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Summer Reading!
Summer's not over yet, so if you're looking for a great read, check out our editorial staff's recommendations
JULIE RATTEY, MANAGING EDITOR:
 The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread
By Kate DiCamillo; Illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering
Candlewick Press
$7.99 paperback; amazon.com and most book retailers
An
intrepid and chivalrous mouse who sets out to save a human princess is
the hero of this engaging and moving tale by the author of Because of Winn-Dixie.
It may be shelved in the children's section, but DiCamillo's
storytelling skill and the book's powerful themes of love, bravery, and
forgiveness make this a great read for all ages. Winner of the Newberry
Medal.
Julie's other recommendations:
Behind Bella: The Amazing Stories of Bella and the Lives It's Changed by Tim Drake
Saints at the Dinner Table by Amy Heyd
Click here to read more
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KATE OATES, ASSISTANT EDITOR:
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
By Jamie Ford
Random House/Ballantine Books
$24.00; randomhouse.com
A
sincere and captivating story about an older Chinese-American man who
begins to relive his memories of growing up in Seattle during World War
II. Disconnected from his strict and traditionalist parents, young
Henry Lee struggles to find his identity and make sense of the social
chaos slowly erupting on the city streets. With a shy but fiercely
loyal heart, he attempts to navigate the confusing world of adults that
are swept up in ignorance, fear, and pride. Each recollection draws
older Henry Lee one step closer to solving a mystery from his boyhood.
Viewed through the innocent eyes of a child, the most striking angle of
this book is witnessing the harsh effects war can have on the
prejudiced minds of society during an age of uncertainty.
Kate's other recommendations:
The Unfettered Mind: Writings of the Zen Master to the Sword Master by Takuan Soho
Faith Under Fire: An Army Chaplain's Memoir by Roger Benimoff with Eve Conant
Click here to read more
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TRACI NEAL, COPY CHIEF:
Gift From the Sea
By Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Random House/Pantheon
$16.00; randomhouse.com
 I
first read Gift From the Sea as a high-schooler - after finishing a
book about the Lindbergh baby kidnapping and wanting to know more of
this famous family. While the book had little significance to my life
at the time, I knew even then it would be one that I'd return to again
and again. And I have. As a lover of the sea and a collector of things
like sea glass, show tickets, colored stones, and other worthless
trinkets that bring to mind great memories, I easily related to
Lindbergh's symbolism; she wrote the book while vacationing alone on
Captiva Island (where seashells of all kinds may be found), choosing as
a theme how different shells - their functionality, beauty,
architecture - and the sea's relentless tide represent so vividly the
seasons of a woman's life. "Patience - Faith - Openness, is what the
sea has to teach," Lindbergh concludes. "Simplicity - Solitude -
Intermittency ... But there are other beaches to explore. There are more
shells to find. This is only a beginning."
Traci's other recommendations:
Suite Française by Irčne Némirovsky
Fire in the Blood by Irčne Némirovsky
The Little White Bird by J.M. Barrie
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AMY WISEMAN, ONLINE EDITOR:
 Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise
By Ruth Reichl
Penguin
$16.00; us.penguingroup.com
Ruth
Reichl came to New York from L.A. to take over as food critic for the
New York Times. After her first review she became more or less the most
hated woman in New York City. She was also fairly recognizable, thanks
to her mane of curly hair and the fact that the Times put her picture
on a billboard prior to her arrival. In order to experience restaurants
as an average customer, Reichl enlists the help of an older
acquaintance and a wig shop owner. Reichl's accounts of her various
disguises are amusing and her food writing is nothing short of
delectable.
Amy's other recommendations:
In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan
A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
Click here to read more
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Catholic
Digest is America's most popular Catholic magazine. Since 1936,
Catholic Digest has used the stories of real people to demonstrate that
a life guided by faith can be exciting, challenging, enlivening, and
joyous. Catholic Digest is owned by Bayard, an international publisher
with more than 100 periodicals in Europe, Africa, Asia, and America.
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