Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Reader Advisory Blog: January 2008

Book Review: The Other Boleyn Girl

The Other Boleyn Girl
by Philippa Gregory
The Other Boleyn Girl tells the story of two beautiful sisters, Anne and Mary Boleyn, who driven by their family's blind ambition, compete for the love of the handsome and passionate King Henry VIII. Nicole Turzillo

Book Review: The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Bery

swinter said...
This is the newest book in the Cotton Malone series by Steve Berry.A miraculous healing serum, kept secret by an ancient puzzle and buried with the mummified remains of Alexander the Great--in a tomb lost to the ages for more than 1,500 years--is the coveted prize for a cunning despot unless Cotton Malone, former U.S. Justice Department agent turned rare-book dealer, and his partner, the enigmatic Cassiopeia Vitt; can beat her to it. They are pitted against ruthless Central Asian dictator Irina Zovastina as they scour the globe in search of the final resting place of Alexander the Great.

Book Review: Jewels of the Sun

Jewels of the Sun
by Nora Roberts
A wonderfully romantic novel set in a country village in Ireland. It is the first book of a trilogy - the other two are Tears of the Moon and Heart of the Sea.

Book Review: 20th Century Ghosts

20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill
Fans of Stephen King will enjoy this collection of short stories from his son, Joe Hill. 20th Century Ghosts contains old and new short fiction. Fans will delight in the tales of horror, ghosts and the supernatural. Also recommended for horror fans... Hill's first novel "Heart-shaped box." Nicole Turzillo

Being Mortal by Atul Gawande

Genre: Adult Non-Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Being Mortal is about the limitations of what modern medicine can provide for people as their lives draw to a close. Gawande argues that the objective of medicine should not merely be treatment and survival; medical care should also ensure dignity in death and having control over one's final moments. He argues that instead of aggressively fighting the inescapable realities of aging, we should ask the hard questions of ourselves and our loved ones -- What makes life worth living? When should we try to extend our lives, and when should we choose a better quality of our remaining days over extending their quantity?

This book is difficult to read. Not because of the way Gawande writes -- his style is highly engaging, and he never lapses into excessively scientific jargon or overly simplistic explanations -- but because of the tough subject matter. Gawande draws on his own experiences as a doctor and peppers his book with honest and humane stories of his patients, friends, and family; the stories he tells make the book more accessible, and also more heartbreaking. (And that's not a bad thing.)

No one likes to think about their loved ones', or their own, impending mortality. But it's important to have these hard conversations, because as Gawande says, "endings matter." - Amanda