Good Reads for Fall

The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store

by James McBride

When you recognize the author’s name, you know you will be compelled to read his new work. The characters are drawn so vividly that they practically jump off the page. Kudos to McBride for introducing us to a time and place we should know about. I relived some of my early years in Pittsburgh with a similar setting. James McBride handles racial and religious inequities in a manner that makes us examine our own failings and prompts us to examine ourselves.

The Confidante: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Helped Win World War II and Shape Modern America

by Christopher C. Gorman

The first-ever biography of a remarkable woman, Anna Marie Rosenberg, a Hungarian Jewish immigrant who transcended her times to become an advisor during World War II and beyond. Her story is an American one, where she was able to advise and become an important confidante to many Presidents, beginning with Franklin Roosevelt. By 1950, she was selected to become the assistant secretary of defense—and the unfortunate victim of an attempted smear campaign by Senator Joseph McCarthy. It is a must-read for those who were unable to witness the history of this era. Gorman brings to life the life and times of a true heroine.

Wifey

by Judy Blume

I’m on a Judy Blume kick. Reading and thinking about her early works has been a treat. I have been able to revisit the 1950s and 1960s and rediscover issues we all had to face (and still do).

Summer Sisters

by Judy Blume

Another great read from Judy Blume

The Complete Works

by Edith Wharton

Another opportunity to view women’s roles and issues as I walked down memory lane. Visiting her home, The Mount, in the Berkshires, has also allowed me to envision her world and that of the Gilded Age. Stepping back in time enables one to look forward.