GREAT READS

I have a pretty serious addiction to BBC costume dramas and can't seem to get enough of films and shows like "Pride and Prejudice," "Downton Abbey" and "Bleak House." "Lark Rise to Candleford" is my latest fix, and my, is it satisfying.

As the title...

A bestseller in Europe, readers who enjoy literary fiction and foreign films will love this book. Philosophical and poignant, this is the kind of novel worth reading again and again for the pure beauty of the words, characters and ideas. The story pa...

Witty, whimsical, cerebral and entertaining, Gladwell crushes the stereotype that non-fiction is a bore by revealing the secret patterns behind many of our most fundamental assumptions. Outliers tackles the complex question of why some people become ...

I confess that I'm one of those people that didn't pay enough attention in history class, but I'm making up for it now with the wealth of fantastic historically-themed television available. History and historical fiction fans will want to take note o...

I was wary of this show because I'm usually turned off by all the blood/guts/crime scene shows that have taken over modern television. But like the title says, this show isn't about dead bodies - it's about bones, and I can handle seeing a few skele...

Cozy mysteries often involve repetitive elements (spunky heroines, small towns, splash of romance here and there), so to write this genre inventively takes a lot of talent. Mystery fans, take note: Julie Hyzy is a name you're going to want to remembe...

I loved this movie so much that I couldn't stop talking about it for weeks. Why? It gives a rare and beautiful glimpse into the world of the autistic mind. Based on the writings of an amazing autistic woman, the movie follows the life of Temple Gra...

When I'm looking to relax, I often turn to cozy mysteries for a quick, enjoyable read. I Scream, You Scream: A Mystery a la Mode is a new addition to the cozy genre that many readers will enjoy. The book features an intelligent and feisty Tallulah ...

Looking for amazing, reliable recipes for the upcoming holiday season? You need to check out this book!

My husband purchased this cookbook for me several years ago, joking that it was really a gift for him so he could enjoy all the delicious food I...

Many readers are familiar with Paton's famous book Cry, the Beloved Country, but may have overlooked this odd title. Nevertheless, Too Late the Phalarope is a classic worth delving into, a well-written and deep tale full of moral twists and turns. ...

Literary fiction fans and book groupers - take note! The acclaimed author of Bel Canto has crafted another thrilling read with the book Run.

This story begins when a prominent Bostonian family (the mayor, to be exact) adopts two young black childre...

Some people read for plot; I read for character. I know this because I often catch myself talking to others about the characters of my favorite books as if they were people I know in real life. I surprise myself at how ridiculously happy I am for t...

I'm convinced that Mad Men is some of the best television ever made.  Why?  The show combines meaty and dramatic plots with an interesting historical and psychological slant.  Full of characters you love and characters you love to hate...

This phenomenal biography tells the story of a man who suffers a massive stroke. Twenty days later, he awakes from a coma, unable to move except for blinking one eye. His mind is fully functional, but his body is paralyzed. A former editor, succes...

Diana Gabaldon's books are epic blends of historical fiction, adventure, sci-fi, fantasy and romance. Though she is typically labeled a romance writer, her books defy simple genre classification and her writing is never formulaic. Her latest book, ...

The best reads are those that you just don't want to end. So, when I got to the end of this book and realized it was an established series with many more books, I was ecstatic! Listed primarily as mysteries, the Aunt Dimity books go far beyond suc...

This movie is pure drama of the most real sort. The film presents a dysfunctional, but loveable family trying to hold it together long enough to celebrate a wedding. The major cause of stress is daughter Kym (played by actress Anne Hathaway) who's...

19-year-old Ed Kennedy is an underachieving taxi driver with no direction, self-esteem or goals. His life seems pretty boring until one fateful day: he boldly stops a bank robbery and helps bring the criminal to justice. Ed becomes hero for a day, ...

Connie is an overstressed, overachieving Harvard grad student desperate for a great dissertation topic. She is just about to begin researching when family life intervenes - Connie's loopy, new-age mother persuades her to dejunk her grandmother's ho...

Esme Lennox is eccentric, outspoken and whimsical – a fatal combination for a young woman growing up in the early 20th century. She knows that she is different from other young ladies. While her peers focus all their energies on attracting su...

I'm a big fan of historical fiction because I enjoy reading fiction and learning about the past at the same time. Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was one of the best works of historical fiction I've read in a long time - before reading this ...

The Japanese have an expression that "a man is whatever room he is in at the time". The Piano Teacher explores this concept, raising many questions about the nature of our identities and the choices we make. This beautiful, mysterious and literary ...

I must admit that I was drawn to this book for all the wrong reasons - quite simply, I picked it up because it has a really endearing and colorful cover.  I'm sure many of you are groaning, rolling your eyes and thinking of that  overused a...