The Buzz...About Books

Because this is the season for giving, here are more staff recommendations.

Ruth
Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco
Insightful and funny Philippine historical fiction by a new Canadian writer. 

Helena
After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick
Think Again by JonArno Lawson
Annexed by Sharon Dogar

Sandra
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
Like watching a train wreck – you hate yourself for not looking away.

Cathy T
Sweater Quest: My Year of Knitting Dangerously By Adrienne Martini
Brooklyn Follies By Paul Auster

Maureen
Bright-Sided: How Positive Thinking is Undermining America by Barbara Ehrenreich.
In a nutshell, she looks at the negative side of the 'new age' positive thinking movement, subjecting the fake 'science' promoted by some of its key figures to the bright light of reason. A much needed (IMHO) counter balance to the ideas promoted in Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret" and works like it.

Kelli
The Tower, the Zoo and the Tortoise by Julia Stuart
Charming, humourous, heart-breaking and heart-warming, full of quirky and deligh tfu l 
characters and some unique settings – the Tower of London and the Lost Property Office of the London Underground – and the most satisfying last sentence I've read in a long time!

Margaret
Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin
A thriller that lives up to its reviews–so compelling I nearly missed my subway stop two days in a row.

Cathy P
The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious–and Perplexing–City by David Lebovitz–very funny, reminds me of David Sedaris.

Susan
Room by Emma Donoghue
Five year old Jack's narrative of captivity and release is neither cloying nor harrowing. This is a story about truly seeing the world for the first time, and it's told with surprising humour by a generous imagination.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan
Two of the smartest and funniest writers of our current golden age of young adult writing deliver a witty and insightful romp through highschool, musicals, friendships and first love.

Stay tuned.  Another installment of staff favourites will be posted next week.