Crow Lake by Mary Lawson [FIC LAW] - Kate Morrison is a zoologist and professor who distances herself from others. She must come to terms with her past, and the brother she worships and believes she has lost, when she returns to her hometown for her nephew’s 18th birthday. Beautiful writing and interesting characters.

The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood [FIC SHE] - A magical, heartwarming novel about the bonds of love. Two brothers are involved in a car accident - one lives, the other dies. But their bond remains strong. A touching book whose characters stick with you.

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris [FIC SED] - Sedaris’s newest collection of essays focuses on his family, truly a cast of characters. Sedaris is hilarious, poignant and ever truthful.

Empire Falls by Richard Russo [FIC RUS, LP] - Russo is a master storyteller. In his latest novel, he again offers us a small town setting, a host of fully formed characters, and small town life in all its many facets. Russo skillfully weaves multiple plotlines that center on Miles Roby, owner of the Empire Grill.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde [FIC FFO] - The entire Thursday Next series, of which this is the first, features Next as a futuristic literary detective who delves into famous works of literature. In this book, Next must save Jane Eyre who has been kidnapped from the pages of her novel. The books are surreal, full of literary allusions, and ingeniously plotted. Very unique and great fun!

The Keeper’s Son by Homer Hickam [FIC HIC, LP] - This is the first novel in a planned series by Hickam, the author of the best-selling memoir Rocket Boys. The novel features Coast Guard Lt. Josh Thurlow, assigned to patrol an island off the coast of the Outer Banks, where his family have been keepers of the lighthouse for generations. Combines romance, adventure, history, and local color.

Three Junes by Julia Glass [FIC GLA, LP] - This National Book Award winner focuses on the McLeod family during three separate Junes spanning 10 years. Set on both sides of the Atlantic, this novel is philosophical, showing us how we shape one another, purposely and by chance. You will care about these people.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon [FIC HAD, Cas] - This unique debut novel centers on Christopher, an autistic teen who is a gifted mathematician but socially unable to cope. He resolves to find the killer of his neighbor’s dog after he is falsely accused of the crime. This book has mystery, humor, pathos, and wonderful writing.

Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper by Harriet Scott Chessman [FIC CHE, LP] - Inspired by five of Mary Cassatt’s paintings of her sister, Lydia, Chessman explores the fictional relationship of the sisters and its effect on Mary Cassatt’s art. Though Lydia is dying of Bright’s disease, her observations are sharp, including those about Mary and her relationship to other famous painters of her day. Reproductions of the paintings are included.

Atticus by Ron Hansen [MYS HAN, Cas] - Much more than a simple mystery, this novel focuses on the powerful love between a father and his ne’er-do-well son. When Atticus Cody, a ranger from Colorado, is told his son committed suicide, he must travel to Mexico to retrieve his body. Once there, he confronts a very different culture from his own in the form of his son’s friends. He also begins to believe that his son may have been murdered.

About Schmidt (Jack Nicholson) based on book of same title by Louis Begley [FIC BEG]

Adaptation (Meryl Streep, Nicholas Cage) based on book The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean [635.934 ORL]

The Antwone Fisher Story (Denzel Washington) based on book Finding Fish: A Memoir by Antwone Fisher [B FIC, LP]

The Bourne Supremacy (Matt Damon) based on book of same title by Robert Ludlum [FIC LUD, Cas]

Cold Mountain (Nicole Kidman, Jude Law) based on book of same title by Charles Frazier [FIC FRA, Cas, LP]

Girl With a Pearl Earring (Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth) based on book of same title by Tracy Chevalier [FIC CHE, Cas, LP]

The Human Stain (Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins) based on book of same title by Phillip Roth [FIC ROT]

I, Robot (Will Smith) based on book of same title by Isaac Asimov [SF ASI, Pbk SF 477]

Le Divorce (Kate Hudson) based on book of same title by Diane Johnson [FIC JOH]

Lost in Translation (Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson) based on book of same title by Nicole Mones [FIC MON]

Mystic River (Sean Penn, Tim Robbins) based on book of same title by Dennis Lehane [MYS LEH, Cas, CD]

Under the Tuscan Sun (Diane Lane) based on book of same title by Frances Mayes [945.5 MAY]

Seabiscuit (Tobey Maguire) based on book of same title by Laura Hillenbrand [798.4 HIL]

Big Russ & Me: Father and Son - Lessons of Life
by Tim Russert [B RUS]

This well-written memoir by respected journalist and Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert explores the bond between father and son. Russert’s father, a World War II veteran, who worked in the sanitation department and took a second job as a truck driver to make ends meet, instilled solid values into his four children. Russert explores the parallels between his own formative years and those of our nation. The author paints a vivid portrait of his working class Buffalo neighborhood in the 1950s. The plainspoken, straightforward style he inherited from his father has served him well in both his work and in his life.

Authors to Keep You Up Late at Night

Lee Child [FIC CHI] - A master of suspense and heart-pumping action. Writes stand-alones and a series featuring former military police officer Jack Reacher.

Mary Higgins Clark [FIC CLA] - Gentle thrillers, suspenseful without the gore. Prolific author.

Harlan Coben [FIC COB, MYS COB] - Fast-paced and suspenseful with complex plots.

Michael Connelly [FIC CON, MYS CON] - Master storyteller who writes stand-alones and a series featuring retired L.A. homicide cop Harry Bosch.

Robin Cook [FIC COO] - Medical thrillers written by a physician. Cook is a founder of this genre.

Michael Crichton [FIC CRI] - Father of techno-thriller. This graduate of Harvard Medical School writes stand-alone thrillers.

Frances Fyfield [FIC FYF, MYS FYF] - Fyfield is a criminal lawyer who writes British psychological suspense novels.

Lisa Gardner [MYS GAR] - Writer of high-suspense stand-alone thrillers.

Tess Gerritsen [FIC GER] - A physician who writes medical thrillers featuring series character Dr. Maura Isles, a Boston medical examiner.

Greg Iles [FIC ILE, MYS ILE] - Suspenseful legal thrillers. Writes stand-alones that cover a variety of topics.

James Patterson [FIC PAT] - Known for fast pace and plenty of plot twists. Writes both stand-alones and series featuring Alex Cross, a detective based in Washington, D.C.

Kathy Reichs [FIC REI, MYS REI] - Combines suspense and forensic science in a series featuring forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan. Settings in North Carolina and Quebec.

Life of Pi by Yann Martel [FIC MAR, LP] - This fable-like story features an imaginative plot: 16-year-old Pi Patel, son of a zookeeper in India, sets off with his family for Canada. The ship sinks and Pi is stranded on a raft with a large, hungry Bengal tiger for 227 days. It is a story about adventure, survival, and faith (Pi practices his native Hinduism as well as Christianity and Islam). Love it or hate it, you’ll read nothing else quite like it. It’s worth a try and offers plenty to think about.