I can't believe this book was over 300 pages! I read it so quickly - it was probably the most compelling book I have read. Naomi Ragen kept the story alive by switching time periods from the present to the past. Since I am not Jewish, I had some difficulty with some of the language but it did not interfere with the tale. I am definitely going to look for another of Ragen's books.

I usually don't like Fantasies or Mysteries - and this book was a little of both. However, I do like books and libraries and that's what I liked about The Rabbit Back Literature Society. In some ways it was very whimsical and at other times it was very tender. The mystery portion carried me along so that I could not put it down. Although some happenings were never explained you have to believe that the Society was very effective. Give it a try!

I was really thrown off by the title, "Her" since there had recently been a movie by that name. But I quickly discovered that this was a very different and unique tale. The style was a bit confusing - each chapter has the voice of one of the two main characters, Nina and Emma. They have a chance meeting but very quickly Nina recalls that they had known each other before. Fortunately, she does not disclose their history, which makes the rest of the book very suspenseful.
Besides the narrative, there is a subtle discussion of the role of mothers and their place in society. Are stay-at-home mothers really content?. Do we reward them for putting their careers on hold? Does Nina seem more fulfilled because her nurturing days are coming to an end?

I found this book very familiar and also very disturbing. I grew up with an alcoholic father, a domineering husband and a history of mental illness. I kept hoping that Marta would find the help that she needed!
I think Mental Illness is very difficult to deal with. Both the patient and the family can find it hard to discern between reality and delusion. This novel definitely gave credence to both sides. There were times when Marta saw reality as a delusion and other episodes were merely reminiscences.
There are so many stories in today's news about real people who are experiencing lives similar to Marta. How can we expect their families to solve and heal the realities that their loved ones are bearing? I thank Hilary Mantel for starting the dialogue.

The description of With or Without You compared the book to another memoir, Glass Castle. I was hesitant to read Domenica Ruta's memoir because I had found Glass Castle to be very negative and dark. However, Miss Ruta was able to bring humor and compassion to her recollections.

Having grown up in an alcoholic home, I understand how it is easy to be judgmental and bitter about childhood situations. Miss Ruta showed maturity and wisdom when describing her very different mother. It seemed to me that she was able to look back with Pollyana eyes and appreciate her mother for what she was. How often do our expectations cause us to miss the value of the person close to us?

I choose this book because I have two grown daughters and I do love to travel. However, I never expected it to have such wisdom. Claire and Mia learn so much about themselves and each other that it was very inspiring.