A Special Report for Book Lovers
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It’s the fifth Tuesday of the month, and time for my Newsletter for Book Lovers. This edition has lots of popular books in it.
- The first book was a Read with Jenna choice
- The second was chosen by the New York Times as a best book for 2025
- Oprah’s Book Club featured book number three
- And Reese’s Book Club claimed number four
- And if that isn’t amazing enough, the fifth book won a Pulitzer Prize!
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Here are the books I alluded to above:
- The Names by Florence Knapp
- A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst
- Culpability by Bruce Holsinger
- Isola by Allegra Goodman
- Empire Falls by Richard Russo
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NOTE: Click below on the book’s title to get my review.
Click “Amazon” to get other readers’ reviews.
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Book title: The Names by Florence Knapp
Brief synopsis: Cora is in an abusive marriage to Gordon. What will happen if she doesn’t name her newborn son Gordon? Will Julian or Bear be ok as a name? We follow Gordon/Julian/Bear into adulthood and in the process learn “what’s in a name.”
One more thing to say: It is interesting to see how life plays out with each rendition of the child, but first and foremost this is a book about spousal abuse, so be prepared for some upsetting scenes.
Learn more about The Names on Amazon.
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Book title: A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst
Brief synopsis: Almost everything I read is fiction, but not A Marriage at Sea, though it reads like fiction. It is based on the true story of Maralyn and Maurice Bailey who were ship-wrecked in the Pacific Ocean in 1973 after a forty-foot-long sperm whale hit their thirty-foot-long boat.
One more thing to say: I couldn’t help but think that newly retired folks will identify with the ship-wrecked couple: “The day, like the ocean, opened out around them, empty and formless.”
Learn more about A Marriage at Sea on Amazon.
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Book title: Culpability by Bruce Holsinger
Brief synopsis: All members of the Cassidy-Shaw family have reason to believe they are culpable in a car wreck. Or is AI at fault? It was a self-driving car.
One more thing to say: I always tried unsuccessfully to keep my hands off my phone while driving. Reading this book finally helped me attain that goal. No car wrecks for me, please and thank you.
Learn more about Culpability on Amazon.
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Book title: Isola by Allegra Goodman
Brief synopsis: Historical fiction about an orphaned French noblewoman in the early 1500s whose guardian is more interested in her money than her wellbeing.
One more thing to say: OMG! It is always an eye-opener to see how difficult it was to be a woman in earlier eras.
Learn more about Isola on Amazon.
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Book title: Empire Falls by Richard Russo
Brief synopsis: This is the story of the people in a struggling New England town called Empire Falls. The main character is Miles Roby who manages the Empire Grill. Learning about his disappointments and troubled relationships, we move through the book.
One more thing to say: I only put this book last because of its age – it won a Pulitzer Prize in 2002. My book club just read it and LOVED the richly drawn characters. There are many! Beyond the prestigious prize, the book was also turned into a major motion picture featuring many big names including Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.
Learn more about Empire Falls on Amazon.
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Did you know that I post about three dozen book reviews a year? If you would like to receive them as I write them, please join the Club. Click here to do so.
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If you like my writing, I hope you will check out my new book, Chai on Life. It contains 36 slice-of-life stories ranging in topics from belly fat to Billy Joel. It is available wherever books are sold and on Amazon. There is even a companion journal for you to write the stories of your life.
Chai on Life is available in 3 formats: Hard Back, Kindle, and AudioBook.
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Thanks so much for reading this Newsletter.
Lorie
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