101 Books to Read Before You Die discussion

The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Lion Women of Tehran | Goodreads


This is a wonderful story of friendship, of regrets and forgiveness, of sacrifice and dreams set against the political turmoil in Iran during the 1960s and 1970s. I thought the epilogue tried too hard to wrap everything into a neat bow. And the second voice was used too infrequently to be effective. But those are minor criticisms of a terrific novel.

The Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith
Irene (Harbor creek, PA)’s review of The Cuckoo's Calling | Goodreads

Fun mystery with enough twists to keep the reader engaged. I figured out the murderer pretty quickly, although I did not decipher all the clues.

Democracy Awakening by Heather Cox Richardson
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America | Goodreads

The author links autocratic statements and policy moves by Donald Trump and others in the Republican party this century with a longer history in the country to subvert democracy, suppress minorities, deny women full civil rights and economically disempower much of the country. I am not sure who is the intended audience. Much of US history is presented in such sweeping pictures that it would be easy for a reader to accuse the author of manipulating the events to create a specific narrative. Chapters weave back and forth through time, picking up threads from international affairs, economic policies, white supremacy movements and various legislation around women’s rights. If I were not already familiar with this history, I would have found this difficult to follow. Although I agree with what she writes, I did not find anything new in this book.

Long Island by Colm Toibin
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Long Island | Goodreads

This sequel to Brooklyn has a very similar feel. There are the same tensions between the security and the suffocation of a close knit family and community, the same struggles between choices which have a part of what is desired, but not all, the same way that female characters wield power by social manipulation and the same subtle tugs of Ireland and America that shape the protagonist. This is a book that I appreciate more the longer I savor it.

Beach Music by Pat Conroy
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Beach Music | Goodreads

There were elements of this novel that I loved and aspects that did not work for me. Conroy captures the conflicting emotions of adult children of dysfunctional families, the anger and resentment that lives alongside the love for the parents that caused the pain, the guilt and the shame which pulls against the good memories of childhood. But the reconciliations came far to neatly for reality. The There is fabulous, snappy dialogue in these pages. But when a secondary character is given the chapter to tell their story, the voice does not have a unique sound. The impact of generational trauma from parent to child to grandchild is powerfully explored, except for the narrator who becomes the perfect father and raises the most well adjusted child on the planet. There were too many themes: Holocaust survivor guilt and turtle conservation, shipwreck and domestic violence, the contrast between cultural attitudes in Rome and South Carolina and schizophrenia, etc.

The Devil’s Star by Jo Nesbo
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Devil's Star | Goodreads

This detective novel, with its frantic hunt for a serial killer, got a bit too convoluted for me. I lost track of characters and how the identity of the murderer was finally solved.

Vatican I: by John W O’Malley
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Vatican I: The Council and the Making of the Ultramontane Church | Goodreads

This was a great overview of the theological arguments and social forces that lead up to and brought about the formulation of the doctrine of papal infallibility articulated at the First Vatican Council.

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Talented Mr. Ripley | Goodreads

This is a fantastic psychological study of an amoral youth. The dialogue was well written, the characters were drawn masterfully, the plot moved at a perfect pace.

An Illuminated Life by Heidi Ardizzon
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of An Illuminated Life: Belle da Costa Greene's Journey from Prejudice to Privilege | Goodreads

This is a solid, heavily footnoted biography of Belle da Casta Greene who broke gender and racial barriers to become a leading figure in the world of rare books and manuscripts in the first half of the 20th century.

Giovani’s Room by James Baldwin
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Giovani's Room | Goodreads

Incredible writing! The characters, the dialogue, the setting was all masterfully drawn. The author never spoon-feeds the reader, but allows the reader to find their own truth or meaning in this dark story.

Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukogawa
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Sweet Bean Paste | Goodreads

This is a heart-warming story of redemption, friendship, and the truth that every life has meaning. I don’t know if it was an issue with translation or the original text, but the language felt a bit wooden. The sweetness was more intense than I generally enjoy.

What Happened at Vatican II” by John W. O’Malley
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of What Happened at Vatican II | Goodreads

The author looks closely at the debates and drafts around each of the documents of the Second Vatican Council to identify the major themes that came from that historical meeting.

Sunjata by Bamba Suso

First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of First Lie Wins | Goodreads

This was a fun cat-and-mouse novel of deception. Much stretched credulity, but it was a good bit of escapism.

Dragon’s Teeth by Upton Sinclair
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I found this Pulitzer Prize winning novel to be far too long, far too detailed and far too preachy. In the first half of the novel, we are treated to endless lectures about various new social movements and economic systems. In the later half, the threat of the rising Nazi party under Hitler shifts from a conversational topic of criticism to a personal crisis as the protagonist’s Jewish German brother-in-law’s family is targeted. I suspect that the theme of this book may have been more daring and prophetic when it was written than it feels today. And that may have won it the Pulitzer.

To Sanctify the World by George Weigel
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of To Sanctify the World: The Vital Legacy of Vatican II | Goodreads

Using the interpretive lens of Pope John XXIII’s pre-conciliar statements and the documents produced by Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI, the author argues that the texts of the Second Vatican Council are neither reactionary nor radical, but rather the stating of eternal Catholic teaching in a way accessible to the faithful of the 20th century. This is not a close reading of the texts and did not break any new ground.

The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Lie Maker | Goodreads

A young man tries to find his missing father, unaware that the father’s enemies are using the son to lead them to the man. Multiple timelines and points of view were used to tell this story. I spent more time trying to figure out where I was in the narrative than who could be trusted in the story. 2.5 stars

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Lions of Fifth Avenue | Goodreads

Two stories separated by eighty years connect the start and the end of the 20th century and two different generations of a family. A grandmother and a granddaughter have both found a place at the N. Y. public library and both have their lives upended when rare books go missing from the library’s collection. This was an easy read with easy resolutions. I am not a fan of true love being found in marital infidelity. 2.5 stars

The Long Shadow of Vatican II by Lucas van Rompay, David Morgan, Sam Miglarese
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Long Shadow of Vatican II: Living Faith and Negotiating Authority since the Second Vatican Council | Goodreads

Five essays explore various implications of the Second Vatican Council on the Church in the US and Canada 50 years after the event. These were thought-provoking and balanced.

Black AF History by Michael Harriot
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America | Goodreads

The author reframes U.S. history through the perspective of the African American experience. There was not much in this book that I had not known before, but his sense of humor was terrific. 3.5 stars

The Spirit of Vatican II by Colleen McDannell
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Spirit of Vatican II: A History of Catholic Reform in America | Goodreads

By looking at the religious experience of her female relatives, the author explores the impact of the Second Vatican Council on average Americans. This combines the larger narrative of 20th century Catholicism with the particular account of a typical middle class American. 3.5 stars

The Cemetery of Untold Stories by Julia Alvarez
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Cemetery of Untold Stories | Goodreads

A successful author retires to her native Dominican Republic where she builds a sculpture garden on a town dump. The sculptures mark the burial spot of unfinished manuscripts. But the stories must be told and voices can be heard in the silence. These stories are interspersed with stories of living characters. The novel wants to look at how telling our story is liberating and life-giving. 3.5 stars

Britain After Rome: The Fall and Rise by Robin Fleming
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Britain after Rome: The Fall and Rise, 400 to 1070 | Goodreads

This is a cultural history of Britain from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Norman conquest, a period I do not know much about. I find culture history more fascinating than military or political history. I particularly appreciated the way the author helped the reader to understand how archeologists make inferences from scant physical artifacts for a time that left almost no written documents.

Baltasar and Blimunda by Jose Saramago
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Baltasar and Blimunda | Goodreads

Set in early 18th century Lisbon, this weaves together the lives of the royal family and a peasant household, a priest working on a flying machine and a multitude of dispensable laborers building a friary that will live on for generations. At the vortex of the many lives is Baltasar and Blimunda, a poor couple whose love transforms the bleak, tragic world which they inhabit.

Thirteen Ways of Looking by Colum McCann
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Thirteen Ways of Looking | Goodreads

Loved one of these short stories, found another less than compelling, but thought all were very well written.

Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser Akner
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Long Island Compromise | Goodreads

This novel of three generations of a Jewish American family explores a variety of themes: survivor’s guilt, the destructive impact of burying trauma, the impact of childhood wealth or poverty on psychosocial development, the bonds of family and so on. I struggle with written humor and that is evident in my lack of enthusiasm about this book. The wildly neurotic siblings struck me as unpleasant at best, not funny. I appreciated the way various themes were pulled together in the end, but for most of this book, I was not having a good reading experience.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Man Who Died Twice | Goodreads

This series is pure fun. It does not take itself too seriously and sometimes that is exactly what I need to be reminded not to take myself so seriously either.

The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Book of Cold Cases | Goodreads

This is a cold case mystery with a supernatural element. I lack a sufficiently robust imagination for the “spooky” pieces of this novel. They struck me as silly at best. 2.5 stars

The Diviners by Margaret Laurence
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Diviners | Goodreads

This is a quiet, character-driven novel. Present and past chapters unfold the protagonist’s life and her current struggle to let her daughter find her own way. The characters are nuanced. This is neither sentimental nor does it exploit individual tragedy. It is about one woman finding her way with all the regrets and contentment that entails.

The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley Heller
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Paper Palace | Goodreads

Summer after summer, the same families vacation in a cluster of cabins on the New England coast. With their spouses and children, best friends from those long ago days continue to return to those cabins. One night, with no prior conversation, these two old friends have quick, but passionate sex. Now they must decide if they leave their spouses for each other or accept what they already have. The scenes in the present are woven with those of the past, going back two generations, starting with the molestation of the matriarch by her step father and continuing with the molestation of the conflicted friend by her step brother. A defining tragedy is at the heart of the past events. This novel dragged for me. Much in the story of the past did not feel essential to the narrative and a great deal of the present felt like filler to bridge the chapters from childhood.

Real Americans by Rachel Khong
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Real Americans | Goodreads

This novel explores the complicated relationships between parent and child. In her longing for freedom from the numerous oppressive restrictions on her young life, a woman in China looks for answers in the way the genetic code of every organism determines their existence. As a parent and scientist in the United States, she comes to realize that human lives are shaped by far more than their genes. What is empowerment and encouragement to the mother will be seen as manipulation and conditional love by the daughter who will flee the relationship. But the daughter’s desire to raise her son without the pressures she felt as a child will be equally rejected by the young man as he approaches adulthood. There were places in this story when I wanted to see more of the internal conflict in characters who broke with long standing expectations, but I thought this was a thought-provoking novel.

Woman, Captain, Rebel by Margaret Willson
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Woman, Captain, Rebel: The Extraordinary True Story of a Daring Icelandic Sea Captain | Goodreads

This is more than a biography of a financially independent early 19th century Icelandic woman. It is a window into a different time and culture: marriage and divorce laws, criminal procedures, house construction, fishing industry, the cultural significance of verse, climactic dangers and so much more about life in a small coastal Icelandic village. The constant struggle for survival in such harsh conditions demanded that everyone work, even in dangerous conditions. The patriarchal gender roles common in Europe at the time were less rigid in this setting. Women worked alongside men on the small boats that were the backbone of food production. But the subject of this book defied norms to become a well-respected captain of several fishing boats with the rare distinction of never losing a crew member or boat under her command. I was in awe of the people who survived and thrived under such difficult circumstances. I was fascinated to learn of their way of life.

Muddling Through In Madagascar by Dervla Murphy
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Muddling through in Madagascar | Goodreads

This is an account of the several weeks the author and her 14 year old daughter hiked through Madagascar. It was published in 1985, an era when few tourists made their way to the island nation. A bit of history is woven into the travel log. 2.5 stars

Morte D’Urban by J. F. Powers
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Morte D'Urban | Goodreads

Set around 1960 against a Catholic Church on the brink of change, this is the story of one mid-western priest who faces unwanted ministry changes. Although his attitude toward the rural retreat house to which he is initially assigned shifts from resistance to acceptance, I did not see much deeper development in the main character. The bulk of his time is spent trying to manipulate his religious superiors and court financial benefactors.

The God of the Woods by Liz Moore
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The God of the Woods | Goodreads

This is an elaborate missing person story. Two siblings disappear 14 years apart. Could resolution of these cases be linked? The mysteries unfold in intertwined timelines and the pov of multiple characters. I found the continual jumping among characters and between time periods very confusing. But for the reader with greater powers of conscentration, this could be an engrossing story. 3.5 stars

Cultish by Amanda Montell
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism | Goodreads

The author is a linguist. In this book, which is aimed at a popular audience, she argues that particular linguistic patterns create the conditions that draw people ever deeper into organizations that are destructive to them. She explores religious cults like Heaven’s Gate, pseudo-science groups like Scientology, multi-level marketing companies, on-line fitness gurus, political extremists and others. Each chapter focused on a different type of organization and different techniques. By casting her net so broadly, I wondered if any organization with a message of “conversion” to a particular world view would not fit her pattern. I could apply so much of what she described to my church community, the theater department of my college days, my martial arts friends and political campaigns. 3.5 stars

A Midwife’s Tale by Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of A Midwife's Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812 | Goodreads

In the late 18th century, a woman who lived in a lumber town in Maine and worked as a midwife, kept a daily log for decades. The author mines that document to reconstruct this life and to juxtapose it against the larger social scene. Chapters examine shifting attitudes to medical practitioners, women’s contribution to economic life, the structure and use of debtor prison, the division of labor in families and pulling of resources between families to accomplish the numerous tasks necessary for life, religious debates, the status and duties of the midwife and more. I picked up this book because it was the inspiration for the best selling The Frozen River. I learned much.

Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Three Day Road | Goodreads

An Ojibwa youth returns from the Great War, an amputated leg, addicted to morphine, his best friend from childhood dead and broken by severe PTSD. He is met by his aunt, his only living relative, and the only member of his community still living off the land in the old ways. Together they make the 3 day canoe trip to their home, he remembering the trauma of the killing fields and she recounting the stories of her life and his childhood. This is the story of a stubborn love and its power to bring healing.

The World Until Yesterday by jared Diamond
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The World Until Yesterday: What Can We Learn from Traditional Societies? | Goodreads

Each chapter explores a different aspect of society in traditional, pre-industrial groups from warfare to salt consumption. Each chapter asks what modern, industrialized peoples might learn from these groups. Some chapters end with clear, prescriptive answers, raise multi-lingual children and preserve endangered languages. Other chapters acknowledge that replicating older patterns might not always be a good idea such as killing older members or infants that might be too much of a burden on the community’s resources. The majority of the examples came from New Guinea where the author has spent substantial time.

The Tennis Partner by Abraham Verghese
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Tennis Partner | Goodreads

This is a poignant story of a tragic friendship. Newly arriving in a city for a job where he knew no one, his marriage falling apart, a stranger and alone, the author befriends a third year medical student on the tennis court. Both were hurting and needy and soon the instructor and student were close friends. But the student was an addict, a secret he successfully hid for too long. For a while, this friendship held both men up during a difficult time. But it was not strong enough to counteract the pull of cocaine. At times, this was so intimate that I felt like a voyeur. At times, this was so personal that I wondered why I was being told these stories. Often I wanted less descriptions of tennis. Several times I wondered why I was given information about a patient. But the writing kept me following the journey of these two men and feeling grateful that I was allowed to walk with them. 3.5 stars

The Stone Carvers by Jane Urquhart
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Stone Carvers | Goodreads

A master carver immigrates to Canada from Bavaria in the mid 19th century. In a land rich in natural beauty but without the splendid castles and cathedrals of Europe, his life and his art dramatically shifts. But he does pass along his knowledge to his grand son and granddaughter. Many decades later, his offspring will make the journey back across the ocean carrying this family legacy. I initially liked the novel; its first part having a slightly playful tone while hinting at something serious. I accepted the second part with its mix of tragedy and intimacy, although I questioned some of the details. The more romantic tone of the final section worked the least well for me and was the least believable.

Harmony by Carolyn Parkhurst
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Harmony | Goodreads

Tilly is a 13 year old girl who falls on the neuro atypical spectrum. She was able to read by the age of 3 but can’t read social cues by the age of 13. Her behavior has become increasingly disruptive and dangerous. When a popular family expert offers the option of a therapeutic communal living situation free from social media, environmental and dietary toxins, the family see it as their last hope. The story is told in two voices, Tilly’s mother who narrates the events leading up to the move and Tilly’s younger sister who recounts the events at Camp Harmony. Since magic bullets only exist in fairy tales, the reader knows from the outset that this plan will fail. The author captured the narrowing options that the parents felt, the willingness to grasp at this straw. I don’t think that the sibling struggle was adequately addressed.

Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Tears of the Giraffe | Goodreads

The Hunter by Tana French
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Hunter | Goodreads

Great pacing. Amazing dialogue. Engaging story. The murder is woven so well into the novel of this rural Irish community that this was so much more than a detective story. Highly recommend.

Vows by Peter Manseau
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Vows: The Story of a Priest, a Nun, and Their Son | Goodreads

The author traces the stories of his parents’ Catholic vocations, an experience that was emblematic of much of American Catholicism in the second half of the 20th century. In the 1950s, his father and mother were part of an unprecedented wave of youth entering the seminary and convent. Responding to the new vision of Vatican II and the social unrest around the country, both began to serve the impoverished minority community of Roxbury in the 1960s. And both joined the mass exodus of nuns and priests out of religious life to marry. But unlike most, his father refused to be laicized, insisting that he had a human right to be both an ordained priest and married. This was a fight he continued to fight through the end of the book. His mother was among the many Boston Catholics who made credible accusations of sexual misconduct against her parish priest, accusations that were often not validated because of the time that elapsed between the abuse and the legal claim. The author seemed to be critical of the Church, his parents’ religious formation and the Church’s current practices. 2.5 stars

A Storm of Swords by George R.R. Martin
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of A Storm of Swords | Goodreads

I should not have let so much time pass between books in this series. I forgot much of what happened in the earlier books. But after 1,200 pages of blood and gore, I know why it took me so long to return to this saga. 3.5 stars


The Orphans Tale by Pam Jenoff
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Orphan's Tale | Goodreads

An interesting premise, the traveling circus as a community that hid Jews from Hitler. But the fast friendships, the love at first sight, the skill on the trapeze after a few weeks of training all felt contrived. 2.5 stars


The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Screwtape Letters | Goodreads

I can see why this has become a classic of Christian writing. The set up is clever and the concepts conveyed in a way that is easy for readers without advanced training to understand. 3.5 stars

Martyr by Kaveh Akbar
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Martyr! | Goodreads

This is a novel of ideas. Should a death, a life, have meaning? If so, what gives it meaning? The focus of this novel is a young Iranian born and U.S. raised man whose mother booked a flight on a plane that was mistakenly shot down by U.S. forces killing everyone. The belief that her death was meaningless, that her life had been reduced to a number has put him on a quest for a meaningful death. The novel shifts in time and between character perspectives. There are dream sequences and bits of poetry. There is much to ponder and even more that I did not understand. The writing is excellent. This is a book that deserves numerous re-reads.

The Girls With No Names by Serena Burdick
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Girls with No Names | Goodreads

At the turn of the last century, wayward girls could be confined to reform institutions notorious for their punitive environment and harsh working conditions. When a young girl runs away after a fight with her parents, her adoring younger sister is convinced that her parents have sent her to one of these places. Determined to rescue her, the younger sister gets herself signed in and is lost to the outside world. This is told from multiple voices, but they were too similar to be distinct. 2.5 stars

The Kingdom, The Power and The Glory by Tim Alberta
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism | Goodreads
Over the past several decades, American Evangelical Christian Churches have become increasingly identified with radical conservative politics. The author asks why many preachers spend more time quoting recent headlines than the Bible on a Sunday morning, why Christian rallies put more emphasis on promoting political candidates than on witnessing to Jesus, why groups that hold to a strict moral code forbidding drinking, extra marital sex, swearing, excuse serial adultery, financial crimes and public vulgarity in politicians who take the “right” stand, why anger, fear, revenge hatred seem to be cultivated rather than love, peace, joy, generosity and kindness. He discovers pastors who value worldly power over spiritual power, who read the Gospels through the lens of their politics rather than putting the Gospel first, who fail to disciple their flock but play off the worse in human nature for their own gain. But he also discovers those pastors who have remained faithful to the Gospel and those communities who are willing to serve the least, love the stranger, relinquish worldly power to put Christ first in their lives.

Exiles by Jane Harper
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Exiles | Goodreads

When the ex-wife of a friend goes missing, the star of this series is informally pulled into the mystery. This book gives as much attention to the personal dynamics in this circle of friends as it does to the missing person case.