The Leper by Steve Thayer

When I was a teenager I checked out a book called Miracle at Carville. It was the true story of a young woman who is on the brink of living a wonderful life with a great guy. Everything ended when she was diagnosed with leprosy. When I started working at the library and found out about inter-library loans, I decided to see if I could find a copy of it. I found it, ordered it and reread it. That was about six years ago. Yesterday at work I was covering books and, as I always do, read the jacket cover. I was hooked right away. This novel is very well written and is fascinating. You don't hear about leprosy today. For one reason they only refer to it by the more politically correct name of Hansen's disease. There are now drugs that can handle it. Leprosy is not a very contagious disease. It earned its reputation from the Bible and from some of the repulsive physical changes that occur in some of its victims. To be diagnosed in the last century meant a ride in a confined cattle car. No air, little food, little water and a bucket for calls of nature. The end of the line was a hellhole in Louisiana. Most victims went by aliases so that they could protect their families. This is the fictionalized story of one man's journey through life as a leper. It is very similar in tone and content to the non-fiction book I read. I think I'm going on a little bit too long and have turned this blog into a lecture - so I'll quit! I highly recommend this book!

A Single Thread by Marie Bostwick

The last two books I read were a little heavy. This one read quickly. I love doing needlework, so I always enjoy the books that have that as a theme. This one is based on quilting. Like all warm and fuzzy quilting stories it is about a group of women who all have troubles. They make it through with the help of their quilting friends (new and old). It wasn't a deep book - but it is the holiday season, so maybe that is why I enjoyed reading a book that I knew would have a happy ending.

Echoes from the Dead by Johan Theorin

This is a first novel which became a bestseller in Sweden. Center to the story is a crime that happened twenty years ago. A young child disappeared. He may have drowned but no one knows for sure. His mother, Julia, has never recovered fully from the tragedy. She moved away from the Island but was never able to move on. Her relationship with her father has been strained for years. One day Julia's father calls to tell her he received a package in the mail - a sandal that was old and was made for a child. The description sounds like it fits the sandals that Jens was wearing the last time she saw him. So begins a trip back to the Island and a trip to the past. Eventually she finds out what happened - and so do we. Not a fast-paced book but it held my interest.

Gone Tomorrow by P.F. Kluge

This is the novel of George Canaris, who at the pinnacle of his success decides to accept a chair from a small college in Ohio. He will be given a light teaching load which will afford him the time necessary to work on his next great novel, affectionately called The Beast. He intends to stay for a year. Three decades later he is finally pushed into retirement and The Beast has become a joke - no one has seen a word of it. When George is killed by a hit-and-run driver, Mark May finds that he has been named the literary executor. Mark, a young English professor, barely knew George and is puzzled why he was chosen for this role. We learn in bits and pieces what went on in George's life. An intriguing book with great characters.

Against Medical Advice by James Patterson and Hal Friedman

This is a non-fiction book written in the voice of Cory Friedman. Cory was a normal child until the age of five. One day he woke up and had an uncontrollable urge to shake his head. He was diagnosed with Tourette's Syndrome and later with OCD. The story covers thirteen years of his life (and his family's). I cannot imagine surviving what this child went through. Drug after drug was tried, many with terrible side effects. School was a living hell for him. This would have been a fascinating story told from any point of view - but Cory makes it so personal and really pulls you in to his reality.

Wesley the Owl by Stacey O'Brien 598.97

I am a real animal lover. Because of that I am always a bit hesitant to read non-fiction books about animals - they are never written if the animal is still alive and well! Stacey O'Brien makes me look like an animal-hater. She spent 19 years with a barn owl who was rescued at the age of four days because he had wing damage and would never be able to survive on his own. Early on Wesley thinks Stacey is his mother. That seems reasonable. But later he thinks of her as his mate and that's a bit over-the-top! Wesley never had an owl parent to teach him how to kill mice (the only diet that these owls can live on), so Stacey bought and killed mice for him - for nineteen years!!!! I learned a lot about owls. The love and communication possible between humans and animals - I never doubted it for a second.
You can only read this if you love animals - otherwise you won't believe it is non-fiction!

Crossroads by Belva Plain

I have always been a great fan of Belva Plain's. I think this will probably be her last book since she is getting up there in age and it took several years for this one to be published. This is the story of two young women, Jewel and Gwen, who come from different ends of the social spectrum. They are each jealous of what the other possesses. There lives become entangled through the years with lots of drama - the usual stuff! It was not my favorite book of Plain's - mostly because I just didn't care for either of the main characters. That said, I would still have read it because she has written many great books over the decades and I like to be loyal! A nice gentle read.

Knit Two by Kate Jacobs

If you haven't read the first book, A Friday Night Knitting Club, do so. This is the sequel and it is every bit as good as the first one. You can certainly read this book independently but I think it would be more enjoyable after meeting the characters in the first book. Five years have passed and things have changed during those years. The one thing that remains is the close-knit (pun intended) group of friends who range from college-aged to late seventies. I think she does a terrific job of writing and pulling the reader into the lives of these characters - and most of all she makes me care about them. I started the book yesterday and finished it today - I haven't done that for a while but it was that good.

Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum

This probably isn't a book for the holidays! It is rather depressing but it is interesting if you like historical novels. Anna has stayed mum on her experiences living in Germany during World War II. Her daughter, Trudy, is a professor of German History at a University. She was three when she came to the U.S. The book goes back and forth between Anna's story during the War and Trudy's story in the 90's. I believe this is Jenna's first novel. That is difficult to believe because it is so well-written. That era of history is filled with decisions that could be called moral or immoral - depending on your situation. This is a story of what a mother did for her daughter.