Mary Cox's Best Reads of 2014

December 19, 2014

mary cox 1My name is Mary Cox, and I have lived in Evanston for almost 8 years. I am a personal trainer and most of my hobbies involve moving my body in some way. I love to play tennis, hike, and embrace all that summer has to offer here with my children and husband. When I do relax, it is with a book where I can truly escape and unwind.

1) The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (2013)

Amazing character development with a unique story.  At the end, I felt like I had been a part of the story.

Continue reading “Mary Cox's Best Reads of 2014”


Liz Dombeck's Best Reads of 2014

December 6, 2014

dombeckMy name is Liz Dombeck, and I’ve been living in Evanston for almost 4 years after returning to Chicagoland from living on the east coast for 10 years.  I’m a former Spanish teacher that currently tutors and does varied volunteer work through my children’s school’s PTA.  I love reading, cooking, fitness, and travel.

.

1) The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (2013)

I loved how this book was long, but easy to get caught up the story.  You meet the main character, Theo, when he is just a teenager and you really feel like you are growing up with him over the course of the novel.  His great loss has shifted the path of his life and reminds us how one moment can change the course of our future forever.

Continue reading “Liz Dombeck's Best Reads of 2014”


2014 Carnegie Medals For Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction

July 1, 2014

goldfinchbully pulpitThe Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction was awarded to Donna Tartt for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Goldfinch. The award for nonfiction went to historian Doris Kearns Goodwin for The Bully Pulpit. The medals were presented at the American Library Association’s annual meeting in Las Vegas on Saturday. Each winner receives a $5,000 cash prize. Commenting on the importance of libraries during her childhood, Ms. Tartt said: “you can really change someone’s life by giving them the right book at the right time. All writers are readers before we write a word, so there’s a kinship and it’s very deep.” Ms. Goodwin also has fond memories of borrowing books from her childhood library, recalling how “libraries have been second homes for her throughout her career.” Other finalists for the medal were Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah  and Edwige Danticat’s Claire of the Sea Light  for fiction, and Nicholas A. Basbanes’ On Paper and Sherri Fink’s Five Days at Memorial for nonfiction. Read more in this Seattle Times article.

Laura


Translate »