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Let’s Call Her Barbie

March 20, 2025

barbie

  As a child of the 60s/70s I was one of the numerous little girls clamoring for a Barbie doll. Much like the opening for the movie Barbie (fabulous, a must see) I’d loved my baby doll to death, but needed something more and Barbie was the dream, but it was not to be for me. My personal trauma aside,  Renée Rosen now takes readers on an in-depth journey of how the ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 1950s, 1960s, historical fiction, pop culture

Every Time We Say Goodbye

June 6, 2024

every time

I loved both of the novels in the Jane Austen series by Natalie Jenner so was delighted to learn it’s a trilogy with the third book newly released. Every Time We Say Goodbye follows the indomitable Vivien, the writer and intimidating brunette who was introduced in The Bloomsbury Girls. World War II has finally ended and she’s one of the many to have lost a loved one as her ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 1950s, historical, Italy, vacation reading

The River We Remember

September 5, 2023

river

Summer is just beginning in the small town of Jewel, Minnesota when the body of Jimmy Quinn, one of the town’s wealthiest citizens, is discovered in the nearby river. Given that he was also one of the most disliked there are plenty of people in William Kent Krueger’s The River We Remember who wanted him dead and little enthusiasm on the part of Sheriff Brody Dern to find the ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 1950s, book clubs, historical fiction, Midwest, mystery

The Secrets We Kept

September 30, 2019

secrets

I love learning something from my fiction so was pleased to find out that Lara Prescott’s novel, The Secrets We Kept is based on a true story from the Cold War. Even better, it involves espionage and literature. It seems, at the time, the CIA wanted to use the power of the written word to effect change in the U.S.S.R. They plotted to get Boris Pasternak’s masterpiece, Dr. ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 1950s, book clubs, debut, historical fiction, Knopf

Tangerine by Christine Mangan

July 18, 2018

tangerine

  If you run into trouble at home, do not be surprised to run into trouble here. You are still the same person. Tangier can be magic, but even she is not a miracle worker. Heiress Alice Shipley has found herself, at age 20, married and living in Tangier. It’s 1956 and not a place she ever thought she would go, but her new husband John was enamored, so while he goes ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 1950s, ecco, friendship, morocco, suspense, thriller

The Magnificent Esme Wells

April 20, 2018

esme

Esme Silver is the flaxen haired, china doll, daughter of a Busby Berkley dancer and a handsome, low level grifter. They live in Los Angeles where her parents are certain her mother’s big break into movies is always only a day away. Except the only thing that is ever a day away is them being kicked out of their apartment because her father blew the rent money at the track. ... Read More...

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Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 1950s, childhood, Harper, Las Vegas

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