Mothers: Indulge Yourselves With Great Reads

Honoring one’s mother was known as Mothering Sunday and originated in England in the late 1800s, according to the World Book Encyclopedia.

It further states that in 1907, Anna Jarvis started a nationwide movement for the observance of Mother’s Day in America. She chose the second Sunday in May and started the custom of wearing a carnation. Wearing a white carnation signifies a deceased mother and a red carnation is worn to honor a living mother. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed  the second Sunday of May Mother's Day.

Moms are encouraged to follow this tradition and indulge in a little "me time." Go ahead, put your feet up, grab a cup of your favorite latte or hot tea, relax and get lost in a good book. Anyone who is looking for a little reading inspiration can come to , where the shelves are brimming with an abundance of cleverly crafted, creative, heartwarming, tearjerker and whimsical stories that will quench all reading appetites. Pick up an old favorite or try one of these recommended reads:

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik

Readers will love this heartwarming story about five girlfriends who are in a book club in Minnesota from 1968 until 1996. Readers will laugh, cry and laugh again as they experience the births, kids' graduations, divorces, new jobs, new romances and all that happens in the lives of these book-club friends during the '60s, '70s, '80s and '90s. The five storylines are well-written and readers will find themselves identifying with the Angry Housewives characters  and choosing those they would want to have as friends.

The Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirrezvani

This is a story of a young woman living in 17th century Iran who is a rug weaver by trade. When her father dies suddenly she and her mother must depend on unkind relatives to support them. The young girl enters into a degrading three-month marriage contract with a wealthy horseman as it seems to be her only out. By entering into this contract, however, she will ruin her reputation and future. The story is filled with the rich history of the people of this time and cultural observations that will engross readers until the very end. Readers who like this book will want to read the newly released bestseller The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, a true story about five sisters living in Kabul, Afghanistan under Taliban rule and how they inspired their community during this turbulent time. Both books will leave the reader inspired.

The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith

Humor and creativity flow freely in this latest installment of the "No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series. What do two dead cows, a pregnant girl and pair of perfect wedding shoes have in common? All is not as it should be on the way to this wedding with our favorite Mma Ramotswe reflecting on the third rule of the principles of private detectives: never lie to the client.  It doesn't matter whether or not you’ve followed the earlier adventures of this Botswanan detective-entrepreneur Precious Ramotswe. This book has a little bit of everything from heroes to villains; it’s all but impossible not to be charmed.

I Remember Nothing by Nora Ephron

Ephron’s screenplays and films are clever and witty, among them When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail, and Julie & Julia. Her books are laced with humorous antidotes of her life, "I have been forgetting things for years – at least since I was in my 30s, I know this because I wrote something about it at the time; I have proof." Readers will delight in her humorous  insights in this follow up to her popular 2006 book.  I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other Thoughts on Being a Woman. Both books chronicle her life experiences in a familiar, funny, outspoken and reassuring way, much like her screenplays and movies.

Whatever your reading preference, stop by in May and pick up an old favorite or check out the new releases for your next great read.  The library also has an abundance of great movies, like the Nora Ephron classics, awaiting your arrival.

What do you think is a great book or movie for mom?