Welcome to Saturday Story Spotlight, my feature where I discuss books my husband and I are reading with our son, Daniel. These are books that he, we, or all of us particularly enjoy. The Smiley Book of Colors by Ruth Kaiser Published by Golden Books, an imprint of Random House Smiles are contagious, whether from [...]
Save Me by Lisa Scottoline, narrated by Cynthia Nixon Published in audio by Macmillan Audio, published in print by St. Martin’s Griffin, both imprints of Macmillan Synopsis: In an attempt to protect her bullied daughter, Rose McKenna volunteers as a school lunch mom. After witnessing an emotional attack on Melly, her shy 3rd grader, Rose [...]
A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd Published by Harper Paperbacks, an imprint of HarperCollins This is the first book in the Bess Crawford series. As a nurse aboard a WWI hospital ship, Bess Crawford feels a duty towards her patients. Some more than others, of course. Arthur Graham was one such patient. Well [...]
The Good Father by Noah Hawley Published by Doubleday, an imprint of Random House Youthful indiscretions can cause inconveniences later in life, although hopefully they aren’t always life-destroying. For Dr. Paul Allen, his indiscretion was a particularly ill-suited marriage. He was a young and ambitious doctor, she was a flighty young woman. They might never [...]
Elizabeth I by Margaret George Published by Penguin Paperbacks, an imprint of Penguin Much has been written about Elizabeth I, but the majority of it seems to concentrate on the earlier years of her life. Her alleged affair with Thomas Seymour, her life under her sister Mary’s Catholic rule, and the relationship between Elizabeth and [...]
Enchantments by Kathryn Harrison Published by Random House The death of Rasputin is more than an interesting anecdote in Russian history. For the people who loved him, for his wife and three legitimate children, it was a life-changing event. At the time of his death, Rasputin’s two daughters were in St. Petersburg with him, sent [...]
Hello, dear ones! I’m writing this post a bit early, because my husband and I are taking advantage of some time for a weekend (well, one night) away while we still only have one sweet child to pawn off on someone else, instead of three. We’re using gift certificates to Ruth’s Chris and a fancy [...]
NPR American Chronicles: Women’s Equality by NPR, performed by Susan Stamberg Published in audio by Highbridge Audio Synopsis: From the publisher: NPR explores the issues, struggles, and triumphs of the American women’s movement, from early pioneers to modern groundbreakers and leaders of today who fight to preserve hard-won rights. Profiles of Victoria Woodhull, Elizabeth Cady [...]
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt Published by Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins From the publisher: Hermann Kermit Warm is going to die. The enigmatic and powerful man known only as the Commodore has ordered it, and his henchmen, Eli and Charlie Sisters, will make sure of it. Though Eli doesn’t share his brother’s appetite [...]
It is that time again! We are gearing up for this month’s discussion of Gods of Gotham by Lyndsay Faye (Tuesday, March 27th right here), but it is also time to give away next month’s BOOK CLUB selection. In April we will be reading an offering from Harper Perennial, The Testament of Jesse Lamb by [...]