This is a departure from the Chaim that I "know" as the book takes place in Korea. An elderly couple is fleeing for safety when they encounter a wounded, lone boy. The vivid portrayal of wartime, sacrifice, and love is true Potok, all the way.

You know, there isn't really anything wrong with this book, other than it's not my style. And it rambles. And it's a bit mamby-pamby. But, hey, she has a published book, so good for Carol.

John created quite a stir with this one during the Second World War, apparently, and understandably so. In true Steinbeck style, he makes the horror of war come alive, complete with cowardice, bravery, and betrayal. A keeper.

If you didn't have to read this in school, it's time you made yourself do it. It's a short little book and won't take any time at all, but will leave you contemplating forever more. For an even sharper experience, read it immediately after The Jungle.

While WWII is raging, a silent battle takes place in the Langer family, striving to cure heartache with dalliances. Aching for news of their MIA son, Rennie, Anne and James are drifting farther and farther apart. Unbeknownst to them and to his wife, Rennie is wounded but alive. Stewart captures the wartime mood expertly; there is no clean break from the hell that is war even after the soldiers come home. Another O'Nan triumph.

Dang--talk about gutsy! As the radical Islamic morality police clamped down on freedoms and stripped away women's rights, university professor Azar Nafisi fought back in her own way. She put together a group of intrepid students to continue their study of literature, with weekly sessions in her home. This bad-ass book club continued meeting while the world was falling down around them, occasionally flashing painted toenails to send a message their lips dared not utter.

Darkly written and based on true events, this book is set in speakeasy-era Long Island. A woman's body is found, and she is quickly labeled as a throwaway. Her life story reads as a series of tragedies. The obvious chasm between the haves and have-nots is evident in this book that will never be obsolete.

In this riveting story, we follow Larry, the bread truck driver and former Viet Nam soldier, as he navigates the fallout of a dissolving marriage, fragmented family relationships, and terrorizing memories of his time as a medic. There is no way I can do this book justice with any words I know. The horror of war is documented vividly, and the lack of real peace after war is "over" is made clear in this book of all books. One of my all-time favorites, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Interesting concept but written in a stilted way.

I'm amazed that I even picked this up, as I'm not an aficionada of fantasy. However, had I not, I would have missed out on one of the most entrancing, captivating, heart-achingly stirring books I've ever read. It sweetly conjures the nostalgia of childhood, while interlacing an engrossing mystery to chew on. There is something for everybody here, and it was a real treasure.

Oh my gosh. This is one of my all-time least favorite books. I've kept it because it would have been a waste of money to buy it again had my kids been required to read it in school. Now I find myself hanging on to it for the same reason as my granddaughter may need it someday. Hermy loved his airtime, and gave us all he had, sacrificing the story in the process. A whale of a waste of time, in my opinion.

I don't know. Having lived through the hype of Jonathan Livingston Seagull (yep, that's a real book), I kind of felt the same about this.