The kept man, by Jami Attenberg

No, this isn't about a male mistress (mister?); Martin, a famous artist and the husband of Jarvis, is in a coma after a fall. Jarvis is keeping him alive. She meets three men in a laundromat, men whose wives support them, and falls into an unlikely friendship. I liked learning about the art world, and Jarvis was an interesting character, and the ending was satisfying, but it was like eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on white bread - not enough to chew on.

Clay's quilt, by Silas House

This book is all about setting. It takes place in Kentucky and the characters are Appalachian, hard-working, hard-drinking, and religious. Clay, the central character, is extremely well drawn. The author, who is from Kentucky does a terrific job expressing the language of the people. This is one of those books I had to stop reading for a minute to breathe in the poetic feel of the writing. Excellent!

The manny, by Holly Peterson

Is your husband working so hard to ascend the ladder of success that he doesn’t have time to spend with his young son? Hire a male nanny! Jamie Whitfield does. Breezy and superficial, like whipped cream on hot chocolate - just the thing for a cold winter day.

Crashing through, by Robert Kurson

A wonderful story of Mike May, who loses his vision at age three and has it restored when he’s in his thirties. He never acts like a blind person. He's not afraid of falling or running into something. This will really get you thinking about what it means to "see." What is sight? How do we perceive the world around us? May breaks it down into small slices. Exhilarating!

Annie Freeman’s fabulous traveling funeral, by Kris Radish

Another wonderfully filling experience by the author of “Dancing Naked at the Edge of Dawn” and other woman-oriented stories. Five women celebrate the life (and death) of one of their dear friends by going to different parts of the world that were important to Annie. Annie has arranged everything ahead of time, including tickets, hotel reservations, and spending money. You can’t read Radish’s books without coming away celebrating life, believing in your dreams, and determining to put yourself first.

And if this plot seems familiar, it's similar to the new movie "P.S. I Love You" based on Cecelia Ahern's book of the same name, which I also enjoyed.

West Wing

I don't know what started it, probably presidential election fever, but I'm on a West Wing kick. I've borrowed the first couple of seasons from other libraries and it's fascinating. Yes, I watched some of the episodes when they first aired, but who had time to keep watching one TV show at the same time week after week? Now we just TiVo or watch online on our own schedule, not network or cable TV's broadcast slot. Anyway, it's a lot of fun to watch smart people, with the ability to make policy decisions, tackle real issues. I guess it was a little ahead of its time!
It's nice to know that if there's a TV series I want to watch again, I can borrow it from the library. Oh wait - it's due tomorrow! Must stay up late and watch the final three discs (double sided)...

The woman who walked into doors, by Paddy Doyle

Paula Spencer is a sister, a battered wife, mother of four and an alcoholic. Doyle puts us right inside her mind, getting us to understand who Paula is and why. I hope you cheer as I did when she throws her husband out the door. A sequel has just been published, "Paula Spencer," which continues the story.

Still summer, by Jacquelyn Mitchard

A sailing trip for four women changes when one woman's husband has appendicitis; a daughter is invited instead. A lazy vacation becomes a nightmare when the women must sail the boat themselves, and relationships are torn apart as fiercely as the sails.

Songs without words, by Ann Packer

Liz and Brody's daughter, Lauren, tries to kill herself. Packer does a tremendous job of following the ripples of this event; it's effect on the family, friends, and on Lauren herself. You'll really know these characters, care about them, and feel sad when you have to close the book.

Consequences, by Penelope Lively

Lively's novel begins in London in 1935 and takes you in slowly, spiraling into a tale of generations of women. Molly, the first daughter, works in a library and requests that the trustees (who are appointed for ten years) provide a program on D.H. Lawrence's new book, Lady Chatterley's Lover. The director is horrified, and Molly is unemployed. Lively's characters seem to float in space while she describes their actions.

Boom! Voices of the sixties, by Tom Brokaw

I love that one of the voices is Kris Kristofferson! One of my musical heroes. Kris is under the "Something's happening here" section on counterculture and revolution, along with Judy Collins and Berry Gordy. It was lots of fun to read who Brokaw selected as spokespeople for the 60's.

Stupid and contagious, by Caprice Crane

A great new writer who is comfortable with both male and female voices, Crane portrays the new Twitter generation with humor and perception. Heaven is a PR person who gets fired and finds work as a waitress -- also getting fired from that job. Brady has his own record company but no bands yet. A great scene is set in Seattle at the ten-year anniversary of Kurt's death. She has a new book, "Forget about it," that I haven't read yet but look forward to.