Meg’s Picks

Salem Witch Judge by Eve Laplante

Judge Samuel Sewall heped send 20 people to their deaths in and around Salem, MA. He was a puritan man of his times, and in 1692, the devil was everywhere, and witches were rampant. He was a man of his times, but also a feeling man who realized too late that the trials had been a disaster, and innocent people had been killed, victims of hysteria. He was the only one of the judges to publicly admit this. The knowledge might have destroyed a lesser man. What I loved most about this book is that the knowledge provided a second chapter to Sewall’s life. He became an advocate for justice and equality. He opposed slavery, published a paper on women’s equality with men, and encouraged education and respect for Native Americans. He is truly inspiring, especially in times like ours.

Switch Bitch by Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl is perhaps best known for his Children’s works, such as Matilda and The Witches. However, he wrote several deliciously wicked short story collections for adults, and I’ve always thought Switch Bitch the best of the group. It’s filled with scandal, sex, and intrigue penned by a master of black comedy. Discover the other side of Roald Dahl today!

American Bloomsbury by Susan Cheever

In 1850’s Concord, Mass. A major movement was born. They came to be called the Transcendentalists, and their combined intellect took the world by storm. They challenged the norms of society and lived life to the full. Creative geniuses such as Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Louisa May Alcott were among them. Cheever brings them to life and off their pedestals in this marvelous book.

Under the Banner of Heaven by John Krakauer

We recently had a Mormon running for president, and the philosophy and lifestyles of Mormons became dinner table conversation or debate. In 2003 John Krakauer wrote Under the Banner of Heaven In the book he examines a murder that took place in 1984. A woman and her baby daughter were murdered by two brothers. Both were Mormon, and both believed that God had told them to kill. Krakauer weaves this true crime story with the history of the Mormon religion from its roots to present day. The result is fascinating. This is a great work of reportage, not to be missed.

Daughters of Copper Woman by Anne Cameron

First published in 1981, this book quickly became a classic of its kind. It created a powerful image of native women on the Northwest coast, weaving fact and fable together for a riveting read. It went out of print, but author Anne Cameron never stopped working on the book, dreaming that one day it would be available again. The result is this edition, with wonderful new material. It is better than I remembered. It’s an empowering book for women everywhere, one that mothers should pass on to their daughters.

Anne Boleyn by Joanna Denny

Much has been written of Anne Boleyn through the years, and I think I’ve read it all. My obsession with the Tudors and english history started when I was a young girl mesmerized by The Six Wives of Henry VIII. It was playing on tv, a masterpiece theatre production. I began reading everything I could on the Tudor dynasty, both fiction and non. I loved Anne. I always thought there was more to her than the seductress she was often painted as. In this brilliant biography, impeccably researched, Anne comes to life. She was a reformer, a smart woman with the heart of a lion who was way ahead of her time. Her daughter, Elizabeth, ushered in a golden age for Britain. I think she took after her mother.

She Captains by Joan Druett

Oh, the adventures these women had! In an age when the average woman was supposed to be home cooking, cleaning, and having children, these women were on the high seas. They were warrior queens, captains, pirates. They were audacious and brave. Here is their story, one so often written out of the history books.

The Power of Kindness by Piero Ferrucci

I think the title says it all.

The Essential Rumi translated by Coleman Barks

Rumi is one of my favorite poets and spiritual masters. He was a follower of Mohammed, embracing Islam as a young man. He presents a view of the divine that is direct, friendly and at times startlingly sensual. His path to the divine was one of confident trust and non-violence. His is a voice that we need more than ever today.

The Memoirs of Cleopatra by Margaret George

Cleopatra comes to life in this bravura Novel. George tells the tale of her life in a diary like fashion, filled with historical detail, passion and humor. We see the doomed queen as a cherished child, as a young woman cast out her kingdom, then restored to it by Caesar himself. After his death she consolidates her power and falls fatally in love with Marc Anthony. Cleopatra’s rise and fall are not to be missed! If you love good historical fiction, this book is for you!

It Can’t Happen Here by Sinclair Lewis

Democracy is a fragile thing. The people in a democracy must be educated, informed, involved with their government. In truth, the government rests on their shoulders. Could it happen here, in the greatest democracy the world has ever known? Could we lose our liberties? That was the question Sinclair Lewis asked many years ago. First published in 1935, the novel charts the rise of a politician who wants to “protect” Americans from “welfare cheats,” “promiscuity,” “crime,” and a “liberal press.” I don’t know about you, but this sounds awfully familiar. In the novel the president becomes a dictator to “save” the country. Let’s all pray it doesn’t happen here. Read this classic today!

Julie & Julia by Julie Powell

A dear friend of mine in Seattle told me that I had to read this book. I protested that I was not interested in cooking. “Wait,” she said, “It’s about so much more.” And she was right. This is a book about a woman who finds her path in life, inner strength and humor while cooking madly every day. I couldn’t do it, but you’ll be glad she did.

The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley

If you think you know the legend of Arthur and the round table, think again. The Mists of Avalon is a sweeping retelling of the Arthurian legend, told from the women's point of view. Far from being evil, Morgan le Fay is a Priestess of the Druidic religion and very influential.

Opposed to her is Guinevere, Arthur’s wife, queen of the land and a committed Christian, seeking to Change the religion and way of life all Britons have known. Add to this the fact that both women are in love with Lancelot, and you’re in for a book you cannot put down.

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

First published in 1954, I am Legend is considered by many to be the most innovative take on the Vampire mythos. It’s a masterpiece of its kind, combining suspense, loneliness and terror in equal doses, as the last man alive on earth struggles to stay that way. It kept me awake all night!

Imperial Life in the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran

Here is an insider’s view of the green zone in Iraq after the fall of Saddam. by turns funny and tragic, it’s a riveting read. The author, who served as a bureau chief for the Washington Post prior to the war, takes us to meet ordinary Iraqis trying to live in an increasingly perilous war zone. While the Americans, cocooned in the heavily guarded green zone, aka “The emerald city” live amidst contradictory orders, power plays and parties by night.

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

The apocalypse has never been funnier. God And Satan are ready to rumble, but they haven’t counted on one good angel and one sly demon throwing a monkey wrench into the plan. They like the world just as it is, and go to great lengths to save it. Then there is the small problem of the missing Antichrist. . . . You will laugh out loud!

Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick

The Mayflower won the national book award and was voted one of NYT best books. Philbrick takes the reader on a thrilling voyage. He examines the reasons the puritans left England, their hopes and dreams for the new world, and the reality that awaited them. We meet larger than life personalities like Captain John Smith, Miles Standish, and Squanto. The pilgrims found Paradise, but had to fight to hold onto it. This is their story, and it’s never been told better. I highly recommend this book.