What
Huntington's Reading
Read what some of your fellow readers are reading and reviewing!
General Fiction
Old School by Tobias Wolff
Ron Worley was attracted to this book because of the setting – 1960’s prep school and the subject – young writers hoping to change the world. Worley describes the book as having “beautiful prose and very perceptively drawn characters.” He thinks the book will appeal to fans of Wonder Boys by Michael Chabon or the movie “Finding Forrester.” Worley plans to read more by Wolff and describes his writing as “polished and literate.”
Maid Marian by Elsa Watson
Julia Schreiber chose this book because she has been interested in myths and stories from Old England. She says that “it was good to read a story where the female protagonist thought for herself and did not always depend on the hero to rescues her.” While she recommends the book, she also cautions that “beware of two spots where words were used with the wrong meaning…”
Earthly Possessions by Anne Tyler
“I’ve like other books by this author” which is why Bernice
Steirn chose this book. In
this book
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
According to Julia Schreiber, the premise of this book
reminded her of Farenheit 451 but
it is set in
The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud by Ben Sherwood
Julia Schreiber read this book and reports that the “plot was very good, based on the issue of how hard it is to let go of life and to let go of one who has died. Characterization was very well done…recommended for someone who faces the end of their life, or to a survivor who is having trouble letting go of a loved one.”
Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman by Elizabeth Buchan
Bernice Steirn read this book because a friend recommended it and she reports that it offers lessons about learning from misfortune. Bernice would recommend this book to others because “characters are well drawn and events happen that most women can relate to.”
To Dream of Snow by Rosalind Laker
Although she admits being attracted to the cover, Julia Schreiber also chose this book because she enjoys historical novels. While the novel had a good plot, Schreiber wishes there would have been a map. She was also distracted by the author’s excessive use of adverbs.
American Gothic Tales by Joyce Carol Oates
Gentry Garrett Belcher was attracted to this book because some familiar authors such as Hawthorne and Bradbury were mentioned and he was in the mood for horror tales. Also, the painting on the cover seemed to suit the book. For Belcher, “the best stories in the book are some I’ve read before ..Irving, Hawthorne, Poe, Bierce, and Bradbury…Other stories were OK. Garrett Belcher was not entirely enthused about this book and sums it all by saying “ some tales were quite good; others are “comme ci, comme ca,” and a few (even a Melville) didn’t hold my interest at all.” In the end, he expects that most horror story fans will find something to enjoy in this wide selection.
Life with Father by Clarence Day
Julia Schreiber chose this book because it is a classic. What did Schreiber think of the book? “It is a light-hearted, affectionate look back at the author’s life with his father, who thought the world should be well-controlled and orderly, even in the face of accidents and illnesses.” She recommends the book and describes what she says is “the author’s soft touch – he doesn’t dig deeply into life and relationships, he just describes them and accepts things as they are.”
A Year and A Day by Leslie Pietrzyk
Sidney Polan selected this book
because “coming to terms with death at a young age reflects the lives of
a lot of us, unfortunately.”
The Christmas Quilt by Thomas J. Davis
A desire to learn more about rural Southern culture led Julia Schreiber to this novel. According to Schreiber, the story takes place through the eyes of a young boy who “spoke with the wisdom of a much older person.” She goes on to say that this is a great book for readers who enjoy a “quiet, introspective tale, and for readers who appreciate the value of a loving family.”
Father’s Troubles by Carter Taylor Seaton
Martha Stump was attracted to this book when she learned
that the author was from
General Non Fiction
Retire on Less than You Think by Fred Brock
Deidra George writes that she selected this book “because I was not well prepared to retire…and needed new advice on how to survive. The book was outstanding in its positive approach, definitions, explanations, and recommendations…This book describes very accurately all aspects of retirement – mental, emotional, financial, and what one can do to improve their situation…Everyone from age 18 up should read this book. We do not take enough time to prepare for stages in our lives or unplanned, forced, emergency situations.”
Bobby Fischer Goes to War by David Edmonds
Ron Worley chose this book because he is “still fascinated
with the Fischer-Spassky match of 1972… The book
was good because it offered an update of what has happened since but omitted
lots of Fischer lore. I should’ve
written this book.” The book would be good for “baby boomers who would like
to recall the events of 1972. It
was interesting to see how much mistrust existed between the
Oswald Talked: New Evidence in the JFK Assassination
by Ray & Mary LaFontaine
“A must read for conspiracy buffs!” says reader Ron Worley.
Ron admits that he couldn’t pass up new evidence and says that he
never heard of these “alleged Oswald conversations from his short time in
the
Napalm and Silly Putty by George Carlin
Ron Worley was looking for “belly laughs” when he chose this book. “It’s funny, all right, but Carlin is either baked or he’s trying to push the envelope past all good taste. Perhaps he’s trying to be a shock comedian. All that stuff about ‘enjoying watching disasters’ etc. is disturbing but then maybe we should all get shook up once in a while…” Worley will pass on giving this book his recommendation – he doesn’t think this is Carlin’s best.
Mask of Nostradamus by James Randi
Local author Gentry Garrett Belcher describes himself as a “logical skeptic” and he selected this book as inspiration for some of his own writing. Belcher liked this book because author Randi is critical of faith healers, psychic prophets, and others who prey upon the gullible. Belcher is also convinced that “most writers mistranslate Nostradamus” and “his verses can mean almost anything and thus nothing.” Still he highly recommends the book to “anyone who has heard the usual nonsense about Nostradamus.”
After D-Day: Operation Cobra and the
A good review led Ron Titus to this book that he describes
as “a revisionist view of Operation Cobra in
The Boys Crusade by Paul Fussell
Ron Titus was curious about this book after reading a review in Booklist magazine. While he enjoyed the short chapters, he thought the chapters were “snapshots of ideas lacking development and specified sources.” He recommends the book for readers who have a background in WWII events.
We Were Five by James Brough
An interest in the Dionne quintuplets led Carmen Watts to this book. She reports that the book was very informative and interesting and the quintuplets told the story, themselves.
Inspirational Fiction
After Anne by Roxanne Henke (part of the Coming Home to Brewster
Series)
A reader was attracted to this series after reading an excerpt. The reader describes this as “a good read …because the story makes you look at your own relationships with friends and family and shows you how fragile and precious each one is…”
Finding Ruth by Roxanne Henke (part of the Coming Home to Brewster
Series)
A reader wanted to continue this series and reports enjoying this book because “the author made her characters so believable and the story line true to life…the story was about how to be content no matter what the circumstances.” The reader also likes the way the author presents the perspectives of different characters.
The Vicar’s Daughter by Kimberly Comeaux
Shirley Ball was interested in reading this book because she enjoyed another book by this author. She reports that it was an excellent book to read because it was “light, romantic, and inspirational with a Christian emphasis.”
His Hands by Yvonne Lehman
Eulelia Ann Elliotte enjoys fiction and describes this as a good story that tells how “two people come together after a bad accident.”
Winter Seeking by Vinta Hampton Wright
Eulelia Ann Elliotte is a fan of inspirational fiction and found this to be a good choice. Eulelia enjoyed reading about how the main character dealt with with parents’ divorce, her mother’s cancer and through it all, reclaiming her faith in God.
Mystery
Death by Dickens by Anne Perry, Editor
Julia Schreiber admits that it has been a long time since she read Dickens’ books. Since then she has been “intrigued as to how his ideas could be used in short stories.” She was quite satisfied with this book “because it had such a variety of clever ideas, resulting in stories ranging from comedy to tragedy to romance.” She recommends this book to other readers but suggests that some knowledge of Dickens’ original works might be helpful in understanding these stories.
Ten Big Ones by Janet Evanovich
Ron Titus selected this latest Evanovich mystery because he has read all the other books in this series. How did it stand up? “Humor!! Ladies robbing a Frito-Lay truck for chips…the loss of Stephanie’s car to fire.” Of all the books in the series, Titus rates this as one of the better books.
Mortal Remains by
Peter Clement, M.D.
Carolyn Jones chose this book because she enjoys thrillers and true crime stories and she said that this book was “exciting from the beginning to the end…the suspense is great.” She recommends the book for other who like thrillers about doctors.
Romance
Coppitts Green by Nicola Thorne
Sidney Polan chose this book
because she was “intrigued by all of the neurotic
and brooding characters described on the dusk jacket. The book seemed almost like a satire of gothic
tales set in
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Carole Hunt chose this book because she wanted a “fun, quick read” …and she read Crusie before and enjoyed her books. She found this to be a fun read. “Crusie likes to write about women who aren’t the prettiest, sexiest, skinniest, or even the easiest to get along with who walk away with the hunk…even though the reader know the girl will get the guy, Crusie makes it worthwhile to read it through to the end.”
Flashpoint by Suzanne Brockmann
Carole Hunt chose this book because she has enjoyed other Brockmann books. This one combines romance and suspense. According to Carole, Flashpoint is the newest in a series of novels “revolving around Navy Seal Team 16 and a new company called Troubleshooters Inc…. the players are more than just guys in fatigues and the heroines are just as tough as the men…Brockmann sets a fast pace, where high tensions give way to passions and friendships are tested. The book is hard to put down and if you haven’t tried a book in the suspense-romance genre, this is a good book to start with.”
What She Saw…by Lucinda Rosenfeld
Dana Harshbarger likes books that are not “your average romance novels…” and she reports that this novel fit the bill. Dana liked that the story follows the main character Phoebe as she grew up and experienced life with all its flavor. She describes the book as “entertaining and humorous reading for the summer.”
Someone to Love by Kasey Michaels
For fans of Regency romance, Ron Titus suggests this book which he describes as “fun.” He also advises to “be warned, there is sex, just not too graphic.”
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris
A reader wrote that this is not a bad light read. Recommended for readers who are interested in telepaths who date werewolves and vampires.
Storm Front by Jim Butcher
Sean Hunt writes “I couldn’t
decide between mystery or fantasy so I chose both.
It was both fun and refreshing, like a good vacation. This is a great read for anyone with a taste
for intrigue and a flair for fantasy. Harry
Dresden is a private detective in modern day
Alien Agenda: Investigating the Extraterrestrial Presence Among
Us by Jim Marrs
From Ron Worley: “I was looking for something contemporary about UFO research and Marrs is a veteran conspiracy investigator… The book had fascinating new reports and added new light on old reports. Details were a bit messy sometimes and difficult to follow the lines of investigation. I’d recommend this to anyone who listens to TALK RADIO 800 AM in the middle of the night and thinks they’ve seen Elvis.”
Fool Moon by Jim Butcher
This is the second book in the “Dresden Files” series and
Sean Hunt could not resist. It is
“a fast paced adventure through the streets of
Astral Projection by Oliver Fox
Ron Worley chose this book because he is “interested in spiritualism, out-of-body experience, and tales from the other side.” His take on the book – “lots of repetition…Fox reminds the reader of certain aspects that should be taken for granted…” Worley commented on the language in the book: “Great, quaint, English syntax.” Worley admits that he would only recommend this book to folks “who want to have an out-of-body experience.”
The Fairy Godmother by Mercedes Lackey
Julia Schreiber is a Mercedes Lackey fan so it was easy for her to choose this book. She says that it was a fun read because “it creates a new fairy tale out of bits and pieces of other, well-known fairy tales.” She thinks this will have great appeal to women because “the story is told from the feminine perspective and tends to bash the mail viewpoint.”