Wade Rouse has written an unforgettable memoir about the fraught relationship with his father growing up in a small town in the Ozarks of Missouri. The one connection they had was baseball and their love for the St. Louis Cardinals. During his father’s last days as he and his husband care for him, Wade reflects on his attempts to heal the past while they watch a dramatic Cardinals playoff game. Wade is a master storyteller - - you’ll both grin and grieve. So compelling I had to read this remarkable book in one sitting. A real gem. (And you don’t have to like baseball!) My favorite book of the year so far!
Bestselling author Follett has written another winner: a complex and compelling international thriller that is all too plausible. You will race to the end! Unforgettable. No wonder he’s a Mystery Writer’s of America Grand Master.
Intriguing look at the family who started with nothing, became one of the richest in the world for generations, only to lose it all. Fascinating read written by the son of Gloria Vanderbilt.
My favorite novel of 2021. An epic about a family of friends who make the city of Florence their home. This story wanders through the years, from 1901 to 1979, but begins in 1944 with a young soldier befriending a middle-aged art historian. A slow-paced narrative that unfolds as a love story to Florence, and an ode to love in all forms with parallels to the pensione in E.M. Forster's A Room With a View. Richly written, unforgettable characters. Stunning.
This is a nostalgic look back at the childhood and show business careers of the Howard brothers; Ron, the more famous for his acting roles (Opie in The Andy Griffith Show and Happy Days) and for his directing (Apollo 13).Their family dynamic, remarkable parents, and personal lives make for a humorous, entertaining, and delightful read.
