"A room without books is as a body without a soul." - Cicero
Keep in mind I love books the way some people love kittens and
puppies. The ideas within books helped me survive childhood.
I haunt remainder bookstores looking for treasures to pass on
to other people (sometimes whether they want them or not). I
love owning them and would rather buy a book to give away than
lend one. What follows are a chosen few.
Best Books discovered in 2011:
 Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff
is a masterful work. There is so much to learn about the ancient world. She was really a very intelligent leader and Alexandria was an amazing place to rule. Well researched & beautiful prose. "Cleopatra stood at one of the most dangerous intersections in history: that of women and power."
 Freedom: A Novel by Jonathan Franzen
Please follow this link to read the review on my blog.
 Lost Memory of Skin
by Russell Banks
Particularly good for anyone who struggles with shame. Please follow this link to read the review on my blog.
Best Books discovered in 2010:
 Lark and Termite (Vintage Contemporaries) by Jayne Ann Phillips
Follow this link to read a complete review on my blog: Real Love is About Paying Attention
 Let the Great World Spin
by Colum McCann
Follow this link to read a complete review on my blog: Let the Great World Spin: A Novel
Best Book discovered in 2009:
 Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Stroudt
Follow this link to read a complete review on my blog: Hope, Loneliness & Olive Kitteridge
Best Book discovered in 2008:
 Pretty Birds: A Novel by Scott Simon.
Powerful story of a young woman of great courage who is a sniper in Bosnia.
Best Book discovered in 2007:
 A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
A novel of endurance and beauty amid rubble. It is gut wrenchingly sad and wise about remembering in the midst of grief and the power of unspoken pain. It is dedicated to the women of Afghanistan.
Best book discovered in 2006:
 Anna Karenina (Oprah's Book Club) by Leo Tolstoy
Astonishingly psychologically astute. If only Kitty or Anna would have recognized that Count Uronsky "in his soul he did not respect her (his mother)" which make him emotionally dangerous to both.
Best Book discovered in 2005:
 Cloud Atlas: A Novel by David Mitchell
A trilogy of connection and disconnection in a most original voice. It is a thrilling read and one of the very few I will read again. Briliant!
Best Book discovered in 2004:
 The Known World by Edward Jones
This book is amazing and won the Pulitzer Prize. It tells the remarkable story of a slave who becomes a slave owner. The author's abilities to convey the moral complexities of that time is truly remarkable and moving.
Best Book discovered in 2003:
 Red Azalea by Anchee Min
The true story of the author who struggled profoundly growing
up in communist China. The opportunity to hear her speak is
an unforgetable experience. She authenticly has learned how
to make unbearable pain bearable. One of the ironies of her
life is that she grew up with the dream of becoming a soldier
who would go to Vietnam to kill American soldiers and now
she is married to a Vietnam vet.
Works of Fiction and Science Fiction
That will
Add Richness to your Life
Daughter of Fortune: A Novel
by Isabel Allende
I was sorry I waited so long to read this author. On 9/11 of 1973 the American CIA had her uncle, the President of Chile, murdered because he was a "communist" (in truth a socialist). Isabel moved to the US and became a citizen in 2003. This book is a wonderful story about California during the gold rush.
Ahab's Wife: Or, The Star-gazer: A Novel
by Sena Jeter Naslund
Historically accurate with a courageous woman character.
The Lathe Of Heaven: A Novel
by Ursala K. Le Guin
Science Fiction that captures what a slippery grip we have on
reality. "There is a bird in a poem by T.S. Eliot who says
that mankind cannot bear very much reality; but the bird is
mistaken. A man can endure the entire weight of the universe
for eighty years. It is unreality that he cannot bear."
Empire Falls
by Richard Russo
A treasure of a book that won a Pulitzer and is useful as a
literary example of Too Little in the character of Mike Robe,
“the human rut” as his wife refers to him. Janine,
his soon to be ex-wife is Too Much. Her lack of respect leaps
off the pages.
The Peppered Moth
by Margaret Drabble
This book is for those of us who have a difficult time of it
finding a mother’s day card that doesn’t lie amongst
all the sweetness. She so accurately creates a portrait of a
mother unable to love because the character is based on her
own mother.
Lucky You
by Carl Hiaasen
A laugh-out-loud book with a wonderful heroine in JoLayne who
wins the lottery by betting on a significant number for five
years. The “significance of her lotto number was this:
each represented an age at which she had jettisoned a burdensome
man.” She understands the value of a man who is true to
his word.
Mr. & Mrs. Bridge
by Evan Connell
This book really captures the distance embedded in WASP culture.
The characters are so completely removed from their feelings.
The Good Apprentice (Classic, 20th-Century, Penguin)
by Iris Murdoch
About self-forgiveness and the process of growing up-not an
easy read; and very rewarding if you do.
Blue Diary
by Alice Hoffman
About the true anxiety of living in the larger world and how
to cope when fate pulls the rug out from under you. A delightful
book that is easy to digest.
The Hours: A Novel
by Michael Cunningham
A masterful book that skillfully weaves together three stories
that make you think about how to spend the hours of your life.
It deserves the Pulitzer Prize that it won. You might want to
follow the book up with the movie that was so well done.
Depthford Trilogy
by Robertson Davies
He captures the range of humanity in each of his characters
— what it is to be three dimensional; strong, fragile,
wise, foolish... He is like a grandfather teaching you the depth
of life and makes you think hard about values and what really
matters. This particular trilogy is of a man in Jungian therapy.
American Pastoral
by Philip Roth
This book won a Pulitzer Prize. It is about one of the most
painful things that can happen to a parent; a good kid goes
wrong - way wrong - and is lost. There is a glorious paragraph
on what it means to be human and how impossible it can be to
understand each other. This paragraph is quoted at the end of the emotional honesty page under the category WHAT IT MEANS TO BE HUMAN.
The Human Stain: A Novel American Trilogy (3)
by Philip Roth
There is a twist that occurs that will genuinely take the reader
by surprise. The delight that the twist offers is a complete
change in frame of reference.
Wetware
by Craig Nova
The author has applied his imagination to the issue of
genetics set in the year 2029. A wonderful novel of ideas
which includes love means wanting to be your best for someone
else.
Before and After: A Novel
by Rosellen Brown
She really captures what it means to survive a profound tragedy.
The Last Gift of Time: Life Beyond Sixty
by Carolyn G. Heilbrun
Insight into aging gracefully.
Fortunate Lives: A Novel
by Robb Forman Dew
Great gift to those whose children are leaving for college.
The Family Heart: A Memoir of When Our Son Came Out
also by Robb Forman Dew
This is an autobiographical account of coming to terms with
having a gay child.
Unless: A Novel (P.S.)
by Carolyn Shields
This is the final book that will be written by her because she
died of cancer. She writes of ordinary people like ourselves
and makes their struggles into poetry. She won a Pulitzer Prize
for The Stone Diaries.
Mr. Ives' Christmas
by Oscar Hijuelos
Read to understand forgiveness more deeply.
Geek Love: A Novel
by Katherine Dunn
This book, though marvelous, is not for everyone. It teaches us about the human condition in a bizarre carnival family.
The Great Fire: A Novel
by Shirley Hazzard
She is a true genius of prose.
Birdsong: A Novel of Love and War
by Sebastian Faulks
The New Yorker described this as "Overpowering and beautiful... A great novel." Set in World War I, this is a wonderful book.
Anxiety
This series of mysteries by the Swedish author Henning Mankell is a glorious tribute to a detective, Kurt Wallander, who seriously suffers from anxiety.
The first book in the series is:
Faceless Killers: The First Kurt Wallander Mystery 
by Henning Mankell
Multicultural
To truly appreciate multicultural is to learn about differences
through reading — these are a few gems towards that end.
House of Sand and Fog
by Andre Dubus III
A book which is very poignant and heart stopping at the same
time.
The English Patient
by Michael Ondaatje
The movie missed a central point of the novel-Would America
have ever dropped the bomb on Germany? Or only on an Asian nation
like Japan?
White Teeth: A Novel
by Zadie Smith
A delightful read-you will laugh out loud.
Lilith's Brood
by Octavia Butler
A science fiction setting that captures the pain and prejudices
of differences and the difficulty of choices.
Healing From Trauma
Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence--from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror  by Judith Herman M.D. This was a groundbreaking book in 1992 & it is crucial to understanding trauma. Trauma leaves a number of survival conclusions that were self protective in the past & may interfere with trust & connection in the present.
Women Choosing MIA Men
Disappearing Acts
by Terry McMillan
This is one of her first three books. These were more
substantive than the books that followed afterwards. She beautifully captures men who don't follow through.
The Wife: A Novel
by Meg Wolitzer
The story of a heroine who allows herself to be overlooked.
The Rules of Engagement
by Anita Brookner
The story of a friendship of two women who both, in very
different ways, manage to compound their bad choices.
Self Help Books
Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think
by Brian Wansink, Ph. D
Beyond Anger: A Guide for Men: How to Free Yourself from the Grip of Anger and Get More Out of Life 
by Thomas J. Harbin, Ph. D.
Stumbling on Happiness
by Daniel Gilbert
The Dance of Anger: A Woman's Guide to Changing the Patterns of Intimate Relationships
by Harriet Lerner
This book is the one most often positively mentioned by women
who begin it in my waiting room and then go out to purchase
it. Really very wise and useful!
Where to Draw the Line: How to Set Healthy Boundaries Every Day
by Anne Katherine
A small easy-to-read book. If you are feeling intruded upon
by people who love you and aren’t sure how to push back, this
is the book for you.
Parenting From the Inside Out
by Daniel Siegal MD & Mary Hartzell
Terrific book by a neuro-psychiatrist and a day care director.
Couples
Getting the Love You Want: A Guide for Couples, 20th Anniversary Edition
by Harville Hendrix
Helps husbands and wives understand what strengths and weaknesses
they bring to their marriage from childhood. Includes a great
vision exercise to help couples learn to think down the road.
Sexuality
Two tools to improve your sex life:
For Yourself : The Fulfillment of Female Sexuality
by Lonnie Barbach
For Each Other
by Lonnie Barbach
Drinking
Any Book
by Dr. Abraham Twerski
The Redbreast: A Novel
by Jo Nesbo
Harry hole is an alcoholic police detective in Norway who is well worth your time and affection. You can read the full review on my blog.
Drinking: A Love Story 
by Caroline Knapp
Terrific writing on the damage of alcohol.
A Drinking Life: A Memoir
by Pete Hammill
A truthful personal history.
Sober for Good: New Solutions for Drinking Problems -- Advice from Those Who Have Succeeded
by Anne Fletcher
Based on interviews with 222 people.
First Year Sobriety: When All That Changes Is Everything
by Guy Kettlehack
A survival guide.
Self-Esteem
The Power of One: A Novel
by Bryce Courtenay
A tale of South Africa, boxing, being bullied and the triumph of the human spirit.
A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman
by Joan Anderson
This is the perfect book for those who are trapped in Too
Little. The subtitle says it all: Thoughts of an Unfinished
Woman.
Overcoming Low Self-Esteem: A Self-Help Guide Using Cognitive Behavioral Techniques
by Melanie Fennel Ph.D.
Self Matters: Creating Your Life from the Inside Out
by Phil McGraw
Solitude & Loneliness
Three books for those who feel too lonely
Are You Somebody?: The Accidental Memoir of a Dublin Woman
by Nuala O'Faolain
A very genuine portrait of loneliness, a powerful memoir.
Falling Slowly
by Anita Brookner
Anita Brookner "brilliantly evokes the origins, nature and consequences of human isolation and regret over chances not taken."
Solitude: A Return to the Self
by Anthony Storr
The Stations of Solitude
by Alice Koller
 Lonely: A Memoir
by Emily White
Vietnam Aftershocks
No one does it better than Tim O'Brien, who was a vet himself.
The Things They Carried 
by Tim O'Brien
In the Lake of the Woods
by Tim O'Brien
Fun Books
A Spy by Nature: A Novel
by Alec Milius
About the consequences of being a spy & lying all the time to everyone who matters.
Bangkok 8: A Novel 
by John Burdett
Wild, funny & a really good time with a Thailand cop.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
by Stieg Larsson
Created in either print or film. Follow this link to read review in my blog.
The Hunger Games 
by Suzanne Collins
Science fiction & a movie. Follow link to read review on my blog.
Snow Angels (An Inspector Vaara Novel)
by James M. Thompson
A detective in Finland.
Two Links for Readers
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