Reviewed by Dee – Staff Picks

Theft By Finding: Diaries (1977-2002) by David Sedaris

Theft by Finding book cover David Sedaris has become well known for his wit and humor. After keeping a diary for 40 years, Sedaris has written his first of two books taken from his notes. His notes are really just a few words about what he’s doing, thinking, or experiencing.

During this period of time he is involved quite heavily with drugs and unable to hold down a steady job. In between jobs he helps his parents with their rental properties to make spending money.

Each entry is brief but thought provoking making it a quick page turner to see what situation he’ll get into next. Request a copy.

A Gentleman In Moscow by Amor Towles

A Gentleman in Moscow cover The main character, Count Alexander Rostov, has been sentenced to house arrest by Russia’s new Soviet masters in one of Moscow’s finest hotel Metropol. The story follows the Count’s decades confined in very small quarters within a hotel for the elite.

Rostov survives as well as he does because of of his strong belief that “If one did not master one’s circumstances, one was bound to be mastered by them”. Just when you might become a little weary of the tale, the story takes a turn that will re-awaken your interest. Request a copy.

The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohllenben

It isn’t often that I have read a non-fiction book in the sciences that has been so enjoyable. This title is written in story form, as if trees are almost human. It’s not simply technical literature about how trees survive or do not survive in their various environments. I guarantee you will never look at another tree without thinking about what you learned from this book. Absolutely fascinating! Request a copy.

44 Scotland Street by Alexander McCall Smith

44 Scotland Street is the first in a series by Alexander McCall Smith by the same name. The story takes place in Edinburgh in a neighborhood with very colorful residents. You will meet Pat, a young woman taking her gap year in Edinburgh; Bruce, who shares the flat with Pat; Domenica, an interesting widow in another flat; Bernie and his mother on the floor below. Bernie is only five and already learning Italian and how to play the saxophone. Pat finds a job working for Matthew in an art gallery but knows little about art.

You’ll find yourself turning pages and deep into the story before you know it. McCall Smith has a talent for giving many details but not getting bogged down in them. He’s very insightful and develops deep characters.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Have you ever had a neighbor who always seemed so cranky that you avoided getting to know him/her? It has probably happened to all of us at some time. Well, Ove is that kind of neighbor: very rigid, grumpy and set in his ways. It took an unexpected encounter between Ove and new neighbors to change his character, and in fact the entire neighborhood. You will be pleasantly surprised at the difference this incident made for all those concerned. It may even change the way you approach a similar situation in the future.

Bungalow Kid by Philip Ratzer

Philip, a boy from the Bronx, reminisces about his childhood summers he spent at the Pesekow’s Bungalow Colony in the mountains of Sullivan County, New York on the shores of Loch Sheldrake Lake. This story takes place when he is twelve years old and recounts the adventures of an almost teenage boy ‘s summer reconnecting with friends and family, puppy love and boyish pranks. This book will take you back to the days when you were growing up, returning to moments in time that can never be equaled.

The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity by William Paul Young

This captivating novel will make you both laugh and cry. When a young girl is mysteriously abducted during a family vacation, there is evidence that she may have been brutally murdered in the Oregon wilderness. After four years go by, her father receives a note inviting him back to the shack for a weekend. Could that note have come from God? You will be thinking about this book and its spiritual impact long after you put it down.