Rising Tide is an amazing chronicle of the great Mississippi flood of 1927. The characters that arose from the debacle are people you may never have heard about but will definitely not forget. The catastrophe catapulted Herbert Hoover to the Presidency in 1930. Hoover was appointed to head the rehabilitation program for the Mississippi Delta area and gained national attention for his efforts. It's politics as usual with all the in-fighting, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, the migration of blacks North and the recovery. . .such as it was. Incredibly, over one million people were displaced by the flood. . .and not for just a few days. The role of the government in the catastrophe forever changed the relationship between federal and state responsibilities. Personalities like the Percy family, engineers--Humphreys and Eads and other main players in that era, including the rise of Huey Long make the history of the time come alive. So much more than a story about a flood, Rising Tide is a "tour d' force" of the history of the United States in the first half of the 20th century.

Sometimes a book takes on a life of its own, propelling the reader along like a swift stream, unable to stop or get out of the current. The Last Season by Eric Blehm is just such a book. It is about the life (and death) of Randy Morgenson, a much-loved back country ranger for the National Park Service in the High Sierras of Southern California. Even if this story was only about Morgenson's legendary knowledge of this territory, or of his fascinating childhood, or his friendships with Ansel Adams and Wallace Stegner, this would still be a compelling read. But, add to that the fact that in 1996, at the age of 54, after 30 seasons in the High Sierras, Morgenson, while on duty mysteriously disappears. Not until five years later, after search and rescue by hundreds of people, is his body found. The final pages poignantly memorialize his life and leave the reader wondering why and how his death may have occurred.

Think this might be boring? Too much history? Too much geology? Dry? NOT A CHANCE!! This is an entertainingly written story of a journey taken; of discoveries along the way; of adventure. But, especially it's about the wonderful uniqueness of the Great Lakes from a world's perspective. This is TERRIFIC!!!

Even through this book was written 12 years ago, it has been newly updated and is one of the most concise, unbiased descriptions about the crisis in the Middle East. Tom Freidman is a journalist for the New York Times and was assigned to the Middle East for several years. He has met all of “the players”, including Sharon, Arafat and Sadam Hussein. His telling of the situations that reside there should be required reading by all the leaders of the world and every citizen who cares. His writing is highly informative, straight forward and never boring. Our book club found this to be one of the best books we have ever read!

Graham Greene is one of my favorite authors. There isn't a book of his that I have read that I haven't come away in wonderment at his gifts as a writer. Greene digs into the darkest parts of human souls and somehow puts it all down on paper. The Quiet American is set in Vietnam in the early 50s. The French are still struggling to maintain their political position against the Communists, and the United States has their "toe in the door". Fowler, a British journalist is the main character along with the American - Pyle, whose reasons for being in Vietnam remain vague. The story is multi-leveled; a love story, a political expose, a moral dilemma, a thriller -- take your pick. But if you really read between the lines, you'll feel the turmoil and almost understand what happened in Vietnam. If you have seen the movie only, you will be missing the real essence of this story as well as the fabulous quality of one of the Twentieth Century's best writers.

Sometimes a reader comes to a book with apprehension and a "prove-to-me-I'll-like-it" attitude. That's how I approached The Only Kayak. But after one chapter, I began to realize what a very good writer Kim Heacox really is. His ability to convey the sense of over powering beauty in the remote regions of Glacier Bay, Alaska made this reader want to turn back the clock and explore our land the way it used to be - wide, untouched and full of pristinen beauty. Heacox has much to say and imply about what is happening to our environment, mainly from just loving it too much. As a conservationist and an employee of the National Park Service, his observations and knowledge of those who came before him (in particular, John Muir) make for a fascinating picture of this area of Alaska. His adventures, the people he meets along the way, including his future wife, make this great writing that is sometimes funny, often melancholy and always captivating. If you like Edward Abbey, John McPhee or Thoreau, this book is for you.

The setting is a small museum outside of London, one room of which displays artifacts about some of the more sensational murders that took place between the two world wars in the late twenties and thirties. The museum is owned by the three siblings of the founder and they are about to re-sign a lease for the continuance of the museum. T complicate matters, one of the siblings, Neville Dupayne, has no interest in continuing the business. One of the contingencies of the lease is that all three siblings must sign. Of course, Neville mysteriously becomes the first victim. What happens next is pure James. Slowly she leads the reader down the path of the murderer with clues, however remote, that are there for the reader to catch. Reviews are mixed on this P.D. James mystery but if you're a true James fan, as I am, you will still find satisfaction. There is no one in the mystery field who writes a more literary "who-dunnit", or one who can set a scene so visual that the reader steps through the pages of the book right into the story. As usual, her characters are fascinating. And at age eighty-six, P.D. James is still very "hip" to the times! Even when she is not at her best, she's good.

hough the subject matter of this book is about the fanatics of the Mormon religion, it could be about religious fanaticism anywhere. It just seems disturbing to this reader that some people seem to get themselves caught up in extremes through need, weakness, total innocence or unquestioning belief.

As is the cornerstone of all of Jon Krakauer's books, his research is thorough, fascinating and scary! Throughout isolated communities of Mormonism, polygamy is still practiced. Male zealots, answering only to what God tells them to do. . .including murder. . .hold sway over willing participants with Taliban-like power. This is not the book that Krakauer intended to write, but the more he researched the subject, the more he learned about the fanatical Mormons; and not just the Mormons of today, but the past history of the Mormons as well. Reading like a novel, this book is hard to put down and simply unbelievable to comprehend the "hows and whys" of this life style! As Americans, it is important for us to not look the other way and ignore what is going on around us!

At once poignant, funny and exasperating, Sullivan weaves a sympathetic tale told from the child’s point of view about a family struggling during The Great Depression. Lark Erhardt observes life in her family- the relationship of her mother and father. Lark’s mother has always dreamed of owning a Cape Ann style home and is determined to have it. Lark’s Father is a gambler and therein lies the conflict. I loved the characters in this book. They are well told and you find yourself loving some and hating others!

If you like:
1) A challenge!
2) Great writing!
3) To be stretched!
This is the book for you! Definitely not a casual read, this book loosely mirrors the political life of Huey Long of Louisiana. This story is steeped in moral issues - loyalty, right, power, love - an incredible piece of literature. It asks the question -does power corrupt? A great classic!!