The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2 stars=it was ok. For a business leader, sales manager, or organization president, there may be some really valuable helps, but I suspect there is little new here for an experienced or already successful professional meeting facilitator. For a homemaker- church goer -club member- empty nester - socializer like myself, I think a great party planner or game book might be more stimulating. However I did glean a few ideas I may possibly put to use in order to increase attendance and/or involvement at the next social event I'm in charge of . . .

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One for the Money by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A predictable but fun & sometimes funny escape read. Stephanie Plum finds herself in all sorts of predicaments that she can't handle yet somehow makes it out alive with her team of guardian angels. The dialogue, characters and descriptions are had me laughing all the way through to the end of book. I will definite put the author, Janet Evanovich, on my easy beach reads list.

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Serena by Ron Rash
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of the best mysteries I've read in years. From the very first paragraph to the end, I couldn't put it down. I "read" the audio version which was expertly narrated. Set in the western mountains and hollows of North Carolina, the novel traces the villainous couple, Serena and Pemberton, as they slash and burn their way through timbered valleys, trying to stay one step ahead of the U.S. Department of Interior's push to acquire land for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There is a mythic quality to the story, especially in the superb conclusion and this is clearly intentional. It is my first reading of anything by Ron Rash and he is a skill fully storyteller.

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$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America by Kathryn Edin
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is not a book about how to live on $2.00/day, but about who is living on that amount or less. The cases cited are tragic and memorable, and at best it is disheartening to read about the poorest of the poor, but in reality the book simply exposes how little government assistance is being received and proposes it should be more. The policy recommendations are thin and are incredibly outdated. This is almost laughably out of step with current trends in policy discussion.

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Silent Souls Weeping: Depression—Sharing Stories, Finding Hope by Jane Clayson Johnson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fantastic book for the LDS community, whether you have depressions or not. Checkout the book from the library and after reading it I purchased my own copy, which I have twice loaned to others. I also own the audio book which I recently finished, and am now reading the hardbound book a second time. I don't have depression, but experienced it several years ago and have friends and family members who have dealt with it. This book is tremendously helpful. I can't think of a better recommendation than the fact that I am now on my 3rd reading.

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The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alice Hoffman writes beautifully, no matter the theme or subject and this is no exception. Centered around the tragedy of WWII in Germany, with Jewish characters fleeing to survive while others in the resistance fight against the Nazis, this is a novel that mixes reality with magical elements and brings unforgettable characters to life. I loved this book.

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The Women of the Copper Country by Mary Doria Russell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

THIS BOOK.... wow!
It is fascinating and well-researched historical fiction which gives a vivid portrayal of life in the copper mining country of upper Michigan, early twentieth century. It is a compelling, entertaining, and educational read. As with Mary Doria Russell's earlier novels, the writing is excellent with a prose style full of nuance, and realistic memorable characters based on actual persons. One of these, the heroine of the story, is Annie Klobuchar Clements ("Big Annie"), dubbed America’s “Joan of Arc” for staging protest marches against the C&H Mining Company. She founded the Women’s Auxiliary No. 15 of the Western Federation of miners, which consisted of wives and widows of striking miners. Another is Mary Harris Jones, known as Mother Jones, called the Miner’s Angel by union men.

The tragic events and power displayed by the mining companies in this novel are nothing short of shocking, and the part played by the miners' courageous wives during the strike is a little known story. The novel is followed by an author's note which explains what is actual history and what is fiction. As she states regarding the strikers' wives, "the role of women...was remarkable and has been underrepresented in most historical accounts." As with other good historical fiction, I am prone to find myself on Google in order to learn more about the people, places and time period. This book was no exception, and I am a better person for having read it. though some have found fault with the less than rosy conclusion, I especially liked the honest, realistic ending.

Quotes:

“ 'This is the price of copper,' she says in that clear, quiet voice. 'A dead man. Every week. Month after month. Year after year.' ”

“Stand up, straight, Anna. Hold your head high. . . That’s your strength. You are tall for a reason. When your head is high, you can see farther than anyone else.”

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Strangers by Michaelbrent Collings
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

My first horror story....and likely my last because the author, Michaelbrent Collings, is such a great suspense writer that I couldn't sleep until I finished it, and at its conclusion I had to employ all kinds of mind distractions to not dream about it. This is a gut wrenching, jarring, intense plot with believable twists and turns. I kept picturing actor James Spader (NBC's The Blacklist) as the stranger. I highly recommend this book to readers who love suspense filled thrillers.

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