Our Shelf Talker

I loved this very powerful memoir of a friendship between two great women - both writers, dog lovers, reformed alcoholics, athletes - and both fiercely independent and smart. If you haven't met Caroline Knapp before, I urge you to also read Drinking: A Love Story.

- Karen

Our Shelf Talker

Hands down my most loved book of the year. Will Beefeater Balthazar Jones reclaim the affections of his wife, manage the Queen's menagerie, steer the "loathsome tourists" to the loos, all whilst defeating the forces of evil (ie., the ravens)?
Completely charming!
- Karen

Now through August 24th we will be donating 10% of the proceeds from the sale of this book to the SPCA of Connecticut.

Our Shelf Talker

This is the book for you if you are interested in:
- mystery
- travel writing/ foreign cities
- forbidden love (sort of)
- out of his element hero (really a CPA!)
- really good, old-fashioned writing.

- Peggy

Our Shelf Talker

Okay, I've been waiting patiently (for me anyway) for Carl's newest. I like/tolerate his kids books and his golf memoir, but I need to head to the Everglades with my "friends." Skink is my favorite! I have to say that in this edition of the ongoing story of Florida's fiasco, Carl brings the naughty. He goes off the rails a bit and takes current pop culture, in the form of Miss Cherry Pye, and adds it to his twiested take on life in his home state.
- Peggy

Our Shelf Talker

Mr. Bourdain is back and I must say, expletives aside, his bark is much worse than his bite. His explanation for his new-found mellowness is the presence of his daughter in his life. I also suspect his literary success has given him a confidence he did not have as a chef. This time around he writes about family, friends and foes but it's always the food that takes centerstage and proves his talent as a writer.
- Peggy

Our Shelf Talker

Brashares's latest novel follows Daniel; he has lived and died many many times, always falling in love with the same soul - Sophia. Reminiscent of "Time Traveler's Wife," this is no ordinary romance. Follow Daniel's devotion through the then and now. Will fate finally be on his side? Like any good romance there is a villain. A great book to read before bedtime!
- Sarah

Our Shelf Talker

This sprawling novel has all the elements I love: an immigrant family, a great central character, success and failure and a once-in-a-lifetime love that cannot be. It is rich in detail and language and a great read. I really loved it.
- Peggy

Our Shelf Talker

Frances visits Miami for the first time as a young woman to attend a friend's wedding. It is there that she meets the people who will change and shape the rest of her life. A beautifully written novel about the ups and downs of a life well-lived. It reads seamlessly as it follows the chances and choices that create lasting relationships.
- Mimi

Our Shelf Talker

Totally absorbing and deeply affecting, this marvel of a page-turner tells the story of its two main characters - Dex and Em - by revealing their respective lives to us on a single day every day for 20 years. Often hilarious (with clever, spot-on dialogue!) and sometimes heartbreaking, this memorable story of love and friendship is one to surrender to and savor.
- Lily

Our Shelf Talker

Now THIS is a great summer read! A thriller about the investigation of a plane crash (could another one be on the way?), this book had tight writing, relatable characters, a plausible mystery and resolution. But mostly, it was a page-turner. Dinner was served VERY late the night I was racing to finish this - I literally could not put it down.
- Sharon

Our Shelf Talker

This is the second book in Pintoff's series set in 1906 NYC, revolving around the life and work of detective Simon Ziele. Criminologist Alistair Sinclair returns to work with Simon and Captain Mulvaney on a case involving a possible serial killer targeting chorus girls. You'll love reading about some famous NYC spots, such as the Dakota, Central Park, and Broadway. You'll learn just how far we've come in investigating crimes. There's history, suspense, twists and turns, so if you're a mystery nut, this series if for you. Check out the first one too, titled The Shadow of Gotham, which won the author an Edgar Award for Best First Novel.
- Sue

Our Shelf Talker

In 2004, Teddy visits his dying 86-year-old mother to watch the Olympics and hear her as yet never-told tale of her trip to the 1936 Berlin games as an 18-year-old swimmer. The story he gets is totally unexpected: a German lover, Goebbels, Leni Riefenstahl, Hitler, espionage and murder. At the center of this engrossing tale is his mother as he never could have imagined her.
- George

Our Shelf Talker

At the beginning of the 20th century, two women who live on isolated farms in Iowa tell their frequently intertwined stories. Enidina is born to be a farmer's wife; Mary is uneasy and out of place. I loved the directness and simplicity of the writing, which mirrored these families' lives. This beautiful book illuminates a host of issues with grace and understanding: love, grief, friendship, decency and self-protection.
- Karen