Controversies in the world of literature and articles on authors and their books.
Am I the only one who thinks that The Nightingale was Kristin Hannah’s only good book? OK, before you sign off from the blog, let me just say that it was, in my opinion, her best book by which all the others are judged and found to fall short. So, for those of us like me, we will have to decide whether or not to
In this next ‘installment’ of Winter Reads I feature two memoirs and one biography. These are all very differnt books, and each one has something to offer. Two of them will not be published until February so keep an eye out or preorder. Whiskey Tender: A Memoir, by Deborah Jackson Taffa will be available on February 27. Taffa was raised in Navajo territory in New
Now that January is here, we can focus more on reading! But what will we read? In the next few weeks, I will be featuring books that have come out at the very end of 2023 or early in 2024. Read some of these books now so that you will be able to offer suggestions for you book clubs when they choose new books in
HarperCollinsPublishers recommends several books for self-improvement in the new year. After reading about these books, I have picked three that you might want to consder. njuta: The Swedish Art of Savoring the Moment by Niki Brantmark is a book that celebrates Swedish culture. The word ‘njuta’ means ‘enjoy’ or ‘delight in.’ This principal, as explained in the book, is a way to find happiness in
It has been years since I have looked through a copy of Parade Magazine. I used to read it every time I visited the beauty salon in Atlanta. I haven’t lived in Atlanta for fifteen years, so I guess I haven’t looked at a Parade Magazine since then. The magazine, while focusing mostly on sensational Hollywood stories, had some great ideas for books to give
Remember Amanda Gorman? She was the youngest presidential inaugural poet! Her inspiring rendition of “The Hill We Climb” charmed every single person that watched President Biden’s inauguration. Gorman has now written her second children’s book entitled Something, Someday. Caldecott Honor artist Christian Robinson illustrates the book, making it bright and cheery and full of hope. You might have a child on your Christmas list or
Nita Prose, author of The Maid, took on a new role when she wrote her debut novel. Her first job was, and still is, at Simon and Schuster in Canada as Editorial Director. Prose admits that being an editor gives her an advantage becasue she knows what publishers need to make a book a success. And quite a success The Maid was, winning many awards
Actually Lee Smith is not in a league of her own, but she is among a handful of female literary authors that have won the respect of critics all over the country. Many times she is referred to as a premiere Southern Author, and that is true. A reviewer for the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner wrote, “Lee Smith seems to have taken the torch flung from
When I published the post featuring books about strong women, I added a quiz. One blog reader answered all questions correctly! Congrats, Cathy Hill. Several readers sent in their favorite ‘strong woman’ character. Someone named the main character in Lessons in Chemistry. Fortunately, strong women are characters in many of the novels we read now–quite a change from fifty years ago. I have come across
Although I haven’t had a chance to read any of these books yet, they are featured in every promotional publication I see. While the title of this entry is “Try one of these new books”, the fact is that they aren’t so new anymore. In fact, several of them have shown up on book club reading lists already. The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, James
