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do you decide what to read next? Do you scour book reviews,
or do you ask trusted friends for recommendations? If you're in
a reading group, you probably do a little of both. Allow us to
make a few suggestions. Below you'll find a number of outstanding
novels, books that will appeal to every taste, books with emotional
depth, books that exercise the intellect, and books that are sure
to spark some lively discussions.
May 2008
Nonfiction
Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation
by Cokie Roberts
Drawing on historical documents, from letters to recipes, well-known journalist and correspondent Cokie Roberts has compiled an inspiring collection of biographies of the women whose key roles in the founding of the United States rivaled those of their male counterparts. Often overlooked in history books, women such as Martha Washington, Abigail Adams, Deborah Read Franklin, and Catherine Littlefield Green made invaluable contributions to a burgeoning nation. Here, the wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters of the great men of American history come to light.
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Fiction
The Welsh Girl
by Peter Ho Davies
The Welsh Girl takes place in remote northern Wales during the end of World War II. Esther, a young barmaid and the daughter of a local farmer, dreams of escaping her provincial life for London. The boyfriend with whom she wishes to flee, an English soldier, rapes her and leaves her pregnant. In a POW camp built in the same town, a German soldier, Karsten, is plagued by his decision to surrender himself and his men to the enemy. The tormented Esther and Karsten, who find each other and fall in love, embody the questions of loyalty, identity, and sense of place that resonate through this captivating novel.
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Fiction
Out Stealing Horses
by Per Petterson
The reader meets narrator Trond Sander when he is a widower living in a remote, rustic cabin. A chance encounter with his only neighbor sends Trond back into his past. In a spare, direct voice that alternates between youth and old age, he reflects on the incidents of summer 1948, when he was 15: His friend Jon suggested they steal a couple of horses for a morning ride. The day suddenly turned tragic, however, and ended in loss for both boys. Decades later, Trond struggles to come to terms with his past.
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Young Adult
Lock and Key
by Sarah Dessen
Young-adult novelist Sarah Dessen has established herself as a writer whose plots and complex characters spark lively discussion. Her novel Lock and Key enters the very private life of Ruby, who is living on her own until her 18th birthday. A meddlesome social worker discovers Ruby's secret and ships her off to live with Ruby's wealthy older sister. Ruby is then forced to assimilate into a strange new world she initially despises.
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Looking for more? Browse last month's Borders
Book Club selections.
LATEST EPISODE!
Marisa de los Santos discusses Belong to Me
The Borders Book Club welcomed Marisa de los Santos to discuss her enchanting debut, Love Walked In, and her new novel, Belong to Me. (But don't worry—there are no spoilers.) Belong to Me is a smart, touching story featuring Cornelia Brown, the heroine of Love Walked In. Cornelia and Teo leave the city for the suburbs. In her quaint new neighborhood, Cornelia meets Piper, the local "queen bee," and Lake, an engaging woman who nevertheless seems to be hiding something. Watch now.
Oprah's Book Club
Fiction
Nonfiction
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