Author: rlhorner52
Before I Forget – Love, Hope, Help and Acceptance in Our Fight Against Alzheimer’s by B. Smith & Dan Gasby
While many books about Alzheimer’s focus only on the science or the tragedy, B. Smith and Dan Gasby provide a 360-degree view that includes the medical reality, the day-to-day caregiving struggle, and the enduring power of love. If you appreciate memoirs that serve a dual purpose—telling a compelling story while offering a “survival guide” for…
Know My Name – A Memoir by Chanel Miller
Know My Name is perhaps one of the most significant memoirs of the 21st century. It is a book that demands to be heard, offering a masterclass in reclaiming a narrative that the world tried to simplify. Know My Name for its extraordinary writing and transformative power. While the subject matter is heavy, Chanel…
The Soul of America, The Battle for Our Better Angels by Jon Meacham
I have not started The Soul of America, but I may put others aside so that I can. You should read The Soul of America if you find yourself overwhelmed by the “partisan fury” of modern news and want a dose of evidence-based hope. Jon Meacham uses his expertise as a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer to…
Mississippi Mud by Edward Humes
You should read Mississippi Mud for its relentless pursuit of justice. It isn’t just a “whodunnit”; it’s a “how-did-they-get-away-with-it.” If you are fascinated by the intersection of politics, organized crime, and the legal system—specifically how a grieving daughter took on the corruption of an entire city to solve her parents’ murders—this book is gripping. It…
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I started this book because of the praise I read and heard, and largely because it was narrated by Julia Whelan, who I enjoy. I did not understand it was a love story, not a genre I normally read. Wow, sitting in my office listening to the final chapters, I was in tears. Take a…
A Discovery of Witches – Series
One of my all-time favorite series.Unlike many supernatural stories, the magic here is deeply rooted in history, alchemy, and genetics. Deborah Harkness is a real-life history professor, and she brings a staggering level of detail to the world—from the specific smell of 15th-century parchment to the molecular science of vampire DNA. If you enjoy “learning…
THE WOMEN By Kristin Hannah
Frances “Frankie” McGrath is a twenty-year-old nursing student raised in a sheltered, conservative community on Coronado Island. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, Frankie impulsively decides to join the Army Nurse Corps, believing in the romanticized idea of being a hero. Upon arriving in Vietnam, Frankie is immediately plunged into the chaos…
REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES By Shelby Van Pelt
Marcellus is a giant Pacific octopus living in an aquarium, and his “chapters”—written from his perspective—are grumpy, snobbish, and absolutely hilarious. Tova Sullivan is a seventy-year-old widow who works the night shift as a cleaner at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. She finds peace in the quiet work, which helps her cope with the decades-old mystery…
ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE By Anthony Doer
The story follows two protagonists on opposite sides of the conflict whose lives eventually collide in the walled city of Saint-Malo, France. The novel is told in short, fast-paced chapters that jump back and forth in time, building toward the moment their paths cross during the Allied bombing of Saint-Malo in 1944. It won the…
Devotions – The Selected Poems of Mary Oliver
Devotions sits on my nightstand, and frequently I open it to a random page, and read. Devotions is more than just a book; it is a sanctuary. Mary Oliver has a rare gift for making poetry feel accessible and like a conversation with an old friend. Author: Mary Oliver Genre: Poetry Your Name: Rich Brief Synopsis:…
