Fiction
This is a lovely, sweeping novel of epic proportion following the fates of three generations of a family living on India’s Malabar Coast. This beautiful region is dominated by a network of canals, and the intricate waterways set the stage for this family’s haunting legacy: At least one in each generation dies from drowning. The story begins in 1900 with a young girl about to be wed. Her future is at the heart of the narrative. Through tragedies and triumphs, love and faith are a constant.
Fiction
One morning, folks in Coldwater, Michigan, begin receiving mysterious phone calls from the dead, voices claiming to be from heaven. A miracle? A hoax? As visitors and protesters overrun the town, Sully Harding, a widower recently released from prison, sets out to find the truth, and he’s determined to protect his young son from this deception. Albom leaves us guessing until nearly the end, and then we’re left guessing again. Realistic characters and several plot twists make this a great summer read.
Naval History
Some moments are worth commemorating, even when they end in defeat. In the spring of 1941, the German Luftwaffe drove the British from Greece. They evacuated troops from the Greek mainland and then the island of Crete. In both of these instances, the British successfully conducted a massive yet costly undertaking that rescued tens of thousands of soldiers in order to fight another day. It’s a powerful book that highlights the British mentality—a mentality that ultimately led to victory over Germany.
Ornithology
Owls hold our imagination. They are mysterious. They seem wise. They appear frequently in literature and myth. What are they really like? This book explores the world of owls and looks at them from multiple perspectives: their physiology, their environment and how they live in it, how they hunt, how they communicate with each other, and how they interact with humans. It’s a delightful book that reveals unexpected aspects of owl behavior and explains why humans have always been fascinated by them.
Classics
Ranging from “The Book of Exodus” to Peter Porter’s apocalyptic “Your Attention Please,” this anthology features more than 250 poems about war, its heroics, and its horrors. Here are familiar poets—Tennyson, Whitman, Wilfred Owen, and many more—and those whose names may be new to us, such as John Cornford and Keith Douglas. In this history of human conflict in verse, with British and American poets predominant, the poems put a human face on the bitter cost of battle to soldiers and civilians alike.
For Kids
“No one but you can feel the rain kiss your skin” begins this beautiful book, reminding us to slow down and take notice. It will leave a young one with a sense of wonder and empowerment, and a parent with a reminder of a child’s innate curiosity, their yearning to explore, and an appreciation of the simple things—“the most important ones of all.”
