CategoryOther Reviews

A very rich treasure this non-fiction book is. Eberstadt, clearly a well-educated and successful writer, who was always drawn to gypsies, moves unhappily with husband and two children to Perpignan, a town at the end of the line in southern France. She, with a great effort, meets gypsies, and despite formidable barriers between them, makes lasting friends. She is especially drawn to the music and...

This book is a fictionalized account of the lives of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and George Edalji and the interesting intersection of their lives. It appears the creator of Sherlock Holmes did a bit of investigation himself. The life of Arthur is not surprisingly an interesting tale, but making George a fully fleshed out character was an impressive feat. And the story that brought them together is...

A thoroughly unpleasant cast of characters wallowing around in the very
appealing setting of Athens. Two of them are only pleasing when they
speak of visits just outside the city; only for the beauty around them
do they suspend their venal natures. But oddly enough, I was never
tempted to put the book aside. Without appearing to work too hard at
it, the author puts you in the city.

Very silly and often quite funny book. I bought it thinking of the upcoming plane ride home from Sweden and it served me quite well. Post-WWII Ukrainian immigrants who had been in a German work camp were fortunate to have been sent to England rather than back to Russia. The book mixes the horror of their lives under Stalin and during the war to the ludicrous story of the 84-year old widower...

Another of the Iowa police novels. The kosher meat packing plant
figures in the story of this one. Terrorists appear in Iowa! Unlike TV
police shows, in this one, the FBI is welcomed and everyone works well
together. A very appealing writer. This central character weighs more
than he’d like, but is nicely married.

Swedish police story set in Ystaad. Comes with a map of the area with
all the towns important to the story identified. A Sue/Bo
recommendation of course. Saw the hotel bar in Ystaad where Mankell
parks himself. Main character is a policeman abandoned by his wife —
with reason! — overweight, lonely. Devoted to his work, but rash and
out of control.

Lovely descriptions and impressions of London through the centuries. A
divorced architect’s story focusing on his time with his beloved 8-year
old daughter. He eventually meets a new love. The end of the marriage
rang false for me. Nothing happened between them, they just fell out of
love. Lots about his work. Very appealing book.

Family with four daughters escapes Trujillo’s Dominican Republic.
Disjointed memories of their time as children in the Dominican
Republic, their growing up in the alien culture of the U.S., and return
visits. Not what I’d hoped for, but would like to try Julia Alvarez
again.

The beautifully told story of the little women’s father. As Little
Women is based on Louisa May Alcott’s family, this book used the
journals of her father. Wonderfully nuanced character.

Set in 1610 on an island off the coast of France. The story of a
red-haired gypsy who landed pregnant in a nunnery and found herself
among friends. A foolish and fun romp.