Pete Recommends...

A good behind-the-scenes look at the only team that matters. Not as bitter as the press would lead you to believe. If you follow the team, you've had hints of the tension amongst the management -- and if you don't follow the Sox then I suggest you leave the store right now. Still waiting for an answer as to why a management group that wants its baseball team to play in a more sexy and exciting manner would then go out and buy a soccer team.

It's good to see one of the leading voices of the Transcendentalists movement finally getting her due credit.

The Art of Fielding covers all the bases - small college baseball, Melville, and many memorable characters. The best baseball-related fiction since Brothers K. You don't need to be a baseball fan to appreciate this book.

A well-written history of cancer. Neither "we can beat this!" nor "we're all doomed!" Just a good factual history of what we know and don't know about the disease.

Emotional story of a young woman following the trail of her dead sister. Both Phoebe and Faith are compelling and conflicted characters. In Faith we see the promise and the dangers of the 60's. One of my favorite books about love and family.

If anybody deserved an outlet from the problems at home it's MacDonald. Great insight into the music scene in Boston.

Fantastic storytelling. Really puts you in the time and place of the characters.

I love a book that has a strong sense of place and in Island, Alistair MacLeod has cast Cape Breton as his main character.

A history of New York City as told through the life of Cormac O'Connor which extends from 1741 to 2001. Despite the magic of the premise, this book is distinguished by the very real love that the author feels for his city. Unfortunately, O'Connor's story ends before A-Rod arrives so we don't get to see if his feelings about the city have been soiled.

Zena is one of the most evil, manipulative, and seductive characters that I have ever come across. I think I'm in love.

Part Dickens, part Angela's Ashes, it's incredible that people lived like this in modern day Boston.

An epic tale of magical realism that takes place over 140 years, I've been looking for another book like this for years now. I have connections to the Irish/Canadian roots of the story, but anyone who enjoys great writing will be taken by this book.