Tales of the City, by Armistead Maupin (1978)

San Francisco in the late 70's was in it's heyday of defying Middle American standards and values. In this wonderful series of vignettes, first published as a newspaper serial, Maupin captures the highs and lows of life in on the hill.

Mary-Anne Singleton is trying to escape what she sees as an inevitable fate of suburban marriage and ennui in Cleveland, by moving to San Francisco. She finds herself a great apartment in a house full of other singles, running the gamut from hetero to homo, from upbeat to down. Each chapter in the story follows one of the inhabitants as they mingle and match with an assortment of offbeat, but totally believable characters in the world beyond their lodging house on Barbary Lane.

Maupin's gift for original and honest dialogue creates wonderful characters. I can't wait to read the sequel "More Tales of the City."

Warrior's Princess, by Barbara Erskine (2009)

Fans of Barbara Erskine's novels will, I imagine, find this latest historical fiction novel to be quite up to snuff. I really enjoyed the historical settings and drama that the author portrayed in this book.

For Warrior's Princess, we are transported between Wales and Rome at the time the British tribes are being eradicated by the Romans. Caratacus, king of one of the tribes, is captured, along with his wife and daughter, the princess Eigon. All three are taken to Rome to await their fate at the hands of the Roman Emporer, Claudius.

Back in the present day, the main character, Jess, finds herself linked in a psychic connection to the Princess Eigon and, while attempting to flee from her modern day pursuer, she travels to Rome to discover the parallel pursuer who threatened Eigon's life two thousand years ago.

For the most part I did enjoy this book, especially the historic story of ancient Rome. However, I do have some reservations about the modern story. The main character, Jess, seems to be a bit contrived, in my opinion. She is supposed to be an intelligent woman, yet she cannot think clearly about her situation. Her desire to keep everything a "secret" and handle things on her own leads her into more and more problems. Her problem solving seems out of character and ends up being a mere vehicle to keep the story line going.

As well, the dialogue of the characters in Ancient Rome seems problematic at times. While it would be impossible to translate exactly the Latin of the day into modern fiction without it seeming stilted an difficult to follow, it seems a bit too modern when one young Roman woman refers to a young man as "dishy."

These points notwithstanding, the book is an enjoyable read.

Have a Little Faith, by Mitch Albom [2009]

I am not sure why Mitch Albom's path crisscrosses with people who are grappling with the issue of death, but the theme is one he handles very gracefully. Following on his "Tuesdays with Morrie," where Mitch begins a five-year dialogue with his dying professor, "Have a Little Faith" is an eight-year journey with his childhood rabbi, Albert Lewis.

The book begins with a request by the rabbi that Mitch write his eulogy. That Mitch has not attended a religious service in decades, or that the rabbi is not imminently in danger of dying is no deterrent to the beginning of a relationship that brings meaning, friendship, and learning to both parties.

Over the eight years that Mitch and the Rabbi Lewis carry on their frienship, Mitch also becomes involved in the life of another religious leader, Henry Covington. Henry's journey to faith has led him from a life of crime and drug addiction in the slums of Detroit, to the role of pastor for the homeless and indigent of his home town.

This book will appeal to readers of all faiths who are interested in the human condition, in the journey of life, and of finding our own paths to enlightenment.