Books of July and August

Here's my list of what I've been reading along with comments.

A fictional account of the Bronte family, not just Charlotte and Emily.  We follow them from childhood on.  Nicely written.  If you love the Brontes, you'll enjoy this book.

Phillip Carter is supposedly the pseudonym of a best-selling author.  No wonder he didn't put his real name on this one.  It must have come from long-ago rejects.  A far-fetched "thriller" which makes only limited sense.  Deux ex machina galore.  Need to make a bomb?  The ingredients are convenitently available.  Half-drowning in the Seine?  Hero is available to pull you out.  My recommendation:  Don't waste your time.

A desperate attempt to recapture an escaped serial killer.  See my interview with author, Esther Schrader.

A light-hearted look at aging.  Warning:  Those who saw the movie first didn't care for the book.  Apparently the movie is only loosely based on it. 

One of the most sensible and readable books about death and dying that I've encountered. 

Non-fiction.  Visit a small Texas town and its residents.  Some seem stereotyped:  the teenage loser, the only African American kid in town, the old curmugeon, the mom who lost a son in Iraq--but they're pleasant to spend some time with.

A chic young shoemaker who wants to resist falling in love but can't.  Also her quirky family.  Fluffy but fun.

A Holocaust story and one of the best books I've read this year.  A couple find each other after many years.  This isn't a spoiler alert:  the book begins at the end.  Lovely story, beautifully written.