Dear Great Book Guru, I know you have been traveling in Europe this past week but do you have something good to recommend to your loyal readers to distract us from electric outages, falling trees, and flooded basements? Harassed by the Hurricane

Dear Harassed, Yes, while the Sea Cliff Chapter of the Barbara Pym Society weathered Hurricane Irene in cozy comfort at Oxford University, our thoughts were with our friends and family back home. Recognizing the furious force that weather can play in our lives, I suggest the 1997 classic - THE PERFECT STORM by Sebastian Junger. Based on a true story, this book tells of six men who go out on a fishing ship the Andrea Gail never to return. Each man's life is described in great detail as is the village they lived in, the bars they frequented, the families and friends they left behind. The author recreates the drama that worked its way out during the storm and the harrowing rescue attempts that only added to the tragic dimensions of this tale. While a short book (240 pages), it is an emotionally exhausting read but definitely worthwhile