John Lescroart

Another of my "go-to" authors, Lescroart drew me in with his style and hooked me with the Dismas Hardy character. I've been a fan for years and continue to follow Lescroart faithfully.

Hardy is a former prosecutor turned defense attorney whose best friend, Abe Glitsky, just happens to be a chief homicide detective. Both are old-fashioned, stand-up guys who still believe in doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do. They are honorable men who, despite their years in law enforcement and the judicial system, still believe in justice.

Lescroart has masterfully crafted a supporting cast of family, friends, co-workers, and professional contacts, yet continues to insert and develop new characters along the way. He is a gifted writer who avoids the cookie cutter syndrome.

Curling up with a Lescroart novel is like donning that favorite pair of jeans at the end of a long day. You just can't go wrong.

Patricia Cornwell

Cornwell hit the mother lode with the creation of character Kay Scarpetta, forensic pathologist. Readers of legal drama everywhere fell hard and fast. Scarpetta is warm and caring, guarded and detached, knowlegable and professional all at once. She is one of the most well-developed characters in the genre, and readers can't help but admire her.

But Cornwell didn't stop there. She surrounded her main character with a well-developed supporting cast: FBI Special Agent Benton Wesley, Detective Pete Marino, and Scarpetta's computer-genius niece Lucy, also a former FBI agent. Together, this team of highly trained professionals face the most heinous crimes known to man. They are compassionate and dedicated, both individually and as a team. It is an absolutely addictive cast. If you're not reading Cornwell, you're not truly immersed in the legal thriller genre. I recommend all the Scarpetta novels, but suggest you start with the older ones, as Cornwell has created a history between these characters that cannot be fully appreciated by starting with her more recent novels and working backwards.

Cornwell has also ventured away from the Scarpetta story line and, in my humble opinion, failed miserably with Isle of the Dogs. The characters were interesting enough, and the story may have succeeded if not for the talking trout... Don't ask. I consider this the only blemish on Cornwell's otherwise stellar career.

Preacher and the Presidents: Billy Graham in the White House - N. Gibbs, M. Duffy

This is Graham's account of his relationships with numerous presidents through the years, beginning with Truman and extending onto G. W. Bush. Certainly, no other spiritual leader had so much interaction with the presidents or such unbridled access to the White House.

I am an avid reader, but admit to taking roughly 4 months to finish this book. Graham's memories and stories were interesting, but were delivered in a documentary fashion that simply did not engage me. In that regard, the book failed to live up to my expectations. Personal religious/political opinions aside, however, Graham is one of the most well known and respected spiritual leaders in this country, if not the world, and I felt Gibbs and Duffy seriously failed to do him justice.

Graham himself admits there were times (particularly in his youth) when he sadly blurred or crossed the lines between spiritual leader and political activist, and this book delves into the dynamics of one role upon the other. He makes no secret that he has moderate to conservative leanings and did not agree with each man who held office, but conveys his unshakable belief that, whether or not we agree with our president, he is still the leader of our free world and, by virtue of that reason alone, worthy of our prayers and spiritual support. I'm betting that's a level of spiritual maturity that few of us ever achieve.

Verdict: Interesting content; weak delivery. I'm glad I finished the book, but admit that I struggled to do so.

Personality Plus - Florence Littauer

For many years, I plowed through life just being me. I never intentionally set out to hurt or offend anyone. Along the way, however, I discovered that I'd unwittingly and unwillingly done just that on more than one occasion. It wasn't that I was being hateful or spiteful or arrogant; I'd simply never considered the logistics of different personalities. I tend to be a rather direct, take-charge kind of gal, and have, at times, been referred to as "brutally honest." Ouch! That doesn't necessarily sound like a compliment . . . but what, exactly, does it mean?

I stumbled across this book during my period of self-exploration, and quickly developed an interest in communication, interpersonal interactions, and relationships. This book breaks personalties into four major categories: perfect melancholy, popular sanguine, peaceful phlegmatics, and powerful cholerics. It includes a personality test/profile designed to help you identify your personality type. I am a choleric, as is my husband (an unusual pairing). Our oldest daughter is a sanguine, and our youngest is mostly choleric; somewhat melancholy. None of which means anything to you, correct?

Aha! Read the book!

I highly recommend this for anyone with an interest in relationships, communication, or leadership. Once you've read it, you'll understand why I (a) started feeling a little sorry for our sanguine (having to adjust to a mostly-choleric household), and (b) learned to tone things down a bit and show my "audience" a bit more consideration. Have fun with it - test all your friends. Happy reading!

Lucky Man - Michael J. Fox

Most famous for his portrayals of the quirky (and very Republican) Alex P. Keaton (Family Ties), Marty McFly (Back to the Future), and Michael Flaherty (Spin City), Michael J. Fox is definitely one of the comedic icons of my generation. More recently, Fox is most well known as the celebrity face behind Parkinson's disease and the crusade for stem cell research.

Lucky Man is a memoir of Fox's journey to stardom as well as the discovery of his disease. It chronicles his coming to terms with the Parkinson's diagnosis and the subsequent effects it has upon him, his family, and his career. I think Fox himself would consider it fair to say that Parkinson's is responsible for causing a Hollywood party boy to grow up and place value on the important things in life.

Fox is obviously in favor of stem cell research, but the book is not propaganda for the cause. He states his position, but that is not the underlying theme. I recommend the book for anyone with an interest in Fox, Parkinson's, or stem cell research, with the caveat that you may simply have to agree to disagree.

Denim & Diamonds - Elle Robb

Today I want to introduce you to not only a talented and aspiring young writer, but a dear and personal friend of mine, Elle Robb. Elle has been writing since childhood and made the decision a few years ago to seriously pursue her dream. The result was her debut novel, Denim & Diamonds.

Author Kaitlyn Rice (The Runaway Bridesmaid, The Third Daughter's Wish) credits Robb with "natural dialogue, fun characters and evocative imagery," and Author Cindy Davis (Voice from the Ashes) calls it "a delightful, romantic and fun romp." Who am I to give it a better review than that?

I've had the distinct pleasure of watching Elle diligently hone her craft and grow as a writer, and the absolute privilege of being allowed a sneak peek into some of her current projects. Undoubtedly, she has a promising career before her and will land on the best seller list one day.

A Safe Place - Lorenzo Carcaterro

I could hardly wait to read another Carcaterra book after Sleepers - even though I approached the second book (a nonfiction account of the author's childhood with an emotionally challenged and physically abusive father) with much caution. I simply wasn't prepared to experience the same raw emotion as I had while reading Sleepers.

I had no problem reading the book, as Carcaterra writes very well. Obviously, he grew up in a rough neighborhood, in a turbulent time, in a generation where men were expected to be "tough" and "in control" - especially in their own homes.

I'm happy to report that A Safe Place did not affect me the way Sleepers did. Perhaps I was more prepared; perhaps I'm simply (and sadly?) more desensitized to the domestic violence described within these pages than I was to the utter horrors described in Sleepers.

I did struggle with one nagging thought upon finishing this book. For a nonfiction account of his childhood, and having first read Sleepers, I found myself confused that there was literally no overlap between the two. In fact, Carcaterra's juvenile incarceration isn't even mentioned in A Safe Place. This may be the result of superb editing, or it may be an uncanny ability to compartmentalize his life experiences. And, if it is compartmentalization on the part of the author, is that a defense mechanism resulting from his experiences?

I walked away from this book a bit disappointed and strangely relieved to be so unaffected. I suppose I expected it to be as impactful as Sleepers. Thankfully, it failed to live up to that expectation.

The Doctor's Wife - Elizabeth Brundage

Absolutely one of the best novels I almost didn't read. The cover, the name - both screamed "romance novel" to me. For whatever reason, I picked the book off the shelf, flipped to the back cover, and read: "The memory starts here, in my apron pocket, with the gun." I was hooked. I was instantly drawn in by Brundage's style of writing and completely surprised to discover this was her debut novel.

The book is not a typical murder/suspense/thriller. Rather, it follows the life of a relatively "average" family. A family just like yours or mine. One with hopes and dreams, careers, pressures, values, political opinions, and ambitions. Unfortunately, we watch as the marriage unravels, leading the wife into another man's arms while her husband, a physician, devotes more of his free time to volunteer work at an abortion clinic.

I don't want to imply that the book has a political or social agenda, per se, but it certainly makes the reader aware of their value system, as the plot revolves around the central themes of infidelity and abortion. I don't recommend the novel for everyone, as the subject matter requires a certain level of tolerance and open-mindedness. Personally, however, I found it to be a very easy and entertaining read.

Traveling Pants series - Ann Brashares

My youngest daughter and I read these books together during her high school years. Obviously aimed at the 13 to 18 year old female reader, Brashares pens the story of a close-knit friendship between four adolescent girls. She takes you from their backyards to their summer adventures apart, with a pair of fabulous jeans that magically fit (and flatter) each girl and serve as a shared reminder of their bond, even when they are on separate continents. They live, they love, and they grow, as girls do. It is an adventure of life, love, loss, and the bonds of adolescent friendship that warms the heart and tickles the funny bone.

That said, I must now tell you that this is a 4-book series. We thoroughly enjoyed the first and second books, but found ourselves disappointed in the third. Our consensus was that Brashares was trying too hard in the third summer, and the story lost its impact in favor of a vocabulary that just didn't fit. Jessica did obtain the fourth book to complete her collection, but gave it such a horrible review that I've never been able to make myself read it. [I'll put this on my to-do list; how awful to give you only a partial review!)

As with most books-turned-movies, the big screen portrayal lacked the heart and soul of what made these girls so endearing in print.

Verdict: Every teenage girl should read at least the first and second books in this series. And, if you're brave enough to read it with your daughter, I hope you derive as many laughs as I did with my own.

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

I read this book for a college lit class back in the 90s. Prior to preparing this review, I believed the book to have been written in the 60s, when, in fact, it was first published in 1985. While it is fictitious in nature, today's reader need only open their imagination to feel an eerie sense that such events "could" be possible in present day society.

Imagine waking up one morning, grabbing your keys and jutting out the door to the stark realization that you've been stripped of all civil rights by virtue of being female. That's a relatively accurate account of chapter 1 of this novel, which goes on to illustrate a post-revolution society in which many women fall barren and the young, fertile females become a highly valued commodity for reproduction. The book is told from the perspective of one young woman who is forecefully removed from her family (a husband and young daughter), to discover she has been stripped of her rights to read, work, and hold money or property of her own. She is "recruited" (imprisoned) as a Handmaid and placed in a school for training (brainwashing) on proper behavior, etiquette, and general re-conditioning in the ways of the new world. She will be dressed in the equivalent of a nun's habit and will be schooled to be silent and submissive. As a Handmaid, she will be assigned to some elite married couple of status for the sole purpose of reproduction.

Yes, you heard right. The Handmaid's "assignment," if you will, is to act as breeding stock and produce offspring for barren couples. Literally, the Handmaid will be a third person in the bed of a married couple. Obviously, some of these situations get out of hand, and the Handmaid is the one who suffers the consequences.

As I write this, I feel the need to re-read this story myself. It is truly a classic for its time. I recall feeling not only for the Handmaids and their lost loved ones, but also somewhat for the wives of the men who use the young ladies for reproduction. At the very least, it is thought-provoking, and, at the worst, horrifying to imagine such a total and complete reversal of civil liberties. Definitely a must-read.

Sleepers - Lorenzo Carcaterra

I remember when this movie came out, starring Kevin Bacon - and that's all I knew about it. I always thought it was some kind of alien/sci-fi flick, which is definitely not my thing. My youngest daughter, Jessica, set my misconceptions straight a few months ago and strongly encouraged me to read the book.

Little did I know that this was the heart-wrenching tale of four friends growing up in Hell's Kitchen, New York, in the midst of the civil rights movement, and their suffering at the hands of an incredibly abusive juvenile system. It is a moving account of a series of life-changing events, which the author claims to be true. A little research reveals that his claims cannot be substantiated, based largely upon the fact that juvenile records are sealed and that the author changed the names when telling his story. Certainly, it's no great stretch of the imagination to believe that at least a large portion of his account rings true - particularly if you have any knowledge or familiarity with the history of the American judicial system.

Either way, this is a well-written, powerful book that evoked within me a range of emotions - not the least of which were horror, disgust, and sadness, ultimately followed by relief to see these boys released from incarceration. Factual or not, I consider this book a must-read for all book lovers.

The Power of the Word

I am a 42-year old nerd. I not only admit it, I embrace it. With the exception of a couple of adolescent summers of friendly neighborhood softball/football, I don't have an athletic bone in my body. My passion, it seems, has always been the written word.

I love words.

Words are the fundamental building blocks of human communication. From idle chatter to song to multi-million dollar business transactions and foreign policy, the words we choose set the tone for every relationship we build in life. They can be frivolous, heartwarming, or destructive.

Yes, the word is powerful. It allows us to offer comfort to a friend or destroy an enemy with the flick of the tongue. It can evoke laughter or tears, joy or sorrow. It allows us to live vicariously through favorite authors, characters, or songwriters.

I love to read and I love to write. Even in this computer-dependent world, I still prefer the weight of a smooth-writing pen in my hand to the clicking of this keyboard. I still prefer receiving an old-fashioned, handwritten letter from a friend to opening my email. It's personal, thoughtful, even intimate.

I love music. The greatest music of all time isn't about genre, it's about lyrics. I love music that speaks to me. Doesn't matter if it's country, rock, or blues. There's a different musical genre to suit every mood, personality, and occasion. Sometimes we want to be inspired or uplifted; other times we simply want to be entertained. It's not the music that makes that difference, it's the lyrics.

I love books. Second only to my family, books are the love of my life. I can rarely throw one away. To me, throwing away a book is close to a dagger in the heart. (Again, I'm a nerd...) There are many things I'll never do and many places I'll never see in my lifetime, yet a well-written book can transcend time and space. I can get lost in the pages and go anywhere, do anything with the characters of print. I can experience eras of yesteryear or explore the great pyramids of Egypt between the front and back cover of a great book.

I cannot count the number of books I've read in my lifetime. I've sampled it all: general fiction and nonfiction, autobiographies, mystery, history, sci-fi, historical romance, true crime, legal thrillers, self-help, how to guides, poetry, folklore, politics, religion, current events, and literature. I've found something to love in every genre. Truly, the word knows no bounds.

I hope to explore many books in this blog. Perhaps I can recommend some great reading experiences for you, and I hope you'll reciprocate in kind. Together, we can share our love of the written word and travel to places and times we've yet to experience. I hope you enjoy the ride.