I really enjoyed this book. It covers the search that Pival Sengupta from Kolkata (Calcutta), India, makes in the United States to find out what happened to her son. She is a widow, but her husband disowned the boy when he came out while in California. Then they received word that he had died.
Pival travels from Kokata to New York City and then across the country to California. She has made arrangements to have a personal guide and a personal companion on this trip. Her guide, Satya, is a Bangladeshi who has not been in the U.S. for long. This is his first trip as a guide. The companion, Rebecca, is a life-long New Yorker, desperately needs a change of lifestyle. The three make an unusual trio as they explore several cities and locales. They are likeable and the book makes interesting points about the way the U.S. looks to those seeing it for the first time.

I enjoyed this book very much. It has a plot that keeps the reader on their toes. The main character is engaging and the other characters are interesting. The writer, Theodocia Benton, and her brother Gus are native to Australia which gives them a slightly different perspective on American culture. The story takes place in the college town of Lawrence, Kansas, which due to the college atmosphere allows the coffee shops and bookstores to seem realistic even in the middle of the Midwest. There is an unusual subplot involving an online chatroom and also a family that is into survival of Armageddon planning. For me those elements were a bit of a stretch, but not so much as to spoil the book. I would recommend it to readers who enjoy a good mystery.

Albania is not a country that we hear about frequently. It's a small country across the Adriatic Sea from Italy and Greece. It is closely related to the Balkan countries and was generally under Soviet influence after WWII. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Albania tried its own version of Socialism.
Lea Ypi grew up in Albania. In this fascinating account, she describes the portion of history that covers her lifetime as well as background information that explained her family's role in civic affairs.
She takes a philosophical approach to her memoir by using it to define freedom.
I found the book to be delightfully readable while broaching complicated political, economical, and philosophical theories. I would recommend it to book groups and readers who want to understand a different culture.

I wish I could say that I loved this book because the subject matter is something we should be aware of, but I didn't love it. Maaza Mengiste's writing is full of detail and poetic descriptions, however the descriptions were often so violent and horrific that it was hard to keep reading. I had almost no awareness of the Ethiopian vs Italian part of WWII and I'm glad I read the book since it gave me new information. I wish that she had been a bit more straightforward with the plot - jumping from character to character with little connection made for complicated reading. I hope when the final version comes out that they opt to use quotation marks to delineate speakers as that would help clear up some of the complexity. It could be a good book group discussion book, if the group can tackle long and difficult subjects.

Dawn Davies has put together an outstanding selection of vignettes from her life - the memoir in pieces, called "Mothers of Sparta." Only one of the pieces refers to the ancient Greek city-state of Sparta, but Davies compares and contrasts some of its methodology for raising warriors to her own very personal struggles raising an autistic son. Her writing feels honest and straightforward with well-turned phrases and true emotion. I truly enjoyed reading this book and would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys memoirs of the not-rich and not-famous. I would be a great discussion selection for a reading group.

This is a remarkable book for several reasons. First, Mac McClelland is an excellent writer and pulls the reader right into her story. Second, McClelland very bravely shares her own worst moments as well as some of her best times. Third, she delves deeply into the causes, symptoms, and effects of Post- Traumatic Stress Syndrome in a way that is both highly readable and easily understood by a non-psychologist lay person.

Mac McClelland is a journalist who lived in New Orleans and wrote about the Hurricane Katrina aftermath. She also wrote about the Gulf oil spill that happened soon after that. Then, she went to Haiti to research and right about the effects of the devastating hurricane that struck that very poor country. In Haiti, she saw many horrific sights, and was suddenly sent spinning into a downward spiral of PTSD without really understanding the condition and with little recourse but to try to learn more about it.

This was not an easy book to read although the writing is excellent. In fact, it may be that very excellence that had me setting the book down and walking away more than once. I didn't walk away intending to abandon the reading, but because there was only so much disturbing material that I could handle in one sitting. Nonetheless, I continued to read and learn from McClelland's experiences and her research into the PSTD among military veterans and their families, as well as other trauma victims.

This book would be an excellent choice for a book group that is willing to tackle a tough subject. There are many points that are well worth discussing. It also could be a good choice for a reader who knows someone with PTSD or who is dealing with it personally. For someone who is in therapy, I would recommend discussing it with a therapist before reading the book alone, as it could bring up unresolved or upsetting issues

To paraphrase Tolstoy's opening in Anna Karenina, happy families are all alike, but every unhappy family suffers in its own way. In Mating for Life, Marisa Stapley introduce an extended family with multiple dysfunctional characteristics. Helen, the matriarch, has always been a free spirit - a woman who loved men, but didn't care to marry them. Thus, each of her three daughters had a different father - none of whom are currently in the picture at all. Now, as adults, each of the girls is struggling with their own marriages and/or relationships as well as their connections to each other and Helen. Each chapter of the book deals the issues from a different person's perspective. The chapters are also prefaced with a telling, biological description of the mating habits of birds and other wildlife.
The characters are interesting and well drawn, although their issues tend to be problems of their own making rather than tragedy brought on by outside interests.
I would recommend it to women's book groups and an enjoyable read and discussion subject.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though I usually shy away from novels that delve into the Spanish Inquisition. However, this novel deftly weaves the story of a South American adoptee who grew up completely unaware of her real background and the story of a Spanish convent in the 15th century. Menina Walker has studied art history in college and decides to go to Spain to research her thesis on a lesser known Spanish painter. Not surprisingly, she finds herself at an ancient Spanish convent that was named for the swallows that come there every year. Menina has an old medal that came with her at her adoption that also has swallows on it. While there she begins to uncover some very old paintings which add a bit of mystery to the story. The way Helen Bryan weaves the old convent story with the new art historian plot is intriguing and well done.
I would recommend the book.

Dominica (Nikki) Ruta was a child in the 1980s. Her parents didn't marry, but she knew them both well since they lived in the relatively small community of Danvers, MA. The title of the book, "With or Without You" comes from the song by the group U2 which was popular at the time and a favorite of Nikki and her mother, Kathi. Kathi was a drug addict who managed to live on the fringe - at one time amassing $1million and just as quickly losing it. Nikki's childhood was anything but normal. Nonetheless, she got into a prep school on scholarships and then into Oberlin College. Nikki also had a severe drug and alcohol problem.

This is an interesting memoir, but memoirs written by ex-addicts are somewhat suspect in that one cannot be sure that there is a reliable narrator. When Nikki describes various incidences in her childhood and during her school years, it's hard to know how much she really was able to remember since she was frequently high on one form of drug or another as well as drinking excessively.

That being said, the book is does give a fascinating glimpse into the lives of Nikki and her mother.

I loved this book. Andrea Kaufman has done a marvelous job of creating characters with major personality flaws (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and substance abuse) and turned them into people with heart and substance. Gloria, the obsessive Rhodes scholar, is studying the poetry of feminist writers Sylvia Plath and Sara Teasdale, and Henry, ex-addict and scholarly failure, share a bathroom in their graduate student housing. Kaufman lets the reader into Gloria's OCD in a way that is both instructional and humane. Henry's issues also become a source of realistic information.
I especially enjoyed the intellectual aspect of the book as Gloria writes and comments about her women poets and the collaboration she does with Henry regarding the poetry/music of Van Morrison. For me, the book worked on many levels and I was truly pleased with the results.

I would definitely recommend "Oxford Messed Up" to friends and to book groups.

Katherin Boo is an aclaimed reporter for "The New Yorker" and "The Washington Post." She took her excellent reporter's skills into an immensely poor slum area of Mumbai, India, to document how the global economy is affecting the residents of these unseen places. This particular place is called Annawadi and is located near the Mumbai International Airport, but behind walls that separate the area from the highway. On these walls were written the words "beautiful forever beautiful forever beautiful." thus the title of the book. It is hard to describe how fascinating I found the book to be. It is terribly sad, horrifying in some cases, and yet peopled with individuals who keep on trying despite tremendous odds against them. They struggle everyday just to maintain the life they have. Katherine Boo keeps herself out of the book and in many places her writing skills make it feel like a well written novel - the people and places are so well described. I would definitely recommend the book. It would be wonderful for book group discussions too.

Literally, "Wayward Saints" by singer, Suzzy Roche, is a quirky novel about a mother and daughter, Jean and Mary Saint. Each is fighting to overcome issues that darkened their lives as Mary was growing up. They are also working through current problems - Jean's abusive husband is now a victim of Alzheimer's and lives in a nursing home. Mary, once a rising alternative rock star, has crashed is trying to put her pieces back together.

However, figuratively there are a number of "saints" in the book. These include friends and acquaintances that somehow help both Jean and Mary on their paths to redemption.

It was a slow starting book, but I enjoyed it. It would make an interesting book group discussion topic.

Like Marisa DeLos Santos's 2008 novel, "Belong to Me," this is a very enjoyable novel about people that are inherently likeable. Three friends from college drifted apart and six years later are trying to get back together. I found the premise a little lacking, in that while the backstory was referred to a great deal, it was missing details that might have given the main plot more substance. That and a somewhat predictable turn of affairs made me give this book a 4 rather than a 5. It is a good story and I would recommend it, but I didn't feel it was as gripping as her first book.

Nafisa Haji's newest novel, "The Sweetness of Tears" is a wonderful book that has engaging and well developed characters, an interesting plot line, and a plethora of information on Pakistani life. Haji deals with family life and culture in Karachi as well as the differences that ensue when Pakistani families emigrate to the United States. Her characters also cope with effects of the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Because each chapter is told from the different character's point of view, the reader feels that they are inside their heads and know what makes them tick. For those who have difficulty with books that include foreign words, Haji has even included a glossery at the end.

This would be a great book club book - especially for groups who enjoyed other West Asian books such as "The Kite Runner." I thoroughly enjoyed the book and will definitely recommend it. I also want to find and read Haji's first novel, "The Writing on My Forehead."

Kristina Riggle's current book is a nice piece of women's fiction. It deals with a dysfunctional family and their efforts to cope. The way she handled addiction recovery and lapse seemed quite realistic.The characters are well-drawn, so it is easy to care about them. Each of them is suffering in ways that seem age appropriate. There are enough topics within the book to make it a good choice for a book group discussion.

First, I want to say that I enjoyed this book, for the most part. It is unusual in that it is written from two perspectives; the three adult siblings who were orphaned as children and their deceased parents who observe them from the afterlife. Unfortunately, there is no delineation between the two, thus causing confusion for a paragraph or two each time the voice switches to the afterlife. I thought the writing itself was excellent. The characters are well drawn and engaging. The afterlife perspective has a poetical quality to it that is also well done. This could be a good choice for a book group because there are several points of contention that might make for an interesting discussion.

Dr. Nick Trout, veterinary surgeon, grew up in England. At the age of 9, he finally got a puppy after years of requests. His German Shepherd, Patch, became a close companion to both Nick and his father. They were also very fond of the television series that told the stories of James Herriet, veterinarian of Yorkshire. Nick went to veterinary school and then moved to the United States to study veterinary surgery.
This book details the pets that Nick would come to own and love as he spent his working hours with other people's animals. It is also a touching memoir of his relationship with his parents, his wife and their two daughters.
It is the kind of book that pet lovers will particularly enjoy.

Amy Chua, daughter of Chinese immigrants, had what she felt was a traditional Chinese-American upbringing. All of the emphasis was on success - in school, selected activities, and work. Family always came first and being second was failure. When her own daughters were born, she and her Jewish-American husband agreed that she could use the Chinese-American model with them. Thus, eldest daughter Sophia was taught to read and do math before ever reaching school age. She was also started on piano lessons at age three. the music lessons in particular required Amy to be the "tiger" mother - one who is often hated, as she insisted on strict practice times and routines. With her second daughter, Lulu, Amy used the same approach. However, while Sophia was mostly agreeable, Lulu rebelled at every chance. She was taking violin lessons and was excellent with the instrument, but family life was frequently in turmoil as she resisted the "tiger" pushing her towards success. This memoir tells Amy Chua's side of the family behavior - what she expected, what she hoped for and what the girls accomplished. It is an enjoyable foray into the behind the scenes activities of Chinese-American family life. The book would appeal to readers of ethnic literature as well as memoir readers. It would make an interesting book club choice.

The Hunger Games series was intended for young adult readers. It was suggested to me by a young friend and I was happily surprised that the series was not "just" for the young. The series, and "Mockingjay" in particular cover a number of ethical issues that we all can understand - loyalty to family, remaining true to core values and knowing the difference between freedom and safety.
I enjoy the books very much, although "Mockingjay" was much sadder in parts than I expected.

Melanie Sumner has created a fascinating novel set in the barrio of Taos, New Mexico and the surrounding area. It is a story that is both simple - best friends growing up together and loving the same girl, and extremely complicated. She tells the story from multiple viewpoints and includes elements of magical realism, shamanism, Jicarilla Apache mythology and Hispanic Catholicism. The many characters in the novel each exemplify a combining of these philosophies.

Because the story is told by many characters, it is often tricky to follow. While the main plot takes place over the course of a couple weeks in April, 2001, there are time shifts as various twists in the story are revealed in flashbacks. There are also pieces of conversation that take place in Spanish and a version of barrio-speak that includes Apache words, Spanish and slang.

I found it to be a engrossing novel and I would highly recommend it to book groups. There are many points that could lead to good discussions and reading group questions have been included at the end of the book.