VPL - Books Just For You - Biography/Memoir, Historical Fiction and RomanceLike this list

16 items

• Beautiful Ruins

  a Novel

  Walter, Jess, 1965-

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  "... Walter's prose is a joy--funny, brash, witty and rich with ironic twists. He's taken all of the tricks of the postmodern novel and scoured out the cynicism, making for a novel that's life-affirming but never saccharine." -- Kirkus

• To Capture What We Cannot Keep

  Colin, Beatrice

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  "This exquisitely written, shadowy historical novel will appeal to a wide variety of readers, ..." -- Library Journal

• Everyone Brave Is Forgiven

  Cleave, Chris

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  "Real, engaging characters, based loosely on Cleave’s (Little Bee ) own grandparents, come alive on the page. Insightful, stark, and heartbreaking, Cleave’s latest novel portrays the irrepressible hopefulness that can arise in the face of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Transcription

  Atkinson, Kate

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  "... she is an exquisite writer of prose, using language with startling precision whether she is plumbing an inner life, describing events of appalling violence, or displaying her characters’ wonderfully acerbic wit." -- Booklist

• Dared and Done

  the Marriage of Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning

  Markus, Julia, 1939-

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  "A pleasure for informed readers." -- Library Journal

• A Touch of Stardust

  Alcott, Kate

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  "... this well-written and thoroughly researched look at Hollywood's glamorous and not-so-glamorous past." -- Library Journal

• Just Kids

  Smith, Patti

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  "Riveting and exquisitely crafted." -- Kirkus

• Dear Mrs. Bird

  a Novel

  Pearce, A. J. (Amanda-Jane)

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  "Pearce’s clever debut follows a plucky Londoner during the Blitz who dreams about becoming a war correspondent." -- Publishers Weekly

• I Am, I Am, I Am

  Seventeen Brushes With Death : a Memoir

  O'Farrell, Maggie, 1972-

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  "An intriguing and mostly engaging collection of life-threatening stories." -- Kirkus

• The Summer Before the War

  a Novel

  Simonson, Helen

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  "... what starts out as a sprightly comedy of manners takes a turn into wartime tragedy. The shift may be a bit jarring, but this novel is just the ticket for fans of Simonson’s debut, Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand (2010), and for any reader who…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Children's Blizzard

  a Novel

  Benjamin, Melanie, 1962-

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  "In this piercingly detailed drama, riveting in its action and psychology, Benjamin reveals the grim aspects of homesteading, from brutal deprivations to violent racism toward Native Americans and African Americans, while orchestrating, with grace…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The African Queen

  Forester, C. S. (Cecil Scott), 1899-1966

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  "A unique sort of love story -- and good adventure, well told." -- Kirkus

• The Marriage Question

  George Eliot's Double Life

  Carlisle, Clare, 1977-

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  "Carlisle’s cogent prose brings Eliot’s story to life, and astute literary analysis shows how Eliot’s biography influenced her novels; ..." -- Publishers Weekly

• Carnegie's Maid

  a Novel

  Benedict, Marie

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  "With its well-drawn characters, good pacing, and excellent sense of time and place, this volume should charm lovers of historicals, romance, and the Civil War period. Neither saccharine nor overly dramatized, it's a very satisfying read." --…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Three Weissmanns of Westport

  Schine, Cathleen

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  "An Austen-esque mischief hovers over these romantic relationships as the three women figure out how to survive and thrive. It's a smart crowd pleaser with lovably flawed leads and the best tearjerker finale you're likely to read this year." --…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Masterpiece

  a Novel

  Davis, Fiona, 1966-

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  "Well researched and captivating." -- LibraryReads