Dirt Creek by Hayley Scrivenor is a coming of age story wrapped in a mystery that kept me turning the pages. All of the characters are well developed, but I think the author has a special talent for making the reader feel the many different emotions of children on the brink of young adulthood.

Ronnie, Lewis and Esther were my favorite characters because the author was able to take me back to not only the fun and excitement of childhood, but also the boredom, uncertainty and anxiety of the time when you are trying to find your place in the world.

Ronnie worrying that her teacher will notice, and think less of her, because she traced the image of a llama, instead of freehand drawing, is one example of how delicate a child's sense of self can be. Anyone who has grown up in a small town will recognize the "landscape" of relationships where everyone is related by either biology, shared experiences or the shared culture of that particular town. I enjoyed the author's strong use of setting in her descriptions of the hot Australian summer and a bonus for me, being American, was learning some Australian lingo.

What a beautiful story, well told! It's been a while since I've read a book that I just couldn't wait to get back to. I read it on a trip to Paris and even after full days of sight-seeing in record breaking heat, I couldn't go to sleep until I had my fill of Gracie and Gabriel, Heather and Brian. I think what makes it special is the tone of the book, the generosity of the author to her family and friends. I wanted to know them, to spend time with them. At the same time, she is so honest about life, love, family and the unexpected turns that make it both terrifying and the thing that keeps you going. For me, the author hit just the right balance of medical information, descriptions of the effects of the disease and the family dynamics. The depth of character development was especially well done. I'd love to discuss this one with my book group.

There have been several books this year that I've started and not finished. This, I'm happy to say, is not one of them. I immediately was drawn in to this well written book about a family struggling to understand why several family members have certain medical issues. With a degree in Biology and a fascination with genetics in particular, this story was right up my alley. But... you don't have to be a science person to enjoy this book. The character development, the story line, the weaving together of the science and research with the very moving descriptions of this family's challenges makes for a thought provoking and engrossing read. I highly recommend this book.

Young, talented, hardworking neurosurgeon is diagnosed with lung cancer. This is his memoir about his pursuit of the meaning of life, and death, while continuing to treat patients who themselves are facing life threatening illnesses. Contemplative and sad, bud well worth the read.

I first heard of this book on CSPAN Book TV during an author interview. I was intrigued by the subject but wondered if it was very "readable". Having now read the book, I find myself wanting to give a copy to almost everyone I know. Truly timely information told in a narrative non-fiction format that keeps you engaged in the story of families impacted by a tragedy and the neuroscience behind technology's impact on our brains. Read it and pass it on.