Exploring Top Books of Shelfari

Ann Patchett and the late Lucy Grealy met in college in 1981, and, after enrolling in the Iowa Writer's Workshop, began a friendship that would be as defining to both of their lives as their work. In Grealy's critically acclaimed memior, Autobiography of a Face , she wrote about losing part of her jaw to childhood cancer, years of chemotherapy and radiation, and endless reconstructive surgeries. In Truth &... (more)

The ABC's of Kissing Boys

by Tina Ferraro

Parker Stanhope has played soccer practically since she could walk. And now that she’s a high school junior, everything she’s worked for is finally coming together. She’s paid her dues on the field, and as an upperclassman, she’s a shoo-in for the varsity team. But that’s not what happens. This year, Coach Hartley moved up every JV player but two—and one of those two was Parker. Now, she’s stuck with the... (more)

Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea: The History and Discovery of the World's Richest Shipwreck

Ship of Gold in the Deep Blue Sea: The History and Discovery of the World's Richest Shipwreck

by Gary Kinder

Ship of Gold tells the story of the sinking of the SS Central America, a side-wheel steamer carrying nearly six hundred passengers returning from the California Gold Rush, two hundred miles off the Carolina coast in September 1857. Over four hundred lives and twenty-one tons of California gold were lost. It was the worst peacetime disaster at sea in American history, a tragedy that remained lost in legend for... (more)

100 Love Sonnets : Cien Sonetos de Amor (Texas Pan American Series)

100 Love Sonnets : Cien Sonetos de Amor (Texas Pan American Series)

by Stephen Tapscott, Pablo Neruda

Against the backdrop of Isla Negra - the sea and wind, the white sand with its scattering of delicate wild flowers, the hot sun and salty smells of the Pacific - Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda sets these joyfully sensual poems in celebration of his love. The subject of that love: Matilde Urrutia de Neruda, the poet's "beloved wife." As popular in the Hispanic world as the poet's renowned Twenty Love Poems and a... (more)

Capital Crimes: Book 9

Murder at the Kennedy Center

by Margaret Truman

"An exciting romp." THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS During a gala benefit for a Democratic Party hopeful, a young woman dies, the victim of quick and brutal violence. The murder weapon belongs to the candidate, Kenneth Ewald, and his son is the chief suspect. Out of the classroom comes professor Mac Smith to tackle a case that is bad for the senator, but may prove disastrous for the nation....

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World

Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World

by Tracy Kidder

Tracy Kidder is a winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the author of the bestsellers The Soul of a New Machine , House , Among Schoolchildren , and Home Town . He has been described by the Baltimore Sun as the “master of the non-fiction narrative.” This powerful and inspiring new book shows how one person can make a difference, as Kidder tells the true story of a gifted man who is in love with the world... (more)

Cerebral Codex

by Brian Smith

The Cerebral Codex opens as Bret and Jon find themselves stranded on a remote island. As they struggle with the necessities of survival, they quickly try to figure out where they are and why. In a twist of strange circumstances, they find a manuscript that seems to be their best chance of finding the answers they seek. The codex is riddled with mind bending and mysterious mental challenges, which when solved... (more)

I Do

by Doris Trueheart

This book is a study of the book of Deuteronomy. It is formatted as an autobiographical sketch of the author's journey as Moses leads her through the wilderness. It is a true story with names changed. It is a compilation of experiences, thoughts, songs and poems that document that journey. It is hoped that many others can relate to the author's story, such as,... (more)

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Truth & Beauty: A Friendship

by Ann Patchett