The Girls from Ames by Jeffrey Zaslow

This non-fiction selection focuses on 11 women from the town of Ames, Iowa, who have maintained their friendship since at least high school. Now in their late forties, the women have spread all over the country, and their lives have all taken different directions, yet they remain bonded as a group.

Zaslow, who co-wrote The Last Lecture with Randy Pausch and also pens the Moving On column for the Wall Street Journal, selected this group of women and their friendship based on their, well, averageness. Representing the last wave of the baby boomers, growing up in the Midwest, Zaslow felt these women's experiences would connect with a large number of people.

While the book features this group of women, including more intimate portraits of 4 of them, it also includes some data and information on the very nature of friendships, particularly comparing women's friendships with men's friendships, and the tendency for women's relationships to stand the test of time. He also includes some studies on the benefits of maintaining friendships over long periods of time.

I have to say I did not really love this book. I did not really connect with any of the women, (although some of them seem like perfectly lovely people) and I think most of us already know that women stay more connected in their friendships than men. There were some interesting, poignant and humorous anecdotes, observations and dynamics from the group, but the whole work just did not resonate. This could be an interesting choice for book clubs, however. There is a reader's guide and other information at: http://www.girlsfromames.com/

Time to read some fiction!

The Accidental Bestseller by Wendy Wax

This is a very interesting and ambitious concept for a book of fiction. Kendall Aims is a published author who does reasonably well; however, her agent has just informed her that she is going to be dropped from her publisher, but not before having to complete one last book to fulfill her contract. When she also loses out on a big award that she was counting on to revive her career, her downward spiral really takes off. Upon returning home, she also learns that her husband has left her for a younger, blonder woman. Unable to cope with the reality of her life, she retreats to her cabin in the mountains to hide out.

Fortunately for her, her 3 friends, also writers, will not let her go through this alone. Mallory, a best-selling fiction author whose marriage is also faltering comes to stay with Kendall and get her back on track. She persuades the others, Faye, an inspirational author married to a well-known pastor, and Tanya, a single mother who works two jobs and writes romances on the side, to come out for a weekend. When they witness how much help Kendall really needs, Tanya suggests that they all write the book together but do their part anonymously, in order for Kendall to meet her deadline.

The book is a smash - trouble is, the women based their characters on themselves, including some deep, dark secrets never guessing that they - and their secrets - might someday be revealed. It isn't long before family, agents and others decifer what is going on. Can the friendship survive the success of their book as well as the knowledge that the friends did not know each other so well after all?

This was an enjoyable read of friendship, trust and renewal. Each of the four main characters maintain their own separate voice and identity and the storyline definitely keeps the pages turning. Despite the fact there are really four separate story lines going on, the book does not get confusing at all. I have to say that one of the factors that make this a tad unbelievable is the fact that the four friends so closely resemble the characters they create, it seems fairly obvious that someone would figure out the true identity and put two and two together...but that might be taking this book a little too seriously. Overall, it's an interesting perspective into a writer's life and a good choice for a quiet weekend or getaway read.

Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner

Jennifer Weiner is one of those authors whose books I cannot wait for - beginning with her first book, Good in Bed, she has captured audiences with her wonderful characters and story lines. Her new book, Best Friends Forever, meets all these expectations and then some.

Addie Downs seems to have it all - she's young (33,) attractive, has a successful career and a beautiful home - the only thing she is lacking is someone to share it with. Other than her brother Jon, brain-damaged in a car accident as a teenager, she has no family or friends. One night, her best friend from high school shows up at her door after a 15 year absence, desperately asking for Addie's help and completely disrupting her quiet life.

Valerie Adler, Addie's best friend from childhood, has left her small town behind, working as a "meteorologist" for Fox News in Chicago. She and Addie's relationship fell apart during their senior year, but the reader does not learn the details until well into the book. The whole reason for their falling out is what has led Val into the trouble she is currently experiencing. Despite Addie's usual common sense, she allows herself to be drawn into Val's web, and joins her on her plan to "get out of town for awhile." The two unlikely fugitives head south in Addie's parents' old station wagon, with the town sheriff, who has the hots for Addie, not far behind. What transpires is a wacky tale of friendship and forgiveness, complete with a BIG surprise at the end.

If you enjoy this particular book, give Jennifer's other books a try. Also check out her wonderful website and blog at http://www.jenniferweiner.com/. This is a perfect book for some light summer reading - it will leave you smiling. The only problem I have with this book is that now I have to wait forever for her next one to come out!

The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard

Abby and Mitch, high school sweethearts devoted to one another, were about to take a very big step in their relationship when the fates intervened, altering their lives forever. While heading downstairs to Abby's father's medical office for some protection, Mitch witnesses Abby's father, a respected doctor, and his best friend's father, the sheriff, bring in the frozen young body of a beautiful young woman. Before he can recover from the shock of what he sees, he is further traumatized when he witnesses Abby's dad covering the girl's face with some plastic bags and battering it with a baseball bat. The next morning, Mitch has unexpectedly left town, leaving Abby and his best friend, Rex, hurt, confused and dealing with his unexplained absence.

Fast-forward 18 years: Abby is a small-business owner, still single, and still affected by Mitch's disappearance all those years ago. She is dating Rex's n'er-do-well brother, Patrick, who may be responsible for the Virgin's death. Rex has taken over as the sheriff of the county, his father's old job, and is also still at a loss over Mitch's absence. The body of the young girl whom Mitch had seen at Abby's house was never claimed, but the town raised enough money to bury her with a large headstone. Over the years, she became known as the "Virgin" around town, and was even rumored to perform miracles for people from beyond the grave. With the advent of the internet, the "Virgin's" reputation has grown, and people come from all over to ask the deceased woman for help.

After all the years of the mystery of the Virgin simmering just under the town's surface, Abby, Rex, and Mitch are about to be reunited to discover the truth of the crime once and for all. What they discover shocks and sickens them and the entire town of Small Plains. Will anyone else have to die in order to keep the secret of the Virgin safe?

Nancy Pickard tells an intriguing tale of suspense in this quick read. Although some of the plot seems a bit contrived and hard to fathom, I was still into the book enough to stick with it through the end. The story begs the question of how far one will go to protect a friendship, a family and a town. The use of miracles in the book illustrates how one person's miracle is another person's tragedy, and how, in the end, people will reap what they sow.

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

Dewey Readmore Books, a shivering, bedraggled tiny orange kitten, found out what good luck and wonderful, kind library staff and patrons were all about. From the first few words of the book, it is almost impossible not to be drawn into this true story of a kitten who fell upon great fortune - good people and a satisfying place to call home: a library - despite an inauspicious introduction to the library and his library friends.

Dewey is more than a story of hardship or of a kitten triumphantly rescued from death’s door on a frigid, icy Iowa morning. Rather this is a story of life, and lives, and how intertwined lives can become. This is a book that reminds us that animals can snuggle their way into our hearts and lives even if we didn’t intend it to happen; they can easily connect with us in ways we never expected.Dewey shared his 18 years with so many in Spencer, IA. He taught many valuable lessons, such as be happy with what you have, and share your unique gifts of love. Dewey speaks to some of the mysteries of life, libraries, and a very special “someone.”A wonderful, easy and pleasant read, of course, for animal lovers, and especially cat lovers.


Thanks to Paula N. for the review!

Moloka'i by Alan Brennert

Moloka'i is the poignant tale of a young girl who is diagnosed with leprosy in the late 1800's, and sent to the leper colony on the island of Moloka'i, in the Hawaiian islands. Rachel Kalama is the baby of her close knit family. Growing up in Honolulu, the world is her playground, until one day an odd wound is discovered on her leg - her mother is able to keep it covered up, and warns the children not to tell anyone about it. One day, Rachel and her sister Sarah get into a knock-down, drag 'em out fight, and Sarah calls Rachel a "dirty leper" during the midst of it. The health inspector is waiting for Rachel when she gets home. She is removed from her family and taken to a hospital for testing, ultimately ending up at the leper colony on Moloka'i, far removed from friends and family.

Due to the extreme toll leprosy seemed to take on the Hawaiian natives and the lack of knowledge of communicable diseases, the Moloka'i settlement was created so that lepers would not be spreading their illness to others. What was not taken into account was the effect this isolation had on the patients' emotional and mental well-being. Despite the fact Rachel's uncle and girlfriend were already living on the island, Rachel had to move into a boarding school for girls, run by nuns. Here, Rachel grows into a young woman, forging relationships with both other patients and nuns that will span a lifetime. The book follows the course of her life - her loves, her losses, her triumphs and her defeats. Despite being banished to a remote island due to her illness, Rachel manages to live a full and satisfying life.

I do not want to give too much away, as I want you to fall in love with Rachel yourself, as I did. She is a strong and incorrigible spirit who fights for what and who she believes in. Despite being handed the equivalent of a death sentence when banished to Moloka'i, Rachel chooses life and love over death and misery. She refuses to be defined by her illness. Not only was Rachel's tale inspiring, the story of Moloka'i - a real place - was also intriguing. This book is a fine work of historical fiction, mixing just the right amount of fact with fiction, and I look forward to reading Brennert's latest, Honolulu.

One You May Have Missed...

Patty Jane's House of Curl by Lorna Landvik, first published in 1995, is a story of friendship, family and endurance. It is at times funny, heartbreaking, joyous and inspiring. The story details how an unlikely family of women stick together through thick or thin, triumphing over the obstacles that life throws at them with humor and perseverance.

Patty Jane Rolvaag, proprietor of Patty Jane's House of Curl, has made it through some tough times in her life. Growing up in an alcoholic household, being apparently abandoned by her husband shortly before the birth of their daughter, and watching her sister struggle with alcoholism herself all contribute to Patty Jane's determination to build a better life for her and her daughter.

Thor Rolvaag was considered by many to be the most handsome man in Minneapolis when he and Patty Jane were married in the summer of 1953. He laughed off Patty Jane's assertions that she had conceived on their wedding night, until it became obvious that she indeed was pregnant. Thor's fear of loving someone that much led him astray, seemingly never to return. Two days after his disappearance, Patty Jane delivered a healthy baby girl, Nora. Thor's mother, Ione, and Patty Jane's sister, Harriet, took over caring for things while Patty Jane recovered from the loss of her husband, forming a tight-knit family. Over the years, Harriet endures her own tragic loss, Patty Jane attends beauty school and opens up her own place - the House of Curl. The shop becomes a neighborhood gathering spot, and Patty Jane branches out to offer edifying and empowering programs to the local women.

In an incredible plot twist, after several years of being absent, Thor is located and returned home, having suffered irreversible brain damage which kept him from returning home on his own. Although everyone's circumstances have changed, Thor is welcomed back into the family - he is still legally married to Patty Jane, after all. In the end, the family endures yet another loss, yet Patty Jane and the others once again come together and celebrate all the life and love in their world. This one is a tearjerker!

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa

This is a quiet but lovely little book. Translated from the Japanese, this novel brings together three unlikely people who form their own little family unit.

The Professor is a mathematical genius who, due to a brain injury suffered in a car accident many years earlier, cannot remember more than 80 minutes at a time. He lives a quiet life, content with his numbers as his steady companions in a small cottage. He does not like crowds, and wears dozens of little notes attached to his suits to help remind him of important things.

The Housekeeper is a young woman, a single parent, and an honest and conscientious worker. She is the tenth housekeeper to go to work for the Professor, so she does not expect to last long. Instead, she finds a brilliant hermit of a man who can remember everything up to 1975, when his accident occured, including his mathematical theorems and baseball statistics for his beloved Hanshin Tigers. The Housekeeper also discovers that the Professor has an unrestrained love of children, and when he discovers that she has a 10 year-old son, he insists that he come to his house after school. Her son, who the Professor nicknames, "Root" develops a special bond with the Professor, despite the fact that he must be reintroduced to him every day as if they had never met.

As time goes on, this unlikely trio forms a strong bond and settle into somewhat of a routine, despite the fact that the Professor must constantly remind himself who the Housekeeper and her son are. Spending time with Root, helping him with his homework brings some much-needed life into the Professor's world, and some stability and structure into Root's.

Ogawa's quiet book brings relationships to the forefront and begs the question, what is it that makes a family a family? Her sparse prose is a thing of beauty, even as she is writing about things beyond my ilk, such as mathematical theories. This is a story that does not take long to read, but will leave you thinking about it long after you've finished the book.

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi

This is a book that I have wanted to read for a very long time, and it finally seemed the right time just after the holidays. This book is part memoir, part book discussion, and part intimate look inside the lives of Iranian women during the 1980's and 90's.

Nafisi, an Iran native who studied in the U.S. before returning home, is a professor at the University of Tehran, teaching Western Literature to her students. Through her unique perspective as an intellectual and academic, we see the changes that occur in Iranian life, where human rights are slowly being eroded, the western culture, particularly the Unites States is viewed as the epitamy of all things evil, and free thought is attempted to be regulated by the increasingly fundamentalist government. Nafisi's classes are popular, despite the fact a few students only enroll in them to challenge the literature being studied. Eventually, when she refuses to comply with the new rule that all women must wear veils in public, she is expelled from the university.

When she finds herself with extra time on her hands, she decides to hold a class out of her house, for a select few of her favorite and most promising students. As they meet weekly in her living room, the women begin to shed their veils, along with the constraints of life and open up to one another. As they study different works of great literature, each is able to apply what they read to their lives, and learn to share some of the hardships they have encountered as a result of the greater restrictions on their personal freedoms. As time goes on, Nafisi convinces her husband to leave Iran with their children and emigrate to the U.S., leaving the members of the group, all able and highly educated, to make their own mark on the world.

While I obviously wasn't expecting this book to a light and fluffy romp, it was heavier than I expected, and took me longer to read than I anticipated. I think part of the reason for my perception is that I, sadly, have not read most of the books that were being discussed (I know, I am a poor excuse for a librarian!) and the one I do remember reading (The Great Gatsby) I read well over 20 years ago. I would definitely recommend reading at least some of the works (Lolita, Daisy Miller, Pride and Prejudice) featured prior to reading this book, I believe it would greatly enhance the parallels being made. I really enjoyed this book because Nafisi successfully portrays how the arts enrich our lives, no matter who we are and where we live, and gives me a peek into a culture I do not know very much about. One point that was reinforced by reading this book is that despite all of our differences, at the heart of things, we are all human beings yearning for beauty and freedom in our lives.

If you enjoy Reading Lolita in Tehran, here are some additional titles that might appeal to you as well:

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi. This unique autobiography, told in the form of a graphic novel, covers Satrapi's life from the age of 10, when the Islamic Revolution in Iran began, until the age of 14, when her parents sent her to Europe for her own safety.

Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez. When Rodriguez volunteers to go to Afghanistan as a nurse's aid, she has no idea her skills as a hairdresser will be much more in demand. This book chronicles her experiences and struggles opening up a beauty school in this culture.

The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad. This is an extraordinary look at behind-the-scenes life in Kabul by Norwegian journalist Seierstad, who lived for 3 months with Sultan Khan, a bookseller, and his family.

My Forbidden Face by Latifa. This is an interesting perspective from the author, who was only 16 when the Taliban overtook Kabul and placed severe restrictions on women's rights. Located in our Teen section.

Heartfelt and Heartwarming

This is a little book with a great big title and an even bigger heart. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows is an unusual tale, told in the form of correspondence between numerous characters.

Juliet Ashton, who writes a human interest column in World War II London, is looking for a new project. The war is over, London is beginning to rebuild, and her column is played out. One day, out of the blue, she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams, a resident of the isle of Guernsey, who spotted Juliet's name in a book. Juliet becomes intrigued by Dawsey's mention of the "Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," which was formed in order to prevent the members (who were violating curfew) from being arrested by the German soldiers who had taken over the island. She asks Dawsey to have anyone interested from the society write to her as well, in the hopes of doing an article on them.

Well, write to her they did - enthralling Juliet with life on the island and tales of coexisting with the German soldiers. Eventually, Juliet decides to visit Guernsey, despite the fervent wishes of her current suitor, the rich and powerful Mark Reynolds, who is looking to solidify their relationship. Will Guernsey spell the end of Juliet and Mark's relationship? Will the island and its people be everything Juliet hoped it would be? Will Juliet's career plans pan out as she hoped? Read this lively little book to find out the answers - you won't be disappointed!

On a related note, one of our patrons reported that the audio version of this book is wonderfully done, so I'm going to listen to that next.

Testimony by Anita Shreve

While I used to read Anita Shreve religiously, I have been disappointed in her last couple of titles. On a whim, I picked up her latest, Testimony, and I am so glad I did.

Set at a prestigious private high school in an idyllic Vermont town, the reader is instantly immersed in the story, as it begins with Mike, the headmaster of the school viewing a scandalous videotape - one that features 3 of the school's basketball stars in compromising positions with a 14 year old girl. Of the three boys, J.Dot, Rob and Silas, Mike is most affected at Silas's involvement. Silas is a well-behaved and respectful student who Mike helped get into the school, so this seems completely out of character. The remainder of the book deals with the circumstances leading up to the events captured on tape as well as the repercussions for everyone even remotely involved.

Told through multiple point of views, including the actual participants of the events, their parents, the local reporter who broke the story, and the headmaster himself, this is a sensitively told story, and although contributions come from several different voices, I never found it confusing or difficult to follow. It ends heartbreakingly, as all the circumstances surrounding the events come to light.

The beginning of the book was difficult to read - it's a little graphic sexually, but once I made it through that I couldn't put this book down. The way the story unwinds throughout the course of the book kind of reminded me of Shreve's The Last Time We Met, which I also highly recommend.

The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton

The Wednesday Sisters is a light and entertaining read about friendship and loyalty. The "sisters" (who are not really sisters,) are comprised of 5 women who first meet in a neighborhood park in Palo Alto, California during the late 1960's. Each of the women is assigned a role early on by the narrator, Frankie, and none of them stray far from these early perceptions. Frankie is a quiet Midwesterner, Linda is brash and outspoken, Kath is a Southern belle, Ally is mousy and secretive, and Brett is brilliant and always wears white gloves. All are married and have children, or are trying to have children.

The group starts out meeting regularly on Wednesday mornings, discussing their families, married life, as well as slowly discovering who they really are. Eventually they start a writing group, with a shove from Linda (the pushy one, of course.) Though it starts out slowly, the women learn to be honest rather than polite when critiquing one another's work, and the characters grow into themselves through this process, learning to balance their home lives with their writing, while gaining a level of success along the way. The writing also gives the friends some insight into one another's lives, helping them understand each person's unique point of view.

As the novel progresses, the women each come into their own while sticking together through all that life throws at them, including marital strife, illness, infertility, and the social unrest that is prevalent during this period in history. The ending I found a bit unlikely, as if the author was trying to wrap everything up with an incredible, tie-up-all-lose-ends-and-make-everything-okay ending, which feels forced in this case. Book clubs looking for something a little less heavy might want to look into this title - I read it for a club, and I am looking forward to a lively discussion!