Cannonball Read 17

Sticking It to Cancer One Book at a Time

A fascinating historical woman I knew nothing about before and now want to tell everyone about her.

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray

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I forget how I found out about The Personal Librarian but as I read about it, knew it was perfect for my book club.  Historical fiction – Check, Talented woman – Check, About a library and books – Check.  We haven’t met up yet so I don’t know the other’s reactions but I found it a fascinating read that delivered on the promises of the book blurbs.  Author, Pam Jenoff, has this to say, “An extraordinary tale that is both brilliant historical fiction and an important […]

“Just because I’m a librarian doesn’t mean I have to dress like one.”

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

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I am delighted to get to write this review on International Women’s Day. It’s an amazing story about a woman, written by two other women and it’s SO FREAKIN’ GOOD. Go get this book! (Seriously. Go get it. I’m going to sell you on wanting to read it during the rest of my review, I promise, so you might as well “add to cart” now). This book is another great selection of the Schaumburg Library book club so SHOUT OUT to the public library for […]

Code Switching Times Two

The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

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Cbr13bingo Book Club (Good Morning America Book Club selection) The J.P. Morgan Library in New York is world renowned for its manuscript and art collections thanks to its first librarian Belle da Costa Greene. She served as J.P. Morgan’s first and only personal librarian from 1905-1913, and then as the librarian for the Morgan Library until 1948. Belle became famous in her time with J.P. Morgan because she was the only woman working in a field of trained specialists and wealthy collectors from around the […]

A potential answer to a real-life mystery. YMMV!

The Mystery of Mrs. Christie by Marie Benedict

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Overall, I enjoyed this one, but I will admit that I was also disappointed by it. I love Agatha Christie, both as a writer and as a historical figure, and her infamous real life disappearance of course fascinates me (as it has many people before me). She never spoke publicly about the eleven days she was missing afterwards, not even in her autobiography, so it’s a mystery history will never solve. It was extremely intriguing, to say the least, that Marie Benedict wanted to offer […]

I brung Pedro home for Thanksgiving break and tomorrow I have to bring him back to school.

Providence by Caroline Kepnes

Flight from the Enchanter by Iris Murdoch

High Crime Area by Joyce Carol Oates

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

The Real Sherlock by Lucinda Hawksley

Agent 355 by Marie Benedict

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Providence: 2/5 Stars The newer novel by Caroline Kepnes of YOU fame. It’s…well, it’s not great. There’s so many of the same pieces that made You a good, if goofily rehashed novel, are there, but serving this story they just don’t work as well. The plot here is that a young boy is kidnapped by a former substitute teacher. While he’s missing his best friend grows into her adolescence and loses touch with that connection, but she’s haunted by images of his eyes, his presence, […]



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