Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink

I read this to the boys. It was decent.

Room by Emma Donoghue

Absolutely stunning. A must read.

Note: Despite rave reviews, I avoided this book because the premise (woman kept in room for years on end by a sicko with her five-year-old as narrator) was not something I wanted to read about. But then I noticed that many reviews said "it's not what you are thinking." And it isn't. It isn't graphic, it isn't dark, it isn't exploitive. It is horrifying, but it is also the most profound meditation on mothering that I have ever read. I want to say a lot more but I don't want to give any plot points away.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

meh

The Wet Nurse's Tale by Erica Eisdorfer

I loved, loved, loved this book.

The Ritual Bath by Faye Kellerman

Lame.

The Emperor of All Maladies by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Wow. Highly recommended.

SuperFreakonomics by Steven Levitt

Hard to avoid comparing this--unfavorably--with Outliers.

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

I realize this was idiosyncratic and anecdotal, but it was also fascinating.

Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

The first third of this book is the most moving piece of literature that I have ever read. After that, it pretty much fell apart. But at the end, I suppose I realized that that was "the point."

(Also, I keep seeing this book on reading lists for 5th-8th grade. I'm really not a prude, but I think the quality and quantity of sexual content makes it more appropriate for high school students.)

Postville, U.S.A. by Mark Grey

Highly recommended for anyone interested in immigration issues, rural America, religious tolerance and/or the food industry.

The publisher provided me with a digital review copy of this book.

The Rise and Fall of the Bible by Timothy Beal

I really wanted to like this book--it covers one of my favorite topics!--but he just didn't cover any new ground here.

The publisher provided me with a digital review copy of this book.

The Coffins of Little Hope by Timothy Schaffert

Charming and quirky.



The publisher provided me with a digital review copy of this book.

Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick

First half: interesting. Second half: no way I would have read it if this wasn't for book group. It was a blow-by-blow of King Philip's War, and I don't do military history.

Saint Training by Elizabeth Fixmer

Perhaps in some objective sense this book was lame, but I really liked it, most likely because it is set in the milieu in which my parents grew up.

The Girl in the Green Raincoat by Laura Lippman

Great start, weak finish.

The publisher provided me with a digital review copy of this book.

Justice Brennan: Liberal Champion by Seth Stern and Stephen Wermiel

Absolutely fascinating.

The publisher provided me with a digital review copy of this book.

The Man Who Counted by Malba Tahan

I read this to the boys; I consider it a must-read for middle-grade homeschoolers. So much fun! It isn't easy to find a fun book about math.

Nory Ryan's Song by Patricia Reilly Giff

Nathan said it before I could: the most depressing book we have ever read.

Lincoln and His Boys by Rosemary Wells

I read this to the boys. We all loved it.

In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming

Top-notch fluff.