Good Reads to Check Out

About Grace by Anthony Doerr [FIC DOE] - David Winkler sometimes sees things before they happen. He knew a man would be hit by a bus; he knew he would fall in love at the supermarket. Then one day he “sees” that his daughter will drown as he tries to save her from a flood. He moves away and tries to do all he can to avoid this tragedy. Awake by Elizabeth Graver [FIC GRA] - Anna Simon’s son, Max, has a rare geneticdisease that keeps him from spending any time in the sun. As Anna cares for Max, she finds she loses pieces of herself. A camp for kids like Max provides respite for them both and a chance for Anna to reexamine her life. The Falls by Joyce Carol Oats [FIC OAT] - Set against the backdrop of 1950s Niagara Falls, the novel begins with a man jumping to his death during his honeymoon. His bride stands by the Falls waiting for his body to be found. Keeping vigil with her is a man who later becomes her husband. And thus begins an intriguing family drama. The First Desire by Nancy Reisman [FIC REI] - We follow the Cohen family from the Great Depression years through the years following WWII. The oldest sibling in the Cohen family disappears and thus begins a deep emotional journey for the reader through the views of various members of this family. You will care about them all as you learn the secrets and desires they’ve kept hidden. Freshwater Road by Denise Nicholas [FIC NIC] - This is the story of one woman’s journey into adulthood via the political and social upheavals of the Civil Rights Movement. A young black collegian, Celeste Tyree, leaves Ann Arbor to go to Pineyville, Mississippi, in the summer of 1964 to help found a Freedom School and a voter registration project as part of Freedom Summer. As the summer unfolds, she confronts not only the political realities of race and poverty in this tiny town, but also truths about herself and her own family. The Ha Ha by Dave King [FINC KIN] - It's been 30 years since a Vietnam War injury left Howard Kapostash unable to speak, read, or write. Since then he can communicate only with sounds and gestures--a condition that makes him appear slow and disturbed. But inside his head, Howie is the same man he was before the war, longing for Sylvia, his high school sweetheart, and mourning his parents and his chance at a family. When he takes in a young boy, his life changes forever. In the Company of Liars by David Ellis [FIC ELL] - This is a thriller told in reverse chronological order. It begins with the reported death of bestselling author Allison Pagone, the prime suspect in the death of her lover. We go back from that opening to the time of the murder. This literary device requires attention from the reader, but rewards the reader with a satisfying thrill of a ride. Loud and Clear by Anna Quindlen [818.521 QUI] - A collection of Quindlen’s essays that appeared in her Newsweek column from 1993-2003. Covering a variety of topics, you’ll laugh, you’ll identify, you’ll be thrilled you read them all. An Unpardonable Crime by Andrew Taylor [MYS TAY] - A historical literary mystery set in early 19th century England revolving around a young Edgar Allan Poe, a boy sent to England by his father. This is an absorbing mystery as well as a love story.

If you enjoy mysteries, take a look at this site sponsored by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. You’ll find reviews of favorite mystery books written by those who love to read them. You can search alphabetically by title and can view past issues. Previous Issues of Book Notes

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Meet the Author

Chitra Banergee Divakaruni

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is an award-winning author and poet. Her work has been published in over 50 magazines, including The Atlantic Monthly and The New Yorker, and her writing has been included in over 30 anthologies. Divakaruni has published two collections of short stories, including Arranged Marriage: Stories and The Unknown Errors of Our Lives: Stories [FIC DIV]. She has also authored two children’s books: The Conch Bearer and Neela, Victory Song [J DIV]. Divakaruni's newest novel, Queen of Dreams [FIC DIV], was released in September 2004. The novel follows Rahki, an artist and divorced mother living in Berkeley, California. When her mother, an interpreter of dreams, passes away, Rahki must confront a forgotten past and an increasingly complex life in post 9-11 America. Her other novels include: Sister of My Heart [FIC DIV] - about how the lives of two women who grew up together in India are changed by marriage, as one woman moves to California, and the other stays behind in India. The Vine of Desire [FIC DIV] - which continues the story of Anju and Sudha, the two young women at the center of the novel Sister of My Heart. Mistress of Spices [FIC DIV] - which combines prose and poetry and has a mystical quality. The novel follows Tilo, a magical figure who runs a grocery store and uses spices to help the customers overcome difficulties.

If You Like Books by Robert Crais, you might like...James Lee BurkeMichael ConnellyJeffery DeaverJonathan KellermanDennis LehaneJames PattersonJohn Sandford Beyond Band of Brothers: The War Memoirs of Major Dick WintersCo-authored by Major Dick Winters and Colonel Cole Kingseed, Ph.D. They were called Easy Company—but their mission was never easy. Immortalized as the Band of Brothers, they suffered 150% casualties while liberating Europe—an unparalleled record of bravery under fire. Dick Winters was their commander. This is his story—told in his own words for the first time.
On D-Day, Dick Winters parachuted into France and assumed leadership of the Band of Brothers when their commander was killed. He led them through the Battle of the Bulge and into Germany, by which time each member had been wounded. They liberated an S.S. death camp from the horrors of the Holocaust and captured Berchtesgaden, Hitler's alpine retreat. Made famous by Stephen Ambrose's book Band of Brothers—and the subsequent movie and award-winning HBO miniseries.