I picked up this book because I found out it was written by my high school English teacher. In short, a 10-year-old boy is witness to a crime that haunts his sleep for more than a decade. Later in life he meets a woman who he discovers shares his nightmares -- she was the victim. Can they resolve their collective emotional and psychological baggage and forge a relationship?

Having a connection to the author, I really wanted to enjoy this book. Alas, it was a painful experience -- and not in the way the author intended. The endless spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors were dismaying, and all the while I kept wondering how this could be the work of an English teacher.   posted Oct 24, 2011 at 6:31PM

Quite possibly the most painful (and shaming) book I’ve ever read.   posted Oct 14, 2011 at 10:42AM

A huge disappointment. The first two thirds read like a tour guide to prehistoric caves of southern France -- no plot, no action, just descriptions of many, many cave paintings. When finally something actually does begin to happen near the end of the book, it’s a painfully-contrived plot device that leaves the reader shocked and dismayed. No loose ends foreshadowed in previous books are tied up. This is how the series ends?   posted Apr 27, 2011 at 10:07AM

Barbara Kingsolver and her family embark on a year-long culinary adventure in which they endeavor to eat only food products grown within the county in which they live in the Appalachians. The idea, with a few key exceptions, is to either grow it themselves or purchase from local farmers. Barbara details what each of the months look like from a production and consumption standpoint, her daughter Camille weighs in with vignettes and recipe ideas, and her husband Steven contributes from an environmental and scientific standpoint.

Their tale is both inspiring and disheartening. I somewhat regretted reading this book in the winter as it made me yearn for a farmers market, all of which are still several months from opening here in Minnesota. Learning some of the truths about agriculture -- in particular the seed industry -- in the U.S. was extremely dismaying. However, this is the type of book I wish I could hand to everyone I know to read.   posted Feb 1, 2010 at 8:24PM

When Mary Boleyn, whose entire family are courtiers in the court of Henry VIII, catches the king’s eye while in her mid-teens, her uncle sees an opportunity to advance the family fortunes. Thus far, the king has not produced a male heir for England via his wife Catherine. Having no choice in the matter, Mary acquiesces and becomes the king’s lover, ultimately bearing him two children. However, while she is recovering from the birth of her second child, her family suddenly turns its focus to her sister Anne, upon whom the king’s eye has newly fallen. Mary’s fate is largely forgotten as all eyes are on Anne Boleyn. If she could convince the king to abandon his wife and marry her, how the family fortunes would rise!

I’ve enjoyed most of Philippa Gregory’s works as her storytelling makes it difficult to put the books down. This is especially true of this book. Despite unproven and possibly fanciful conjectures by the author, the story is fascinating and great for an escapist experience.   posted Jan 27, 2010 at 9:03PM