This morning Melanie, Mindy and I were on WCAI on The Point discussing books focused on microhistory. Basically microhistories explore a specific subject, often providing a different way of looking at familiar objects, products, or events. The best microhistories use their focus on small specifics to reveal a much larger picture. Nancy Pearl has described them as ”one word wonders” … books like Cod and Salt and Stiff.In the book The Real Story: a guide to nonfiction reading interests by Sarah Statz Cords they are described as “story-driven narratives that give their readers the chance to take in a lot of historical information and provide an excellent way for readers to get a ‘feel’ for historical lives, places, and events.”

Listener Picks

The Captain’s Best Mate : the journal of Mary Chipman Lawrence on the whaler Addison, 1856-1860 / edited by Stanton Garner

The Botany of Desire : a plant’s-eye view of the world by Michael Pollan

And a listener who suggested this title after we went off the air: Medusa and the Snail: more notes of a biology watcher by Lewis Thomas

Another listener suggestion, which came in as a comment on our blog. The Marketplace of Revolution : how consumer politics shaped American independence by T.H. Breen.

Jill’s Picks

Pickett’s Charge: a microhistory of the final attack at Gettysburg, July 3, 1863 by George R. Stewart (written in 1959)

Punch : the delights (and dangers) of the flowing bowl : an anecdotal history of the original monarch of mixed drinks, with more than forty historic recipes, fully annotated, and a complete course in the lost art of compounding punch by David Wondrich

A History of the World in 6 Glasses and The Turk : the life and times of the famous eighteenth-century chess-playing machine both by Tom Standage

The Frozen-water Trade : a true story by Gavin Weightman

Two microhistory children’s titles that I didn’t have time for this morning are An American Plague : the true and terrifying story of the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 by Jim Murphy and The Cod’s Tale by Mark Kurlansky ; illustrated by S.D. Schindler. The Cod’s Tale is based on Kurlansky’s book Cod: a biography of the fish that changed the world. He includes a great little sea shanty:

“Cape Cod kids don’t use no sleds,

Haul away,

Haul away,

They slide down hills on codfish heads”

Melanie’s Picks

Tears of Mermaids: The Secret Story of Pearls by Stephen G. Bloom

The Pledge: A History of the Pledge of Allegiance by Jeffrey Owen Jones and Peter Meyer

Coffee Talk: The Stimulating story of the World’s Most Popular Brew by Morton Satin

April 1865: The Month That Saved America by Jay Winik

The History of the Snowman by Bob Eckstein

Fannie’s Last Supper: Re-creating One Amazing Meal from Fannie Farmer’s 1896 Cookbook by Chris Kimball

Not on show:

Seeds, Sex & Civilization: How the Hidden Life of Plants Has Shaped Our World by Peter Thompson

Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do by Tom Vanderbilt

From Melanie’s list of books she read last year:

Dirt Clean: An Unsanitized History by Katherine Ashenburg

A Secret Gift byTed Gup

The Routes of Man by Ted Conover

The Trends of 2010 included dogs, zombies, vampires, green (ecologically friendly), historical fiction, Jane Austen & Mark Twain. For a Mark Twain read try: Twain’s Feast: searching for America’s lost foods in the footsteps of Samuel Clemens by Andrew Beahrs.

Mindy’s Favorites of 2010

The Red Thread by Ann Hood

The Tin Ticket: the heroic journey of Australia’s convict women by Deborah J. Swiss

Fur, Fortune, and Empire : the epic history of the fur trade in America by Eric Jay Dolin

Jill’s Favorites of 2010

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig

Room by Emma Donoghue

We Need to Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

And the Pursuit of Happiness by Maira Kalman

Pocketful of Posies: a treasury of nursery rhymes by Salley Mavor

In the Shadow of Young Girls in Flower (translated by James Grieve) and The Guermantes Way (translated by Mark Treharne ) both by Marcel Proust.

One sentence from Proust (there wasn’t enough time to read on air!):

“And thus it was she who first gave me the idea that people do not, as I had imagined, present themselves to us clearly and in fixity with their merits, their defects, their plans, their intentions in regard to ourselves (like a garden viewed through railings with all its flower beds on display), but, rather, as a shadow we can never penetrate, of which there can be no direct knowledge, about which we form countless beliefs based upon words and even actions, neither of which give us more than insufficient and in fact contradictory information, a shadow that we can alternately imagine, with equal justification, as masking the burning flames of hatred and of love.”

Melanie’s Favorites of 2010

Fiction:

The Wives of Henry Oades by Johanna Moran

The Passage by Justin Cronin

The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryson

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

All the Stieg Larsson novels

Ford County by John Grisham

The Fifth Woman by Henning Mankell

The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith

Wolves Eat Dogs by Martin Cruz Smith

City of Thieves by David Benioff

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel

A Corpse in the Koryo by James Church

This Body of Death by Elizabeth George

Nonfiction:

Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition by Dan Okrent

Grounded: A Down to Earth Journey Around the World by Seth Stevenson

The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn by Nathaniel Philbrick

War by Sebastian Junger

A Secret Gift: how one man’s kindness–and a trove of letters–revealed the hidden history of the Great Depression by Ted Gup

This morning (and you can listen to the rebroadcast this evening at 7:30 on WCAI or listen to the podcast online!) we talked about holiday books from Thanksgiving to Advent to Chanukah to Christmas. Books to help you slow down during the busy season, books to help you make the best cookies ever, books to help you craft, and just great books to read. Feel free to add your own suggestions here for books to help you through the holidays. Can Thanksgiving really be this week?? Melanie’s picks will be up as soon as she has a chance to send them to me!

Jill’s Picks

Thanksgiving: the biography of an American holiday by James W. Baker

Watch for the Light: readings for Advent and Christmas

Fa la la la Felt by Amanda Carestio. Both Melanie & I were enchanted with this title.

Gooseberry Patch: Book 12

Cookie Craft: from baking to luster dust by Valerie Peterson & Janice Fryer

Cookie Craft Christmas by Valerie Peterson & Janice Fryer

Gingerbread Cookie Murder by Joanne Fluke, Laura Levine (The Danger of Gingerbread Cookies) & Leslie Meier (Gingerbread Cookies and Gunshots.

The Mischief of the Mistletoe: a Pink Carnation Christmas by Lauren Willig (This Napoleonic-era series includes 7 books … the action of this book begins after The Seduction of the Crimson Rose, but before The Temptation of the Night Jasmine. First book in the series is The Secret History of the Pink Carnation.)

My First Chanukah by Tomie dePaola

Grandloving: making memories with your grandchildren babies to teens—near or far by Sue Johnson, Julie Carlson, & Elizabeth Bower. I forgot to mention that it was the FIFTH edition that I was talking about … improvements have been made with each edition.

Forbidden Fruit: a history of women and books in art by Christiane Inmann

Two I didn’t have time for:

The Christmas Almanac edited by Natasha Tabori Fried & Lena Tabori. “Part reference, part anthology, part cookbook, part history book, part songbook, part shopping guide, part crafts, and part trivia books.” All in ONE! Revised & updated edition.

Tinsel: a search for America’s Christmas present by Hank Stuever … from the author’s web page: “… a true story—sometimes odd, sometimes funny, and sometimes sad—of three consecutive Christmas seasons that I spent observing three families in the well-off Dallas exurb of Frisco, Texas.” He follows three families through an over-the-top Christmas celebration during 2006, 2007, and 2008.

Melanie’s Picks

A Christmas Odyssey by Anne Perry

An Amish Christmas by Cynthia Keller

The Christmas Chronicles: The Legend of Santa Claus by Tim Slover

Saint Francis and the Nativity by Myrna A. Strasser

Fa La La La Felt: 45 Handmade Holiday Decorations by Amanda Carestio

Daisy’s Holiday Cooking: Delicious Latin Recipes for Effortless Entertaining by Daisy Martinez

Very Merry Cookie Party: How to Plan and Host a Christmas Cookie Exchange by Barbara Grunes and Virginia Van Vynckt

A Secret Gift : how one man’s kindness–and a trove of letters–revealed the hidden history of the Great Depression by Ted Gup

And, even though we didn’t have time:

The Zombie Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore and H. Parker Kelley

Listener Picks

The Trees of the Dancing Goats by Patricia Polacco

Hundred Dollar Holiday : the case for a joyful Christmas by Bill McKibben

The topic today was Cape Cod Authors, and what makes a Cape Cod Author. Here are the books we mentioned. No listener picks this time, because we pre-recorded the show.

Melanie’s Picks

Jus’ Restin’: a novel by Capt. Gary Wilder

The New England Connection by Larry Bernhardt

Anonymous Fox by Naomi Feigelson Chase

Gittel, the Would-Be Messiah by Naomi Feigelson Chase

Cape Cod ABCs by Leslie Hatton, with illustrations by Kate Wells

The Writing Circle by Corinne Demas

Martha’s Vineyard, Now & Zen by Susan Klein and Alan Brigish

Images of America: Cape Cod National Seashore: the first 50 years by Daniel Lombardo

The Ecology of a Cape Cod Salt Marsh: a tour through Crocker Neck by Gilbert Newton

A Short History of Cape Cod by Robert J. Allison

Jill’s Picks

A Place Apart: a Cape Cod Reader edited by Robert Finch

Punch with Care: an Asey Mayo Cape Cod Mystery by Phoebe Atwood Taylor

Mating Season by Jon Loomis

Jewel of the Seas (vol. 1) by Ellen Argo

The Crystal Star (vol. 2) by Ellen Argo

The Yankee Girl (vol. 3) by Ellen Argo

Camp Edwards and Otis Air Force Base, Massachusetts by Donald J. Cann & John J. Galluzzo

Scurvy Goonda by Chris McCoy

Simple Gestures: a cultural journey into the Middle East by Andrea B. Rugh

Get Out, Explore, and Have Fun: how families of children with autism or asperger syndrome can get the most out of community activities by Lisa Jo Rudy

Mindy, Melanie, & I talked about good reads for the Summer this morning on The Point. Thanks to the callers, as well as the many suggestions on the WCAI Facebook page. And remember, if you missed the show it will be on again this evening at 7:30, or you can listen to the podcast.

Jill’s Picks

The Bramble Bush by Charles Mergendahl

The Swimming Pool by Holly LeCraw

Valley of Bones by Michael Gruber

The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz

Cape Cod’s Anthology of Shipwrecks: a lifetime exploring the underwater shipwrecks of Cape Cod by Donal L. Ferris

The Whale: in search of the giants of the sea by Philip Hoare

Stories: all-new tales edited by Neil Gaiman & Al Sarrantonio

Bloomsbury Good Reading Guides Includes 100 Must-Read, Crime Fiction Novels, Classic Novels, Historical Novels, Science Fiction Novels, Books for Men, & Life-Changing Books.

Melanie’s Picks

A Full Cup: Sir Thomas Lipton’s extraordinary life and his quest for the America’s Cup by Michael D’Antonio

The Passage by Justin Cronin

Twilight at the World of Tomorrow by James Mauro

Kid vs. Squid by Greg Van Eeekhout

The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno by Ellen Bryson

Fur, Fortune and Empire: the epic history of the fur trade in America by Eric Jay Dolin

Appetite for America: how visionary businessman Fred Harvey built a railroad hospitality empire that civilized the wild west by Stephen Fried

Reader’s Picks

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

The Devil’s Teeth : a true story of obsession and survival among America’s great white sharks by Susan Casey.

Jill’s Picks

Edible :–A Celebration Of Local Food by Tracey Ryder & Carole Topalian

Sissinghurst : an unfinished history by Adam Nicolson

In Defense of Food: an eater’s manifesto by Michael Pollan

Food Rules: an eater’s manual by Michael Pollan

Homesteading : a backyard guide to growing your own food, canning, keeping chickens, generating your own energy, crafting, herbal medicine, and more edited by Abigail R. Gehring

Starter vegetable gardens : 24 no-fail plans for small organic gardens by Barbara Pleasant

Early sprouts : cultivating healthy food choices in young children by Karrie Kalich, Dottie Bauer, and Deirdre McPartlin

In the green kitchen : techniques to learn by heart by Alice Waters

My Empire Of Dirt :–How One Man Turned His Big City Backyard Into A Farm by Manny Howard

Plenty : one man, one woman, and a raucous year of eating locally by Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon

A couple of titles I didn’t have time to mention! …

The Locavore’s Handbook : the busy person’s guide to eating local on a budget by Leda Meredith

How to Pick a Peach : the search for flavor from farm to table by Russ Parsons

Fields of Plenty : a farmer’s journey in search of real food and the people who grow it : text and photographs by Michael Ableman

Encyclopedia Of Organic, Sustainable, And Local Food edited by Leslie A. Durham

Melanie’s Picks

Homegrown: a growing guide for creating a cook’s garden in raised beds, containers and small spaces by Marta Teegen

The Small Budget Gardener: all the dirt on saving money in your garden by Maureen Gilmer

Grocery Gardening: planting, preparing and preserving fresh food by Jean Ann Van Krevelen

The Green Home: creating your backyard farm by Nicki Trench

The Veggie Gardener’s Answer Book by Barbara W. Ellis

All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew

Crops in Pots: how to plan, plant, and grow vegetables, fruits and herbs in easy-care containers by Bob Purnell

My Little Box of Gardening

Good Growing: A Kid’s Guide to Green Gardening by the editors of Klutz

Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert

Picks of people who called into the show

Foods to fight cancer : essential foods to help prevent cancer by Richard Béliveau and Denis Gingras

Anticancer : a new way of life by David Servan-Schreiber

The Seasons on Henry’s Farm: A Year of Food and Life on a Sustainable Farm by Terra Brockman

This morning Sean Corcoran did a great job filling in on The Point for Mindy, as Melanie & I discussed green books. If you missed this morning’s broadcast you can hear it tonight at 7:30 on WCAI or listen to the podcast online at any time.

Melanie’s Picks

A Very Modest Cottage by Tereasa Surratt

Do One Green Thing by Mindy Pennybacker

The Boy Mechanic Saves the World (One Project at a Time): 252 Earth-Friendly Projects and Tips by C. J. Petersen & the editors of Popular Mechanics

The Earth Book by Todd Parr

The Story of Stuff: how our obsession with stuff is trashing the planet, our communities, and our health–and a vision for change by Annie Leonard

Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet by Bill McKibben

And one other which Melanie didn’t have time for, but thought worth mentioning: Pay Dirt: How to Make $10,000 a Year from Your Backyard Garden by John Tullock.

Jill’s Picks

The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge by Joanna Cole & Bruce Degen

Eco House Book by Terence Conran

Eco Audit Link mentioned in Conran’s book: www.carbonfootprint.com

Eco Books: inventive projects from the recycling bin by Terry Taylor

True Green Home: 100 inspirational ideas for creating a green environment at home by Kim McKay and Jenny Bonnin

Greening Your Family: a reference guide to safe food, personal care, & cleaning products by Lindsey Carmichael

Ecological Intelligence: how knowing the hidden impacts of what we buy can change everything by Daniel Goleman

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman

One Hundred Poems from the Japanese translated by Kenneth Rexroth

One Hundred Poems from the Chinese translated by Kenneth Rexroth

Staying Put: making a home in a restless world by Scott Russell Sanders

Not mentioned, but some other green titles that might interest listeners:

Green Remodeling : your start toward an eco-friendly home by John D. Wagner

Green Careers for Dummies by Carol McClelland

The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Renewable Energy for Your Home by Harvey Bryan and Brita Belli

The Carbon-Free Home: 36 remodeling projects to help kick the fossil-fuel habit by Stephen & Rebekah Hren

Got Sun? Go Solar, expanded 2nd edition by Rex A. Ewing and Doug Pratt

Power Trip: from oil wells to solar cells—our ride to the renewable future by Amanda Little

Eco Barons: the new heroes of environmental activism by Edward Humes

Might Giants: an American Chestnut Anthology with a foreword by Bill McKibben, edited by Chris Bolgiano

Sean’s Pick

The Outermost House: a year of life on the great beach of Cape Cod by Henry Beston (Chapter VII “An Inland Stroll in Spring” begins “I woke last night just after two o’clock and found my larger room brimming with April moonlight and so still that I could hear the ticking of my watch.”)

Listener Picks

A Sand County Almanac, and sketches here and there by Aldo Leopold. From a review of a recent edition: “These original essays on the natural environment by renowned conservationist Leopold (1887-1948) were first published posthumously in 1949…. Following the seasons, Leopold, whose seminal work in the U.S. Forest Service and in books and magazines helped shape the conservation movement in this country, shared his perceptive and carefully observed portraits of nature month by month. In April, he watched the “sky dance” of the woodcock, who flew upward in a series of spirals. As he hunted partridges in October, his way was lit by “red lanterns,” the blackberry leaves that shone in the sun. A November rumination details how the products of tree diseases provide wooded shelters for woodpeckers, hives for wild bees and food for chickadees. Included also is an appreciative essay on wild marshland and several pieces stressing the importance of protecting the natural environment. Leopold sadly observed, “there is yet no ethic dealing with man’s relation to land and to the animals and plants which grow upon it.” His hope that society would develop an “ecological conscience” by placing what should be preserved above what is economically expedient remains relevant today. These evocative essays about the farm Leopold loved will again be enjoyed by nature lovers and preservationists alike.”

Do One Green Thing by Mindy Pennybacker

Melanie, Mindy, and I were talking about all things Irish this morning on WCAI. If you missed the show you get another chance to listen at 7:30 tonight, or you can listen to the podcast online.

Melanie’s Picks

Guinness: Celebrating 250 Remarkable Years by Paul Hartley

101 Things You Didn’t Know About Irish History by Ryan Hackney and Amy Hackney Blackwell

Irish Boston: A Lively Look at Boston’s Colorful Irish Past by Michael P. Quinn

Back Road Ireland Eyewitness Travel Series, DK publishing

Finn McCool and the Great Fish by Eve Bunting

The King With Horse’s Ears and Other Irish Folktales by Batt Burns

Lost Leprechaun: The Adventures of Bold Brave Seamus by Catherine Kelly-Mahon

True Irish Ghost Stories by St. John D. Seymour and Harry L. Neligan

Leprechaun in Late Winter: A Magic Tree House Book, Mary Pope Osborne

A Brief History of Ireland by Paul F. State

Jill’s Picks

St. Patrick’s Day by Natalie M. Rosinsky

Last of the Donkey Pilgrims: a man’s journey through Ireland by Kevin O’Hara

A Lucky Irish Lad by Kevin O’Hara

Round Ireland with a Fridge by Tony Hawks

At the Edge of Ireland: seasons on the Beara Peninsula by David Yeadon

See You at the Hall: Boston’s Golden Age of Irish Music and Dance by Susan Gedutis

The Irish Americans: a history by Jay P. Dolan

The Irish Pub Cookbook by Margaret M. Johnson

The Irish Spirit: recipes inspired by the legendary drinks of Ireland by Margaret M. Johnson

The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry

Listener Pick

Wasted: a sober journey though drunken Ireland by Brian O’Connell

Today’s books from The Point where Mindy, Melanie, and I were discussing books to read for National African-American History Month.  If you think we didn’t talk about all these books, you would be right if you listened in the morning. We were up against Pledge Drive, so the full show will air at 7:30 this evening or you can listen to the podcast.

Jill’s Picks

Picture Books

Bad News for Outlaws : the remarkable life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshall by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson ; illustrations by R. Gregory Christie.

The Steel Pan Man of Harlem by Colin Bootman

Child of the Civil Rights Movement by Paula Young Shelton & Raul Colon

Sojourner Truth’s Step-Stomp Stride by Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney

Adult Books

The Black Book by Middleton A. Harris, with the assistance of Morris Levitt, Roger Furman, Ernest Smith ; with a new foreword by Toni Morrison ; including the original introduction by Bill Cosby.

We Shall Overcome by Herb Boyd (includes audio CDs)

Letters From Black America edited by Pamela Newkirk (Includes Alice Walker’s letter to President-Elect Barack Obama, p. 170)

Mrs. O : the face of fashion democracy by Mary Tomer ; designed by Rodrigo Corral Design. (The blog that started the book can be found at mrs-o.org)

Black Hands, White Sails : the story of African-American whalers by Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick L. McKissack.

The Other Islanders: people who pulled Nantucket’s oars by Frances Ruley Karttunen. (Frances Karttunen will be speaking at the library on Saturday, February 27 at 2:00 p.m.!)

FInding Martha’s Vineyard: African Americans at home on an island by Jill Nelson

Melanie’s Picks

The Making of African America: The Four Great Migrations by Ira Berlin

The Conversation: How Black Men and Women Can Build Loving, Trusting Relationships by Hill Harper

A Day Late and A Dollar Short: high hopes and deferred dreams in Obama’s ‘postracial’ America by Robert E. Pierre and Jon Jeter

Ten Hills Farm: the forgotten history of slavery in the North by C.S. Manegold

The Undiscovered Paul Robeson: quest for freedom, 1939-1976 by Paul Robeson Jr.

The Face of Our Past: images of black women from colonial America to the present edited by Kathleen Thompson and Hilary Mac Austin

Children’s Books

Sunday is for God by Michael McGowan

Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya by Donna Jo Napoli

Claudette Colvin: twice toward justice by Phillip Hoose

So as I mentioned yesterday, I had lots of suggestions of other memorable memoirs from staff and friends. Here is the list of what they suggested! There is definitely something for everyone. I know I was introduced to any number of memoirs that I’m going to add to my future reading list. Thanks to everyone who offered a suggestion. And if you are reading this, please leave your memoir suggestions in the comment box!

Double Take by Kevin Michael Connolly

About a guy born with no legs. The book makes you take a look at prejudice and maybe see yourself in a different way.

Gerbil Farmer’s Daughter by Holly Robinson

About, well, a gerbil farmer’s daughter, but his other job was commanding an air craft carrier, so the farming was kept pretty quiet. Holly writes about her life and family with a down to earth tone, highly readable.

Life in Rewind by Terry Murphy

About OCD … incredible story with a happy ending.

My Stoke of Insight by Jill Bolte Taylor

Scientist has a stroke and lives … and recovers … really fascinating.

Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog: the amazing adventures of an ordinary woman by Lisa Scottoline

This is from the prolific mystery author, and is based on the columhns she writes for the Philadelphia Enquirer.

Traveling with Pomegranates by Sue Monk Kidd and her daughter

Based on their travels in Greece together while the daughter was trying to “find” herself in a depression and Sue was trying to understand and reconnect with her daughter. Another from a renowned author.

The Big One by David Kinney

This is about the famous fishing tournament on the Vineyard……probably isn’t exactly a memoir but he does talk about his time in the tournament.

Not Quite Paradise: an American Sojourn in Sri Lanka by Adele Barker

Details an American woman’s time there before and after the tragic tsunami that hit southeast Asia.  She went there to teach and research a book.

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: a memoir of going home by Rhoda Janzen

A woman leaves all she knows (after her husband leaves her for another man) and goes back to her Mennonite roots and family.

When a Crocodile Eats the Sun by Peter Godwin

A memoir of growing up in Africa during the rise of African nationalism from the white perspective.

Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson

Anyone who thinks Bryson is hilarious should read his memoir of growing up in Iowa in the fifties.

Farewell My Subaru by Doug Fine

I think I first heard about this on NPR as he writes for them.  Loved it!

Logs of the Dead Pirates Society: a schooner adventure around Buzzards Bay by Randall Peffer

Really enjoyable for anyone who loves the waters of Buzzards Bay and the surrounding area.

Cabin Pressure: one man’s desperate attempt to recapture his youth as a camp counselor by Josh Wolk

Self-explanatory.

Through the Children’s Gate by Adam Gopnik

A sequel to his memoir of taking his young family to live in Paris.  This is of their readjustment to American life in Manhattan.

Human Experiment: two years and 20 minutes inside Biosphere 2 by Jane Poynter

An older book but I was influenced to read it by the intense new movement to the “Green” side.

Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint Exupéry

Remembering Poets : reminiscences and opinions : Dylan Thomas, Robert Frost, T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound by Donald Hall

Hall was the editor of the Harvard Advocate in the 1950’s and in that capacity first encountered and then started multi-year correspondences/friendships with four of the most interesting and certainly most respected poets of the 20th century. It’s a relatively short book and an easy read, and Hall captures well and in amusing, self-deprecating fashion, both his initial intimidation and then growing familiarity with—and fondness for—his subjects.

Burn Journals by Brent Runyon

Local author, good story.

Here’s the Story: surviving Marcia Brady and finding my true voice by Maureen McCormick

For someone that grew up loving The Brady Bunch, it was a fascinating look at what went on behind the scenes. It also dealt with the perils of aging parents. There were parts that were a tough read, especially the drug use, but overall it was a hopeful survival story.

About Alice by Calvin Trillin. Short, sweet, have a tissue box ready.

Michael J. Fox’s first autobiography, Lucky Man. I listened to it in the car, and he reads the first chapter himself, which was fabulous. I wish he’d read the whole thing. He has since written other memoir type things, but in Lucky Man he talks about his childhood (in Canada), and his start in show business. The part I remember the most (I read a few years ago) deals with being a “celebrity” and what it does to your personality when everyone says yes to whatever you do, which, of course, leads to celebrity excess.

Another staff member writes: My teenage daughter and I loved Jung Chang’s Wild Swans: three daughters of China It describes the lives of three generations of women in one family who lived through the change from dynastic to Communist rule. A little violent, but very engaging and illuminating. Also, Farley Mowat’s Never Cry Wolf was a big hit with the non-fiction reading group. The time frame is limited to a few months, but it brings up several issues (such as man vs. nature, natural balance and portrayal of wolves in literature) in a humorous and sentimental way.