For me, a day that I don’t read is a cryin’ shame of a day! It’s as necessary as breathing for me. And since I’m curious about nearly everything, the daily quest for the newest, next beauty is always dangling as a shiny promise just around the corner. Currently I’m excited about “big fiction”--grand, overarching novels, science books about virology and disease, biographies, and kids books for all ages.
Demon Copperhead - oh, what a grand, tragic and resilient book and so much more. This story, centers around Demon, born into poverty and dysfunction and love. A young boy finds times of guidance and stability in his hard life. He settles into your soul. Reading it, I felt the need to cover my eyes and cringe many times and I felt resounding joy and love for Demon just as many times. It’s a grand big story, not to be missed. ~Marilyn
A wallop of a story set in slowly drowning Florida. In the fury of hurricane Wanda, a baby girl is born exactly when her destiny is set. I love this profound story of hurricane-named Wanda, her evolving self, her family, her place in this distancing environment with its bewitching resilience.~Marilyn
Circus Palmer has floundered in his various relationships with women and can’t seem to pull away from that pattern until his daughter looks to him for guidance in life and love. An interesting story about his journey of courage to find intimacy and trust in his relationships - Marilyn
You are in for a treat of Brian Doyle's wonderful writings. So many snaps of life both humble and grand and utterly human in our follies, foibles and wonder. Doyle's writing shouldn't be missed, these pieces are soul food for all. ~Marilyn
The story of Nina Totenberg's friendships formed over the decades with many influential men and women including Ruth Bader Ginsberg is a keystone book for everyone and their friends. Through trials, tribulations and joyous times, Totenberg clarifies the deeper meanings and mesh of friendship helping us all through this precious thing called life. This book is a treasure. ~Marilyn
Who knew taxi rides could spark interesting thoughts and conversation about life, science, weather and philosophic possibilities? You can know these things from astrobiologist Charles Cockell’s experiences on many taxi rides to or from airports and the ensuing conversations they have on their car ride. It’s utterly fascinating for all who wonder: what if? ~Marilyn
Leah's bleak lonesome life is richer than she knows when she sets out on a rambling road trip cross country that winds into Canada, following crazy stories about her long gone mother from far flung friends. There's magic in Leah as there was in Leah's mother, a revelation of discovery and wonder. It's so good. -Marilyn
A big story centered in desert, rain-starved Owens Valley. One holdout rancher uses his fortune in continual battle with the LA Water district, who bought all the land and water rights around him - turning Owen's valley into a desert wasteland.
While the U.S. government builds Manzanar Internment Camp, this story becomes larger and more intense. Wiggins's complex characters & her rich storytelling is like no other. Simply, brilliant. ~Marilyn
Meet some REAL characters with fascinating stories from our neighboring state.
Nevada's much, much more than desert grit and Las Vegas Glitter. It's a grand read. - Marilyn
Float along these pages of a different time; it's utterly captivating and rich. A bewitching memoir about a woman and her children saling the coastal waters of British Columbia during summers. ~Marilyn
WIckedly sly frenemies Ava Wong and WInnie Fang have a bumpy history with at least a decade of silence since college. Silent, until Winnie Chen reaches out to Ava - when this intriguing story ramps up its audacious ride. It's very clever and enjoyable. ~Marilyn
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Jeremy Denk’s memoir is a pleasure to read. As a young piano prodigy with a generous helping of exuberance and curiosity Denk’s early start to music travels the triumphs and travails of seemingly overzealous teachers (honest and harsh) and bumps along the way pursuing his love for music. Through all, he maintains his core love of music and we are all grateful for his art. --Marilyn
I love this book - these characters and their stories. It’s at once immediate and historic of rightly claimed homespace In a land of doubt.
You may see California in an expanded way when you read this, this land of California. --Marilyn
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Julie Otsuka writes a compelling tale that tests the boundaries and constraints of following rules that may become arbitrary.
This story's a confetti of moments like random photos falling out of an album: baffling, tender, sweet, foreboding and so elementally human. --Marilyn
Sahro Abdi Muse was orphaned young and finally must leave the only land she's ever known: Somalia.
She remembers all her family stories and traditions that can help her on her biggest journey from Somalia to Canada.
“Hadn't her grandfather told her she was a star who could journey between warring constellations without harm? That she belonged to many constellations but wholly to none?"
This intricate story of this young woman, a monk in Vermont and an American Army vet is superb. Really, this is a must read --Marilyn
Sam’s 115 years old, waiting to die as the 2016 presidential votes are being counted. Sam’s busy trying to die but an ongoing dialogue with God nudges him to review his long life. I loved this long spool of his long life through many tumultuous times - it’s a different look at dying. --Marilyn
This layered story takes you into the lives of Kentucky hill country. Mick Hardin, on leave from his Army CID work and soon to be officially AWOL is helping his sister the sheriff, gather info on a murder that’s shaken the tight knit community. He's dreading a return to his painful home life to meet his wife about the paternity of her pregnancy.
Hardin’s a complicated man who knows how to tease info from these watchful folks, some of them his kin.The dance is intricate - hill country protocol at odds with law enforcement procedures and his sister’s very pointed observations about his home life. Mick’s deft weaving into and out of tight jams is intriguing.
Chris Offutt dances with words, stories and character motivations that make this a very immediate and human story. It is excellent. --Marilyn
I absolutely love this quiet story! Zorrie is that authentic friend we all want to have helping to navigate this journey called life.
Zorrie’s had a life of curveballs thrown at her, from her parents deaths when she was a child, then living with her life-bitter aunt and suddenly homeless.What Zorrie appears to lack, builds her resilience and great wonder in the world. Where others hesitate, Zorrie jumps in feet first.
This is so excellent, I feel tongue tied with the wonder of it. --Marilyn
From the start of this book, ALL I wanted to do was read it and you will too. Cheryl’s earliest memories at four are filled with wonder, love and wild adventure - it felt magical. Her family traveled the world, moving on a whim, challenging convention. At nine, she was more aware that they were staying one step ahead of the law but not uncovering the real reasons until she was older. DIamond's story is astounding, her strength and courage to stand up against her father’s rule is amazing. --Marilyn
It’s a rare individual who chooses to travel into political hotspots as a trauma surgeon - David Nott is that person. Nott’s deeply personal account of treating refugees while teaching and developing surgical treatments to medical staff is amazing. Nott’s is a seldom seen view into intense living for patients and medical staff alike in the world’s most challenging places. A must read. --Marilyn
In post WWII, Italy grappled with conflicting political ideologies and how best to help poor southern Italians.
Amerigo, an irrepressible, street-smart kid, and his friends join other kids from his poor town to stay with host families in the prosperous north for a time. Though he returns home, Amerigo, like many other kids, never really leaves the north behind. A brilliant bittersweet story. --Marilyn
A tidy collection of stories about ordinary people going about their lives. The common theme being, juggling your uniqueness and individuality in the vastness that is China.
All beautifully crafted and wonderfully human. --Marilyn
Most of the world knows Greta Thunberg for her unwavering call to action about global warming.
Most don’t know her family history and struggles in Sweden that helped to galvanize Greta's Thunberg’s movement.
It’s a sobering and very good book about inclusion and the reality that every person can rise to great things. --Marilyn
Twin sisters: one racing away with her son, chased by her twin sister. They are desperate after an escape attempt from a government facility was horribly botched. Their plans have now diverged radically.
And there’s a raging pandemic that only affects males…prompting the whole wild scenario.
Strange as it seems, this IS pretty funny, sobering and wild. I found myself rooting for all of them.
It’s great! --Marilyn
What to say? Exit West. It took me forever to start reading. That happens sometimes and usually means a profound book for me. It is profound in its seeming simplicity and fuzzy edges. It's about always and past migrations and people flows. It's poetry in prose novel form. It's profound. --Marilyn
A splendid read by Dan Richards sharing his trekking travels reaching into remote, edgy places where desolation appears to reign over vast landscape. Where most would find extreme isolation, Richards finds wonder and awe in elements most of us are unaware of. If you’ve mused about far, remote landscapes, well then,THIS is your book. --Marilyn
This heart lofting, expansive memoir of Kendra Atleework is stunning, cinematic and beautifully told. Her roots are in the arid mountains above Bishop, Ca. Her town is small and the rugged country dwarfs everything. Growing up are bittersweet times and she resolves to expand her life outside of home, ultimately leaving and returning to Bishop. Her personal story is woven into the long history of water rights, belonging and otherness in the impossible raw beauty of high desert. --Marilyn
If you love beautiful writing and who doesn't, get this right now. The Beadworkers is a deceptively slim little book but don't be fooled by page count. It's a superb collection of Native American stories that are contemplative, contemporary and glittering with empathy. I love it. Slow down and travel throgh these pages. --Marilyn
Patricia lives the successful southern lady's life until she's exposed at her bookclub for faking her book presentation. It turns out nearly all the club members can't stand their pretentious, perfect club and set up their own club and the fun begins.This story gallops along with hilarious plot twists, misguided assumptions, while honing their true grit as modern southern women. Not to be missed. - Marilyn
Welcome to Keena’s rich life from birth to early 20s.
Keena & family live In Africa 98% of each year -
Transitioning to Suburban Philly 2% of each year -
A fierce, smart, wildly adventurous grand memoir.
You’ve got to read this. --Marilyn
Sometimes a story just wraps itself around you. This is one of those stories. Four orphans on the run from dire conditions at their boarding school take off in a canoe hoping for St. Louis. Krueger's finely told story shines light on desperate times during the depression and redemption that can bloom. Just excellent. --Marilyn
Don’t let Meloy’s slim volume fool you. It’s PACKED with wonderful, witty, razor sharp musings and observations in small essays about her life in the Utah desert always informing her experiences.
You won’t zip right through but meander, ponder and slow down.
It’s grand. --Marilyn
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Oksana, an impressionable little girl, doesn’t buy all the happy stories about their soon-to-be new life in America.
Wildly funny starting with their unexpected adventures in steamy Florida landscape as Oksana navigates life in the U.S.
So good! --Marilyn
This is Tom Patterson’s battle against a certain death sentence.
Patterson is overwhelmed by a superbug, resistant to ALL antibiotics.
An extraordinary biologic battle of virus VS. bacterium involving teams of doctors, researchers, US Navy and the FDA. A fearsome, amazing story. --Marilyn
Marie-Madeleine Fourcade,was the youngest woman to run a major spy network in France called Alliance during WWII. Germany's occupation of France galvanized her war work where she built & expanded Alliance’s network, keeping spies, couriers and supply lines functioning just one step ahead of the Gestapo. She established a partnership with Britain's MI6, who was desperate for information about Germany's naval buildup and secret rocket development.
Fourcade's life story is riveting and fraught with danger. --Marilyn
Kagge explores the idea of being in silence through experience, wonder, travel, and deep thought. Some of his silence quests seem to open a new dimension. A wonderful read. - Marilyn
1963:Kennedy has been killed & there's doubt about who pulled the trigger. Frank Guidry is a link in that chain, now on the run from his mob boss.
All hell breaks loose when Guidry changes the plans he was meant to follow. Though Guidry is wily, he's not prepared for the major diversion to his plan.
It's a cat and mouse chase across the country. quite a read. - Marilyn
