Review: The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

I would not have picked this book up on my own free will since the time travel aspect seemed sci-fi and, well, weird.  It’s not science-fictiony at all, rather, time travel is treated like a disease that Henry has to deal with throughout his life.  Henry is suddenly thrown backwards (and sometimes forwards) in time and arrives naked and often in harrowing circumstances.  Henry spends many of his time-traveling episodes visiting with his future wife as she grows from a little girl into a woman.  It’s not weird or creepy…instead it is a lovely romance that unfolds in an unusual way.  It’s a poignant story, mixing both comedy and tragedy in a satisfying way.   

Review: What it Takes by Richard Ben Cramer

This is a great pick for anyone who closely followed this year’s political season and is now a bit deflated that it’s over.    It covers the 1988 presidential campaign by following the six major contenders through the primary season and final campaign.    This campaign season included Gary Hart’s Monkey Business, Joe Biden’s plagiarism scandal, and Bush’s battle with the Wimp Factor.   Each candidate’s story is told with deep biographical details that explore the motivation and drive needed to run for the world’s toughest job.   The humanity of each candidate…both the extreme talent and Achilles’ heels…shines through.  

I was touched by Bob Dole’s long recovery from WWII injuries, and how that experience translated into a workaholic senator.   George Bush spent a lifetime making and keeping friends – and that was a significant factor in achieving the White House.   Of contemporary interest, the story of Joe Biden with his personal tragedies and highs and lows as a Senator will likely add another dimension to how you view his upcoming performance as Vice-President.  – Kirsten

Review: America’s Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates, and Heroines by Gail Collins

This is a deeply satisfying, witty and surprising book about how the role of women evolved in the U.S. over the centuries.  I always kind of assumed that the acknowledged role of women was a steady uphill march towards equality.  Actually, women’s roles morphed according to what society (or men) seemed to need most at the time.   Women went from the home to the workplace and back again with dizzying speed.   This book explores the day-to-day reality of a woman’s life through the years – how they dealt with childbirth, diapers, cooking (“beat the batter for 45 min”) and entered new worlds of college, the workforce and the political sphere.    Stories are told through sketches of both famous Americans and from diaries and letters of ordinary women.     This book helped me to appreciate all the opportunities open to me today…. and all the helpful kitchen appliances.  – Kirsten

Review: My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Imagine growing up knowing that the only reason you were born was to provide medical help (cord blood, bone marrow, etc) to your desperately sick older sister.    Now imagine that the medical procedures requested from you are growing in pain and medical consequences, and you take your family to court to put an end to the procedures.   This thought-provoking story explores the ethical and emotional dilemmas of a family consumed with keeping a child alive.   The ending is shocking.  I did not care for it, but other book club friends felt it was the right decision by the author.  Be sure to re-read the first couple of pages after you’ve completed the book to really see how the story ends!   – Kirsten

Welcome to Beach Reads!

Whether you are searching for a piece of great escapist fiction or an intriguing non-fiction book to expand your mind, Beach Reads seeks to become your go-to site when looking for the next engrossing read. 

Our personal recommendations will always be positive because we don’t see the point of posting reviews of books we don’t care for (and frankly, we probably won’t finish them anyway).

Happy reading!

Kirsten and Elizabeth