Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom

Albom, Mitch (1997 ). Tuesdays with Morrie.  New York:  Doubleday. 

ISBN: 0385484518

Summary:  The middle-aged author records and reflects on his weekly philosophical and inspirational conversations with his favorite college professor while he is dying of Lou Gehrig's disease. From his wheelchair and later his deathbed, Morrie coaches Mitch with weekly "life lessons" about dying, life's purpose, happiness, culture, love, emotions, and forgiveness. 

Additional comments:  Grab your tissues for this one!  You will fall in love with Morrie as he faces his physical deterioration, increasing dependence on others,  and impending death with bravery, optimism, and spirit.  This is a quick read that will help you to put your priorities and misfortunes into perspective.  

Into the Wild (Soundtrack)

Vedder, Eddie (2007).  Music for the motion picture "Into the wild" (Audio recording).  J-Records.

Summary:  Into the Wild was originally published by Jon Krakauer in 1996 and told the true story of Christopher McCandless, a young man whose desire to separate himself from the constraints of society and whose post-graduation adventures across America land him in the solitude of the Alaskan wilderness.  A diary he kept revealed that his attempt to live off the land while living alone in an old van led to food poisoning that eventually killed him. Eddie Vedder, the lead singer of Pearl Jam, went solo to create the acoustic soundtrack for Sean Penn's 2007 Oscar-nominated film. 

Additional Comments:  Eddie Vedder's melancholic guitar-strumming and thoughtful lyrics echo Chris' reflective musings and sense of detachment from others.  Eddie Vedder's raw, emotional vocals in songs like "Hard Sun" and "Society" set a mournful tone that echo Chris' departures from friends and family that care for him.  Lyrics, such as  "Society, crazy indeed / I hope you're not lonely without me" also further echo the story's tragic theme of a young man whose head-strong determination to make it on his own lead to an untimely death.  

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez

Alvarez, Julia (1992).  How the Garcia girls lost their accents.  New York: Plume. 

Summary:  How the Garcia Girls Lost their Accents tells the story of four Dominican sisters whose family moves to New York City when their father is suspected as being part of the underground opposition to the dictatorship, Trujillo.  The young women find themselves navigating an ambiguous path of cultural assimilation, caught between Dominican traditions enforced by their father and a new American lifestyle introduced to them at school. 

Additional comments:  How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents is told in sentimental vignettes that reveal the hardships and mistreatment they faced as immigrants learning to speak English and struggling financial. Their relationship with their home country also evolves.  Female readers will enjoy the dynamic relationships between the contrasting personalities of the sisters.

Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer

Meyer, Stephenie (2006).  Twilight.  New York:  Little, Brown and Company. 

Summary: Bella's dreary days in rainy Forks, Washington become much more exciting when she strikes up a romance with her beautiful, mysterious lab partner, Edward.  As their relationship intensifies, she learns that he and his pale, godlike family are not human but vampires.

Additional comments:  This page-turning romance features sharp-witted dialogue between the passionate, young lovers as they unravel the mystery that the other presents.  Readers will get easily hooked and find themselves looking for the next book in the series.  The November 2008 release of the film version of Twilight will further solidify the Twilight fan base.  

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

Blume, Judy (1970, 1991).  Are you there God?  It's me, Margaret.  New York: Laurel-Leaf Books.  

Summary: Margaret is eleven (and going on twelve) when her parents decide to move from Manhattan to the suburbs of New Jersey.  Despite her parents' shunning of religion, Margaret finds herself praying to God every night about the trials and tribulations of starting sixth grade in a new school, and especially asking for changes in her body--breasts and her period.  Her neighbor, Nancy, becomes her fast friend, who coaches her on everything from footwear, boys, kissing, bras, and menstruating.  Nancy invites Margaret into a secret club, and Margaret learns that her new community is divided socially by religion.  Margaret adopts a personal, year-long project to explore and choose a religion.  

Additional Comments: Female readers will laugh out loud and sigh  with empathy for Margaret's personal struggles and feelings, which are timeless and applicable even thirty-eight years after first publication.  Male readers will gain insight into the plight of being a young woman.