Lady Tan's Circle of Women - Lisa See

 

A great read from my book club.  I'd previously read her book Snow Flower and the Secret Fan and enjoyed it according to my review.  This is the true story of a female Chinese physician from the 1400s who became renowned for her writings on medical treatment and medicine for women.  The writing was flowing and engaging while immersing the reader in Chinese culture over 30 years before Christopher Columbus came to America.  I loved learning about the history of women's lives and those of the elite class of people. A moving story of a legendary woman. 

Reference to the first book on forensic science: The Washing Away of Wrong Sung Tz'u

Published: 2023  Read: May 2026  Genre: Historical fiction

Proof of Heaven - Eben Alexander

 sub-title: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife

My sister gave this to me.  It's the story of a doctor who had a near death experience after going into a coma from an infection.  It was a life changing experience that drove him to share his experience with others. I was moved by the transformation of his beliefs and his passion for sharing his experience.

Published: 2012  Read: May 2026  Genre: Memoir

Hiding Mengele - Betina Anton

 Sub-title: How a Nazi Network Harbored the Angel of Death

I've long heard that Josef Mengele, the Nazi "Angel of Death" was harbored at the end of his life by a family named Bossert.  This book was written by a Brazilian author who had access to previously un-accessed letters, documents and reports about his escape to South America after WWII where he remained and died in 1979, over 30 years after the end of the war.  It's a detailed factual account constructed from first person accounts, police records and thorough research.  It a horrific account of a cruel, inhuman man and the people who protected him.  I gleaned some tidbits about the last family he was sheltered by, the Bosserts.  They were originally from Austria and had been living in Argentina for several years when they met Mengele.  The book revealed the community of German expats and family who kept his identity a secret when he was being hunted for his war crimes.  A sad, revealing story of the dedication to a belief by a group of people.

Published: 2025  Read: May 2026  Genre: History

The In-Between Bookstore - Edward Underhill

 

This was a good read for a weekend away. A trans young man living in New York City has his job eliminated and his apartment rent increased.  Checking in at home in Iowa he finds out his Mom is selling his childhood home and he decides to go back and help her move to a new place. The story tells of his angst in returning to the place he left for college as a girl and is returning as a 30 year old man. He has to face his fears and the community where he felt he didn't belong. He has a chance to make things different when he visits his previous work place, a bookstore where time is flexible. I enjoyed the story.

Published: 2025  Read: May 2026 Genre: Fiction