A Thousand Acres is a Pulitzer winning re-imagination of King Lear, set on an Iowa farm during the 1970s. It’s a beautifully written tale of one family’s quick and complete implosion. I mostly really liked it but towards the end I disliked the characters so much, including the narrator, that I was ready for it to be over. Continue reading →

A dinner party in the capital city of a South American country takes an unfortunate turn when guerrillas storm the Vice President’s mansion and take everyone hostage. Bel Canto explores what happens when these captors and captives spend months together in close quarters. Continue reading →

This charming little book (more of a novella, really) was published in 2006 and caught my eye because the writer recently wrote a sequel. The Five People You Meet in Heaven tells the story of Eddie, an 83-year-old amusement park worker, and his experience in heaven after he is killed in a freak accident. Continue reading →

A Thousand Splendid Suns is set in Afghanistan and tells the stories of Mariam and Laila, two very different women who come to share a terrible fate but also a beautiful friendship. Continue reading →

“The Language of Flowers” is a novel about learning how to forgive yourself and accept love from others. Told from the perspective of an 18-year-old product of the foster care system, it runs the reader through a gauntlet of emotions, including frustration, sympathy and hope. Continue reading →

Whoa! What a book! Peace Like a River is storytelling at its finest. Author Leif Enger crafted a tale of hope, love and spirituality that will stay with you long after you read the last word. Continue reading →

Where’d You Go, Bernadette tells the story of a family that’s in trouble mainly because the “grown ups” have lost their way. It’s an often hilarious and sometimes mildly appalling parody of life in these days of helicopter parenting, perceived victimhood and impersonal electronic communication. Continue reading →