Sarah B. Mohler

These books never fail to make me happy. I hope they bring you joy, too!

Van Reid’s Adventures of the Moosepath League

I love these books set in turn-of-the century Portland, Maine. You will never find better companions that Mr. Tobias Walton, Sundry Moss, and the three bosom friends, Eagleton, Ephram and Thump. Their adventures will remind you of Dickens’ Pickwick Papers, but Van Reid’s humor is very much American. The Moosepath League’s motto, “Moxie!” is now the name of our dog. After I wrote to Van, telling him how much his books meant to me and that we were planning a visit to Maine, Van met us at Fort Edgecomb, one of the settings in the series. Start with Cordelia Underwood.

PJ Fitzsimmons’ Anty Boisjoly Mysteries

These mysteries remind me of P.G Wodehouse. I always giggle when I read them. The word play and repartee are wonderful! The mysteries are always clever. Start with The Case of the Canterfell Codicil, and if you can time it right, read The Case of the Ghost of Christmas Morning over the holidays.

Amy Stewart’s Kopp Sisters Novels

Amy Stewart based these novels on newspaper accounts of the lives of Constance Kopp, the first woman undersheriff in the United States, and her sisters. To find out more about the history behind the books, go to Amy Stewart’s website. Start with Girl Waits with Gun.

C. S. Forester’s Horatio Hornblower Novels

I first watched Ioan Gruffudd in the award-winning A&E TV series but then fell in love with the books. Along with Tom Joad from The Grapes of Wrath and Inman from Cold Mountain, Horatio Hornblower is one of my literary crushes. I love his idealism, his resourcefulness, and his sense of honor and loyalty to his crew. Start with Mr. Midshipman Hornblower.

Farahad Zama’s Marriage Bureau Novels

I wish Farahad Zama would write more of these lovely novels set in India at a small match-making bureau. You will laugh and be touched by how the staff remains undaunted in their determination to find the perfect match for their clients, despite every obstacle put in their way. Start with The Marriage Bureau for Rich People.

Karel Čapek’s short stories, novels, plays, & essays

I discovered Čapek in grad school and considered writing my dissertation on him. His short stories collected in Tales from Two Pockets and Apocryphal Tales are tiny philosophical mysteries. If for nothing else, he should be remembered for creating the word “robot” to describe the fabricated workers in his dystopian play R.U.R. But don’t miss out on his rumination on the undesirability of eternal life in The Makropolous Secret or his satire of human foibles in the Insect Play. No matter what the subject, Čapek’s love for humanity and humor shine through. Start with Toward the Radical Center.

Georgette Heyer’s Regency Romances

Before Julia Quin’s Bridgerton novels, there were the novels of Georgette Heyer. Heyer (1902-1974) did meticulous research into the Regency era, but she added a dash of comedy so that her heroes and heroines could be the stars of a Howard Hawks film. She wrote 27 regency romances (as well as a number of English manor house mysteries). I read one as a reward at the end of every academic semester. The Grand Sophy, Frederica, The Reluctant Widow, A Civil Contract, Cotillion and Devil’s Cub are some of my favorites. The International Heyer Society is devoted to the appreciation and analysis of her work.