Because my list of reviewed books has grown so much, every few months I will update this page with some recommendations of my personal favorites. I will try to include a variety of book types here so there will be something for everyone!
| Title | Author | Type | Rating | Description | Date Reviewed |
| Walking the Bible – A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses | Bruce Feiler | Non-Fiction | **** | The author, who is Jewish but not very religious, sets of on a journey throught the middle east to visit the primary sites of biblical events in the Old Testament in a personal quest to come to grips with his own beliefs. Along the way he comes to have a better understanding of both modern and ancient cultures, how to reconcile archeology with the events in the bible, and many different views of spiritualism and God. It is a well written and thought provoking book that will be enjoyed no matter what your religious beliefs or view of the bible. | 2010 or before |
| Half of a Yellow Sun | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie | Historical Fiction | **** | Beuatifully written by a young Nigerian author, this work of historical fiction assembles an array of characters who tell us the story of Biafra – the circumstances surrounding its creation, the hope it engendered, and the tragedy of its failure. As a child, I remember seeing photos of starving children in Biafra, but I never knew the history of its creation and frankly never gave it much thought. This book opened my eyes to some African history that I was totally unaware of. Highly recommended. | 2010 or before |
| Shantaram | Gregory David Roberts | Historical Fiction | **** | An autobiographical novel set in Bombay. The “hero” is a shady character who escapes from a maximum security jail in Australia and flees to India where he embarks on a series of adventures as well as lessons about love and humanity.It is very well written | 2010 or before |
| Pride and Prejudice | Jane Austen | Fiction | **** | A classic about English sisters looking for love and marriage. Wonderfully written with a story that holds your attention. A great look at the times – the late 18th century – and what life was like. | 2010 or before |
| The Power of One | Bryce Courtenay | Historical Fiction | **** | Excellent novel set in South Africa before and during WWII. The best book by Australia’s best known author. | 2010 or before |
| The Daily Coyote | Shreve Stockton | Non-Fiction | *** | The author, who is from New York, moves to a remote town in Colorado where she lives in a small, rustic cabin. She begins a relationship with a man who kills coyotes for the US government in an effort to control their population and protect farm stock. For some reason, he saves a coyote cub which he gives the author and the book is about their first two years together. Sometimes funny, sometimes sobering, it highlights the pros and cons of raising a wild animal, especially one that can be dangerous.While it ultimately has a happy ending – at least so far – there are many points where the potential for tragedy are apparent. Well written and interesting – should be enjoyable for all animal lovers. | 2010 or before |
| The Catholic Church – A Short History | Hans Kung | Non-Fiction | *** | “Short” is the key word in this title. This is an excellent summary of the origins and evolution of the Catholic Church. The author is doctor of theology and also an ordained priest, but in this book he provides an objective, honest, and often critical look at the church. The book is fairly scholarly (translated from German with lots of big words) but short enough so as not to be too intimidating. Recommended for anyone who has an interest in the origin of religion and especially the Catholic Church. | 2010 or Before |
| The Ghost Map | Steven Johnson | Non-Fiction | *** | The true story of a cholera epidemic in 19th century England and the efforts of a determined scientist to discover the cause, which he eventually does – contaminated water. Before this, nobody knew how cholera was transmitted, though even in the face of compelling evidence, the conclusions were not readily accepted. The book is a well-written and gripping look at life in one of the world’s largest cities, where logistical challenges were great (ie, waste disposal was a huge challenge) and people were vulnerable to outbreaks of communicable diseases which often spread rapidly with deadly consequences. It traces the efforts of one man who doggedly pursues the evidence left by the many dead to determine how they became infected. A good scientific thriller. | 2010 or before |
| Too Far From Home | Chris Jones | Non-Fiction | *** | The last space shuttle mission before Columbia was lost delivered a 3-man crew to the International Space Station. They were due to be returned by the next shuttle after Columbia. With the loss of that shuttle and the resulting grounding of the fleet, this crew was forced to extend their stay until a Russian ship was readied to bring them home. While everyone knows the tragedy of Columbia, this book provides a good factual account of the events before and after, and provides stories and historical anecdotes of the space program. A good story and an enjoyable read. | 2010 or Before |
| Up Till Now | William Shatner | Non-Fiction | *** | Fans of Star Trek, Boston Legal, or William Shatner will enjoy this book. It’s an autobiography which does nothing to dispell whatever you might think about Shatner! Self-serving – of course! It is about Shatner after all. But entertaining and fun, even is Star Trek is only a small piece of it | 2010 or before |
#1 by caterpillartracks on May 10, 2011 - 8:24 pm
have you read Steig Larson’s books?
#2 by nh72 on May 11, 2011 - 10:25 am
Yes, I have read the first two and really enjoyed them. Saving the last one! I gave them 4-stars.
#3 by Glenn on October 17, 2011 - 1:40 pm
I read the first of Steig Larson’s books (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo). Although it was exciting, and I enjoyed the way the mystery was solved at the end, I didn’t think I could face another one of the books. I was left with the impression that every fourth or fifth Swede was a child abuser, and the graphic details of it were hard to get through.
#4 by Anonymous on January 26, 2012 - 6:02 pm
I just greatly enjoyed “The Border Road” by Sarah (Susan?) Froderberg (I think). Takes place in the southwest, lyrical writing, informative of how the Colorado River was formed (just one small geographical part among other true parts of the landscape and hard life, even now, – and comparable to what a tsunami must be like), tho’ still a novel, a love story – and coined words so suitable to the southwest. Soaring and original.
I have read all the Steig Larson books but somehow can’t bring myself to go to the movie in spite of the Salander part which has won much praise. I think I like to remember the story in my head. Can you get all the books you will want when you are at sea through the ‘net?
#5 by Shear Madness on January 26, 2012 - 8:17 pm
Thanks for the recommendation Carolee. We download lots of audio books while we’re in marinas or places when we visit friends who have good internet connections. We also have big stacks of real books we’re looking forward to!