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.
November 2004
Cooking for Harry: A Low-Carbohydrate Novel by Kay-Marie James
Fiction
Francie's husband goes on the Atkin's diet to lose 100 lbs. And it changes their marriage forever. This novel is for anyone who has ever gone on a diet, or who loves someone who has.
Reviewed by AP
My Turquoise Years by M.A.C. Farrant
Non-Fiction
A charming coming of age tale set in 1960 in Vancouver during Farrant's fourteenth summer. Abandoned by her glamorous, globetrotting mother, raised by her straight-laced Aunt Elsie, Farrant struggles to comprehend the adults in her life, and her changing body. Amusing, insightful and tender, she captures the essence of being fourteen in 1960, when the color turquoise was the rage.
Reviewed by PMM
The Merry Recluse: A Life in Essays by Caroline Knapp
Non-Fiction
A posthumous collection of essays by Caroline Knapp, author of "Drinking: a Love Story." The essays address many topics including her alcoholism, anorexia, her relationship with her dog, being a woman, the deaths of her parents, living alone, and being a shy person in America . As a fan of Knapp's writing, I found the essays very insightful, easy to relate to, and at times very funny.
Reviewed by JEM
Whiskey Island by Emilie Richards
Fiction
This captivating story is rich in Irish history, romance, and a mystery that ties two generations living and working in a family owned Whiskey Island Saloon near Lake Erie. Their stories wind back and forth through past and present, and culminate in a surprising ending that reveals a wonderful story about love and relationships and secrets and truths. And if you're not finished with the Donaghue's by the end of this book, you can enjoy more in The Parting Glass, a sequel.
Reviewed by dal
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi
Graphic Novel
This timely autobiography tells the story of young Marjane Satrapi as she comes of age during the Islamic Revolution in Iran . When fundamentalist rebels overthrow the Shah, Marjane and her family welcome the change but soon learn than an even more repressive government is taking over. Starapi skillfully tells her story using simple but expressive illustrations making this graphic novel a delightful and compelling read.
Reviewed by JMT
|