Wife Tales

The last two books I read had the word "wife" in the title. I could try to continue my streak but that would mean abandoning the advance of the new Wally Lamb book which is titled, The Hour I First Believed. So far the Wally Lamb is disturbing and really good....I cannot wait to find out where it will go.

So, to the wives.


The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff is part historical fiction, part present day mystery. The story of Jordan Scott, a "lost boy" expelled from his fundamentalist community and the story of Ann Eliza Young, the 19th wife of Brigham Young are intertwined in this well-researched, fascinating novel. The history of polygamy and the Morman religion are explored as the stories proceed. The characters are complex and their stories are compelling. A great read to take you into Autumn.


American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld is the story of a Republican president's wife. This character closely resembles the current president's wife and this book has gotten quite a bit of publicity because of that. I liked this book because it made me think about the perceptions we hold of public figures. Sittenfeld writes clearly and with great detail about this woman who lives in a skin that is not always a comfortable fit. Although, I did not always admire the main character, I felt some compassion for her life.


Enjoy Labor Day weekend, take some time to read a good book!

Rules to Live By

On the way to the library today I passed a church that had a billboard out front. On the billboard it said, "Don't Commit Adultery. Don't Kill. Don't Steal." About a quarter of a mile past the church there is a liquor store. In front of the liquor store there is a neon pink, handwritten sign that says, "Be Nice". Though the latter is less specific, I believe it may cover a lot more ground than the church billboard. Enjoy the rest of the summer. Be nice.

Bookstore Stories

How could I have possible lived this long without reading this wonderful little book? Beth the Librarian told me about it last Friday and by Friday at midnight I had read it and added it to my list of the very best books ever. This small gem of a memoir tells the story of a New York writer and the people who work at a small London bookshop and the correspondence between them in the years following World War II. Apparently there is also a wonderful film starring Anne Bancroft.

There are other books that feature bookstores and their caretakers. Here is a list of a few of them:

Shelf Life: Romance, Mystery, Drama, and Other Page-Turning Adventures from a Year in a Bookstore by Suzanne Strempek Shea

The Bookshop: A Novel by Penelope Fitzgerald

The Haunted Bookshop by Christopher Morley

The Kings English: Adventures of an Independent Bookseller by Betsy Burton

I realize that not everyone is as obsessed by bookstores and bookselling as I am, but all of these books are little windows into a world that has kept me interested and learning for almost ten years.

It's A Mystery

It is a mystery how the summer can fly by so quickly....

Last night the library's mystery genre discussion group met. We had a great group with lots of suggestions for good reads. We also were very lucky to have a visit from Jason Pinter, author of The Mark, The Guilty and The Stolen. Not only did Jason drive all the way from Manhattan to Southampton, but he and his wife even baked cookies and brownies for the gathering. The group members enjoyed talking to Jason about his writing and his life. I think we should all keep our eye on Jason Pinter.....someday we will gloat that we knew him before he was a mega-million selling author!

Some of the other authors that were mentioned at the discussion were Josephine Tey, Harlan Coben, Lee Child, and Jacqueline Winspear. My list of mysteries to read continues to grow. I am currently finishing The Rules of Deception by Christopher Reich. It is interesting, but quite convoluted. I may have to finish it in the winter when my concentration levels are higher.

Summer brings all kinds of people into the bookstore, some wonderful, some not-so-wonderful. This summer has had its share of both. It is best to try to laugh at the difficult people and revel in the wonderful. My favorite customer this summer was a small boy, about 6 or 7 years old. He came up to me and said, "Excuse me, could you help me find a book?". I (thrilled to be treated to some good manners) said, "Sure, what are you looking for?". "Well," he said. "I need a book for a grown woman." I tried not to giggle as I asked him what he had in mind. He told me, "I think this Jane Austen might be a good present for my mom." We happily found him a Jane Austen and wrapped it as beautifully as possible for a very lucky grown woman.