The Book: The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer: My Life at Rose Red, edited by Joyce Reardon, Ph. D.
The Story: This is the diary of a young woman living in Seattle around the turn of the century. She is courted by and then marries a rich oil tycoon named John Rimbauer. He is in the process [...]
The Book: The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
The Story: This is the story of the 1960’s in the deep south. More specifically what it was like to be a black maid during this time of racial upheaval. There are three points of view represented: an older maid who is alone in the world after white bosses [...]
The Book: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, by David Wroblewski
The Story: Despite all the hype that this book got, I went into it knowing very little. I knew it was about dogs and that it was based on the play Hamlet. Now, I know we did Hamlet in school, but I don’t remember that much. [...]
The Book: World Without End, by Ken Follett
The Story: Not entirely sure where to start with this one. This is the companion to Pillars of the Earth, which was another giant of a book. Really the similarities end at the fact that they take place in the same town, Kingsbridge. There were a few references [...]
The Book: The Moon Looked Down, by Dorothy Garlock
The Story: During the onset of WWII, the Hellers move from Germany to Victory, Illinois. The family lives there for several years before any discrimination begins, but once it starts, they really get crazy. Their barn is burnt down, the family members are physically assaulted, and [...]
The Book: Matchless: An Illumination of Hans Christian Anderson’s Classic “The Little Match Girl”, by Gregory Maguire
The Story: The first part of this story introduces a young boy who is very poor. He is struggling to help keep his stove lit at the house that he and his mother share. It is important that it [...]
The Book: Honolulu, by Alan Brennert
The Story: This is the life story of a girl who was named “Regret” when she was born. Her family lived in Korea and raised her very traditionally. Thanks to a spunky aunt and her friend, Regret learns to read and realizes bigger dreams for herself. She becomes a “picture [...]
The Book: Rumors, by Anna Godbersen
The Story: This is the sequel to The Luxe . If you haven’t read The Luxe and think that you might, skip this part, because I don’t want to ruin the first book for you.
Rumors picks up just a couple of months after the first book ended. The year is [...]
The Book: Girl in a Blue Dress: A Novel Inspired by the Life & Marriage of Charles Dickens, by Gaynor Arnold
The Story: The book is inspired by the life of Charles Dickens and his wife, however all of the names have been changed in the book. Alfred and Dorothea Gibbons are the characters names who [...]