During week 8 42 readers read 143 books, and five new people joined the program. For the summer so far, 155 readers have read 979 books!
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Book reviews from participants Aug 25:
Snow in August by Pete Hamill: What starts as a Big City encounter (Brooklyn)-between street bullies and interns-becomes a boy's exploration beyond his upbringing-great insight into why people refuse to "rat out" to the authorities-urban flight (late 1940's --young soldier escaping street violence-post war adjustment-Jewish refugees-Jewish beliefs as seen by young Irish Catholics)
Road Home by Jim Harrison: If you read "Dalva"-then you will want to read "The Road Home"-although written 10 years after "Dalva"-it picks up right where you want to be but with both familiar and entirely new territory-encompassing a period from the close of the 19th century to present day-fascinating weaving of people, family, tribes, and nations.
Ash Wednesday by Ethan Hawke: What it is to be young and "with promise" foolish-impulsive-story of 2 lovers struggling to find themselves, each other-and how to become something more-great style-as if these are people you know or were ...
Floating Clouds by Fumiko Hayashi: Postwar Japan seen through the eyes of young woman, newly resettled from French (?)-just to survive day to day in their environment without any safety net-harsh and unforgiving-considered as a classic of modern Japanese literature.
Last Wave by Paul Hayden: The author immerses the readers into the works of Aussie surfing of one 17 year old's transition from casual good times to mortality-and maturity-author's visual/tactile expression is wonderful.
Devil of Nanking by Mo Hayder: Return to WWII-Japan's conquest of Nanking-and terrible conduct. Still not fully acknowledged as discloses by an unrelated yet similar act of violence. Could not stop reading to discover what happened.
Broken heartland by J. M. Hayes: Rolicking series of crime and revenge set in the middle of Kansas-small town but big sotry-fast-entertaining-funny.
American Fascists: the Christian Right and the War on America by Chris Hedges: One of the scariest non-fiction books I have ever read. I was not aware of how deeply entrenched the neo-conservatives are or of how many companies are filtering money to them. People need to read this book and find out how close we are coming to losing our "free" country.
An Ocean in Iowa by Peter Hedges: From a 7 year old's point of view: a mom needing treatment and leaving her family-the child's struggle to make sense of his love and conflict the family's adjustment-and his survivor's heartbreak.
Best Enemies by Jane Heller: Intentionally silly-and has you shaking your head, yet the author somehow resolves intractable conflicts-which kept former best friends-lifelong enemies. Great exploration of what keeps people apart.
The Island by Elin Hilderbrand: Great story about love and loss, how a family comes together to grieve and move on.
To have this newsletter arrive in your e-mailbox, go to our Newsletter sign up page. You can also see all the newsletters we have available!
Book reviews from participants Aug 25:
Snow in August by Pete Hamill: What starts as a Big City encounter (Brooklyn)-between street bullies and interns-becomes a boy's exploration beyond his upbringing-great insight into why people refuse to "rat out" to the authorities-urban flight (late 1940's --young soldier escaping street violence-post war adjustment-Jewish refugees-Jewish beliefs as seen by young Irish Catholics)
Road Home by Jim Harrison: If you read "Dalva"-then you will want to read "The Road Home"-although written 10 years after "Dalva"-it picks up right where you want to be but with both familiar and entirely new territory-encompassing a period from the close of the 19th century to present day-fascinating weaving of people, family, tribes, and nations.
Ash Wednesday by Ethan Hawke: What it is to be young and "with promise" foolish-impulsive-story of 2 lovers struggling to find themselves, each other-and how to become something more-great style-as if these are people you know or were ...
Floating Clouds by Fumiko Hayashi: Postwar Japan seen through the eyes of young woman, newly resettled from French (?)-just to survive day to day in their environment without any safety net-harsh and unforgiving-considered as a classic of modern Japanese literature.
Last Wave by Paul Hayden: The author immerses the readers into the works of Aussie surfing of one 17 year old's transition from casual good times to mortality-and maturity-author's visual/tactile expression is wonderful.
Devil of Nanking by Mo Hayder: Return to WWII-Japan's conquest of Nanking-and terrible conduct. Still not fully acknowledged as discloses by an unrelated yet similar act of violence. Could not stop reading to discover what happened.
Broken heartland by J. M. Hayes: Rolicking series of crime and revenge set in the middle of Kansas-small town but big sotry-fast-entertaining-funny.
American Fascists: the Christian Right and the War on America by Chris Hedges: One of the scariest non-fiction books I have ever read. I was not aware of how deeply entrenched the neo-conservatives are or of how many companies are filtering money to them. People need to read this book and find out how close we are coming to losing our "free" country.
An Ocean in Iowa by Peter Hedges: From a 7 year old's point of view: a mom needing treatment and leaving her family-the child's struggle to make sense of his love and conflict the family's adjustment-and his survivor's heartbreak.
Best Enemies by Jane Heller: Intentionally silly-and has you shaking your head, yet the author somehow resolves intractable conflicts-which kept former best friends-lifelong enemies. Great exploration of what keeps people apart.
The Island by Elin Hilderbrand: Great story about love and loss, how a family comes together to grieve and move on.
 | Maid to Match Gist, Deeanne 2010-06 - Bethany House Publishers 9780764204081 Check Our Catalog Falling in Love Could Cost Her Everything From the day she arrives at the Biltmore, Tillie Reese is dazzled--by the riches of the Vanderbilts and by Mack Danvers, a mountain man turned footman. When Tillie is enlisted to help tame Mack's rugged behavior by tutoring him in proper servant etiquette, the resulting sparks threaten Tillie's efforts to be chosen as Edith Vanderbilt's lady's maid. After all, the one rule of the house is no romance below stairs. But the stakes rise even higher when Mack and Tillie become entangled in a cover-up at the town orphanage. They could both lose their jobs, their aspirations ...and their hearts. -- "Gist takes intriguing historical facts and creates a world of fascinating characters, lighthearted moments, and timeless crises that we can still relate to today."--Romantic Times …More |
 | Manufacturing Depression: The Secret History of a Modern Disease Greenberg, Gary 2010-02 - Simon & Schuster 9781416569794 Check Our Catalog Psychotherapist Greenberg offers a fascinating look at the history of depression--a disease that he sees as the uniquely American pursuit of anti-depression rather than happiness. …More |
  | The Associate Grisham, John 2009-01 - Doubleday Books 9780385517836 Check Our Catalog For those who thought "The Firm" was suspenseful, wait until they meet "The Associate," the newest legal thriller from bestselling author Grisham. …More |
 | Snow in August Hamill, Pete 1999-10 - Grand Central Publishing 9780446675253 Check Our Catalog Set in a working-class Brooklyn neighborhood in 1947, this poignant tale revolves around two of the most endearing characters in recent fiction: an 11-year-old Irish Catholic boy named Michael Devlin and Rabbi Judah Hirsch, a refugee from Prague. …More |
 | The Road Home Harrison, Jim 1998-10 - Atlantic Monthly Press 9780871137241 Check Our Catalog The sequel to Harrison's bestselling "Dalva", written ten years ago, and a magnificent story of the American West, "The Road Home" tells the story of a family drenched in suffering and joy, imbued with fierce independence and love, rooted in the Nebraska soil and intertwined with the destiny of whites and Native Americans. …More |
  | Laughed 'Til He Died Hart, Carolyn 2010-04 - William Morrow & Company 9780061453090 Check Our Catalog The idyllic South Carolina sea island of Broward's Rock has had its share of intrigue. No one knows that better than part-time sleuth Annie Darling and her husband, Max, who get involved in a case in which a trio of deaths are linked to the island youth center. …More |
 | Ash Wednesday Hawke, Bingham Author Hawke, Ethan 2003-06 - Vintage Books USA 9780375718854 Check Our Catalog From the actor, director, and writer Ethan Hawke: a piercing novel of love, marriage, and renewal. Jimmy is AWOL from the army, but--with characteristic fierceness and terror--he's about to embark on the biggest commitment of his life. Christy is pregnant with Jimmy's child, and she's determined to head home, with or without Jimmy, to face up to her past and prepare for the future. Somehow, barreling across America from Albany to New Orleans to Ohio and Texas in a souped-up Chevy Nova, Christy and Jimmy are transformed from passionate but conflicted lovers into a young family on a magnificent journey. Ash Wednesday is a novel of blazing emotion and remarkable grace, a tale that captures the intensity--the excitement, fear, and joy--of being on the threshold of the mysterious country of marriage and parenthood. Powerful, assured, large of heart, and punctuated by moments of tremendous humor, it represents, for Hawke the novelist, a major leap forward. …More |
 | Floating Clouds Hayashi, Fumiko Translator Dunlop, Lane 2006-03 - Columbia University Press 9780231136280 Check Our Catalog In this groundbreaking novel, Fumiko Hayashi tells the powerful story of tormented love and one woman's struggle to navigate the cruel realities of postwar Japan. The novel's characters, particularly its resilient heroine Koda Yukiko, find themselves trapped in their own drifting, unable to break out of the morass of indecisiveness. Set in the years during and after World War II, their lives and damaged psyches reflect the confusion of the times in which they live. "Floating Clouds" follows Yukiko as she moves from the physically lush and beautiful surroundings of Japanese-occupied French Indochina to the desolation and chaos of postwar Japan. Hayashi's spare, affecting novel presents a rare portrait of Japanese colonialism and the harshness of Japan's postwar experience from the perspective of a woman. Its rich cast of characters, drawn from the back alleys of urban Japan and the low rungs of society, offers an unforgettable portrait of Japanese society after the war. The tortured relationship between Yukiko and Tomioka, a minor official with the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, provides the dramatic center of the novel. Yukiko meets Tomioka while working as a typist for the Japanese ministry in Indochina, where they begin their affair. After the war, Tomioka returns to his wife but remains emotionally inscrutable to Yukiko, refusing to break off their relationship. Meanwhile, Yukiko must find her way in a radically changed postwar Japan. When Yukiko and Tomioka's lives once again cross, the two set down a path shaped by their passion and sense of desperation. First published in 1951, "Floating Clouds" is a classic of modern Japanese literature and was later madeinto a film by legendary Japanese director Mikio Naruse. …More |
 | Last Wave Hayden, Paul 2003-05 - MTV Books 9780743464727 Check Our Catalog Seventeen-year-old Owl is at the top of his game with not a care in the world, but all that is about to change. He learns he has degenerative arthritis and might not be able to surf again. His best friend is going to be a father. And a horrible car crash turns his world upside-down. …More |
 | The Devil of Nanking Hayder, Mo 2005-04 - Grove/Atlantic 9780802117946 Check Our Catalog A BookPage Notable Title Spine-chilling characters take readers on an electrifying ride deep inside the secret history of one of the 20th century's most brutal events--the Nanking Massacre in 1937--as a young Englishwoman obsessively searches Tokyo for film footage of the massacre and its survivors. …More |
 | Broken Heartland Hayes, J. M. 2007-11 - Poisoned Pen Press 9781590584538 Check Our Catalog Sleepy Benteen County, Kansas, turns frantic on election day. The radical religious right is out to unseat Sheriff English, better known as Englishman. Englishmans only available deputy rammed a school bus carrying the Benteen County teen choir while chasing a vehicle involved in a mystery. …More |
 | American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America Hedges, Chris 2007-01 - Free Press 9780743284431 Check Our Catalog From the celebrated author of "War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning" comes a startling expos of the political ambitions of the Christian Right--a clarion call for everyone who cares about freedom. …More |
 | An Ocean in Iowa Peter Hedges 1998-04 - Hyperion 0786864044 Check Our Catalog Scotty Ocean is turning seven years old, and he has announced earlier in his life that seven is going to be his year. It does turn out to be his year, but not the year he imagined. It is the year his mother leaves the family. At first, Scotty does astonishing things to get her to return. When he comes to believe she won't be moving back, he tries to replace her. Ultimately, he decides he must take drastic action to remain forever seven. Hedges brings to vivid life the unforgettable Ocean family: Scotty and his two older sisters; their father, at once stern and loyal; and their mother, Joan, a character of heartbreaking complexity. An Ocean in Iowa is a timeless book about the delicate balance of families. Beautifully crafted and constantly surprising, it explores the fragile contracts between parents and children, and what it really means to grow up. …More |
 | Best Enemies Heller, Jane 2004-04 - St. Martin's Press 9780312288495 Check Our Catalog "New York Times" bestselling author Heller focuses her sly wit on female bonding in this hilarious story that proves there are two sides to every friendship. …More |
 | Star Island Hiaasen, Carl 2010-07 - Knopf Publishing Group 9780307272584 Check Our Catalog Twenty-two-year-old pop star Cherry Pye is attempting a comeback from her latest drug and alcohol disaster. Ann DeLusia is Cherry's "undercover stunt double," portraying Cherry whenever the singer is too wasted to go out in public. But, one night, Ann-as-Cherry is kidnapped from a South Beach hotel by an obsessed paparazzo. Now the challenge for Cherry's handlers is to rescue Ann while keeping her existence secret from the public--and from Cherry herself. …More |
 | The Island Hilderbrand, Elin 2010-07 - Reagan Arthur Books 9780316043878 Check Our Catalog A woman, her two daughters, and her sister spend the month of July on rustic, charming Tuckernuck Island off the coast of Nantucket. Secrets and intrigue soon make their way to the surface, as Hilderbrand ("Nantucket Nights") once again weaves a masterful story of summer suspense. …More |
 | Deeper Than the Dead Hoag, Tami 2008-12 - Bantam 9780553807004 Check Our Catalog Hoag, "New York Times"-bestselling author and queen of the crime thriller ("New York Post"), delivers a bone-chilling story about a serial killer on a rampage and two children who may hold the keys to his identity. …More |
 | Prior Bad Acts Hoag, Tami 2006-01 - Books On Tape 1415927561 Check Our Catalog BookPage Notable Title Veteran Minneapolis homicide detective Sam Kovac and his wisecracking partner Nikki Liska--last seen in the bestselling "Dust to Dust"--return in this terrifying tale of murder, kidnapping, and justice betrayed. …More |
 | Demon's Fire Holly, Emma 2010-10 - Berkley 9780425237496 Check Our Catalog Fleeing the routine life her family wanted for her, Beth joins an archaeological dig spearheaded by her cousin Charles. For such an adventurer, the desert city of Bhamjran is perfect for making unusual discoveries--especially when it comes to forbidden appetites. …More |
 | Backseat Saints Jackson, Joshilyn 2010-06 - Grand Central Publishing 9780446582346 Check Our Catalog BookPage Notable Title With the seed of a minor character from her popular bestseller "Gods in Alabama," Jackson has built a whole new story full of her trademark sly wit, endearingly off-kilter characters, and utterly riveting plot twists. …More |
 | Outlaw Mountain Jance, J. A. 1999-07 - William Morrow & Company 9780380975006 Check Our Catalog When an elderly but free-spirited widow is cruelly murdered and her body left in the desert, Sheriff Joanna Brady's investigation starts with the victim's greedy offspring and a mysterious live-in gentlemen, but soon extends to the murky waters of corruption in high places. …More |
 | Dark Summer Johansen, Iris 2008-10 - St. Martin's Press 9780312368081 Check Our Catalog Veterinarian Devon Brady is working in a makeshift hospital on a remote search-and-resuce mission. When a man arrives with his wounded black Labrador, Devon has no idea she's about to be plunged into a whirlwind of terror and destruction. Martin's Press. …More |
 | Deadlock Johansen, Iris 2009-04 - St. Martin's Press 9780312368111 Check Our Catalog While searching for a legendary treasure, renowned archeologist Emily Hudson and her partner are taken hostage. Former CIA operative John Garrett is sent in to save the treasure hunters, but soon he and Emily are catapulted into an astonishing adventure in which nothing--and no one--is as it seems. Martin's Press. …More |
 | Eight Days to Live Johansen, Iris 2010-04 - St. Martin's Press 9780312368159 Check Our Catalog In #1 "New York Times"-bestselling author Johansen's latest thriller, Eve Duncan's adopted daughter Jane has been targeted by a mysterious cult, which has decided that she has only eight days to live. …More |
 | Killer Dreams Johansen, Iris 2006-05 - Bantam Books 9780553803440 Check Our Catalog From #1 "New York Times" bestselling author Johansen comes her most suspense-filled thriller to date--a pulse-pounding shocker that pits a mother and son against a killer who's the stuff of nightmares. …More |
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