BOOKS

Allison asked me the other day if I could recommend any good books for her to take to Mexico on her vacation. I offered to personally deliver a few to her in Mexico ;)

I suggested something by Isabel Allende. She is a beautiful writer. Although the books aren't a light or quick read, I think they are entrancing enough to supplement a vacation. When I got home later that evening, I perused my bookshelves, and book piles and stacks, contemplating the best Isabel Allende books to lend Allison. I think I ended up with Daughter of Fortune and Eva Luna. But I couldn't stop there. I wondered if she had read Bridget Jones' Diary. That is a great, light beach read! So I grabbed Bridget's Diary, and the follow-up The Edge of Reason. Then I included The Spy Wore Silk and The Spy Went Dancing. These are books 2 and 3 of a series by Aline, Countess of Romanones who was an American spy during WWII. I think the first book is the best, but you can read the others without having read the first. She fills you in on what you need to know. The books are so interesting, its hard to believe they are true! They sound almost like any other spy novel.

Lastly, I included A Mighty Heart by Marianne Pearl. I heard Marianne speak at one of the Smart Talk lectures a few years ago, and really enjoyed the book. If you don't remember, Marianne's husband Daniel Pearl, was kidnapped by terrorists in Pakistan in 2002 and later beheaded. He was a journalist for the Wall Street Journal. Marianne is also a journalist and the book is wonderful. It's one of those stories that are hard to read because you know that the ending is not a happy one. But it is also heartwarming to hear her tell of the people who helped her get through the ordeal. My copy of the book included some of the letters that she received political leaders and from total strangers after Danny was killed. It was very touching. A Mighty Heart was also made into a good movie last year starring Angelina Jolie. I think you would get more out of the book, but the movie is worth seeing.