Emma by Jane Austen
Confident that she knows best, Emma schemes to find a suitable husband for her friend Harriet, only to discover that she understands the feelings of others as little as she does her own heart. As Emma puzzles and blunders her way through the mysteries of her social world, Austen evokes a cast of unforgettable characters and a portrait of a small town undergoing historical transition.

The Christmas Train by David Balducci
Tom Langdon, a weary and cash-strapped journalist, is banned from flying when a particularly thorough airport security search causes him to lose his cool. Now, he must take the train if he has any chance of arriving in Los Angeles in time for Christmas with his girlfriend. To finance the trip, he sells a story about a train ride taken during the Christmas season.

House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus
Kathy gets evicted for failing to pay a tax she never should have been charged for in the first place. The house is put up for auction ad bought by a former military officer from Iran. When legal efforts fail her, Kathy turns to a sympathetic cop who wants out of a loveless marriage and who is willing to step over legal boundaries if it might give him the fresh start he's craving.

The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
Six Californians join us to discuss Jane Austen's novels. Over the six months they meet, marriages are tested, affairs begin, unsuitable arrangements become suitable, and love happens.

Seven for a Secret by Victoria Holt
The idyllic village of Harper's Green seems picture-perfect, with its Norman church, stately manor house and full complement of local busybodies. But in this haphazard romantic mystery set in turn-of-the-century England, nasty secrets wait to be uncovered.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
Amir and Hassan are inseparable. As children in the relatively stable Afghanistan of the early 1970's, they spend idyllic days running kites and telling stories of mystical places and powerful warriors until an unspeakable event changes their relationship forever. Even after Amir and his father flee to America, Amir remains haunted by his cowardly actions and disloyalty. In part, it is these demons and the sometimes impossible quest for forgiveness that bring him back to his war torn native land after it comes under Taliban rule.

Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
Erik Larson imbues the incredible events surrounding the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Larson tells the stories of Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the fair's construction, and H. H. Holmes, a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor. Burnham's challenge was immense. The activities of the sinister Dr. Holmes, who is believed to be responsible for scores of murders around the time of the fair, are equally remarkable.

Our Story: 77 Hours That Tested Our Friendship and Our Faith by the Quecreek Miners
A story of nine Pennsylvania coal miners who were trapped underground for more than three days last July. Told via the miners' own words, it's a blessedly unsentimental and true-to-life account of a horrifying situation and a triumphant escape.

Letting Go: Morrie's Reflections on Living While Dying by Morrie Schwartz
Unlike many who discover they have an incurable illness and then withdraw from society, Morrie Schwartz remains open to new experiences. Wanting to learn more about life and death, he objectively watched himself die, at first taking notes and then tape-recording his thoughts, feelings, and memories as his health declined. Personal aphorisms-heartfelt, succinct observations-from this book's core.