Book Reviews

I really enjoyed this thoroughly researched historical fiction which depicted the circumstances surrounding the first Native American’s matriculation through Harvard College in the 1660’s. Told in period language and utilizing the native tongue in many places, as well as Latin, it was particularly good to listen to on CD. I would recommend this engrossing read, … Read more

I really enjoyed this book and stayed up late last night finishing it. It is about two widowers who fall in love in their sixties with someone each of their respective families consider most inappropriate. Major Pettigrew, a proper Englishmen, and Mrs Ali, a Pakistani shopkeeper, are a wonderful pair that you root for all … Read more

I loved this book about a young Canadian woman unexpectedly finding God at Oxford. I could relate to this story as Engineering school at University of Michigan did it for me! It was wonderful to follow her trajectory, so like my own, from unbelieving, to skeptical, to questioning, and eventually to becoming a committed Christian. … Read more

I really enjoyed this book and give it five stars. It is a quick read about the daughter of a Baptist preacher in Georgia, who can’t wait to get out of there and get on with her life. Meanwhile, she has to learn to not be so self absorbed, and that destiny is more an … Read more

This book is an incredible book. I loved it even though it dealt with disease and death interlaced with a lot of love-making. This is a gorgeous story of commitment, poignantly told. It is about the beauty, grandeur and fragility of the natural world. This author has a true gift with words, using lush descriptive … Read more

I loved this short book and give it five stars. Thank goodness we are not our mothers, and thank goodness for them. Women’s potential has been marginalized for thousands of years, but our mothers were the first generation where there were more opportunities for them and they could entertain the idea of having a career, … Read more

A whole lot of you wanted me to read this book, and so I finally have. I must say, sales of five million self-published books is quite impressive. But I’ve had serious mixed feelings about it. I would have enjoyed the discussion of eternity more if I didn’t have to wade through tragedy to get … Read more

Not usually prone to murder mysteries, here is one I enjoyed. It is a light summer read that I’d give four stars to, with unimportance as it’s only real flaw. A murder takes place in the English department of an erudite college in Massachusetts. As the story unravels, it has an academic flair, with the … Read more

I loved this book and give it five stars. It is about an elementary aged child and her mother immigrating from China to Brooklyn where they work in a sweat shop. It encapsulates their hard won progress out of dire poverty into a new culture. It is about the humble triumph of the human spirit. … Read more

I disagree in general with the depiction of heaven in this book. Let’s explain ourselves and understand the why’s of our human lives in the ongoing here and now, instead of waiting until the afterlife. I also challenge his assertion that, without exception, every parent messes up their kids. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this book … Read more

I really value what the Dalai Lama is trying to do here. Living in India, where many religions have been coexisting harmoniously for centuries, he highlights his understanding and appreciation of each tradition in turn, underscoring their overlapping commonalities. Even though there are fundamental differences between the theology of the various faith traditions, he finds … Read more

This is a pleasant read about a new widow dealing with her husband’s recent passing. The marriage had been a happy one and the story is not maudlin nor stricken, but gently progressive. Sprinkled in with her present day challenges and her retrospective wonderful memories are productive kernels of wisdom about going forward. Love remains … Read more