Being a librarian at the Swampscott Public Library and moderating a number of book groups, I am always being asked for suggestions of what to read.  I’ll meet someone in Vinnin Sqauare, we start talking, and eventually the question of books will come up. 

Try as I may, I am not always able to remember all the books I have read recently. However, I do keep a log at home of everything I have read for the past 10 years.

So here is a highlight of some of the books I have read in 2011 that I really enjoyed.

In the Nonfiction Category:

Wendy and the Boys: The Uncommon Life of Wendy Wasserstein by Julie Salomon — A unique memoir and tribute to a prize winning playwright-her life, her loves and her family all of which made Wendy Wasserstein the amazing woman she was.

Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand — The author of the memorable book Seabiscuit, brings us the unforgettable story of Louie Zamperini, an Olympic runner who became an army hero surviving three years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp — a book you won’t be able to put down.

Townie by Andre Dubus III — A memoir filled with beauty and sadness of growing up on the streets but finding oneself through the art of writing-by the author of The House of Sand and Fog

And in the Fiction Category:

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake is an emotionally haunting novel set both in Cape Cod and in London during World War II.  The author weaves two tales simultaneously which culminate in a surprise ending.  The dilemma- what if the postmistress decided not to deliver a piece of mail?

The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides — How do you follow up a book like Middlesex?  It has been 9 years since and Eugenides has created a dynamic new work of fiction which follows the lives, loves and discoveries of a group of college students at Brown University in the 80s.  This is a magnificently written book.

Faith by Jennifer Haigh — This is a story of an Irish Catholic family living in the South Shore of Massachusetts who must deal with the fact that one of their sons, a priest, has been accused of having a sexual relationship with a young boy.  Told through the eyes of the sister, this story of sadness and shame reminds us of those unsettling times in 2002.

These are just a few.  Hope you enjoy them.