The Glorious Heresies

This book is set in Ireland and opens with a murder.  The remainder of thenstory deals with the aftermath of the crime.  How it affects the murdered man’s loved ones and those involved in the cover up.  This is a view of Ireland rarely seen by American readers.  An Irish book for Irish readers. There are so many complex characters and some really interesting plot twists.  A fascinating read.

The Inkblots

This book provides a wealth of knowledge concerning the history and development of the inkblot test.  I found it highly informative and engrossing.   Rorschach, a man who lived both psychology and art found a way to incorporate the one into the other.  One wonders what all he would have been able to accomplish if he had lived pst the age of 37.  

Shylock is My Name

This book is a modern retelling of the Merchant of Venice.  I made sure to reread the play immediately before I started this book.  I found the book a bit difficult to get into at first.  It is written very much in the tone of someone much smarter than I am.  once I got used to the author's tone, it was interesting to see his take on the story.  This is a great book for a lover of Shakespeare's works.
If you aren't, you may want to try something else.

The Wives of Los Alamos

When I started reading this book, the writing style bothered me.  It was written in a collective voice, "we arrived, we traveled, we kept secrets".  I quickly got past it and I really loved this book.  We (see what I did there) all know the story of Los Alamos.  Some of us may have even watched the amazing tv series Manhattan.  Have you ever thought about what it was like for the wives and children of the scientists who were sequestered in the middle of the desert for years? This book tells the stories of those wives.  The symbolism of the one voice is exactly perfect for this story. I highly recommend.

The Fatal Gift of Beauty (Amanda Knox)

Like many, I know a weird amount of information about the Amanda Knox case.  This book actually added to my wealth of knowledge.  It takes the viewpoint that one of the reasons that Knox was found guilty was due to the clash of cultures and how ultimately we can't understand where the other is coming from.  I highly recommend.  

Dear Mr. M by Herman Koch

In the spirit of Girl in a Train, Gone Girl and other recent thrillers comes Dear Mr M by Herman Koch.  Mr. M is a Dutch author named Herman (please note the actually author of the book's name etc)  He lives on the 4th floor. On he 3rd floor is another Herman, who largely goes unnoticed by Mr. M.  This neighbor Herman is writing a letter to Mr. M.  He doesn't seem to be a fan.  And he is stalking the author and his wife.  And he believes that the subject of Mr M's best novel is well, him.  That book focuses on a teacher who went missing, presumably killed by a school boy and girl who were his students.  It seems Herman was the shook boy, whose teacher went missing.  HIghly entertaining, I whole-heartedly recommend.

Avenue of Spies: A True Story of Terror, Espionage and One American Family by Alex Kershaw

As war comes to Paris, an American Doctor, his wife and son have the choice to flee or to stay and protect the American Hoapital and its patients.  Approached by the French Resistance, hey unhesitatingly accept the risk and become a drop location and help ferry many out of Nazi-occupied France, including downed British and American pilots.  Their teenage son takes photographs (even owning a camera was outlawed) to be sent out of the country.  Eventually, all three are arrested by the Gestapo and sent to concentration camps.  Over and over again they are given opportunities to flee due to their citizenship but chose to stay with those weaker than themselves.  This is an amazing story of personal sacrifice.  I highly recommend.