If you are a fan of Isabel Allende, 'A Long Petal of the Sea' is a wonderful addition to her impressive catalogue. If you are new to her work, it's a worthy introduction.

Her legacy remains in her great books, and her life will be remembered for her vision and courageous honesty.

Michelle Obama remains the protagonist in this book. Like her mother, she nurtures her children and her family with consummate skill. Like her family, she encountered racism and discrimination along the way. Unlike her mother, she juggled this with full-time employment, and ultimately with being the most famous woman in the world.

"In Pieces" is eloquent, entertaining, and courageous. Although there are plenty of show business anecdotes, some tender and some quite funny, the real story is about a woman who had to rebuild herself after surviving a terribly damaging childhood.

Allison Pearson’s knack for finding the humor as well as the pathos in midlife storms is what makes her writing such a pleasure.

Today we gather together to celebrate Thanksgiving—our beloved homegrown holiday, a thoroughly admirable American tradition. But is the history of Thanksgiving so admirable?