Book Recommendations

Reviews on Goodreads and other book-oriented websites are always helpful when I’m trying to choose my latest reading material, but we’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: our best source for discovering interesting and enjoyable books is always through word of mouth. Friends, family, neighbors, co-workers and other connections are great sources of intel when it comes to books.

My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read.

–Abraham Lincoln

Julia wrote last week about February being Library Lovers Month, and March is National Reading Month. What better time is there for us to share recommendations of books we’ve read and enjoyed recently?

1. The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhorn: My neighbor Bob recommended this fascinating novel inspired by the real-life diaries of midwife Martha Ballard, who lived from 1735 to 1812 and delivered hundreds of babies during the years she practiced. This novel focuses on a crime that takes place during a particularly cold Maine winter and vividly describes the lifestyle in towns surrounding the frozen Kennebec River at that time in history.
2. Georgia: A Novel of Georgia O’Keeffe by Dawn Tripp: My friend Alyson recommended this novel, which probes the intimate feelings and motivations of the real-life artist and her relationship with her husband, the much older photographer and art influencer Alfred Stieglitz.
3. Chasing Beauty: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner by Natalie Dykstra: My bookgroup’s pick for January, this new biography explores the fascinating life and achievements of the woman behind her incredible and unique namesake museum in Boston.
4. The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions by Jonathan Rosen: My friend Marci recommended this nonfiction account of the author’s friendship with Michael Laudor, a brilliant Yale-educated lawyer with schizophrenia who viciously murdered his pregnant fiancee in 1998. Rosen’s account begins with the two men’s 1970s-era childhood and ends with Michael’s case as the springboard for examining the mental healthcare system in the United States.
5. Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty: Julia’s recommendation is the popular Australian author’s latest novel about a woman whose predictions on a flight distress many passengers. Prompting reflection and fear among the passengers, this woman’s words raise questions about fate versus free will. It evolves into a compelling story of the power of unexpected connections and friendship.

Wishing you Happy Reading! Please share any of your recommendations in the Comments.