Tolstoy and the Purple Chair

This is a book by Nina Sankovich, an author I had never heard of, but somebody I will be on the look-out for in the future.  I picked it up as a professional tool- something I needed to read for my job (as a librarian). Reading the jacket, I was expecting this book to chronicle some possible reading preferences.  I was hoping for some insights to share with co-workers and patrons, but what I got for my time was much, much more.  This is an extraordinary book about a woman who is heartbroken over the loss of her sister to cancer.  She takes on the biliophile pilgrimage to read a book a day for a year.  She does this as a homage or dedication to her sister- someone who always took time for the pleasures of life.  The unexpected insight and philosophical brevity that the author brings to her readers as they take this journey with her is as startling as the emotion that comes leaping off the pages.  Ms. Sankovich is able to tantalize us with her selection of books without sharing too much...all the while giving readers an abundance of wit and wisdom. Great stuff!