What Our Staff is Reading

The following are fiction and non-fiction titles that 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. The titles may include award winners, not-so-recent bestsellers or a new look at the classics.

January 2007

Intuition by Allegra Goodman
Fiction 2006
Set in a small cancer research lab, a young scientist leads an experiment that reduces tumors in mice. His colleague and ex-girlfriend are suspicious of his findings. The lab needs good results to obtain future grant money and so begins an engrossing tale of the politics of science.
Reviewed by KLS

The Lighthouse by P.D. James
Fiction 2005
Like fine wine aged in the barrel, James' latest Commander Dalgleish novel is mature, elegant and eminently satisfying to the mystery connoisseur. When one of the guests at an exclusive island retreat, turns up dead Dalgleish is called in to solve the case quickly and quietly. The reader is taken along as James explores the themes of love, family, loneliness and the essential selfishness of the artist.
Reviewed by Minerva

Love in the Present Tense by Catherine Ryan Hyde
Fiction 2006
A 5 year-old boy is abandoned under questionable circumstances. His story, over several decades, is told through the eyes of 3 of the main characters. Wonderfully written, the story tells of love and family, and the connections made.
Reviewed by sjc

The Other Side of The Bridge by Mary Lawson
Fiction 2006
Set in a small Canadian town, this is the story of two very different brothers, and a teen-ager who enters their lives. The chapters alternate between present and past and lead to a climax that impacts them all. This is by the author of Crow Lake, an earlier submission to “What the Staff is Reading.”
Reviewed by SJC

The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy
Fiction 2003
Louise Murphy has cleverly taken the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel and set it in Nazi occupied Poland. Incidents from the fairy tale are tucked in throughout with twists that put a totally different perspective on the original characters. This book ends with an interview with the author, and a set of discussion questions, making this a wonderful choice for any book clubs.
Reviewed by SJC