“The Critical Eye” , 2010 Xlibris

My latest book is a collection of my articles and Op Eds on American political and social life and culture that have appeared in The New York Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer as well as other national and regional newspapers and magazines. They are on interesting subjects that are as timely today as when they were written: family life, parenting, aging, women’s roles, communication, science, government, religion, race and ethnicity. Some focus on the lighter side of life, finding humor in the challenges of entering the world of computers and cyberspace. Others are serious, at times provocative, aimed at engaging the reader’s mind and heart.

All the pieces are critical observations on the human condition — seen through the intriguing concept by C. Wright Mills — the ‘Sociological Imagination ‘. Mills described the meeting of two lines intersecting — the personal biography of each individual and the time line of history and social change. The point at which they intersect is their ’sociological imagination’. Mills emphasis was on developing “a critical quality of mind” to reason and deal with one’s life in a changing world.

The book is available in soft cover and as an Ebook.

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“Courage in High Heels”, 2003 Publish America

This book tells the true stories of eight extraordinary women — not famous women — who have overcome formidable obstacles in life. Each woman found the courage to do it in her own way. The paths they have chosen differ greatly, but they all share an amazing spirit and resilience. Their lives illustrate that there is no one magic formula for courage. And their stories are fresh and compelling — filled with human emotions and joy.

Women know that courage is not only found on the battlefields of war or in climbing Mt. Everest. It is also found in their daily lives as they meet the tough challenges that life deals them. Raising a disabled child. Surviving breast cancer. Facing a husband’s betrayal and infidelity. Teaching in male maximum security prisons. Courage for women comes in many variations and in different settings. Every woman who has come through the excruciating pains of hard labor to deliver her baby knows courage firsthand.

Each of the women in this book shared intimate feelings and thoughts with the author. Their honesty and quotes give first hand insights into their hopes, passions, struggles, successes, disappointments and triumphs. Pearl, Mamie, Ruth, Tung, Adele, Sherry, Lillian, Jean. Their fascinating and inspirational life stories continue to make my first book a best seller with thousands of readers.

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“Flaw in the Tapestry” , 2005 Publish America

My debut novel centers on three generations of women in a family during a dramatic six month period of time. Annie Bertman, her daughter Tessa and her mother Ruth are at different stages in life. They encounter certain challenges and conflicts about love, work and human relationships. These three women love each other fiercely and their love helps them surmount the twists and turns that life inevitably brings. Some of their decisions and choices may surprise the reader.

Ruth is sewing a needlepoint, “The Unicorn Tapestry”, for her granddaughter Tessa. She sees the intricate design and beauty of the tapestry as a metaphor for life. And she recalls the Oriental rug weaver saying, “Each carpet has a deliberate flaw woven into the design. The carpet cannot be perfect. Only God can be perfect.” Thus Ruth creates a subtle flaw in the border of the tapestry — as the lives of these three women are threaded through the pages of the novel.

Laurel Johnson wrote about the book in Midwest Book Review, “ This is a touching and realistic tale of three strong women, their trials and triumphs, and the men who love them. Through good times and bad, one constant remains: their love and devotion to each other. Anderson’s writing style is crisp and clean; her characters are well developed and sympathetic. Like all good literary fiction, Flaw in the Tapestry has the clear ring of truth to it. It is a thoroughly engrossing read.”

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“If Winter Comes” , 2006 Publish America

This novel continues the story of Annie Bertman and her family, introduced in “Flaw in the Tapestry”. As the author, I became intrigued with thinking about what might happen to these characters and decided to create the next chapters in their lives. The result is a gripping contemporary novel about the drama, human relationships and emotions of family life. It is a sequel, but can be read on its own.

David Bertman, “respected Ob/Gyn physician” skids in his Jaguar during a severe rainstorm and plows into a huge oak tree. He dies instantly at 1:28 a.m. Annie and her family assume he has been driving home from the hospital. The mystery of where David Bertman was coming from the night of his death, unfolds as Annie rebuilds her life. Her twins, Tessa and Saul, play a central role in solving the mystery. Their marriages and spouses are also an important part of the novel. One marriage is working; the other is not. As the story unfolds, Mark Trianos, an artist with whom Annie had been very close comes back into her life, and she learns about Susan Chan, the unknown “special friend” of David Bertman. “If Winter Comes” is the story of love, betrayal, resolution and joy.

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“The Mermaids Singing” , 2006, Publish America

This novel centers on three women who come together again at their 25th college reunion and renew their close friendship from the past. The evening will prove to be significant for them in very different ways.

Marie Langan , a researcher with a doctorate in bio-ethics. lives on the upper East Side of New York with her husband Ted Sandow, an oncologist, and her son Michael, a high school junior. Susan Baker is a magazine writer who has two children from her first unsuccessful marriage . Her second husband is David Baker a mystery writer. Gloria Simon is a widow, whose husband Paul died six years ago. Her daughter Sadie is 24 and the twins, Saul and Robert are 22. She was a full time home maker raising her children and now does volunteer work at the local library, drawing on her education degree.

Their lives intertwine and conflicts emerge as well as romantic entanglements — with difficult choices facing each of the women. The emphasis in this contemporary novel is on the emotional complexity of the three women and the men in their lives. Marie, Susan and Gloria make decisions that take them along new paths, and they must deal with the consequences of their actions. “The Mermaids Singing” is the compelling story of friendship, passion, betrayal, resolution and love.

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