The Things They Carried702 reviews Tim O'Brien Broadway, 1998 Great read - Not what I expected + The ThingsThey Carried + Come and check out this FANTASTIC EVENT for THE THINGS THEY CARRIED + REVIEW OF THE THINGS THEY CARRIED             Tangerine Dream84 reviews Ken Douglas Bootleg Press, 2008 Shades of a Past President and his Problem + A bit of a stretch, but pretty good + Very Good Book Club Pick United States Senator Stacy Sterling is running for president. He's also running for some kind of record with young hookers that his newscaster wife doesn't know about. She's in New Zealand, he's in San Francisco. She's on vacation with her daughter Dylan. He's on vacation too, only the child he's ...             The Witch of Portobello45 reviews Paulo Coelho HarperCollins, 2007 Fantastic, spiritual, educational + Love these books + A Decent Read This is one of the best books I have read. I have learned alot from it and I find it easy to apply those teachings to my life.             Sundays at Tiffany's147 reviews James Patterson, Gabrielle Charbonnet Little, Brown and Company, 2008 I Loved Sundays at Tiffany's + Not too deep or complex - a typical chick-flick novel for a lazy Sunday! + Sunday's at Tiffany's This beautiful story had me from page one. I loved every page. The story was sweet and sad and wonderful. James Patterson delivers a charming story once again. I was delighted, what a lovely read. My copy will make the rounds to all my friends, as all my favorite books do. Well done.             So Brave, Young and Handsome: A Novel81 reviews Leif Enger Atlantic Monthly Press, 2008 another hit for Enger + Intriguing Novel from Talented Author + A great modern western + Good historical novel about writer's block, personal relationships and redemption. + On the road with the last of the Old West             The Alchemist1279 reviews Paulo Coelho HarperCollins, 2006 An Enjoying and Inspiring Read (IMHO) + Takes you to another world.... + Special + Paul Coelho             The Gathering (Man Booker Prize)126 reviews Anne Enright Grove Press, Black Cat, 2007 Graceful & Imaginative + All men are bookies ... I'm not surprised that this book won the Booker Prize. Enright has a superior command of the language. She creates fluid yet surprising prose, moving between real and imagined events, past and present with astounding grace and skill. This book is a surreal meditation on family--mother love, sister ...             The Other21 reviews David Guterson Knopf, 2008 Melancholy "madness" + Engaging at multiple levels, but not for everyone + Great Story and Detail This is a really good book, by the author of the really good "Snow Falling on Cedars" and the not so good "Our Lady of the Forest" (well, at least I didn't enjoy that one). Middle-class Neil Countryman narrates the tale of his friendship with John William Barry, a young man to the manor born who ...             The Story of a Marriage: A Novel32 reviews Andrew Sean Greer Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008 A multi-layered shimmer that bedazzles + Intimate and surprising + Ultimately rewarding Andrew Sean Greer is a riot of talent. He carves his words with such precision that one can have no choice but to be surrender to his writing. His works, including Story of a Marriage, always deal with the subtle underplay of the human mind, and ultimately reveal the fragility of our existence. I ...             The Girl with No Shadow (published in the UK as The Lollipop Shoes)23 reviews Joanne Harris William Morrow, 2008 Relevant Magic + More Witchy than Chocolat + Dark Chocolate for second helpings This sequel to Chocolat is wonderful. I can't say enough about Joanne Harris and her consistent look (throughout all her novels) at how people navigate difficult life situations. While, broadly, this book is about good vs. evil, the author does not so easily categorize any one character as, ...             The Third Angel: A Novel44 reviews Alice Hoffman Shaye Areheart Books, 2008 Wow Excellent Book + Lovely + Wistful and sad This is the first book I have ever read by Alice Hoffman and it will not be the last. I am on my way to my local library today. I LOVED this book. I actually cried while reading through parts of the stories. She has so much emotion in her writing.This book is a MUST read.             Consequences2 reviews Penelope Lively Penguin (Non-Classics), 2008 Romance Over Three Generations If you are in the mood for an intelligent romance that is full of interesting characters, amply emotional but seldom sappy, you will enjoy Penelope Lively's CONSEQUENCES. All the more so if (like me) you have a British connection or have overlapped the three generations that the author describes. ...             Change of Heart: A Novel184 reviews Jodi Picoult Atria, 2008 excellent book + Overall solid Picoult This is one of the best books I have read. It reminds me of The Green Mile. She tells this story from different viewpoints. She includes ideas from a rabbi, a priest and the gnostic scriptures. Her characters are well developed and believable. I loved this book and did not want it to end.             Spook Country152 reviews William Gibson Berkley Trade, 2008 Conjures Reality I've never read a book by this author that disappointed me. This latest work by him continues his increasingly evolved and highly distinctive style of writing. Some of the chapters in this book are a page, koan-like in their effect; some are much longer, approaching the length more familiar to ...             The Road (Oprah's Book Club)1588 reviews Cormac McCarthy Vintage Books, 2007 Awesome read + Living with No Hope I remember having to take those advanced English courses back in High School. I was drafted because I did pretty well in a Creative Writing course, and the English department had an authoritarian system that forced the unwilling to take more English. All whining aside, I actually came to enjoy ...             Chasing Harry Winston: A Novel117 reviews Lauren Weisberger Simon & Schuster, 2008 You will love this book if you love chick lit! If you love chick lit and have loved all of Lauren Weisberger's books, you will definitely love this book! Although many people didn't rate this book that high, I thought it was great. You can't read it expecting something profound, however it is certainly entertaining!             Water for Elephants: A Novel1482 reviews Sara Gruen Algonquin Books, 2007 Really Worth The Effort... + Water for Elephants + Simply Excellent!! Ok, well after reading the other reviews published mere hours ago i just couldn't help but put in my two cents worth! Firstly i would like to recommend this book, because i really enjoyed it! It has been a little while since i have read it, but it is a favourite of mine (and i would like to add ...             Skeletons at the Feast50 reviews Chris Bohjalian Shaye Areheart Books, 2008 WOW + Moving and Masterful Storytelling + A lovely piece of work from an excellent story teller + Awesome!!             The Memory of Water15 reviews Karen White NAL Trade, 2008 One of the best I have read this year... + Good Book, Good Summer Read! + wonderful book + The Memory of Water + Gripping novel...             The Tenderness of Wolves: A Novel43 reviews Stef Penney Simon & Schuster, 2008 Beautifully written, compelling story + Sorry to see it end. + Fields of Heaven + Loved it!