The Rainaldi Quartet by Paul Adam (F ADAM)
"An elderly violin maker is mysteriously murdered in the quiet Italian country-side. When his friends begin investigating, they're plunged into a race to track down a long-lost Stradivarius violin worth millions. Their search takes them into the dark corners of Venice and Milan and across Europe to discover the truth of a centuries-old legend before the killer beats them to it.
Like Donna Leon’s mysteries, this is also set in Italy, but the main character is a violin maker whose friend is a policeman. It’s his expertise which leads to determining the reason for the murder and to catching the wrongdoer. Along the way, we learn a lot about violin making, music, and history. Like Leon, Adam is a realist and his idea of “justice” allows for some flexibility. A thoroughly enjoyable read in which characters are both likeable and well drawn."


Bleeding hearts by Susan Wittig Albert (F ALBERT)
"China Bayles is asked to conduct a discreet investigation when someone makes allegations of improper behavior against married high school football coach Tim Duffy, who has married into a wealthy local family. What China uncovers is a story of forbidden desire, deception, and questionable circumstances surrounding a young woman's death. The more she digs, the more she fears that the town's beloved coach is not what he appears to be.
Susan Wittig Albert started her China Bayles “herb” mystery series with Thyme of Death. With the atmospheric Texas hill country as background, China deals with quirky characters in the small town of Pecan Spring as she solves various mysteries. I especially like this author’s humor and understanding of characters and their motivations. China goes from being a lawyer in Houston to running an herb shop, and from being single to married to mom, with much trepidation and soul searching. Her friends are involved in their own complicated relationships, while she tries to either help them or stay out of their affairs. Albert also covers a wide array of criminal motivations in her “bad” characters which nevertheless stay human in spite of their evils. All in all I find this a series which never disappoints."

Eva Luna by Isabel Allende (F ALLENDE)
"Life story with fictional and historical background. Teaches every part of life; good and bad things. Excellent read!"

The house of the spirits by Isabel Allende (F ALLENDE)
"An epic of the Trueba Family at the turn of the century. Spiritualist Clara is the stronghold of the family. A very interesting read."

The infinite plan : a novel by Isabel Allende (F ALLENDE)
"It portrays the wanderings and adventures of the Reeves family who travels America at the behest of their very eccentric preacher father in the 1940s who is convinced that he has received the meaning of Life (The Plan). When he falls ill and they need to settle down son Gregory learns the meaning of security and love from Pedro and Immaculata Morales in a Spanish barrio. His story unfolds as a hard won success."

The scalpel and the silver bear by Lori Alvord (921 ALVORD)
"It gives us a look into two worlds of practicing medicine. Dr. Albord was the first Native American surgeon working in the Dartmouth Medical Hospital."

Mother of God by David Ambrose (F AMBROSE)
"This suspenseful techno-thriller takes you into the exciting world of computers and artificial intelligence. Can a machine have a soul; can you have artificial intelligence without one? What happens when a computer decides that no human deserves to exist? By its end you will want to turn on the lights … and turn off your computer."

Killer heels by Sheryl J. Anderson (F ANDERSON)
"I like this book because: it combines mystery, humor, and romance.
Killer Heels is a quick read about a young “agony” columnist playing sleuth in NYC.
If you enjoy this continue on in the series with Killer Cocktail."

The Becket factor by Michael Anthony (F ANTHONY)
"It is a thriller set at Canterbury Cathedral in England with the sudden death of a clergy member, plys the discovery of a medieval tomb on the grounds which may have been the murdered Becket. Was it truly the 12th century Archbishop? Who murdered the canon? Get inside view of the functioning of a famous cathedral."

The best mysteries of Isaac Asimov by Isaac Asimov (F ASIMOV)
"Isaac Asimov, himself, selected the stories he considered to be the best of his mysteries. The Black Widower Tales are my personal favorites. Be sure to check out some of his science fiction selections as well. He wrote the 3 laws of robotics that many science fiction writers apply to their robots today."

The Rembrandt panel : a novel by Oliver Banks (F BANKS)
"I love a mystery that is set in a region I’m a bit familiar with. This combines material about ancient art treasures and a murder with lots of suspense and material about art crime. Fascinating and good dialogue."

Griffin & Sabine : an extraordinary correspondence (F BANTOCK)
by Nick Bantock
"It’s part romance and part mystery. The story begins with Griffin receiving a postcard from Sabine, a woman living a world away and whom he has never met. Their relationship grows through letters and postcards.
I was left wondering if this was the beginning of a magical romance or was Griffin losing his mind?"

Heart of the world by Linda Barnes (F BARNES)
"Carlotta Carlyle is awakened by a late-night phone call telling her that Paolina, the 14-year-old girl she has been mentoring, is missing, apparently kidnapped. With memories of a child she'd bore at 15 and had given up for adoption, Carlotta combs the streets of Boston, Miami, and then Bogota, feeling more and more desperate. After Carlotta is kidnapped by Paolina's father, drug lord Carlos Roldan, they eventually team up in an unlikely bid for Paolina's freedom.
Barnes is a well known mystery writer whose stories are usually based in Boston branches out in this one. Her Carlotta is of the spunky private eye variety and very likeable. The story is good with its international kidnapping theme and Barnes does very realistic character interaction and motivation. If you like this one, it’s well worth going back to read her earlier books."

Hunting season by Nevada Barr (F BARR)
"Anna Pigeon, the fifty something Park Ranger, enjoys her life in the natural world and as she is transferred from one National Park to another the mysteries and murders that occur fit into the Region. In this mystery on Mississippi’s Natchez Trace, she finds herself discovering a murder at Mt. Locust, once a working
Plantation under “kinky” appearing circumstances which don’t fit well with the God-fearing locals."

Film strip by Nancy Bartholomew (F BARTHOLOMEW)
"I like this book because:it’s pure fluff. If you’re in the mood for
something naughty, and outrageously funny, then check this out!
Reviews have compared this author with Janet Evanovich."

Fun home : a family tragicomic by Alison Bechdel (741.4 BEC)
"I like this book because it’s a biography in graphic novel format-a really good combination of story and image that Bechdel uses like a master. She puts her family, and her feelings about them, under great scrutiny, and examines her emotions with clarity and objectivity. Pay close attention to the drawings-she shows, not tells, and she’s a consummate storyteller."

Meeting Jesus again for the first time : the historical Jesus & the heart of contemporary faith by Marcus Borg (232.9 BOR)
"It is beautifully written and it gives me a way to understand the Gospels and Jesus based on current Biblical scholarship; and a way to live."

Render Unto Caesar by Gillian Bradshaw (F BRADSHAW)
“Set in 16 BC Rome, Hermogenes, a very honest shipping merchant from Alexandria Egypt arrives to collect a debt owed his uncle from the Roman Consul. It doesn’t go smoothly; he is saved by a gladiatorix and beats the consul at his own game. There’s romance, but it makes sense and plenty of historical background that gives a clear view of life in ancient Rome.”

The good earth by Pearl Buck (F BUCK)
"This book features a strong female character, O-Lan. She is a married to a peasant farmer and together they move from poverty to vast wealth. However, it is due to O-Lan’s hard work and dedication they are able to succeed. Though O-Lan is not treated as well or fairly as she should, I enjoyed the author’s skillfull portrayal of these characters and the clearly communicated message that an undervalued woman has much to offer."

The son of laughter by Frederick Buechner (F BUECHNER)
"I like this book because:Buechner takes ancient stories from the Old Testament and this book is about Jacob and his “”family troubles” with his brother Esau, from whom he stole this father’s blessing. Buechner takes this old tale and makes this novel a family drama of love, conflict and deceit."

On the road with the archangel : a novel by Frederick Buechner (F BUECHNER)
"I like this book because: It is a beautifully written blend of humor, insight and artistry to show the nature of the human and the divine. It is a tale of two families brought together by NO coincidence, but by the archangel Raphael. Delightful and Challenging."

Marathon and half marathon by Marnie Caron (796.42 CAR)
"I like this book because: it’s a nice introduction to running-good chapters on nutrition & hydration; strictly for beginning runners."

The alienist by Caleb Carr (F CARR)
"This is an historical murder mystery set in 1896. A gruesome serial killer is on the loose in NYC. An unconventional team of investigators, headed by an “alienist” (aka. profiler psychologist), are on his tail with FDR as the police commissioner( yes, the same FDR who later became President). Lovers of historical fiction & detective mysteries will find this to be a page turner, albeit gory at times."

During the reign of the Queen of Persia : a novel by Joan Chase (F CHASE)
"It features three generations of strong, resilient women in northern Ohio who are all in the “power” of their tough, selfish, matriarch Lil Bradley. You’ll care about these women."

The fourth angel by Suzanne Chazin (F CHAZIN)
"I like this book because it’s a page turner. I was fascinated by the world of this rookie fire marshal. There’s mystery, suspense, and the ever important love interest.
Follow up this bookwith the 2nd, Flashover, and 3rd, Fireplay, in the Georgia Skeehan series."

My life in France by Julia Child (921 CHILD)
"I like this book because it presented insight to how Julia became interested in French cooking and what her life was like before her TV programs."

The 37th hour by Jodi Compton (F COMPTON)
"I like this book because it’s a dark thriller. Sara’s new husband, a fellow police officer, disappears. As a missing-person investigator, Sara knows how to search for him. Her journey through his past uncovers many shocking secrets. I felt involved in Sara’s quest from beginning to end.
But the secrets don’t end here…For more pieces to the puzzle, continue on with,Sympathy Between Humans."

Swimming to Antarctica : tales of a long-distance swimmer (921 COX)
by Lynne Cox
"I like this book because: It’s an amazing non-fiction book about Lynne Cox and her super-human world record smashing open water distance swimming story. She’s a fantastic modern day heroine for this generation! A great read!"

Bleak House by Charles Dickens (F DICKENS)
"I like this book just because of Dickens– can’t beat his writing!"

The mask of Ra by P.C. Doherty (F DOHERTY)
"Light read! Suspenseful historical background."

The jury master by Robert Dugoni (F DUGONI)
"I like this book because it included lots of action & was very well written. Good strong characters. Surprising twist at the end."

The name of the rose by Umberto Eco (F ECO)
"It is medieval history, and this is just a wonderful read. Full of suspense and good plots."

Sick as a parrot by Liz Evans (F EVANS)
"I like this book because it’s a hoot! Grace Smith, Private Investigator, reminds me of a British mix of Kinsey Millhone and Stephanie Plum."

The loop by Nicholas Evans (F EVANS)
"A haunting exploration of man’s conflict with nature. Suspenseful story!"

Eye of the needle by Ken Follett (F FOLLETT)
Just before D-day, a German agent planted years before the war discovers plans that could stop the Allies if he can just get the information back to Germany. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. A classic WWII suspense and adventure thriller.

The Zen of seeing : seeing/drawing as meditation by Frederick Franck (741 FRA)
"1. It stands alone as “a good read”.
2. On another level, it can assist us in seeing the world around us as we may never have seen it before-we slow our minds and live in the moment.
3. On yet another level, if you are interested in sketching, this is the book for you."

A million little pieces by James Frey (921 FREY)
"Despite the controversary, I found this book to be compelling. The style of writing was unique and perfectly suited to the story. A moving look into the world of addiction."

The unexpected Mrs. Polifax by Dorothy Gilman (F GILMAN)
"Mrs. Virgil (Emily) Pollifax of New Brunswick, New Jersey, is a widow with grown, married children. She was tired of attending her Garden Club meetings. She wanted to do something for good for her country. So naturally she became a CIA agent.
She takes a “job” in Mexico City. The assignment doesn’t sound dangerous at first, but then, as so often happens, something goes wrong. Now Mrs. Pollifax finds herself embroiled in quite a hot Cold War—and her country’s enemies find themselves entangled with one unbelievably feisty lady."

Electricity : a novel by Victoria Glendinning (F GLENDINNING)
"This book is historical fiction that captures the lives of the young “ardent” engineer and his wife who go to a country estate to wire it-it shows how not only the house, but the young wife Charlotte are ‘enlightened”."

Into the heart : one man's pursuit of love and knowledge among the Yanomama by Kenneth Good (987 GOO)
"An account of an American anthropologist’s journey into the Amazon’s where he lived for 12 years and married a woman from the Yanomama Tribe. Excellent storytelling. Reads like fiction."

Snow falling on cedars by David Guterson (F GUTERSON)
"I like this book because: During the course of a murder trial, the local reporter comes to terms with the loss of his first love, a Japanese-American woman whose husband is accused of killing a fisherman. Moving and beautifully written."

The curious incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon (F HADDON)
“I like this book because it is a fascinating story-mystery-a quick read, and interesting insight into Autism.”

Gentlemen and players by Joanne Harris (F HARRIS)
“From the author of Chocolat, we get the character of Snyde the offspring of the Porter of St. Oswald’s Boarding School who longs to be part of that world. Beloved eccentric Classics professor Straitley, firm fair and the kind that never forgets his boys may be able to save St. Oswald when Snyde returns to seek revenge as a young faculty member. This book has a great twist in the end that had me slapping my forehead.”

Bindweed : a gardening mystery by Janis Harrison (F HARRISON)
“It was light reading. A well done mystery. Well developed characters.”

Haunted ground by Erin Hart (F HART)
“A grisly discovery is made deep in an Irish peat bog — the perfectly preserved severed head of a red-haired young woman. Has she been buried for decades, centuries, or longer? Who is she and why was she killed? American pathologist Nora Gavin and archaeologist Cormac Maguire are called in to investigate, only to find that the girl's violent death may have shocking ties to the present — including the disappearance of a local landowner's wife and son.
If you like your mysteries complex and deep, this is one for you. Modern Irish society is juxtaposed with bog bodies and its archeological past, the characters are well depicted, and the action does not fail.”

Child of war, woman of peace by Le Ly Hayslip (921 HAYSLIP)
“Le Ly Hayslip's extraordinary memoir of growing up in a war-ravaged Vietnam, "When Heaven and Earth Changed Places", garnered high praise. Now, Ms. Hayslip continues her remarkable autobiography, arriving in the United States as a young bride wise in the ways of war yet charmingly naive about the habits of "giant, round-eyed Americans." Told in exquisite detail, "Child of War, Woman of Peace" is, in many ways, a timeless immigrant's tale. Ms. Hayslip recounts with humor and goodwill her apprenticeship as U.S. housewife in a land where kitchen sinks "swallow food," and neighborhood church ladies strive to save her "heathen Buddhist soul." Her uncanny ability to attract colorful characters - from con artists to despondent suitors - only muddles her search for the true peace she hoped America would grant her. Yet beneath Le Ly's amusing view of America, her emotions are torn between the promise of her adopted country and the land - full of pain, but also the pleasures of an ancient and beguiling way of life - she left behind.
I was especially fascinated as I watched her grow into thoughtful understanding of people in both the East and West. Wealth in the U.S. does not necessarily bring happiness and people’s need for family connections are the same. She also made me aware again that war causes more harm than good.”

Off the road : a modern-day walk down the Pilgrim's Route into Spain
by Jack Hitt (914.6 HIT)
“I like this book because it described a modern day pilgim on an age old route which ties together this history and the good & struggle & spirit of the walk.”

Prior bad acts by Tami Hoag (F HOAG)
“I like this book because: it was filled with lots of surprises. Lost of action: gruesome at times. The ending was a total surprise for me.”

Pay it forward : a novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde (F HYDE)
“I like this book because: it demonstrates the power of good. It starts with twelve year old Trevor’s Social Studies’ assignment: 'Come up with a plan to change the world for the better, and do it.' This is a heartfelt book filled with hope and sadness, but it left me feeling optimistic.”

Burning Marguerite by Elizabeth Inness-Brown (F INNESS-BROWN)
“I like this book because: it’s a wonderful story written by a local Author and it’s easy to imagine this story taking place in the Champlain Islands (Vermont). This is a novel of love and death and is very moving.”

Benjamin Franklin : an American life by Walter Isaacson (921 FRANKLIN)
“There are many biographies of Benjamin Franklin, but Benjamin Franklin, An American Life by Walter Isaacson is among the best. Franklin is one of a kind. He was a successful businessman, retiring at the age of 40, a great writer, a scientist, a diplomat, a publisher, a printer and a public servant. He started one of the first fire departments, created libraries, a university, among others.
His autobiography is amazingly interesting and informative and describes how he improved himself but assigning one key fault to be addressed each week, which continued for 13 weeks and then started over again.
He served for many years in Great Britain trying to get Parliament to change its ways, but without much success. During the Revolution, he served for many years in France and was adored by everyone, and helped convince France to help the colonies with money and military help. Fighting against the leading power in the world, the colonies had their work cut out for them and would not have won without the help of France.”

Dead simple by Peter James (F JAMES)
“I like this book because: it’s an edge of your seat thriller!
Soon to be wed Micheal is buried in a coffin as a bachelor party prank. Then his friends, the only ones that know his location, are killed in a car accident. This novel is filled with twists and turns and it seems that everyone is lying as secrets are revealed.”

The perfect storm : a true story of men against the sea
by Sebastian Junger (974.4 JUN)
“This gripping tale of the “Storm of the Century” kept me on the edge of my seat, and grateful to be on land!”

House by Tracy Kidder (690 KID)
“Kidder illuminates the up and downs in and outs of the construction of a new dream house of Judith and Jonathan Souweine built from an original design. Craftsmanship and class relations, social history and private histories. The American dream….sort of.”

Amazing grace : the lives of children and the conscience of a nation
by Jonathan Kozol (362.7 KOZ)
“This book is about Cliffie and David and Rev. Martha and the neighborhood where the poorest people in America live- the South Bronx. It isn’t all grim but it does make one thoughtful. Kozol knows this neighborhood and has just published a sequel Ordinary Resurrections. He has not been able to leave the S.Bronx.”

Life is not a stress rehearsal : bringing yesterday's sane wisdom into today's insane world by Loretta LaRoche (155.9 LAR)
“I like this book because: it’s an easy uplifting read.
Loretta LaRoche gives good advice and makes you laugh while doing it!”

The devil in the white city : murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed America by Erik Larson (364.15 LAR)
“In alternation chapters you read of the inception and building of the Chicago Exhibition 1893 and the simultaneous murders of young women and children by a very nearby serial killer. NON FICTION but every bit as chilling as a murder mystery.”

Through a glass, darkly by Donna Leon (F LEON)
“Commissario Brunetti and his assistant Vianello are playing hooky from the Questura in order to help Vianello's friend Marco Ribetti, who has been arrested during an environmental protest. Able to secure his release, they're then confronted by the man's father-in-law, a glass factory owner who has been heard making violent threats against Ribetti. His reputation for being a bully is widely known. Could he be capable of murder? Brunetti decides to find out after the old man's night watchman is found dead inside the factory.
Leon’s is one of my favorite mystery series set in Italy. Commissario Guido Brunetti solves crimes usually involving environmental harm in his own particular way. The word of the law is not necessarily followed, but he always manages to follow its spirit. This is especially needed since instructions from higher up in the Venice police department tend to hinder rather than promote the pursuit of justice. Brunetti’s family background is also amusing and often helpful.
His wife, a bookish college professor with family connections in upper Venetian society is considered to have married below her but we soon find out what she sees in Guido. His teenaged children both scare and fascinate him as they seem to know so much more than he did at their age. He often worries about them, but they too can come to his aid.
By all means, if you like a good mystery, don’t miss this series. This story stands up on its own, but don’t hesitate to start with Leon’s earlier books.”

This pen for hire by Laura Levine (F LEVINE)
“I like this book because: it’s light and fluffy. The books is fantastical and funny.
If you enjoy this book check out another in the series called:Shoes to Die For.”

Small island by Andrea Levy (F LEVY)
“When a friend told me that this was the best novel she’d read all year, I was intrigued because we tend to have the same tastes. How RIGHT SHE WAS! Hortense and Gilbert, Jamaican newlyweds, really don’t know each other before they arrive in London in 1948. They are befriended by an open-hearted wife of a missing WWII soldier. A Small Island is about love, bigotry, dignity and learning to trust just a bit. I couldn’t put it down.”

My latest grievance by Elinor Lipman (F LIPMAN)
“Fredrica Hatch, daughter of two professors in a small women’s college has been raised in a dormitory because her parents are houseparents. Into her cozy world comes Laura Lee French her father’s first wife who is a feckless, flamboyant flirt-A catalyst for chaos. Funny and touching.”

Moon tiger by Penelope Lively (F LIVELY)
“The main character in this book, Claudia, is one of the most unique and compelling and characters I have ever met on page. Readers are not supposed to like this character and I didn’t. Though I was not fond of her as a person I was completely drawn into her story. In the end, I had sympathy for the character. I think it takes great talent for an author to create such a difficult character and yet make the book such an engaging read.”

The highest tide : a novel by Jim Lynch (F LYNCH)
“The voice of the main character, 13 year old Miles, is fresh and earnest. It’s a great coming of age story with environmental undertones and a wonderful setting.”

Down by the riverside by Jackie Lynn (F LYNN)
“I like this book because: It is a well-written a love story and a mystery set in a campground along the Mississippi River, where divorced and hurting Rose Franklin finds herself when her car “dies”. She witnesses a recovery of a body of a well-loved citizen who didn’t commit suicide. A fresh new mystery talent who weaves in some strains of spirituality and redemption. A treat!”

Mrs. Paine's garage : and the murder of John F. Kennedy
by Thomas Mallon (364.1 MAL)
“It read like a human/true crime book. Mrs. Paine is a kind-hearted Quaker lady who takes in Lee Harvey Oswald’s Russian wife and children. The rest is history….Appeared first in the New Yorker.”

1491 : new revelations of the Americas before Columbus
by Charles C. Mann (970.01 MAN)
“In the last 20 years, archaeologists and anthropologists equipped with new scientific techniques have made far-reaching discoveries about the Americas. For example, Indians did not cross the Bering Strait 12,000 years ago, as most of us learned in school. They were already here. Their numbers were vast, not few. And instead of living lightly on the land, they managed it beautifully and left behind an enormous ecological legacy.
I was absolutely fascinated by the idea that the “New World” was as old as the rest of the globe with civilizations that had come and gone just like those in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome etc. The revelation that diseases brought to the Americas from Europe had a much greater impact than I had realized or learned in school, and decimated a much larger population surprised me. Also, I was much struck by the idea that the Amazonian forest had been a huge orchard managed by precious civilizations. The author presented what I would have thought were rather wild ideas with plenty of documentation and was quite convincing, but did not claim to have the last word. Archeologists in the “New World” still have a lot to discover.”

Getting over it by Anna Maxted“It made me laugh out loud!” (F MAXTED)

The rosewood casket by Sharyn McCrumb (F MCCRUMB)
“I love the stories that she weaves, somehow connecting the past with the present. McCrumb novels are like old ballads. Her stories are set in the Appalachian Mountains. This is one of my favorites, any are a treat to read.”

Grant : a biography by William S. McFeely (921 GRANT)
“I am a bug for biography, but Grant is my favorite subject. This book by McFeely is reputed to be the best one, but there are others that are close behind. Prior to the Civil War, Grant had not distinguished himself. At West Point, he was in the middle of his class. However, he was a superb horseman, the best at the Academy. He wanted to be assigned to the cavalry, but because of his academic record, got the infantry instead.
Shortly thereafter, he served in the Mexican War and was heroic and brave. After marrying Julia Dent, the sister of one of his army buddies, he was assigned to the West Coast, but had to leave his family behind, since Julia was pregnant when he left. He was intensely bored and lonely and may have been drunk once too often. He resigned from the army at the age of 32, with the rank of Captain. But he couldn't find a job that paid much. He tried farming, real estate and working in his father's store, always dead broke. A total failure in every way. When the war started, he wanted to serve, but was ignored by nearly everyone, but finally got a job as colonel and immediately started his winning ways. When Lincoln fired one general after another in the East, he picked Grant to take over in 1864. When he beat Lee in 1865, he served with the army until he ran for president after Andrew Johnson.
For two terms he was again a total failure, hiring all his old army buddies and relatives, most of whom stole the government blind. After serving as president, he again was a total failure, teaming up with his son in the investment business, but failed when one of his partners headed for Brazil. Broker again and suffering from throat cancer because of heavy cigar smoking. Mark Twain convinced him to write his memoirs, which was a real problem, since he could not eat or swallow or even sleep in a bed.
But he struggled on despite the problems and finished the book a week or so before his death. His wife got $250,000 from the sale of the book. In those days, $250,000 was a lot of money.”

Looking for a ship by John A. McPhee (910.4 MCP)
“I like this book because it is about adventure on the high seas in modern times, complete with pirates, perils and peopled by very interesting characters. Great writing as ever.”

I am the Central Park jogger : a story of hope and possibility
by Trisha Meili (362.883 MEILI)
“I like this book because: it makes me appreciate and celebrate life. This is a story of hope and inspiration.”

Red house : being a mostly accurate account of New England's oldest continuously lived-in house by Sarah Messer (974.4 MES)
“Ever since I was a tiny kid, I’ve loved old New England houses and fantasized about the people who grew u pin my 1850’s farmhouse in Hinesburg. Since 1647 in Marshfield, MA the Red House was home to 8 generations of the Hatch family; Richard finally sold it to Messer’s parents in 1965 and started giving back old photos and realia from all the Hatches. We know this house!”

The jury by Fern Michaels (F MICHEALS)
“Even though I hadn’t read the first three in the sisterhood series it didn’t detract from this book. Very strong characters and even though I agreed with their principles I felt they were extreme in exacting their revenge. Enjoyable and quick read.”

In the steps of the master by H.V. Morton (915.694 MO)
“There have been no travel authors who can put together the history and present landscape better than Morton. For example he shows you how the catacombs near Rome may well have been a playground for young saint-to-be Ambrose and his pals.”

Ahab's wife, or, The star-gazer : a novel by Sena Jeter Naslund (F NASLUND)
“I like this book because: This story is based on the young wife of Captain Ahab, briefly mentioned in Moby Dick. Through the eyes of a woman and outsider, Una Spenser, we view early 19th century America. She flees her religion-obsessed Father to live with relatives in a lighthouse, disguises herself as a boy at 16 to work aboard a whaler, survives a shipwreck, and eventually marries Captain Ahab, before he encounters Moby Dick. Through the heroine we find New England life at that time to be much richer and broader than the world of men, ships, and whales.”

Just before sunrise by Carla Neggers (F NEGGERS)
“I like this book because: It was just for fun. Light romantic mystery, perfect for a Summer (if we have one) vacation read. She also happens to be a Vermont author!”

Tales of a shaman's apprentice : an ethnobotanist searches for new medicines in the Amazon rain forest by Mark J. Plotkin (581.6 PLO)
“The scientist begins to realize how little western man knows about Amazonian medicine-Reads like fiction, a real adventure.”

A vision of light by Judith Merkle Riley (F RILEY)
“I love to read historical fiction and I love novels with strong female characters. This book has both. Margaret of Ashbury is a woman with a mind of her own in a time that women were considered nothing more than property.”

Stiff : the curious lives of human cadavers by Mary Roach (611 ROA)
“I like this book because it gave me a look into the afterlife of the human body and the ways that the dead have served the living – a completely new and fascinating subject for me. The book was sometimes a bit gross, often humorous and always engaging and entertaining. I learned more than I ever knew existed about the “lives” of corpses.”

Gilead by Marilynne Robinson (F ROBINSON)
“The writing was so beautiful and the story so haunting that I couldn’t put it down. I haven’t read such a masterfully written book in a long time! Check it out.”

Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson (F ROBINSON)
“I like this book because: I really like this author and loved this story about a “pleasantly” disturbed family told from a young girl’s perspective, Grace shares the families secrets and history while her personal world slowly falls apart around her.”

Idiot letters : one man's relentless assault on corporate America
by Paul Rosa (816 ROS)
“I like this book because: it’s something I’ve thought would be fun to do.
Who wouldn’t laugh at a man that writes Maytag customer service inquiring why they don’t fire the “useless” repairman in their television commercials? These letters are hysterical!”

Sorrow without end by Priscilla J. Royal (F ROYAL)
“The story: As the autumn storms of 1271 ravage the East Anglian coast, Crowner Ralf finds the corpse of a brutally murdered soldier in the woods near Tyndal Priory. The dagger in the man's chest is engraved with a strange, cursive design, and the body is wrapped in a crusader's cloak. Was this the act of a member of the Assassin sect or was the weapon meant to mislead him in finding the killer.
What I especially appreciated about this tale, aside from being a good mystery, was how well the author depicted Medieval times and the way people thought. Beliefs we have largely dropped today, of witches, devils, incubus, demons inhabiting people, ghosts etc.
are depicted, but so are the thoughts of the people who doubted but still kept an open mind.
While this was a thoughtful mystery, there was plenty of action and the mystery’s ultimate resolution, after several twists, was satisfying. The status of women was also true to the time, yet more progressive than many people may be ware of today.”

The shadow of the wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (F RUIZZAFON)
“A very interesting read. I could not put it down! Real characters.”

Seasons of change by Julian Jay Savarin (F SAVARIN)
“Hauptkommissar Jens Muller, a wealthy, titled young man who drives a customized Porsche and wears his hair in a ponytail, and his deputy, the chubby, chain-smoking and defiantly working-class Sergeant Pappenheim (Pappi to his friends), remain hard at work keeping the New Germany safe for democracy. A threat from the secret fascist group known as Semper shifts the action from Europe to Australia, allowing Muller and his ace female colleague, American CIA agent Carey Bloomfield, to see action in some interesting new territory. Back in Berlin, Pappi and electronics expert Hedi Meyer do most of the heavy brainwork.”
I really enjoyed this book which seemed a cross of “NCIS” and James Bond to me. Fast action, very good characters including one which reminded me of Abby on NCIS and lots of electronic gadgets used to go after the evil Semper group. But the character had depth, and were likeable. I found myself wanting to know more about them. It seems this is part of a series and I plan to read the earlier book(s). “

The lovely bones : a novel by Alice Sebold (F SEBOLD)
“You’ll love the characters and their coming of age.”

Snow flower and the secret fan : a novel by Lisa See (F SEE)
“Fascinating account of girls in China during feet binding times, relationships, the culture of China at that time.”

Life for me ain't been no crystal stair by Susan Sheehan (362.7 SHE)
“I read this amazing description of life for Crystal Taylor who in 1984 gives birth to a son when she is only 14, her mother is a heroin addict so she and her boyfriend become wards of the state. Their “care” is slipshod at best. Very well-written.”

Our hearts were young and gay by Cornelia Otis Skinner
“Skinner and Kimbrough traveled and wrote about their travels in the early twenties and when they were also twenty year olds. It is fun to see Europe through their young eyes, escapades and shipwrecks. A delight!”

A tree grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (F SMITH)
“This book is real and very moving.”

Longitude : the true story of a lone genius who solved the greatest scientific problem of his time by Dava Sobel (526 SOB)
“The true story of the lone genius who solved the greatest scientific problem of his time. Without John Harrison’s invention of a device for measuring longitude, sailors would have been lost at sea for centuries longer. The quest for a solution lasted two centuries.”

The Limehouse text by Will Thomas (F THOMAS)
“Agent Cyrus Barker, along with assistant Thomas Llewelyn, head to London's Chinatown district, Limehouse, where they retrieve a Chinese book. Ho, a restaurateur, inspects the book, and informs them that it is a rare and secret martial arts book containing lethal techniques forbidden in the West. The book's exposure could cause even more trouble between the United Kingdom and China. Barker and Llewelyn must find out how it got to England.
The characters of Barker and Llewelyn, as well as that of the minor characters, are extremely well drawn in this Victorian mystery series. Excentricity abounds but are basic to the plot and the author, a librarian has thoroughly researched the time. I would actually recommend starting ith the first book in the series, “Some Danger involved”, which tells how the two came together, first.”

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (F TOLSTOY)
“This book is two stories: 1) the doomed love affair of Anna and Vronsky 2) the quiet love of Kitty and Levin. These stories contrast each other and the book would not be nearly as rich without the opposing story lines. These characters are all deeply developed and as a reader I felt their pains, happiness, sorrow, and delight. This novel has a wonderfully developed sense of time and place.”

Evidence of things unseen : a novel by Marianne Wiggins (F WIGGINS)
“It is the characters that make this book so unique. As I journeyed through the book with Fos and Opal they become so real I felt as if I could reach-out and touch them.
This is a beautiful story of the love and commitment of two people. You meet Fos and Opal independently and travel with them together during the years between World War I and World War II. The ending of this book is quite spectacular.”

A week in winter by Marcia Willett (F WILLETT)
“An absorbing story- romance, family secrets, personal problems.”

The beauty myth : how images of beauty are used against women
by Naomi Wolf (305.42 WOL)
“I like this book because: Ties modern as well as historical pressures on women’s appearance to socioeconomic status and feminist politics (place of women in society). Also a nice chapter on cosmetic surgery, eating disorders, and introduces a nice perspective on 1990’s/2000’s view of feminist view or absence thereof.”

A conscious stillness : two naturalists on Thoreau's rivers (974.4 ZWI)
by Ann Zwinger
“I like good nature writing: Zwinger and Teale are just about as good as it gets. The contrast between what Thoreau described in his commentary in the 19th century and what the modern two noticed was fascinating. I’d rather like to get my canoe out on the Assabet and Concord rivers with this book in my backpack.”