The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

Fantastic historical fiction about Chinese Tea production and trade by the minority Akha people that follows the life of a female who moves far beyond her traditional role of wife and mother to globalize the sale of a specialized type of tea called Pu'er. Her personal life is threaded through this fascinating narrative with sad events but also brave resolve that poignantly enriches this wonderful story.

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson

Delightful, humorous recounting of the author's childhood during the Fifties. I found myself chortling time and again as the author describes experiences and escapades of a mischievous nature but also reminds the Baby Boomer reader vividly of the many memorable elements of this decade from specific toys, television programs, and candies to events and attitudes that stemmed from a robust post WW2 economy but also the Cold War, and the Space Race. If you grew up in the Fifties, give yourself a treat and read this entertaining book.

Lillian Boxfish takes a walk bu Kathleen Rooney

 "The point of living in the world is just to stay interested" says Lillian Boxfish in this fictionalized journey through the life of a real woman who in the 1930s penetrated the world of advertising to become its most accomplished female voice at a time when clever, witty words had the power to manipulate consumers; and interested she remains over her long lifetime spent in a bustling, ever-changing New York City.  This delightful story works as a paean to both early feminism and the urban life of a remarkable city. Recommended.

In the Shadow of Man by Jane Van Lawick-Goodall

Re-read this book. First read in 1971 when I was studying Anthropology at Berkeley. Incredible story of Jane Goodall's establishment of the Gombe study of chimpanzees, and an introduction to a fascinating cast of chimp characters.

We Were The Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter

This is an incredible story of a Polish Jewish family who miraculously and with great resourcefulness and courage survived the horrors of World War 2. Imbued with authenticity because it is in fact based on the family history of the author and significant research, this engrossing, poignant story conveys much of the horror of the Holocaust even as it also transmits the tremendous spirit of one human family to endure and overcome inhumane consequences of such unfathomable dimensions. Highly recommended.

Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson

 Delightful travelogue by American expat that takes the reader through parts of England and Scotland. It is written with fondness and refreshing honesty and enlivened by humor.