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.
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.
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.
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!
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