The one bright spot to being downed by the flu was the opportunity to read this book. I will attempt a brief review as I feel it is one this list would definitely enjoy. For more reviews, check out Amazon.com. "Cold Mountain" by Charles Frazier The author's first novel is based on stories passed down from his great grandfather. The time is near the end of the Civil War, and the setting is Tennessee and North Carolina. It is two stories running parallel and meeting at the end. It starts with the story of Inman, a wounded Confederate, who decides to walk home to Cold Mountain to claim his true love. The chapters alternate between Inman's journey including adventures with Home Guards, gypsies, deserters, wild animals and other perils and the story of Ada, his love. Ada was a naive Charleston lass whose minister father had brought her to Cold Mountain and shortly thereafter died. She was alone on the isolated farm with no survival skills. They had always purchased what they needed, but the War had reduced her father's investments to a trickle. She was starving on tomato and cucumbers when a homeless woman appears. Their story is just as fascinating as Inman's. The book has won a national writers award, but I can't remember which one. I was reading a loaner which I've returned. I couldn't put it down.......a wonderful read. Sue McN.