Open: an autobiography, by Andre Agassi. You don’t need to be a tennis fan to love this book. Agassi’s life is as interesting off the court as on, and the story is engagingly co-written by Pulitzer Prize winner J.R. Moehringer. Tennis fans will be fascinated by Agassi’s total recall of his matches (he could predict Boris Becker’s serve by watching which way his tongue pointed!). The honesty with which he tells his story is just riveting. Be prepared to have your notions about Agassi and professional tennis totally blown away. Robert

The Vintage Caper, by Peter Mayle, is the newest novel of French flavor by the author of A Year in Provence.  This story about a wine heist takes place in Los Angeles and the south of France.  Several hundred bottles of very fine wine, worth over $2 million, are stolen from a wealthy L.A. entertainment lawyer.  The insurance investigator assigned to the case brings in a crime expert and ends up in France, trying to track down the wine, the thieves, or both.  The book is filled with Mayle’s humor and fondness for wealthy pleasures, in wine cellars and cafe scenes in Paris, Bordeaux and Marseille. Sarah

When everything changed: The amazing journey of American women from 1960 to the Present, by Gail Collins.   I enjoyed reading this book because it filled in the gaps that were left from previous history classes.  It starts out by mentioning in 1960 that women were not allowed to wear pants in public.  It ended with Hillary Clinton’s run for the presidency in 2008.  Expertly researched with oral testimonies it told the lives of American women and the progress made and not made during the past 50 years regarding politics, fashion, family, education and work. Laurie

A Season of Gifts, by Richard Peck.  Newbery award winner Peck brings back the character of Grandma Dowdel for the third time in this story set in Illinois about a half century ago.  Told through the eyes of her 12-year-old neighbor, Bob, who finds Grandma to be both an unusual character and a valuable ally, this is a holiday tale about a lady who "didn't wait for Christmas to give out her gifts." This gentle, funny story would make a terrific family read-aloud. Sue

The National Parks: America’s Best Idea: an Illustrated History, by Dayton Duncan. This stunning book is the companion volume to the twelve hour PBS series by Ken Burns, produced by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns.  The book describes the birth of the national parks idea in the 1800s and traces its development for almost 150 years.  There are many beautiful photographs of Yosemite, Sequoia, Yellowstone and Crater Lake National Parks, to name just a few examples.  There are also many interesting historical photographs.  Each of the six chapters includes an interview with someone whose life has been connected to the national parks.  This is a book that can be enjoyed on different levels, but even spending a short amount of time with it is entertaining and educational, as well as inspiring. Susan