Great Reads from the Reference Librarians | Perrot Memorial Library, Old Greenwich, Connecticut

[Click on each book cover to view that item in the catalog and to place a hold.]

After completing the 500+ pages of Free Food for Millionaires, by Min Jin Lee, which I enjoyed, I decided to head to smaller books as a break. Here are a few more "skinny" books for you to enjoy. . .

MISTER PIP, BY LLOYD JONES

[Fiction] This book is about a girl on a Pacific island who learns how a book transports you on many levels, physically and spiritually, to help you through life’s hardships. In spite of war and unspeakable violence, this coming-of-age and survival tale is now on the Shortlist for the Man Booker Prize.

VINEYARD STALKER: A MARTHA'S VINEYARD MYSTERY, BY PHILLIP R. CRAIG

[Mystery] This book is the 18^th in Craig's series about J.W. Jackson, a former Boston policeman who currently is an unofficial detective on the Island of Martha’s Vineyard. J.W. is hired to watch over the property of Roland “The Monk” Nunes, who has had a rash of vandalism to his property. As with the other titles in this series, the writing is fun, the murders are never very grisly, and there are always some recipes in the back of the book!

THE END OF THE ALPHABET, BY C.S. RICHARDSON

[Fiction] This is a very spare little book, about a 50-ish husband given the news that he has a fatal disease and will only live for about 30 days more. He and his wife are shocked, of course, but decide to take a journey traveling the world from A to Z, to see places they always wanted to go to “some time in the future.” They reflect on their past and present as they face the inevitable together.

And some not-so-skinny books. . .

THE ENCHANTED APRIL, BY ELIZABETH VON ARNIM

[Fiction] This book has been around for a while. It was written in the 20's and has enjoyed a revival as a film and a Broadway show. It is an utterly enchanting story of four women in England who share a rental of a castle in Portofino. Von Armin’s writing might seem a little naïve to us jaded moderns, but there is such a message of joy and peace that comes through. She uses such lavish words and phrases, and one can’t help but enjoy her tongue-in-cheek observations. This would be a wonderful choice for book groups.

STILL SUMMER, BY JACQUELYN MITCHARD

[Fiction] This is a grabber! What could be more idyllic…. A sailboat, the Caribbean, a hunky mate, four charming women? Sounds good, doesn’t it? Without giving anything away, just know that friendships are tested, lives are lost, and families are faced with life-altering circumstances. This is not great literature, but it is worth the read.

INDIAN SUMMER: THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE END OF AN EMPIRE, BY ALEX VON TUNZELMANN

[Non-Fiction] A truly remarkable, authoritative book on the history of the transfer of power from the British Empire to the new nations of India and Pakistan in the summer of 1947. Von Tunzelmann, a British author, relates this great historical and tragic event through the four main political leaders of this period: Lord Mountbatten, Gandhi, Nehru and Muhammad Ali Jinnah, President of Pakistan. These four are all drawn with accuracy and wit, as they witness and influence the tragic wars which develop between the Hindus, Muslim and Sikhs where over a million died. A fascinating and beautifully written debut, highly recommended.