The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen

This is a laugh out loud funny and at the same time very touching novel with characters you really come to care about. The Corrections tells the story of three anxiety-ridden adult siblings and their aging parents (who have some pretty major issues of their own) as they deal with their more or less dysfunctional lives and lurch towards a pending Christmas family reunion. Some reviewers used words like "self-indulgent" and "show-offy" to describe this book, and others loved it. While it is undeniable that the plot lines do careen all over the place, and Franzen's writing style may not be for everyone, I found the digressions to be fascinating, and the writing blew me away. Winner of the 2001 National Book Award and an Oprah Book Club selection. (Franzen gained some notoriety as the author who got disinvited from Oprah's show.) - EB

Going Gray: What I Learned about Beauty, Sex, Work, Motherhood, Authenticity, and Everything Else That Really Matters by Anne Kreamer

At the age of forty-nine and after twenty-nine years of dying her hair, Anne Kreamer made a drastic decision. She chose to “go gray”. In this very engaging, humorous and honest memoir, Kreamer, a former television executive, takes a long look at what it takes to be your authentic self. On her journey, the newly gray-haired married author conducts a number of sociological experiments, such as looking for dates on Match.com, hitting the singles bars (both with her amused husband’s blessing) and meeting with professional image consultants. Can a middle-aged woman with graying hair still be appealing, attractive and authentic? The answers that Kreamer uncovers are somewhat surprising and often unexpected.

For additional essays on “Going Gray” as well as photos of Anne Kreamer’s transformation from her self described “too darkly shellacked helmet of hair” to her current natural state, visit her website at www.annekreamer.com. - MM