships, and faithfulness and steadfastness, forgiveness along life’s journey. Jayber’s life starts out by the river and ends by the river. He’s an orphan sent to live […]
by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1892 LOVED IT! 12 stories of cases told by Dr. Watson. Loved the interplay between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. Loved how incredibly smart Sherlock Holmes is. He can look at someone and tell where they’ve been recently and what they’ve done as well as their whole life story. He’s […]
by Anne Tyler, 1985 Excellent Book – could not put it down! Who and what would Macon choose? His wife, Sarah, who he adores but they just are not right for each other? Or Muriel Pritchett, the young, skinny, colorful, poor but oh so rich in spirit young lady who gently but definitely forces herself […]
by Geoffrey Chaucer, c. 1343-1400 (translated by David Wright) He wrote the Canterbury Tales, an unfinished poem, starting in 1387. It is a delightful series of stories told by 29 members of a party traveling to Canterbury. The “Host” decides it will be fun for each member to tell a tale, making the journey fun. […]
by Agatha Christie, 1964 Quick read – set on Caribbean Island, St. Honore, where Miss Marple has gone for her health. Ends up solving a murder mystery. Fun, quick read – nice setting – English-type socializing at a Caribbean resort. Eccentric characters, lots of conversation, getting to know one another, figuring out who-dun-it. Miss Marple […]
by Mark Twain, 1889 A Colt Arms foreman in 1800’s Connecticut gets knocked silly and ends up in 6th Century England with a knight in armor. He goes from being about to be burned at the stake to being The Boss, supplanting Merlin as the greatest magician, because he made the sun disappear (he knew […]
by Jennifer McVeigh, 2013 Historical Fiction. Great Book. Late 1800’s England, South Africa, diamond mines, smallpox epidemic. Young woman, Frances Irvine, left with no options when her father dies, travels to South Africa to marry Edwin Matthews, a young doctor. On the ship on the way down, she meets and falls in love with William […]
by Mary Shelley, Published anonymously in 1818 (The Mother of Gothic Horror) Young Victor Frankenstein grew up in an ideal loving environment in Geneva, Switzerland. His childhood companions were Henry Clerval and Elizabeth. He loses his mother, tragically, to scarlet fever. Her dying wish were that Victor and Elizabeth would marry. He goes away to […]
by Ann Patchett, 2011 Anders Eckman & Marina Singh are doctors who work together in Minnesota doing pharmaceutical research. Anders is sent to the Amazon jungle to try and coax back Dr. Annick Swenson who has been doing research on developing a drug to extend fertility. The Lakashi Tribe in Brazil can have babies into […]
by Andre Agassi with J.R. Moehringer, 2009 Born in 1970, played professional tennis 20 years, 1986-2006. His father was a monster: violent, mean, used to drill him constantly with the Dragon – a souped-up ball machine, when he was 7. Sent him to Florida to Nick Bollettiere Academy in Florida when he was 11 or […]
by M.L. Stedman, 2012 (her first novel) Page-turner, set in early 1900’s after WWI in Western Australia, on Janus Rock, an island 100 miles from the western coast of Australia. Tom Sherbourne, newly back from WWI, takes a job as the lighthouse keeper for Janus Rock. On the way there, he meets Isabel, a local […]
by Louise Erdrich, 2012 National Book Award Finalist Page-Turner, Mystery, set in North Dakota on an Indian Reservation. Set in 1988 and lots of Star Trek, the Next Generation references because Joe and his buddies LOVE Star Trek, esp. Worf. Told through the eyes of 13 year old, Joe, Indian, only child of 2 wonderful […]
by John Shors, 2004 Beautiful historical fiction about the Taj Mahal. An Emperor loses his beloved wife in childbirth and hires Isa, an architect, to build her a mausoleum that epitomizes her beauty. He uses her daughter, Jahanara, to be the model. They fall in love and have a daughter (Arjumand). It is a clandestine […]
by Margaret Mitchell, 1936 North Georgia, Civil War, Scarlett O’Hara, 16 year-old belle of the county, 18″ waist, steals everyone’s boyfriends but not the one she “loves,” Ashley Wilkes. Melanie marries Ashley. So Scarlett marries Charles Hamilton (Melanie’s brother). Civil War starts – Charlie dies 3 months later (not in battle; got sick in camp). […]
by J.R.R. Tolkien, 1937, 1938, 1966 The movie, The Hobbit – saw it 1/5/13 with Mom. 3 hours long. Battles with Orcs. Really disappointing! Too much battle! Part 1 of 3. Here is a review of the movie, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. “High fantasy, 2 [maybe 2.5, can’t tell] stars out of 4, PG-13. […]
by Spencer Quinn, 2009 GREAT MYSTERY! Chet the Dog and Bernie the Private I find Madison, the 15 yr. old kidnapped by Russian gangsters because her Dad got involved in shady financing. The story is told by Chet, the dog. It’s so funny and cute and enlightening about what dogs think about things – like […]
by Dale Carnegie, 1936 Wonderful book on Human Relations, full of vignettes emphasizing his points. Loved the historical early 20th Century times and lots of Lincoln quotes and stories. First part of book is best: Part 2: Six ways to make people like you Part 3: How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking […]
by Francine Rivers, 1994 Book 2 of the Mark of the Lion Series What an excellent book! Hadassah is saved from death after being mauled by lions by the Physician, Alexander. She works for him and becomes known as Rapha, the healer. Her work for God with Alexander enriches him and he loves her. Marcus […]
by Frances Mayes, 1996 Frances and her husband, Ed, buy an old villa in Tuscany (Cortona, Italy) and rejuvenate it inside and out. They have terraces and have olive trees. Re-doing the house took years since they only live in Italy in summer (professors in San Francisco). Fun book – love her descriptions of the […]