People of the Book
Rating: People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks. Penguin Books (2008), 386 pages. Geraldine Brooks is an exceptional writer of nonfiction (Nine Parts of Desire was shortlisted for a Gustine in 2008) and fiction set in the past (Year of Wonders, set during...
A Wolf at the Table
Rating: A Wolf at the Table: A Memoir of My Father, by Augusten Burroughs. St. Martin’s Press (2008), 256 pages. I was wrong about Augusten. He has proven beyond a doubt that he did have another award-winning book in him after all. I had declared him...
In Defense of Food
Rating: In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollan. Penguin Press (2008), 256 pages. Though I am a huge fan of The Omnivore’s Dilemma (a 2007 Gustine Award winner), I had some concerns about Pollan’s new book also being about the food we eat. Could...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.