Pollyanna Grows Up/ Eleanor Porter/ 216 pages

Pollyanna Grows Up was written by Eleanor Porter as a sequel to Pollyanna.  Pollyanna has recovered from her accident and has returned home to Aunt Polly and her new husband Dr. Chilton.  At the request of a nurse Pollyanna goes to Boston to bring her special magic to her spinster sister, Ruth Carew.  Miss Carew has lived in a dark dreary world ever since the disappearance of her nephew, Jamie.  Pollyanna is amazed at Boston, the size and number of people excite her.  It's not long before she makes friends and introduces Miss Carew to the 'stray people' she befriends.  Over the course of the book Pollyanna becomes a young woman facing yet another obstacle to overcome with her glad game.  The reader will be satisfied with the ending as all becomes clear and friends become more.  The only draw back in reading this book is setting it in time.  Pollyanna, Aunt Polly and Dr. Chilton spend six years in Europe.  It seems that they would have been there during World War I yet this never enters into the book.

Stronger, Jeff Bauman, 244 pages,

Jeff Bauman was waiting for his girlfriend Erin to cross the finish line at the Boston Marathon in 2013.  He stares at a young man and gets a bad feeling.  Moments later the man is gone, but his back pack is still there.  Before Jeff can react, his life is forever changed.  Jeff delivers a very upbeat account of his life after the Boston Marathon bombing.  This book was a fairly quick read from Jeff's point of view, without medical or forensic jargon.

Given Day / Dennis Lehane 704 p. Big Book

This historical novel focuses on the post-World War I Boston.  The intricate plot follows two main characters; an African American Luther Lawrence and Irish cop Danny Coughlin.  Danny has strong family ties to the upper echelon of the Boston Police Department.  He and Luther force a strong bond when Luther comes to work for the Danny's police captain father.  It is interesting to read of Calvin Coolidge, governor at that time, as he makes a name for himself during the Police Strike of 1919.  Boston cops were paid below the poverty level and worked in appalling situations.  Union members are persecuted by the police commissioner.   Luther is on the run.  He got involved in illicit activities and kills to save his life.  This story tells of anarchy, socialism, Bolsheviks, Prohibition, racism, the strikes, baseball, and Babe Ruth.  Through the tragedies it tells of the bonds between family and friends.  This page-turner was hard to put down and left you wanting to know more about Danny and Luther.