Larry:

This book reads like a novel and is chilling in its calm observation of the whys and wherefores of the history of al-Qaeda, kind of a mouse and elephant tale of caution.  But, will we the great United States ever learn?

The Looming Tower: Al-Qaeda and the Road to 9/11

Lawrence Wright

$17.00

This national bestseller and National Book Award finalist is now available in paperback. A gripping narrative that spans five decades, "The Looming Tower" explains in unprecedented detail the rise of al-Qaeda and the intelligence failures that culminated in the attacks on 9/11.

More books to read about!

Carolyn:

This is the first Robert Crais I have read in a very long time (so long, I don't remember how and what).  The writing is tight, the characters, well-fleshed and the situations, believable.  Crais manages to respect the reader's intelligence without falling into terminology and references which so delight insiders, whether it be Former Soviet Bloc criminology, weaponry or Southern California geography.  I read it practically one sitting (yes, that makes for a very early morning shut-eye); the story was that good.  And, I don't think I'll ever again pull in to a "cheap gas" filling station and use my credit card with so little thought.

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20% off this Hardcover Fiction!

The First Rule

Robert Craise

$26.95

From the "New York Times"-bestselling author who sets the standard for intense, powerful crime-writing comes a blistering thriller featuring Joe Pike and Elvis Cole.

From Publishers Weekly (10/26/2009):
When garment importer Frank Meyer and his family are executed in their Los Angeles home at the start of bestseller Crais's adrenaline-fueled second thriller to feature PI Joe Pike (after The Watchman), LAPD detectives soon connect Meyer to Pike, who knew each other from their days as military contractors. Pike is convinced that Meyer, who left soldiering to start a family, wasn't dirty, even though his murder is the seventh in a series of violent robberies where the victims were all professional criminals. Determined to clear his friend's name, Pike discovers that Frank's nanny and her family have ties to Eastern European organized crime. With the help of PI partner Elvis Cole (the lead in Chasing Darkness and eight other books), Pike engages in a dangerous and not always legal game of cat and mouse with some of the city's most dangerous crooks. Pike emerges as an enigmatically appealing hero, whose lethal skills never overshadow his unflappable sense of morality.

Brenda:

I'm a huge fan of "Gooseberry Patch" cookbooks. I read them like novels! I've never made a recipe that I didn't not enjoy and wouldn't make again. "Harvest Kitchen" is filled with recipes that bring warmth to the tummy, like Biscuit & Beef Casserole and Farmhouse Ham. Let's not forget dessert... how about some Maple Nut Bars or Sweet Potato Pie? Whether you're tailgating or getting ready for that fall gathering, you're sure to find a recipe that everyone will love.

A pot of country-style stew simmering on the stovetop, sips of warm cinnamon-spiced cider and the aroma of a golden turkey roasting in the oven... autumn has arrived, and it's a glorious time! The season is filled to the brim with reasons to get together with family & friends, and no matter what the reason for getting together, a peek through the pages of Harvest Kitchen will inspire you! Slow-cooker dishes like BBQ Country Ribs and New England Chili are tasty dinners to come home to after treasure-seeking at local barn sales, while End-Zone Layered Taco Dip is a sure game-day pleaser. Little Halloween princesses and pirates will love Spider Cakes and Hot Witches' Brew, while Wild West Quesadillas are a pie-iron favorite for supper around the campfire. For Thanksgiving dinner, try Mom's Caramel Sweet Potatoes and New England Wild Rice & Apples... they'll be welcomed alongside traditional favorites.

Antoinette:

There's a reason this memoir is and has been on best seller's lists for weeks on end (and it's not just because it's now a movie [which I have not seen, so I am not "jumping on the bandwagon," so to speak]). Maybe it's just because I like to cook, but I feel that anyone reading this could find  a healthy dose of humor. But it's not just a story about a woman's journey through an extremely long and difficult-seeming cookbook. Powell brings us along on her path to finding who she is, and who she wants to be. Throw in a nice amount of hilarious social commentary and you've got a great read.

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Julie & Julia

Julie Powell

$14.99

Powell needs something to break the monotony of her life. So, she invents a deranged assignment: She will take her mother's dog-eared copy of Julia Child's 1961 classic, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," and cook all 524 recipes in the span of just one year.