I principi d'Irlanda - Dublin: Foundation, by Edward Rutherford (2004, UK)

This is the history of Dublin and its area told through pregnant characters (some from irish legends, others made up by new). There's a red line crossing centuries, beginning before Christ, before Vikings ever dreamt to get to the green island ...and from that time, following ages, lives, feelings, changes, families trees...
Interesting.

Il Ghostwriter - The Ghost, by Robert Harris (2007, UK)

Adam Lang is the ex premier of UK, now in USA with his wife Ruth. He's writing down his life, helped by Mike McAra... who misteryously dies. The narrator is a young professional ghostwriter, asked to continue the job... in a strange high level alert climate. Is CIA involved? Strange deaths happen. Regardless himself, he finds out himself trying and solve the mystery. The genius is in the end.

Night Watch, by Terry Pratchett (2002, UK)

Discworld, Ank Morpork. Commander Vimes is about to arrest Carcer in the Unseen University magic library... when they are brought back to 30 years in the past. Everything has still to happen and, although Vimes only wants to get back, they both can't help but living there ...meeting the young themselves perhaps and messing up everything. But history always finds a way. Fascinating.

Equal Rites, by Terry Pratchett (1987, UK)

An old wizard is about to die and goes to Bad Ass to leave the magic staff to the 8th son of an 8th son...who turns out to be a daughter instead. No woman wizard can be. On the other hand, no witch with magic wizard staff can be. Trained by Granny Weatherwax, Eskarina is going to be a very special person. Very ironic and hilarious book.

Chocolat, by Joanne Harris (1999, UK)

Vianne and her daughter Anouk live traveling and they arrive to Lansquenet-sous-Tannes, a small village in the french countryside. They're different from people living there: they don't go to church, they don't have prejudices against Roux and the river people, they don't care about what people think of them. But the Black Man doesn't like this wind of change...
Fascinating.

Punto di origine - Point Of Origin, by Patricia Cornwell (1998, USA)

Carrie, ex Lucy's lover, mean psycho killer as well, escapes from the mental hospital where she was staying. Meanwhile peculiar disasters happen.
Kay, Marino, Lucy and Benton work on them ...although connections are pretty hard to be found.
Deep.

Tales Of Mystery And Imagination, by Edgar Allan Poe (1976, US)

The Pit and the pendulum - A Tale of the Ragged Mountains - The Oblong Box - "Thou art the Man" - A Letter Found in a Bottle - The Murders in the Rue Morgue - The Stolen Letter - The Barrel of Amontillado - The Sphinx

If You Could See Me Now, by Cecelia Ahern (2006, USA)

Elizabeth is a successful young woman, living in Baile na gCroìthe, a small village in the West of Ireland. Her mother left as she was 13 and she grew up her sister Saoirse. Now Saoirse is alcoholic, hardly at home, and Elizabeth is growing up her 6 years old nephew, Luke. But sb arrives. Ivan is the invisible friend of Luke. As his colleagues, he can be seen only by whom believes and needs him. And Elizabeth can see him too, although unaware of him to be an imaginary friend (nevertheless real). A strange love story that changes everything.

Unseen Academicals, by Terry Pratchett (2009, UK)

Disk world. Mr Nutt arrives at the Unseen University and begins working there. He knows EVERYTHING. He's very kind. He's got worth. But he's an orc, although he doesn't know. It's all about the wizards playing the old foot the ball, Glenda that's wise and runs the Night Kitchen, Trevor who lits the candles, Juliet, who shines, the big football match. And Nutt gaining worth. Deep and hilarious.

The Water Is Wide, by Pat Conroy (1972, USA)

Pat is a teacher grown up in South Carolina, sent teaching on Yamacraw Island: the high school here is ruled by Mrs Brown, who believes in discipline and violent methods. Guys are black people, poorly educated, knowing very few of the world. Pat, bringing new ways of teaching, starts a war against racism and bureaucracy. Deep.

Il Santo e la Spada, by Cecilia Penati (2011, Italy)

Giovanna is a beautiful girl from Milan, moving to Vilminore in order to work in the library. But, throughout the diaries of the just passed by general practitioner, she starts investigating on a crime of 50 years before, eventually with Andrea, a fascinating young guy living there. Engaging, turn-pager, deep... Soooo good!

Tutta un'altra musica - Juliet, Naked, by Nick Hornby (2009, UK)

Annie is sort of 38 years old, been Duncan's partner for 15 years. But it's just rut, no love between them. And they both are Tucker Crowe's fans: Duncan is probably his biggest fan in the world. Once they split up, Tucker emails Annie to write back at her review on his album. And sth changes. Nice

Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer (2008, New York)

Edward and Bella do finally get married and something unexpected happens: a new being, unknown until now, grows inside Bella. Renesmee is beautiful, half human, half vampire. In order to survive, Bella has got to become a vampire, a grand vampire. Jacob has got his imprinting. A bright happy large family.
But Volturis decide to get there and fight this big clan.
Cullens and werewolves make up a plan.

Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer (2007, New York)

Now Bella and Edward are definetely together, but Bella's heart is divided between him ans Jakob. This is the main theme. As a backdrop, Victoria, the vampire hunting Bella, is to set up an army.

New Moon, by Stephenie Meyer (2006, New York)

After a short idyllic period, Edward goes away and leaves Bella. She nearly dies, loosing away her life. Just keeping moving and breathing without really being there. Until Jakob gets a close friend... But things get complicated.
Despite everything, Bella's feelings are so strongly vivid that the reader feels them even too deep inside, almost in a physical way.

Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer (2005, New York)

Bella is a 16 years old nice girl who decided to move and live with her father in the small town of Forks, state of Washington. Her father, Charlie, is the chief of the local police, a good man. Despite her expectations, she likes staying there. And she falls in love. With a special guy. Edward is a vampire. Things get bad as a less human vampire chooses Bella to be hunted. Amazingly involving: impossible staying apart from Bella's feelings.

Il libro del domani - The Book Of Tomorrow, by Cecelia Ahern (2009, Dublin)

Tamara is 16 ...so it seems. And his rich father makes suicide, covered by debts. Tamara and her mother's lives dramathically change ...they move outside Dublin, to Killarney, where they live with some parents, Rosaleen and Arthur. But, apart from the radical change of everyday life, there's a mystery Tamara wants to find out...

Senza passato - Citizen Vince, by Jess Walter (2004, USA)

Vince lives in Spokane. Now. He started his life again here, after New York. New name, new everything. New person? Not sure. Somebody comes and look for him ...and he decides to do something brave, to clear his life. Intriguing.

La ragazza di carta - La Fille De Papier, by Guillaume Musso (2011, France)

Tom is a writer. A succesful writer. But when Aurore leaves him, he nearly gets to death. His two best friends (Milo, his agent, and Carole, a policewoman) do everything they can to make him reacting. The only one who can move him someway is Billie: she looks to be one of Tom's characters fallen into reality. A strange adventure begins: from USA, through Mexico and Europe ...a hunt to a book, to Aurore too... lots of events that change everyone's life. Nice.

La moglie dell'attore - Morgan's Passing, by Anne Tyler (1980, USA)

Morgan is a middle age peculiar father and husband: he likes being many people. One day he's a doctor. The other one a teacher. And so on. He likes changing perspective. Till he meets Emily and Leon, a young couple making muppets shows...
Peculiar.

La bussola di Noé - Noah's Compass, by Anne Tyler (2009, USA)

Liam is a 60ish teacher, widow and divorced, with three daughters that seem to despise him, with the exception of Kitty, the youngest one, teenager: she comes and live with him. Liam just lost his job, he moved to another flat (staying in Baltimora) and he's thinking of retiring. The first night in the new house, somebody entered his flat and hits him: Liam can't recall anything about that night and he can't stand this. This is the starting point for a series of facts and changes.

La figlia perfetta - Digging to America, by Anne Tyler (2007, USA)

Sami and Ziba Yazdan are a young couple living in Baltimora, from Iran. Brad and Bitsy Donaldson are a young american couple too. Both the families adopt a little chorean child, Susan and Jon-Ho, landing in Baltimora on the same day. Yazdans and Donaldsons get along very well together and their stories get linked. But the real guest star is Sami's mother, Maryam: calm, complex, proud, rational and clever. This is more than everything her inner story. So slow rythm... the plot isn't really twisting and turning. Interesting.

Ragazza in un giardino - The Clock Winder, by Anne Tyler (1972, USA)

The Emersons are many, although they don't live anymore with their Mum in Baltimora. She's widow, now. She's still a Lady. A sad strange lady. And the whole family is peculiar. Elizabeth arrives by mere chance, out of the blue, and becomes the new handyman. And much more than this. Fascinating, although melancholic.

Per puro caso, Ladder Of Years, by Anne Tyler (1995, USA)

Delia is a 40ish years old mother and wife, whose relatives, husband, sons and daughter don't mind at all, don't appreciate in any way. One day, without planning anything, she simply keeps walking on the beach and, as she's on the chance of a lift, she takes it: she starts and builds up her life again in another place.
What comes up the most is the pregnance of good communication. Peculiar and so involving.

P.S I Love You, by Cecelia Ahern (2004, Dublin)

Set in Dublin. Holly is a too young widow: her twin soul passed by in short time because of a cancer, but she discovers he found a way to stay for a while with her: Gerry left her ten messages, one a month, to give her month missions. That's how she can someway keep living, kind of building up her life again, helped by dear and crazy friends, other than a cheerful family. Page-turner. The reader can't help but feeling Holly's emotions.

Il grande sogno, by Matteo Pennacchi (1999, Italy)

Matteo is a young italian guy willing to travel around the world without money nor baggages, thanks only to people's generosity. He's about to enter a world record...if he can succeed in 100 days. A highly enriching travel, full of people and places. Surprising.

Morty l'apprendista - Mort, by Terry Pratchett (1987, UK)

Disk world. Morty is a young, confused guy with no specific ability. Despite his father loves him, he has to send him learning a job: Death chooses Morty to teach him being the new Death: the true Death wants some spare time to learn himself enjoying "life". But Morty doesn't accept to let a beautiful princess dying and reality gets strange.
Morty, Ysabel (Death's adopted daughter), Albert (powerful Death's servant) try and re-set pieces. Hilarious, great, awesome.

Puro genio - Simple Genius, by David Baldacci (2007, USA)

Michelle's strong, physically strong. Brave as well. But sth happened, as she was a child, that's now devastating herself. Her partner Sean is nothing less than her: they're a beautiful, smart, good team and they're detective. This case is about deaths linked to CIA, FBI and Maths research. But there's also the case on which Horatio, Sean's friend and Michelle's psychiatrist, is working: Michelle.
Page turner.

Gli artigli del diavolo - The White Rose Murders, by Paul Doherty (1991, UK)

Henry the VIII court: Margherita, who married the count of Angus after king Jack's death, hides a crucial secret. Benjamin and Shallot (who's our narrator) are asked to investigate. Deaths in strange circumstances, codes, mysteries... but finally all is understood. Intriguing.

Un cappello pieno di stelle - A Hat Full Of Sky, by Terry Pratchett (2004, UK)

Tiffany is 11, but she's stronger than people expect, she fighted and won over fairies queen. Now she's learning about witch stuff with a lovely old witch, Miss Level. Tiffany is about to face a devil that will get her body and mind... but she's not alone: the powerful Miss Weatherwax is with her. And surely the small, angry, rude but faithful Nac Mac Feegles are.
Soooo hilarious and fun, but deep as well.

Grazie dei ricordi - Thanks for the Memories, by Cecelia Ahern (2008, Dublin)

Joyce is a young woman, grown up in Dublin: her marriage is about to finish and she just lost the baby whe was pregnant of. She was saved by a blood trasfusion. Justin is american, moved to England and working in the Trinity College as well. He gave blood, although unwilling. A peculiar link grows between them, even if they yet don't know each other.
Dublin, London, Irish people, grand characters (Henry, Joyce's dad, is absolutely wonderful, a perfect irish old man), brilliant style. Definetely awesome.

La quarta mano - The Fourth Hand, by John Irving (2001, USA)

USA, end of 90s. Patrick's a handsome, playboy journalist whose left hand has been eaten by a lion in India. Doris is a determined, honest woman in love with his husband. Dr Zajac is a complicated doc who's working on hands surgery. The author takes the reader deep inside all the characters' lives, so that they can easily think as each characters does.
Peculiar and page-turner.

Baudolino, by Umberto Eco (2000, Milan)

XII century. Baudolino was born nearby Milan, adopted then by chance by the emperor. He travelled wherever, creating stories and looking for legendary reigns and goblets. He saw mythological creatures and places, then he could tell all his chronicles to a wise man in Costantinopoli.
The main message among these diverse tales is that you can never trust anything, cause most things can be said as lies.

Hyperversum, Il Cavaliere del Tempo, by Cecilia Randall (2009, Florence)

Daniel finds a way to go and come back from Middle Ages, but a guy follows him without Daniel knowing it. So Ty is stuck there. Daniel and Ian have to save him but there are enemies in that place and time ... and their lives (other than their secret) are in huge danger.

Hyperversum, Il Falco e il Leone, by Cecilia Randall (2007, Florence, Italy)

Ian and Daniel can finally do to go back to Flandre, 1215, but things don't go exactly as they planned: Ian is catched by one of his old enemies' friend, and so is Daniel.
Besides, Daniel looses connection with Hyperversum.
So they're involved in the rebellion against King John, in England.
Action book, page turner.