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Name : Fran G.

My Reviews

 
Dramatic, Interesting, Insightful
Father delivered his own twins in a snowstorm. Son was fine, daughter had Down's Syndrome. He instructed the nurse to take the daughter to an institution for mentally handicapped people. Seeing the

The main characters could use some fleshing out. The mother was hard to believe. Loss of a child is traumatic, but this woman, who seems to be a one dimensional person, copes by seeking outlets such as speed, alcohol and promiscuity, leaving her son to flounder at times.
The father is interesting, but only at the end does one find that even his last name has been erased from his life. He tries to cope through photography and becomes quite a photographer of life,but has a hard time living life.
The nurse is the best character in the book. She becomes a more well rounded person in the book as she seeks for inclusion of Phoebe, the Down's Syndrome daughter, in school and community.

Gilead: A Novel by Marilynne Robinson
 
Slow, Insightful, Beautiful
A journey with a dying man who writes his history, his creed and even inserts his everyday life into the story.

I loved the style and grew to love the man. What a legacy he left his son.

 
Stories that get one thinking...

 
Informative, Boring, Insightful
A trip through the history of oppression of a nation

This book was interesting in the insights about survival in a country in which oppression is replacing freedoms. Interwoven throughout the historical happenings are literary references and criticisms. The reading group studies many works of literature and these literary works are seen through the backdrop of the violence taking part in Iran at this time.

 
Adventurous, Dramatic, Interesting
Theme of circus and old age cohesively put together in a great story.

I would recommend this book. The history of the traveling circus gives one a picture of a bygone era. The nursing home scenes are most realistic and show how old age depersonalizes one.

 
story of a nun in the '50's who leaves the convent on the death of her father

The story does not have a lot of depth or character developement.

 
Book Club Recommended
Gloomy, Interesting, Life Changing
Knitting Circle

This book deals with grief in a realistic manner. Also depicts how secrets kept tear away at relationships. Knitting is the bond or thread that woven through the story brings redemption to all the characters.

 
Book Club Recommended
Dramatic, Interesting, Adventurous
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

What an amazing story. The cast of characters is different, but by the end one is amazed at their resilience and integrity. Its a mystery, a story of the overcoming of odds, and a story of corruption. It has it all, with some romance thrown in on the side.

 
Book Club Recommended
Dramatic, Interesting, Adventurous
Forgotten Garden

A tale spanning four generations that shows how we are all impacted by events that we did not even know had happened. Fractured family comes together in the great-granddaughter as she learns of her grandmother's secrets and discovers the story behind the secrets. Well written and keeps one interested. The author did an awesome job of tying up all the loose ends.

 
Book Club Recommended
Informative, Interesting
Watchdogs of Democracy

This book really made me realize how uninformed we are here in America. Our government has slowly eroded the rights of reporters to report the real news and what's happening in the world and in Washington D.C. It's an eye opener.

 
Book Club Recommended
Interesting, Dramatic, Informative
The Master Butcher's Singing Club

The story of a World War I German soldier who immigrates to America and settles in North Dakota where he opens a butcher shop. The small town is people by different characters that keep the story interesting. There is the mystery of the family found dead in a basement, the mystery of the origins of Delphine. And in the midst of this is Fidelius, the master butcher and his family, and his wife Eve and their four sons.

 
Book Club Recommended
Informative, Insightful, Interesting
Buddha in the Attic

Beautifully written story of a time in American history that is not well known. Her writing is poetic and how she can get so much information out in so few words is phenomenal. It's a fantastic story and I hope to read other things by this talented author

 
Book Club Recommended
Informative, Epic, Interesting
Team of Rivals

I learned so much about Lincoln in this book. Our group took two months for this read, I would add another month as it is an in depth book. I have a lot more respect for Lincoln and how he actually changed the world with his vision of one nation. Powerful read. The people he chose for his cabinet, many his rivals, was ingenious. I keep thinking how different our country would be today as far as race relations go if Lincoln had been able to bring his expertise into the effects of emancipation.

Cutting for Stone: A Novel by Abraham Verghese
 
Book Club Recommended
Informative, Dramatic, Interesting
Cutting For Stone

Inspiring book of coming of age in Ethiopia, country mired in poverty and on the brink of political upheaval. The main characters are doctors and much detail is given to operations performed. One brother betrays the other and leads to many years of being split. The book spans a couple of generations and takes one from India to Ethiopia to America.

Eminence by Morris West
 
Book Club Recommended
Insightful, Inspiring, Informative
Both inspirational and interesting

This story of one Cardinal who has overcome a violent abusive past to become one of the most balanced Cardinals in contention for becoming Pope. However, as he is going through his own spiritual questioning, the Church itself is going through the changing of the guard. Very timely book. And gave me great insight into the politics of the Vatican.

The Language of Flowers: A Novel by Vanessa Diffenbaugh
 
Book Club Recommended
Insightful, Beautiful, Interesting
Language of Flowers

Story of girl raised in foster homes who finds her redemption in learning the meaning of flowers. Interesting story.

A Man Called Ove: A Novel by Fredrik Backman
 
Book Club Recommended
Fun, Insightful, Beautiful

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