THIS ONE'S POLITICAL

I'll readily admit to being a George Stephanopoulos fan. I try to never miss his Sunday TV program. I don't always like his guests, but I always enjoy him
All of the above is probably why his book in our local library caught my eye. The cover not only has his name in big, bold print, but it also has his picture. Not only is he Greek (which is a big thing with me); he's also good looking.
The book was printed in 1999, but I had never heard of it.
The name of the book is All Too Human, and it tells of George's involvement in the first Clinton Presidential campaign, and the experiences of working in the white house.
Like many of us who care deeply about politics, Stephanopoulos was quite idealistic, and the book details his growing disenchantment with political life.
I loved every word in it, even the sad ending.

This Time, it's About Iran

I just finished a really good book, loaned by another friend. She had brought the book by my house at a time when I had almost an embarrasement of paperbacks I hadn't read which my husband had collected when he was away for a month. My friend's book was put at the bottom of a big stack. I finally finished with all the courtroom dramas and mysteries, so I could unenthusiastically start on my friend's book.
I loved it! The book is The Septembers of Shiraz by Dalia Sofer (2007). This is a first novel by a writer that I hope we hear a lot more from.
In it, she tells the story of an Iranian Jewish family as the country is taken over by the religious fanatics after the Shah was deposed. The family had become quite wealthy, which was a cause for envy and resentment, and the father was wrongly accused of spying, and thrown into prison where his captors tried to torture him into making a false confession. The book tells the story of the larger family, both the aging parents, and the wife and children, who were not even told that the man had been arrested.
It all sounds rather grim, but though the story is, the book isn't. It's just damn good.

Another Winner

Once again, I followed the recommendation of a friend, and was rewarded by getting to read a really good book. This one was bel canto by Ann Patchett (2001).
A brief overview of the story can't give you any idea of how much this writer gets the reader really involved in the story and really caring about the outcome.
A very posh dinner party in a small, unnamed country is invaded by a band of terrorists who plan to hold the very important guests hostage until the terrorist's demands are met.
Problem is: The government and law forces don't seem to have any intention of doing so.
So there they sit.
There's quite a variety in the confined personages. An internationally acclaimed opera star, the Vice-President of the small country, a Japanese business tycoon, his gifted translator, Russian businessmen, and then there are the captors. There are a lot of characters, but the book is so well-written that there's no problem in remembering who's who.
So if you add my recommendation to the one from my friend, you now have two people who think you'd like this book.

How About Paleoanthropology?

A friend loaned me her copy of Almost Adam by Petru Popescu (1996). What a neat story! A dedicated young scientist who has lived and studied in Africa for a few years is attracted to a remote area because of the possibility of discovering the remnants of a prior civilization. Not only does he find some anthropological history, he also encounters a boy showing every indication of being an example of an earlier evolutionary stage of humankind. They find ways to communicate, and develop a real fondness for each other.
There's a lot more to the story including treachery, overthrow of an African government, romantic love, and sex among the aborigines.
Did I get your attention?
Give the book a try. It's really excellent.

WAY DIFFERENT

I read a lot of mysteries and courtroom dramas because they're entertaining, and no heavy-duty thinking is required. Occasionally one comes along that teaches the reader a lot while still filling the entertainment aspect.
Such a mystery novel is In Cold Pursuit by Sarah Andrews (2007). The story is set in the Antarctic in the current era. In my opinion, it started out rather slowly, and I wasn't sure that I'd want to read all of it, but little by little, it captured my attention, and ended up being good enough that I wanted to share it with any reader that might stumble onto this website.
The fascinating part is really not the mystery, but instead, learning about how people manage to live at the South Pole. In addition to all the clothing, the insulation, the air-locks on all buildings, and other bits of trivia, you might be interested in knowing that persons in that situation have to consume about a zillion calories every day just to keep warm. And they never gain an ounce!
Had we all known that earlier, we might have chosen a different career.
The author spent two months at McMurdo Station, Antarctica, and seems to have loved it.

This one's terrific!

I belong to a couple of different book clubs and have to restrain myself from ordering all the good books offered in their monthly catalogs. However, I couldn't pass up The World Without Us by Alan Weisman (2007).
In it, the author envisions what would happen to this planet if we humans were suddenly no longer here. In addition to the imagination required to produce a book like this, it also had to take a lot of research. There are chapters on what happens to the city, the country, the oil refineries, the nuclear energy plants, and more. If you're not already aware of the dangers of over-population, this book might get your attention.
As a non-scientist, I thoroughly enjoyed the book, but I'm also sure that my daughter, who is a scientist, will find it equally engaging.

Too Good to Pass Up

I realize that I haven't reported on any books for a long time.
I've certainly read a lot of them. Many were excellent (some were not), but none made me feel compelled to write about them.
At last, I've read one that touched me so much that I'd feel like a dirty skunk if I didn't share a bit of it with you.
The book is Chosen by a Horse by Susan Richards (2006).
On the cover it says "How a broken horse fixed a broken heart". That may strike you as overly-sentimental, but the story isn't.
A lonely, fortyish woman takes in a starving horse and foal. The story takes off from there. It isn't a romanticized "National Velvet" kind of story. This has horse poop, illness, alcoholism and the possibility of sex.
Bet you get teary at the end, just like Mike and I did.