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It's that time again...to find out what your friends, neighbors and perfect strangers recommend that you pack in your beach bag or crack open on the patio after a hard day's work this summer. In the words of reader Ellen Guillette, "Books are gifts that can suspend our own reality and allow a temporary escape to unfamiliar cultures, seemingly less complicated times, or perhaps...engage us in mystery." Here we go!

Off the wall

"Odd Thomas," "Brother Odd," and "Forever Odd,"by Dean Koontz, are "more than a bit off the wall," according to Capron Park Zoo docent Jim Keiper. "They are almost mystic, but with a sense of humorI have always liked Dean Koontz for his 'odd' way of approaching life. I also found the religious context very intriguing."

"I just finished 'An Arsonist's Guide to Writers' Homes in New England' by Brock Clarke," writes Chris Day, a young entrepreneurial publisher from Arizona (and the author's godson). "It was awesome, I think he has a really original voice and a funny, tragic style." The novel chronicles the life of Sam Pulsifer, who, as a teen, accidentally burns down the Amherst home of Emily Dickinson, killing two people. Shortly after emerging from 10 years in prison, other literary landmarks begin to go up in flame, and Pulsifer is suspected.

Saxon saga History lover Jack Brandley of Attleboro relishes Chatham author Bernard Cornwell's "The Saxon Tales," a series which now comprises four books: "The Last Kingdom," "The Pale Horseman," "The Lords of the North," and "Sword Song." According to Jack, not only are they "a good read from an action perspective, but they also give a wonderful insight into 9th century England and its formation as we know it today. The massive invasions of the Viking Danes and the terrible extremes which they brought with them, from the horrors of the 'Shield Wall' to the disenfranchisement and subsequent response of the indigenous Saxons under Alfred the Great, are a special time in the history of England."

Secrets and mysteries

Bill Goldbloom Bloch, associate provost and mathematics professor at Wheaton College, notes, "I just finished Sheridan Hay's 'The Secret of Lost Things.' The protagonist, a young, recently orphaned girl from Tasmania, "works in a maze-like used bookstore in NYC, modeled on the Strand, and gets involved in a quest for meaning and a manuscript. Good fun, thoughtfully written, and a nice debut novel."

Mystery lover Vicki Buttrick of Attleboro enjoyed the complexity of Elizabeth George's "A Traitor to Memory." It's about "a troubled family with a child prodigy whose "life revolves around the violin and the fame he has gained. The constant pressure has all types of ramifications, including a few murders!" she reports. At 1,024 pages, this ambitious novel features Inspector Thomas Lynley and Sgt. Barbara Havers, recently enfleshed on PBS.

"I really loved 'Water for Elephants,'" writes artist Christina Beecher of Mansfield. The novel "was not only a quick read, it was engrossing. It entered into the world of the circus (circa 1930s') with real pictures, the lives of the performers, stage crew, and of course, the elephants."

World views

Founder of the Friday Evening Book Club, Nancy Maguire Heath of Attleboro found "Saving Fish from Drowning" by Amy Tan "very interesting, easy to read, and current, as it is set amidst the rebels in Myanmar (Burma)."

Audrey Craig's Rhode Island book group had high praise for Beryl Markham's 1942 book (reviewed here in 2005). "The story is a poetic celebration of the African land and its people in the form of a memoir...an amazing story of an extraordinary childhood up to the author's record-breaking solo flight westward over the Atlantic."

Inspirational nonfiction

Wheaton College President Ronald Crutcher says, "I received a fascinating book for my 61st birthday; 'The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science' by Norman Doidge, MD. The book is a popular explanation of recent research in neuroscience. It focuses on the neuroplasticity of the brain[and is] concerned with the capacity of the brain to re-wire itself, to continue to grow and adapt, even after traumatic injury or disease, or as we age. Until recently, scientists and the general public had an entirely different view on the matter...This series of 'case studies'will change your perspective on these issues." Tim Killion, the Attleboro YMCA's Outreach Director, suggests "How to Stay Motivated on the Deck of the Titanic" by motivational speaker Norm Bossio - a book that "teaches you how to overcome obstacles, take control of your life and put first things first. Very funny, touching and entertaining read." As a wonderful resource for parents or anyone dealing with bullying, Tim suggests the "shocking, sad and insightful" "Please Stop Laughing at Me...One Woman's Inspirational Story" by Jodee Blanco.

Happy reading!

SUN CHRONICLE book columnist Kathy Hickman can be contacted at news@thesunchronicle.com.