Books of February

There There.  The book was named one of the best of the year so I wanted to read it though the title confused me.  I learned that the setting is Oakland, about which Oakland native Gertrude Stein once remarked, "There's no there there."  The many characters are urban Native Americans who are all planning to go to a big pow wow in Oakland.  They all have their reasons.  The last part of the book takes place at the pow wow and we learn whether each achieved their goals.

Dying Well.  Mortality has always interested me and in this book Dr. Byock gives heartfelt advice on how to interact with dying patients and how loved ones or the patient him/herself can make dying a growth experience.  A good book to keep in mind when you need it.

The 71/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle.  Billed as "Agatha Christie meets Groundhog Day," it lives up to the name, but don't bother with it.  By chapter 2, I was totally confused.