Catalina’s Picks
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
This is a moving story about two boys growing up in Afghanistan. One boy comes from a rich family while his best friend is the family’s hazara servant. It is both a troubling novel about the perils when friendship and social class collide and a genuine look at the country of Afghanistan. Both literary and fast paced, this novel is a must read for anyone and everyone!
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
This is the history of a poor young Japanese girl whose father is forced to give his daughters away. The heroine is then forced into the fascinating yet bitterly cruel world of the Geisha. Beaten down by harsh training and harsher geisha masters and the reality that the highest dollar will buy her virginity, she still is able to overcome everything standing in her way and fulfill her life. A tough look at a harsh tradition — not to be missed.
City of the Beasts by Isabel Allende
This the first book in a young adult trilogy about Alexander Cold, whose mother is extremely sick and whose father can no longer take care of his children. Alexander is sent to live with his grandmother, a well known journalist. He makes a fantastic trip to the Amazon in search of a mystical beast that is killing Amazon Indians. In the course of his journey Alexander joins with a girl named Nadia and together they must unravel the mystery of the beast before the Amazon Indians are wiped out. Great for teenagers — by a well-known adult author!
The Queen of the South by Arturo Perez-Reverte
Perez-Reverte, known as the “Master of the intellectual thriller,” tells the tale of Theresa Mendoza, a Mexican “Prietita” who rises to the upper echelon in the transportation of drugs between Mexico, Colombia, and Southern Spain. Packed with adventure and emotion Perez-Reverte hits another homerun in the world of “literary beach-reads!”
The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks
This is an eerie futuristic novel that examines the potential direction of today’s “Big Brother” society. Slightly Sci-Fi and certainly not my usual cup of tea — The Traveler is written with page turning speed. It is hard to put down. The correlations between today’s society and Hawks’ portrayal of the US are startling and frankly, a bit scaring. A joy to read — even if a bit out there.
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Shadow of the Wind, a former bestseller in Spain, recently translated into English, is the stunningly written story about the right book ending up in just the right hands. A phenomenal read that is literary, romantic & thrilling — all at once — and it’s about books. Can’t go wrong here; a wonderful novel.
Tears of the Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith
This novel is a light-hearted mystery that takes place in Africa — the protagonist is a woman named Madam Precious Ramotswe who is the first woman detective in Botswana — she hunts downs murderers but in contrast to the hard-nosed American model detective, Precious almost solves her cases with the kind and watchful eye of a wise mother — this is the second installment in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency and they continue to be a pleasure — great plane read!
In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
This is the story of four girls called the butterflies during the dictatorship of Trujillo in the Dominican Republic who fought against his harsh regime. They formed an almost guerilla-like group where each sister was an assassin except one — who would tell their story. An eye opening look at what life under a tyrant is like and the bravery it takes to overthrow them. An excellent novel by one of our best authors.
