Readers' picks

Readers' picks

My Attainment of the Pole by Frederick Cook is a fascinating first-hand account of Cook's claim to have beaten Peary to the North Pole.

– Joe Diamanti, West Bend, Wis.

What Is The What by Dave Eggers is about a Sudanese refugee caught up in civil war there. He was one of the so-called "lost boys" who had to walk thousands of miles through all kinds of dangers to reach relative safety in Kenya. It's a real eye-opener to the sad state of affairs in Africa, a place that seems ignored by large parts of the world.

– John Evans, San Diego

In 1930, Irène Némirovsky, a Jewish immigrant living in France, wrote David Golder when she was 26 years old. Her mature insight about the life of a wealthy Jew who deals in gold and oil in the world market creates a character whose life is filled with mistrust and betrayal. As Golder prepares to die, the reader begins to see more deeply into his soul. This is a gem of a book!– Dianne Aisenbrey, Red Wing, Minn.

I have been enjoying White Jacket: Or the World in a Man-of-War by Herman Melville. Published in 1850 and written before his famous "Moby Dick," Melville describes what it was like serving on a warship for a year as our comparably young American Navy was trying to establish all its traditions and reputation for military success. Besides the many similarities to Navy life today, the book has all the elements of classical American literature – humor, pathos, poetry, and philosophy. – Rick Onderdonk, Tehachapi, Calif.

The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig is an excellent read. It is about a family and a one-room school and it is narrated in the voice of a very bright 12 year-old boy. It is set early in the 20th century in a remote Montana location. The setting is lovely, the characters come alive in the reader's eyes, and the story is very real and heart warming.

– SueDee McClelland, Davis, Calif.

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