Editor’s note: The opinions of the smart, well-read women in my Denver book club mean a lot, and often determine what the rest of us choose to pile onto our bedside tables. So we asked them, and other readers, to share these mini-reviews with you. Have any to offer? Email bellis@denverpost.com.
“Birding Under the Influence: Cycling Across America in Search of Birds and Recovery,” by Dorian Anderson (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2023)
This is the startling true story of a young lab scientist addicted to drugs and alcohol. Dorian Anderson decides to leave his position at Mass General Hospital, get sober, and nurture his first serious relationship by — of all things — riding a bicycle around the United States for a year, birdwatching. He’s a marvelous writer and, boy, does he have a tale to tell. — 4 stars (out of 4); Lori Potter, Denver
“The Book Woman’s Daughter,” by Kim Michele Richardson (Sourcebooks Landmark, 2022)
In this sequel to “The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek,” the next generation picks up the reins, literally. There are more books to be delivered by muleback, daunting challenges to overcome and a mystery to be solved. Our heroine, Honey Lovett, is more than up to the task in this story that shows the grit, stubbornness and ingenuity of these Kentuckians. – 3 stars (out of 4); Kathleen Lance, Denver
“The Island of Sea Women,” by Lisa See (Scribner, 2019)
Women’s audacity and perseverance are front and center in this story set on a Korean island, ranging over decades in the 20th century. They include many armed conflicts and crises, during which the female half of the population excels at deep sea fishing, minus any modern equipment or wet suits, leaving their babes and children to be tended by the men. Two close friends from widely different backgrounds forge a close relationship. Their choices and life paths mandate their estrangement and feud, until they discover what’s truly important to them. Over nearly 75 years, they survive horrible civil wars, murders of their loved ones, and Japanese suppression, to learn what matters. — 4 stars (out of 4); Bonnie McCune, Denver (bonniemccune.com)
“Beyond That, the Sea,” by Laura Spence-Ash (Celadon Books, 2023)
In World War II, a London family of limited means sends its only child to the United States for her safety. Eleven-year-old Beatrix is taken in by a well-to-do Boston family with two sons whose mother yearns for a daughter. The war years coincide with Beatrix’s coming of age in a privileged society (“summer” is a verb to this family), which is at odds with her earlier life. After the war, Beatrix returns to England, where she finds herself out of sync with her mother in many ways. There is a trans-Atlantic love story that underpins the post-war years, but it unfolds in ways you might not anticipate. The novel explores the meaning of family love and home, misunderstood motives and, ultimately, forgiveness. — 4 stars (out of 4); Kathleen Lance, Denver
