Stitches
Rating: Stitches: A Memoir, by David Small. W.W. Norton & Company (2009), 329 pages. This memoir is the biggest surprise of the year for me. I had not intended to read Stitches as I’m not much of a graphic book fan, but the nonstop rave reviews it kept...
The Tender Bar
Rating: The Tender Bar: A Memoir, by J.R. Moehringer. Hyperion (2005), 370 pages. Moehringer has proven, in The Tender Bar, that he is that most uncommon of authors—a male memoirist with both full access to his feelings and the ability to write about them....
When Skateboards Will Be Free
Rating: When Skateboards Will Be Free: A Memoir of a Political Childhood, by Said Sayrafiezadeh. The Dial Press (2009), 287 pages. There was a time when I couldn’t get enough of tragic childhood memoirs. I would be appalled and heartbroken on behalf...
The Elephant Whisperer
Rating: The Elephant Whisperer: My Life with the Herd in the African Wild, by Lawrence Anthony. Thomas Dunne Books (2009), 368 pages. Anthony tells the story here of his life on a game reserve in South Africa. He makes a point in the prologue of letting...About Us
The Book Shark began as an independent book review website created by Cindy Pinto and Donna Long in 2002.
From the beginning our goal was not only to write great reviews, but also to recognize the most well-written books we read each year with an award...
Gustine Awards
The Gustine Awards were named in honor of the main character in one of our favorite books—The Dress Lodger, by Sheri Holman. Awards have been given out yearly since 2002 in three categories: fiction, nonfiction, and memoir...
Cover Art
A book’s cover is as important as the writing within it. We are aware that this may offend some authors who have toiled for years on their books and believe their words are the only thing that matters...
Reader Reviews
What’s the best or worst book you’ve ever read? What’s the most recent book that you’ve had a strong reaction to? Send us your thoughts, and we’ll post them in this spot.