Thread That Runs So True
by Jesse Stuart
Published 1950 by Touchstone Books

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780684719047

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Jacket Notes:

First published in 1949, Jesse Stuart's now classic personal account of his twenty years of teaching in the mountain region of Kentucky has enchanted and inspired generations of students and teachers. With eloquence and wit, Stuart traces his twenty-year career in education, which began, when he was only seventeen years old, with teaching grades one through eight in a one-room schoolhouse. Before long Stuart was on a path that made him principal and finally superintendent of city and county schools. The road was not smooth, however, and Stuart faced many challenges, from students who were considerably older -- and bigger -- than he to well-meaning but distrustful parents, uncooperative administrators and, most daunting, his own fear of failure. Through it all, Stuart never lost his abiding faith in the power of education. A graceful ode to what he considered the greatest profession there is, Jesse Stuart's "The Thread That Runs So True" is timeless proof that "good teaching is forever and the teacher is immortal."

Frankenstein
by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
Published 2003 by Penguin Books

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780141439471

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Jacket Notes:

A monster assembled by a scientist from parts of dead bodies develops a mind of his own as he learns to loathe himself and hate his creator.

The Rope Walk
by Carrie Brown
Published 2008 by Anchor Books

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780307278098

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Jacket Notes:

Two children begin a daily routine of reading aloud to an AIDS-stricken artist, who is losing his eyesight. The journals of Lewis and Clark prompt them to build a "rope walk" through the woods for Kenneth, and in the process they learn hard truths about the way adults see the world.

Fat Envelope Frenzy: One Year, Five Promising Students, and the Pursuit of the Ivy League Prize
by Joie Jager-Hyman
Published 2008 by Harper Paperbacks

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780061257162

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Jacket Notes:

A former Ivy League admissions officer follows five stellar students in their quest to enter Harvard University and uncovers the mystery behind the daunting college admissions process.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 01/14/2008

A former admissions officer at Dartmouth, Jager-Hyman decided to select five "promising" high school seniors and follow their progress through the college application process. She'd been concerned with what she calls "fat envelope frenzy" ("fat envelope" refers to the fact that acceptance brings many pages of info and forms to fill out, while rejection is just a single-page letter) and an obsession with accomplishment "predicated on the myth that college admission is contingent solely on merit." On the contrary, Jager-Hyman says, colleges have many conflicting admissions objectives, making their policies "confusing." Jager-Hyman then introduces the five high school students she's chosen to follow. Four of the five are incredible overachievers: in addition to nearly perfect grades and test scores, one's an Olympics-bound gymnast, one's a world-class pianist, one's a talented engineering student, and another's an Ethiopian-American math whiz. The fifth, a plucky Dominican-American, has lower scores and grades; her struggle for admission to the Ivies is more complicated, but potentially more instructive. Jager-Hyman follows all five through the emotional high points of the process-deciding where to apply, writing essays, going for interviews, awaiting the fat envelopes and then deciding which to accept. There are few surprises; all these talented students end up going to great schools. In the end, Jager-Hyman's book is padded with too many asides, and she offers little "insider" admissions advice. (Mar.)

The Last Time I Was Me
by Cathy Lamb
Published 2008 by Kensington Publishing Corporation

Paperback, English. ISBN: 9780758214638

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Jacket Notes:

In this dazzling new novel by the acclaimed author of "Julia's Chocolates," a woman who has lost her way finds a new and surprising future in the Pacific Northwest.

REVIEW: Publisher's Weekly 03/17/2008

The author of Julia's Chocolates delivers a sometimes fun tale of revenge and rebirth that begins when narrator Jeanne Stewart discovers her longtime live-in boyfriend has been cheating on her. She exacts a creative revenge involving condoms and peanut oil (her boyfriend is allergic), resulting in "Slick Dick" suing her. His betrayal, following the death of her mother and weeks of working excessive hours, results in an embarrassing public nervous breakdown. Jeanne sells everything and lands in a small Oregon town, where, amid an eccentric cast, she enrolls in a court-ordered anger-management class and attempts to rebuild her life. Her initial recovery breakthrough occurs when she falls while running naked (this, strangely, is part of the program) along the river and a nice man helps her. When her brother urges Jeanne to work on a political campaign for Oregon's governor, Jeanne discovers the candidate is her river rescuer. Other irons in the fire include Jeanne's efforts to renovate a derelict house and her ex's looming lawsuit. Though initially charming, the book has a tendency to overload the narrative with sass and excessive wordplay, which slows the plot and keeps the reader at an uncomfortable distance. (May)