Old School by Tobias Wolfe

Our book club selection for June proved to be a quick read perfectly tailored for English teachers. Set at a male boarding school in the sixties, the book examines what it means to be a teacher and a writer. Robert Frost, Ayn Rand and Ernest Hemingway are each visiting authors slated to come visit the school. Prior to these visits, the boys write a contest piece that determines which of them will be selected to have a private interview with the visiting author. I will recommend this book to teacher friends - there should be a lot of book club discussion fodder here.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson

We went to see the Swedish subtitled movie of The GIrl with the Dragon Tattoo on Friday night, so I was anxious to finish this last installment in the trilogy. Wow!!!! Up really late turning pages at the end of Lisbeth's trial last night. I love these books!

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

My official first day of summer break following a week of grading AP English Literature and Composition essays in Louisville was spent reading Aimee Bender's new novel. I am a huge fan of Bender's quirky characters and this book did not disappoint. The main character in this work of magical realism is a little girl named Rose who can taste emotions in her food - from the sadness of her mother's lemon cake to the sterility of school cafeteria food. I devoured the book in one sunny day on the deck - no pun intended.

Elliot Allagash by Simon Rich