You Were There Too
by Colleen Oakley
Bad Timing (8/25/2019)
Unfortunately this book arrived right after the loss of my husband of 53 years and so I'm not sure I was in a positive frame of mind for it. Nevertheless, I found the characters and narrative well developed and the story line unfolded with good pace although the dynamic of the shared dreams became a bit belabored for me. I also had difficulty buying into the premise. The narrative does flow easily and so I hung in there hoping for something that might make it believable but that never happened. A diverting read but not one I'd recommend as a "must read".
The Story of Arthur Truluv: A Novel
by Elizabeth Berg
To Be Shared (6/9/2017)
Occasionally a book comes along that cries out to be shared with a friend. I won't talk about the plot as I want it to unfold for the reader as it did with me -- gently. I will say it's a story that will engage you, a story that is filled with truths and packed with wisdom -- and, a story that in time I will re-read for I have much to still learn from it.
The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper
by Phaedra Patrick
Not Harold Fry (3/18/2016)
Having read "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" I anticipated a similar experience with this story. Sadly, for me it was not. Both stories describe an interior journey as well as a physical one. And each character experiences a transformation as a result of his journey. Both stories begin slowly but where the former seemed to draw me in, Arthur's story felt belabored and I very much wanted the author to "get on with it". Nevertheless, I feel the message in the story makes this novel a worthy read and I would definitely recommend it for book clubs.
The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes
by Anna McPartlin
Pleasant Surprise (7/15/2015)
I am at that age where death has a frequent presence in my life so I was apprehensive, yet curious, about how the author would handle the subject. To my pleasant surprise, Rabbit Hayes is a well told story - not about dying, but about living until you die. More, it is a story about family and friends who take that journey with Rabbit. Death and dying are part of our lives and this author sensitively translates the process, leading me to feel privileged to have shared it with the characters. Highly recommend. Lots of food for book club discussion.
Glitter and Glue: A Memoir
by Kelly Corrigan
Wanted More Depth (11/26/2013)
Fans of Kelly Corrigan will enjoy this touching memoir of her first foray from her childhood home wherein she travels to Australia to live adventurously and experience interesting things, free of the constraints of her strained relationship with her mother. However, soon her funds dwindle and Kelly, needing a job, takes a position as a nanny to a newly widowed father's young children. It is through parenting these two maternal orphans that Kelly begins to gain insight into her stoic and emotionally distant mother. An easy quick read and good material for a book club. However, I only gave it four stars as it did not plumb deep enough for me.
A Man of His Own
by Susan Wilson
Disappointed (9/5/2013)
I was really looking forward to this book and so was disappointed to find that I had to push my way through it. I think part of my reaction was my expectation that it would be more from the dog's perspective. This is no "Merle's Door" – a book I dearly loved. Nor is it "The Art of Racing in the Rain". It has an interesting plot although I felt as though the story was being described to me and subsequently I moved through it along the surface, never feeling engaged by or caring about the characters. I'm sure this book will have many fans. Had I not had the aforementioned books with which to compare it, I might have been one as well.
Flat Water Tuesday
by Ron Irwin
Breathless & Exhausted (4/28/2013)
I'm breathless and exhausted. I chose this book because I wanted to learn about the sport of rowing – and I did. But that's not sufficiently true because for 3 days and 300 pages I lived and breathed (panted?) it. However, although rowing provides the bones of the narrative, it is the storylines of the individual members of the crew of one boat that provide the flesh and propels the reader from an attention grabbing first chapter forward to a conclusion, which at first felt unsatisfying but then perfectly right. This is a book I will be recommending to fellow readers. I also think it would make a good choice for a book club.
The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War
by Daniel Stashower
Disappointing (12/31/2012)
The Hour of Peril tells about Alan Pinkerton, his detective agency and the discovered plot to assassinate Lincoln in Baltimore on his way to his inauguration. It is history told in story form so reads like a novel and not like a history book.
However, I found it disappointing. It's being promoted as a race against the clock thriller and although eminently readable I found it neither gripping nor riveting which is what I was expecting, but rather slow going and had to push my way through it. Interestingly, I found those sections about Lincoln the most fascinating; less so the parts about Alan Pinkerton and the plot.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel
by Rachel Joyce
Patience Well Rewarded (7/10/2012)
The narrative of this story, like Harold Fry’s journey, starts out ploddingly slow and I was tempted to push it aside. Gradually, however, I was drawn in, knowing Harold’s quest to be impossible yet wanting to believe otherwise. For me, the richness in this tale was in the journey itself, not the destination although once reached, I found the conclusion sweetly satisfying and my patience well rewarded. In an interview the author was quoted as saying her book was about ordinary people dealing with extraordinary things in ordinary ways. This is no ordinary book. I shall be recommending it to my friends. Great book for reading clubs.
Cloudland: A Crime Novel
by Joseph Olshan
Enjoyable but not memorable. (3/23/2012)
As a former New Englander, I found the clean uncluttered narrative of Cloudland perfectly matching the rural setting of Vermont in which the serial murders take place. Utilizing a no-frills straightforward narration, the author leads the reader from clue to clue, suspect to suspect until at last the mystery is solved. This is an excellent book to take on a trip – it quickly engages you, easily maintains your interest and if there are distractions it’s no problem picking up where you left off. Perfect reading while waiting for delayed flights at airports. However, although enjoyable, I did not rate this book a 5 as it didn't make my "not to be missed" list.
Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
by Katherine Boo
Not easy to read, not easy to put down. (1/18/2012)
Some books carry me along, this one pulled. It was not easy to read, yet not easily put down. Poverty, corruption, racism, economic envy, brutal indifference toward human life pummel the inhabitants of Annawadi, Mumbai’s undercity, yet amazingly, in spite of the slum city’s parched soil of opportunity there exists pockets of hope and aspiration, nurturing a hope for a better life in some of its citizens. It is their indomitable spirit and stories that have humbled and continue to linger with me. I have been inspired by this book. It has given me much to think about. A good book for a book club.
The Night Circus: A Novel
by Erin Morgenstern
Too much icing; not enough cake. (7/17/2011)
Too much icing; not enough cake
I was looking forward to this book so perhaps my expectations were too high. No question about it, the story is unusual and the author has done a magnificent job of building an atmosphere full of nuance, allusions and magic yet although the imagery is exquisitely poetic, for me the plot upon which it hangs wasn’t muscular enough to support it. The characters never engaged me and the story line, although intriguingly packaged, was ultimately disappointing. This might be of interest for a book club because the story is unusual but beyond that I see little fodder for discussion.
The Art of Saying Goodbye: A Novel
by Ellyn Bache
Disappointed (3/27/2011)
It's a good story but lightly told and given the title and subject I expected more. The cover of the book shows three women and had the author limited her story to three, one of whom was dying, there would have been more opportunity for depth. Instead I felt like I was skimming along a one dimensional surface, bouncing back and forth between the lives of the five women, covering a lot of territory yet never plunging much deeper than a few layers. Had I not held such high expectations perhaps I would not have been disappointed, but I was.
Little Princes: One Man's Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal
by Conor Grennan
Worthy Successor (12/8/2010)
Ever since I trekked in Nepal I've longed to return and Little Princes took me there. The author's description of Kathmandu, Nepal and its people, so beautifully rendered, brought back a flood of memories, but even more, this story of child trafficking and the author's commitment to reunite lost children with their parents reached down deep, grabbed my heart and has yet to let go. If you've read Three Cups of Tea (and who hasn't) you'll find this memoir more than a worthy successor. I will be recommending this book to all my friends.
The Wave: In Pursuit of the Rogues, Freaks and Giants of the Ocean
by Susan Casey
What a Ride! (8/12/2010)
Well, I’m back – a bit soggy but unbowed. I’ve traveled on the boat Discovery to Waveland in the North Sea with a group of scientists, who are studying how the ocean’s basic characteristics are shifting; surfed in Hawaii with a tribe of tow surfers who are chasing the elusive 100 foot wave; entered with great trepidation the T-shaped Lituya Bay in Alaska where I met a 1740 foot wall of water and lastly swung down to Capetown, South Africa where I learned about the Agulhas Current, so treacherous that it keeps four boat salvage companies in business full time.
If you are at all interested in rogue, freak, giant waves, the scientists who study them and the adrenaline junkies who crave to conquer them – grab your wetsuit for this is one heck of a ride!
An Eagle Named Freedom: My True Story of a Remarkable Friendship
by Jeff Guidry
Not Wesley but inspirational (4/29/2010)
Fans of Wesley The Owl may be a bit disappointed in this book as I was - at first. In Wesley I got an inside look into his mind and emotions, felt a connection with his quirky personality and character and so was looking for a similar experience with Freedom. However, unlike Wesley who became more than an owl to me, I never forgot Freedom was an eagle. That said, this is a very warm and engaging story. The story lies in the relationship the author has with Freedom, the spiritual connection he feels toward Freedom and the support it provides him as he discovers he has cancer, goes through an exhausting and debilitating treatment program and is eventually cured. Although this book was not what I expected, it was definitely an inspirational and rewarding read.
The Journal Keeper: A Memoir
by Phyllis Theroux
Uneven (1/20/2010)
Captures six years of the author's life. A sketchbook of events, impressions, favorite quotes, observations…. I found my attention wandering in parts but deeply engaged in others. It was a bit uneven for me. Interesting, thought provoking at times, but not as good as some other memoirs I've read.
The Elephant Keeper
by Christopher Nicholson
Disappointed (6/9/2009)
I am truly puzzled. I had really looked forward to this book having read two others of similar bent and thoroughly enjoyed them. However, this story never engaged me emotionally and that is what I was looking for. I don't know why, it just didn't. I'll be interested to see if other reviewers' had similar reactions or if it's just me.
Cutting For Stone
by Abraham Verghese
Must Read (2/4/2009)
Rarely does a book come along that engages me on so many levels – gorgeous writing, interesting and sympathetic characters, fascinating setting, gripping narrative. Cutting for Stone is a story of love’s many varied forms – brotherly, spousal, unrequited, sexual, parental, love of country. From its first pages I felt myself in the hands of a master storyteller and so deliberately slowed my reading to better gain every ounce of pleasure it offered. Verghese is a new author for me. I am adding him to my ‘must read’ list!
Broken Colors
by Michele Zackheim
Resonated (2/23/2008)
This book really resonated with me. I've taken some art classes and although I'm no artist I could readily identify with Sophie's obsession with her painting and the difficulty she experienced in trying to reconcile her work with her personal life. Sophie's life was not easy and although filled with broken colors, it was a rewarding one. This would be a good book for a book club. Sophie's decisions would provide rich material for discussion. A well crafted and well written story. I give it 5 stars.
 (1).gif)
