In the early 1900s in New Jersey, a little girl was found murdered. This is the story of the search for her killer, interwoven with the beginning of the detective era and the birth of the NAACP. The three topics to me didn't sound like this would be a real page-turner, but I was wrong. On the day of her disappearance, there happened to be an itinerant Black man about and he ends up arrested for her murder. Some are happy to say the Black guy did it and wipe their hands of the whole situation, but others are not, and seek justice for everyone. Ray Schindler dazzles with his criminal investigative techniques, and the inch by inch progress toward the sting the police hope to pull off keeps you on the edge of your seat. You'll learn about Ida B. Wells, the bad-assiest of civil rights bad-asses; seriously, there was nothing that woman couldn't do. But at the heart of the story is a little girl who didn't get to have a life, and a grieving family. In his hands, the author deftly keeps you riveted and yet pulls back when there's a potential for a little too much heat. From now on, I'll read Alex Tresniowski's grocery list if I can get my hands on it.

No stranger to troubles herself, Lissa Yellow Bird had served time in prison, wrestled with drug addiction, and spent enforced time away from her children. Yet this woman, back on track and perhaps ages wiser for her experiences, seemed to be the only person concerned about a white young man who disappeared from a reservation oil worksite. Was it apathy on the part of the owners, law enforcement, tribal chairman? Or something more? Lissa dived into the case, revealing shell companies, and corruption at all levels. Creative and smart beyond imagination, she was able (or willing?) to do what the law had not. While the story was interesting, and the research impressive and perhaps necessary, it was a bit plodding at times with all the detail. Kudos to the author and Lissa, but I was a bit mired down more than once. Still, an interesting and impressive tale of redemtion and personal atonement. Plus, mine is an autographed copy, so that's pretty cool.

At the onset of England's involvement in WWII, an orphan (Virginia) is adopted by a couple searching for happiness. As the story unfolds, we learn more and more about these two, their history, neighbors, and what demons haunt them. Lurking just on the other side of the garden wall is a marsh which Virginia has been warned away from strictly, as supposedly, it'll pull you right on down--the stuff of nightmares for a child. As this orphan tries to secure her place in this less-than-idyllic household, a plane crashes in the marsh. This sets into play a series of events which changes their lives forever. The story caroms from the perspective of an elderly Virginia, plotting her own demise, and her memories of those early days in a lush and tragic time. Moody and atmospheric, with relatable characters, both sympathetic and very much otherwise.

Dive in and take off--this book will whisk you to the tony neighborhood where houses are grand, schools are exclusive and friendships are shallow. Maybe a perfect place for secrets . . . There were some little questions along the way, but nothing big enough to slow the momentum of this fast-paced read. Although the cover teaser is confusing (you'll see when you read it), the book is great. If you need a great plane or beach book, look no further.

Raised blocks apart in Philadelphia, Bill Guarnere and Babe Heffron first met during active duty in WWII. This book takes us from those dark days of wondering if they would see the sun come up again, to their deep and enduring friendship back home. I was consistently amazed at their ability to remember details of their battles, surroundings, and feelings recalled so many years later--it felt so real and the descriptions were so raw, it was as if the war were yesterday. Their comaradarie and humor undoubtedly saw them through their transitions back to civilian life, and maybe that's part of what cemented their friendship. But perhaps they were just destined to be brothers forever, joined by a horrible tragedy. If you're a aficionado of the miniseries, Band of Brothers, you'll appreciate Bill and Babe's willingness to share even more of their story with you.

Have you ever donated blood? If not, there is a questionnaire that you fill out prior to donating, which includes lots of questions about lifestyle, travel, and family history of diseases. Included is the question about having ever had Chagas disease. Seemed rare, exotic and unlikely . . . until I read this book. Holy guacamole. Apparently this disease can be no big deal, not even affecting you at all, or it can be quite deadly and frankly, horrific. Enter the "kissing bug" (Trypanosoma cruzi, so you get why they call it by its easier name), which, on its own isn't a bad guy, but when infected itself by the Chagas parasite, can wreak havoc on, well, us. And here's another fun fact--we have them right here in the United States! All fraidy-cat exclamations aside, this book dives into not only the disease, transmission and effects, but what has been described as "the great epi divide". This gives you something to chew on for a while. It's highly informative but very readable, and believe me, you'll think a lot more about how lucky you are not to be checking that box next time you give blood.

This collection of essays, remembrances, reports and articles tells the story of what it was like to be set apart in a land and system created for white people from the perspective of, well, Black women in white America. Women of all types--slaves, both current and former, blue collar, white collar and professional--share their experiences and perceptions of what they have done to get by, or how the culture has blocked their path(s). Published in 1972, this older but sadly, still pertinent book has a lot to teach us all. I challenge anyone to read it and say that the "American Dream" is just there for the taking. Unfortunately, it has been, and still is, just a dream for far too many.

Exhaustively researched, this book chronicles the events leading up to the Civil War and takes the reader right on through it. There is no stone left unturned--battle by battle, conversations regarding the foes' perceptions of progress or failings --it's all here. There are many quotes that leave one reeling in their ring of modern-day sentiment, which is more than a bit scary. It seems that these sentiments run deep and have been taught effectively over the last 150 years. It explains a lot. I confess there were times when I didn't read for depth but rather for general sense (in other words, I skimmed) but for the true Civil War or history aficionado, this is a must-read.

Leonard and Hungry Paul are two friends, living unconventional and certainly tame lives, by societal standards. At first you find yourself clucking along with a degree of superiority, but as the book wends its way to the end, it becomes clear where the wisdom really lies. A feel-good read that holds your hand as you walk through it. And do walk--savor the experience. It's really lovely.

Wanna know what makes Amy Tan tick? This is the book for you. Crazily gifted, she shares the complex story of herself, her mom, dad, brothers and grandmother, and how those puzzle pieces meshed to make the writer we think we know. Tragedy, angst and eccentricity abound. Somewhat stream-of-conscienceness-esque, you have to be willing to float along through parts of it, but I think that's how her mind actually works, and it's a fascinating thing to see. One thing's for sure, I feel like an idiot after learning all the stuff she can do, and has done.

The myths in this country are "liberty and justice for all", and "innocent until proven guilty". Of course 9-11 rocked the U.S like nothing since Pearl Harbor, but our response was less than stellar, or even logical. One would think that after the rounding up and encarceration ("encampment") of Japanese Americans, the message would have become clear that such painting of races with a broad brush is not accurate. There are whack-jobs everywhere, but you don't see all the white people being herded into a cell or having being arrested for no reason because some lunatic shot a bunch of people. So here we are. This collection of seven stories of Arab and Muslim Americans shows us how our claims are quite false, and our practices alienate loyal citizens while wasting valuable time which could be spent, say rounding up someone who has really committed a crime. Like, say, having classified government documents floating around one's house . . .

Hey, no dispute. Anuk can write. It's just that I don't want to read what he's writing. If you're into long, rambling philosophical treatises and streams of consciousness, this is the book for you. That's not me. Furthermore, I think the "message" (?) could have been delivered, effectively, in a short-story format, in no more than, say, 10 pages. So this book went on about 277 pages too many for me.