*** Diana Swartz recently invited me to a dinner party at a Italian restaurant in NYC.  She is good company and I like to see her (and the friends we have in common) but this was no ordinary dinner party.  This was a party at which the various guests were assembled to meet some of … Continue reading Changing Cambodia & the World – A Q&A – Diana Swartz, Liger Leadership Academy →

*** BOOK: Decorating a Room of One’s Own AUTHOR: Susan Harlan YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2018 *** The subtitle of this book,”Conversations on Interior Design with Miss Havisham, Jane Eyre, Victor Frankenstein, Elizabeth Bennet, Ishmael, and Other Literary Notables,” says it all.  Either you will find this a delightful literary romp, appreciate the nod to Virginia Woolf in the … Continue reading On Our Bookshelves – Decorating a Room of One’s Own →

*** I picked up Brigit Young’s debut novel, Worth a Thousand Words, because we have a friend in common, and our mutual friend sent me a copy as a gift. I read it right away, and thought it was really well done. And I wasn’t alone in that assessment: Horn Book’s review called it “a … Continue reading A Picture and a Thousand (Plus) Words – A Q&A with Author Brigit Young →

Cheaper By The Dozen is a rather entertaining semi-autobiographical novel about an unusual family roughly a hundred years ago.

*** NOVEL: The Woman in Black AUTHOR: Susan Hill YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 1983 *** There’s a chill in the air, and the days are getting shorter. The leaves are starting to turn and suddenly it seems that summertime was long ago. As the kids start planning their Halloween costumes, it’s time to think about ghost … Continue reading On Our Bookshelves – The Woman in Black →

Worth a Thousand Words, Brigit Young’s debut novel for young readers (ages 8 through 12) is the story of Tillie Green.

When I recently received a gift of a copy of New York New York, I knew that I was likely in for a treat, and expected to see some beautiful pictures.

The Goldfinch… defies categorization, being an unusual combination of literary fiction and thriller.

*** BOOK: The Piano Shop on the Left Bank AUTHOR: Thad Carhart YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2000 *** I picked up this lovely little memoir recently from my local library’s used book sale. I knew nothing about it, but I liked the title, as well as the subtitle: “Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier.” … Continue reading On Our Bookshelves – The Piano Shop on the Left Bank →

*** BOOK: After the Fall AUTHOR: Dan Santat YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2017 *** My younger daughter has many picture books. Some were passed down from her big sister, and some were picked up at library book sales. I purchased some of them, and some are gifts from other people. I’m actually not 100% sure where … Continue reading On Our Bookshelves – After the Fall →