Novels set during the American Civil War can be educational as well haunting and tragic. It’s a compelling mix of qualities that, in the right authors’ hands, can produce satisfying stories that are hard forget. Continue reading
Book Review: The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
The Daughter of Time is a novel, written as a police procedural, that attempts to clear Richard III of the murder of his two young nephews, also known as the princes in the tower. It’s a fascinating and very convincing denunciation of the process used to record history as well as a strong case for the defense, but was Richard III innocent? It’s still open for debate. Continue reading
Book Review: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
With Anxious People, Fredrik Backman, who also wrote A Man Called Ove, delivers another poignant and insightful novel about what it means to be decent (albeit “anxious”) people. He even threw in a few plot twists that took me by surprise. Well done, Mr. Backman! I’ll even forgive you for making me cry. Continue reading
Updated Reader Recommendations Page!
It’s time for the annual updating of the Reader Recs page. This page contains a list of books recommended by my wonderful blog readers and is a constant reminder of how much reading I still need to do.
This year we added 40 more books to the list, bringing the total to 207. New additions are in the top section, followed by the older book recommendations.
I hope you’ll use the Reader Recs page to help you find your next read. Here’s the link to more than 200 book recommendations.
Book Review: The Girl in Green by Derek B. Miller
In The Girl in Green, an American soldier and a British journalist try to save an Iraqi girl from violence in the aftermath of Operation Desert Storm. Over twenty years later, they reunite in Iraq after seeing the girl’s doppelganger on some news footage. The Girl in Green is a sharp-witted commentary on the absurdity and futility of conditions in the war-torn Middle East. Continue reading
10 Books Based on Shakespeare’s Plays
There’s no doubt William Shakespeare’s plays have staying power. More than 400 years after his death, young people still study his work in school. I was introduced to the Bard in high school when I read Othello for one of my English classes and I was pleased to see my daughters study Hamlet their Junior year. Continue reading
Book Review: The Midnight Library by Matt Haig
The Midnight Library is a life-affirming science fiction novel that follows Nora Seed as she lives a multitude of alternate lives while in her “root” life she hovers between life and death following a suicide attempt. Continue reading
Book Review: Watership Down by Richard Adams
Watership Down is an epic tale of a group of rabbits who encounter danger, treachery, and hope as they try to find a new home when theirs is leveled for a housing development. Although written for the author’s young daughters, Watership Down is one of those “children’s” books that adults will also find engaging. Continue reading
My Holiday Book Haul – a Feast for the Eyes
I’ve always wanted to do a book haul blog post but two things have made that impossible – I can only use eBooks these days and I get 95% of them from the library. Continue reading
Book Review: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
The Night Circus is a terrific fantasy novel about a beautiful and mysterious circus and two star-crossed magicians who are locked in a battle of illusions that can only end when one of them dies. Lush and imaginative, I found myself thinking several times that this is the type of novel I would like to write. Continue reading
