Book Sketches

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

Fri, 11/02/2018 - 10:39am -- JGranatino

Ludwig ("Lale") Sokolov was sent to Auschwitz-Berkinau in April of 1942, and after his facility with languages was apparent he was set to work as a "Tatowierer" for the Nazis tattooing numbers on new arrivals at the camps. Shortly thereafter, he met Gita, another prisoner who worked in the administration building. Doing whatever they could to survive, Lale and Gita helped other prisoners by smuggling food and medicine, all the while realizing they could be killed at any moment by the guards.

Truth: how the many sides to every story shape our reality by Hector Macdonald

Mon, 08/27/2018 - 2:12pm -- JGranatino

In his preface, author Macdonald himself gives the best description of this book’s content: “This is a book about truth, not lies, although much of it is concerned with how truth can be used just like lies.” Stressing the complexity of his topic, he explores the different kinds of “truth” – partial, subjective, artificial, and unknown – discussing and giving many examples of competing truths, misuse of statistics and numbers, the critical importance of cont

In Search of Wisdom: a monk, a philosopher, and a psychiatrist on what matters most by Matthieu Ricard, Christophe Andre and Alexandre Jollien

Mon, 08/27/2018 - 2:06pm -- JGranatino

This book recounts informal conversations between three long-time friends staying together in a small house in the forest of the Dordogne. Coming from very different paths, they are united in their desire to offer helpful guideposts for life’s journey, sharing their own experiences with candor and humor.

Baby Teeth by Zoje Stage

Mon, 07/30/2018 - 1:33pm -- JGranatino

Baby Teeth updates the "evil child" trope of Rosemary's Baby, The Omen, and The Bad Seed with a truly frightening story of a seven-year-old girl who has all the hallmarks of a future serial killer. Hanna is an intentionally mute girl whose refusal to talk comes not from any physical or psychological disability, but from her feeling that most people are too stupid to bother talking to.

Small Animals: parenthood in the age of fear by Kim Brooks

Mon, 07/09/2018 - 1:14pm -- JGranatino

Kim Brooks left her four-year-old son alone in the car in a Target parking lot for five minutes, and you probably think she’s a bad parent.  You’re not alone.  When she first wrote about her experience (and the two-year legal ordeal that followed) for Salon.com a few years ago, she received an onslaught of public comments from internet users eager to tear her apart for being a horrible mother.  Her response, Small Animals: Parenthood in the Age

The Birds at My Table: why we feed wild birds and why it matters by Darryl Jones

Mon, 06/25/2018 - 1:29pm -- JGranatino

An avid bird feeder himself, Jones explores the long history of wild bird feeding and the many controversies surrounding it. Does it hamper birds’ ability to forage for food themselves, spread avian diseases, attract predators or encourage pests? Should birds only be fed in the winter time or year round? Are the commonly used seeds appropriate for nestlings? Is the quality of the seed mix  good and free of toxins?

After Anna by Lisa Scottoline

Mon, 06/18/2018 - 2:14pm -- JGranatino

Maggie is married to a widower, Dr. Noah Alderman, and lives with him and his young son Caleb in a comfortable suburb in outside Philadelphia. One day she receives a call from Anna, the daughter she had in her first marriage, having lost custody to her now ex-husband after Maggie was institutionalized for post-partum psychosis.

The Perfect Mother by Aimee Molloy

Mon, 06/11/2018 - 5:38pm -- JGranatino

They called themselves the May Mothers, and they met regularly in Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York seeking comfort in the company of other new mothers while helping each other get through the new mother jitters. In Molloy’s debut psychological thriller, The Perfect Mothers, the women plan an evening out on the town on July 4 at a local bar to get a much needed break from the demands of motherhood.

The Other Mother by Carol Goodman

Fri, 05/18/2018 - 2:29pm -- JGranatino

Carol Goodman has created a new psychological thriller in which two women, Daphne and Laurel, who are very different in style and sophistication, meet at a new mothers’ group and form an instant bond. Daphne is stressed and doubts her ability to take care of her daughter and her husband is unsupportive and critical, even threatening to take the child away at one point. Laurel is funny and disarming, all that Daphne wishes she could be.

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