Books for Her - Holiday, 2009

The Gift of an Ordinary Day , by Katrina Kenison	The Help, by Kathryn Stockett
Kenison provides the reader the gift of how to accept and embrace the inevitable time in a mother’s life when her children depart. This is this year's book for mothers. - Debbie	The lines that were clearly defined for Southern white women and the black women who worked as their help in the 1960’s are challenged in a great read. The story is poignant and heartbreaking. The characters are strong and complex. I did not want it to end!! - Debbie
An Echo in the Bone, by Diana Gabaldon	Shanghai Girls, by Lisa See
The 7th volumne in the Outlanders series is here, and it's everything you waited for.	Lisa See is one of our favorite authors ever since her appearance at Literary Sojourn and Snowflower and the Secret Fan. In Shanghai Girls, See tells another wonderful story of two women, sisters, torn from their Shanghai home and searching to keep their love and lives alive in California.
Half Broke Horses, by Jeannette Walls	Art of Racing in the Rain, by Garth Stein
Walls writes this magnificent, true-life novel based on her no-nonsense, resourceful, hardworking, and spectacularly compelling grandmother. If you loved Glass Castle, you will love this book. - Debbie	Wow what a story. Told from the perspective of the dog, this is the story of a young man's love for his wife, his daughter, and racing cars. This dog's insight into human behavior and emotions is remarkable and makes for a story that is compelling, exciting, endearing, and you can't put down. And you will cry :( - Ron
The Journal of Antonio Montoya, by Rick Collignon	Have a Little Faith: A True Story, by Mitch Albom
Ramona Montoya has returned home from the funeral of a loved one, freshly burdened with the task of raising her seven year old nephew alone. But when she opens the door there to great her is her grandmother, and then her grandfather, both of whom have been dead for many years. A mystical story that haunts and pleases and reminds one of Toni Morrison's Beloved. - Ron	If you liked Tuesdays With Morrie you will love this book. In this true story, Mitch Albom is asked by his childhood rabbi to deliver his eulogy. A strange request considering Albom is no longer connected with Judaism and the rabbi is not on his death bed. An inspiring and joyful read. - Debbie
The Well and the Mine, by Gin Phillips	Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis, by Al Gore
What a wonderful example of southern writing! The setting is a coal-mining town in Alabama during the Depression. Nine-year-old Tess, the main character, has a generally sunny vision of life during hard times in an often brutal environment. Her world is suddenly disrupted when a baby is dropped down the family well. - Sue	Al Gore tells it as he sees it. It is our choice - will we make the tough decisions to save our planet? He explores the choices and convinces us to act.