GOOD READS
Beyond Best-Sellers: What B&ECPL Staff Recommend
The following were recently published titles which were read and recommended by members of our staff in the month indicated. The initials or pen name of the contributing staff member are noted after each review. Click here for more current recommendations.
June 2003
Search for the Golden Moon Bear: science and adventure in Southeast Asia Sy Montgomery
Non-Fiction
Ramble through Southeast Asia with an eloquent naturalist while she searches for a new bear species. The author knows how to combine natural & political history, superstition, & scientific research into a readable & fascinating adventure.
Reviewed by MMS
The Run to Gitche Gumee: a novel Robert Jones
Fiction
Two men undertake the same canoe trip 50 years apart-the changes the years have brought give their adventure new meaning.
Reviewed by MMS
Parts Unknown: a novel Kevin Brennan
Fiction
A great debut novel. The story of a man who abandoned his family and returns many years later to make amends. Those impacted by his decision and the pasts that they've brought into the mix bring a new understanding to choices we all make.
Reviewed by sjc
Dark Star Safari: overland from Cairo to Cape Town Paul Theroux
Non-Fiction
As the title suggests, noted author Theroux treks from Cairo to Cape Town via train, taxi, boat and bus. He finds much and little changed since his last visit to Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer decades earlier.
Reviewed by Betty
Mrs. Kimble Jennifer Haigh
Fiction
Meet Ken Kimble through the eyes and lives of his three wives and three children. This book examines the relationship needs of three very different women and the man they marry. At the end of the book we may not understand Ken, but we begin to understand his wives and what drew them to him. This author has a gift for creating characters that come alive for the reader.
Reviewed by AJS
The Great Mutual Fund Trap: an investment recovery plan Gregory Baer and Gary Gensler
Non-Fiction
The authors suggest mutual fund investors may improve returns by shifting to passive investments that offer lower costs and greater tax benefits. They describe the advantage of investment vehicles such as index mutual funds, exchange traded index funds and several other options in a manner that makes reading about these staid alternatives dynamic.
Reviewed by JSC
Special Agent: my life on the front lines as a woman in the FBI Candice DeLong
Non-Fiction
A nurse turned FBI agent, DeLong spent 20 years working on a number of notable cases including the Unabomber. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a female agent.
Reviewed by Barbara Gordon
As High as the Scooter Can Fly Lia Nirgad
Fiction
A powerful, magical adult fairytale for every woman who has ever yearned.
Reviewed by AP
The Diligent: a voyage through the worlds of the slave trade Robert Harms
Non-Fiction
Recreating the 1731 journey of a French slave ship, Harms has given us an extraordinary window into seventeenth century politics, economy and morality. The wealth of details and illustrations lend immediacy to a troubling, tragic time.
Reviewed by PM
And Give You Peace: a novel Jessica Treadway
Fiction
This story of a family tragedy and the process it takes to come to terms with it is beautifully told. The subtle nuances of family interaction are given new meaning in this riveting and thought-provoking novel.
Reviewed by sjc
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