Shelly

What a great parody on realiy TV and mother-in-laws! Very different from Water for Elephants, but equally entertaining and hopeful. It made me want to visit the apes and communicate with them. What is especially amusing is the thought that because apes can communicate, they must be like us. If you enjoy Michael Crighton's Jurrassic Park where humans think that they can control life, you will love this book as well.

I have listened to this twice. A Thread of Grace is graceful, beautifully written, and very sad. If you like historical fiction that leaves you more informed and empathic, read this novel.

Ken Follett consistently tells a great story, but he doesn't write well. It seems to me that he must be paid by the page because there is always more information necessary to effectively tell the story. To palate this book on audio, you have to become deaf to the overuse of "however", "nevertheless", and "suddenly". If you have the hardcopy, this misuse of words can be skipped over, as well as the gratuitous sex and descriptions that do NOT enhance the story line. Otherwise, a good book.

Set in the early 60's, this book takes you into the racial discrimination and the struggle of civil rights in Jackson, Mississippi. The message is in the interactions and interviews of what it was like for a black woman to work in a white woman's world, and the bravery of those who tried to create change. The book was well researched and includes events that happened during those trying times. I highly recommend this book to those of you who want to open your eyes and reflect on how hard change can be, but how much kindness makes it all worthwhile.