14. The Commoner

Rated 5 Stars
By John Burnham Schwartz


This was a great change of pace book for me. It is a fictionalized account of the Japanese royal family as they transition from a pre WWII mindset to the more modern Japan that has been changed almost beyond recognition. I highly recommend this book.

"It is 1959 when Haruko, a young woman of good family, marries the Crown Prince of Japan, the heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne. She is the first nonaristocratic woman to enter the mysterious, almost hermetically sealed, and longest-running monarchy in the world. Met with cruelty and suspicion by the Empress and her minions, Haruko is controlled at every turn. The only interest the court has in Haruko is her ability to produce an heir. After finally giving birth to a son, she suffers a nervous breakdown and loses her voice. However, determined not to be crushed by the imperial bureaucrats, Haruko perseveres. Thirty years later, now Empress herself, she plays a crucial role in persuading another young woman - a rising star in the foreign ministry - to accept the marriage proposal of her son, the Crown Prince. The consequences are tragic and dramatic." "Told in Haruko's voice, The Commoner is the story of a brutally rarefied and controlled existence at once hidden and exposed, and of a complex relationship between two isolated women who, despite being visible to all, are truly understood only by each other."--BOOK JACKET.

15. Firefly Lane

By Kristen Hannah
Rated 3 Stars

From THE LIBRARY REVIEW: "A touching story of the friendship between two very different women. Cee Cee Bloom, with her loud mouth, loud personality and flaming red hair, is determined to become a Hollywood star. Bertie White, delicate and conservative, hopes for a loving husband and family. They meet as children in 1951 in Atlantic City, and, as pen pals, keep in touch with each other. Their reunions through the years always occur at or near the beach, whether in Sarasota, Malibu or Hawaii. Their story jumps back and forth between past and present. Cee Cee and Bertie are genuine, and readers will like them and understand why they are friends. Both characters suffer much, particularly Bertie, whose life seems most unjust. Young adults will be pulled into their lives, caring greatly about them and the steady stream of tragedies that befall them. In a particularly moving ending, Cee Cee leaves a show in the middle of production to care for Bertie, who is dying of cancer."

Oh wait, this review is for Beaches, by Iris Dart. Sorry about that, I got confused there for a minute. But Kristen Hannah does a pretty good job with this story too. Change a few dates, a few names, the location and Presto, your in business. I also Liked it when she used Bob Woodward's injury in Iraq to add a little extra drama to the story. Very touching.