A Woman of Substance  
by Barbara Taylor Bradford
A novel about a poor young girl  who went to work in a wealthy family and she fell in love. The trials and tribulations of these two make for interesting reading in this book and two novels that follow.

The Gold of Exodus by Howard Blum
A true story of two modern day adventurers who were lured by the prospect of finding gold which the Hebrew children took with them when they fled from Egypt. With only the Old Testament as a guide, they argued that Mt. Sinai, where God gave Moses the Ten Commandments, was not in the Sinai Peninsular at all but rather in Northwestern Saudi Arabia. This action packed tale - part high-tech treasure hunt, part modern-day spy thriller and part biblical detective story is riveting.

The Alienist by Caleb Carr
"Alienist" is the name by which the first physicians who specialized in the treatment of mental illness were called. Later they were called "psychiatrists." In New York City around the turn of the century, there was a brutal serial killer who was elusive to all efforts to be caught. Teddy Roosevelt, then captain of the police force, resorted to the help of an alienist to solve the crimes. Since psychiatry was frowned upon in its infancy, Roosevelt had to slip around under cover of night to seek help. Ultimately, the killer was caught. This is an intriguing story of the many facets of crime solving.

John Adams by David McCullough
The biography of the second president of the United States is an endearing love story of John and Abigail Adams, which lasted until both were in their nineties. It also tells of the deep friendship John had with Thomas Jefferson and many times, the feuds between them. The hardships of being at the helm of government in post revolutionary days were staggering and made me appreciate more fully the price of freedom in the United States.

Spandau Phoenix by Greg Iles
A fascinating story of Spandau Phoenix, a prison for Nazi war criminals in which Rudolph Hess was supposedly incarcerated until his death in 1987. When the prison was destroyed, a German policeman found a secret "Hess diary" which led to much conjuncture as to Hess' 1941 flight to England. Was the real Hess or his well trained double captured and imprisoned? The story concludes with the ruthless character, Thomas Horn, who might have been the real Hess, who carried on secret alliances and covert operations in South Africa.

An Hour Before Daylight by Jimmy Carter
The 39th President of the United States writes of his depression-era boyhood on a Georgia farm before the civil rights movement that changed it and the country. He offers an unforgettable portrait of his father a strict segregationist and his mother who had a profound influence of her son. He also described five other people who influenced his life tremendously. Only two of the five were white. Reading this story of Carter's life helped me to realize Carter rightly deserved the recent Pulitzer Award for Humanitarian Service.

Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand
Seabiscuit was born a small  slightly crooked fore legged thoroughbred whose greatest asset was a big heart. The horse rose to prominence with the help of his owner, his trainer, and his jockey. The author relates all the ups and downs of Seabiscuit; from early training sessions to record breaking victories. He was named "Horse of the Year" after a very serious injury. One gets a good look into the world of horse racing with all the rules, regulations, disappointments as well as joys. This is the story of a huge talent that almost went unrecognized until the right people came along. It is a beautiful story of winning against the odds from which children as well as adults could profit.

Sons of Fortune by Jeffrey Archer
In Hartford, Ct., during the early 1950's, twin boys are separated at birth by a meddlesome nurse who sends them home with different families. One is reared in a lower middle class home and eventually serves heroically in Vietnam. After the war, he goes into banking. The other twin is reared by wealthy parents and becomes a lawyer and politician. The men are repeatedly thrown into competition with each other. Their rivalry finally ending when they both seek the governorship of their home state. Jeffrey Archer, always a skillful storyteller, gives the end of this book his usual surprise ending.