Sometimes a synopsis can come out of nowhere and make you pick up a book you never thought you would, but it’s a dicey proposition because marketing people are wily devils. Their entire purpose in life is to seduce. But it still doesn’t quite explain why I thought a novel about a Sri Lankan male inmate in an American prison in the midst of a riot would make for something I ... Read More...
Mothers’ Week: The Island of Sea Women
This coming Sunday is Mother’s Day so this week my reviews are focused on three books with very different perspectives on motherhood. Each offered something important in its own way and reminded me how, like so much of what women do, it is impossible to fit the role of mother into one finite slot. Off the coast of Korea’s mainland is an island called Jeju. There was ... Read More...
The Ash Family by Molly Dektar
Berie is on her way from her hometown of Durham to Richmond to attend college. College that is being paid for by financial aid and the sale of her mother’s heirloom jewelry. Despite this sacrifice, Berie doesn’t feel close to her mother. In fact, she’s sure her mother doesn’t understand and just wants her to go to college because she didn’t. It was her dream, never mine, ... Read More...
Northern Lights by Raymond Strom
Shane’s father has died, his uncle has kicked him out of the house, and he’s decided it’s time to find the mother who left him when he was ten. In the fall he’ll be going to college in Minneapolis, but armed with a postcard, one hundred dollars, and all his belongings in a backpack he heads to the Holm, Minnesota, the only address he has for his mother. In this rugged, rural ... Read More...
The Library Book by Susan Orlean
It’s embarrassing enough to be ignorant about American history, but, as a librarian, to not know about the largest library fire in the country? I’m pretty sure my librarian membership can be revoked for that. Thankfully, Susan Orlean’s new book The Library Book not only remedies my ignorance, but is a reminder of why libraries are one of the greatest government ... Read More...
December Reading Wrap-Up
This post should be subtitled: Library Reading, because 90% of what I read this month was library books. December is slow month for new releases and for someone who reads ‘professionally’ it is like school vacation. Suddenly, instead of having to refer to a spreadsheet to see what I’m supposed to read next I just go to the library and look around for whatever catches my eye. ... Read More...
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- …
- 25
- Next Page »
