The Old Man And The Sea

Author: Ernest Hemingway

This classic has been on my list to read for a long time. It is rather short, but I liked that as it doesn't have lots of needless prose. I liked it alot. I think one of the reasons why I enjoyed the book was because, for some reason, I can't wait until I reach old age like Santiago. Well, I guess I can wait, but I am not dreading old age like some. Hemingway has a great way of weaving the old man's life into the story. It was a pretty good read. 4 out of 5 stars.

My Sister's Keeper

Author: Jodi Picoult

This bio-ethical medical saga pits two sisters against one another. Kate is sick. Anna, her sis, has been genetically created to be a match to help her fight the cancer in her body. The plot has several twists and turns and Picoult doesn't offer any answers to the hard questions. This was one of the refreshing things about the book. I (AJ) skimmed heavily at some points as I felt the book could have been about 100 to 150 pages shorter. Overall, it was pretty good and kept me turning the pages to see how things ended up. 3 out of 5 stars.

To Kill A Mockingbird

Author: Harper Lee

This book is a classic. Interestingly, it was Lee's only publication - she wrote other books, but never shared any of them. I think I had "read" it in high school, but if I did, it was the Cliff Notes version. Set in the Deep South during the depression, it delves into issues of race, youth, idealism and human dignity. It was a good read - especially the courtroom scenes. Atticus Finch is a role model for all generations. The principles that this book displays are truly timeless. I skimmed alot of the "growing up" stuff that occurred with the children. It was well written and it is easy to see why it has stood the test of time. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

GRE Premier Program

Author: Kaplan, Inc.

Recently, I took the Graduate Record Exam. It is a standardized test for, yep, you guessed it, Grad School. The book was kind of helpful. I bought it used on Half.com for $15.00. I think it was worth that. The people who run the GRE, ETS, also send test prep materials to those that sign up and pay ($150!!) for the exam. Those are good as well. In the end, I didn't need the GRE book, but it didn't hurt. 2.5 out of 5 stars.

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obession in the Amazon.

Author: David Grann

Having spent time in the Amazon, this title caught my attention. The book deals with the true story of the disappearance of famed 20th century explorer, Percy Fawcett. Fawcett was last seen looking for the lost city of 'El Dorado' - a civilization said to be quite advanced and wealthy. Rumors abound about his fate, and some people think his son, who as with him, could still be alive although they dissapeared more than 80 years ago. The author also goes in search of Fawcett and 'Z' and he mingles his adventures into the story as well. To be honest, I really only enjoyed the part about Fawcett and didn't really care for the others. 2 out of 5 stars.

100 semesters: my adventures as student, professor, and university president, and what i learned along the way

Author: William M. Chance

This lively memoir about Bill Chance's career in academia proved to be an interesting, albeit a bit long, read. Chance chronicles his life from his undergrad days at tiny Haverford College, to his time as president of Emory University. Along the way he is a professor, administrator and astute observer of the university system. His experiences occur over a great period of change within academic institutions: the last 50 years. Many of his laments regard the new importance of school marketing and athletics. It is clear that he loves the institutions that we call universities, but he is also honest about their faults. It was a pretty good book - 3 Stars out of 5.

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies

Author: Jared Diamond

This was a long read for me. For some reason, I had numerous interruptions throughout the course of reading it. Overall, it was good. I'd have to say that some parts are better than others. Some of the details could have been left out in my opinion. Some would argue that these make books great, but I would say that many books could be 40-50 pages long and accomplish more than they do in 300 pages! In any event, it was a fairly good read and I enjoyed learning about all the history, stories and theories written therein. 3 out of 5 stars.

The Road Less Traveled

Author: M. Scott Peck, M.D.

This bestseller from the late 1970's was recommended by a close friend of ours. It is mainly about getting emotionally healthy. In fact, Peck goes on to state that all mental illness is from improperly handled relationships - either by us or others who have influence on us.

The book is well written. Even though Peck is a trained psychiatrist, he writes in a way that the layman can understand and fully grasp. There are many, "Ah-ha," moments throughout the book. While not a spiritual book, it is heavily infulenced by faith and its elements.

The beginning is much better than the end. It seems like the author just re-packages the info from the first half of the book into the second half. Even with this, it is still a very good read. 3 1/2 out of 5 stars

The Comeback

Author: Emma Gilbey Keller
This was an interesting collection of interviews. The author details the stories of 7 highly motivated and accomplished women, who left careers for one reason or another to stay at home with children, and then either returned to the career they left or embarked on a new path years later. It is easy for a mom to think she is losing her place and sacraficing the "good working years" of her life when she makes the choice to raise a family full time. But all of the women interviewed attribute their gained flexibility, wisdom, sense of self, and ability to think outside the box to walking the dual road of family and work life, and all ended up in the best working years of their life post at-home. Inspiring! 3 out of 5 stars.

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln

Author: Doris Kearns Goodwin

Arguably one of the best books I (AJ) have ever read. I didn't know what I was getting myself into as the book is almost 800 pages and centers on people that I had never heard of (Samuel Chase, Edward Bates, etc.). However, I was pleasantly surprised. Goodwin tells the fascinating story of Lincoln's life through the eyes of those who were his rivals and friends. In the end, the reader sees just what an incredible man & leader Lincoln was. I skim alot of the books that I read - but not this one - I read ever word! I have to go with a rare 5 out 5 star ranking! Outstanding!

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher

Author: Kate Summerscale
This based-on-a-true-story mystery thriller is a pretty good read. It is about the murder of a child in England around the middle of the 19th Century. This particular case gave birth to the detective/mystery genre and spawned the careers of authors like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes). For mystery-lovers, this is a classic whodunit that will keep you guessing, though don't expect a neatly packaged "aha!" moment at the end. For you history-lovers, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the private and controversial lives of a traditional upper-class English family. It got a little dry in the middle, and if you don't like history you probably won't like it as much as we did. 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Not the Religious Type

Author: Dave Schmelzer
We liked the book alot. AJ says: kind of re-invigorated me to pursue God in prayer. It is filled with great stories about following Jesus. Kim says: Dave writes with sophistication and humor, and presents a brand of spirituality that is totally accessible. His journey towards a life of faith is encouraging and remarkable! We give it 4 out of 5 stars.