Check out these book reviews from Deena, a member of the Library’s Patron Service Team. Let us know if you would like any titles added to your book list or head over to BARD (Braille and Audio Reading Download) to download the titles now. Need more information about BARD? See our BARD Page.
Spoken from the Heart by Laura Bush DB71205 BR21557
Laura Bush grew up an only child in Texas. As an only child, she loved reading and later became a teacher and a librarian. Two things that affected her growing up years were: At the age of 17, she was driving with a friend and hit and killed one of her close friends, a boy driving from another direction. The other thing was the shooting President John F. Kennedy in Texas. Laura met George Bush and they were engaged after six weeks. George was very interested in politics and Laura was not, but she helped him campaign as he ran for congress, then governor of Texas and finally President of the United States. The Bush family was left in limbo after the 2000, presidential election when the state of Florida’s election process was in question, and the Supreme Court finally had to rule that the manual Florida recount had violated the Constitution. The event of September 11, 2001 happened during her husband’s presidency. President Bush was flown all of the country during September 11, to make sure he was safe. At the end of the day, Sept 11, the secret service wanted the president to stay away from Washington, D.C., but he insisted that they return to White House to make sure his family was safe. Then came the anthrax mail scare and mail all over the country was held up and examined. Mrs. Bush candidly speaks about her marriage, her relationship to the Bushes and the birth of her twin daughters. She inserts numerous tidbits of history in speaking of their days in the White House. She talks frankly about the White House events, her numerous trips and meeting various people. This is an eye-opening book about Laura’s life and living in the White House.
The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream by Sampson Davis DB54458
Three young men growing up in Newark, New Jersey made a pact in high school to support each other and stick together and go on to college together.
The young men include: George Jenkins who always wanted to be a dentist. He was encouraged at an early age to go to college. George had the most stable environment of the three. Sampson Davis who at an early age realized his mother could not read. Her own mother had died when she was seven, so his mother helped to take care of her brothers and sisters and then married at fifteen. Sampson’s mother encouraged him to go to school and get good grades. Rameck Hunt whose parents were addicted to drugs was raised by his beloved grandmother. Their home town of Newark was a place with drugs, shootings and other illegal activity. Only one of the three managed to stay out of trouble growing up. All three young men agreed to go to Seaton Hall together to become doctors. I think that at times they believed it would never happen and it was just a whim. While going to college wasn’t easy all three achieved high grades. There were many pitfalls along the way, including money issues, things they weren’t prepared for, but all three of them made it and became doctors returning to the area where they grew up to practice. They founded a foundation to encourage students to make goals and realize them and were also in demand as motivational speakers. This is an uplifting read and could be used as motivation for students.
Desert Heat by J. A. Jance (First in series of Joanna Brady Mysteries) DB81543 BRC00696
Joanna Brady finds her husband, Andrew Brady, a deputy sheriff for Cochise Co Arizona, shot and near death in a wash on her tenth anniversary. Things just don’t add up, his truck is locked and his gun is found under the truck. The sheriff’s department seems to think Andy attempted to commit suicide. Then there is the unexplained large amount of money deposited in the Brady’s checking account by Andy with an unknown young woman. Joanna continues to believe Andy is innocent while several others believe that the money came from the sale of drugs. Joanna is out to clear the name of her husband and soon becomes involved with a woman who thinks she knows the truth of who killed Andy. This is a good, clean mystery series with interesting characters and relationships.