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.
September 2005
The Family Tree by Carole Cadwalladr
Fiction
Rebecca Monroe is married to a scientist. Taking sides in the nature vs. nurture debate causes the couple to look at the generations of Rebecca's family in different ways. How she begins to understand her past, present & future is both sad and funny. Interspersed with diagrams and definitions, charts and graphs, this unique book was a treat to read!
Reviewed by sjc
For Edgar by Sheldon Rusch
Fiction
This is a taut mystery with a literary twist - all of the murders are connected to classic stories by Edgar Allen Poe. As Special Agent Elizabeth Taylor Hewitt moves into the surreal world inhabited by a serial killer known as "The Raven", she marks herself as perhaps the ultimate prize in the game being played out "for Edgar". Elizabeth 's voice is sharp and occasionally hilarious. Highly recommended.
Reviewed by pe
Change Baby by June Spence
Fiction
Avie Goss is a change-of-life baby, whose life seems separate from her much older family. When she returns home to take care of her ill mother, she learns the stories of family and friends, and much about herself in the process. The characters and beautiful language make this debut novel a wonderful find.
Reviewed by sjc
The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh
Fiction
Pia is an Indian-American scientist studying river dolphins. Kenai is a successful translator who is fascinated by Pia. Fokir is an illiterate villager who forms a bond with Pia despite the fact that they cannot communicate verbally. But the most important character in this novel is the setting, the Sundarbans archipelago in the Bay of Bengal , with great beauty and great danger from tigers and crocodiles. Filled with moral and environmental questions, history and mythology, it's a great read.
Reviewed by She-ra
Kiss Me Like A Stranger by Gene Wilder
Non-Fiction
Not exactly a biography, this is more little capsules of the author's life that explain the who, what and why of various moments in his life. Full of interesting tidbits on his films, his tragedies and triumphs, this is a quick and very enjoyable read.
Reviewed by sjc
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