I have been a reading machine lately. Comes from having my husband abandon me for what felt like six years, but was really only a couple of months. His tour schedule was brutal...and I'm counting on all of you to make my months of HELL worthwhile by buying his new novel, Summerland. Go on. Get it for your kids for the holidays. You won't be sorry.

Wonder When You'll Miss Me by Amanda Davis
This wonderful book by my lovely friend Amanda is a fabulous read. I take that back. It's a MUST read. You won't understand this until you read it - but I'll bet I'm not the only one with her very own mean, fat girl talking to her when no one else is around.

Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald
The parts that I loved about this book are amazing. Even the parts I didn't love are gorgeously written. I just wish there had been more about Austerlitz, and a bit less about architecture.

Child of My Heart by Alice McDermott
Well, it's no Charming Billy, but since that's one of the best contemporary novels I've ever read, it seems unfair to hold her to that standard, even if it is her own. The main character was a bit too good to be true, but the writing was pure McDermott - spare and lovely.

Three Apples Fell From Heaven by Micheline Aharonian Marcom
The story of what the Turks did to the Armenians is truly horrifying - it's almost trite and ridiculous even to say that about the brutal massacre of a million people.

Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles
I'm not usually a civil war aficionado, but this book was a fast enjoyable read. What a miserable and depressing time to live through. And what's with the author bio description saying Jiles is a "dual citizen" with U.S. and Canada? Um, call me crazy, but I think that's a ploy to be considered for Canadian and Commonwealth book prizes. Guess what? If you were born in the U.S. and you live in the U.S., your dual citizenship doesn't mean anything. Plus, my father had to renounce his Canadian citizenship to become American. So gimme a break.

You Are Not a Stranger Here by Adam Haslett
Oh my GOD this young man knows bi-polar disorder like no one else I've ever read. His descriptions of mania and depression are so spot-on it's almost hard to believe. Now, don't you want to know why I know that he knows whereof he writes?

Right as Rain by George P. Pelecanos
As far as I know, Pelecanos came out of nowhere to become the hugest mystery writer around. Seven books it took him to "hit," so I guess there is hope for me, yet. He's a terrific writer, and (as far as I know) does an amazing job of writing an African-American character. Grim and scary, though. Not for the faint of heart. And icky icky crack house bathroom scene. Worse than the maggot-infested toilet I used once in India.

Circling the Drain by Amanda Davis
This is my friend Amanda's wonderful story collection. The last is my favorite, which is lucky because that's what she used as a beginning for her novel!

In a Dry Season by Peter Robinson
I read this novel because I needed some plot inspiration. He's a good and entertaining writer, but not quite the plotting genius I had hoped.

Sweet Dream Baby by Sterling Watson
Okay, full disclosure. This is another Sourcebooks writer. You know, the publisher of my new literary novel, Daughter's Keeper. Still and all, you can believe when I tell you this book is lovely, with a spot-on child's voice.

A Little Death by Laura Wilson
Spoiler alert!!! Aren't we done with incest yet? Not to belittled the sufferers. But I'm so tired of it as a literary device.

His Mother's Son by Cai Emmons
Every parent's fear is that their child will grow up bad. This book does a lovely job of describing that.

Marriage: A Duet by Anne Taylor Fleming
This was on of my favorite books of this list. She's a stupendous writer. If infidelity scares you as much as it does me, you should read this. And if it doesn't, you should read it, too, to see why it should.

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by Terry Ryan
What a delightful memoir! Now that is a good mother.

The White by Deborah Larsen
I was really looking forward to this book, and the truth was it was very good. But I wished for more story, and less poetry.

The Crimson Petal and the White by Michael Faber
This was an entertaining novel, but ahem. It's pornography. Really good porn. But still, you should be prepared. And honestly, does he really think that woman is attractive? Peeling lips? No breasts? Rashy rashy skin? Feh.

I think I was grumpy for the past couple of months. I read a lot, but there were so few books that I found absolutely satisfying. Let's hope I cheer up soon.

A Citizen of the Country by Sarah Smith
This book was a wonderfully enjoyable, but I find it frustrating that the author made comprehension of the book so dependent on having read the prior books in the series.

The Piano Tuner by Daniel Mason
This is another of those first novel mega advances. It's beautifully written (if a little 'lyrical') but it suffers from the problems of its genre. The plot is kind of nowhere.

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
It's a pleasure to watch an expert at work. This book is fabulous, and I'm not even an opera buff.

They Came Like Swallows by William Maxwell
All those 'lyrical' young writers should be force-fed a diet of William Maxwell. Genius without excess.

Mr. Maybe by Jane Green
This woman is nice, generous, and a great sport.

The Elusive Embrace by Daniel Mendelsohn
Okay, he's my friend, but even if he weren't I would be blown away by the originality, the creativity, the verve of this book.

Life After Death by Carol Muske-Dukes
This was a good enough read, but I ended up a little dissatisfied at the end.

The Frog King by Adam Davies
A boy Brigit Jones, with a thesaurus.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Thank God this book is back in print. It's absolutely delightful.

Kingdom of Shadows by Alan Furst
Furst is definitely the master of this genre. Remarkable. I love the kind of languid pace of this thriller. And I mean that in the best possible way.

Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls
This book was completely fun, although I kind of wished for a happy ending with the sea creature.

The Last Noel by Michael Malone
This writer is an inspiration - a man who was a 'mystery writer' who has successfully crossed genres.

Almost by Elizabeth Benedict
I sort of wished for more of a disclosure - a mystery solved or something - in this book. I know that's shallow of me, but there it is.

White Oleander by Janet Fitch
A little too fraught for me, but a good read.

In the River Sweet by Patricia Henley
The relationships, the people, in this book felt absolutely and completely real.

The Hatbox Baby by Carrie Brown
This is a great idea, a wonderful sense of place and time, and an ultimately unsatisfying novel.

Blessings by Anna Quindlen
There's no doubt that this author can write, but I wished for more with this book.

The Grave Maurice by Martha Grimes
Why oh why did I buy this book in hardcover?

An Italian Affair by Laura Fraser
I loved this book, and I usually have zero patience for things like novels written in the second person.

I've been terribly derelict in my book log duties, and I'm afraid I won't even remember everything I've read. But I'll do my best.

When We Were Grownups by Anne Tyler
I didn't expect to find this particular character very compelling. She wasn't someone I would normally identify with. But Tyler's writing is so remarkable she just kind of sweeps you up with her. I will say that there's one male character I just absolutely didn't buy.

The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter
The mystery here isn't very good, and neither is it much of a thriller, but the window into the universe of wealthy African-American society was interesting, and I enjoyed the book for that reason.

The Dive From Clausen's Pier by Ann Packer
I loved this book so much that I actually accosted a complete stranger in the bookstore and made her buy it.

The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall
Udall can write wonderfully well, but something about Edgar's story left me a little cold.

Florence, A Delicate Case by David Leavitt
I read this right before we went to Florence, and it was a delightful window into that particularly gorgeous little city.

As the Romans Do: An American Family's Italian Odyssey by Alan Epstein
This book is awful. Truly. The author must have mentioned his "frequent" appearances on Oprah at least thirty times. Wretched. Truly.

The Hero's Walk by Anita Rau Badami
I thought I was done with my India phase, but I managed to read another. I liked it okay -- although it wasn't the best of that particular genre.

Lying Awake by Mark Salzman
He's a wonderful writer, but this is, ultimately, a book about a nun. Great if you're Catholic. Or just love nuns.

The Rotters' Club by Jonathan Coe
Coe read with Michael in Italy, and had way way more fans that he did. I decided I had to read something he wrote. It was tremendous fun.

Homestead by Rosina Lippi
I didn't even know this part of Germany existed, and the author did an amazing job of creating the world. I wish we had gotten to spend more time with each individual character, though.

How To Be Good by Nick Hornby
This is as much fun as everything Hornby writes. I was ready to KILL that David.

No Heroes by Chris Offutt
I can't believe poor Offutt had to go back to Appalachia -- but he sure wrote an amazing book about it.

Three Junes by Julia Glass
This wonderful book is a perfect little gem. The writing is beautiful, the story is compelling. The only thing I wish is that we didn't skip through time so quickly. It could have been twice as long for me.

Man and Boy by Tony Parsons
I read this book in one sitting. I'm incredibly excited to have the same publisher.

Speak Memory by Vladimir Nabokov
I think this book is perfect. I've never read prose like this. I can't imagine having that kind of magical gift.

I have been gobbling books the past two months. I've read some amazing ones...and thankfully no dogs.

The Emigrants by W.G. Sebald
It is an utter catastrophe that this man died so young. He is a great writer...and I mean great. As in people will be reading him in 200 years.

Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
Somehow we ended up receiving four copies of this book, so I decided it was incumbent upon me to read one of them. I laughed myself sick. Delightful.

The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus
Surprisingly well written, and left me cringing. Am I like those horrible Upper East Side women? You'd better ask my nanny. Only she knows.

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
This marvelous book is exactly the kind of family saga the vile "Family Orchard" tries to be. I loved every page, and was utterly depressed when it was over.

Atonement by Ian McEwan
I definitely see what all the fuss is about. The ending will knock you out.

The Buffalo Soldier by Chris Bohjalian
An engrossing read.

Don't Let's Go To The Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller
I couldn't put this down. My God, what a life. Her mother...I don't even know what to say.

Unless by Carol Shields
They say that this may be her last novel, and that is truly a tragedy.

Spilling Clarence by Anne Ursu
An entertaining first novel.

Fair Warning by Robert Olen Butler
I'm afraid this left me entirely cold.

Empire Falls by Richard Russo
I loved this book! The Pulitzer people made a fabulous choice.

Another pretty good month for novels. And now that I can upload them myself, you'll see more regular updates.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
This is the first novel by the author of the remarkably moving, horrifying, and deadly funny Lucky. It's every bit as good.

The Family Orchard by Nomi Eve
I'm just going to refer you to the brilliant Daniel Mendelsohn's review of this novel:
http://www.newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/arts/books/reviews/3893/

Where You Find It by Janice Galloway
And odd but charming collection of short stories by a Scottish writer. I reviewed it for the SF Chronicle.

Drinking the Sea at Gaza by Amira Hass
This was the highlight of my reading months. I mean, it was an amazing book, and it made me weep. Over and over again. Every single American Jew should read this book. Read it, and then argue to me that the Occupied Territories should remain in Israel's hands.

The Secret Lives of Girls by Sharon Lamb, Ed.D.
Did you know the extent of sexual play that goes on in the lives of little girls? I bet you did, but thought you were just...unique. Weird. Odd. Read this and find out how normal it all is.

Fast Girls: Teenage Tribes and the Myth of the Slut by Emily White
As someone who suffered by being branded the school slut for absolutely no good reason, I was desperate to read this book. It's pretty good. Read what I have to say about it in the SF Chronicle.

Night of Many Dreams by Gail Tsukiyama
Full disclosure: Gail is a good friend. But this is a terrific book!

Mouthing the Words by Camilla Gibb
I haven't really appreciated the "incest novel" genre for a long time. Dorothy Allison and Jane Smiley wrote astonishing books, and enough was enough as far as I was concerned. But I did read this all the way through, and did come to appreciate it as a good read.

In the Image by Dara Horn
This actually accomplishes everything the execrable Family Orchard claims it does. It's a wonderful first novel.

Friendly Fire by Kathryn Chetkovich
This book is AMAZING. Fabulous stories, every single one of which should be a novel.

Life at These Speeds by Jeremy Jackson
This book is a wonderful tear-jerker that really deserves the adjective "haunting."

The Silent Duchess by Dacia Maraini
Maraini is one of Italy's premiere novelists. The book is interesting, and the writing is by and large very good, although the translation is a bit clunky. The story left me cold, though.

In Our Strange Gardens by Michel Quint
Okay, so what in the world is wrong with the French? Do they really think this is the best fiction to come out of France since Proust? They seem to...but it's so...slight.

The Dying Animal by Phillip Roth
I loved the previous Roth, but this one is just too much of the same old sex and misogyny. Enough.

I did a lot of reading these past couple of months, and I plan to do as much or more in the next couple. In preparation for a novel I'm about to begin, I'm reading piles of first person comic novels with impeccable literary credentials.

Breakfast With Scot by Michael Downing
This little gem of a comic novel is easily and enjoyably devoured in a single afternoon.

Misconceptions by Naomi Wolf
You can read everything I think about this book in the San Francisco Chronicle book review section.

Paris to the Moon by Adam Gopnik
I swear I almost moved my entire family to Paris during the course of reading this terrific book of essays. I had read them before as they appeared in The New Yorker, but there was something especially wonderful about immersing myself in Gopnik's Paris for an extended period of time.

Look at Me by Jennifer Egan
I know Egan is a terrific writer. Her language is beautiful. But I simply find nothing even remotely interesting about models. Blame that on the fact that I'm a mere five feet tall. I read three quarters of the novel and then decided that I'd had enough.

The Grand Complication by Allen Kurzwell
This is a wonderfully complicated trick of a first novel. The writing is engaging and the story is fun. I've decided to believe that all the library details are absolutely correct, especially the Lord of Misrule.

Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks
I just love a good novel about the plague.

In the Fall by Jefrey Lent
I know without checking that the flap copy of this novel calls is a "sprawling family saga." Okay, I was wrong. "American family epic." Same thing. I enjoyed this novel tremendously, although I had the same problem with it that I have with all multi-generational tales. Just when I was really getting interested in a specific character, he or she would grow old and die.

Shopgirl by Steve Martin
I didn't want to like this book, really I didn't. I mean, isn't being a hugely successful movie star enough? Does he really get to push my husband off the bestseller list, too? But, alas, I thought it was a sweet little novella.

Disobedience by Jane Hamilton
I'm so fantastically opposed to infidelity that I usually have a problem even reading about it, but this novel is an exception. I loved it.

Why Did I Ever by Mary Robison
I wanted to love this book, because it was recommended to me by someone whom I admire tremendously. That's all I'm going to say.

The Distant Land of My Father by Bo Caldwell
I found the Shanghai parts of this novel to be wonderfully interesting. I had zero interest in the life of the Los Angeles adolescent.

Tomcat in Love by Tim O'Brien
Everyone in the world thought this was an uproariously funny delight. What's wrong with me? I gave up halfway through.

Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland
This novel faces the inevitable comparison to Tracey Vreeland's Girl With a Pearl Earring. I give the latter the nod, although I enjoyed this one enough to read it in a day.

Niagara Falls All Over Again by Elizabeth McCracken
I haven't enjoyed a novel so much in ages. Her writing reminds me of my husband's...

The Passion of Artemisia by Susan Vreeland
Read what I have to say about this novel in the San Francisco Chronicle's book review.

Dreaming Artemisia by Clara Hennen
Funny coincidence -- reviewing Vreeland's book about the Italian Baroque painter and then reading a friend's manuscript about the same woman. I'm sure Clara's book will be published. It's terrific.