A seasoned, award-winning journalist takes an unlikely path toward healing the excoriating grief of losing her young son to an unexpected death after a brief life fraught with medical complications. In Crossing The River, Carol Smith dives into a world of human suffering …more through a series of articles she composes featuring extraordinary people navigating crippling debilities and diagnoses and still finding joy. Through interviewing her subjects, spending time with them and writing the articles for the Seattle newspaper she works for, she receives the unexpected gift of healing of her own tragedy. Smith's memoir, a deeply personal journey of recovery from grief, is an exceptionally lyrical and beautifully written work of literature that invites the reader to follow her through intimate revelations leading her to a place of acceptance, forgiveness, healing and hope. (less)

What a clever work of fiction with lovely attention to detail - right down to the visual descent of Ian along the edge of the printed pages as you thumb quickly through the book. Somehow being a fish makes voyeurism okay and I was more than willing to go along for the ride. …more Poignant, funny, lovely and sad - all of the secret lives we live and try to hide in the boxes we inhabit are suddenly laid bare but in such a tender and reverent way. Individual stories are woven together masterfully into a storyline that makes sense, leads to a logical culmination and neatly mirrors how our own closely-knit communities are intertwined. Loved it! (less)

This memoir from a former Cook's Illustrated test-kitchen cook and the two daughters she raised is truly a beautiful read! Three story tellers; one fluid point of view. "Is that even possible?", I thought at the outset, but now I know it's not only possible, but it is essay …more and memoir literature at its best!

Great anecdotal retelling of real life events connecting these three women leading up to a luscious recipe is the formula here for suspense and intrigue - wondering how this story will lead to a dish I know I'll want to cook and then finding it impossible to eat that dish without recalling the warm story that lead me to that satisfying end point!

A special treat is learning the back story of a true test-kitchen cook of a magazine I've adored, subscribed to and and learned from for years. That is certainly not the center of this graceful literary offering, but it is an unexpected payoff!

Where will this book end up on my shelf - with my favorite cozy reads or my best go-to cookbooks? Firmly right in the middle, I would say! (less)

From the first sentence I was mesmerized by The Same Sky. The well-paced story, alternating between Alice and Carla and the seemingly random (but strikingly rhythmic) mystery of how they are brought together, kept my heart fully engaged the whole way through.

I've always …more maintained, to the ire of my friends and family, that I can see both sides clearly and this novel proved my point. Everyone has their own valid lifeline, their own motive, their own reasons for not just surviving but being determined to thrive. Who are we to judge the micro moments that determine the final outcome of a life unfolding at the bequest of the resources at hand?

The final chapters blurred because I read them through tears and I couldn't read it fast enough - anticipating the ending, but being nonetheless fully satisfied that it culminated as I hoped it would. I was justly rewarded when it did!

Never underestimate the power of the interdependence of our own lives on the story threads of those around us, not only across streets and neighborhoods, but across borders - borders of class, culture and country. To grasp the full impact and importance of immigration legislation - the human importance - read this book! (less)