This book, "Children of the Jacaranda Tree" captured my heart at the first paragraph and held it hostage until the very last line. The story of the women and children of post-revolution Iran was at times, gripping and intense, and at other times sweet. I felt I was there with them, seeing and feeling what life was like for them in a city torn apart by extremists. I loved the writing. It was clear and descriptive and pulled me along to follow the journey of these women and children as they grew and matured. I highly recommend this book!

What a fabulous surprise this book was! My assumption, upon seeing that the book was about three strong women and that the author was male, was that the story would be filled with stereotypes. This was not to be the case. I became engrossed in these women and their stories and could not put the book down. I wondered how author Mike Greenberg would blend these three separate stories together, but he did so quite ably. This was a great read that I enjoyed from beginning to end and it should appeal to most readers of women's fiction.

Eric Asimov's "How to Love Wine A Memoir and a Manifesto" is more manifesto than memoir. After a rather slow start, Asimov introduces his theme - that anyone can learn to love wine and explains in detail that wine is meant to be tasted with food. This theme is reiterated throughout the rest of the book. He gives some clear suggestions for the beginning wine lover and I came away with a much greater understanding of how I can find and enjoy good wine. This book is perfect for people like me who want to enjoy good wine but don't know quite where to start.