"The Rebellion of Miss Lucy Ann Lobdell" is, as stated by the author William Klabor, a fictional memoir. Lucy Ann, also known as Joseph, was a real person, born in 1829...a woman and a mother...who lived most of her life as a man. Her father taught her how to shoot and hunt and she became known in her area as the 'female hunter'. In an original memoir, Lucy herself described her life in which she bravely dressed, worked, hunted and married in the guise of a man. Her ability to hunt frequently warded off starvation.

This novel compassionately depicts the many sad, indeed tragic, misfortunes Lucy Ann/Joseph suffered in an era when this type of behavior could not be tolerated. As I read this novel, and realized that Lucy Ann was an actual person and not a figment of Klabor's imagination, I thought of how differently she would have been accepted in today's world. It gives one much to think about and discuss.

"Vanessa and Her Sister" is a novel which centers around the relationship of the artist Vanessa Stephen Bell and her sister Virginia Stephen Woolf. Written in the form of a diary, the story encompasses the years 1905 to 1912. During these years, the sisters and their two brothers, Thoby and Adrian, were hosts to weekly gatherings attended by many famous artists, writers, and intellectuals who came to be known as the Bloomsbury Group. The members of this group came vibrantly alive with the expertly written words of Priya Parmar. The novel fluently covers their idiosyncrasies, their philosophies, their individual loves, affairs, tragedies. Reading this book was a most enjoyable learning experience which begs to be shared with other readers.

Accidents of Marriage tells the story of the Illica family, Ben, Maddy, Emma, Gracie and Caleb, before and after a tragic traffic accident severely injures wife and mother Maddy. It is a story of the troubled 'accident' of marriage between Ben and Maddy and the actual accident that changes the lives, not only of Maddy, but also of Ben and the children, especially fifteen-year-old Emma. The characters of Ben, Maddy and Emma are fully developed in alternating chapters devoted to each individually. We feel the anxiety, the anger, the worry, the hate, the love each experiences as Maddy begins the long road to recovery and Ben tries to conquer his moments of rage. Theirs is a fragile relationship which all are struggling to preserve.

Meyers' writing style is reminiscent of that of Anne Tyler in the way it paints a realistic portrait of a family confronted with real problems to which one can truly relate.

Book clubs would find much to discuss after reading and enjoying Accidents of Marriage.

The 'Island of a Thousand Mirrors' is Sri Lanka. In this beautifully written and unforgetable novel, Nayomi Munaweera tells a tale not only of family and romantic love but also of cruel and devastating civil war. This war, which began in 1983 and lasted twenty-seven years, was waged between the Tamil Tigers and the Sinhalese government. This is a story of how the war affects two families...one Tamil and one Sinhala. As described by Munaweera, Sri Lanka should be a lush paradise, but civil war has turned it into a horror where many innocent people have been terrorized and killed. Still, some of the victims of war find love and hope by leaving their beloved island and making life anew in other countries. This novel was truly an educational and inspirational adventure for me.

"Buyiing In" is an absolutely fascinating portrayal of the inside wheeling and dealing of the fictional Wall Street investment bank, Sterling. The main characters are fully developed...from the shrewd veteran to the wide-eyed newly hired. Having spent seven years working on Wall Street, Ms. Hemphill certainly understands and capably shares with her readers what it takes for a young, ambitious woman to make her stand in this complex world. Even with complete ignorance of this type of high finance, I was utterly drawn into this exciting, dramatic, and totally readable novel. The story gives one good insight into the rise and fall of investment banks such as that which our country has recently experienced. An excellent choice for any reader and for any book club.

"The Drowning Guard" reads like a fairy tale for adults. However, as amazing as it seems, Linda Lafferty has written a somewhat historical depiction of the Ottoman Empire of the mid-nineteenth century with all its cruelty and opulence. Sultan Mahmud and his half-sister, Esma Sultan, are strong Ottoman rulers, living in the Topkapi Palace in Constantinople, replete with their slaves, harems and eunuchs. In plain and simple writing, "The Drowning Guard" gives the reader an almost unbelieveable, but very human, picture of the Ottoman civilization in a defined time and place.

Nina Sovich inherited a thirst for wanderlust from her mother. This being so, at age thirty-four, with her husband's blessing, she left her job and her comfortable Paris home to satisfy this wanderlust. Stripped of all comforts, frequently traveling barefoot in native dress, her three treks through the northwestern countries of Africa gave her a profound sense of peace and liberation. Her detailed descriptions of the desert landscape, the difficult bus and truck trips, and the loving native women give the reader a feeling a shared experience.

This book is definitely recommended for readers, young and old, who love to travel and who would like to learn about places they may never have the chance or inclination to visit.