It may not get very cold in LA but the days are definitely shorter with more time in the evenings to spend on indoor activities. Turn off the TV and give your mind a workout with a great book! Here are some suggestions from novels to non-fiction, that can be found in local bookstores, on Amazon or at the library.
Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel This fictionalization of the life of Thomas Cromwell is the first in a series of three, though the third is still in the works. Hilary Mantel is a genius with dialogue and brings the characters to life with wit and humor as they experience triumph and tragedy as Henry VII changes the course of history seeking a wife who will give him a son.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot Henrietta Lacks was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells were taken without her knowledge in 1951 as the result of a cervical cancer test, and became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, in vitro fertilization, and more. Henrietta’s cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can’t afford health insurance. This is a non-fiction story that will leave you in disbelief and provide insight into the complicated and powerful world of medical research.
The Art Of Racing In The Rain, by Garth Stein Written from the perspective of a dog on the eve of his death as he takes stock of his life and all he has been through with his owner Denny, an up and coming race car driver. The story is sad and triumphant with a beautiful ending, definitely hard to put down!
These Is My Words, by Nancy Turner When I picked this book up the title and the vernacular used in the first few chapters threw me off a bit, however as the story progressed it turned out to be one of the best books I have ever read. Sarah Prine, the main character, leads her family across the prairie to make a new life in Arizona in the late 1800’s. It is a love story, an adventure story and a story about the power of women and mothers.
