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Cold
Mountain, by Charles Frazier. Wounded and disillusioned, confederate
soldier Inman abandons the Civil War and begins the long walk back to his
home on Cold Mountain and Ada, the woman he loves. Both Ada and Inman are
on a journey of sorts. First-time novelist Charles Frazier alternates the
narrative points of view between the two sweethearts. Through this alternating
narrative, we learn of the deep love each has for the other, as well as
the love they each have for their mountain home in North Carolina. Inman
meets an assortment of odd criminals, gypsies, vigilante home guards, and
Good Samaritans along his route, as well as cold, hunger, and exhaustion.
Ada, who has until now enjoyed the fruits of a privileged upbringing, is
left alone on her farm after her father's death. Her 'journey' involves
learning to grow up and run the farm. Throughout their ordeals, the love
these two have for each other, along with their love for their homeland
becomes the sole reason for their existence. Frazier has a subtle, understated
writing style that let's you put the pieces together for yourself. He based
this story on the lives of his ancestors. I eagerly await more from this
talented writer. |
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Memoirs of a Geisha,
by Arthur S. Golden (fiction). Fictional account of the Geisha culture in
pre- and post-WWII Japan. This story is so well-written you find yourself
checking over and over to make sure it really is fiction. After her mother's
death, nine-year old Sayuri's distraught father sends her away from her
poor fishing village with a wealthy man who promises to look after her.
They travel to the city of Gion, where Sayuri is sold as an apprentice Geisha.
We follow her from one teahouse to another as she emerges from a clumsy
child into a beautiful, sought-after Geisha. |
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The Bluest Eye,
by Toni Morrison (fiction). This is the story of Pecola Breedlove, a young
African-American girl in a post-World-War II America that adores Shirley
Temple look-alikes. Pecola prays for blue eyes so she too can be beautiful.
Pecola's mother even seems to love the little blonde girl whose house she
cleans more than she loves her own children. Tony Morrison’s first novel
poignantly captures the cruelty of adults and other children who make this
little girl feel ugly. A great choice for reading groups--lots to talk about. |
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The Handmaid’s Tale,
by Margaret Atwood (fiction). A ‘futuristic’ feminist tale that takes place
at the end of the 20th century when birth control, disease and
environmental factors have made it difficult for many women to get pregnant.
It is reminiscent of Orwell’s 1984. It's the scary story of the handmaid
Offred, who is forced to have babies for rich women who can’t have their
own children, and the underground society where she relives the past. |
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Crime and Punishment,
by Fyodor Dostoyevsky (classic fiction). A young man commits a murder, which
he believes will ultimately benefit humanity. He then struggles with his
conscience, and plays a game of cat and mouse with the investigating detective.
A classic story with contemporary philosophical and moral themes. A good
choice for reading groups. Much to discuss and dissect. (Thanks again, Dr.
Kidd.) |
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Beloved,
by Toni Morrison (historical fiction). An escaped slave is haunted by the
ghosts of her past and the high price she paid for her freedom. Loved the
movie, and loved Oprah, however the book is much better than the movie. But
then that's usually the case, isn't it? This was the first book I’d ever
read by Toni Morrison (thanks to my English Lit professor, Dr. Millie Kidd)
and it made me want to read everything she’d written. She won the Pulitzer
in 1988 for this one. |
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The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.
by Sandra Gulland (historical fiction)
This is a book you will
lose yourself in. Sandra Gulland has done an enormous amount of
research on her subject, Josephine Bonaparte, a.k.a. Rose. It is very
entertaining, as well as educational. Gulland's Josephine is a classy,
gracious diplomat who helped shape history. When faced with a dilemma after
reading this book, you will find yourself asking "What would Josephine do?"
The book is written in diary format, and spans the time from
Josephine/Rose's adolescence in Martinique, through the French Revolution,
and up until the beginning of her relationship with Napoleon. Each chapter
leaves you eager for the next one, and growing more and more fond of
Josephine along the way. This is part of a 3-book series, but each book
stands well enough on its own. |
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She's
Come Undone, by Wally Lamb. Readers of this book will wonder how
Wally Lamb managed to do such an amazing job writing in the voice of a woman.
Dolores Price learns at an early age that food and television are more nurturing
than most of the adults in her life. After her parents divorce while she
is still quite young, Dolores feels abandoned by her father and neglected
by her mother. At the age of 12, a neighbor rapes Dolores. Her mother comforts
her, and assuages her own guilt, by providing the girl with endless supplies
of junk food. By the time Dolores begins college, she weighs over 260 pounds
and is suicidal. She travels to Cape Cod, to commune with a giant grey whale
that has beached itself to die. Despite her pain, Dolores manages to keep
a sense of humor. Readers will laugh and cry along with this lovable character
as she makes her way in the world. Dolores will stay with you for a long
time. |
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Like Water for Chocolate,
by Laura Esquival (fiction). A funny, bittersweet love story told in magical
realism. An old Mexican tradition requires that the youngest daughter of
the family remain unmarried in order to take care of her mother. Thus beautiful
Tita is forbidden to marry her true love, Ernesto. Tita’s spiteful mother
convinces Ernesto to marry Tita’s older, plainer sister. He agrees, knowing
that this is the only way he can be near Tita. Each chapter presents a new
recipe for the traditional Mexican dishes Tita passionately cooks for her
family. |
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Jazz
by Toni Morrison (fiction). A poignant look at the troubled marriage of
a Southern couple, lured to Harlem by the promise of glamour during the
1920's Jazz age. My favorite line of Morrison’s is towards the end of this
book as she describes an early scene in Joe and Violet’s marriage. That
one sentence made me understand their whole relationship, and I cried when
I read it. I won't quote it here, though, because it's better to discover
it on your own. |
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Their Eyes Were
Watching God
(fiction) by Zora Neale Hurston. First published in 1937, this classic
novel depicts the life, loves, triumphs and sorrows of a Southern black
woman who followed her own heart and mind, rather than taking the expected
route. After being ‘one man’s mule and another man’s adornment,’ Janie
Crawford scandalizes the neighbors by running off with Tea Cake, a man
twelve years her junior who ‘ain’t got doodly squat.’ I stumbled across
this author by accident and was not disappointed. I hope to read more of her
work soon. |
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Tess of the D’urbervilles,
by Thomas Hardy (classic literature). A Victorian milkmaid is ruined when
she falls in love with the wrong man. Hardy does a good job illustrating
the limited choices available to women in the 19th century—marry
well or become a prostitute. |
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Cat’s Eye,
by Margaret Atwood (fiction). A middle-aged artist returns to her hometown
of Toronto for a retrospective of her work. While there, she relives her
tragic youth and comes to terms with her tormented past. Atwood is a master
at describing the sights, smells, sounds and feelings of childhood. Remember
the cruel games that kids used to play? This book takes a close look at
adolescent friendships and how they shape our lives. Another good choice
for reading groups. The paperback has suggested discussion questions in
the back. |
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All True Travels and
Adventures of Lidie Newton,
by Jane Smiley (historical fiction). A young woman moves from New England
to the Kansas Territory during the antebellum period (1850's). An interesting
look at how both sides used the Bible to justify their ideals, and to justify
their use of violence to defend their respective positions on ‘the goose
question,’ or the slavery question. Lidie is a feisty, funny heroine that
you won’t want to leave. Another good choice for reading groups. The back
of the book contains suggested discussion questions, along with an interview
with author Jane Smiley. |
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The Thorn Birds
by Colleen McCullough (fiction). The saga of three generations of an Irish
Catholic family living on an Australian sheep ranch. This is a tragic tale
of forbidden love between a priest and the woman who has loved him since
childhood. |
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Pride and Prejudice,
by Jane Austen (classic fiction). An amusing look at British patriarchy
in the 19th century, and the hunt for a good husband.
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The Earth’s Children
Series, by
Jane Auel.
This series begins
with
Clan of the Cave Bear and follows an orphaned Cro-Magnon girl,
Ayla, who is raised by a Neanderthal tribe and
becomes their medicine
doctor. Auel spent a lot of time talking to anthropologists and researching
this series.
In
Valley of
the Horses, Ayla travels alone in search of 'the others' like
herself, settling for a while in a valley of wild horses where she learns
how to hunt.
 The
Mammoth Hunters, finds Ayla settling down at the hearth of a tribe
of mammoth hunters, torn between her love for two very different men.
In
Plains of
Passage, Ayla and her mate, Jondalar, set off on a new
journey across
the grassy plains of the Ice Age. Ayla is a character you will not want to
leave.
The latest
installment,
The Shelters of Stone, took twelve years to research and
write. |
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Dubliners,
by James Joyce (classic literature). Little snippets of life among the Irish
working class. Good, strong characters. I read this book for the first time
in my early 20's. Although I enjoyed it then, I enjoyed it even more ten
years later. This is one of those books that you appreciate more when you
have some life experiences to compare it with. |
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A Civil Action,
by Jonathan Harr (non-fiction). This is the true story of big business vs.
the little folks who were poisoned by the polluted water, and an idealistic
young attorney who risks everything to win the case. It was a real page
turner. This book won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Non-fiction
in 1995. This was a pretty decent movie too, starring John Travolta. |
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Collected Stories,
by Gabriel García Márquez (fiction). Márquez is the
master of ‘magical realism.’ This collection of fantastic short stories
are taken from the Nobel prize-winning author’s previously published works.
All of his stories center around magical events that take place in poor
South American villages. |
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The Stories of Eva
Luna, by Isabel Allendé (fiction). The magical short stories
of the passionate Eva Luna, as told to her lover Rolf, describe turbulent
times in Latin America. Reminiscent of ‘A Thousand and One Nights.’ If you
like the magical realism typical of Gabriel García Márquez
and Laura Esquival, you'll enjoy Allendé's writing too. |
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Paula,
by Isabel Allendé (autobiography). Allendé’s autobiography is dedicated to
her late daughter Paula, and was begun as a way to cope while sitting at her
dying daughter's bedside. Allendé describes life in Chile during government
upheaval in the 70’s, her subsequent flight to Argentina, past
relationships, raising children, and her eventual journey to California,
where she currently resides with her husband.
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The Chamber,
John Grisham (fiction). Whether you’re for or against capital punishment,
this is one of Grisham’s more thought-provoking novels. Grisham has created
believable, flawed characters in this novel about a racist old man who is
sentenced to die for planting a deadly bomb in a Southern Jewish lawyer's
office 30 years earlier. The audio version of this book is pretty good too.
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Wouldn’t Take Nothing
for My Journey Now, by Maya Angelou. Each chapter takes us back
to another time in this remarkable woman’s life and the lessons she learned
along the way. |
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The Stand,
by Stephen King. A plague kills off most of the population and those remaining
take part in the struggle of good vs. evil. This one will keep you up at
night—you’ll be too scared to fall asleep! |
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What Looks Like Crazy
on an Ordinary Day, by Pearl Cleage (fiction). A young woman struggles
with HIV, adopts a crack baby, and manages to keep a sense of humor through
it all. She learns to love again, too. Cleage is a master at writing believable
dialog. This was an Oprah Winfrey choice. It is a quick, enjoyable, heart-warming
story. |
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A Portrait of the
Artist as a Young Man, by James Joyce (semi-autobiographical). If
you liked Dubliners, you’ll want to read this one to find out more
about the author’s (or rather the protagonist's) struggle with his religious
faith and artistic freedom. |
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The World According
to Garp, by John Irving (fiction). Irving has created characters
and plot twists that are so crazy, you have to believe them! Garp's life
is full of unusual events and people from the moment of his conception.
Through it all, he maintains a zest for life and embraces it wholeheartedly.
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The Sound and the
Fury, by William Faulkner (classic literature). Set in 1920’s Mississippi,
this tragic Southern tale is told from four points of view, about a sister
who married and left home. Faulkner plays with time in this novel, with
each of the narrators telling their story in a different time period. Great
for reading groups. Lengthy discussions will follow on racism, sexism and
the author's unique narrative style. |
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Circle of Friends,
by Maeve Binchy (fiction). An Irish tale of friendship and betrayal among
a group of college students. Binchy's protagonists are always strong-willed
Irish women. This was also a good movie, starring Minnie Driver and Chris
O'Donnell. |
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A Map
of the World, by Jane Hamilton This was one of Oprah's picks in
1999 and people either loved it or hated it. I loved it. This is the story
of Alice, an ordinary stressed out wife and mother living on a mid-western
dairy farm with her ordinary husband Howard. Alice works as a school nurse
at an elementary school while Howard tends to the Golden Guernsey's. One
day while babysitting a friend's children, a terrible tragedy occurs. The
community's reaction to this tragedy sets off a chain of events that will
forever alter the lives of Alice and Howard. The extraordinary thing about
this book is the narrative, which alternates between Alice's point of view
and Howard's. Using this technique, Hamilton paints an intimate portrait
of a marriage under strain, and their differing opinions on what went wrong.
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Angela's
Ashes by Frank McCourt Angela's Ashes is not for those looking for
a warm, fuzzy happily-ever-after kind of story. This is the autobiography
of an American-born child of Irish parents who return with their family
to their homeland in Ireland. Frank's father suffers from 'the drink'. His
mother suffers (understandably) from depression, and often neglects her
children. The children are malnourished and live in squalid conditions,
but Frankie's father is too proud to accept charity, and drinks up what
little money he manages to earn. Somehow, Frankie manages to stay alive
and develops his own survival skills. While in the hospital recovering from
a serious illness, he discovers the joy of reading. Books offer him an escape
and a sense of hope for something better in his future. Through reading,
Frank strengthens his determination to return to America one day. This determination,
along with his ability to see humor in his situation, is very inspirational.
McCourt's autobiography continues with the sequel 'Tis. |
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The Notebook,
by Nicholas Sparks (fiction). A quick read. Keep the tissues handy. This
short love story will leave you in tears. For anyone who plans on growing
old with someone special. |
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Of Mice and Men,
by John Steinbeck (classic fiction). The tragic story of a friendship between
two migrant farm workers, one of whom is mentally retarded. |
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The Adventures of
Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain (classic fiction). The mischievous
adventures of a 19th century boy take place along the Mississippi
river. It’s easy to see why this is still a favorite more than a century
after it was written. My daughter and I enjoyed reading this one together
at bedtime (back when she would still let me read to her). It
presented great opportunities for discussing racism, sexism and stereotyping,
as well as nightly installments of adventure. |
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Eye of the Needle,
by Ken Follett (suspense). When a German spy hides out on an isolated
British island during World War II, he becomes the uninvited ‘guest’ of a
lonely British wife, her disabled husband and their young son. Espionage
and forbidden romance make this a thrilling read.
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The Other Side of
Midnight, by Sidney Sheldon (fiction). Hell hath no fury like a
woman scorned. An innocent woman is betrayed by the man she loves. She goes
on to become a very successful actress, but spends her whole life plotting
revenge and hurting others along the way. I read this as a teenager and
remember having some explaining to do when my mother found it and opened
it directly to one of the sex scenes. Even without the sex, it would have
been a great read. |
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The Shell Seekers,
by Rosamunde Pilcher (fiction). The discovery of a forgotten painting sets
off a chain of events in this family saga set in WWII Cornwall. |
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Read any good books lately? Please share
your comments, suggestions and criticisms
with Linda: lindaprestwidge@earthlink.net
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The Outlander Series, by Diana Gabaldon.
For
several years
I've heard
readers rave about the Outlander series. My husband gave me
Outlander for Christmas, and it was so good I immediately
ordered the other four books in the series. It's 1945, and with the end of
WWII, Claire and Frank
Randall
have just been released from their respective duties as nurse and
intelligence officer, which kept them separated for most of their eight-year
marriage.
While enjoying a second honeymoon in the Scottish Highlands, Frank, a
history professor,
spends his days exploring old historical documents with the local vicar
while Claire gathers wildflowers and herbs on a nearby hillside. Claire is
fascinated by
the discovery of a
circle of stones similar to Stonehenge. When she places her hand
on one of the stones, she is pulled into a time warp that takes her back two
hundred years
to 1745. Over the course of five books (two more are yet to
be wr
itten),
Claire’s adventures
include falling in love with a Scottish Highlander, traveling
to France, Jamaica, and
America, encountering pirates, being accused of witchcraft,
nursing soldiers through two battles, and lots more. These are the type of
books that will keep you
up way past
your bedtime. These well-researched historical novels have plenty of
action and romance to keep things interesting. The other four books in
order are:
Dragonfly in Amber,
Voyager,
Drums of Autumn, and
The Fiery Cross.