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.
September 2004
Cottage For Sale, Must Be Moved by Kate Whouley
Nonfiction
A new take on the "fixer-up house in the country" story. Whouley writes carefully and lovingly of her Cape Cod friends, and their transformation of a house into a home. It's breezy, funny and thoughtful by turn: a perfect summer read.
Reviewed by PMM
Candyfreak by Steve Almond
Nonfiction
Candyfreak savors the gooey mystique of candy from childhood obsessions to the underdog entrepreneurial spirit of regional candy manufacturers. Additionally, its confessional digressions explore the human tendency toward self-indulgence as a means of escaping pain. Almond's wit, nostalgia, and decadent descriptions of bold confections will leave you covering your mouth to stifle laughter and wipe away drool.
Reviewed by Bare-foot Marshmallow-Man
Dylan Thomas: A New Life by Andrew Lycett
Nonfiction
A new look at one of the most important 20th century poets. Lycett has amassed enough detail to square Thomas's maddenly contradictory and deeply flawed public persona with his poetic genius. A sobering and thoughtful read.
Reviewed by PMM
Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story by Timothy B. Tyson
Nonfiction
This is the story of a racially motivated killing in North Carolina in 1970. The author, who was 10 at the time, goes back as an adult and looks at this case and the roles of his family and friends in it.
Reviewed by sjc
The Best of Good: A Novel by Sara Lewis
Fiction
This book is about a middle-aged bartendar with a passion for music, who avoids growing up until he finds out that he has a 10-year-old son. Books by Sara Lewis, which mostly seem to be about unexpected growth and change, are addictive. You won't stop with this one.
Reviewed by AP
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