Another success in non-fiction, "Encore Provence" is agile and amusing (aren't all of Mayle's works?). The author takes a bit of an off-the-path route in Encore, opting to focus more on tourist attractions and eating establishments, rather than chronicling his actual experiences with Provençal life. The book ventures beyond the confines of Provence and into the surrounding areas. Suffice it to say, it is more of a lavish tourist guide and less of a novel.

Granted, it makes very agreeable reading. In my humble opinion, however, "Encore" doesn't reach the brilliant apex of Mayle's previous two masterpieces: "A Year in Provence", and "Toujour Provence", both of which I found equally enjoying. Regrettably, "Encore" definitely lacks the pinnace of its predecessors.

Nonetheless, it's redeeming qualities are still evident in it's many entertaining anecdotes, and it's indisputably informative pages when it came to "touristy" points of interest (to those who long to know the *real* Provence).

Coupland's "mircroserfs" was a switch from the what I normally read, yet the change was not an unwelcome one - rather refreshing! It is written by Douglas Coupland, the Canadian author best known for coining the term Generation X.

The novel is narrated in the form of a journal (which in itself is appealing to me) penned by the main character, Dan Underwood (26). To set the scene, the journal starts in the fall of 1993. Underwood serves as a computer programmer for Microsoft. The entertaining plot revolves around the misadventures of he and his fellow code-crunching computer whizzes. These self-professed 'geeks', obsessed with lego, and who often lament their lack of a social life, board together at a Microsoft "dorm".

Otherwise known as "microserfs", they spend 16-hour days coding, eating "flat" foods (ie. Kraft singles or fruit rollups, which are often passed underneath closed doors), and checking/sending email. Seizing the chance to be innovators and wanting to escape their Bill-run world, this intrepid bunch of quirky coders strike out on their own, as they form a high-tech gaming software company named Oop! located in Silicon Valley.

Spanning about 2 years, the novel lends us the complex and often hilarious story of what it's like for these coders, living together in a sort of digital flophouse as they desperately try to "get a life" and find love amid the dislocated, subhuman whir and buzz of their digitally-driven world.

I find Coupland's wit modern, funny, to-the-point and often thought-provoking. The novel itself is comical, illuminating and ultimately poignant. Indeed, literal tears welled up at the conclusion, which was an unexpectedly touching one. Admittedly, it is not a novel I would recommend to just anyone. Yet it is definitely a novel I personally wouldn't want to do without.

The weighty equation E=mc2 and the theory of relativity, conjure up images of a wiry-haired wrinkled old genius known to the world as Einstein. The author, Paterniti, mixes his own equation with words. The result? More than just a relative success, "Driving Mr. Albert" is a light and amiable concoction of humor, eccentricity, wit, poignancy, as well as raw and often highly amusing observation.

The ever-curious journalist (Paterniti) researches and finally meets Dr. Harvey, the mortician who performed the autopsy on Einstein in 1955. Scandal ensued when Harvey absconded and ultimately "disappeared" with the brain of the genius himself, claiming to be doing scientific studies to assertain if there were any unique facets to it. As Paterniti and Harvey's worlds collide, the result is far from prosaic.

Paterniti writes with such a personal flourish of his own, I was instantly captivated and found myself a passenger aboard his eccentric cross-country pilgrimage with Dr. Harvey and their third "passenger", Einstein's brain (bobbing in a formaldehyde-filled Tupperware container stowed in the trunk).

"Driving Mr. Albert" is the embodiment of the cliché: it's not the destination, but the journey that counts. As Paterniti and Harvey bomb towards California in a rented Skylark to rendezvous with Einstein's granddaughter, Evelyn, the author not only ascertains much about the contradictory persona of Einstein, and Dr. Harvey's fascinating life, but also about his own existence. The words I absorbed enraptured me in laughter, had me strolling down my own memory lane, and brought me near to tears during unexpected poignant scenes. The story and the intriguingly vivid characters, coupled with Paterniti's descriptive rhetoric made for an utterly arresting read. It's also makes for wonderful light weekend reading, as it's mere 211 pages will attest, and can be finished in a few sittings. With a plethora of these factors in its favor, I would not hesitate recommending "Driving Mr. Albert" to anyone who enjoys a truly entertaining anecdote, both deep and humorous.

Whimsical and witty...two words I would definitely not hesitate to use in description of this enjoyable little novel by Bailey White. Quite A Year For Plums dwells on the slightly off-center antics of small-town citizens in south Georgia, and boasts an array of characters who breathe life into every-day occurrences. There's Roger, a quiet peanut pathologist who is a bit of an unlikely hometown celebrity. There's Meade and Eula, two elderly spinsters who believe it is their sole purpose in life to protect "their" Roger from having his heart broken...again. Then there's somewhat subdued and eccentric Della -an artist who is obsessed with painting painstakingly detailed portraits of birds- who Roger falls head over peanuts for. Without even meeting Della, the peanut pathologist is captivated by the mysterious yet practical notes the artist leaves on the perfectly useful things she leaves at the community dump. There's not much else to say about Plums except that I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of this simple yet touching novel. It honestly put a smile on my face with nearly every turn of the page and had me saying to myself almost enviously, "Why couldn't I have thought of that?"

A novel I have read and re-read, and will continue to do so with great gusto - every time, falling hopefulessly in love with the characters all over again. It is by far, my favorite.

Published in 1813 and premiered under the title First Impressions, Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" stands as one of the most universally loved and admired novels of English literature. Not only is it a tale of rural romance, but also a witty and shrewdly observed satire of English country life.

The story takes place in a remote Hertfordshire village, in George III's England. Mr. Bennett, a country squire of no great means, endeavors to marry off his five vivacious daughters. At the heart of all this all-consuming enterprise are his headstrong second daughter, Elizabeth Bennett and her aristocratic suitor Fitzwilliam Darcy - two lovers whose pride must be humbled and prejudices dissolved before the novel can come to it's splendid conclusion.

The drama of Les Miserables unfolds in France during the French Revolution. It is a story that exudes both tragedy and hope...love and hate...and the belief that everyone can start over with a 'clean slate' if they have the courage and willpower to do so.

At the outset we are introduced to the main character, Jean Valjean, an atoned convict who reverses his wrong course in life and eventually develops into the benevolent and gentle Mayor of Montreuil (a prosperous small town in France).

Inspector Javert, who served as Valjean's prison guard decades ago in Paris, moves to the town of Vigo. Much to Valjean's dismay, Javert eventually recognizes the Mayor as an ex-convict. From then on, Inspector Javert swears revenge against Valjean - seeking to expose him as an ex-convict and have him taken into custody. This is in keeping with Javert's personal maxim: "once bad, always bad."

After Valjean realizes Javert has recognized him, he goes into hiding after being entrusted with the care of a young orphan girl. Valjean and the little girl, who he raises as a daughter, restart a life of anonymity away from the bitter Javert (who will stop at nothing to recapture Valjean).

Almost a decade later, the obsessed Javert again catches up with Valjean and the reader is brought along on the adventure to a poignant culmination.

Anne Frank's diary has moved millions around the world, past and present, with it's honesty, depth, and poignancy. (Personally, it was Anne's diary that motivated me to write my own journal as a young girl and I continue to write faithfully, ever since. It is one of the few books that I've read which has had the greatest influence on my life.) Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl living in Amsterdam, along with her family, went into hiding along with her family during WWII, when Holland was annexed by the Nazis Regime. During the long years of secret captivity in the building's attic, Anne captured her hopes, loves, fears and thoughts on life in her diary, where she affectionately addressed her entries to an imaginary friend she named "Kitty".

Despite the horrible reality of war just outside her window, Anne was a person who could see beyond man's inhumanity to man, and perceive true beauty and the gift of life. Tragically, nearing the war's conclusion, the family's hiding place is mercilessly betrayed to the Nazis...which ultimately culminates in the final chapter of this lovely young girl's life, just prior to liberation. This is a true story...a diary of a young girl....and her voice from the past. It's a memoir of a brilliant and deep being who wasn't afraid to hope for something better, beyond the misery surrounding her. In my opinion, it is a book that every person should read.

It was an overcast day on Saturday, March 9, 2002. I stood just outside of Anne Frank's final dwelling place, the "Secret Annex," at Prinsengracht 263, Amsterdam. I was overcome with great sadness as I gazed up at the small attic window where she must have looked out...a tree-lined canal just across the way. Perhaps she watched the ducks in the water, swallows overhead, the steady sloping of the rain, or the cloud formations....day in and day out. I imagined what it would be like to be a young girl in confinement, yearning to enjoy life amidst the free, only to be shut up, and kept quiet for fear that an audible breath would betray my family's whereabouts and terminate our lives. I wept at the great waste of life, the cruelty, the plundering of innocent lives, and how this amazing young woman maintained the inner strength to endure those years...and had the courage to capture it all with such delicacy, calm candor and beauty.

Like most young ones my age, I read and studied "To Kill A Mockingbird" in junior high school. But this story has stuck with me through the years, and every time I flip through it's pages, I look back on it with affection. This classic tale of courage and altruism is timeless.

It is the early 1950's in the southern states. A highly respected small-town lawyer decides to take on a case defending a framed African American man, although he knows he will not win the trial. The lawyer must face the ridicule of the town's folk, and racists in his community who seek to have the framed man killed.

In the meantime, the lawyer's two children (Scout and Jem) get entangled in the age-long mystery of Boo Radley, their mysterious next door neighbor who no one has seen for years...and who no one seems to understand.

"To Kill A Mockingbird" is a touching story full of life-lessons, one of which proves that fighting a losing battle may be difficult, but "good" will ultimately triumph if you stand up for what you know to be right and true.

"The Count of Monte Cristo" is an intriguing tale of retribution. The complex and rivetting plot revolves around Edmond Dantes, a idealistic and principled young man who is unwittingly framed for a serious crime, and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison. There he meets a man who will change his life...and point him towards freedom and his means of vengeance on those who have wronged him. Without a doubt, this novel is a masterpiece, attaining the balance of true symphony between justice and revenge. The characterization and atmosphere portrayed is rich enough to evoke anyone's imagination. Dumas' attention to detail adds to the ambiance and vivacity of the tale. As a fitting testament to it's nearly be rushed, rather savored. The unabridged version (875 pages) is a must, with its banquet of flavorful scenes - it is a full course meal for any hungry bookworm - the abridged version is merely a buttered cracker. "The Count of Monte Cristo" is one of my most treasured novel and, without hesitation, by far the best book I have ever read! I stand by this opinion so ardently, that I always keep extra copies of it in my bookshelf, in case I meet with someone who will really appreciate it. Avid readers, enjoy!

If it be a no-brainer adventure or a plot full of relentless debauchery you're looking for, I suggest you avoid this book entirely. However, if you seek a deeply touching novel of intelligence and substance, indeed I urge you to read "Who Has Seen The Wind". It portrays the story of a prairie boy's initiation into the mysteries of life, as he discovers death, God, and the spirit that moves through everything: the wind. The plot details the little things in life that most of the masses overlook, and accurately relates the expressions and deep feelings of a young person growing up during the Great Depression. At the time I read it in school I could relate very easily to the primary character, Brian O'Connal. The novel's greatest strengths lie in its sensitive evocations of Brian's feelings, sometimes associated with his various experiences of death, sometimes with a child's fundamental, inarticulate but insistent curiosity to discover the world within and beyond himself. I was lost in the character's maturation and progression as a person. It is truly a book I will never forget. "Who Has Seen The Wind" definitely has contributed to the way I looked at life in general, as a young person at the time.