A dramatic, engrossing historical novel, set primarily in post-WWII Germany, The Women in the Castle, by Jessica Shattuck, tells the intertwined stories of three widows whose husbands were involved in a failed conspiracy to assassinate Adolph Hitler. The aristocratic Marianne promised her husband that she would find and help the other wives of conspirators, so […]

I am no careerist, but I still have to be a functional human at work, and Hiding in the Bathroom: an introvert’s roadmap to getting out there (when you’d rather stay home), by Morra Aarons-Mele, seems like a great title to help my reluctant introvert nebbish self.  Bathrooms are not my preferred refuge, of course; my cat-furred […]

As a veritable vanilla pudding of a woman, I am always gladdened by reading about the intrepid exploits of the sturdy and brave. That’s why I love novels about spunky females as they plunge fearlessly into danger, stand up to the wicked, and defeat their oppressors. These novels inspire and remind us of the strength. […]

When you’ve run out of ideas and your to-be-read pile is gone, desperation can set in quickly. That’s uncool.  Book lists are the key to defeating the dreaded slump, and to honor the 200th birthday of the most famous horror novel of all time, Frankenstein, NPR put together a list of 100 favorite horror stories. Frankenstein and Dracula made […]