Pink Mountain



"We wander for distraction, but travel for fulfillment."

                                                               --Hilare Belloc

Years ago, my husband and I decided to move to Alaska. Our newlywed life together started out in Florida, but the Alaskan adventure that beckoned was too romantic and exciting to decline. We bought a used Chevy truck, loaded it with all of our earthly possessions and headed northwest to the Alaska Highway.

Maybe it was our youthfulness or obvious naivete that made the truck driver warn us about the perils of Pink Mountain.

There we were - seated in metal chairs in front of our motel room somewhere in British Columbia, Canada, when a man walked up and asked about our next destination. According to him, one thing stood between us and our future happiness - Pink Mountain. We kept nodding at the stranger and asked a few questions about the success rate of much larger trucks crossing over the mountain. I remember that our would-be guardian was tall and thin, and spoke in a deeply serious voice, giving each word a heavy importance. After giving us a bug screen for the truck and a final dire warning about crossing the mountain, he departed, and we returned to making dinner plans.

It might have been the soft, pretty name of the mountain that lulled us into feeling comfortable about the next day's journey. After all, isn't pink associated with flamingos and lemonade? Even the mountain's gentle name stems from its pink glow at sunrise, according to locals.

Or it may have been that a mere eight hours after leaving Orlando, an orange Chevy Vega had run into our truck, damaging the fender. When the police officer arrived and started interviewing the fidgety  young man who had hit us, it became obvious that the driver couldn't remember where he lived or exactly whose car he had been driving. We were given permission to leave; the young man was still being sternly questioned as we drove away. The next day, while crossing Missouri on I-70, with my husband dozing beside me, I was pulled over for speeding. When the state trooper asked me where I was in such a hurry to get to, and I answered "Alaska," things went downhill. I was given a hefty fine and a stern lecture about not thinking that Alaska was far enough away to avoid payment.

Our adventure wasn't over.

The truck broke down in Montana and for the first (and only) time in my life, I hitchhiked. A very nice couple, whose radio musical tastes leaned toward polka and other dance music, rescued us and drove us to the nearest gas station. The Chevy's problem was diagnosed as a faulty transmission -  a problem that had been "fixed" in Orlando. Our cash reserve, not much to begin with, was quickly dwindling.

Pink Mountain? Somehow the threatened peril of crossing that mountain seemed laughable after a wreck in Georgia, a transmission mishap in Montana, not to mention starting married life in an aging and cramped truck heading to Alaska.

Yes, we easily reached the other side of Pink Mountain and never looked back.

Much belated thanks to that modern-day cowboy who warned a young couple about the dangerous trail up ahead. Little did he know...


Some travel books to accompany you on your own journey or to enjoy from the comfort of your favorite chair:


On the Road - Kerouac, Jack (F). It's a novel. It's an autobiography. It's both of these. The idea for the book was born in 1947. A few years later, Kerouac started typing and didn't stop until "On The Road" was finished. The original scroll version was released in 2008.

Although, Of Course, You End Up Becoming Yourself: A Road Trip With David Foster Wallace - Lipsky, David (NF). Lipsky had a plum assignment from Rolling Stone magazine - accompany DFW on the road for an epic interview. The men discussed writing, teaching and America's pop culture. Wallace, who wrote Pale King and Consider the Lobster, committed suicide in 2008. 

Travel As A Political Act - Steves, Rick (NF). Along with unusual food, outstanding museums and beautiful scenery, travel can broaden our understanding of the world's many cultures. Steves provides the lessons on getting more out of our travels.

Into Thin Air - Krakauer, Jon (NF). A must-read, especially in the hot summer weather. Krakauer brings us along to the summit of Mount Everest.

Travels with Charley: In Search of America - Steinbeck, John (NF). One of my favorite books written by my very favorite author. Join Steinbeck and his trusty sidekick, Charley, as they set out to discover America. 

Milepost  (NF) - Detailed account of the Alaska Highway. Includes advice on restaurants and camping, and offers updated information on road conditions.

A Field Guide For Immersion Writing: Memoir, Journalism and Travel - Hemley, Robin (NF). Perfect for anyone wanting to document their travel adventures.

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail and Lost Continent: Travels in Small Town America - Bryson, Bill (NF). Don't read either of these in a public place - you'll disturb people with your loud laughter and guffaws. If snarky observational humor while traveling is your idea of fun, Bryson is your newest favorite author. 

Travel guides: Fodor's; Frommer's; Off The Beaten Path; Lonely Planet; DK Eyewitness; Rick Steves' guides.

What I'm Reading:

Wild - Strayed, Cheryl (NF). The author decided to hike the 1100-mile Pacific Coast Trail after her life started falling apart. It is difficult to put the book down for even a minute.

Desperate Passage: The Donner Party's Perilous Journey West - Rarick, Ethan (NF). If you think your last family road trip was bad, read this book. All jokes aside, the Donner party was plagued with bloated egos, misguided leaders and extremely bad weather.  

Thanks to CS for sharing Alaska with us.     

Turn Up The Heat

"A book is the only place where you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face." --Edward P. Morgan, American journalist

Do you enjoy a heated discussion about...books?

Years ago, after choosing T.C.Boyle's "Tortilla Curtain" for a library-based book discussion group, I had a woman fly into the room, slam the book on the table and declare she'd hated it. Then she proceeded to rage about the book almost nonstop and practically hijacked the group discussion.

I felt I had made a really good choice.

Yes, she said she hated the book; however, the plot and characters profoundly affected her. As a group, we talked about whether the book made us feel uncomfortable.

Boyle's story demands the characters meet, head on, with people that make them nervous. Was it Boyle's assertion that merely writing a check or verbally supporting a group (or an idea) simply isn't enough that made the reader uneasy?

When talking about books, we often reveal our true selves. Which characters made us laugh or weep? Did we sigh or roll our eyes at the end? Mock or defend?

There are books guaranteed to provide the fire and get the conversation started with any book group.

Books for Heated Discussions 

Tortilla Curtain - Boyle, T.C. Published in more than 24 languages, Boyle's crowning achievement shares the story of various segments of society converging. (F)

Dear American Airlines - Miles, Jonathan. This is the grouchy complaint letter you wish you could/would write. Throughout the novel, we learn about the life of Bennie Ford. I dare you to not feel uncomfortable at times. (F)

Going Gray - Kreamer, Anne. To go gray or not? As baby boomers continue their march into the middle ages, the questions pile on. Author Kreamer was surprised by people's reactions to her decision to stop coloring her hair and going naturally gray. (NF)

Middlesex - Eugenides, Jeffrey. Arguably one of the best opening lines in many years..."I was born twice: first as a baby girl on a remarkably smogless Detroit day of January 1960; and then again as a teenage boy, in an emergency room near Petoskey, Michigan in August of 1974." Please read the story of Cal Stephanides. (F)

Destiny of the Republic - Millard, Candice. You will be thankful for medical breakthroughs of our lifetime after reading the story of President James Garfield's death. Garfield was shot by a would-be killer, but what really shortened his life? (NF)

You Know When The Men Are Gone - Fallon, Siobhan. A series of connected short stories that tell the story of life at Fort Hood, Texas. Well-written and poignant without being sentimental. (F)

Paris Wife - McLain, Paula. I've never been a huge fan of Papa Hemingway and this book doesn't change that feeling. However, McLain's skilled storytelling brings to life the acclaimed author, his wife, Hadley, and their life in Paris. I'll be reading Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast" this summer. (F)

Invisible Bridge - Orringer, Julie. One of my favorite books of 2011. Orringer tells the story of a Europe on the brink of WWII through the eyes of a young man dreaming of being an architect. Beautiful writing! (F)

Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Skloot, Rebecca. Ms. Lacks' cells have lived on long past her death from cancer in 1951. Great medical strides have been made from using these cells; however, no consent was requested of Ms. Lacks and no monetary compensation was offered. (NF)

Lucy - Gonzales, Jeffrey. Lucy is a bonobo chimp with an interesting past. Discover the shocking truth along with Jenny Lowe, primatologist, as she struggles with the question of what truly makes us human. (F)

Mall - Bogosian, Eric. Described as "outrageous & dark," this is the story of five people at a suburban mall. A young man with serious mental problems heads to the mall with a weapon. Guess what happens next... (F)

Mrs. Kimble - Haigh, Jennifer. A winner with my book group. If you have ever wondered why a smart woman could ever fall for such a questionable guy, this is the book for you. (F) 

Independence Day - Ford, Richard. My book group had a lively discussion after reading this Pulitzer Prize winner. Ford's character, Frank, produced strong feelings among us. Will you find Frank flawed but likeable (as one woman did) or an exasperating character (as another woman did)? The second book in a trilogy. (F)



Thanks to Hilary Price for her lighthearted look at book groups and for her
willingness to share this on the blog. Please check out Hilary's website: www.rhymeswithorange.com.

    



     

Forever Young

Be wise. Be brave. Be tricky.

--Neil Gaiman

author of "Coraline"

A recent cartoon (Mallard Fillmore) took a swing at middle-aged women for allegedly pretending to be young by reading young adult fiction. I wondered what was behind this cheeky attitude.

I am one of those women of a certain age who has read the "Hunger Games" trilogy. How about the idea that we are just enjoying the book series?

If you are not familiar with "Hunger Games," Katniss Everdeen is a young woman who volunteers to take her sister's place in the diabolical Hunger Games which are held annually for the entertainment of maniacal political leaders and the downtrodden general population.

The trilogy, which includes "Catching Fire" and "Mockingjay," gives readers a cold, hard look at a dystopian society. Katniss lives in what used to be the United States. Author Suzanne Collins named the new capital, Panem, from the Roman term Panem et Circenses. In English, it translates to Bread and Circus, and refers to a population that willingly turns over its political power in exchange for a full stomach and cheap entertainment.

This isn't the first time that books written for children or young adults have become best sellers across the generation divide. Or that adults learned a thing or two from a "junior" book.

Years ago, my husband and I were knee-deep in building a house. Suddenly, construction terms were being tossed around in our conversations. I knew I'd feel smarter if I could find a book that took me step-by-step through the building process. Voila! I found Gail Gibbons' "How a House is Built." Adults may chafe at the idea of looking in a children's reading section for information. Stop feeling that way!! Well-written children's books can help us wade through forgotten or never understood science or math lessons. Or learn construction terms. Or help navigate the night sky.

Best of all, they can entertain us.

"Junior" Books Adults Should Read

Magic Treehouse series - Osborne, Mary Pope. Brother and sister discover they can travel to far off places (including time travel) when they climb into their magic treehouse. Osborne offers good history lessons.

Extraordinary Mark Twain - Kerley, Barbara & Clemens, Susy. Author Kerley had some help with this book from an unusual source - young Susy Clemens' journals which include tales about her famous dad.

Harriet the Spy - Fitzhugh, Louise. Harriet writes down everything she sees, good or bad. Her journal is read by friends who, understandably, have a hard time digesting Harriet's funny/harsh/questioning views. I love this book!!

Walk Two Moons - Creech, Sharon. With help from her one-of-a-kind grandparents, Sal begins her search for her long lost mother. 1995 Newbery winner.

How a House is Built - Gibbons, Gail. Extensive writer of children's nonfiction books. Check them out!

Small World of Binky Braverman - Wells, Rosemary. Young Binky is quite bored while visiting his aunt and uncle until he discovers magical friends, especially Ike.

Tuck Everlasting - Babbitt, Natalie. Would you want to live forever at a certain age? Young Winnie must decide for herself. A perfect story for book groups of all ages.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Kinney, Jeff. I wondered what the fuss was about and finally read the first two books in the series. Hilarious! 

Queenie Peavy - Burch, Robert. Queenie doesn't allow her terrible home situation to get the best of her. She strikes back (literally) against anyone who tries to bully her.

Fever 1793 - Anderson, Laurie Halse. A fictional account of the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia.

Celia and the Fairies - McQuestion, Karen. Do fairies really exist? Celia needs help from the magical creatures to help stop the destruction of her house.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children - Riggs, Ransom. The title, photos and plot (and even the author's name) are all highly creative. Visit the "home" for some odd tales.

Coraline - Gaiman, Neil. The story of a spunky girl who steps through a door in her house and finds herself caught in another world. Is it a better world than her own? 

Northern Light - Donnelly, Jennifer. Mattie Gokey, a hotel worker in 1906, is given letters that may help solve a murder mystery. Based on Theodore Dreiser's "An American Tragedy."

Life as We Knew It - Pfeffer, Susan Beth. When an asteroid knocks the moon closer to Earth, life is turned upside down. This is a gripping story of how Pennsylvania teen Miranda and her family deal with their much-changed lives.

Hatchet - Paulsen, Gary. You won't be able to put down this absorbing tale of a young boy being stranded in the wilderness with very few supplies.

A Day No Pigs Would Die - Peck, Robert Newton. Which part is fiction? Which part is memoir? Peck shares his story of growing up in Vermont.

Classics - read again or for the first time:
Nancy Drew's Secret of the Old Clock - Keene, Carolyn.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Smith, Betty
Grimm's Fairy Stories - Wilhelm & Jacob Grimm

Other ideas include:
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares. Any book by Beverly Cleary. Young adult thrillers by Lois Duncan or Carolyn Cooney. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.

Through heavy static Ike's voice faded in and out. "We're heading out of range for now," he said, "but if in your true heart you are ever lonely again, why just set your sights on the blue horizon, get on the radio, and we'll read your signal loud and clear."  *
                                                                    "Small World of Binky Braverman"
                                                                                               --Rosemary Wells


*This book list is dedicated to the memory of Terry Endy, a wonderful children's librarian who loved picture books. A thoughtful friend, Terry always reminded me of Binky Braverman's Ike. 

And the award goes to...

"Great, big, serious novels always get awards. If it's a battle between a great, big, serious novel and a funny novel, the funny novel is doomed."

                                                 --Neil Gaiman, author of "Coraline"

The literary world was surprised by the announcement there would be no Pulitzer Prize awarded this year for fiction. The last year no award was given was 1977. Honorable mentions included Swamplandia! by Karen Russell and Pale King by the late David Foster Wallace. Pale King is a perfect choice for this month - it spins the tale of life at an IRS center in Peoria, Illinois.

It can be a mystery why some books win prestigious awards. Or why other books get shut out (because they're funny?). Nevertheless, award lists can be helpful when searching for that next good read.

Check out http://www.ala.org/ for more award-winning lists.

Newbery Medal - Given for "distinguished contribution to American literature for children" according to ALA.
2012 - Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos.
Other Newbery books to consider:
1993 - Missing May by Cynthia Rylant.
1995 - Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech.
1996 - Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman.

Caldecott Medal - Given to the artist of the "most distinguished American picture book" according to ALA.
2012 - A Ball for Daisy by Chris Raschka.
Other Caldecott winners to consider:
1991 - Black & White by David Macaulay.
1992 - Jumanji by Chris Van Allsburg.
2002 - Three Pigs by David Wiesner.
2006 - The Hello Goodbye Window by Chris Raschka.

Laura Ingalls Wilder Award - "Honors authors or illustrators whose books have made a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children" according to ALA.
2012 - Tomie dePaola. A sample of his work: Strega Nona and 26 Fairmount Avenue.

 Coretta Scott King Award - "Recognizes outstanding books for young adults and children by African-American authors or illustrators" according to ALA.
2012 - Author: Heart and Soul by Kadir Nelson
Illustrator: Underground by Shane W. Evans.

Notable Books for Adults - The Notable Book Council lists outstanding books.
2012 (Fiction) - Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt; Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach; Tragedy of Arthur by Arthur Phillips and Swamplandia! by Karen Russell.
2012 (Non-fiction) - Memory Palace by Mira Bartok; Information by James Gleick; and Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.

A sample of Pulitzer Prize winners:
(fiction)
2011 - A Vist from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan.
2009 - Olive Kittredge by Elizabeth Strout.
2006 - March by Geraldine Brooks.
2005 - Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.
1996 - Independence Day by Richard Ford.
1995 - Stone Diaries by Carol Shields.

(autobiography)
2011 - Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow.
2009 - American Lion by Jon Meachum.
2006 - American Prometheus by Kai Bird & Martin Sherwin
2002 - John Adams by David McCullough.

(non-fiction)
2011 - Emperer of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee.
2010 - The Dead Hand by David Hoffman.
2002 - Carry Me Home by Diane McWhorter.
1998 - Guns, Germs & Steel by Jared Diamond.
1986 - Common Ground by Anthony Lukas.

National Book Awards - Administered by the National Book Foundation.
(fiction)
1999 - Waiting by Ha Jin.
2002 - Three Junes by Julia Glass.
2007 - Tree of Smoke by Denis Johnson.

(non-fiction)
2005 - Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion.
2008 - Hemingses of Monticello by Annette Gordon-Reed.
2010 - Just Kids by Patti Smith.

The Orange Award is the United Kingdom's annual award for female fiction writers. Winners will be announced May 30. On the shortlist:
(Irish) Anne Enright - The Forgotten; (Canadian) Esi Edugyan - Half Blood Blues; (British) Georgina Harding - Painter of Silence; (American) Madeline Miller - Song of Achilles; Cynthia Ozick - Foreign Bodies; Ann Patchett - State of Wonder. 

Leaning Tower of Books

Where is human nature so weak as in a bookstore?

--Henry Ward Beecher

I enjoy walking into a room and seeing a stack of books. What's even better is when it is my stack of books! I rarely leave a bookstore or library empty-handed, even when I have promised myself (or my husband) that I am only "browsing."

These are the books that I will be reading soon.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. Bradley, Alan. The title caught my eye and who could turn down this plot? "Young Flavia de Luce, an aspiring chemist, is intrigued by a series of inexplicable events: a dead bird is found with a postage stamp pinned to its beak..." 

The Man With the Golden Arm. Algren, Nelson. First published in 1949, this classic tells the story of "urban underbelly" and a WWII veteran named Frankie Machine.

The Imperfectionists. Rachman, Tom. Named one of the best novels of the year by Slate, NPR, The Kansas City Star and The New York Times, among others...Rachman tells the story of reporters and editors working for an English-language Roman newspaper. 

There But For The. Smith, Ali. My book group's selection for April. What would you do if one of your dinner guests suddenly locked himself in an upstairs bedroom? 

When I Was a Child I Read Books. Robinson, Marilynne. Pulitzer Prize-winning author shares essays with us on subjects ranging from her Presbyterian roots to the political climate today and, of course, her reading habits from childhood to adulthood.

Cutting for Stone. Verghese, Abraham. The reviews have been gloriously positive. A graduate of University of Iowa's Writers' Workshop, Verghese is a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Lush Life. Price, Richard. I am late to discovering Price's novels. This book has been described as "dark and edgy" with "snarling dialogue" and "tight writing."

Eire Forever

"I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree."

William Butler Yeats

Leprechauns. Guinness. Cathedrals & castles. Soda bread. Cottages. River Shannon. Red hair. Concannon. Dublin. Book of Kells. Green hills. Salmon. Story-telling. Waterford.

Irish gifts to all of us.

Other Irish gifts are magical books, music, a movie & a play (to name just a few).

If you are gearing up for a weekend of corned beef (or Irish salted beef) and beer between basketball games, don't forget some of these Irish winners.

Books

Maeve Binchy - Irish author of many novels, such as my own Binchy favorite, "Firefly Summer."

Frank Delaney - You'll be swept away to Ireland with his novels... "Ireland" and "Tipperary."

Mary Pope Osborne - Her Magic Treehouse series is geared for children, but adults who love a good story will enjoy reading Osborne's books, too. This month, read "Leprechaun in Late Winter."

Colm Toibin - I am reading his novel "Brooklyn" this week. The story begins in Ireland and moves to Brooklyn, New York.

Frank McCourt - "Angela's Ashes." Heartbreaking memoir of author's childhood in Limerick.

Samuel Beckett - He wrote more (a lot more) than "Waiting for Godot." Read his "Complete Short Prose 1929-1989."

Irish folktales, including "Clever Tom and the Leprechaun."

Authors - James Joyce, Jonathan Swift.

Movie

"Secret of Roan Inish." Based on a Scottish folktale, this film was tweaked to become a love letter to Ireland. Beautiful photography and magical story. And seals!!

Play

J. M. Synge - "Playboy of the Western World/Riders to the Sea."

Music

Listen to Van Morrison, Irish Tenors, Cranberries or Chieftains this weekend. 

"To be Irish is to know that in the end the world will break your heart."

Attributed to Daniel Patrick Moynihan (and others)

It's All About Us

"If society will not admit of woman's free development, then society must be remodeled." - Elizabeth Blackwell*

March is Women's History Month.

There are larger-than-life women in history who changed society or certainly left an imprint. These trailblazers come to mind: Gloria Steinem, Sojourner Truth, Jane Addams, Sandra Day O'Connor, Nellie Bly and Amelia Earhart.

There are also women whose names are not always as well known. Their accomplishments are very important too and they deserve our thanks.

And, there are the moments when women's lives changed for the better.

Famous or not, let's give all of them our loudest applause this month.

1760s - First female publisher...Mary Katherine Goddard published the Providence Gazette, and also served as the first female postmistress in 1775.

1782 - Deborah Sampson, disguised as a man, enlisted in the Continental Army.

*1849 - Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman in the United States to receive a medical degree.

1860s-1890s - The "Seven Sisters" colleges were established for women. The seven were: Vassar, Wellesley, Smith, Radcliffe, Bryn Mawr, Barnard and Mount Holyoke.

1869 - Arabella Mansfield was the first woman in U.S. history granted permission to practice law (in Iowa).

1884 - First public high school for girls opened in Worcester, MA.

1920 - Ratification of the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote.

1925 - Nellie Tayloe Ross, of Wyoming, was the first female governor.

1933 - Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve in a presidential cabinet. She was named Secretary of Labor by President Franklin Roosevelt.

1938 - Pearl Buck was the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. She had been awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 1932 for her novel, The Good Earth.

1972 - Women dominated the Grammy Awards. Carole King won for best record, best song and album. Carly Simon was named as best new artist.

1987 - The National Museum of Women opened in Washington, D.C.

         - Aretha Franklin was the first woman inducted in the 

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

2009 - Kathryn Bigelow was the first woman to win Best Director/  

Oscar for her movie The Hurt Locker.

Recommended Books

Non-fiction

Personal History - Graham, Katharine. This is a revealing memoir of Graham's evolution from dutiful daughter to owner of the Washington Post.

What Now - Patchett, Ann. You may be 22; you may be 52 - one of life's questions is "what now?". This amazing essay brings us along on Patchett's personal journey. Patchett is also a successful novelist (Bel Canto, State of Wonder).

Girls Like Us - Weller, Sheila. A tender yet revealing look at three musically powerful women: Carole King, Joni Mitchell and Carly Simon.

Happiness Project - Rubin, Gretchen. Yes, this book exhausted me with the lists and goals. Yes, I still recommend it. Who doesn't want to improve her life?

Mothers in Charge - Harris, Paul Nigel, editor. Two Philadelphia mothers joined together to fight violence. What brought them together? Their two sons were murdered by the same man.

Let's Take the Long Way Home - Caldwell, Gail. A beautifully written memoir detailing the sweetness of women's friendships and the love of a good dog. Every woman should read this book!

Bossypants - Fey, Tina. My favorite chapter is the love letter to Amy Poehler titled "I Don't Care If You Like It." Tina's advice to all for us? "Do your thing and don't care if they like it." 

Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Skloot, Rebecca. Lacks' cells were used to combat viruses, develop the polio vaccine and other medical breakthroughs. Neither she nor her family ever benefited from the cells' use.

The Girls from Ames - Zaslow, Jeffrey. This is a story of 40 years of friendship and sticking by each other in good or bad times. Judging by the writing, Zaslow had a tremendous respect for women. Sadly, Zaslow was killed in a car accident in February 2012.

Shelf Life - Shea, Suzanne Strempek. Shea was recovering from cancer treatment when she decided to work in a friend's book store. I guarantee you'll laugh and cry throughout this book. Check out Shea's fiction, too.

Fiction 

These Is my Words - Turner, Nancy. Turner's novel is drawn from her great-grandmother's own experiences about life in Arizona in the 1880s.

Prayers for Sale - Dallas, Sandra. Historical fiction at its best...Dallas is wonderful writer. Read this tale spun by Hennie Comfort in 1930s Colorado.

The Girls - Lansens, Lori. I often recommend this book. The plot drew me in and the pages were quickly turned. This is the story of conjoined sisters, Rose and Ruby.

My Name is Mary Sutter - Oliveira, Robin. This novel covers the bases: role of women in 1860s America; Civil War; medical care, etc... Mary Sutter is an amazing young woman.

Wednesday Sisters - Clayton, Meg Waite. Five women first meet in the turbulent 1960s and we are invited along as they each share their secrets in a writing group.

The Paris Wife - McLain, Paula. Fictionalized account of Hemingway's first wife, Hadley, and their time together in Paris. It didn't change my mind about Hemingway (I'm not a fan) but I will be reading "A Moveable Feast."

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Smith, Betty. If you didn't read this classic back in middle school, read it now. Francie Nolan is still one of my literary heroes.

Trixie Belden - Campbell, Julie. Way back when, I was hooked on the series beginning with "The Secret of the Mansion." Trixie is spunky, brave, and kind. The series may be geared for nine-year-old girls, but slightly older girls will still enjoy the adventures of Trixie, Honey & Jim.

Revenge of the Radioactive Lady - Stuckey French, Elizabeth. The cover art caught my eye but the writing kept my interest. This is the wild story of Marylou Ahearn, who at 77, planned to kill the doctor who had given her a radioactive "cocktail" many years before. 

Happy Reading!