Low Country

Low Country, by Anne Rivers Siddons. Harper Collins Publishing, 1998.

Reviewed by Sally Lovell

I recommend Low Country. Anne Rivers Siddon's story is more than just a tale about a family or a marriage. It is more about the development of environmentally sensitive areas, and its effects on wildlife habitats, communities, and human relationships, particularly those of Caroline, the main character. I also enjoyed the book The Alibi, by Sandra Brown. The main character in this story faces intriguing ethical issues. There is also a mystery surrounding the motives of the woman who has the "alibi". Dream Country, by Luanne Rice, is a good story which focusses on parents and their young children, and the trauma they all feel when separated prematurely. This book also includes wonderful descriptions of Western landscapes.

Loving Frank

Loving Frank, by Nancy Horan; Ballantine Books, 2008

Reviewed by Sharon Hoyer

Nancy Horan's first novel, Loving Frank, is a disturbing, fictionalized memoir of Mamah Borthwick Cheney, best known as the woman who wrecked Frank Lloyd Wright's first marriage during the early 1900's. Despite the title, this is not a romance, but is more of a deep exploration of the emotional stress of love affairs and divorce, especially when scandals become the stuff of headlines. Gina Barreca's It's Not That I'm Bitter, is kind of cute, kind of funny, sometimes deep, but...overall a bit disappointing while it presents little stories of life in our times. In a similar vein of life issues--but with a very different presentation--I highly recommend My Grandfather's Blessing, by Naomi Remen. There is so much wisdom and beauty in this book. WONDERFUL!

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, by Jamie Ford; Ballantine Books, 2009

Reviewed by Claudia B. Wagner

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet is a moving story of generations; Henry, a Chinese boy, whose sweetheart--a Japanese girl--is relocated to an internment camp in 1942, and Henry's son, Marty, who helps him revisit those memories and put them to rest. It illustrates life and bittersweet first love during the early years of World War II in Seattle, Washington. Good reading for Northwesterners. Penelope Lively's Passing On is an understated, literate and enjoyable read of cross-generational influences. The main characters, Helen and Edward, have buried their domineering mother, and now begin to understand themselves and to live life more fully. I also enjoyed Under A Flaming Sky; The Great Hinckley Firestorm of 1894, by Daniel James Brown. This book is derived from eyewitness accounts and government documents of a range fire (combined with dry forests and drought) which took hundreds of lives, including the author's great grandfather. Of special interest--my own grandmother and great-grandparents survived this tragic event.

Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science

Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science, by Atul Gawande; Picador, 2008

Reviewed by Cheryl Maglosky

Dr. Gawande's outstanding book Complications" A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science is full of anecdotes, insights and perspectives on the medical system from an insider. The author's honesty and revelations are appreciated, and serve to demystify and humanize doctors and their work. Dr. Gwande is brutally honest about his mistakes and the limits of medicine, and takes you through the thought processes of physicians when making life-altering decisions. He also raises ethical questions you won't often hear discussed. Unaccustomed Earth, by Jhumpa Lahiri, is a re-read for me. Indulging in a 'second course' of this book gave me the opportunity to return to the exquisitely rendered places, the cultures, and characters in these short stories, and was no less rich an experience than the first visit. Despite (and because of) not being able to travel at the moment, I picked up Gutsy Women: More Travel Tips and Wisdom for the Road, by Marybeth Bond. I was pleasantly surprised to find this book full of fresh perspectives, insights, and unexpected information and suggestions for traveling women.