Carol Goodman

There are a few authors I keep an eye on because I consistently enjoy their books and Carol Goodman is one of them. One of the things I like most about her books is the way she interweaves historical information into them so even though I'm always entertained by the story, I also feel like I learn a little something. Her most recent endeavor, The Night Villa tells the story of UT Professor Sophie Chase who joins an expedition to uncover a villa in Herculaneum that was buried by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in AD 79. The story has a twist, as do all of her novels, involving a gunman, a sinister cult and an ex-boyfriend, which will leave you entertained and wanting more. If you enjoy this, I would also recommend her other novels, The Sonnet Lover, The Drowning Tree, The Ghost Orchid, The Seduction of Water, and The Lake
of Dead Languages.

I Love History!

History was always one of my favorite subjects in school and that has translated into a love of historical fiction, although I am especially drawn to two periods in history - Elizabeth I and WWII. In that spirit, here are some books that will entertain you, and you just might learn something too.

The first book is one that I read for the first time so long ago and may be what originally started my obsession with Elizabeth I. It's Legacy by Susan Kay and although she takes some liberties mixing history with imagination, it is a very entertaining read. Sensationalistic, yes, but entertaining nonetheless. The second is Elizabeth and Mary: Cousins, Rivals, Queens by Jane Dunn. This novel traces the history and success of two queens who ruled in male dominated societies and although the two cousins never met, their lives were incredibly interconnected. If you want others in this genre, I can also recommend I, Elizabeth (Rosalind Miles), Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles (Margaret George) and The Other Boleyn Girl (Philippa Gregory).

Along the WWII theme, I can recommend several books. The first, Skeletons at the Feast (Chris Bohjalian) tells the story of a Germany family who flees across Germany with a Scottish POW. Along the way they join forces with a Jewish escapee from an Auschwitz-bound train and are hoping to reach the Allied forces before being overtaken by the dreaded Russians. The next is A Thread of Grace (Mary Doria Russell) about a group of Jewish refugees who are escorted into a small Italian town for safe keeping, only to discover that Mussolini has surrendered Italy to Hilter, putting them into danger once again. The story tells us of a little known group of Italian citizens who sheltered over 40,000 Jews from work camps or execution. And some others you may enjoy are The Reader (Bernard Schlink), The Resistance (Anita Shreve) or The Key to Rebecca, Hornet Flight or Jackdaws (Ken Follett).

The rest of these have nothing to do with WWII or Elizabeth I but are great reads in their own right and will introduce you to other places and times. The first is the Into the Wilderness Series by Sara Donati. These are kind of similar to the Outlander series, only these take place primarily in United States post-Revolutionary War. There are several novels in this series and it traces one family, the Bonners, throughout their lives and the lives of their children. The next is James Clavell's Shogun - a story about Japan in the late 16th century and the English "barbarians" who washed ashore one day. The descriptions of the Japanese society and culture of the time are amazing and almost breathtaking; it's really eye opening to read about the differences between the Westerners and the Japanese. The final recommendation is another series - the Earth Children series by Jean M. Auel. There are five books in the series and they tell the story of the dawn of modern humans in Ayla, a cro-magnon girl growing up in the ice age, whose family is lost in an earthquake. She is picked up by a traveling clan of neanderthals looking for a new home and thus her story and struggle begin.

Not Just for Young Adults

I just finished reading the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series and was so pleasantly surprised by the level of writing. While technically classified as Young Adult, I didn't feel like they were written at to a lower reading level at all - in fact the stories were extremely entertaining. It made me think, what other YA series are so good that they transcend the label? Here are a few to get you started:

The Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares: The first book in this series introduces us to Tibby, Bridget, Lena and Carmen, four girls who have been friends since before they were born, and who are about to spend their first ever summer apart. But on the day before they are to scatter, they discover a pair of pants, bought at a vintage store that miraculously fit all of them perfectly, despite their different body types and heights. They determine to send these magic pants to each other throughout the summer to help keep in touch and remain close. The chapters are narrated by the different girls and you get a feel for each of their different voices. This is maintained throughout the rest of the series, through which we get to see the girls grow up both together and apart. Series: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Second Summer of the Sisterhood, Girls in Pants, Forever in Blue.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery: This is an oldie but goodie - and hopefully there aren't many of you out there who haven't already devoured this series. Although technically there are 8 books in the series, the first 6 are the ones most read. They tell the story of Anne (with an E) Shirley, who was recently adopted by the Cuthbert's on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Ann has carrot red hair, is incredibly smart, and talks and dreams way too much. Ann is essentially an every-girl if there is such a thing. The series tracks her from a young girl of 11 throughout her entire life, to when she is a mother herself. If you haven't read them, or haven't in awhile, please do yourself a favor and check them out. Books: Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of the Island, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne's House of Dreams, Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley, Rilla of Ingleside

The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud: These are along the same lines of the His Dark Materials or Harry Potter series' in that they definitely have a fantasy slant, but these definitely enough of a difference to make these fresh and interesting. Nathaniel is a boy magician who is apprenticed to Arthur Underwood, an inferior magician, who mostly ignores him. That is until Nathanial insults the famous magician Simon Lovelace, in public no less, and Underwood is too pathetic to help him. Angry and disgusted, Nathaniel throws himself into the task of learning as much magic as possible and summons a very powerful djinni, Bartimaeus, to help exact his revenge. The trilogy continues on from there with Nathaniel making friends and enemies along
the way and ends with an epic showdown between Nathaniel and Lovelace. You'll definitely enjoy the dark humor and will find yourself rooting for and against the various characters. Books: The Amulet of Samarkand, The Golem's Eye, Ptolemy's Gate

And of course, I'll reference again the Harry Potter Series and the Twilight Series.

Philip Roth

Some people are obsessed with Philip Roth, especially Portnoy's Complaint and American Pastoral. I never read the first, but did read the second and really didn't get the attraction. It was an OK novel, I guess, but I struggled to really get into the story, even though my roommate at the time was practically disowning me for not loving the book. However, there is one of his books that I absolutely loved and want you all to read... immediately!

It's The Plot Against America and I first read it back in 2003 right before the election and the eeriness of it all made the hairs on my neck stand up.

The book is the ultimate "what-if" scenario; what if Charles Lindbergh had defeated Franklin Roosevelt for the presidency in 1939? Lindbergh had the sympathy of the public behind him after the kidnapping of his son, and was already popular due to his aviation heroics. However, once in office, Lindbergh exhibited blatant antisemitism and ends up creating nationwide pogroms. The story is narrated by a Jewish boy growing up in Newark, NJ and is both gripping and touching.

You will be captivated from the first page and despite the fact that the novel takes place 70 years ago, there are some scary parallels to today.

A quick read

I just finished reading a cute, short young adult book called The Midnight Twins by Jacqueline Mitchard. It's the story of twin girls, Mally and Merry, who are born on different days in different years, even though they're only minutes apart. They've always been able to read each others thoughts and communicate in "twin talk" but on their 13th birthday their lives change in the midst of a fire and they suddenly have powers beyond anything they'd ever thought possible. It's a pretty short book, I finished it in a couple hours today, and I just found out that it's the first book in a planned trilogy.

Non-Fiction that reads like fiction

I don't often read non-fiction and I'm not quite sure why. Probably because most of the non-fiction titles I see are usually biographies or autobiographies and for the most part, that just doesn't interest me. Which I find kind of interesting since history in general fascinates me. Despite my less than enthusiastic response to the genre, I have found several non-fiction books that I have enjoyed. So for those of you who aren't into fiction, these books should interest you.

The first two are by James Bradley and are both true accounts of the pacific theater in WWII:

Flags of our Fathers tells the story of the historic flag raising on Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima. It not only tells us the history of the flag raising itself, but also delves into the back stories of the men who raised it. One of the men who was immortalized in the famous picture, was the author's father, John Bradley. It was only after his father's death that the author discovered the role he'd
played.

Flyboys is about the rise of the US Air Force, and the pivotal role they played in the battles of the pacific theater, specifically the battle of Chichi Jima. Many men were shot down that day; one was rescued by a submarine and went on to become President. Eight others were captured by Japanese troops and until this book came out, the story of what happened to them was never revealed.

Three Cups of Tea tells the story of one man whose failure led to his success. In 1993, Mortenson was trying to climb K2 when he became too ill to continue on. He spent seven weeks recuperating in the tiny Pakistani town of Korphe. In return for their generosity, he pledged to build the first school in the impoverished town. The story tells the tale of the author's struggles to fulfill on that promise and the eventual development of the Central Asia Institute whose mission is to fight Islamic extremism in the region through collaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and increase access to education, especially for girls.

Night by Elie Weisel is, as one reviewer put it, "the longest short book I've read." Weisel tells his own story of the concentration camps and the survivor's guilt that followed him. It's not a long book but the sparsity of it makes that much more of an impact. I just don't have the words to adequately describe this book so please, read and discover it for yourself.

Ken Follett's Masterpieces

A few years ago, my brother was reading a book and when he finished, he handed it to me, stating that I'd love it. We were on vacation and I started reading it immediately and couldn't put it down the rest of the trip. The book was Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth, first written in 1989; you may not have realized that the book was almost 20 years old since it's had a huge resurgence lately thanks to Oprah's book club. Part of the frenzy was driven by the fact that Follett was about to release a sequel to his popular novel. The original story follows a group of people in Kingsbridge, England and the challenges associated with building a cathedral in medieval England. I decided that in order to follow World Without End, the sequel, I should reread POTE and was honestly a bit apprehensive - would it hold up over time? Would I enjoy it as much this time around? The answer is a resounding YES! And WWE is a worthwhile successor; not a sequel in the traditional sense since it picks up about 200 years after the ends of POTE, but it is still
Kingsbridge, and the characters are the descendants of those we came to know, love, respect and in some instances, hate. While both books are hefty, the story is very engrossing, and you will come to care deeply about these characters.

If you enjoy these two, try also Ildefonso Falcones' Cathedral of the Sea, about a cathedral in Barcelona or John Shors' Beneath a Marble Sky, about building the Taj Mahal.

Big books that are worth the effort

As an extremely fast reader, the size of a book has never intimidated me, but I know that isn't the case with everyone. Because of that, I'd like to recommend some big books that will draw you in and will be totally worth the effort.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova: We've all heard of Vlad the Impaler, more commonly known as Dracula, but how much is truth and how much is conjecture? That's essentially the question that Kostova attempts to answer in this novel. The best way to describe it is to say it's the history of Dracula, if Dracula existed. It's both creepy and and beautiful at the same time and while this is a novel, Kostova intersperses the true atrocities of Vlad the Impaler so well, that sometimes you can't tell what is real and what isn't.

Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon: I won't rehash my previous post but will just reemphasize how much I enjoy this series.

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke: Mr. Norrell is a magician in early 1800's England who is attempting to demonstrate England's superiority in the Magical Arts by changing the course of the Napoleanic Wars. But despite his achievements, Norrell is almost forgettable, a fact that is emphasized when he is upstaged by his apprentice, the glamorous Jonathan Strange. It's kind of a mix of fantasy and history and as one reviewer put it, is an echanting, epic tale.

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: This one may be a bit more difficult than the others because the slave dialogue can be a bit difficult to follow at first, but the story of Scarlett will draw you in until you are part of the story. If you enjoy it, I recommend Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley, which is an unofficial sequel. If you want the officially sanctioned sequel, read Rhett Butler's People by Donald McCaig; personally I preferred Scarlett, but that's just me.

The Stand by Stephen King: I'm not usually a King fan, horror scares me too much and since he's so good at it, I prefer to skip his stuff, good though they may be. However, The Stand is a very worthwhile exception to this rule. It's the story of the apocalypse; a mutating flu virus rapidly wipes out over 99% of the world's population. While this also has some scary moments it's because in the back of your mind, you can't help but think, "could this actually happen."

My Favorite Authors

As an avid reader, there are many, many authors that I keep up with to find out when they're releasing something new. But just because I follow him/her, doesn't mean that I consider that author to be one of my favorites. Most of these will sound familiar to you because I've mentioned them before in earlier posts. Here are some that I would recommend to anyone:

John Irving: A Widow for One Year is my favorite of John Irving's novels, but there are so many good ones to choose from that rather than list them all for you here, I will just say, pick any of his book, you're guaranteed to enjoy it. I went to a reading of Until I Find You when it first came out and while I was in line to get my book signed, I chatted with some of the other people in line; what intrigued me is each of us had a different favorite novel, and it was always the first one of his we'd read.

J.K. Rowling: Since I'm a huge Harry Potter fan, I had to include JKR. I'm such a fan that I went to see her read from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows at Carnegie Hall last October, and even got a signed copy of the book! Anyway, her imagination just astounds me, the stories will draw you in and they're the epitome of good versus evil.

Diana Gabaldon: Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres, and Diana's research is flawless. You could not get a more accurate description of Jacobite Scotland unless you dropped in there yourself. And the plot is so engrossing, despite the fact that the series is huge and continuing to grow. I eagerly wait for each new book to come out so I can continue the story of Jamie, Claire, Brianna and Roger.

Nelson DeMille: If you like thrillers, you'll really enjoy Nelson DeMille. He's a New York native which makes his novels especially interesting for me because a lot of them take place in the NYC metro area. It's always fun to read about someplace you're familiar with. But if you're not from this area, don't let that deter you from picking up one of his books. Several of his books follow the same character which I enjoy since I always miss characters when the novel is over, but you don't have to read them in order to understand the plot.

Dan Brown: If the only thing you've read by Dan Brown is The DaVinci Code, then you definitely need to grab Angels & Demons. He is another author who does meticulous research, although in his case, I think he tweaks some of it to suit his story, versus the other way around. But despite the controversy surrounding his novels, the man can write and if his new book, which rumor has titled The Soloman Key, ever comes out, I'll be first in line to buy it.

Tear Jerkers

Here are a few books that will probably make you cry. They made me cry, and it takes a lot for me to cry at a book, but these stories will tug at your heartstrings.

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult: I have recommended this book to every single one of my friends, my sister, my mom, etc. It's so good and so sad and the story of two sisters touch anyone, whether you have a sister yourself or not. This is the story of Kate and Anna; Kate has leukemia and Anna was conceived to be a genetic match for her big sister. After one invasive procedure too many, Anna hires a lawyer to sue her parents for the right to make her own decisions about her body. This book raises some really thought-provoking questions, but it also is a great story. I think this is by far Jodi's best book, although I also enjoyed Nineteen Minutes and Vanishing Acts.

All We Know of Heaven by Jacqueline Mitchard: I got this book from the library originally ecause I was intrigued by the premise - I had recently seen something similar on the news and was curious as to whether or not this was a true story. This is another story about two girls, best friends Bridget and Maureen, and the path their lives follow after a tragic car accident that leaves one of them dead and the other in a coma. The aftermath of the accident shatters both families but also has an impact on everyone who was close to the girls. I always enjoy Jacqueline Mitchard's books and some of my other favorites of hers are A Theory of Relativity, The Breakdown Lane, and her most well known, The Deep End of the Ocean.

A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving: Owen Meany is a tiny boy with an oddly strange voice who one day accidently kills his best friend's mom when he hits her with a baseball. Oh, and of course, Owen believes he's an instrument of God. The narrator of this book, Johnny, is Owen's best friend and while the novel jumps around between past and present, it never ceases to hold your interest. You'll definitely have a hard time putting it down and you'll never forget it. I love John Irving - I don't think I've ever read a book of his that I haven't really enjoyed and although my favorite is A Widow for One Year, nothing, and I mean nothing, comes close causing to the emotional response you'll have while reading Owen Meany.

Losing Julia by Jonathan Hull: This is a book I never would have found if it weren't for a recommendation from a work colleague and I'm forever grateful. Patrick is an old man, 81, and living in a nursing home in California. This novel is written as Patrick diary and is told in three sections - the end of his life, back to the trenches of WWI and finally to Paris, after the war where he meets Julia. The author doesn't pull any punches and the narrative is both illuminating and heartbreaking. If you enjoy this one, try The Distance from Normandy.

Fabulous Series'

I'm a huge fan of series' - I love the idea that even though I've finished a book, I haven't finished with the characters or their stories. There are so many series I've read that I could never even remember, much less recommend, them all but here are a few that are worth the additional investment.

Harry Potter: I'm sure no one is surprised by this choice, as it's rather obvious, but J.K. Rowling's world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry comes alive throughout the seven books in this series. I won't rehash the plot since I doubt there's anyone on earth who hasn't already heard it all. I will leave you with this - don't think that if you saw the movies, you know the story. It simply isn't true - the books are way too long and full of detail for any movie to completely address. (Titles: Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince, Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows)

Lord of the Rings: Another no-brainer although in this case, I feel like the movies are pretty true to the books, so you probably have an idea of what J.R.R. Tolkein was writing about. Any land full of Elves, Hobbits, Ents and Orcs is going to be entertaining, and the trilogy really draws you in. If you aren't sure if you're ready for the entire world of Middle Earth, start small with The Hobbit. If you like it, and I think you will, you'll be ready to join Frodo and Sam on their journey to Mordor. (Titles: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King)

His Dark Materials: Some of you may be familiar with the first book in this trilogy, The Golden Compass, thanks to the recent movie release. Unfortunately for you, the movie kind of ruined the story for me. Philip Pullman tells of worlds superimposed, for lack of a better word, on top of each other. People are living in these words simultaneously but with slight differences, and there are small portals between the worlds. Although technically a young adult series, it has deeper themes addressing religion and friendship, which are applicable to readers of all ages. (Titles: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass)

Twilight: A rather new phenomenon, the Twilight series is the love story of a human and a vampire and all the craziness that that entails. Bella Swan is a high schooler who moves from Arizona to Forks, WA to live with her dad. There she meets Edward and Jacob, the two boys who love her. Unfortunately for them, she can only love one back, despite the concequences. And there are consequences. Stephenie Meyer is considered by some to be the next JKR and the third book in the series, Eclipse, even knocked HP7 off the number one spot at Amazon last summer. The fourth, and final, book in the series just came out and I wish I could say that I liked the ending, but I haven't read it yet. I'll be sure to update this when I do! (Titles: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn)

Outlander: This series was only supposed to be 5 books long. Then six, then seven, now eight! But the story itself is so compelling that I certainly can't fault Diana Gabaldon for continuing the series. Whenever someone asks me about these books, I never know quite how to explain them...are they Historical Fiction or Sci-Fi or Romance? Well, I guess the most honest answer is that they're all three. Claire is a nurse who is on a delayed honeymoon with her husband in Scotland after WWII when she decides to take a morning walk to some standing stones. As she nears the stones, she hears an odd sound; as she gets closer to investigate, she walks under the stone and passes out. When she wakes up, she's still in Scotland, but 18th Century Scotland. There she meets Jamie Fraser - the man she would eventually marry. I won't go into further detail here, but while the original premise is a bit odd, falling through time, it all works within the confines of the novels and though the books are huge, they're so engrossing. (Titles: Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone, Book 8)

My Favorite Book

I get asked this question a lot so I thought I'd get it out of the way early - my all time favorite book is Margaret Mitchell's "Gone With The Wind." I first read it when I was in 6th grade and have read it so many times since then, I've lost count. It's one of those books that I can read anytime, and can open the book to anywhere in the story, and just pick it up from there.

The movie, if that's all you know of the GWTW story, doesn't even come close to doing the story justice. The movie Scarlett is shallow, vain and self-centered and while that is true of the book as well, the book does an excellent job of also showcasing her strengths, which I don't think the movie addresses.

I won't rehash the story since most people know it, but I will encourage everyone to go out and read it. Even though it is a hefty book, it is more than worth the time.

Other info: 1,048 pages, hardcover and paperback versions available

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro

I decided to start off with a book that really makes you think - "Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro. Ishiguro also wrote "The Remains of the Day," which if you read the book (or saw the movie) was set at a manor house in post WWII England. With "Never Let Me Go," he returns to England, this time to a boarding school in the mid-90's.

Ruth, Kathy and Tommy were students at Hailsham, a boarding school in the English countryside where the teachers were always reminding the students how special they were. Years later, the three are reunited and begin to realize exactly what made them special, and how it will alter the rest of their lives.

One of my favorite parts about this book is the beginning - it draws you in with what you think is a story about any boarding school in England. It takes you awhile to realize that not all is as it seems.

This would make an excellent pick for any book club as it definitely gives you a lot to think about and discuss.

Other info: 304 pages; paperback and hardback versions available.

Welcome and a little about me

I decided to start this blog to provide book recommendations and reviews to the people who are always asking me for suggestions. And since I somehow have a knack for suggesting books people like, I thought this would be the easiest way to spread the word.

I've been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. One of my best book memories is being curled up on a chair in my family room reading "Gone With The Wind" over a two day span. I was 12 years old. Since then I haven't slowed down; in fact, I can read close to 100 pages an hour. But because of that, I've realized that I can't afford to be too picky when it comes to picking books. So I read anything and everything, from Harry Potter to Anna Karenina.

So welcome one and all, and hopefully you'll find a book here that you can't wait to read!