Miami-Dade Public Library System

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake
by Aimee Bender
As Rose Edelstein is about to turn nine years old, she suddenly discovers she has a magical gift: she can taste the emotions of whoever makes her food, be it her mother, a deli worker, or a school cafeteria employee. While this might seem like a wonderful skill to have, it is actually quite the opposite. Her mother's lemon cake tastes of hollowness and wanting, her brother's toast tastes of isolation, and the gourmet baker's cookies tastes of hating one's job. For Rose, eating anything but prepackaged food becomes hazardous. Secrets she has no interest in knowing are revealed in each bite. The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake is a captivating story, both funny and sad, and well worth the read. Kimberly C.

Freedom
by Jonathan Franzen
Using a broad canvas of American political and cultural obsessions from the 70s to nearly present, Jonathan Franzen's Freedom is breathtaking in its sweep, stunning in the veracity of its dialogue and, finally, a somewhat disorienting study of a relationship through the years. The story traverses the awkward first meetings in college of Patty and Walter, through their marriage and the raising of a family, to their nearly perfect dysfunction in middle age. The late comedian Lenny Bruce used to rail against TIME Magazine's need for "happy endings," as he felt that need was a soporific for the masses. Ironically, TIME Magazine featured Franzen on its cover last year and hailed him Great American Novelist. Does Freedom end happily? Read it to find out. Brian C.

The Bookseller of Kabul
by Åsne Seierstad
Right after the fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan, Åsne Seierstad, a Western journalist and a woman, was allowed to move into Sultan Khan's home. Khan is a successful bookseller, cunning businessman, but also a strict Muslim who rules his family with a strict hand. The book opens with Seierstad's description of an Afghan wedding and immediately we can see the differences from our Western culture. Seierstad takes us on a journey detailing the daily struggles and fears of various family members that no doubt represent the Afghan nation. Although the Taliban had fallen, the deplorable treatment of women and the fear ingrained in the minds of the people were still visible scars of a land in turmoil. To better understand today's headlines and the world around us, this international bestselling book is a must. Israel S.

Ghost Writer
by Robert Harris
Robert Harris's Ghost Writer is a taut page-turning political thriller with many elements of classic mysteries: a remote island location, deep secrets, forbidden love, and shocking twists and turns. The plot revolves around a ghostwriter hired to help a former British prime minister, Adam Lang, finish his memoirs. Yet from the beginning something appears not to be quite right. Why is the ghostwriter mugged soon after meeting with the publisher? Did his predecessor die accidentally, as supposed, or was he murdered? Why does Lang lie about his background? And what about those new allegations that Lang himself authorized human rights abuses while in office? This was a book I couldn't put down-- even though I had already seen Roman Polanski's brilliant movie version, for which Harris co-wrote the screenplay. Susan L.

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