Recommendations from a Friend

I have this lovely and wonderful friend who has lived an interesting life, albeit not a very long one...yet! ;-)  She has wonderful taste...in clothes, music, men, and literature. I would trust a book recommended by her. Now, that isn't to say that everything she likes I would like, or vice versa, but I would certainly give anything she suggested a good try. 

In light of that, here's a link to her blog, on which she has recently reviewed several books. I, for one, will be checking several of them out - in both senses of the word (exploring and from the library!).

Enjoy!

http://whitesparrow.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/books-worth-your-time/#comment-144

"The Lobster Chronicles"

by Linda Greenlaw

Remember the movie "The Perfect Storm"? Remember what a hard life

those fishermen had? Do you remember the one female swordfish-boat captain who gave a report on seeing the lost ship? Well, that was Linda Greenlaw - a real swordfish-boat captain. My goodness, has she lived a fascinating life!

She decided, after many years of swordfishing, to go back to the small island on which she was raised, and get into lobster catching (fishing? farming?) with her dad. Thus she launches into quite a lovely tale of  hard work, family, crazy neighbors, going back home (can we ever, really?) and love for the life around her. 

This is a fun book to read - easy on the brain, yet stimulating and wonderful. A great balm for a busy and crazy life. 

Even lighter fare!

Crave something really simple, but of high quality? Read the mystery series by Craig Johnson that surround the maincharacter of Walt Longmire, an agin, modern-day sherrif cut from good cowboy cloth who finds himself in the midst of some gruesome mysteries. Johnson makes full use of his prodigious talents bringing all of his characters to life in an engaging and authentic manner. He draws you in to the details of their lives, works the magic of good fiction and gets you to care, then resolves his stories in believable ways. Fun, light-hearted mysteries that won't leave you bored or confused!

The Cold Dish

Kindness Goes Unpunished

Death Without Company

Another Man’s Moccasins

Two books for early summer reading

What would you like to read this month, to kick off your summer? Adventure, drama, simple tales of mystery?

Why don't you try a tale that will woo you, challenge you, break your heart, and draw you in like the most seductive of scents. Ahab's Wife by Sena Jeter Naslund is just such a book. I can say with firm resolve that this is one of the best books I've ever read. Truly. The protagonist is based on the barely mentioned character of Captain Ahab's wife in Herman Melville's Moby Dick. Naslund weaves for us a tale so gripping, so human, so real that you will find yourself totally engrossed. Naslund's use of language is extraordinary, and her story-telling is masterful. I cannot say enough about this book. A must read!

Want something simpler, a little lighter for summer reading? How about Driving Mr. Albert: A Trip Across America with Einstein's Brain by Michael Paterniti. This true and odd story is just what it says, with a little introspection, a little history, and a little comedy thrown in. Yes, Einstein's brain was driven across America in the trunk of a sedan. Check out this odd but true tale.