Roots of the Olive Tree / Courtney Miller Santo / 306 pages

Debut novelist Courtney Miller Santo tells a wonderful story of 5 generations of women who seem to have the genes that not only ensure longevity but also health.  Santo is wonderful at creating varied and rich characters and showing their relationships.  There's also an underlying theme of the ethics and moral dilemmas of extending life and what if the secrets and experiences that people carry make a long life less than desirable.  Loved reading about the process of growing, cultivating and harvesting olives as well.  All in all a great read and one that would work well for book discussion groups.