The Horse Boy

The Horse Boy, by Rupert Isaacson; Little, Brown & Company Publishing, 2009

Reviewed by Tyler Buckham

Rupert Isaacson's The Horse Boy is the story of a father who takes his wife--a psychology professor--and young son on a quest to Mongolia, in hopes of healing his son's autism. Their real journey through Mongolia is full of intense challenges, and amazing rewards. Their last-ditch effort against the child's autism leads the parents to shamans, and the somewhat unorthodox therapy found in the repetitive rocking from horseback riding. I also enjoyed Changes, by Jim Butcher, a delicious, fast-paced blend of humor, horror, action and emotion. The stakes are always high, the plot twists surprising, and the language is a delight. Tana French's Faithful Place is a very well-written novel about an Irish undercover policeman who visits the dysfunctional family he had left 22 years earlier. Tensions run high as he tries to find answers to an unsolved death.

The Piano Shop on the Left Bank

The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, by Thad Carhart; Random House Publishing, 2002

Reviewed by Jim Tolpin

I enjoyed The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, by Thad Carhart, a witty and fascinating autobiographical story of an expatriate American in Paris, who discovers his way back to the piano--his childhood passion. In the process of his rediscovery, he learns French customs, new skills in playing the piano, and the intriguing history and inner workings of the instrument. Ian Oughtred's A Life in Wooden Boats offers an enjoyably deep look into the life (personal and professional) of an influential, contemporary designer of small rowing and sailing craft, who specializes in adapting pricey boat designs of the rich and famous into those for more "financially challenged" amateurs. I also enjoyed A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L'Engle, a pleasing "coming of age" story for people of all ages. I consider it a "breakout of the mold" type of book. One quotable take-away was: "You're given the form, but you have to write the sonnet yourself."

Time for Tea: Tea & Conversation with 13 English Women

Time for Tea: Tea and Conversation with 13 English Women, by Michele Rivers; Crown Publishing, 1995

Reviewed by Lauren Brown

I found Michele Rivers' nonfiction book Timefor Tea: Tea and Conversation with 13 English Women to be surprisingly engaging, with unique explanations of why English society has so steadfastly preserved its teatime traditions. Rivers offers a series of candid interviews from the thirteen women of various backgrounds, who range in age from six to eighty. There are lots of tempting recipes to try too. Another interesting nonfiction book (with sometimes excessive detail) is James Herriot: The Life of a Country Vet, by Graham Lord. This book was published shortly before Herriot's son wrote his father's biography, and offered a lot of information about Herriot that I hadn't known before. I also enjoyed A Highland Christmas, by M.C. Beaton. This was the first book I'd read by this author, and offered an inviting introduction to the cozy village world of Scottish Constable Hamish MacBeth.

The Day the Red Baron Died

The Day the Red Baron Died, by Dale M. Titler; Walker & Company Publishing, 1970

Reviewed by Karen Hamilton

For those readers interested in World War I intrigue, try Dale Titler's book The Day the Red Baron Died. This "oldie" book offers plenty of background about the notorious flying ace Baron Manfred von Richthofen, his many victims, and definitive proof about what ended his reign of terror in the skies during the Great War. We now know who--and what--was responsible for his demise. In another "historic" vein, I enjoyed Wallis and Edward--Letters 1931-1937, edited by Michael Bloch. This book provides the details of before, during and after the British abdication crisis, as expressed by the two major participants. For something closer to home, try A Walk in the Woods, by Bill Bryson. Bill and a companion rediscover America on the historic Appalachian Trail, encountering struggles and plenty of natural beauty along the way.

The Secret Scripture

The Secret Scripture, by Sebastian Barry; Penguin Books, 2009

Reviewed by a library patron
I highly recommend The Secret Scripture, a deeply sad story...with a (mostly) happy ending. You just can't beat the Irish for individual human 'experience' and writing quality. Sebastian Barry, a contemporary Irish writer, uses two contradictory narratives against each other in an attempt to solve the mystery of a 100-year-old Roseanne McNulty, a mental patient locked up for decades in an asylum in western Ireland. Mystery, corruption, tragedy, emotion--this book has it all. I also recommend Richard Yates' Revolutionary Road. This novel has a difficult subject matter, but is well worth the read. It has excellent development of the characters through their various responses to a profound and sudden tragedy. On the flip side, I cannot recommend All Other Nights, by Dara Horn. All in all, I found this book somewhat disappointing. The use of a race and religion through a Jewish-American viewpoint during the Civil War seemed like an interesting premise, but the novel turned out to be nothing special.

A Lost Lady

A Lost Lady, by Willa Cather; Book Jungle Publishing, 2009

Reviewed by Stephanie Achten

I'm exploring three 'classics' here from two very different genres, starting with (my) highly recommended novel A Lost Lady, by Willa Cather, first published in 1923. Cather's story is set in Nebraska, and features Marian Forrester, a classy older woman adored by the book's young, innocent male narrator. His lifelong friendship with Marian evolves, exposing her life's reality that causes her to slip from her "pedestal". I decided to explore another Willa Cather novel, O Pioneers--the story of a Swedish immigrant family, enduring hardship and heartache while trying to tame the prairielands of Nebraska during the late 19th century. For a real "classic" change of pace, I read Thomas Harris' The Silence of the Lambs. Clarice Starling, an FBI agent-in-training is working against the clock to try and stop a serial killer who is preying upon young women.

The Husband

The Husband, by Dean Koontz; Bantam Publishing, 2007

Reviewed by Joi Reed

Be sure to tighten your seatbelts with this one! Don't miss Dean Koontz's The Husband, a hard driving thriller about an ordinary gardener who evolves into a ruthless avenger as he tries to save his kidnapped and ransomed wife. Mitch Rafferty leads a mundane life, caring for rich people's gardens. This existence radically changes when deadly serious kidnappers demand $2 million for the return of his wife. But how can a gardener come up with that amount of cash? If your literary taste includes British whodunits, try And Justice, There Is None, by Deborah Crombie. This is excellent Brit mystery writing, with a superb narrator. Loved it! For a very different change of pace, consider Brokeback Mountain, by acclaimed author Annie Proulx. This story revolves around the tumultuous lives of two young men who fell in sex/love one summer in the wild backcountry of Montana. Read the book...see the movie.

The Beach House

The Beach House, by Jane Green; Plume Publishing, 2009

Reviewed by Christie Johnson

Set in Nantucket, The Beach House is the story of a financially-strapped widow and the home she turns into a bed-and-breakfast. Her paying summer guests are a wide spectrum of flawed, fragile personalities weathering love's turmoils, all hoping to capture a relaxing, renewing experience at the seashore. Keeping with the "sea" theme, I took a literary voyage with Robert Parker's Sea Change is this author's typical style of murder mystery, set in New England and Florida, featuring flashy seacraft and high society. If you're looking for a 'candy bar' of a book, try Full House, by Janet Evanovich. This is true summer reading, written in her 'Stephanie Plum' style, but it features a different cast of loopy characters.

The Outsider

The Outsider, by Penelope Williamson; Simon and Schuster, 1996

Reviewed by Kathleen Hawn

This cover art made Penelope Williamson's book look like a schmaltzy romance on the outside, but inside was one the best books I've read in a very long time. Set in 1887 Montana, The Outsider is a compelling novel of intolerance, mayhem, faith, and self-determination, seasoned with a good splash of passion. Mix rigid, sheep-raising Amish with amoral gunslingers (or "shootists"), conniving cattle ranchers and their minions, and you'll have a tasty stew of complex characters. Read the book, then see the movie. I also recommend The Far Traveler: Voyages of a Viking Woman, by Nancy Marie Brown. I've always been intrigued by the Vikings, but this well-documented tale--with recent evidence (in 2005) of Gudrid's existence and influence, gave me a much better understanding of this brazen Norse culture. For a real change of pace, try World Made By Hand, by James Howard Kunstler. Set in America's near future, in a world of post-Peak Oil, post-pandemics and technology's collapse, this novel is filled with intriguing, earthy characters who are determined to survive and rebuild a sense of hope and community, even in the midst of societal chaos and despair. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel to this book, which will be available in September 2010.

Nineteen Minutes

Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult; Washington Square Press Publishing, 2008

Reviewed by Sally Lovell

I recommend Nineteen Minutes, Jodi Picoult's riveting tale about a long-bullied teenager who eventually snaps, and takes out his revenge by killing ten people in his high school. Flashbacks reveal how years of persistent bullying eventually leads the teen into a world of violent computer games and dark emotions, which manifest in tragedy. Sharyn McCrumb's mystery If I'd Killed Him When I Met Him is a good pageturner with lots of clever, funny dialogue. This story offers a medley of marriage-and-divorce scenarios, and amusing commentary on romantic relationships. If you're looking for true-life stories of contemporary senior citizens (age 70 and older) in America, take a look at Coming of Age, by Studs Terkel. This book is created from interviews, but the interviewer's questions are omitted. This technique produced choppy storytelling, but offered very interesting "nuggets" here and there.