Between the Covers: The Book Babes' Guide to a Woman's Reading Pleasures

Hammond, Margo & Ellen Heltzel. Between the Covers: The Book Babes' Guide to a Woman's Reading Pleasures. Da Capo. Nov. 2008. c.280p. ISBN 978-0-7382-1229-6. pap. $16.95. LIT~Verdict: This inventory of recommended reading will appeal to bluestockings of every ilk. The authors' bibliophilia is infectious, and all readers will benefit from their expert advice. Recommended for all public libraries. [Look for a Q&A with\xC5the Book Babes in the Nov.\xC56 edition of BookSmack!-Ed.] Background: Book critics Hammond and Heltzel-aka the Book Babes of blog fame-have organized their diverse catalog of fiction and nonfiction into thematic sections with headings like ""Babes We Love,"" ""Ages and Stages,"" and ""Family & Friends."" These sections are further broken down into smaller categories of lists that seek to meet specific reader needs (e.g., ""For Making Peace with Mom"" or ""For the Grieving Heart""). Interspersed with the lists are short personal essays recounting the authors' experiences with particular books or genres. This reviewer had some reservations about the prescriptive organization of the lists; the conceit that certain books can be prescribed to ameliorate specific life struggles or yearnings minimizes the serendipitous discovery that comes from varied reading.-Anne Garner, NYPL.