Great Books to Read!

Expand Your Reading Repertoire!

Sixteen year-old Steve Harmon records his life in prison as he awaits his trial as an accomplice to murder.  Walter Dean Myers (known as a young adult author) is popular with adult audiences as well.  

Los Angeles Times Reporter J.R. Moehringer writes his memoir about growing up in a neighborhood bar in Massachusetts.  This story will surely entertain readers young and old.

This novel set in Chile and in San Francisco,  depicts the challenging life of Eliza Sommers.  Known as one of Isabel Allende's best novels, Daughter of Fortune is definitely an excellent read.

Presently on the New York Times Best-Seller List

Whether you have read this classic or not, it is a book that one must read!  Questions of love, morality, wealth, and friendship are explored in F. Scott Fitzgerald's American novel. 

Famed Southwestern writer Tony Hillerman's novel Coyote Waits takes place in New Mexico with Navajo police officers Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn, trying to discover who murdered fellow Navajo police officer Delbert Nez.

Weapons and good-luck charms carried by U.S. soldiers in Vietnam here represent survival, lost innocence and the war's interminable legacy.

Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs

To say that Augusten Burroughs had an unusual childhood would be an understatement. His eccentric mother -- a poet -- left him in the care of her shrink, a man who might have benefitted from a little therapy himself. Somehow, Augusten survived, and the result is this memoir, one both horrifying and hysterical.

The Interruption of Everything by Terry McMillan

To say that 45-year-old Marilyn Grimes is suffering from a midlife crisis is to understate. Her three children have left the nest; her boring engineer husband, Leon, is in career crisis and apparently philandering; her mother may be developing Alzheimer's; and Marilyn herself is searching for new frontiers or a place to leap. By turns, hilarious and heartbreaking; Terry McMillan in vintage form.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

During the summer of 1964 in rural South Carolina, a young girl is given a home by three black beekeeping sisters. As she enters their mesmerizing secret world of bees and honey, she discovers a place where she can find the single thing her heart longs for most.

Sidney Poitier, one of America's finest actors, details his life experiences in his latest autobiography. This book was selected in honor of African American History month.

A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland, Indiana by Haven Kimmel

Haven Kimmel writes a fun and snappy memoir about her life in the small town of Mooreland, Indiana.

The Buffalo Soldier by Chris Bohjalian

An African American child lives with a grieving couple in Vermont as they begin to heal from the death of their daughters. How will this small child affect the couple that he is living with? There are many twists and turns in this novel that will keep you turning the pages.

A classic by Willa Cather, My Antonia is a must read for every person who appreciates fine literature. Ms. Cather’s gift of writing is evident as she develops each character throughout the story. Find out who Antonia is by reading this work of art.

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Piccoult

Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros

Written by Latin American author Sandra Cisneros, this novel is actually based in part on Ms. Cisnero’s life and experiences. The audio version of the book is fabulous! Cisneros incorporates English and Spanish throughout the novel making the scenes come alive with humor and drama.

Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver

A little Cherokee girl named “Turtle” is adopted by a white woman in the Southwest. This novel illustrates quite a bit of the Cherokee culture and also the experience of a white woman having an adoptive Native American child. Turtle’s mother soon finds herself (and Turtle) running from away from the Cherokee Nation as she discovers Turtle’s adoption was illegal.

Falling Leaves: The True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah

This is a true story about a little Chinese girl that experienced a horrific childhood.  Adeline's love of books as a child helped her to become the doctor and author that she is today.  Read this riveting account of how one little girl rose above her childhood to find happiness outside of her family.

Born and raised in Iran Nafisi's memoir details her life in Tehran from 1979-1997, as an English professor.  A woman far ahead of her time, Nafisi broke many cultural mores while trying to empower other Iranian women.

Nickel & Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich

The Girls by Lori Lansens