GOOD READS
Beyond Best-Sellers: What B&ECPL Staff Recommend
The following are recently published titles which have been read and recommended by members of our staff. The initials or pen name of the contributing staff member are noted after each review.
May 2005
I wrote on all Four Walls: Teens speak out on Violence by Fran Fearnley
Non-Fiction
Containing the stories of 9 teens who are victims and perpetrators of violence at home, at school, and in their neighborhoods, this book was compiled by staff at the Toronto Public Library but is written in the teens' own words. The stories are both sad and engaging. Readers who have not experienced abuse at this level will feel a bit voyeuristic reading these accounts, but I think the importance of this book is that it gives a voice to these teens and presents their stories without judgment.
Reviewed by She Ra
Borderlines: A Memoir by Caroline Krause
Fiction
The author relocates to San Francisco in her early twenties after the devastating death of her mother. She quickly begins a dangerous friendship with another woman that spirals out of control. This compelling page-turner is a very satisfying read.
Reviewed by KLS
Devil in the Details: Scenes from an Obsessive Girlhood by Jennifer Traig
Non-Fiction
This is a comical look at one woman's teenage experience with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Be prepared to laugh out loud.
Reviewed by KLS
The Hot Flash Club Strikes Again by Nancy Thayer
Fiction
A story is woven around a group of women (hot flash age) who persevere no matter what life throws at them - love, family, death, wicked in-laws, etc. Even if you’re not experiencing hot flashes yet, you will enjoy this novel. One element they always hang on to is hope, alone and as a group. A light and funny read.
Reviewed by kpuehn
War is a Racket: The Antiwar Classic by America's Most Decorated General by Brigadier General Smedley D. Butler
Non-Fiction
It is a shame that Butler’s words, originally published in the 1930s, should still hold immediate relevancy. This collection of reprinted essays is a searing indictment against war and its profiteers told by a man of military bearing. Butler’s vision of US isolation from foreign entanglements seems antiquated in the wake of events like the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Holocaust, and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. However, his passion and honesty remain valuable sources for debate.
Reviewed by Research-n-Destroy
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