Piper Kerman. Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2011. 327 pages. ISBN 9780385523394.
Orange is the New Black: A Netflix Original Series.
I came to read this book after I watched the first two seasons of the Netflix television show based on this memoir by Piper Kerman. I had seen the book advertised everywhere (it was really hard to miss), but only watched Orange is the New Black when my husband and I finished Breaking Bad, and we were looking for something that we could watch together. I was hooked on the TV show after the first episode. I found the whole premise of the show to be fascinating. Years after committing a crime, Piper is indicted. By pleading guilty she gets a reduced sentence of 15 months, but it takes years to get to that point so after living with prison hanging over her head for many years, she finally has to turn herself in voluntarily for her sentence. Piper is assigned to a federal correctional facility in Danbury, Connecticut, a minimum security prison in which inmates aren't housed in cells, but in dorms.
Upon watching the show I immediately began to get caught up in drama related to the different inmates and their conflicts, as well as the conditions within the prison and the manner in which the guards and other correctional officers treat the inmates. Over the course of two seasons (13 episodes each, which we watched over the course of about 3-4 weeks), there are beatings, a drug overdose, romances between guards and inmates, lots of lesbian sex, and punishments doled out (such as being sent to solitary confinement). In spite of all this there is a lot of humor in the show, but it's the drama that keeps the viewer coming back.
After watching the first two seasons, and with Season 3 still 8-9 months away, I decided to read the book to see how different it was from the TV series. It's clear pretty early on that much of the TV show is completely fiction, aside from the broad outlines of the plot. The strength of the book lies in its ability to bring the inmates personal situations to life for the reader. Not much time is spent on the crimes the women committed to put them in jail, but most of them were for non-violent offences (or else they wouldn't have been in a minimum security prison). What becomes immediately apparent is the complete waste of time and resources that prison represents. After reading this book, I'm convinced that prison has no place in our society for non-violent criminals.
Orange is the New Black: My Year in a Women's Prison is an excellent and fascinating memoir. It's well-written and impossible to put down. The author takes full responsibility for the choices that she made that landed her in prison; at the same time she makes clear how senseless the prison system has become in the U.S.
Orange is the New Black: A Netflix Original Series, although almost completely fictional, is an addictive and fascinating drama. The characters are well-developed and intriguing, there's a lot of action and suspense, and it's difficult to stop watching.
I recommend both the book and the television series.
Sunday, August 31, 2014
Saturday, August 30, 2014
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, by Michael Chabon
Michael Chabon. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. New York: Random House, 2012. 684 pages. ISBN 9780812983586.
Friends and relatives have been recommending The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay to me for years. It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2001, and after finally reading it, I can see why. It tells the story of two cousins: Josef Kavalier and Sammy Clay meet for the first time as teenagers and become business and artistic partners in the nascent comic book industry.
Josef was born in Czechoslovakia and managed to escape after Germany invaded the country in 1938. Sammy grew up in New York City, the product of a broken family, but who idolized his father, a circus strongman. With Josef's early art school training and Sammy's love of comics, they paired up to create a series of highly successful superhero comics. Josef saves his earnings to pay for his younger brother's passage to the U.S. When everything goes wrong for both Josef and Sammy on the eve of Pearl Harbor, Josef joins the army so that he can get his revenge by killing Germans.
There are many things to like about this book. The historical setting is fascinating and well-drawn. I enjoyed reading about the early history of the comic book industry. Josef and Sammy's friendship and love for each other. Josef's love for Rosa, and the tragedy that unfolds when he unknowingly leaves her after she becomes pregnant. Young Tommy, named after Josef's lost brother. All of these strands and more come together in a satisfying yet bittersweet climax. This is a long book, but I didn't want it to end. I would have enjoyed another volume following Tommy and describing what happens to Sammy over the years.
As usual, Michael Chabon has written a book that is rich with detail and his deep knowledge of both history and popular culture. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys 20th century American culture and history or comic books.
Friends and relatives have been recommending The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay to me for years. It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2001, and after finally reading it, I can see why. It tells the story of two cousins: Josef Kavalier and Sammy Clay meet for the first time as teenagers and become business and artistic partners in the nascent comic book industry.
Josef was born in Czechoslovakia and managed to escape after Germany invaded the country in 1938. Sammy grew up in New York City, the product of a broken family, but who idolized his father, a circus strongman. With Josef's early art school training and Sammy's love of comics, they paired up to create a series of highly successful superhero comics. Josef saves his earnings to pay for his younger brother's passage to the U.S. When everything goes wrong for both Josef and Sammy on the eve of Pearl Harbor, Josef joins the army so that he can get his revenge by killing Germans.
There are many things to like about this book. The historical setting is fascinating and well-drawn. I enjoyed reading about the early history of the comic book industry. Josef and Sammy's friendship and love for each other. Josef's love for Rosa, and the tragedy that unfolds when he unknowingly leaves her after she becomes pregnant. Young Tommy, named after Josef's lost brother. All of these strands and more come together in a satisfying yet bittersweet climax. This is a long book, but I didn't want it to end. I would have enjoyed another volume following Tommy and describing what happens to Sammy over the years.
As usual, Michael Chabon has written a book that is rich with detail and his deep knowledge of both history and popular culture. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys 20th century American culture and history or comic books.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Movie Review: The Invisible Woman
The Invisible Woman is about an affair that Charles Dickens had late in his life with a young actress named Ellen Ternan. Many years younger than Charles, she was 18 and he was 45 when they met. Charles made the decision to separate from his wife Catherine and spent the rest of his life with Ellen.
The film begins with Ellen in middle age reflecting back on her youth as a member of a troupe of actresses hired to perform in a stage play at Charles Dickens' home. Charles is immediately attracted to Ellen, and she's enamored of him as she's read all of his books and thinks highly of him as a writer and person. His wife is portrayed wonderfully by the actress Joanna Scanlan. It's impossible not to be moved by her performance and unhappy circumstances. Charles begins to pursue Ellen, winning her over in time. Her pregnancy is portrayed as well as her sadness when she loses the baby in infancy. Ultimately Charles purchases a home for her and promises to visit once or twice weekly. After his death she marries a much younger man and starts a family.
Directed by Ralph Fiennes, this film is very atmospheric and has very fine acting, including Fiennes as Charles Dickens himself, and Kristin Scott Thomas as Ellen's mother. It is, however, very slow moving and dark and I found it a little bit tedious at times. Checking Rotten Tomatoes I see that critics gave the movie a 76% positive rating, but viewers only gave it a 46% positive rating. I'm not sorry that I watched it, because I have more insight into Dickens than I had before, and as I already mentioned the acting is really very strong, but I can't really give it a strong recommendation either.
The film begins with Ellen in middle age reflecting back on her youth as a member of a troupe of actresses hired to perform in a stage play at Charles Dickens' home. Charles is immediately attracted to Ellen, and she's enamored of him as she's read all of his books and thinks highly of him as a writer and person. His wife is portrayed wonderfully by the actress Joanna Scanlan. It's impossible not to be moved by her performance and unhappy circumstances. Charles begins to pursue Ellen, winning her over in time. Her pregnancy is portrayed as well as her sadness when she loses the baby in infancy. Ultimately Charles purchases a home for her and promises to visit once or twice weekly. After his death she marries a much younger man and starts a family.
Directed by Ralph Fiennes, this film is very atmospheric and has very fine acting, including Fiennes as Charles Dickens himself, and Kristin Scott Thomas as Ellen's mother. It is, however, very slow moving and dark and I found it a little bit tedious at times. Checking Rotten Tomatoes I see that critics gave the movie a 76% positive rating, but viewers only gave it a 46% positive rating. I'm not sorry that I watched it, because I have more insight into Dickens than I had before, and as I already mentioned the acting is really very strong, but I can't really give it a strong recommendation either.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
The Geographer's Library, by Jon Fasman
Jon Fasman. The Geographer's Library. New York: Penguin Books, 2005. 374 pages. ISBN 0143036629.
The Geographer's Library is about a young reporter, Paul Tomm, who stumbles across a story that could break him out of his small town local paper job and help him get a position with a major Boston newspaper. Jaan Puhapaev, a professor at Paul's alma mater, has been found dead in his home, and Paul has been asked to write his obituary for the local weekly paper. There is no evidence of foul play, but questions start to pile up leading Paul to dig deeper and deeper into Jaan's past. Along the way Paul meets Hannah, Jaan's neighbor and friend. While he begins to fall in love with Hannah, he is surprised by her vehement objections to his investigation into Jaan's life and activities.
The plot of The Geographer's Library toggles between the present and a variety of past events in which magic or occult objects are tracked down and acquired, by any means necessary. Who's collecting these objects? How did they come to be in Jaan's possession, and who has them now? How far will they go to keep the secret of these objects hidden away? As Paul investigates these questions he finds that he's not safe, and he has to decide how far he should take his investigations.
I found The Geographer's Library intriguing. There's a lot of action but the characters are well-developed and interesting. I recommend this book to anyone who likes historical mysteries like those of Dan Brown or Steve Berry.
The Geographer's Library is about a young reporter, Paul Tomm, who stumbles across a story that could break him out of his small town local paper job and help him get a position with a major Boston newspaper. Jaan Puhapaev, a professor at Paul's alma mater, has been found dead in his home, and Paul has been asked to write his obituary for the local weekly paper. There is no evidence of foul play, but questions start to pile up leading Paul to dig deeper and deeper into Jaan's past. Along the way Paul meets Hannah, Jaan's neighbor and friend. While he begins to fall in love with Hannah, he is surprised by her vehement objections to his investigation into Jaan's life and activities.
The plot of The Geographer's Library toggles between the present and a variety of past events in which magic or occult objects are tracked down and acquired, by any means necessary. Who's collecting these objects? How did they come to be in Jaan's possession, and who has them now? How far will they go to keep the secret of these objects hidden away? As Paul investigates these questions he finds that he's not safe, and he has to decide how far he should take his investigations.
I found The Geographer's Library intriguing. There's a lot of action but the characters are well-developed and interesting. I recommend this book to anyone who likes historical mysteries like those of Dan Brown or Steve Berry.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Come to Grief, by Dick Francis
Dick Francis. Come to Grief. London: Michael Joseph, 1995. 278 pages. ISBN 0718137531.
In Come to Grief, ex-jockey turned private investigator Sid Halley has accused one of his best friends of the horrific crime of mutilating a series of horses. His friend Ellis Quint is a popular television personality, and it's unthinkable that he could be responsible for such crimes. Nevertheless, all of the evidence points to Ellis. One of the horses that was harmed was owned by a young girl whom Sid befriends, and he is driven to find the sick criminal responsible. Sid can't talk to the media or anyone else about the evidence because the judge has imposed a gag order, and during the time leading up to the trial Sid is harrassed, ridiculed, and even hated for making his accusations.
Sid Halley has appeared in several of Dick Francis' books. He's stubborn and relentless in his pursuit of criminals. He has an extreme sense of justice and nothing will stand in his way. In this as in other appearances, he faces overwhelming odds and suffers great violence in pursuit of those who commit crimes. One caveat: when an author writes solely about crimes or violence that take place in the world of horses, it's inevitable that some of that violence is perpetrated against the horses themselves. I found some parts of this book hard to stomach as a series of horses were mutilated and then put down. Nevertheless, Come to Grief was impossible to put down, and I finished the whole book in one Saturday afternoon extended reading session.
In Come to Grief, ex-jockey turned private investigator Sid Halley has accused one of his best friends of the horrific crime of mutilating a series of horses. His friend Ellis Quint is a popular television personality, and it's unthinkable that he could be responsible for such crimes. Nevertheless, all of the evidence points to Ellis. One of the horses that was harmed was owned by a young girl whom Sid befriends, and he is driven to find the sick criminal responsible. Sid can't talk to the media or anyone else about the evidence because the judge has imposed a gag order, and during the time leading up to the trial Sid is harrassed, ridiculed, and even hated for making his accusations.
Sid Halley has appeared in several of Dick Francis' books. He's stubborn and relentless in his pursuit of criminals. He has an extreme sense of justice and nothing will stand in his way. In this as in other appearances, he faces overwhelming odds and suffers great violence in pursuit of those who commit crimes. One caveat: when an author writes solely about crimes or violence that take place in the world of horses, it's inevitable that some of that violence is perpetrated against the horses themselves. I found some parts of this book hard to stomach as a series of horses were mutilated and then put down. Nevertheless, Come to Grief was impossible to put down, and I finished the whole book in one Saturday afternoon extended reading session.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
The Silver Star, by Jeannette Walls
Jeannette Walls. The Silver Star. New York: Scribner, 2013. 269 pages. ISBN 9781451661545.
In The Silver Star, two young girls are abandoned by their mother, and have to fend for themselves. Bean is 12 years old, and her sister Liz is 15. Used to being left alone for a day or two, they aren't sure what to do when their mother fails to return after two weeks. Eventually a neighbor becomes suspicious and calls the police. Seeing a policeman at their front door after school one day leads the two girls to take a bus to Virginia to visit an uncle on the family estate.
Once they're in their hometown, they begin to learn what it's like to live in a small town where everyone knows everything about you and your family. Bean learns about her father and his failed romance with her mother. They decide to get summer jobs for spending money, but the man who hires them, Jerry Maddox, turns out to be a manipulative predator. After he attacks Liz in the back seat of a taxi, the girls are faced with a choice: brush everything under the rug like it never happened, or press charges against him. Taking the latter path turns out to have many consequences, both good and bad, and both girls learn many life lessons from the experience.
Having read Ms. Walls' memoir about growing up with unstable parents, The Glass Castle, I found it hard at first to separate her true life story from this fictional account of a young girl with a similarly unstable mother. Over time, however, I was able to set aside what I know of Ms. Walls' history and focus on this fictional narrative. I enjoyed reading this book, and found the characters intriguing and believable. The only criticism that I have is that some of the plot points seem to be a little too easy or coincidental. The resolution of the Jerry Maddox problem was perhaps too simple. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed The Glass Castle, or who appreciates family dramas.
In The Silver Star, two young girls are abandoned by their mother, and have to fend for themselves. Bean is 12 years old, and her sister Liz is 15. Used to being left alone for a day or two, they aren't sure what to do when their mother fails to return after two weeks. Eventually a neighbor becomes suspicious and calls the police. Seeing a policeman at their front door after school one day leads the two girls to take a bus to Virginia to visit an uncle on the family estate.
Once they're in their hometown, they begin to learn what it's like to live in a small town where everyone knows everything about you and your family. Bean learns about her father and his failed romance with her mother. They decide to get summer jobs for spending money, but the man who hires them, Jerry Maddox, turns out to be a manipulative predator. After he attacks Liz in the back seat of a taxi, the girls are faced with a choice: brush everything under the rug like it never happened, or press charges against him. Taking the latter path turns out to have many consequences, both good and bad, and both girls learn many life lessons from the experience.
Having read Ms. Walls' memoir about growing up with unstable parents, The Glass Castle, I found it hard at first to separate her true life story from this fictional account of a young girl with a similarly unstable mother. Over time, however, I was able to set aside what I know of Ms. Walls' history and focus on this fictional narrative. I enjoyed reading this book, and found the characters intriguing and believable. The only criticism that I have is that some of the plot points seem to be a little too easy or coincidental. The resolution of the Jerry Maddox problem was perhaps too simple. Nevertheless, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoyed The Glass Castle, or who appreciates family dramas.
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Sutton, by J.R. Moehringer
J.R. Moehringer. Sutton. New York: Hyperion, 2012. 334 pages. ISBN 9781401323141.
Willie Sutton was one of the most famous bank robbers of the 20th century, but he has largely fallen from popular consciousness. Born in 1901, Willie began robbing jewelry stores at a young age, and then turned to robbing banks. Proud and insistent that he never killed anyone, he nevertheless spent more than half of his adult life behind bars. Not only was Willie Sutton famous for robbing banks, he was also notorious for escaping from prison, having escaped from both Sing Sing and Eastern Penitentiary, and having made many unsuccessful attempts to escape as well.
On Christmas Eve 1969 Willie was released after serving 18 years of a life sentence in Attica prison; his poor health convincing the governor that he had only a short time to live. He spent Christmas day with a reporter who had arranged for an exclusive interview with Sutton. Fooling everyone again, Willie managed to live another 10 years, finally dying in Florida in 1980.
In Sutton, Mr. Moehringer imagines what that Christmas day was like for Willie, travelling all around New York City visiting key locales in Willie's life story. They travel to the place where he met the love of his life, the first jewelry store that he robbed, places he lived, and more. At each location Willie remembers how his life unfolded and why he made the decisions that led to his life of crime and his many incarcerations.
Mr. Moehringer's writing is clear and engaging. The dialogue that he imagines for Willie and his peers seems authentic and natural. The stories that he creates to fill in Willie's narrative are believable. Sutton is well-written and compulsively readable. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
Willie Sutton was one of the most famous bank robbers of the 20th century, but he has largely fallen from popular consciousness. Born in 1901, Willie began robbing jewelry stores at a young age, and then turned to robbing banks. Proud and insistent that he never killed anyone, he nevertheless spent more than half of his adult life behind bars. Not only was Willie Sutton famous for robbing banks, he was also notorious for escaping from prison, having escaped from both Sing Sing and Eastern Penitentiary, and having made many unsuccessful attempts to escape as well.
On Christmas Eve 1969 Willie was released after serving 18 years of a life sentence in Attica prison; his poor health convincing the governor that he had only a short time to live. He spent Christmas day with a reporter who had arranged for an exclusive interview with Sutton. Fooling everyone again, Willie managed to live another 10 years, finally dying in Florida in 1980.
In Sutton, Mr. Moehringer imagines what that Christmas day was like for Willie, travelling all around New York City visiting key locales in Willie's life story. They travel to the place where he met the love of his life, the first jewelry store that he robbed, places he lived, and more. At each location Willie remembers how his life unfolded and why he made the decisions that led to his life of crime and his many incarcerations.
Mr. Moehringer's writing is clear and engaging. The dialogue that he imagines for Willie and his peers seems authentic and natural. The stories that he creates to fill in Willie's narrative are believable. Sutton is well-written and compulsively readable. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
The Queen of the Tearling, by Erika Johansen
Erika Johansen. The Queen of the Tearling. New York: HarperCollins, 2014. 434 pages. ISBN 9780062290366.
Kelsea Raleigh has been raised in seclusion by her adoptive parents, Carlin and Barty. Kelsea's mother, Queen Ellysa, ruled over the Kingdom of Tearling. She arranged for Kelsea to be taken away from the castle when she was an infant in an effort to protect her from the Red Queen of Mortmesne, who invaded the Tearling and subjugated it to an oppressive treaty by which the Tearling had to pay tribute to Mortmesne in the form of a monthly delivery of citizens that she used as slaves.
The book begins when Kelsea turns nineteen and it's determined that she is of age and can take over the rule of the Tearling from her uncle, who's served as Regent for many years. The Queen's guard accompanies her to the castle where she sees the injustice of the past 18 years and begins to make changes. Breaking a treaty with the Red Queen brings war and strife to the Tearling. Kelsea faces many challenges including someone in her own guard who has betrayed her. From the first page, this first novel by Erika Johansen kept me interested. I'm especially interested in the back story; it appears that the Tearling was founded by William Tear after "the Crossing". It was meant to be a utopian settlement with very little technology. The only science that Tear intended to have was medical technology, but their sophisticated equipment was destroyed in a shipwreck during the Crossing, so Tear's utopia didn't turn out as planned. It's well-written and fast-paced. The Queen of the Tearling is the first of a trilogy. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys modern fantasy.
Kelsea Raleigh has been raised in seclusion by her adoptive parents, Carlin and Barty. Kelsea's mother, Queen Ellysa, ruled over the Kingdom of Tearling. She arranged for Kelsea to be taken away from the castle when she was an infant in an effort to protect her from the Red Queen of Mortmesne, who invaded the Tearling and subjugated it to an oppressive treaty by which the Tearling had to pay tribute to Mortmesne in the form of a monthly delivery of citizens that she used as slaves.
The book begins when Kelsea turns nineteen and it's determined that she is of age and can take over the rule of the Tearling from her uncle, who's served as Regent for many years. The Queen's guard accompanies her to the castle where she sees the injustice of the past 18 years and begins to make changes. Breaking a treaty with the Red Queen brings war and strife to the Tearling. Kelsea faces many challenges including someone in her own guard who has betrayed her. From the first page, this first novel by Erika Johansen kept me interested. I'm especially interested in the back story; it appears that the Tearling was founded by William Tear after "the Crossing". It was meant to be a utopian settlement with very little technology. The only science that Tear intended to have was medical technology, but their sophisticated equipment was destroyed in a shipwreck during the Crossing, so Tear's utopia didn't turn out as planned. It's well-written and fast-paced. The Queen of the Tearling is the first of a trilogy. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys modern fantasy.
Friday, July 11, 2014
The Criminalist, by Eugene Izzi
Eugene Izzi. The Criminalist. New York: Avon Books, 1998. 341 pages. ISBN 0380975408.
Published two years after Eugene Izzi's untimely death, The Criminalist is a suspenseful mystery that explores the dynamics between three brothers who've been psychologically damaged by the violence inflicted on them by their father. It tells the story of Tom Moran, psychiatrist; Terry Moran, police officer; and Frank Moran, addict and vagrant. Twenty years ago Tom's wife was violently murdered, but her killer has never been found. Initially suspected, both Tom and Terry have suffered for many years from lingering suspicions, but they've affected Terry's career the most. Bitter from his past experiences, Terry hides from the police when a dead woman is found whose murder closely mirrors that of Tom's wife.
Detective Dominick DiGrazia and his new partner Janice Constantine try to untangle the threads that connect all of the characters involved in both murders. What is the role of DiGrazia's former partner, a detective who became obsessed with the earlier murder? Is the same person responsible for both murders?
This book kept me turning the pages until the very end. It's well-written and impossible to put down. It's a shame that this is Izzi's last book. I recommend this to anyone who likes detective stories with a lot of action.
Published two years after Eugene Izzi's untimely death, The Criminalist is a suspenseful mystery that explores the dynamics between three brothers who've been psychologically damaged by the violence inflicted on them by their father. It tells the story of Tom Moran, psychiatrist; Terry Moran, police officer; and Frank Moran, addict and vagrant. Twenty years ago Tom's wife was violently murdered, but her killer has never been found. Initially suspected, both Tom and Terry have suffered for many years from lingering suspicions, but they've affected Terry's career the most. Bitter from his past experiences, Terry hides from the police when a dead woman is found whose murder closely mirrors that of Tom's wife.
Detective Dominick DiGrazia and his new partner Janice Constantine try to untangle the threads that connect all of the characters involved in both murders. What is the role of DiGrazia's former partner, a detective who became obsessed with the earlier murder? Is the same person responsible for both murders?
This book kept me turning the pages until the very end. It's well-written and impossible to put down. It's a shame that this is Izzi's last book. I recommend this to anyone who likes detective stories with a lot of action.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Bones Never Lie, by Kathy Reichs
Kathy Reichs. Bones Never Lie. New York: Bantam Books, 2014. 334 pages. ISBN 9780345544018.
Kathy Reichs has published dozens of
books, many of them in her Temperance Brennan series, upon which the television
program Bones is based. Ms. Reichs was present at the 2014 Book Expo
America conference, and I was lucky enough to get a copy of her latest
Temperance Brennan novel there.
Bones Never Lie doesn't disappoint. A forensic anthropologist, Temperance
is invited to participate in an investigation into the murders of three young
girls in what appears to be a serial murder spree that started in Canada, moved
to Vermont, and then on to Charlotte, N.C., where Temperance spends much of her
time. She and her former partner Andrew Ryan had worked on what appears to be a
related case in Quebec. She has to fly to Costa Rica to try to bring him back after
he’s gone AWOL to grieve over the death of his daughter to a heroin overdose.
Temperance has to balance office
politics with a race against time to catch the serial killer before he or she strikes
again. Working with Skinny Slidell, a local detective, as well as detectives
from Vermont and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Temperance
and Ryan attempt to track down the killer who went off the grid ten years
previously. Fast paced and with loads of action, this book kept me turning the
pages until I finished. The only quibble that I have with this book is that the
dialogue is consistently nasty. I found the persistent sarcasm and just plain
meanness of the dialogue to be a little tiresome. Nevertheless, I recommend
this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries with a forensic science angle.
Saturday, July 5, 2014
We Were Liars, by E. Lockhart
E. Lockhart. We Were Liars. New York: Delacorte Press, 2014. 225 pages. ISBN 9780385741262.
In this short novel author E. Lockhart presents us with the case of Cady, a 17-year-old girl who's recovering from a traumatic accident that took place two years previously and left her with amnesia about the entire summer in which it occurred. The book pivots between the present day and the snippets of memory that come back to her as she returns to her wealthy family's vacation home on an island owned by her grandfather. During the four weeks that she is going to be on the island, will she be able to find the clues to help her remember what happened that summer?
Cady spends time with her mother and two aunts, assorted cousins and golden retrievers, and her grandfather. Unacknowledged tensions hover over everyone, but slowly Cady begins to remember disparate things that happened and led up to her accident and memory loss. She rekindles her romance from that summer, and prods her favorite cousins into giving her clues to the past. As the facts emerge it begins to be clear why she blocked those memories out.
This is a book about friendship, love, and families, and will appeal to a wide audience.
In this short novel author E. Lockhart presents us with the case of Cady, a 17-year-old girl who's recovering from a traumatic accident that took place two years previously and left her with amnesia about the entire summer in which it occurred. The book pivots between the present day and the snippets of memory that come back to her as she returns to her wealthy family's vacation home on an island owned by her grandfather. During the four weeks that she is going to be on the island, will she be able to find the clues to help her remember what happened that summer?
Cady spends time with her mother and two aunts, assorted cousins and golden retrievers, and her grandfather. Unacknowledged tensions hover over everyone, but slowly Cady begins to remember disparate things that happened and led up to her accident and memory loss. She rekindles her romance from that summer, and prods her favorite cousins into giving her clues to the past. As the facts emerge it begins to be clear why she blocked those memories out.
This is a book about friendship, love, and families, and will appeal to a wide audience.
Friday, July 4, 2014
The Good Sister, by Wendy Corsi Staub
Wendy Corsi Staub. The Good Sister. New York: Harper, 2013. 418 pages. ISBN 9780062222374.
In The Good Sister author Wendy Corsi Staub tells the story of Carley, a young girl who has been enduring significant bullying since she moved to a new school. To make matters worse, her best friend Nicki has dumped her, and a few months later Nicki kills herself. Reeling from her own difficulties at school and her friend's death, Carley is struggling to understand how this all came to be. She turns to a new-found friend, Angel, whom she met on an anti-bullying website. But is Angel the person she thinks she is?
Carley's mother Jen is also attempting to deal with Nicki's death. Carley has been good friends with Nicki's mother Debbie since elementary school and was close to Nicki as well. When Jen attends Nicki's wake, she comes face-to-face with her high school boyfriend, Mike, and begins to suspect that there's something between Mike and Debbie.
In the meantime, someone has come back to town to settle his mother's estate. He finds a journal kept by his older sister, Ruthie, who died in a car accident a long time ago. Reading the journal, he begins to understand that she was not only abused by their father but also bullied by her school mates. He's determined to exact revenge for her.
Ms. Staub pulls all of these disparate strands together in a fast-paced suspense novel that serves as a warning to everyone about the danger of relying too heavily on social media and electronic devices for our communication. Sometimes it's much better to just have a face-to-face conversation!
In The Good Sister author Wendy Corsi Staub tells the story of Carley, a young girl who has been enduring significant bullying since she moved to a new school. To make matters worse, her best friend Nicki has dumped her, and a few months later Nicki kills herself. Reeling from her own difficulties at school and her friend's death, Carley is struggling to understand how this all came to be. She turns to a new-found friend, Angel, whom she met on an anti-bullying website. But is Angel the person she thinks she is?
Carley's mother Jen is also attempting to deal with Nicki's death. Carley has been good friends with Nicki's mother Debbie since elementary school and was close to Nicki as well. When Jen attends Nicki's wake, she comes face-to-face with her high school boyfriend, Mike, and begins to suspect that there's something between Mike and Debbie.
In the meantime, someone has come back to town to settle his mother's estate. He finds a journal kept by his older sister, Ruthie, who died in a car accident a long time ago. Reading the journal, he begins to understand that she was not only abused by their father but also bullied by her school mates. He's determined to exact revenge for her.
Ms. Staub pulls all of these disparate strands together in a fast-paced suspense novel that serves as a warning to everyone about the danger of relying too heavily on social media and electronic devices for our communication. Sometimes it's much better to just have a face-to-face conversation!
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Nightwatcher, by Wendy Corsi Staub
Wendy Corsi Staub. Nightwatcher. New York: Harper, 2012. 371 pages. ISBN 9780062213181.
While at a conference in Las Vegas over the weekend, I continued to read a series of suspense novels as a way to keep my mind off other responsibilities. Nightwatcher was the next book on my list to do just that. Prolific author Wendy Corsi Staub has written a real page turner with the 9/11 tragedy as a backdrop.
Allison and Kristin live in the same apartment building, but have very different views about relationships. Kristin has a huge crush on a married neighbor who seems to be oblivious to her charms, but Allison remains distrustful and unwilling to make herself vulnerable in a relationship. While Kristin's crush goes unfulfilled, their building's handyman develops a crush on Kristin. When Kristin is found murdered the evening of September 11, 2001, Jerry becomes the first suspect, although Allison suspects that he isn't capable of such violence. Still, why is their neighbor Mack acting so suspicious? What really happened to Mack's wife Carrie? Who is the mysterious Jamie? Does he (or she) even exist? As the plot twists and turns, each of the characters seem suspect, but the book doesn't reveal all its secrets until the last few pages, keeping the reader turning them until the end.
Similar to The Money Kill, by Katia Lief (reviewed here), Nightwatcher proved to be a good distraction from work while I was at the ALA Annual Conference last weekend. And with the temperatures well over a hundred degrees while we were there, relaxing in air-conditioned comfort with a book was the best option.
While at a conference in Las Vegas over the weekend, I continued to read a series of suspense novels as a way to keep my mind off other responsibilities. Nightwatcher was the next book on my list to do just that. Prolific author Wendy Corsi Staub has written a real page turner with the 9/11 tragedy as a backdrop.
Allison and Kristin live in the same apartment building, but have very different views about relationships. Kristin has a huge crush on a married neighbor who seems to be oblivious to her charms, but Allison remains distrustful and unwilling to make herself vulnerable in a relationship. While Kristin's crush goes unfulfilled, their building's handyman develops a crush on Kristin. When Kristin is found murdered the evening of September 11, 2001, Jerry becomes the first suspect, although Allison suspects that he isn't capable of such violence. Still, why is their neighbor Mack acting so suspicious? What really happened to Mack's wife Carrie? Who is the mysterious Jamie? Does he (or she) even exist? As the plot twists and turns, each of the characters seem suspect, but the book doesn't reveal all its secrets until the last few pages, keeping the reader turning them until the end.
Similar to The Money Kill, by Katia Lief (reviewed here), Nightwatcher proved to be a good distraction from work while I was at the ALA Annual Conference last weekend. And with the temperatures well over a hundred degrees while we were there, relaxing in air-conditioned comfort with a book was the best option.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
The Money Kill, by Tatia Lief
Tatia Lief. The Money Kill. New York: Harper, 2013. 338 pages. ISBN 9780062096975.
When I have a lot on my plate I like to read fast-paced suspense or mystery novels to distract myself from whatever else is going on. As I headed off to Las Vegas last Thursday to attend the ALA Annual conference, I looked around my house to find one or more paperback mysteries for the plane ride. I finally settled on Katia Lief's The Money Kill to start with.
Author of more than a dozen suspense novels, Ms. Lief's latest is number four in the Karin Schaeffer and Mac MacLeary series. Schaeffer and MacLeary are former police officers who have turned to the "safer" profession of private investigation. Mac has been hired by Cathy Millerhausen to investigate her husband's infidelity, and finding nothing, he's tempted by another job to end the investigation early and take up the new one. This job entails a short trip to London, and comes with a bonus trip to Italy for the entire family. However, it quickly becomes clear, at least to the reader, that the two cases are connected and the whole family is threatened.
The plot of The Money Kill is intricate and fast-paced. Viewpoints shift from Mac to Karin to their employee Mary, and also to their respective children, Dathi and Fremont. Most of the action takes place in Italy, and the book illustrates the challenges of vacationing in a country when one doesn't know the language or geography very well. I enjoyed The Money Kill and it did its job of keeping me distracted from more serious business.
I intended to give this book away or leave it in my hotel room for someone else to read, but I realized that I had gotten it signed for my sister! I'll have to send it off in the next box...
When I have a lot on my plate I like to read fast-paced suspense or mystery novels to distract myself from whatever else is going on. As I headed off to Las Vegas last Thursday to attend the ALA Annual conference, I looked around my house to find one or more paperback mysteries for the plane ride. I finally settled on Katia Lief's The Money Kill to start with.
Author of more than a dozen suspense novels, Ms. Lief's latest is number four in the Karin Schaeffer and Mac MacLeary series. Schaeffer and MacLeary are former police officers who have turned to the "safer" profession of private investigation. Mac has been hired by Cathy Millerhausen to investigate her husband's infidelity, and finding nothing, he's tempted by another job to end the investigation early and take up the new one. This job entails a short trip to London, and comes with a bonus trip to Italy for the entire family. However, it quickly becomes clear, at least to the reader, that the two cases are connected and the whole family is threatened.
The plot of The Money Kill is intricate and fast-paced. Viewpoints shift from Mac to Karin to their employee Mary, and also to their respective children, Dathi and Fremont. Most of the action takes place in Italy, and the book illustrates the challenges of vacationing in a country when one doesn't know the language or geography very well. I enjoyed The Money Kill and it did its job of keeping me distracted from more serious business.
I intended to give this book away or leave it in my hotel room for someone else to read, but I realized that I had gotten it signed for my sister! I'll have to send it off in the next box...
Monday, June 30, 2014
The Monuments Men, by Robert M. Edsel
Robert M. Edsel. The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves, and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History. New York: Bay Back Books/Little, Brown, and Company, 2009. 473 pages. ISBN 9780316240055.
I first became aware of this book when I saw the commercials for the film. Looking for good books to read for our book club, my fellow club members and I were considering a list of books that had recent movie tie-ins, and this book grabbed our attention. World War II has always been interesting to me, partly because my father was involved in it as a radio operator in a bombing squadron that flew out of England in 1944. After completing 34 missions over Europe my father was brought back to the U.S. for training and possible deployment in the Pacific theater when the war ended and he was spared.
Edsel evokes the war through his clear and engaging prose. Although it's chock full of facts and figures, The Monuments Men reads like a novel. At first I had a hard time keeping all the main characters straight, but eventually their characters and history become developed and I found myself rooting for them to succeed. I really enjoyed this book, and I'm looking forward to seeing the movie; it's coming up soon in my Netflix list...
I first became aware of this book when I saw the commercials for the film. Looking for good books to read for our book club, my fellow club members and I were considering a list of books that had recent movie tie-ins, and this book grabbed our attention. World War II has always been interesting to me, partly because my father was involved in it as a radio operator in a bombing squadron that flew out of England in 1944. After completing 34 missions over Europe my father was brought back to the U.S. for training and possible deployment in the Pacific theater when the war ended and he was spared.
Edsel evokes the war through his clear and engaging prose. Although it's chock full of facts and figures, The Monuments Men reads like a novel. At first I had a hard time keeping all the main characters straight, but eventually their characters and history become developed and I found myself rooting for them to succeed. I really enjoyed this book, and I'm looking forward to seeing the movie; it's coming up soon in my Netflix list...
Sunday, June 29, 2014
The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair, by Joel Dicker
Joel Dicker. The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair. New York: Penguin Books, 2014. 643 pages. ISBN 9780143126683.
Marcus Goldman is an author suffering from writer's block as he tries to come up with an idea for his second novel. Following the wild success of his first novel, he's feeling the pressure of achieving similar success with his second. Marcus contacts his favorite college professor and mentor, Harry Quebert, who offers to let him stay in his New Hampshire home as a form of retreat. While there, Marcus learns that Harry had a long ago affair with a teenage girl, Nola, who later that summer went missing and was never heard from again. When her remains are found later, Harry becomes the number one suspect and Marcus sets out to prove Harry innocent. As Marcus follows the clues and interviews all the townspeople who knew Nola, he unearths one secret after another. Past intrigues, deceits, and crimes come to light, but the mystery remains as to who killed Nola.
The twists and turns in The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair had my head spinning. But the writing is excellent and the pace keeps the reader going. I found this book readable and fun, and the fast-paced plot will keep you turning the pages until the end. Very satisfying.
I received this book at an event sponsored by the Association of American Publishers and Library Journal, and the author gave a short, but amusing, presentation about his experiences as a writer. Joel Dicker is Suiss, writing in French. He wrote five or six novels (unpublished) before writing this book. It's good that he didn't give up!
Marcus Goldman is an author suffering from writer's block as he tries to come up with an idea for his second novel. Following the wild success of his first novel, he's feeling the pressure of achieving similar success with his second. Marcus contacts his favorite college professor and mentor, Harry Quebert, who offers to let him stay in his New Hampshire home as a form of retreat. While there, Marcus learns that Harry had a long ago affair with a teenage girl, Nola, who later that summer went missing and was never heard from again. When her remains are found later, Harry becomes the number one suspect and Marcus sets out to prove Harry innocent. As Marcus follows the clues and interviews all the townspeople who knew Nola, he unearths one secret after another. Past intrigues, deceits, and crimes come to light, but the mystery remains as to who killed Nola.
The twists and turns in The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair had my head spinning. But the writing is excellent and the pace keeps the reader going. I found this book readable and fun, and the fast-paced plot will keep you turning the pages until the end. Very satisfying.
I received this book at an event sponsored by the Association of American Publishers and Library Journal, and the author gave a short, but amusing, presentation about his experiences as a writer. Joel Dicker is Suiss, writing in French. He wrote five or six novels (unpublished) before writing this book. It's good that he didn't give up!
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Gods of Aberdeen, by Micah Nathan
Micah Nathan. Gods of Aberdeen. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2005. 369 pages. ISBN 0743250826.
In Gods of Aberdeen, author Micah Nathan paints an evocative picture of life in a small New England liberal arts college. Young student Eric Dunne has been accepted into Aberdeen College as a 16-year old. He comes from a modest background and has to rely on financial aid to get by, including a work study position in the library. He also takes on a part time job helping a professor do research for a long-anticipated history book. Through his part-time work Eric becomes friends with his co-workers who are working on a secretive side project. As Eric learns more about their research efforts, he becomes increasingly afraid of what they're capable of. He goes along with them until he is put in the position of covering up for an accidental death of one of his fellow students, and he's forced to make a decision between recovering his integrity or protecting someone who he has learned can't be trusted.
I really enjoyed reading this book set on a college campus, although I found the library scenes to be ridiculously clichéd. The ancient librarian who heads the library sits at a desk near the circulation desk; he routinely allows rare books and manuscripts to be checked out; etc. I found it hard to read as impressionable Eric is manipulated into doing things that he knows is wrong, but kept reminding myself that he's only 16, and 16-year-olds do stupid things. Overall, the books drew me in and I had to keep reading to see what Eric would end up doing. I would recommend this to anyone who likes mysteries and suspense.
In Gods of Aberdeen, author Micah Nathan paints an evocative picture of life in a small New England liberal arts college. Young student Eric Dunne has been accepted into Aberdeen College as a 16-year old. He comes from a modest background and has to rely on financial aid to get by, including a work study position in the library. He also takes on a part time job helping a professor do research for a long-anticipated history book. Through his part-time work Eric becomes friends with his co-workers who are working on a secretive side project. As Eric learns more about their research efforts, he becomes increasingly afraid of what they're capable of. He goes along with them until he is put in the position of covering up for an accidental death of one of his fellow students, and he's forced to make a decision between recovering his integrity or protecting someone who he has learned can't be trusted.
I really enjoyed reading this book set on a college campus, although I found the library scenes to be ridiculously clichéd. The ancient librarian who heads the library sits at a desk near the circulation desk; he routinely allows rare books and manuscripts to be checked out; etc. I found it hard to read as impressionable Eric is manipulated into doing things that he knows is wrong, but kept reminding myself that he's only 16, and 16-year-olds do stupid things. Overall, the books drew me in and I had to keep reading to see what Eric would end up doing. I would recommend this to anyone who likes mysteries and suspense.
Friday, June 27, 2014
Those Who Wish Me Dead, by Michael Koryta
Michael Koryta. Those Who Wish Me Dead. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2014. 390 pages. ISBN 9780316122559.
In Michael Koryta's tenth book, two killers are tracking a young boy who witnessed them committing a murder. Jace has been put into a wilderness survival camp for the summer in an effort to hide him from the murderers who are after him. His name changed to Connor, he's trying to pass himself off as a juvenile with a troubled past. The survival camp is run by Ethan and Allison Serbin. In an effort to protect Connor, Ethan takes the boys into the mountains for days at a time, teaching them how to light a campfire, find drinkable water, and escape from wildfires. Somehow the killers track Connor down, and while interrogating neighbors to find out Ethan and Connor's location, set a fire that begins to spread through the mountains. When Connor realizes that the killers are nearby, he strikes out on his own, using the knowledge and skills he learned from Ethan. A forest ranger, Hannah Faber tries to help him escape from them.
The action and suspense are relentless in this book; I found it impossible to put down. There are completely unexpected twists and turns in the plot that kept me guessing until the end. Once again, Koryta refuses to give a pat happy ending to his book, providing instead a bittersweet ending that left me a little sad. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys thrillers or mysteries.
In Michael Koryta's tenth book, two killers are tracking a young boy who witnessed them committing a murder. Jace has been put into a wilderness survival camp for the summer in an effort to hide him from the murderers who are after him. His name changed to Connor, he's trying to pass himself off as a juvenile with a troubled past. The survival camp is run by Ethan and Allison Serbin. In an effort to protect Connor, Ethan takes the boys into the mountains for days at a time, teaching them how to light a campfire, find drinkable water, and escape from wildfires. Somehow the killers track Connor down, and while interrogating neighbors to find out Ethan and Connor's location, set a fire that begins to spread through the mountains. When Connor realizes that the killers are nearby, he strikes out on his own, using the knowledge and skills he learned from Ethan. A forest ranger, Hannah Faber tries to help him escape from them.
The action and suspense are relentless in this book; I found it impossible to put down. There are completely unexpected twists and turns in the plot that kept me guessing until the end. Once again, Koryta refuses to give a pat happy ending to his book, providing instead a bittersweet ending that left me a little sad. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys thrillers or mysteries.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
The Prophet, by Michael Koryta
Michael Koryta. The Prophet. New York: Little, Brown, and Company, 2012. 405 pages. ISBN 9780316122610.
Brothers Adam and Kent lost their sister to a violent attack when they were young; her murderer died in prison years later. Kent has tried to move on, forgiving the murderer and clinging to religion and his work as a high school football coach as his support. Adam hasn't been able to move past the tragedy and continues to live in the house in which they grew up, maintaining his sister's room as a shrine to her memory. The brothers aren't close even though they live in the same small town, partly because Adam blames himself for not being there to help his sister when she needed him. Many years later, another young girl goes missing, and the memory of the earlier tragedy brings the brothers together again. Adam is driven to find the murderer and bring him to justice, and Kent needs his brother's help since the murderer has targeted Kent and his family.
The Prophet is a thriller that keeps the pages turning. Author Michael Koryta's ninth book is compulsively readable. The characters are a little clichéd, and the action is a little over the top, but the emotions are entirely believable. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys mysteries and thrillers.
Brothers Adam and Kent lost their sister to a violent attack when they were young; her murderer died in prison years later. Kent has tried to move on, forgiving the murderer and clinging to religion and his work as a high school football coach as his support. Adam hasn't been able to move past the tragedy and continues to live in the house in which they grew up, maintaining his sister's room as a shrine to her memory. The brothers aren't close even though they live in the same small town, partly because Adam blames himself for not being there to help his sister when she needed him. Many years later, another young girl goes missing, and the memory of the earlier tragedy brings the brothers together again. Adam is driven to find the murderer and bring him to justice, and Kent needs his brother's help since the murderer has targeted Kent and his family.
The Prophet is a thriller that keeps the pages turning. Author Michael Koryta's ninth book is compulsively readable. The characters are a little clichéd, and the action is a little over the top, but the emotions are entirely believable. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys mysteries and thrillers.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Andrew's Brain, by E.L. Doctorow
E.L. Doctorow. Andrew's Brain. New York: Random House, 2014. 200 pages. ISBN 9781400068814.
In Doctorow's latest, Andrew is engaged in a conversation with someone he calls "Doc." It's easy to assume that Doc is a psychiatrist or psychoanalyst, as he seems to be trying to draw Andrew out on his history and relationships. Andrew tells Doc about all the misfortunes of his life, including the accidental death of his first child, and the death of his second wife. To atone for the first child's death, he gives the baby from his second marriage to his first wife, who promptly disappears with the child and never gives him back.
It's hard to tell whether Andrew is telling the truth about himself or not. Sometimes the stories he tells are plausible, and other times I found his tales too tall to believe. It's clear that he doesn't have a firm grip on reality. Andrew tells of living an isolated existence, in which he's determined not to hurt anyone else. He devolves from a college professor to a high school science teacher, and it's while teaching that he's found by none other than George Bush, who's doing a photo op at the school. It turns out that Andrew was Bush's college roommate, and Bush offers him a job as an advisor in the White House. While there, his outlandish behavior results in his arrest by Homeland Secutiry as a threat to the United States. Presumably, he's been in a prison for years, where his interrogation by Doc is taking place.
I found this book to be very odd, but readable. I had no idea what was going on, what I was supposed to think about Andrew's stories, or what Doctorow is trying to say with this book. If it were much longer than 200 pages, I may not have made the effort, but it's short enough that it didn't get tedious. And yet I still don't know what to make of this book. Other reviews have been mixed, with many reviewers expressing disappointment with this book.
In Doctorow's latest, Andrew is engaged in a conversation with someone he calls "Doc." It's easy to assume that Doc is a psychiatrist or psychoanalyst, as he seems to be trying to draw Andrew out on his history and relationships. Andrew tells Doc about all the misfortunes of his life, including the accidental death of his first child, and the death of his second wife. To atone for the first child's death, he gives the baby from his second marriage to his first wife, who promptly disappears with the child and never gives him back.
It's hard to tell whether Andrew is telling the truth about himself or not. Sometimes the stories he tells are plausible, and other times I found his tales too tall to believe. It's clear that he doesn't have a firm grip on reality. Andrew tells of living an isolated existence, in which he's determined not to hurt anyone else. He devolves from a college professor to a high school science teacher, and it's while teaching that he's found by none other than George Bush, who's doing a photo op at the school. It turns out that Andrew was Bush's college roommate, and Bush offers him a job as an advisor in the White House. While there, his outlandish behavior results in his arrest by Homeland Secutiry as a threat to the United States. Presumably, he's been in a prison for years, where his interrogation by Doc is taking place.
I found this book to be very odd, but readable. I had no idea what was going on, what I was supposed to think about Andrew's stories, or what Doctorow is trying to say with this book. If it were much longer than 200 pages, I may not have made the effort, but it's short enough that it didn't get tedious. And yet I still don't know what to make of this book. Other reviews have been mixed, with many reviewers expressing disappointment with this book.
Friday, June 20, 2014
The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery
Muriel Barbery. The Elegance of the Hedgehog. New York: Europa Editions, 2008. 325 pages. ISBN 9780933372600.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog tells the story of middle-aged Renee and pre-teen Paloma. Renee is the concierge in an expensive condominium in Paris, and Paloma is the younger daughter of a couple who live in the building. Both are hiding their true thoughts and selves from others. Renee is a closet intellectual, reading history, literature, and philosophy in her spare time. Paloma hides her intelligence and is secretly planning her own death at the age of thirteen. Both Renee and Paloma regard almost everyone else with disdain, and are unhappy in their respective loneliness.
Everything changes when a new tenant arrives. Kakuro Ozu sees through both of their facades, and through his kindness they begin to see things differently. Mr. Ozu plays matchmaker between Renee and Paloma, and becomes a fixture in their lives as well.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog is filled with amusing characters, including the other tenants and their pets. I found the constant criticism of the tenants to be a little overdone; do they really have no redeeming characteristics whatsoever? I also found some passages a bit tedious, e.g., when Renee was thinking about or discussing philosophy, but I was able to skim through those sections and focus on the rest of the book. In spite of these minor criticisms, I found the book to be engaging and fun. I read it for my book club, and it gave us a lot to talk about. It comes after another book, Gourmet Rhapsody, which follows another character who lives in the same apartment building.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog tells the story of middle-aged Renee and pre-teen Paloma. Renee is the concierge in an expensive condominium in Paris, and Paloma is the younger daughter of a couple who live in the building. Both are hiding their true thoughts and selves from others. Renee is a closet intellectual, reading history, literature, and philosophy in her spare time. Paloma hides her intelligence and is secretly planning her own death at the age of thirteen. Both Renee and Paloma regard almost everyone else with disdain, and are unhappy in their respective loneliness.
Everything changes when a new tenant arrives. Kakuro Ozu sees through both of their facades, and through his kindness they begin to see things differently. Mr. Ozu plays matchmaker between Renee and Paloma, and becomes a fixture in their lives as well.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog is filled with amusing characters, including the other tenants and their pets. I found the constant criticism of the tenants to be a little overdone; do they really have no redeeming characteristics whatsoever? I also found some passages a bit tedious, e.g., when Renee was thinking about or discussing philosophy, but I was able to skim through those sections and focus on the rest of the book. In spite of these minor criticisms, I found the book to be engaging and fun. I read it for my book club, and it gave us a lot to talk about. It comes after another book, Gourmet Rhapsody, which follows another character who lives in the same apartment building.
Monday, June 16, 2014
BEA 2014
BookExpo America (BEA) took place May 28-31, 2014, and included hundreds of authors, dozens of events, and thousands of new book titles that were being promoted by the authors and publishers. I've been attending BEA for 14 years; librarians are welcome at BEA, although they are far outnumbered by booksellers. Although my role in collection development has always been minimal, I use my attendance to learn about new books and to collect copies that I can review here and on Amazon. I attended special events and educational programs, and explored the exhibits throughout the four-day event.
Wednesday, May 28. I took the MegaBus from Albany to New York, securing round trip fare for $6, the best price I've ever gotten on the MegaBus. I got to New York too early to check into my hotel (The New Yorker), so I just dropped my luggage off at the hotel's luggage room and went directly to the conference center. The first day of the conference is primarily made up of educational programming and special events. I attended several programs throughout the day: Publishing, Digital Technology & Women: The View from the Cutting Edge; The Future of Bricks and Mortar Retailers (the keynote); Helping Bookstores, Saving Lives: James Patterson's 1M Indie Store Campaign; and the BEA Editor's Buzz Adult Books. I had to leave the last presentation early as I was meeting a former colleague (and my BEA roommate), Linda, for a special event at the Yale Club. Hosted by the Association of American Publishers (AAP), this dinner included presentations by authors with soon-to-be-published books. It was hosted by Maureen Corrigan, with authors Robyn Carr, Joel Dicker, Pat O'Brien, and Sue Miller each speaking about their new books.
Thursday, May 29. The morning started with a breakfast hosted by Random House at their company headquarters on W. 57th St. Similar in format to the previous night's dinner, speakers included David Mitchell, Amy Bloom, and several additional authors. Random House was kind enough to give us copies of all of their books as well. Back at the convention center I began to walk the exhibits finding that either the early crowd had picked up all of the galleys on display. It may have been timing, but I found throughout this BEA that the bigger publishers didn't seem to be giving away as many galleys as they used to. Perhaps they're relying more on netgalleys and they don't feel the need to give as many print galleys away. I met up with my friend again for lunch, another special event sponsored by the AAP. The lunch consisted of a box lunch with soda, and the speakers were Deborah Harkness, Cary Elwes, Matt Richtel, Kathy Reichs, and Garth Stein. Once again, we were given a bag full of galleys. I only attended one educational program on Thursday: the AAP Librarian Book Buzz I. Exhausted after such a full day and a lot of walking, Linda and I had dinner at a Thai restaurant around the corner from our hotel.
Friday, May 30. With no special events planned, I began day 2 of the exhibits by trying to walk the whole floor. I really appreciated Library Journal's booth, which is set up as a lounge for attending librarians. They supply water, iced tea, and coffee throughout the day, along with a variety of snacks. It's really nice to have a place on the exhibit floor to sit down! And it was conveniently located near the shipping area which made it easy to drop off a bag of books and take a little break. I attended two educational programs on Friday: Walter Isaacson Speaks with Jacob Weisberg about his new book The Innovators: How a Group of Inventors, Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution; and AAP Librarian Book Buzz 2. I mailed one box home and realized that I was going to have too many books left over for my suitcase so I resigned myself to mailing another box home on Saturday. Meeting up with Linda after the show, we relaxed for a short while and then met another friend for an early dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant near Madison Square Garden.
Saturday, May 31. The last day of BEA was called Book Con. Included in the registration fee for all attendees, it was also opened up to non-book-industry people (i.e., readers) for a fee. Linda had to catch an early train, so she didn't attend the final day. I arrived at the convention center just as the exhibits were opening, and it was a madhouse. Once I finally made it into the exhibits, I realized that for the final day, the exhibit floor was divided in half. Book Con people were allowed into half of the space; the other half was reserved for folks who'd registered as book professionals for the whole event. The Book Con side was so jam-packed that I couldn't even walk through it. The lines for books and authors were enormous. The trade side was fairly slow, with almost no traffic and few books being promoted. Some of the big publishers were on one side and some on the other. It wasn't even remotely possible to get near the autographing lines. After braving the crowds for a while I gave up and decided to just attend educational programs for the day, but when I went to the hall where they were held, I found that most of them had lines of hundreds of Book Con folks waiting to get in. It was just impossible, and I have to admit that I was extremely disappointed with Book Con. We'll see what they do next year, but I hope they come up with something better than this! I caught my bus back a little after 3:00 and was home in a couple of hours.
Wednesday, May 28. I took the MegaBus from Albany to New York, securing round trip fare for $6, the best price I've ever gotten on the MegaBus. I got to New York too early to check into my hotel (The New Yorker), so I just dropped my luggage off at the hotel's luggage room and went directly to the conference center. The first day of the conference is primarily made up of educational programming and special events. I attended several programs throughout the day: Publishing, Digital Technology & Women: The View from the Cutting Edge; The Future of Bricks and Mortar Retailers (the keynote); Helping Bookstores, Saving Lives: James Patterson's 1M Indie Store Campaign; and the BEA Editor's Buzz Adult Books. I had to leave the last presentation early as I was meeting a former colleague (and my BEA roommate), Linda, for a special event at the Yale Club. Hosted by the Association of American Publishers (AAP), this dinner included presentations by authors with soon-to-be-published books. It was hosted by Maureen Corrigan, with authors Robyn Carr, Joel Dicker, Pat O'Brien, and Sue Miller each speaking about their new books.
Thursday, May 29. The morning started with a breakfast hosted by Random House at their company headquarters on W. 57th St. Similar in format to the previous night's dinner, speakers included David Mitchell, Amy Bloom, and several additional authors. Random House was kind enough to give us copies of all of their books as well. Back at the convention center I began to walk the exhibits finding that either the early crowd had picked up all of the galleys on display. It may have been timing, but I found throughout this BEA that the bigger publishers didn't seem to be giving away as many galleys as they used to. Perhaps they're relying more on netgalleys and they don't feel the need to give as many print galleys away. I met up with my friend again for lunch, another special event sponsored by the AAP. The lunch consisted of a box lunch with soda, and the speakers were Deborah Harkness, Cary Elwes, Matt Richtel, Kathy Reichs, and Garth Stein. Once again, we were given a bag full of galleys. I only attended one educational program on Thursday: the AAP Librarian Book Buzz I. Exhausted after such a full day and a lot of walking, Linda and I had dinner at a Thai restaurant around the corner from our hotel.
Friday, May 30. With no special events planned, I began day 2 of the exhibits by trying to walk the whole floor. I really appreciated Library Journal's booth, which is set up as a lounge for attending librarians. They supply water, iced tea, and coffee throughout the day, along with a variety of snacks. It's really nice to have a place on the exhibit floor to sit down! And it was conveniently located near the shipping area which made it easy to drop off a bag of books and take a little break. I attended two educational programs on Friday: Walter Isaacson Speaks with Jacob Weisberg about his new book The Innovators: How a Group of Inventors, Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution; and AAP Librarian Book Buzz 2. I mailed one box home and realized that I was going to have too many books left over for my suitcase so I resigned myself to mailing another box home on Saturday. Meeting up with Linda after the show, we relaxed for a short while and then met another friend for an early dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant near Madison Square Garden.
Saturday, May 31. The last day of BEA was called Book Con. Included in the registration fee for all attendees, it was also opened up to non-book-industry people (i.e., readers) for a fee. Linda had to catch an early train, so she didn't attend the final day. I arrived at the convention center just as the exhibits were opening, and it was a madhouse. Once I finally made it into the exhibits, I realized that for the final day, the exhibit floor was divided in half. Book Con people were allowed into half of the space; the other half was reserved for folks who'd registered as book professionals for the whole event. The Book Con side was so jam-packed that I couldn't even walk through it. The lines for books and authors were enormous. The trade side was fairly slow, with almost no traffic and few books being promoted. Some of the big publishers were on one side and some on the other. It wasn't even remotely possible to get near the autographing lines. After braving the crowds for a while I gave up and decided to just attend educational programs for the day, but when I went to the hall where they were held, I found that most of them had lines of hundreds of Book Con folks waiting to get in. It was just impossible, and I have to admit that I was extremely disappointed with Book Con. We'll see what they do next year, but I hope they come up with something better than this! I caught my bus back a little after 3:00 and was home in a couple of hours.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis
Ayana Mathis. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie. New York: Vintage Books, a division of Random House, 2013. 303 pages. ISBN 9780307949707.
Hattie was a young girl when she moved to Philadelphia with her mother and sisters. Marrying young, she ultimately had eleven children. Her adult life and relationships with her children were colored by the deaths of her first two children, twins who died of influenza or pneumonia. Hattie never recovered from their deaths, which turned her into a severe and critical woman who wasn't able to experience joy or express the love she felt for her other children. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie recounts the stories of each of her remaining children, many of whom suffered from mental illness and depression.
Author Ayana Mathis explores the effects of tragedy, mental illness, depression, and poverty on a family struggling to get by in this book set from the 1920s through 1980. Ultimately, Hattie understands how she has failed her family, and resolves not to do so again when Hattie's daughter Cassie succumbs to mental illness and leaves her daughter Sala in Hattie's care. It's well-written and compulsively readable, although I found the unending progression of sad and tragic stories hard to bear. Nevertheless, it provides much food for thought and discussion. This would be a good choice for book clubs and anyone else who enjoys contemporary fiction.
Hattie was a young girl when she moved to Philadelphia with her mother and sisters. Marrying young, she ultimately had eleven children. Her adult life and relationships with her children were colored by the deaths of her first two children, twins who died of influenza or pneumonia. Hattie never recovered from their deaths, which turned her into a severe and critical woman who wasn't able to experience joy or express the love she felt for her other children. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie recounts the stories of each of her remaining children, many of whom suffered from mental illness and depression.
Author Ayana Mathis explores the effects of tragedy, mental illness, depression, and poverty on a family struggling to get by in this book set from the 1920s through 1980. Ultimately, Hattie understands how she has failed her family, and resolves not to do so again when Hattie's daughter Cassie succumbs to mental illness and leaves her daughter Sala in Hattie's care. It's well-written and compulsively readable, although I found the unending progression of sad and tragic stories hard to bear. Nevertheless, it provides much food for thought and discussion. This would be a good choice for book clubs and anyone else who enjoys contemporary fiction.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
AAUW State College Branch Annual Used Book Sale (May 10-13, 2014)
The AAUW (American Association of University Women) State College Branch holds an annual used book sale on the Pennsylvania State University main campus. It's reported to be one of the largest used book sales in the country, and this year they offered 4,000 cartons of books, estimated to include over 400,000 titles. The sale spans four days, usually over Mother's Day weekend. Saturday and Sunday are "full-price" days, Monday is "half-price", and Tuesday is "Bag Day", when bags of books go for $5. AAUW member volunteers work year round to organize and price donations so that the book sale runs smoothly. All books are categorized and placed on tables according to genre and subject: fiction, literature, science fiction, mystery, history, memoir, business, education, social sciences, foreign languages, cookbooks, mathematics, self-help, art, and others that I can't remember.
I attended the book sale every year that I worked at Penn State (2000-2012), and I've also attended the last two years, using it as an excuse to visit friends and family. I'm not such a fanatic that I have to be there when it opens up first thing in the morning, but there are a lot of folks who like to be the first in to the sale. They include dealers and collectors as well as your general run-of-the-mill bibliophiles. Usually I go in the afternoon or morning of each day, so this year was a big change for me. Since the book sale fell not only on Mother's Day, but also on graduation weekend, I couldn't get a hotel room for the weekend. The closest rooms were in Clearfield and Altoona. While that was do-able, I decided not to go for the weekend, and instead drove down on Sunday and stayed until Tuesday.
I arrived at the sale on Sunday evening after dinner, and I was pleased to see that the usual elbow-to-elbow crowd was much thinner in the evening. Since it was full-price day and I had every intention of coming back the next two days, I was very selective and only picked out four reasonably-priced history books. I dropped by the next morning as well, thinking that there wouldn't be a big crowd on a Monday, but I was wrong about that! There was a huge crowd, but lots of books left. I managed to keep myself reined in and only bought about 18 books, spending about $20. On the third day the crowd was even bigger. This was bag day, and each bag of books cost $5, regardless of the size of the bag. They were handing out plastic grocery bags, but I used one of my OCLC plastic tote bags (if you're a librarian you probably know what I mean), and I picked out another 12 or so books. I have so much fiction at home that I tried to avoid the fiction and literature tables this year. I ended up buying a lot of history, memoir, and self-help (financial advice, especially). Even so, I'm trying to cut back on my book buying and catch up on all of the books that I have at home and haven't read yet, so I didn't buy nearly as many books at the book sale that I usually do. Altogether I bought 34 books for about $32; you can't beat that!
I attended the book sale every year that I worked at Penn State (2000-2012), and I've also attended the last two years, using it as an excuse to visit friends and family. I'm not such a fanatic that I have to be there when it opens up first thing in the morning, but there are a lot of folks who like to be the first in to the sale. They include dealers and collectors as well as your general run-of-the-mill bibliophiles. Usually I go in the afternoon or morning of each day, so this year was a big change for me. Since the book sale fell not only on Mother's Day, but also on graduation weekend, I couldn't get a hotel room for the weekend. The closest rooms were in Clearfield and Altoona. While that was do-able, I decided not to go for the weekend, and instead drove down on Sunday and stayed until Tuesday.
I arrived at the sale on Sunday evening after dinner, and I was pleased to see that the usual elbow-to-elbow crowd was much thinner in the evening. Since it was full-price day and I had every intention of coming back the next two days, I was very selective and only picked out four reasonably-priced history books. I dropped by the next morning as well, thinking that there wouldn't be a big crowd on a Monday, but I was wrong about that! There was a huge crowd, but lots of books left. I managed to keep myself reined in and only bought about 18 books, spending about $20. On the third day the crowd was even bigger. This was bag day, and each bag of books cost $5, regardless of the size of the bag. They were handing out plastic grocery bags, but I used one of my OCLC plastic tote bags (if you're a librarian you probably know what I mean), and I picked out another 12 or so books. I have so much fiction at home that I tried to avoid the fiction and literature tables this year. I ended up buying a lot of history, memoir, and self-help (financial advice, especially). Even so, I'm trying to cut back on my book buying and catch up on all of the books that I have at home and haven't read yet, so I didn't buy nearly as many books at the book sale that I usually do. Altogether I bought 34 books for about $32; you can't beat that!
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Simplify Your Work Life, by Elaine St. James
Elaine St. James. Simplify Your Work Life: Ways to Change the Way You Work So You Have More Time to Live. New York: Hyperion, 2001. 296 pages. ISBN 0786866837.
I have to admit that I'm a sucker
for self-help books, especially those that provide suggestions for getting
better organized, getting rid of clutter, saving time, and stopping
procrastination. Well over ten years ago I read two of Elaine St. James’ early
books: Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things that
Really Matter, and Inner Simplicity: 100 Ways to Regain Peace and
Nourish Your Soul. I found both books really helpful, but the first one
especially so. It gave me lots of ideas for simplifying my life, many of which
I have applied over and over. I kept them for years and read both books several
times over. Eventually, in an attempt to cut back on my book collection I gave
both books away, although I continue to apply many of the concepts.
This past weekend I attended the
annual AAUW book sale in State College (over 400,000 used books for sale in one
weekend), and found this book on simplifying your work life. It's a quick read
with 85 short chapters organized into seven sections:
- Cutting back on the amount of time you work
- Learning to seize time
- Being more productive
- Being more effective with people
- Being more efficient with your money
- Changing the way you work
- Changing the way you think about work
If you're a productivity and
self-help junkie like I am, you might not find a lot new in these pages, but if
you haven't read much along these lines, you will find this book very helpful.
I found many of the suggestions useful, and agree with much of what she writes
about productivity, time management, financial management, and dealing with
people. I've observed too many administrators who fill up their calendars with
meetings, lunches, coffees, etc., and wonder why they can't get
anything done. Anyone who wonders why they don't have enough time to get their
work done would do well to read this book!
Friday, May 16, 2014
The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman, by Meg Wolitzer
Meg Wolitzer. The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman. New York: Dutton Children's Books, 2011. 297 pages. ISBN 9780525423041.
Duncan Dorfman learns that he has a "power" early on in this fun tale about a middle-school grader who's trying to fit in at a new school. Duncan can read text through his fingertips, and while he tries to keep it a secret at first, he decides to reveal his power at school as a way to make himself stand out. He soon draws the attention of the school's scrabble whiz, Carl, who begins to groom him as a scrabble partner thinking that Duncan's skills and power can help them win the Youth Scrabble Tournament.
Duncan has to make a lot of difficult decisions, but is willing to do just about anything to go to the tournament with Carl. Carl's mother pays for the trip and asks Duncan to pay her back by serving as a model in a cigarette advertising campaign. Carl goes along with this, but soon his conscience starts to bother him and he wonders if he's doing the right thing. He decides to try to win the tournament without using his power, telling Carl that he'll use it only when it's absolutely necessary. But can he bring himself to cheat?
This is a well-written and enjoyable exploration of moral quandaries for middle-school aged children. I recommend it for adults who enjoy children's literature as well.
Duncan Dorfman learns that he has a "power" early on in this fun tale about a middle-school grader who's trying to fit in at a new school. Duncan can read text through his fingertips, and while he tries to keep it a secret at first, he decides to reveal his power at school as a way to make himself stand out. He soon draws the attention of the school's scrabble whiz, Carl, who begins to groom him as a scrabble partner thinking that Duncan's skills and power can help them win the Youth Scrabble Tournament.
Duncan has to make a lot of difficult decisions, but is willing to do just about anything to go to the tournament with Carl. Carl's mother pays for the trip and asks Duncan to pay her back by serving as a model in a cigarette advertising campaign. Carl goes along with this, but soon his conscience starts to bother him and he wonders if he's doing the right thing. He decides to try to win the tournament without using his power, telling Carl that he'll use it only when it's absolutely necessary. But can he bring himself to cheat?
This is a well-written and enjoyable exploration of moral quandaries for middle-school aged children. I recommend it for adults who enjoy children's literature as well.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
The Echo, by Minette Walters
Minette Walters. The Echo. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1997. 338 pages. ISBN 0399142517.
Minette Walters is a British author of mystery novels. In The Echo she brings together a wide array of characters whose lives have intersected through murder and other crimes for decades. It begins, however, not with a murder, but with a suicide. Billy Blake has died of starvation in a woman's garage, although plenty of food was within reach. Michael Deacon begins to investigate the story, hoping to bring some meaning to the plight of the homeless. His research brings to light the years' old disappearance of two men, one after his wife's suicide and the other after allegedly embezzling 10 million pounds. He questions Amanda Powell, who found Billy, and he befriends a homeless teenager and a colleague in his efforts to track down Billy's true identity. Through the course of his research he manages to solve several other mysteries.
I found this book to be a quick, engaging read, although the coincidences throughout the plot are very far-fetched. Nevertheless, Walters brings her main characters to life, and the dialogue is amusing. Michael is believable as the lonely reporter who will follow every lead to get his story, and the other characters are well-developed. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys detective and mystery fiction.
Minette Walters is a British author of mystery novels. In The Echo she brings together a wide array of characters whose lives have intersected through murder and other crimes for decades. It begins, however, not with a murder, but with a suicide. Billy Blake has died of starvation in a woman's garage, although plenty of food was within reach. Michael Deacon begins to investigate the story, hoping to bring some meaning to the plight of the homeless. His research brings to light the years' old disappearance of two men, one after his wife's suicide and the other after allegedly embezzling 10 million pounds. He questions Amanda Powell, who found Billy, and he befriends a homeless teenager and a colleague in his efforts to track down Billy's true identity. Through the course of his research he manages to solve several other mysteries.
I found this book to be a quick, engaging read, although the coincidences throughout the plot are very far-fetched. Nevertheless, Walters brings her main characters to life, and the dialogue is amusing. Michael is believable as the lonely reporter who will follow every lead to get his story, and the other characters are well-developed. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys detective and mystery fiction.
Monday, May 12, 2014
Before I Go to Sleep, by S.J. Watson
S.J. Watson. Before I Go to Sleep. New York: HarperCollins, 2011. 360 pages. ISBN 9780062060556.
Before I Go to Sleep tells the story of Christine, a woman who suffers from a form of amnesia in which she cannot form new memories. She's able to remember everything that happens during the course of one day, but she forgets everything overnight. Christine wakes in terror every day, not knowing who or where she is, and in fear of the man in bed beside her, who turns out to be her husband. Every day he tells her who she is and shows her pictures of them together. When Christine is contacted by a doctor who is interested in her case as a research subject, she begins to meet him in secret and keep a journal of what she learns from day to day. Every day he calls and tells her to look for her journal and read it. Each day she remembers and records more and more about herself, her history, and her husband, and eventually she realizes that her husband is lying to her about many things. Can she trust him? Where is their son, who he claims died years ago? Where is her best friend Claire, and why has she abandoned her?
Before I Go to Sleep is a thriller that kept me turning the pages until I finished. I'm impressed that this is S.J. Watson's first book; it's very polished and well-written. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers and suspense.
Before I Go to Sleep tells the story of Christine, a woman who suffers from a form of amnesia in which she cannot form new memories. She's able to remember everything that happens during the course of one day, but she forgets everything overnight. Christine wakes in terror every day, not knowing who or where she is, and in fear of the man in bed beside her, who turns out to be her husband. Every day he tells her who she is and shows her pictures of them together. When Christine is contacted by a doctor who is interested in her case as a research subject, she begins to meet him in secret and keep a journal of what she learns from day to day. Every day he calls and tells her to look for her journal and read it. Each day she remembers and records more and more about herself, her history, and her husband, and eventually she realizes that her husband is lying to her about many things. Can she trust him? Where is their son, who he claims died years ago? Where is her best friend Claire, and why has she abandoned her?
Before I Go to Sleep is a thriller that kept me turning the pages until I finished. I'm impressed that this is S.J. Watson's first book; it's very polished and well-written. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys thrillers and suspense.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Life Sentences, by Laura Lippman
Laura Lippman. Life Sentences. New York: HarperCollins, 2009. 344 pages. ISBN 9780061128899.
Laura Lippman is a seasoned author with many books to her credit. I reviewed one of them, After I'm Gone, on this blog on December 26, 2013. After I'm Gone tells about an investigation into the murder of a woman long dead, and Life Sentences pursues a similar theme. The main character is an author who is searching for the subject of her next book. Cassandra hears a radio story that reminds her of a friend from her school days whose infant son went missing many years ago. The mother refused to speak to the police, and since no body was ever found, she ended up going to jail for seven years for contempt, although everyone assumes that she killed the boy. Cassandra goes back to her hometown to try to find out what happened, and in the meantime, she raises a lot of concern amongst old friends and acquaintances who would prefer to leave sleeping dogs lie.
Set in Baltimore like most of Lippman's books, Life Sentences also explores the racial tensions that exist in urban schools in which friendships across racial lines can be difficult to maintain. The writing is very good, and Lippman manages to maintain the suspense throughout the book. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys detective and mystery fiction.
Laura Lippman is a seasoned author with many books to her credit. I reviewed one of them, After I'm Gone, on this blog on December 26, 2013. After I'm Gone tells about an investigation into the murder of a woman long dead, and Life Sentences pursues a similar theme. The main character is an author who is searching for the subject of her next book. Cassandra hears a radio story that reminds her of a friend from her school days whose infant son went missing many years ago. The mother refused to speak to the police, and since no body was ever found, she ended up going to jail for seven years for contempt, although everyone assumes that she killed the boy. Cassandra goes back to her hometown to try to find out what happened, and in the meantime, she raises a lot of concern amongst old friends and acquaintances who would prefer to leave sleeping dogs lie.
Set in Baltimore like most of Lippman's books, Life Sentences also explores the racial tensions that exist in urban schools in which friendships across racial lines can be difficult to maintain. The writing is very good, and Lippman manages to maintain the suspense throughout the book. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys detective and mystery fiction.
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Guardian of the Dawn, by Richard Zimler
Richard Zimler. Guardian of the Dawn. New York: Delta Trade Paperbacks/Bantam Dell/Random House, 2005. 403 pages. ISBN 9780385338813.
I remembered Zimler's The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon as a fascinating work of historical fiction, so when I came across Guardian of the Dawn I hoped for and expected a work of similar quality, and I wasn't disappointed.
Guardian of the Dawn tells the story of Tiago Zarco, a young man who has been imprisoned by the Inquisition in Portuguese India for being a relapsed Christian. In fact, Zarco had no idea that his grandfather had been forced to convert to Christianity, thereby making all of his descendants Christians in the eyes of the Portuguese religious authorities. The story begins with Tiago in prison, and is told through flashbacks that represent Tiago's search through his history trying to find out who might have betrayed his family. He considers the possibilities, including his aunt and uncle, who have converted to Catholicism; his adopted cousin Wadi whose motives he has long questioned; and his sister Sofia, who has fallen in love with Wadi.
I liked everything about this book, from the excellent writing to its depiction of the atrocious historical period that it describes in great detail. I found it impossible to put down as I followed Tiago's story through his interrogation, imprisonment, release, and then search for revenge. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
I remembered Zimler's The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon as a fascinating work of historical fiction, so when I came across Guardian of the Dawn I hoped for and expected a work of similar quality, and I wasn't disappointed.
Guardian of the Dawn tells the story of Tiago Zarco, a young man who has been imprisoned by the Inquisition in Portuguese India for being a relapsed Christian. In fact, Zarco had no idea that his grandfather had been forced to convert to Christianity, thereby making all of his descendants Christians in the eyes of the Portuguese religious authorities. The story begins with Tiago in prison, and is told through flashbacks that represent Tiago's search through his history trying to find out who might have betrayed his family. He considers the possibilities, including his aunt and uncle, who have converted to Catholicism; his adopted cousin Wadi whose motives he has long questioned; and his sister Sofia, who has fallen in love with Wadi.
I liked everything about this book, from the excellent writing to its depiction of the atrocious historical period that it describes in great detail. I found it impossible to put down as I followed Tiago's story through his interrogation, imprisonment, release, and then search for revenge. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
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