Morningstar: Growing Up With Books

Morningstar: Growing Up With Books
Author: Ann Hood
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Total Pages: 82
Release: 2017-08-01
Genre: Literary Collections
ISBN: 0393254828

“[An] enchanting journey through Ann Hood’s early fascination with reading.… Book lovers will find Morningstar irresistible.”—Lynn Sharon Schwartz, author of Ruined by Reading Growing up in a mill town in Rhode Island, in a household that didn’t foster a love of reading, novelist Ann Hood discovered nonetheless the transformative power of literature. She learned to channel her imagination, ambitions, and curiosity by devouring ever-growing stacks of books. In Morningstar, Hood recollects with warmth and honesty how The Bell Jar, Marjorie Morningstar, The Harrad Experiment, and The Outsiders influenced her teen psyche and introduced her to topics that could not be discussed at home: desire, fear, sexuality, and madness. Later, Johnny Got His Gun and Grapes of Wrath dramatically influenced her political thinking while the Vietnam War and Kent State shootings became headline news, and classics such as Dr. Zhivago and Les Misérables stoked her ambitions to travel the world. With characteristic insight and charm, Hood showcases the ways in which books gave her life and can transform—even save—our own lives.

The Book That Matters Most: A Novel

The Book That Matters Most: A Novel
Author: Ann Hood
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Total Pages: 250
Release: 2016-08-09
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0393253848

An enthralling novel about love, loss, secrets, friendship, and the healing power of literature, by the bestselling author of The Knitting Circle. Ava’s twenty-five-year marriage has fallen apart, and her two grown children are pursuing their own lives outside of the country. Ava joins a book group, not only for her love of reading but also out of sheer desperation for companionship. The group’s goal throughout the year is for each member to present the book that matters most to them. Ava rediscovers a mysterious book from her childhood—one that helped her through the traumas of the untimely deaths of her sister and mother. Alternating with Ava’s story is that of her troubled daughter Maggie, who, living in Paris, descends into a destructive relationship with an older man. Ava’s mission to find that book and its enigmatic author takes her on a quest that unravels the secrets of her past and offers her and Maggie the chance to remake their lives.

So Many Books, So Little Time

So Many Books, So Little Time
Author: Sara Nelson
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 260
Release: 2004-10-05
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9780425198193

“Will make many readers smile with recognition.”—The New Yorker “Readaholics, meet your new best friend.”—People “This book is bliss.”—The Boston Globe Sometimes subtle, sometimes striking, the interplay between our lives and our books is the subject of this unique memoir by well-known publishing correspondent and self-described “readaholic” Sara Nelson. The project began as an experiment with a simple plan—fifty-two weeks, fifty-two books—that fell apart in the first week. It was then that Sara realized the books chose her as much as she chose them, and the rewards and frustrations they brought were nothing she could plan for. From Solzhenitsyn to Laura Zigman, Catherine M. to Captain Underpants, the result is a personal chronicle of insight, wit, and enough infectious enthusiasm to make a passionate reader out of anybody.

Book Lust

Book Lust
Author: Nancy Pearl
Publisher: Sasquatch Books
Total Pages: 306
Release: 2009-09-29
Genre: Literary Criticism
ISBN: 1570616590

What to read next is every book lover's greatest dilemma. Nancy Pearl comes to the rescue with this wide-ranging and fun guide to the best reading new and old. Pearl, who inspired legions of litterateurs with "What If All (name the city) Read the Same Book," has devised reading lists that cater to every mood, occasion, and personality. These annotated lists cover such topics as mother-daughter relationships, science for nonscientists, mysteries of all stripes, African-American fiction from a female point of view, must-reads for kids, books on bicycling, "chick-lit," and many more. Pearl's enthusiasm and taste shine throughout.

First Light in Morning Star

First Light in Morning Star
Author: Charlotte Hubbard
Publisher: Zebra
Total Pages: 322
Release: 2020-12-29
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1420151827

In the second Maidels of Morning Star novel by fan-favorite author Charlotte Hubbard, the five friends who have teamed up to transform an abandoned barn into an Amish marketplace are enjoying the success of their fledgling enterprise. What's even more remarkable is the gift the business bestows upon each of these unmarried women--the unexpected blessing of love as the new school teacher and the bishop find strength in their growing bond. Leaving Flaud's Furniture to teach at the community's new school is a joy for Lydianne Christner. Old Order Amish, but new to Morning Star, she's grateful that the congregation trusts her with the position--but she panics when handsome Bishop Jeremiah Shetler asks about the life she left behind. If anyone discovers the secret she's hiding, she would, quite rightly, be shunned. A widower, Bishop Jeremiah admires young Lydianne's youthful energy and skill with the children. He's also curious about her past, and the burden he senses on her heart. When his request to court her is refused, he's stung, and lonelier than ever. It isn't until a crisis prompts a tearful Lydianne to confess to him that Jeremiah is faced with a choice that requires all of his faith--and teaches them both that love and forgiveness go hand in hand.

The Last Draft

The Last Draft
Author: Sandra Scofield
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 274
Release: 2017-12-05
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 152470508X

The definitive handbook for the novelist who is ready to revise This wise and friendly guide shows writers how to turn first-draft manuscripts into the novels of their dreams. A critic, longtime teacher, and award-winning novelist, Sandra Scofield illustrates how to reread a work of fiction with a view of its subject and vision, and how to take it apart and put it back together again, stronger and deeper. Scofield builds her explanations around helpful concepts like narrative structure, character agency, and core scenes, using models from classic and contemporary writers. The detailed, step-by-step plan laid out in The Last Draft offers invaluable advice to both novice and experienced writers alike. In Scofield, they will find a seasoned, encouraging mentor to steer them through this emotional and intellectual journey.

The Books That Changed My Life

The Books That Changed My Life
Author: Bethanne Patrick
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 304
Release: 2016-03-29
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1941393659

Collects one hundred reflections by prominent authors, politicians, actors, musicians, and celebrities on a book that changed their lives, including Keith Carradine on The book of Daniel, Tim Gunn on Let us now praise famous men, and R.L. Stine on Pinocchio.

The Kate Martinelli Series, Books 1-3

The Kate Martinelli Series, Books 1-3
Author: Laurie R. King
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Total Pages: 1039
Release: 2015-02-24
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 1466888121

The gripping debut of the Kate Martinelli mystery series won the Edgar Award for Best First Mystery, generating wide critical acclaim and moving Laurie R. King into the upper tier of the genre. Now, for the first time, the first three books in this thrilling series are bundled together in one package: A Grave Talent A string of shocking murders has occurred, each victim an innocent child. Detective Kate Martinelli, just promoted to Homicide, must bring the murderer to justice, even if she knows it means losing everything she holds dear. To Play the Fool Kate investigates the death of a homeless man, but the main suspect only speaks in quotations. Trying to learn something of his history leads her along a twisting road to a disbanded cult, long-buried secrets, the thirst for spirituality, and the hunger for bloody vengeance. With Child (Edgar Award nominee; Orange Award nominee) Kate's SFPD partner is getting married, and Kate agrees to take his new step-daughter during the honeymoon. Only the girl, already caught up in a missing persons case, goes missing herself.

Growing Up Southern

Growing Up Southern
Author: Fred Brown
Publisher: Emerald House Group
Total Pages: 312
Release: 1997
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 9781889893136

"The profiles of the thirteen southern writers in this book show how growing up in the South shaped their work and contributed to the estimable collection of literature we call 'southern writing.'"--Page 4 of cover

Matzo Balls for Breakfast and Other Memories of Growing Up Jewish

Matzo Balls for Breakfast and Other Memories of Growing Up Jewish
Author: Alan King
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 278
Release: 2007-11-01
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 141658546X

Alan King -- the beloved comic, actor, producer, author, philanthropist, and storyteller extraordinaire -- has compiled a wonderfully readable book about growing up Jewish, with totally original contributions by famous people. Combining warmhearted humor with a prideful nostalgia, these essays discuss life in the Jewish family and neighborhood, being a Jew in a non-Jewish world, Jewish holidays, and discovering the essence of being Jewish.