Bonnie R

Elizabeth Berg's novels always speak to the heart of the reader. TRULUV was especially eloquent to me as I'm watching my parents age and as my own true love and I are growing old together. Arthur provides a shining example of remaining young at heart and allowing that heart to be always open to new friendships and expanded families. (And keep the Kleenex handy!)

This is a wonderful book – I didn't want to put it down, and I didn't want it to end. Grace Holland is a protagonist to be admired and cherished. I felt as though I were looking through an album of snapshots while hearing Grace's heart speak: the pure essence of both painful and precious moments captured in time. I loved watching her grow in strength and self-confidence, at a time when women didn't take those qualities quite so much for granted as we do today. Anita Shreve has jumped to the front of the pack in my "want to read" books!

As a member of the DOWNTOWN ABBEY withdrawal crowd, I really wanted to like this book. However, I must agree with several other reviewers who found THE SIX to be a dry, difficult read. Ms. Thompson obviously did a tremendous amount of research and knows her subjects intimately, but they didn't come alive for me. Never having read any of Nancy Mitford's books, the frequent comparisons between the books and the Mitford's family were lost on me, as were many of the insider references that I suspect more informed Anglophiles would appreciate. Above all the book simply didn't flow for me, with too frequent jumps between personalities and time periods. I shall try reading some of Nancy's work and peheaps come back to THE SIX again, with a more favorable result.