Mary by Janis Cooke Newman

I finally finished this. At 500+ pages, it required a certain determination, but overall I enjoyed it. Toward the end, I was ready for it to be over so I could move on to something more gripping. Though it was fiction, I think it gave a good insight into the character of Lincoln's wife and the times that she lived in. One thought I had often was "Thank god I wasn't born back then!" Late 1800's, appearances are very important, gender, class and race roles are very strict.

Bastard Out of Carolina by Dorothy Allison

Well-written book, totally depressing story. Doesn't give any hope for the future of the main character. While I don't like books that end too conveniently (see Maeve Binchy), the devastating end of this this one was too much for me.