The Four Ms. Bradwells

"The natural & proper timidity & delicacy which belongs to the female sex evidently unfits it for many of the occupations of civil life.... The paramount destiny & mission of woman are to fulfill the noble & benign offices of wife &mother. This is the law of the Creator" US Supreme Court Justice Joseph P Bradley from his 1873 opinion in Bradwell v. Illionois, denying Mrs. Myra Bradwell the right to practice law.

Four young women in law school in the early 1960s. Fifty years later, Betts is being considered for the Supreme Court. As the hearing nears its' last day, a question is voiced about an incident that happened during spring break of the girl's senior year of law school. Betts quickly gives a "non" answer and leaves the room. She is joined by her 3 girlfriends where they escape to Cook Island to mentally recreate what "really" did happen that weekend.

Meg Waite Clatyon (The Wednesday Sisters) has written a great book about women struggling to find their place in a primarily man's world in the 1960s.

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

Major Pettigrew (retired British army) leads a quiet life valuing the proper things that Englishmen have lived by for generations: honor, duty, decorum, and a properly brewed cup of tea. But then his brother's death sparks an unexpected friendship with Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the Pakistani shopkeeper from the village. Drawn together by their shared love of literature and the loss of their respective spouses, the Major and Mrs. Ali soon find their friendship blossoming into something more. But things get complicated as the Major gets interwined in his son's job & girlfriend, the ladies social event, golf club membership, Mrs. Ali's nephew and more. I wasn't sure what would actually be the "last stand" until the last chapter. Helen Simonson has written a delightful book with twists throughout.

Review written by Denise R.

This book can be found at: http://www.newberglibrary.org/

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County

Meet Truly, a "large" woman, sister of the beautiful Serena Jane who grow up in Aberdeen, a community stuck between a village and a town. The book is about Truly, shunned due to her size, Marcus the wiz kid in the school, Serena Jane the beauty queen and all the other unique personalities which make up the small minded town. We share in Truly's struggles growing up, her friendships, her lack of family and her heartaches and her dreams.

Along the way, Truly discovers an old and a new secret which end up changing the community and herself forever.

This book is about learning to accept ourselves and others. The book is full of little revelations :"Here's what I know about small towns: People in them are either all-forgiving or intolerant as mules, and the way they choose often comes down to the issue of what you're willing to sacrifice". Throw in a bit of humor and you have a great read.

This book wirtten by Tiffany Baker can be found at http://www.newberglibrary.org/

Review by Denise