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recommended books 1995

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Fiction

Alcott, Louisa May. A Long, Fatal Love Chase.
Previously unpublished, this dramatic tale of obsessive love exemplifies Alcott's talent as a writer of Gothic fiction.

Amis, Martin. The Information.
A humorous and satiric novel of the contemporary British literary scene as a less-than-successful writer is wildly envious of his friend's success and devises various schemes to bring him down.

Bell, Madison Smartt. All Souls Rising.
An impressive historical novel of the slave revolt in Haiti and the emergence of Toussaint L'Ouverture as a leader in the struggle for independence.

Berg, Elizabeth. Range of Motion.
In this compelling and realistic novel, a young woman finds solace and courage in unusual ways after a freak accident leaves her husband in a coma.

Byatt, A.S. The Matisse Stories.
Three very polished novellas whose themes the author cleverly links to particular works of Henri Matisse.

Camus, Albert. The First Man.
The manuscript for this work-in-progress was found in the wreckage of the automobile crash that killed Camus in 1960, but withheld from publication for over 30 years. This is a beautifully written autobiography depicting Camus' childhood in Algeria.

Dexter, Pete. The Paperboy.
A pair of investigative reporters team up to free a convicted killer on death row in Florida in this powerful and disturbing novel.

Dixon, Stephen. Interstate.
The author's technique of writing eight different versions of a random shooting on an interstate highway intensifies the emotional impact of this stunning novel.

Ephron, Delia. Hanging Up.
A touching, funny, and relevant first novel of a middle daughter's stormy and ambivalent relationship with her elderly father and her efforts to convince her two sister to share the emotional burden.

Helprin, Mark. Memoir from Antproof Case.
Storing his pages in a bugproof case, an 80-year-old American living in Brazil recounts his incredible experiences as a combat pilot, thief, murderer, and investment banker.

Hijuelos, Oscar. Mr. Ives' Christmas.
An eloquent and moving story of a spiritual crisis in the life of a devoted and religious man whose 17-year-old son is murdered outside a New York City church.

Keneally, Thomas. A River Town.
Based on actual events in his grandfather's life, the author recreated turn-of-the-century Australia where a good-hearted Irish storekeeper's acts of compassion are mistrusted and misinterpreted.

Lodge, David. Therapy.
Tubby, the unforgettable main character in this wonderful novel, is a 58-year-old successful but unhappy British sitcom writer. Plagued by what he calls "internal derangement of the knee," and pre- occupied with the philosophy of Kierkegaard, Tubby seeks out various forms of therapy.

Morrissey, Mary. Mother of Pearl.
Haunting novel of a woman's search for a family and sense of belonging that has been denied her. This novel marks the American debut of a talented Irish storyteller.

Powers, Richard. Galatea 2.2.
A computer named Helen is tutored to pass a com- prehensive exam in English literature by the fictional protagonist, also named Richard Powers.

Ricci, Nina. In a Glass House.
This sequel to the 1991 The Book of Saints continues the story of the young Italian boy Vittorio as he arrives in Canada with his infant half-sister to live with his father, a stranger to him.

Spencer, Scott. Men in Black.
In this comic and thoughtful work, a novel about extraterrestrials written under a pseudonym catapults an author to celebrity status, forcing him to re-examine his values and expectations.

Trevor, William. Felicia's Journey.
A young, pregnant Irish girl travels to England to locate her errant boyfriend and by change is befriended by a man whose sinister intentions are revealed. A tense and gripping novel.

West, Dorothy. The Wedding.
Her first novel in over twenty-five years is a compelling saga spanning five generations of an African-American family.

Non-fiction

Allende, Isabel. Paula. (863 AL43pa)
In 1992, the Chilean novelist began this heartfelt memoir at the bedside of her comatose daughter. This loving farewell to her daughter is also a rich narrative of Allende family history.

Barker, Juliet R.V. The Brontes. (823 B869 Zba)
A revisionist biography that dispels previously held ideas about the Bronte family.

Beckerman, Ilene. Love, Loss and What I Wore. (391 B396)
In this charming book, the author recalls memorable personal events over the past fifty years by describing and illustrating the clothes she wore.

Brown, Frederick. Zola: A Biography. (843 Z86 Zbr)
A very readable biography of the great French literary master who was relentless in his pursuit of justice in the Dreyfus affair.

Carcaterra, Lorenzo. Sleepers. (364.1066 C265)
The engrossing story of four boys from Hell's Kitchen (the author included) whose year spent in a reformatory for a prank gone wrong impacts differently on each of their lives.

Hays, David. My Old Man and the Sea: a Father and Son Sail Around Cape Horn.
(910.45 H425)
David and his father's great sailing adventures in a 25' boat.

Kozol, Jonathan. Amazing Grace: the Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation.
(362.7 K88) Wretched and horrifying conditions in a Bronx neighborhood and their impact on children.

Kunkel, Thomas. Genius in Disguise: Harold Ross of the New Yorker. (B R8242k)
A wonderful retrospect of Harold Ross, the legendary editor of  The New Yorker magazine from its inception until his death in 1951.

Masumoto, David Mas. Epitaph for a Peach: Four Seasons on my Family Farm. (B M434)
Eloquent nature writing by a third-generation peach and grape farmer in California reflecting a devotion and passion for the land he farms.

Roosevelt, Theodore. A Bully Father: Theodore Roosevelt's Letters to His Children.
(973.911 R781bu)
In this age of electronic mail, Roosevelt's letters to his offspring provide a rewarding experience for the reader.

Schama, Simon. Landscape and Memory. (304.23 Sc29)
In beautiful prose Schema explores the part landscape plays in our heritage.

See, Lisa. On Gold Mountain. (B Se452)
See's meticulous research into her Chinese- American family history is a remarkable account of the immigrant experience over the past one hundred years.

Stoll, Clifford. Silicon Snake Oil: Second Thoughts on the Information Highway.
(303.4833 St87)
Stoll, author of The Cuckoo's Egg, points out the negative aspects of the information highway.

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