101 Books to Read Before You Die discussion

Sixpence House by Paul Collins
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Sixpence House: Lost in a Town of Books | Goodreads

The author moved with his wife and baby son from California to Hay-on-Wye, a town on the border of England and Wales famous for its numerous bookstores. We meet the owner of one of these stores who is credited with launching the town into its bookish identity. We accompany the young couple as they try to find a quaint old house to purchase. We listen to his musings as he prepares his first book for publication. We peer into the workings of stores that focus on old or salvage books. I listened to this as a audio download and found the quality of the production poor. Ends of most sentences faded into inaudibility. I think I would have enjoyed this more if I could have understood more of the recording.

Two Days Gone by Randall Silvis
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Two Days Gone | Goodreads

This is a typical murder mystery with the standard hard drinking, emotionally wounded detective and the misdirections. The part I enjoyed was the setting which was in my neck of the woods. It was fun to read of familiar places.

Report on the Church by Richard McBrien
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Report on the Church: Catholicism After Vatican II | Goodreads

This is a collection of columns written by a distinguished Catholic theologian between 1965-190. It was published on the anniversary of the Second Vatican Council. The columns are arranged by topic. Despite being written many decades ago, they remain relevant and thought provoking. I want to read the next 35 years of his thoughts.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The Difficult Words of Jesus by Amy Jill Levine
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Difficult Words of Jesus: A Beginner's Guide to His Most Perplexing Teachings | Goodreads
I enjoy the perspective of this Jewish scripture scholar in exegeting Gospel texts. She brings insights from her faith tradition that are unfamiliar to me.

The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Sequel | Goodreads

This needs to be read when The Plot is still fresh. I had forgotten too much in the first book of this series and spent too much time playing catch up. The playful tone of the narrator who is a serial killer was fun.

In My Father’s House by Ernest J Gaines
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of In My Father's House | Goodreads

This is a powerful story of the devastating impact on a father and a son when the father abandons the family. It is an exploration of generational trauma and of the corrupting influence of material wealth and social status. This is an account of a man’s fall from grace and of the hope for redemption.

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Maidens | Goodreads

Someone is killing female Cambridge students. A clinical psychologist who graduated from Cambridge years ago and whose niece is connected to the victims tries to unravel the mystery. Great writing and strong characters made this an engaging read even if I wasn’t convinced by the ending.

The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolen
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East | Goodreads

This book traces the dispute between Palestinians and Jews over land that both regard as their ancestral heritage. By focusing on two families that claimed the same house, the Arab family that built it in the 1930s and a Bulgarian Jewish family who moved into that house as refugees fleeing the horrors of the Nazis, the author makes this conflict personal. Young children when the Palestinians were evicted from their land, an Arab boy and Jewish girl develop a relationship decades later. Through their letters and conversations, the reader understands why this conflict is so intractable.

Morality For Beautiful Girls by Alexander McCall Smith
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Morality for Beautiful Girls | Goodreads

I have tried two books in this popular series, but it is not for me. It is a light break in my reading, but the story is not engaging me. The dialogue feels like it belongs in an early chapter book.

The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Aviator's Wife | Goodreads

This was a re-read so that I could participate in my in-person book group’s discussion.



The Catch by Yrsa Daley-Ward
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Catch | Goodreads

Well written, but the story was outside my comfort zone.

The Confessions of Nat Turner by William Styron
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Confessions of Nat Turner | Goodreads

This is a highly fictionalized memoir of the 19th century leader of a slave revolt. It has received literary acclaim and social condemnation. I could not get beyond the choice of a highly educated voice for Turner.

Heirs of the Founders by H. W. Brands
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Heirs of the Founders: Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster, the Second Generation of American Giants | Goodreads

This is a great overview of the political battles of the decades between the War of 1812 and the Civil War. This piece of U. S. history is told through the careers of Henry Clay, John Calhoun and Daniel Webster who represented the 3 major factions in the young country. At the heart of their debates are the balance between federal and state authority and the question of slavery.

My Father’s Daughter by Hannah Pool
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of My Fathers' Daughter | Goodreads

The author was born in Eritrea and moved to England by her adoptive parents. Her mother died in child birth and it was believed that her father was also dead. Despite having a loving upbringing, she had a nagging hole wondering about her biological family. And despite her adopted father being an expert on Eritrea, she felt disconnected to her heritage. As a young adult, she is contacted by the brother she never knew she had and discovered a family that had never stopped looking for her. This is her story of returning to Eritrea to meet this family who was eager to embrace her. She captures the disorientation, exaltation, confusion and comfort of her experience. And she comes to terms with how different her life would have been had she remained in her father’s village. 3.5 stars

Women and Catholicism by Phyllis Zagano
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Women & Catholicism: Gender, Communion, and Authority | Goodreads

The author explores various issues around the question of female ordination in the Roman Catholic tradition. Scholarly, balanced, thought-provoking, important book on the topic.

The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Thing Around Your Neck | Goodreads

A solid collection of short stories around the experience of modern Nigerians, primarily women.

The Diary of a Country Priest by Georges Bernanos
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Diary of a Country Priest | Goodreads

Set in the early 20th century, a young priest is assigned to a rural French village. In the pages of his diary, he reflects on the events of his day to work out his confusion and uncertainty. Physical and spiritual pain, grief and mortality, the dignity and desperation of the poor, faith and desolation, this is a ruminative book with little joy.

Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Cold Mountain | Goodreads
It is 1864 and a young Confederate soldier has walked away from the battle field and is slowly making his way home to his North Carolinian home. Meanwhile, his sweetheart has found herself orphaned and penniless on a farm that has been left fallow. In alternating chapters, we are given the story of each in lush prose.

The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of The Emperor of Gladness | Goodreads

This could have been syrupy sweet, but the incredible writing kept it from falling over that line. A troubled 19 year old boy and an elderly woman with the on-set of dimensia develop a friendship when she stretches a lifeline to him. Soon he is working at a fast food place where he becomes part of another community of support. This is a story of broken people carrying broken people to safety. My only criticism was the lack of nuance in the portrayal of the old woman’s son and his family.

Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here by Jonathan Blitzer
Irene (Harborcreek, PA)’s review of Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis | Goodreads

There is much to be praised about this book and things that disappointed. The weaving of personal immigrant stories through the text made it readable and engaging. The history of U.S. policy on immigration since the 1980s never became overly technical. Blitzer cuts through the language of demonization of migrants to paint a complex and humane portrait. But this was lacking the breadth that I was anticipating. El Salvador received the most extensive attention. I had hoped to hear from those who support mass deportations and limited access to judicial hearings for asylum. I finished this book with my opinion reinforced and no new insights into the arguments on the other side of the issue.