Category: Book Recommendations
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans
You should read this because it is a masterclass in character study. If you enjoy books that feel “human” and technically precise in their emotional delivery, this is it. It captures the “hubris of youth and the wisdom of old age” without being sentimental. For a photographer, the book’s “epistolary” format (told entirely through letters…
These Truths: A History of the United States by
Jill Lepore I finished this one on audio — 39 hours of it — and I’m still thinking about it weeks later. Jill Lepore is a Harvard historian and a staff writer for The New Yorker, and she set out to do something that sounds impossible: write a single-volume history of the United States, from…
Theo of Gloden by Allen Levi
This is another of those books that snuck up on me, not sure where I learned of it but it was available in our library and what a great find. It came out of nowhere and I didn’t even get it into my list of currently reading and it ended way too soon, and now…
Gone Before Goodbye by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben
I do not remember where I heard of GONE BEFORE GOODBYE, it is not a genre I often read Psychological Thriller / Suspense / Mystery but it was available at my library for an audible download and I finished it in two days ignoring my other reads in process: I enjoyed it:; the caste was…
Fahrenheit 451
My son recommended this book to me. It invoked many emotions as I read it. I found it appalling that censorship and the banning of literature and knowledge has happened time and again, throughout history. Even though this novel was written in the 1950’s, it is crazy how much of this is relevant to the…
The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post
Author: Allison Pataki Genre: Historical Fiction Your Name: Margot Brief Synopsis: Fascinating woman who had to defy her gender in business. She was the richest woman on the planet.. lived through many wars and despite her wealth worked tirelessly to help those in need. She built hospitals and food kitchens during the depression and 2…
The Lincoln Highway
The characters are intriguing and the story is fascinating. Excellent writing! Author: Amor Towles Genre: Historical Fiction Your Name: Patty V. Brief Synopsis: A road trip from Nebraska to NYC along the Lincoln Highway. I was hooked from the start. Amor Towles is a master at writing and his characters are so interesting.
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…
