• (2/25) Letters to Harry by Janet Farrington Graham.
  
  Collection of letters the author wrote to her best friend Harry during the last year of her mother's life (she dies from breast cancer at the end of the book). I think this book would be a great help for anyone in a similiar situation -- the author puts into words many of the emotions both sides go through (anger, fear, confusion, frustration, sadness, hope, apathy, etc.) and helps the reader understand the progression through the phases of death and how each one can make one feel. While I'm not a caretaker for a dying mother (let's not even think about that right now), I saw a lot in the dying mother of this book that I also see in my 90+ year old great aunt. Reading this book helped me better understand her anger and frustrations, something I think will help our relationship greatly over the remaining years of her life. Recommended to anyone looking for some help with this kind of thing.
  [NON-FICTION]

  (2/22) The Blood of Strangers by Frank Huyler (MD).
  

  Collection of vignettes about Huyler's experiences as an ER doctor. Has a good balance of medical information and cheesy introspection. If you like reading about medical cases and stuff, you'll enjoy this. But I'd advise the less-hearty of you skip the story about the maggots. My stomach is STILL upset.
  [NON-FICTION]

  (2/19) The Strangeness of Beauty by Lydia Minatoya.
  

  Absolutely beautiful novel about three generations of Japanese women. When Etsuko's sister Naomi dies during childbirth in Seattle, Etsuko takes on the role of mother to the baby, Hanae. After a few years of American life together, Hanae's father decides it's time to send both Hanae and Etsuko back to Japan, so Hanae can learn about her heritage and get to know her maternal grandmother, Chie. The three women, a Japanese woman from a prestigious samurai family (Chie), her ignored American-immigrant daughter (Etsuko), and her American-born granddaughter (Hanae), learn much about each other and the world during their turbulent years together. The setting is pre-World War II Japan, providing not only an incredible background, but the means for a fascinating history lesson as well. The characters are unique, intense, and real. And their interactions (both with each other and with their countries) are some of the most moving demonstrations of emotion I've encountered in a novel in some time. My fiance gave me this book for Valentine's Day, saying he thought it sounded like a book I might enjoy (and he knows how much a good book can impact me) -- I found it absolutely amazing that he was so right on. While a book might not sound like the most romantic of gifts, it sure says a lot about him that he knew me so well he was able to pick out a book I not only couldn't put down, but felt moved to copy passages out of as well. Highly, HIGHLY recommended! (And, boy, am I marrying well or what?)
  [FICTION]

  (2/17) Hell House by Richard Matheson.
  

  Horror story about "the Mount Everest of haunted houses," the Belasco House. Rumored to be haunted by its owner, Emeric Belasco, and a houseful of his victims, the house has been the subject of supernatural investigations twice beofre -- in both cases, nearly everyone involved died. This time, though, two mediums, a scientist determined to prove ghosts don't exist, and the scientist's naive and easily spooked wife believe they can solve the mystery once and for all. But when the terrifying torments begin, they all start to doubt their faith in their abilities -- will they live long enough to find out the truth? Or will Belasco get them in the end as well? A little on the cheesy side (and the explanation of why Belasco was such an angry person is just plain stupid), but still fun to read on a dark and stormy night. Just for kicks, I also rented the 1973 film version of this novel, starring Roddy McDowal. Take it from me, it ain't worth the $3 rental fee.
  [FICTION]

  (2/15) Praying for Sleep by Jeffery Deaver.
  

  Suspenseful thriller about an escaped mental patient who police believe has left to hunt down the woman who put him away. As I was reading this, I was thinking it was good, but not all that original. And then I got to the ending -- holy cow! Never saw that coming! I've liked almost every Deaver novel I've read and this is one of the more clever ones. Recommended!
  [FICTION]

  (2/11) Five Mile House by Karen Novak.
  

  Entertaining novel about a female police officer, Leslie, who snaps one day at work and shoots a man accused of murdering a child. After a brief stay in a psychiatric hospital, she, her husband, and her two small children decide to move to a small town in New England, where her husband has been offered a job renovating an old mansion. The mansion has a history -- it's said that Eleanor Bly murdered her children and then committed suicide there over 100 years ago. Leslie is shocked to discover she looks just like Eleanor and even more shocked when she begins to discover the truth about why her family was asked to move there. The truth about what happened at the Bly house starts to come out, bit by bit. The story is narrated by the ghost of Eleanor Bly, who has known Leslie was coming and is desperate to help her avoid the same fate. This was a spooky novel, well-written and very engrossing. Recommended!
  [MYSTERY]

  (2/8) Rainlight by Alison McGhee.
  

  Incredibly sad novel about the effects the death of one man, Starr Williams, has on the people around him. Each chapter is written from the point of view of one of the characters -- his 8-year old daughter Mallie, his wife Lucia, his father Tim, and his friend and ex-girlfriend Crystal. Their individual struggles with grief will break your heart. The writing is unusual and powerful. This is a beautiful book. But read it only when you're prepared to be kind of blue for awhile. I have also read McGhee's novel "Shadow Baby," and enjoyed it greatly as well. I will look for more of her stuff in the future.
  [FICTION]

  (2/2) Driving Over Lemons by Chris Stewart.
  

  Very enjoyable book about the ex-Genesis drummer's move from city-life in London to a ramshackle farmhouse in Andalucia, Spain. As usually happens in books like these (otherwise, why write it all down?), lots of hilarious miscommunications and disasters take place as Stewart and his wife try to settle into their new fish-out-of-water lifestyle. But even though these books are always somewhat the same, I enjoy them all a lot because they always take you to places you might not have seen otherwise. And the people you meet there are always very memorable. Stewart is a good writer with a talent for description and an excellent sense of humor. If you enjoy books like these, you'll enjoy this one.
  [NON-FICTION]

Book Archive | The Boyfriend