Amidst the Shadows of Trees, by Miriam M. Brysk

Miriam M. Brysk. Amidst the Shadows of Trees: A Holocaust Child's Survival in the Partisans. East Stroudsburg, PA: Gihon River Press, 2013. 142 pages. ISBN 9780981990699.

Miriam Brysk escaped the Lida ghetto with her parents in 1942, joining Jewish and Polish partisans in forest brigades. Children and women were not generally welcome in the forests, but Miriam and her mother had a special status because Miriam's father was a surgeon whose skills were highly valued. In Amidst the Shadows of Trees, Miriam recounts how at the age of four, the German army invaded Poland and began to attack Warsaw, where she lived with her parents. They moved to Lida, which was in the Russian-occupied part of Poland, where they lived for the next three years. In 1941, though, the Germans attacked Russia, and Lida became a prison for them and many other Jews. As the violence escalated, it became apparent that they would need to leave Lida if they were to survive.

At the age of eight, living in the forest and hiding from Nazi soldiers, Miriam was issued her own pistol. She recounts those years with detachment, telling of the dangers that existed for unattached women and even girls such as her. Hunger was a constant, as was the cold, damp, and mosquitos, since their camp and hospital were located on an island in the middle of a swamp. In 1944, they were liberated by the Russian army, and their long trek to the United States began. Living at times in displaced persons camps in Russia, Hungary, Romania, and Italy, they were finally able to secure entry visas into the United States. Miriam's accounts tell of the difficulties catching up in school, since she had not been able to attend school at all in her life. Ultimately, she did very well for herself, earning a graduate degree and working as a scientist researching cancer therapies. She fought depression her whole life, finding strength in her family, her research, and her art. (One of her works is used as the cover illustration.)

I found this book interesting and inspiring. I recommend it to anyone interested in Holocaust or war memoirs.

Taking Root in Provence, by Anne-Marie Simons

Anne-Marie Simons. Taking Root in Provence. Waitsfield, VT: Distinction Press, 2011. 208 pages. ISBN 9780980217575.

Taking Root in Provence is a collection of short vignettes about the author's experiences settling in Provence and getting to know her new neighborhood and culture. Author Anne-Marie Simons retired with her husband, Oscar, and spent some time travelling before settling down in the town Aix-en-Provence, France. Simons writes about the weather, shopping, holidays, art, language, food, wine, and more. As I read through the short three to four page chapters, it occurred to me that they read like a series of blog posts, which indeed, they were originally.

While I enjoyed reading each of the short essays, I think they could have been better integrated into a narrative that tells Simons' story about moving to and living in Aix-en-Provence. For example, the chapters jump from one topic to another: spring, Easter, Cezanne, two chapters on language, the influx of Gypsies in spring, etc. Rather than publish all of the anecdotes jumbled together, it might have helped to have some transitions that tie the story together.

I was also slightly put off by the author's complete dismissal of contemporary French literature; she reported about one year's new publications, "Many of these books were written by sour-looking youngsters or by pseudo intellectuals who invite us to crawl into their beds and partake of their sex lives which, they seem to think, is really worth knowing about" (p. 30). Really, is that how you sum up the entire publishing output of your newly-adopted country? Another false note was Ms. Simons' reference to the "village idiot" (p. 130) in an anecdote about a small town she visited. I wonder why she wasn't able to come up with a better term than that one?

Nevertheless, Taking Root in Provence contains many pleasant, short essays about all aspects of life in the author's new environs. Aside from the two passages to which I objected above, I enjoyed reading about her new life and experiences. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys armchair travelling.

The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls, New York

Mike and I visited Glens Falls, New York this past Saturday. What brought us there was a chance to visit the Hyde Collection, an amazing private collection of European and American fine and decorative art.

Glens Falls is located about fifty miles north of Albany. It was a nice day for a drive, although rain was predicted for later in the afternoon. The Hyde Collection was created by Charlotte Pruyn Hyde, and her husband, Louis Fiske Hyde. It's housed in the family's mansion, one of three that were built on adjoining properties overlooking the Hudson River so that the Charlotte and her sisters could live near each other. Modern galleries have been added on to the mansion; these contain changing exhibits. When we visited there was a collection of Ansel Adams' early works, along with other early photography. There was also a collection of landscapes called "Winter Light: Selections from the Collection of Thomas Clark." This included about 20 paintings of winter scenes in which the light on snow and clouds was particularly interesting and beautiful. The permanent collection includes paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Picasso, Winslow Homer, Van Gogh, Thomas Eakins, Degas, and many more. It's amazing to see these painting displayed in such comfortable, homey settings. I particularly enjoyed seeing the furniture and other decorative works, much of which was imported from Europe.

We had worked up an appetite visiting the Hyde Collection, so on the recommendation of the receptionist we drove back to Glen Street to have lunch at the Gourmet Café. They offered a typical diner menu, and I settled for a Greek Steak salad and Mike had meatball sliders. One of the things that I haven't gotten used to here is the availability of alcohol in restaurants like this. Many small restaurants and diners offer a full bar, or at least wine and beer. Not what we were used to in Pennsylvania! Not that I'm complaining... However, since we were driving, and had plans for later, we decided to forgo alcohol for coffee and soda.

Next to the Gourmet Café was Poor Richard's antiques. It's a standard-sized storefront jam-packed with two floors of antiques. We had a nice time looking at the furniture, glassware, pottery, and other items. I was tempted by a pair of giraffe-shaped lamps, but resisted. We did end up buying a cat-shaped creamer and a turkey platter, something that I'd been on the lookout for.

I recommend a visit to Glens Falls and the Hyde Collection!

Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, by Ben Fountain

Ben Fountain. Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk. New York: Ecco/HarperCollins, 2012. 307 pages. ISBN 9780060885618.

Billy Lynn is on a whirlwind tour of the United States during a two-week leave from the Iraq War. He has survived a fierce battle that was filmed and widely televised, and now he has to survive the media storm during his leave. Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk tells the story of his last day in the U.S. before he's shipped back to the front. He's had his two-day visit with his family, and now has to spend his last day (Thanksgiving) participating in the halftime events of a Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears.

The day is full of photo ops and meet-and-greets, and the Bravo Squad members are the focus of everyone's attention. They meet the Cowboy's owners, the famous cheerleaders, and share (briefly) the halftime stage with Destiny's Child. Throughout the day they're bombarded with questions about the war and cheered on by the many supporters of the war. They're repeatedly asked to affirm the U.S.'s right to be fighting the war in Iraq, with many of their fans pointing to "nina leven" as the reason we're fighting there.

Because Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk was a finalist for the National Book Award, I had high expectations for it, and it didn't disappoint. The writing is very good and the characters are well-drawn. The book evokes strong emotion when Billy struggles with his indecision about returning to the war. One of his sisters is encouraging him to refuse to go back; her biggest fear is that he won't make it home again. While Billy is tempted by the fantasy of staying home, it's clear that this isn't really a possibility, as he would never leave his new family, the members of Bravo Squad. I recommend this book to anyone who likes contemporary fiction rooted in today's world events.

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Mike and I recently spent a Saturday in Williamstown, Massachusetts, a small, college town that's only 45 miles from our home in Albany. What drew us to Williamstown was the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, home of an excellent collection of European and American painting, sculpture, drawings, and decorative art from the Renaissance through the early 20th century.

Unfortunately, the museum is under renovation so only a small portion is currently open to the public. Three rooms of paintings, sculpture, and decorative items are on display at the Stone Hill Center, another building on the Clark Institute property (you have to drive past the main buildings and keep going up the hill where you will find the Center). However, even those three rooms showcased the excellence of this collection. From Renaissance paintings to works by Monet and Renoir, the collection includes a wide swath of European artists. American artists include John Singer Sargent, Frederic Remington, George Inness, and Mary Stevenson Cassatt. I look forward to visiting the Clark Institute again when the renovations are complete, after July 4. More information can be found at: http://www.clarkart.edu/.

The Williams College Museum of Art is also worth a visit. Current exhibitions include paintings and drawings by Monika Baer, a contemporary Berlin artist; and photography by Zanele Muholi, a South African photographer documenting the LGBT community in South Africa and other African countries. The permanent collection includes a few Greek, Roman, and Egyptian artifacts, as well as two large Assyrian wall panels. The Williams College Museum of Art is free and open to the public. More information can be found at: http://wcma.williams.edu/.

Williamstown also has an excellent independent book store. Water Street Books presents an attractive and comfortable atmosphere for browsing either the latest fiction or stimulating non-fiction. It has an inviting children's section, and also serves as the Williams College book store, so you can find school supplies, textbooks, and Williams College apparel there as well.

Mike and I are fond of antique stores, so we were happy to see an antique store in a small shopping center called "Shops at the Library". They have a nice collection of art deco bookends, although the price ranges were not in our ballpark ($350-$850). We're more in the under $30 range! More information can be found at: http://www.shopsatthelibrary.com/.

Finally, we stopped at the Sushi Thai Garden Restaurant and had a great lunch. Mike had a sushi lunch box, and I had my old standby: pad thai. Very nice! Check them out at: http://www.sushithaigarden.com/.

All in all, a great Saturday!

The World of the Bible, by Roberta L. Harris

Harris, Roberta L. The World of the Bible. London: Thames and Hudson, 1995. 192 pages. ISBN 0500050732.

I have long been interested in the archaeology and history of the ancient Mediterranean lands. The World of the Bible is an excellent introduction to the history of ancient Israel and Judah, and parts of what are now Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Roberta Harris tells this story chronologically, describing the lands around ancient Israel and how they developed over the millennia.

Harris discusses the development of both Judaism and Christianity as religions and the growth of Israel and Judah as political entities. The many struggles with invaders from other lands, such as the Assyrians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Mongols, and Turks, are also discussed.

The only drawback is that this book is now 20 years old and there have been many developments in those years that clarified some of the issues Harris discussed (e.g., the size and extent of David's and Solomon's respective kingdoms).

 
One of this book's strengths is the significant number of illustrations, including photographs, drawings, diagrams, charts, etc., many of which are in color. They are particularly useful in helping the reader imagine the geography of the countryside or layout of a town or village. I recommend this book to anyone interested in ancient Mediterranean studies.

Never Tell a Lie, by Hallie Ephron

Ephron, Hallie. Never Tell a Lie. New York: William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2009. 271 pages. ISBN 9780061567155.

David and Ivy are a happily married couple who are expecting their first baby when they decide to hold a yard sale and sell off the items left behind in their Victorian home by the previous owner. One of their customers turns out to be someone they went to school with years ago, and Melinda convinces them to give her a tour of their house, in which she had played as a child. A few days later Melinda is reported missing, and the last known sighting of her was going into Ivy and David's house. Bloody clothes and a weapon are found by the police, and David is quickly arrested. As Ivy's due date rapidly approaches, she frantically tries to gather evidence to prove to the police that her husband's not involved in Melinda's disappearance. Or is he?

This is a suspenseful, fast-paced novel. While I didn't find all of the plot points entirely convincing, it was a good read. I recommend it to anyone who likes crime fiction and thrillers.

Night Watch, by Linda Fairstein

Fairstein, Linda. Night Watch. New York: Dutton, 2012. 402 pages. ISBN 9780525952633.

Alexandra Cooper, a Manhattan prosecutor, is involved with two unrelated cases in this fast-paced mystery. The book begins with Ms. Cooper on vacation with her boyfriend Luc in France, when a body is found in the small country village where he lives. The victim has been murdered, and is holding a souvenir from one of Luc's restaurants. Simultaneously, Mohammed Gil-Darsin, the head of the World Economic Bureau has been arrested for raping a hotel maid in New York, a plot line that follows closely on the real life events around Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Ms. Cooper rushes home to help with the rape case, but finds that the events in France have followed her home when a second murder victim is found, also with a souvenir from Luc's restaurant in his hand.

Night Watch is full of action-packed sequences, and has enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing throughout the book. I recommend it to anyone who likes crime fiction or thrillers.

Moonlight Mile, by Dennis Lehane

Lehane, Dennis. Moonlight Mile. New York: William Morrow/HarperCollins, 2010. 324 pages. ISBN 9780061836923.

For those of you who were fans of Dennis Lehane's Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro detective series, Moonlight Mile brings them back to wrap up one of his earliest plots, in Gone, Baby, Gone. Twelve years ago, Patrick was hired to find the kidnapped daughter of a local meth addict. Patrick's decision to return Amanda to her mother has haunted him ever since. In the meantime, the little girl has grown into a super smart and capable sixteen year old, still living with her hopeless mother and her mother's drug dealer boyfriend. Now we find that Amanda has gone missing again, and Patrick agrees to try to find her, leading him into a world of Russian mobsters and identity theft.

Patrick and Angela have married and have a four year old of their own. All of his decisions are made against the context of his new life and role as a father. He's trying to land a job with benefits so that he can better support his new family as Angela pursues a master's degree. He doesn't have a lot of wriggle room financially, and it's important for him to wrap up this investigation so that he can take on a full time job with a corporate security firm.

I found Moonlight Mile as compelling as the first five books in the series (published 1994-1999). As Patrick rethinks all of his decisions in Gone, Baby, Gone, readers can see how marriage and fatherhood have changed him, but without changing his core values. Of course, there's a lot of high-tension action and great dialogue. Gone, Baby, Gone was made into a movie by and starring Ben Affleck. It would be great to see more of the Kenzie/Gennaro books made into movies, including Moonlight Mile. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys detective and crime fiction.

The Boy in the Suitcase, by Lene Kaaberbøl and Agnete Friis

Kaaberbøl, Lene and Agnete Friis. The Boy in the Suitcase. New York: Soho, 2011. 313 pages. ISBN 9781569479810.

After writing children's fantasy for many years, Lene Kaaberbøl has turned her attention to writing adult crime novels. Partnering with Agnete Friis, she has created a compelling character in Nina Borg, a nurse who can't resist getting drawn into any circumstance in which she feels that women and children are being abused. In The Boy in the Suitcase, Nina is convinced by a friend to run an errand for her: pick up a suitcase from a train station locker. When Nina realizes that the suitcase contains a young boy, obviously drugged, she tries to track down her friend to find out what's going on. But Karin has been murdered, and Nina has to find out who's responsible, and protect the boy at the same time.

Convincingly plotted and expertly translated, this book kept me turning the pages until I finished. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys crime fiction and thrillers.

Murder in Pigalle, by Cara Black

Cara Black. Murder in Pigalle. New York: Soho Crime, 2014. 310 pages. ISBN 9781616952846.

Murder in Pigalle is the latest in a series of mysteries set in Paris with Private Investigator Aimée Leduc as the main character. Aimée and her partner usually investigate cyber crimes, but she's drawn into a criminal investigation when her friends ask her for help finding their daughter who has disappeared. Zazie, who's 13 years old, has been obsessed with a series of rapes that have taken place over the last six months. One of the victims was Zazie's friend Melanie, and Zazie is determined to find the perpetrator. As Aimée digs deeper into the circumstances of Zazie's disappearance, she uncovers evidence of a much broader conspiracy.

While I found Murder in Pigalle to be an amusing diversion, I don't think the writing is particularly strong. The book races along at a breakneck pace, with the characters running from one action-packed scene to the next. There is little reflection and there is almost no development of the characters or what makes them tick. The author drops in short French phrases and words throughout, which I found annoying after a while. Readers of this type of light mystery will likely enjoy this book, but I wouldn't particularly recommend it.

A Conspiracy of Faith, by Jussi Adler-Olsen

Jussi Adler-Olsen. A Conspiracy of Faith. New York: Penguin, 2013. 504 pages. ISBN 9780142180815.

A Conspiracy of Faith is the third book in Jussi Adler-Olsen's "Department Q" series. Adler-Olsen has been described as the Danish Stieg Larsson. Following on The Keeper of Lost Causes and The Absent One, A Conspiracy of Faith continues the story of Carl Mørck, leader of Department Q, a police unit that investigates cold cases.

A message in a bottle has turned up in Scotland. After sitting for years on a windowsill, it was opened by an investigator who quickly realizes that it is a real call for help. Who wrote the message, and when? After the language is identified as Danish, the message is returned to the Danish police for them to investigate as a potential violent crime. The many years have taken their toll on the quality of the paper and the message takes some time to decipher. It becomes apparent that the message describes the kidnapping of two brothers, one of whom wrote the message and feared for their lives. Each new word or phrase gives them another clue to follow. Soon, they realize that the kidnapper and killer may still be on the loose. Carl works with his assistants Assad, a Syrian immigrant, and Rose to track down the serial kidnapper and killer. In the meantime, Carl continues to fend off his estranged wife's demands, and to face his guilt over his former partner's condition. Hardy is paralyzed from the neck down after being shot in an operation in which Carl froze up from fear. Carl's romance with his therapist Mona continues, and Rose's "twin sister" Yrsa takes over Rose's responsibilities in Department Q when Rose walks out in a huff.

I've enjoyed all three of the books in this series. The characters are interesting, and each book gives us more insight into their personalities and history. There are mysteries around Assad's background in Syria, and Rose's relationship with her sister Yrsa. What is the truth about what happened with Carl and Hardy? Maybe the fourth book in the series will reveal all: The Purity of Vengeance is available now in hardcover. I would recommend this book and series to anyone who likes Scandinavian crime fiction.

Witch & Wizard, by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet. Witch & Wizard. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2009. 305 pages. ISBN 9780316074810.

Witch & Wizard is the first book in a series by prolific author James Patterson. Four have been published so far; in addition to this one there are Witch & Wizard: The Gift, Witch & Wizard: The Fire, and Witch & Wizard: The Kiss. Coming out in 2014 is Witch & Wizard: The Lost. This series continues Mr. Patterson's practice of co-authoring books with lesser known authors, allowing him to, for example, "write" and publish 13 books in 2013.

The book begins dramatically with one of the two main characters, Wisty (short for Wisteria), describing how she and her family came to be at the point of execution by the New Order (N.O.), the ruling government. Wisty and her brother Whit have been identified as the witch and wizard of the title. The N.O. has been rounding up everyone with special powers, putting them in jail, and conducting mass executions. Wisty breaks the narrative to tell us how they came to be in this predicament, leading the reader through their arrest, imprisonment, and breakout. They joined the "resistance", made up of teenagers like themselves, all the while looking for their parents, who were arrested as well.

Witch & Wizard is fast-paced and humorous. Although the themes of arrest, imprisonment, and execution are mature, the book is aimed at the middle school reader. I received an advance reading copy of this book at a BEA convention several years ago, and just now got around to reading it. I was looking for something light, and this book definitely fit the bill. It's entertaining and fun, and it's a quick read, but I wouldn't go so far as to recommend it to any of my friends who also like YA and children's literature.

Recent (and not so recent) films

American Hustle: I just saw this in January, but I'm pretty sure it's going to be my favorite movie this year. It was that good! Those of us of a certain age will remember the headlines in the news about this.

The Place Beyond the Pines: One thing I like about independent films is that they're unpredictable. This was filmed in nearby Schenectady, so there's a local connection. Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper are pretty amazing in this film.

Broadway Idiot: I'm a big fan of documentaries, and this one about the creation of a musical based on the Green Day album American Idiot is interesting and funny. It includes a lot of the rehearsal performances, including some of Billie Joe Armstrong's sessions.

Enough Said: It was great seeing James Gandolfini playing a different kind of role; otherwise I would always have thought of him as the violent Tony Soprano, or the thug from True Romance. I enjoyed seeing Julia Louis-Dreyfus in a different kind of (still kooky) role. Good acting; nice story.

Captain Phillips: My main question throughout this film was why didn't they have any weapons on board? Was it illegal for them to carry weapons through international waters? This film brought up close issues that have been in the news for years: the danger for ships travelling around the horn of Africa. Good acting on the part of Tom Hanks and others, and lots of suspense, even though I knew how it ended.

The Sessions: I know, everyone else saw this two years ago. This was one I missed in 2012, but I'm glad that I finally saw. It shows the sad story of Mark O'Brien, paralyzed by polio at the age of six, and his desire not to die a virgin. The acting is amazing, and the story moving.

Gandhi: I missed this film when it came out in 1982, but I'm glad I finally saw it. I enjoyed the film but I had a hard time at first getting past Ben Kingsley as Gandhi. Kingsley is a great actor, but why didn't they find an Indian actor to play the part? Still: great movie, great acting. (I still think E.T. should have won best film that year, though!)

Dallas Buyers Club: I could barely recognize Matthew McConaughey in this film; he lost so much weight for it. This is the story of a man with AIDS in 1985 who was given 30 days to live when he was diagnosed. He lived another seven years, actively importing experimental drugs into the U.S., and fighting with the FDA to be allowed to do so. Jared Leto does an amazing job playing a transgender man with a female gender identity. McConaughey's acting is also stellar.

Children of the Revolution, by Peter Robinson

Peter Robinson. Children of the Revolution (An Inspector Banks Novel). New York: William Morrow, 2014. 336 pages. ISBN 9780062240507.

Gavin Miller was a former college instructor who left work after being accused of inappropriate behavior towards a student. Since his dismissal he has been living in near poverty. Recently he told a friend that things were starting to look up for him, but within a week he turns up dead after falling from a bridge. Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks believes that he was murdered and begins digging into Miller's background to find out who might have motive to kill him. Banks' investigation includes both Miller's work at the university as well as his own experiences as a student 40 years previously, when he was friends with students in the Marxist movement. Perhaps one of them has something to hide?

This was my first mystery by Peter Robinson, although he's already published two dozen books. His characters are well-drawn and intriguing, and the plot moved along at a good pace. I enjoyed all of the pop culture musical references, and the contrast between the cultural knowledge of Banks and that of his younger colleagues. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys mysteries, especially those set in the English countryside.

This review is based on the galley; Children of the Revolution will come out in April 2014.

This is How You Lose Her, by Junot Diaz

Junot Diaz. This is How You Lose Her. New York: Riverhead Books, 2012. 217 pages. ISBN 9781594631771.

I heard Junot Diaz speak at a Book Expo America convention in 2012 about what inspired him to write this book. He spoke eloquently about the macho culture of Latino men that prevents them from admitting to or engaging in an emotional commitment to women. Boys aren't brought up to respect women, neither their mothers and sisters, nor their girlfriends or wives.

In This is How You Lose Her, he shows the reader how this culture can be toxic to one's life and loves. Each short story focuses on one relationship that is damaged beyond saving by mistreatment of feelings, and lack of respect. Most of the stories center around one character, Yunior, and his family. In spite of all of Yunior's mistakes and terrible decisions, it's hard not to root for him as he tries to navigate his way through life. There's an element of sadness that runs through all of the stories.

Diaz's earlier books include Drown and The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award in 2008. I'll be putting his earlier books on my reading list! I recommend This is How You Lose Her to anyone who enjoys contemporary short fiction.

The Bible Unearthed, by Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman

Israel Finkelstein and Neil Asher Silberman. The Bible Unearthed: Archaeology's New Vision of Ancient Israel and the Origin of its Sacred Texts. New York: The Free Press, 2001. 385 pages. ISBN 0684869128.

The Bible Unearthed is a fascinating look at what archaeology can tell us about the historical reliability of the Hebrew Bible. The book is organized into three parts that discuss the Bible as history, the rise and fall of ancient Israel, and the rise of Judah as a state and its influence on the development of the biblical texts. Throughout the book, the authors use archaeological evidence in an attempt to determine what parts of the Bible are historically accurate and which parts cannot be proven to be so. They use evidence from other regions, such as Egyptian, Assyrian, and Babylonian inscriptions, to help date or provide other perspectives on the stories found in the Bible.

When this book was published, author Finkelstein was the director of t the Sonia and Marco Nadler Institute of Archaeology at Tel Aviv University, as well as director of the university's excavations at the Tel Megiddo archaeological site. Author Silberman was director of historical interpretation for the Ename Center for Public Archaeology and Heritage Presentation in Belgium. I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in ancient Near East history.

The David Story, by Robert Alter

Robert Alter, The David Story: A Translation with Commentary of 1 and 2 Samuel. New York: Norton, 1999. 410 pages. ISBN 0393048039.

This is a fascinating, annotated translation of 1 and 2 Samuel, as well as the first two chapters of 1 Kings. Robert Alter is a professor of Hebrew and Comparative literature at the University of California, Berkeley, and the author or translator of numerous books about the bible, biblical literature, modern Hebrew literature, and more.

In a lengthy note to the reader, Alter provides a thorough introduction to the David story, and describes his methodology. As source material, he used the Masoretic Text, which was "established by a school of grammarians and textual scholars in Tiberias sometime between the seventh and the tenth centuries C.E." (p. xxv). The oldest complete manuscript of this text is the Aleppo Codex, which dates to approximately 1000 C.E. Also used as a source is a fragmentary version of Samuel that was found at Qumran (part of the Dead Sea Scrolls cache). Finally, ancient translations of the Hebrew Bible, that date as far back as the third century B.C.E. are available; Alter uses these translations to resolve or clarify what appear to be inaccuracies or other problems with the Masoretic text.

Throughout the translation, Alter provides historical context and clarifies details that may be confusing to the lay reader. He also explains when and why he used different sources for particular translation details (e.g., selecting the ancient Greek translation over the much later Hebrew text). As someone who reads history for pleasure, but who is not a historian, I found his commentary to be incredibly helpful in understanding the text. I recommend The David Story to anyone who is interested in biblical history.

Gypsy Boy, by Mikey Walsh

Mikey Walsh, Gypsy Boy. New York: Thomas Dunne Books, St. Martin's Press, 2012. 278 pages. ISBN 9780312622084.

Compared with Running With Scissors, this book tells the story of Mikey Walsh (a pseudonym) who grew up in a Gypsy community in England. This harrowing tale describes the Gypsy culture and its emphasis on living apart from all others, whom they call Gorgias. Mikey's extended family had a tradition of bare-knuckle boxing, and his father tried to train Mikey to take part in this fighting tradition. He started Mikey's boxing training (gloves allowed for children) at the age of four; regularly punching and beating Mikey to develop his fighting skills. He forced Mikey to fight any and all challengers, which were many. Every time the family moved to a new area, their reputation for fighting would cause the local Gypsy boys to challenge Mikey.

Mikey's descriptions of his beatings are difficult to read; it's hard to imagine a society in which this kind of behavior is allowed and encouraged. In the end, at the age of 15 Mikey makes a friend who helps him escape the Gypsy community. On the run for years, he doesn't see his family again until he's 20. Mikey wrote this book using a pseudonym because of his fear that he and others would be endangered if he had written it under his own name. A second book, Gypsy Boy on the Run, was published in 2013.

 

The End of the Bronze Age, by Robert Drews

Robert Drews, The End of the Bronze Age: Changes in Warfare and the Catastrophe ca. 1200 B.C. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1993. 252 pages. ISBN 0691048118.

Sometime around 1200 B.C., many of the major cities in Greece, Anatolia, the Levant, and Eastern Mediterranean islands such as Crete and Cyprus, were sacked and burned, and subsequently abandoned. Theories abound as to what happened and why, including earthquakes, migrations, the development of iron technology, drought, systems collapse, and raiders. Author Drews postulates that most of these theories don't provide a satisfactory explanation for such a major and widespread upheaval. The closest one is the suggestion that raiders caused all of the destruction towards the end of the Bronze Age.

Drews proposes that the cities and kingdoms that thrived in the Bronze Age relied heavily on chariot warfare. Chariots were used primarily as moving platforms for archers; the chariot forces were supported by infantry. Towards the end of the Bronze Age, the development of longer swords swept through the Eastern Mediterranean, providing infantry forces with weapons that allowed them to prevail over chariot forces. It appears that they sacked and burned the cities, and probably took all the loot they could carry, along with the populations of the cities that hadn't managed to escape to the hills.

Drews discusses each of the earlier hypotheses in detail, demonstrating why each of them falls short in providing credible evidence. He follows that with chapters addressing chariot warfare, the use of foot soldiers in warfare, and changes in armor and other weaponry. His arguments are very convincing and he writes in an engaging style. One caveat: Drews includes quotations in French, German, Latin, and Italian without translations throughout the book. Classicists won’t have any trouble with this, but it might be challenging for the lay reader. I recommend this book to anyone interested in ancient history.

 

Brain on Fire, by Susannah Cahalan

Susannah Cahalan, Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness. New York: Free Press, 2012. 266 pages. ISBN 978451621372.

This is another book that I came across in my massive weeding project! I had heard someone speak about the book at the 2012 BEA convention, and brought a copy home to read. As I was sorting through my books trying to decide which ones to keep, I got drawn into Brain on Fire. I started out skimming, and before I knew it, half of the afternoon was gone!

Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness is a riveting story of a young woman who very quickly descended into what appeared to be a mental illness. Doctors who were brought in to consult conjectured about a wide variety of possible diagnoses. One doctor claimed that she was partying too much and not getting enough sleep, another hypothesized that she was bipolar. In the end, she was lucky enough to get a doctor on her case who was familiar with recent research showing that an inflammation caused by a uterine tumor could cause illnesses such as she was experiencing. While she didn’t prove to have the tumor which is commonly present with this illness, tests did in fact indicate that she had an inflammation of the right side of her brain, and she responded to the recommended treatment for this illness. Back on the job as a reporter for the New York Post, she wrote an article about her experience, which she later turned into this fascinating book.

As I mentioned, once I started this book, I couldn't stop reading it. It's a frightening story, showing us how quickly one’s life can be turned upside down by an illness that doctors are unfamiliar with. If she hadn’t been diagnosed in time, she could have died or been sentenced for life to an institution for the mentally ill. I recommend this book to anyone interested in scary, true life, medical dramas.

Neanderthal, by Paul Jordan

Paul Jordan, Neanderthal: Neanderthal Man and the Story of Human Origins. Phoenix Mill, U.K.: Sutton Publishing, 2000. 239 pages. ISBN 0750919345.

Written in an engaging, almost chatty style, Neanderthal is a good introduction to our understanding of Neanderthal man as of the date of publication (2000). It begins with the first discovery of a Neanderthal site and skeleton, in the Neander Valley in Germany, and goes on to describe many other Neanderthal finds.  Author Jordan shows the reader how Neanderthal man fits into the long evolution of modern man. He describes the environment of Neanderthal man, the state of his technology, and speculates on his way of life. He goes on to place Neanderthal man on the spectrum of evolution, describing hominid development before and after Neanderthal man. Jordan reminds us that Neanderthal man existed for over 100,000 years, whereas we have only been around for about a quarter of that time period!

Neanderthal has well over one hundred black and white illustrations and about two dozen color plates. I would have appreciated some maps to illustrate the many sites in which remains were found. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in early hominid and human development. It looks like it's not available in print right now, but there appears to be a Kindle edition available.

Paris: Then and Now, by Peter and Oriel Caine

Peter and Oriel Caine, Paris: Then and Now. San Diego, CA: Thunder Bay Press, 2003. 144 pages. ISBN 1592231365.

I found Paris: Then and Now in Ollie's Bargain Outlet, a store in State College, PA, that offers (among other items) a very small selection of books at bargain prices (this one was $3.99). It's a coffee table book that consists of photographs of most of the major sights in Paris. It juxtaposes older photographs on the left with a more recent photograph on the right. It's a really fun way to see how Paris has changed over the decades, and I enjoyed looking at photographs of many of the places that I visited during my one and only trip to Paris in 1979, when I was 15.

Each photograph in Paris: Then and Now includes a caption that describes a little something about the history of the site when the photograph was taken. The only odd thing that I noticed, and this isn't really a criticism, is that the older photographs are from a wide range of time periods. The older photograph of the Ministère de la Marine is from 1944, whereas the photograph of the Pont St. Michel is dated 1880. Presumably the contemporary photographs are all from the same time period, near the publication date of the book. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to take a historical tour through Paris. Beware, though; it will make you want to get your passport out!

All the Fishes Come Home to Roost, by Rachel Manija Brown

Rachel Manija Brown, All the Fishes Come Home to Roost: An American Misfit in India. Emmaus, PA: Rodale, 2005. 349 pages. ISBN 1594861390.

I picked up this book at the 2005 BEA convention and just now got around to reading it. I am in the process of weeding my collection of nonfiction, and making (very) hard decisions about what I am really, truly, ever going to get around to reading. When I read the back cover of this book, I knew this was one that I really did want to read, and I started it that night.

All the Fishes Come Home to Roost tells the story of Manija (now Rachel), a young girl who was taken to India at the age of 7 and raised in an ashram there until the age of 12. The ashram in which she lived was dedicated to Meher Baba, an Indian spiritual leader who lived from 1894 to 1969.  Ms. Brown's parents were followers of Baba's and moved to India so they could live according to his philosophical teachings.

Ms. Brown's memoir is filled with tales about living in the ashram with a collection of eccentric residents and visiting pilgrims. She tells harrowing stories about the conditions of the school she attended, which was taught in English, but in which she was the only foreign student. She tells us about her love for the countryside and its flora and fauna, which includes some of her best memories of India. And she tells us about her unhappiness living in a country in which she always felt like an outsider. Her lack of belief in Baba and his teachings made her an outsider even within the ashram and her family, although she was careful to keep her lack of belief a secret until she was much older.

I found All the Fishes Come Home to Roost to be funny and insightful. Ms. Brown's writing style is clear and engaging, and it kept me interested to the last page. I enjoyed reading about her conversations and encounters with her parents in which she attempts to clear up some of the mysteries of her childhood. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good memoir.

Chimera, by David Wellington

David Wellington, Chimera. New York: William Morrow, 2013. 432 pages. ISBN 9780062248770.

Afghanistan war veteran Jim Chapel has been working a desk job since he lost an arm while on duty, although his highly sophisticated prosthetic arm allows him to operate almost as usual. Chimera starts when Jim is asked by Admiral Hollingshead, of the Defense Intelligence Agency, to help round up, capture, or kill four individuals who've escaped from a high-security facility in New York State. These men have gone their separate ways after their escape; each with a list of people they've been told to kill.

Jim has to start his mission without knowing even the basics: Who are the men? Why were they being detained? Why are they killing the folks on this list? Why is the CIA involved in a DIA project? As he tracks down the four men, one by one, he begins to put the clues together, and learns that the four men are the result of a genetics experiment that was intended to create a new race of humans, in the event of a nuclear holocaust. When the cold war ended and the likelihood of a nuclear war diminished, these men weren't needed, and were simply locked away and forgotten.

This is a fast-paced thriller, with Jim working with Julia Taggart, the daughter of one of the victims, and Angel, a woman assigned to help him but whom he only knows through his cell phone. They are followed and endangered by a CIA crew that is trying to cover up all evidence of their assignment, including them. I recommend Chimera to anyone who likes a fast-paced thriller!

The Never List, by Koethi Zan

Koethi Zan, The Never List. New York: Viking, 2013. 303 pages. ISBN 9780670026517.

At the age of 12, Sarah and her friend Jennifer were in a car accident that injured them both but killed Jennifer's mother. Inseparable friends, they compile a list of things to avoid in order to stay safe. When they head off to college, they continue their careful approach to life, but make one mistake that puts them in the hands of a kidnapper and sadist who keeps them captive for three years. Sarah survived her ordeal, but Jennifer never got away. Ten years later, their kidnapper is up for parole, and Sarah is asked to testify at the parole hearing.

Agoraphobic and psychologically frail, Sarah overcomes her fears and begins to investigate clues that she believes her kidnapper has sent her in his periodic letters from prison. She convinces her two fellow victims to help in her search for answers, and they begin to uncover evidence of many more crimes than were previously realized. As they track down their kidnapper's friends and colleagues, they begin to put the pieces together, but at the same time they attract the attention of folks with men who don't want what's going on to come to light, and these men will stop at nothing to prevent their exposure.

I found this book almost impossible to put down, and I read it through in two sittings over the weekend. I recommend it to anyone who likes a good thriller.

After I'm Gone, by Laura Lippman

Laura Lippman, After I'm Gone. New York: William Morrow, 2014. 334 pages. ISBN 9780062309563.

Laura Lippman's latest novel, After I'm Gone, demonstrates how pernicious lies, secrecy, and deception can be to one's family and relationships. The story focuses on five women who have mourned the loss of their respective husband, father, and lover for decades. Felix Brewer runs away from everyone he loves to avoid conviction and imprisonment for gambling charges. He made arrangements to help and financially provide for both his lover and his family, but those plans go awry and the reader can only speculate throughout much of the book what might have happened to his fortune.

Felix's lover, Julie, goes missing ten years after he disappeared, and everyone suspects that she left to join him. When her body is found many years later, it's clear that she never joined him, but it's unclear what might have happened to her and who was responsible. The novel is framed by the cold-case investigation of Julie's murder by Roberto "Sandy" Sanchez, a consultant with the Baltimore Police Department. As he investigates her disappearance and murder in the present, the novel takes us back in time to show us the backstory. Did Felix's widow or daughters kill Julie?

Ms. Lippman's writing is strong as usual, and the reader can't help but empathize with everyone in Felix's life whom he left with nothing but questions. Everyone has something to hide in this story and their secrecy and deception leave each other open to suspicion and distrust. I was guessing who was responsible up to the very end.

After I'm Gone is due out in February, 2014. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery with well-developed characters.

Before I die, by Candy Chang

Candy Chang, Before I Die. New York: St. Martin's Griffin, 2013. 303 pages. ISBN 9781250020840.

Candy Chang is an artist who decided to use an abandoned house to create a public art project that would engage a community. She painted the outside of a house in New Orleans with chalkboard paint, then stenciled "Before I Die, I Want to..." and left spaces for people to write whatever they wanted. Within days the space had filled up and created an emotional gathering spot for community members. She's documented her work on a web site: http://candychang.com/before-i-die-in-nola/ and also in this book.

Ms. Chang describes why she was inspired to start this project, and how it grew to be emulated in hundreds of similar installations around the world. The book is composed mostly of photographs of her project and the many others that followed. Ms. Chang begins the book with her own project, then spotlights dozens of similar projects from around the world. She concludes with a chapter "By the Numbers" that provides a number of statistics about the project, and instructions on how to create a similar wall. This was a fascinating and fun book to read; I particularly liked reading about the people who lead efforts in various locations to create similar walls. I recommend Before I Die to anyone who is interested in public art or community projects.

Fortunately, the Milk, by Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman, Fortunately, the Milk. Illustrated by Skottie Young. New York: HarperCollins, 2013. 113 pages. ISBN 9780062224071.

Neil Gaiman is one of the most versatile writers I know, writing in multiple genres and for all ages. My favorite book of his is The Graveyard Book which was a big success a few years ago and is in development for a movie by Ron Howard. Other books by Mr. Gaiman that I've read include Anansi Boys, Stardust, and Coraline, all of which I've enjoyed. I received an advance reader's edition of Fortunately, the Milk at the May 2013 Book Expo America convention in New York City. It included a post-it note inserted inside the cover with Mr. Gaiman's signature on it.

Fortunately, the Milk is an entertaining tall tale that is told by the father in the story. He goes out for milk one day and tells his children a tale to explain what took him so long. His story includes an alien spaceship, pirates, piranhas, a stegosaurus, a volcano, vampires, and more. The illustrations are well-drawn and amusing, and the writing is excellent as is usual with Mr. Gaiman. If you like kids books (as I do), this is a great purchase.

Short Movie Reviews: The Counselor; Catching Fire; The Desolation of Smaug

Once in a while I will use this space to write short movie reviews. While I used to go to the movies about once a week, after we moved to Albany our weekends have been dedicated primarily to three activities: working on the new house, exploring the Albany area, and visiting relatives who are now much further away than they were when we lived in State College. Things are starting to settle down a little and we've been getting out a bit to local theaters. Although we haven't been out to the movies much, our Netflix viewing has continued as usual, and we've managed to watch about 40 movies from Netflix this year (so far).

The Counselor. With Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Michael Fassbender, Cameron Diaz, and Brad Pitt, how could a movie go wrong? Directed by Ridley Scott, this movie is fast-paced and keeps the viewer guessing about what's going to happen next. It made me cringe as I watched Michael Fassbender's character, the counselor, make one bad decision after another. I'm a big Ridley Scott fan, but this didn't feel like a Scott film; to me, it seemed more like a Quentin Tarantino film, with tricky dialogue and bizarre asides. Some of the action was over-the-top violent; the film could have been just as good with a lot fewer grisly scenes. I still liked it, though, and would give it a B.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. The second installment in the Hunger Games trilogy was just as good as the first. I loved these books by Suzanne Collins, and the films have both done the books justice. While they may have changed a few details, or left a few minor scenes or characters out, the films have been just as I'd imagined the books. All of the actors have done a wonderful job with their characters, and remained true to the vision expressed in the books. Some YA literature, when made into films, comes across a little cheesy or campy (e.g., Twilight). Catching Fire is a thrilling fantasy adventure that would be appealing to both adults and a YA audience. The director, Francis Lawrence, has made an excellent film. I give it an A.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. For the record, I am a huge fan of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, both the books and the movies. I also love The Hobbit (the book); it was my first introduction to the world of J.R.R. Tolkien, and I've re-read them several times. Peter Jackson's decision to turn The Hobbit into a trilogy was a colossal mistake. I've read interviews in which he defended this decision and described how he included story lines from other works by Tolkien, etc., but I don't buy any of it. The Hobbit is a short book; shorter than any of the individual volumes in The Lord of the Rings. It should have been made into one action packed film. Stretched into three, it's bloated and slightly boring. I can't believe I'm even saying that, because I couldn't wait for this film to be made, and made specifically by Peter Jackson. It's a real shame. To be fair: the CGI is great; the actors are quite good; the scenery is beautiful. Smaug's design and portrayal is truly wonderful. Nevertheless, I can only say that I'm disappointed by this (and the first) film in the trilogy. I give it a C.