DIXFIELD – The Adult Reading Group of the Ludden Memorial Library met April 5 in the reading corner of the conference room. Those present were Mandy Parsons, Carol Cantin, Ruth Raynor, Nancy Tapley and group facilitator, Diane Stanley.

Several novels were discussed. The first on the agenda was “Red Bird Christmas” by Flagg. It is a Christmas story about a man who leaves Chicago supposedly to die. He ends up with a family who has a red bird that becomes a high point in the story. The man ends up thriving and does not die. Like other books written with Christmas as a background, this was a good read.

“Day Break” by Plain was the second novel discussed. It is the story of two babies mixed up in the nursery at birth.

One of them develops problems, which were genetically caused, and the family realized that there is no way this child could be theirs. The story then becomes woven through both sets of parents.

“Colony,” by Ann Rivers Siddons, was discussed. It is written with a Maine background and is a story about women. A 92-year-old woman comes to the Maine coast, becomes involved with the Maine traditions, and she waits for her granddaughter to carry on these same traditions. The book revealed respect for Maine women. It is a book that reflects upon the tragedies of life and of lost expectations.

“Cain River” by Tandy goes through four generations of African-American women living in Louisiana from 1832 to World War I. It is an Oprah selection of struggles and trials.

“Kite Runner” by Hosslini is about two boys growing up in Afghanistan. One boy is from a rich family, and the other is the son of the rich father’s servant.

They start out in an unlikely friendship, but later the difference in their standing becomes evident. It is a work of fiction, but is thought to have an historical background. The title comes from the custom of flying kites, cutting them to the ground, then salvaging them for trophies.

“Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress” by Dai Sijie takes place during Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Two boys are among hundreds of thousands exiled to the countryside for re-education. Because they are children of well-educated parents, they are being taught to carry buckets of excrement along winding paths to teach them humility. There are lots of twists and turns that make for a delightful read. The ending is a surprise, but it leaves the reader with a good feeling.

“Honeymoon,” by James Patterson and Howard Roughan, is listed on the cover as 2005 International Best Seller of the Year. It is new to the library. The story is different from others by Patterson.

The main character is an undercover FBI agent who is in disguise as an insurance adjuster. He is on the case of a female serial killer who has murdered her husband with a poison that goes undetected in the body. She then goes on to murder other male companions in her life.

She is in the process of accumulating wealth, as she is able to confiscate several million dollars for each of them through the Internet by moving their money out of their accounts to overseas accounts that she has opened for herself. The book is highly charged with sexual scenes, making the novel different from others by Patterson.

“The Hiding Place” by Corrie Ten Boom is an older book. It deals with concentration camp struggles and is moving.

Oprah’s reading selections were discussed and the library’s method of marking those selections for easy identification were pointed out.

Tea and coffee were served. The next regular meeting will be the first Tuesday of May from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. All adults are welcome.