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Reviews by Liz C. (Kalamazoo, MI)

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To the Moon and Timbuktu: A Trek through the Heart of Africa
by Nina Sovich

To the Moon and Timbuktu (8/12/2013)

Although there were many intriguing scenarios in To the Moon and Timbuktu, and the author's descriptions of West Africa were often captivating, my overall impression of Sovich's memoir is unremarkable. Had I been able to make a more emotional connection with the author I …more

Fever
by Mary Beth Keane

Fever (4/6/2013)

Mary Beth Keane has created an intriguing, empathetic portrait of "Typhoid Mary" in Fever. Mary Mallon is a hard working, independent, talented and sympathetic character. I also found the story of Mary's fictional (?) and troubled lover, Alfred, and their relationship …more

A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar: A Novel
by Suzanne Joinson

A Lady Cyclist's Guide to Kashgar (5/17/2012)

Intriguing, original, and exotic are words I would use to describe A Lady Cyclist’s Guide to Kashgar. The opening chapter, in which three English women encounter a young woman giving birth alone alongside a road outside Kashgar, is captivating. I was immediately engaged in …more

Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity
by Katherine Boo

Riveting (1/21/2012)

In Behind the Beautiful Forevers, Katherine Boo gives readers a riveting glimpse into the lives of the residents of Annawadi, a makeshift slum near the Mumbai airport. Boo artfully portrays the lives of people living in circumstances I couldn’t imagine. This book impressed …more

The Paris Wife: A Novel
by Paula McLain

The Paris Wife (1/5/2011)

I enjoyed Paula McLain’s poetic depiction of Ernest and Hadley Hemingway’s years as a married couple in Paris. The cast of characters is an interesting one and reading about their exploits is intriguing. In terms of being emotionally engaging, the book fell a little flat …more

Learning to Lose: A Novel
by David Trueba

Learning to Lose (5/18/2010)

David Trueba is an intelligent, insightful writer. He brilliantly captures the lives of his characters, which include a sixteen year old girl, a twenty year old professional soccer player, a middle aged man, and his elderly father. His ability to portray the actions and …more

The Girl Who Fell from the Sky
by Heidi W. Durrow

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky (3/11/2010)

Heidi Durrow explores the issues of identity, race and family in this eloquently written novel. Rachel Morse survives a family tragedy and is forced to examine her identity when she moves to Portland to live with her African American grandmother. Is she white? Is she black? …more

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