Celebrate December Birthdays of Famous Authors!
Curl up with favorites by these writers, both contemporary and classic,
this holiday season:
Willa Cather
This classic novel
chronicles the life of Ántonia, a Bohemian immigrant woman, as seen through the
eyes of Jim, the man unable to forget her. Jim, now a successful New York
lawyer, recollects his upbringing on a Nebraska farm. Even after twenty years,
Antonia continues to live a romantic life in his imagination. When he returns
to Nebraska, he finds Antonia has lived a battered life. Although the man to
whom she dedicated her life abandons her, she remains strong and full of
courage.
Ann Patchett
A researcher at a pharmaceutical company, Marina Singh journeys into
the heart of the Amazonian delta to check on a field team that has been silent
for two years—a dangerous assignment that forces Marina to confront the ghosts
of her past.
Jane Austen
Emma Woodhouse imagines that she dominates those around her in the
small town of Highbury, but her inept matchmaking creates problems for herself
and others.
David Sedaris
From the perils of French dentistry to the eating habits of the
Australian kookaburra, from the squat-style toilets of Beijing to the
particular wilderness of a North Carolina Costco, we learn about the absurdity
and delight of a curious traveler's experiences. Whether railing against the
habits of litterers in the English countryside or marveling over a disembodied
human arm in a taxidermist's shop, Sedaris takes us on side-splitting
adventures that are not to be forgotten.
Nicholas Sparks
The lives of 91-year-old Ira Levinson, young cowboy Luke, and Wake
Forest College senior Sophia Danko converge in an extraordinary and unexpected
way as Ira clings to his wife Ruth's words and his memories and Sophia finds
herself imagining a future far removed from her plans.
Elizabeth Berg
After Cecilia Ross takes time off from her job as a successful motivational
speaker and sells her home, she moves in to a beautiful old house in St. Paul,
Minnesota, complete with a big front porch, a wild garden, a chef's kitchen—and
three roommates. The four women are
different ages, but all are feeling restless, and want to take a road trip to
find again the people and things they miss. One woman wants to connect with a
daughter she gave away at birth; another wants to visit her long-absent
ex-husband; a third woman, a professional chef, is seeking new inspiration from
the restaurants along the way. And Cecilia is looking for Dennis Halsinger, the
man she never got over, who recently sent her a postcard out of the blue.
“This book has all the ingredients for a highly
satisfying read: a backroads journey, a testament to the power of female
friendships, and the possibility of second chances. Berg strips her writing
down to what is essential and takes an unflinching look at lifelong regrets.
The characters are so completely realized, even the bit players will settle in
your heart.”—Booklist (Starred
Review)
Joan Didion
The author shares her frank observations about her daughter as well as
her own thoughts and fears about having children and growing old, in a personal
account that discusses her daughter's wedding and her feelings of failure as a
parent.
Ford Madox Ford
When John Dowell
and his wife befriend Edward and Leonora Ashburnham, they appear to be the
perfect couple. He is a distinguished soldier and she is beautiful and
intelligent. However, what lies beneath the surface of their marriage is far
more sinister and their influence leads John into a tragic drama that threatens
to destroy everything he cares about.
- Lisa S.
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