Nothing could be creepier than the infamous Bubonic Plague, right? That's what I thought when I bought this book--I couldn't wait to dive in and really feel the terror and dread of the impending doom. Much to my disappointment, however, it was more a slog through a statistics class, all focused on data about England. Page after page of numbers, lists, etc. bog the reader down interminably. What about the rest of the world??? Oh yes, there's passing mention, but really, it was very Anglo-centric and dry as a bone. Unless you're in the market for a book of lists, then may I recommend The Black Death, by Philip Ziegler?

Oh Erma, we miss you. She captured the entire spectrum of motherhood, what makes it frustrating and what makes it indescribably wonderful. Real, never judging, and able to find the humor in almost any situation--she had such unusual insight. I'll bet she was a great mom. I'm thankful she shared her unique perspective with us in this book.

I'm sorry, but these books in which the most unlikely kids end up as best friends are just silly. We can all think back to our junior high school days, and like attracted like. There's a reason that nerds hang out with nerds, partiers coalesce, and jocks create the formidable wall that no one tries to breach. I literally never knew any two such disparate characters who were self acclaimed bosom buddies. Never. So the idea that these two clicked at that impressionable age, and furthermore, sustained their co-dependent friendship over all those years is highly dubious to me. I just don't buy it. So the house of cards doesn't really stand. The writing is good, but to me the whole premise of the plot didn't really work.

Bill writes what we all wish we could. About 10% travelogue, 75% snark, and 15% other stuff. Just my style. This is not Rick Steves, folks. Loved it.

Erma could capture the essence of pretty much anything, and in this book she takes on family. Well done. Funny and real.

Some folks will stop at nothing to further their own scheme, and this book delves into the less appealing side of humanity completely. It takes place in Seattle in the late 1800s and like so many cities of the time, there's a devastating fire as the backdrop to the whole shebang. While the writing is good, and the story moves along, I found it to be a little shadowy for me.

Malika and her family end up in jail because of the action of her father. The fortitude required to get through this ordeal was extraordinary. What a woman, what a story.

Um, a little too gothicky (gothic-like? gothic-esque?) and mystical for me. There is some crisp writing, but not my cup of tea, plot-wise.

Such a fun little gem! Small-town idiosyncrasies, world records, love, and a plane on the menu intertwine in this unusual book. I thought it'd be too sappy to enjoy, but I was wrong.

Another lamentable part of human history--orphans shipped off to who-knows-where (or what, or who) to essentially fend for themselves. Out of sight, out of mind, right? As one can imagine, some of these situations turned out favorably, but many did not. This story tells the back-and-forth tale of a current-day girl trying to belong, and the orphan on the train, who is now an old woman. Well worth a read.

Family responsibility, expectations, and the resulting fallout are the facets that make this gem sparkle. The characters are richly drawn, and the protagonist is so sympathetic that you can feel the duty on your shoulders as you read. Not a great choice if you want something lighthearted, but if it's gripping you're after, this is it.

Had to check it out. Amnesia is always a questionable plot device in my opinion (so handy), but hey, war is hell, and maybe it's more common than I think. The writing is good, and the story works, or I think it does. Maybe I forgot.