Five groups?!?

I substitute teach at elementary schools a couple of times each week and volunteer for a number of literacy organizations. I also belong to five book groups, so I know people think I'm a bit nutty. However, I find great satisfaction in sharing my love of reading with friends, students, and anyone who wants to discuss literature!

THE PORTABLE DOROTHY PARKER

By Dorothy Parker

The writings of Dorothy Parker are classics, so reading and rereading this collection of witty stories, poetry, and essays evoke every emotion imaginable--from humor to sadness and awareness.

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BABY JACK

By Frank Schaeffer

Jack chooses to join the Marine Corps despite his father's disapproval. Schaeffer alternately narrates the story from the viewpoints of the son, his father, his mother, his sister, and his girlfriend. As the mother of an activeduty Marine, I wish everyone in the United States would read Schaeffer's novel for the understanding needed to respect the decisions and sacrifices of those committed to the nation's military.

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THE SONG OF NAMES

By Norman Lebrecht

* Whitbread First Novel Award

This moving novel, set in England during and after World War II, tells the story of a musical prodigy and a family that nurtures him. In an amazingly readable style, Lebrecht, a well-known music critic, relates themes of love, abandonment, exploitation, and redemption.

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A THREAD OF GRACE

By Mary Doria Russell

Russell's first foray into historical fiction, after two successful science fiction novels, is brilliant. Her story of Jewish refugees from the Holocaust, and the northern Italian resistance fighters who protect them, is realistic, powerful, and broad in scope.

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SHANTARAM

By Gregory David Roberts

Wow! Set in Bombay, this lengthy saga depicts an Australian ex-con's adventures, friends, loves, and spiritual realizations. Roberts, who based Shantaram on his own life, keeps this 900-plus-page novel moving throughout. Also, he has a wonderful writing style that plants memorable images in your head.

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THE YELLOW-LIGHTED BOOKSHOP

A Memoir, a History

By Lewis Buzbee

As a bibliophile, I love to read publications about books. One of the most recent is this memoir/ history that endearingly recounts Buzbee's life as a bookseller and mixes in fascinating bits of history about books, publishing, and bookshops. Very charming, readable, and friendly, this slim volume will make a book lover smile.

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WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN

By Lionel Shriver

* Orange Prize

Frighteningly realistic, Shriver's novel about a young man gone wrong is eye-opening and insightful. It takes a brutal look at the impact of a 15- year-old's horrific actions on his family, school, and community. (EXCELLENT Sept/Oct 2003)

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THE SOLOIST

By Mark Salzman

This was the first Mark Salzman novel I read, and it led me to all his other work. In The Soloist, a cello prodigy faces many challenges while participating in a murder trial. I also recommend True Notebooks.

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IN THE IMAGE

By Dara Horn

Dara Horn's first novel is radiant. It relates the story of an older man (with his life moving backward in time) who befriends a young woman (with her life moving forward in time). Beautifully written and curiously interesting, I've read In the Image a few times and enjoyed it more each time.

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JANE EYRE

By Charlotte Bronte

Everyone needs a few favorite classics, and Jane Eyre is definitely on my list. Eminently readable and lovely in its descriptions and emotions, this novel is always a fun and fascinating read.

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Pamela Lear lives in Del Mar, California