The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade by Ann Fessler

If you have preconceived notions of adoption and the young birth mothers forced to relinquish their children during the post World War II years in America, you’ll not have them when you finish The Girls Who Went Away.  This book grew from an audio and video installation project that Ann Fessler began in order to [...]

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The Hearts of Horses by Molly Gloss

It’s 1917 in the waning years of the romantic old west, when farmers and ranchers still used horses for work and transportation and automobiles and tractors were only just becoming commonplace.  19 year old Martha Lessen arrives in Elwha County in eastern Oregon looking for work breaking horses for families whose sons have left to [...]

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Duma Key by Stephen King

Before I begin, I must unequivocally state that I’M YOUR NUMBER ONE FAN, MR. KING — yeah, that’s right, I was reading Stephen King novels while some of you were still struggling to comprehend the plot developments of Goodnight Moon, so no matter what I write next, just remember I’M YOUR HARDCORE NUMBER ONE FAN, MR. KING, and with [...]

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Girls of Riyadh by Rajaa Alsanea

The girls of Riyadh are much like girls anywhere else in the world.  They go to school, shop, wear makeup and designer clothes, and spend a lot of time talking and thinking about boys.  The difference is, these girls can’t drive a car, vote, or even go out of the house alone.  Originally published in [...]

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Lady Macbeth by Susan Fraser King

Many of us are familiar with the treacherous and somewhat maniacal Lady Macbeth portrayed by Shakespeare in his classic play.  Forget all that!  This book is a novel based on the scanty historical details of the wife of Macbeth, whose true name is even a mystery.  When I say scanty, I really mean it. There is only one [...]

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