What a clever way to tell a story! Bart Yates shares Isaac Dahl's life history by revisiting 12 days in Isaac's lifetime and manages to weave in plenty of historical and cultural context. Each of those days takes us back to important events and depicts what was happening to the main characters then. Isaac, his sister Aggie, and best friend Bo have relationships that date back to when they were 8 years old and their acceptance and love of each other and their children is the constant theme of the book. Each of the characters is well developed and quirky as they find their way through some of the major events of their lives from their youth to old age. I think a book club could have some very interesting discussions with this book.

I really enjoyed Becoming Madam Secretary. I knew a little about Frances Perkins but learned so much more reading the book. Her legacy spans many years, famous personalities, and social issues. She was influential in reforms on child labor, maximum working hours, standard minimum wage, and a Social Security safety net for American laborers. There are so many things that we take for granted today that she championed during her career. She encountered many famous people working and found a way to work with all of them to advance her revolutionary ideas. McManus of Tammany Hall, Al Smith, FDR and the author Sinclair Lewis all are woven into Secretary Perkins story. She worked alongside Jane Addams, Florence Kelley and Mary Harriman Rumsey for the rights of children and women in the workforce. She was a very private woman, but her own personal story is very moving. Her support of her husband and daughter during their struggles with mental illness and her deep friendships attest to her strength of character. The author, Stephanie Dray did an excellent job of bringing Frances Perkins to light in this book.

Reading Panther’s Gap was quite a wild ride! I hadn’t read James McLaughlin before but after reading his latest book, I will go back and read Bearskin and keep an eye out for him in the future. This book is a definite page-turner, and I couldn’t wait to see the next twists and turns to the plot.

The descriptive language about the Colorado landscape and its inhabitants is very rich and supports the Girard family’s love of the land. As Summer and Bowman are about to come into a very large inheritance, the back story which slowly is revealed, raises questions about their material and family legacy and the values they want to live in their lives in the present day. There is a very lively cast of characters woven throughout the story and a very fluid sense of right and wrong as the story unfolds.

Ultimately, the plot takes us to the Arizona border where we see drug cartels in action and back again to the Colorado ranch where all the competing sides in pursuit of the inheritance face off. McLaughlin does a good job of keeping us guessing as to who the good guys are and who are the villains. It was a more violent story than what I usually enjoy, and the ending seemed a bit over the top but it kept me engaged from beginning to end.

Daughters of the Flower Fragrant Garden is the beautifully told story of two very close sisters from a respected Chinese family who found themselves geographically separated at the beginning of the Chinese Civil War – a separation that lasted for over 30 years. On their very different paths, these two smart, resilient, hard-working women were committed to being the best that they could be in the face of extreme challenges. One remained loyal to Taiwan and the Nationalist cause, while the other embraced the goals and ideas of the Communist Party to protect herself and her family. The author, Zhuqing Li who is their niece, places their stories and her family history in the context of the Chinese Civil War and the many cultural and economic changes that took place in China in the 20th Century. I think this would be a great book club choice. The themes of war, endurance and strong family ties could spark an interesting discussion.