The star system

I've been negligent doing book reviews; I thought I'd at least least what I've been reading and put stars by the ones I loved.

★★★ Means I loved it and should have reviewed it, so go read and find out why.

October Reads

Amigoland, Oscar Casares
The Music Teacher, Barbara Hall
★★★ Broke Horses, Jeannette Walls
★★★ Floor of the Sky, Pamela Carter Joern
The Professional, Robert B. Parker
★★★ Dragons, Micheal Connelly
Hit List:, Sarah Cortez and Liz Martinez
Reconsiderfing Happiness, Sherrie Flick
Heat Lightning, John Sanford
★★★ Stitches, David Small
Going Away Shoes, Jill McCorkle
★★★ Shall I Tell the Dog?, Miles Kington
★★★ Rough Country, John Sanford

My absolute favorite this month is Half Broke Horses.

September reads

★★★ Homer & Langley, E.L. Doctorow
★★★ Twisted Tree, Kent Meyers
★★★ What I thought I Knew, Alice Cohen
The Children's Day, Michiel Heyns
★★★ Under This Unbroken Sky, Shandi Mitchell
★★★ Waiting for Columbus, Thomas Trofimuk
★★★ Magician's Elephant, Kate DiCamillo
A Friend of the Family, Lauren Grodstein
★★★ Spooner, Pete Dexter

I read a lot of great books in September.

August reads

Prisoners of War, Andrew Winter
★★★ Short Girls, Bich Minh Nguyen
Jericho's Fall, Stephen L. Carter
★★★ We Were Here, Matt de la Pena
Rules of Vengeance, Christopher Reich
★★★ Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, William Kamkwamba
Best Friends Forever, Jennifer Weiner
★★★ The Lieutenant, Kate Grenville
All The Living, C.E. Morgan
★★★ The Girl Who Played with Fire, Stieg Larsson
Her Fearful Symmetry, Audrey Niffenegger
★★★ The Brutal Telling, Louise Penny

Read all of the starred books, but read The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, first. It's fabulous.

Short Girls Bich by Minh Nguyen

This is a debut novel about the Vietnamese immigrant experience in the Midwestern America. Two sisters, the short girls of the title, are polar opposites; one is somber and studious, one is a party girl/slacker. They both had the same teenage goal, to escape their immigrant home as soon as they graduated high school. The sister's stories are told in alternating chapters. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and learning about how Van and Linny, planned their escapes, how they lived, moved apart, then back to center.

Shadows Still Remain by Peter De Jonge

I'm pretty sure this is De Jonge's first solo novel. His previous books have been co-authored with the master, James Patterson.

This could have been a routine crime thriller set in New York City, but instead you get tough, skillful, sophisticated entertainment. At the end of the novel, as all the pieces begin to fall into place, you realize how cleverly it has been plotted. De Jonge conveys enough texture that it isn't hard to imagine this on the big screen. I'd be surprised if Hollywood hasn't already come calling.

Sweet Mary by Liz Balmaseda

First, let me say that I love reading both fiction and non-fiction written by newspaper people. They know how to say with needs to be said, without wasting words or my time. Balmaseda has won a Pulitzer, twice, for her reporting. This is a tremendous first novel. A woman is falsely accused of being a cocaine-queen. She's a successful realtor, but everyone is willing to believe the worst. She takes it upon herself, because no one else will, to find the real criminal. The story is a gripping, heartrending one, with a noir soul and plenty of surprising twists. You'll have a hard time putting it down and you'll love it.

Ravens by George Dawes Green

Psychological thriller at it's best. Take an ordinary small town Georgia family, Mom, Dad, two kids, winning a mega lottery. Add a pair of low level grifters, who hear about the big win, before it's announced and you have a frightening, comic, and suspenseful, wholly original and utterly compelling novel. The grifters figure out how to claim half of the winnings, through charm, threats and terror. This book will keep your interest until the very end; and you'll love the end.

The Blue Notebook

This is a remarkable novel.  James Levine is a Professor of Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, a man; but the story is told in a womans' voice, and it rings true 100% of the time.

The woman in question is Batuk a 15 year old prositute, sold into prositution at age 9, by her father.

Beautifully crafted and deeply human, The Blue Notebook explores how people, in the most difficult of situations, can use storytelling to make sense of and give meaning to their lives.  All of the U.S. proceeds from this novel will be donated to the International and National Centers for Missing and Exploited Children (http://www.icmec.org).

Vacation reads

As promised, there's going to be a slew of reviews. I've finally had time to catch my breath after our vacation. Some of the reviews won't post until closer to their release dates. If you haven't read Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, do it now; the follow up, Catching
Fire, is a page burner.

Crazy for the Storm: A Memoir of Survival by Norman Ollestad

If you’re 11 years old and the private plane you’re in crashes in the winter in the San Bernardino Mountains, if you’re lucky, and Norman Ollestad, this is the memoir you’ll write.

Dad Said

Olestad, we can do i t all. . . .

Why do you make me do this?

Because it's beautiful when it all comes together.

I don't think it's ever beautiful.

One day.

Never.

We'll see, my father said. Vamanos.

From the age of three, Norman Ollestad was thrust into the world of surfing and competitive downhill skiing by the intense, charismatic father he both idolized and resented. While his friends were riding bikes, playing ball, and going to birthday parties, young Norman was whisked away in pursuit of wild and demanding adventures. Yet it were these exhilarating tests of skill that prepared "Boy Wonder," as his father called him, to become a fearless champion—and ultimately saved his life.

Flying to a ski championship ceremony in February 1979, the chartered Cessna carrying Norman, his father, his father's girlfriend, and the pilot crashed into the San Gabriel Mountains and was suspended at 8,200 feet, engulfed in a blizzard. "Dad and I were a team, and he was Superman," Ollestad writes. But now Norman's father was dead, and the devastated eleven-year-old had to descend the treacherous, icy mountain alone.

Set amid the spontaneous, uninhibited surf culture of Malibu and Mexico in the late 1970s, this riveting memoir, written in crisp Hemingwayesque prose, recalls Ollestad's childhood and the magnetic man whose determination and love infuriated and inspired him—and also taught him to overcome the indomitable. Crazy for the Storm, illuminates the complicated bond between an extraordinary father and his son. Ollestad's powerful and unforgettable true story offers remarkable insight for us all.

When Skateboards Wll be Free by Said Sayfafiezadeh

I admit, I had to read this memoir, to find out what the title meant. The title isn't evocative of the book's delicacy and discernment, its free-floating humor and overlapping ironies, Sayrafiezadeh writes with extraordinary power and restrain; his prose has wistful comedy, and a good deal of curiosity about the places where desire, self-sacrifice and societal obligation intersect and collide.

“The revolution is not only inevitable, it is imminent. It is not only imminent, it is quite imminent. And when the time comes, my father will lead it.”

With a profound gift for capturing the absurd in life, and a deadpan wisdom that comes from surviving a surreal childhood in the Socialist Workers Party, Saïd Sayrafiezadeh has crafted an unsentimental, funny, heartbreaking memoir.

Saïd’s Iranian-born father and American Jewish mother had one thing in common: their unshakable conviction that the workers’ revolution was coming. Separated since their son was nine months old, they each pursued a dream of the perfect socialist society. Pinballing with his mother between makeshift Pittsburgh apartments, falling asleep at party meetings, longing for the luxuries he’s taught to despise, Said waits for the revolution that never, ever arrives. “Soon,” his mother assures him, while his long-absent father quixotically runs as a socialist candidate for president in an Iran about to fall under the ayatollahs. Then comes the hostage crisis. The uproar that follows is the first time Saïd hears the word “Iran” in school. There he is suddenly forced to confront the combustible stew of his identity: as an American, an Iranian, a Jew, a socialist... and a middle-school kid who loves football and video games.

Poised perfectly between tragedy and farce, here is a story by a brilliant young writer struggling to break away from the powerful mythologies of his upbringing and create a life—and a voice—of his own. Saïd Sayrafiezadeh’s memoir is unforgettable.

The Turtle Catcher by Nicole Lea Helget

I read Helgut’s prize winning, The Summer of Ordinary Ways : A Memoir, when it was release in ’05, and snatched up her debut fiction, as soon as I saw it.

A rural Minnesota town struggling through change before, during and after WWI forms the background for this emotional tale of star-crossed love, vengeance and regret. This story, set in New Germany, MN, contains the echoes of a haunting folktale.

German native Wilhem Richter and newcomer Magdelena Schultz marry and have five children: four boys and a girl, Liesel who lives an isolated life on a farm due to her secret identity as a hermaphrodite. Her loneliness is lessened by her friendship with Lester, her mentally challenged neighbor, but when Lester discovers Liesel's secret, she incites her brothers to exact a vicious revenge on him. As the novel skips back and forth through time in elliptical vignettes, Helget illustrates how tensions between the town's German residents, and their more assimilated neighbors eventually boil over into anger and violence as sides are chosen and families are pulled apart. Helget establishes the setting beautifully, pulling the reader immediately into the social milieu of small town Minnesota. Liesel is a character readers won't soon forget.

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

Original and exciting, it is a novel about relationships, life, and the people involved in both. The characters are tangibly real; the plot is fascinating and will cause pages to turn rapidly. Teens and adults alike will find themselves falling in love with Forman's stunning novel.

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen year- old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heart achingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make—and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

Forman (Sisters in Sanity) expertly explores the teenager's life, her passion for classical music and her strong relationships with her family, friends and boyfriend, Adam. Mia's singular perspective (which will recall Alice Sebold's adult novel, The Lovely Bones) also allows for powerful portraits of her friends and family as they cope: "Please don't die. If you die, there's going to be one of those cheesy Princess Diana memorials at school," prays Mia's friend Kim. "I know you'd hate that kind of thing." Intensely moving, the novel will force readers to take stock of their lives and the people and things that make them worth living.

I loved this book, it really isn’t just for teens.

Sandhills Ballad by Ladette Randolph

This debut, both stark and engrossing, follows Randolph’s short story collection, This Is Not the Tropics. It should please any fan of good fiction

Sandhills Ballad is good, old-fashioned storytelling at its best, and Mary Rasmussen will live forever in your hearts as a young woman who faces enormous tests and survives in order to protect those she loves. Stubborn, determined, and loyal, Mary makes a life that requires both imagination and grit and you end up rooting for her every inch of the way.

The Way Home by George Pelecanos

I have to admit, Pelecanos is among my favorite writers; along with Lehane and Mankell; he ranks with my top three mystery writers. I’ve read everything he’s written and seen him grow as a writer. When I start reading a new novel by him; I know it’ll be new and fresh, not a re-hash of his previous works; not an easy feat, judging by the number of well-known authors, who do just that.

The Way Home deals with a tough kid, who gets caught, does his time in juvie and turns himself around. He becomes a man to be proud of; but his father has a hard time believing he’s really different that the tough asshole, who put the family through hell.

Pelecanos pushes his characters to the extremes, their redemption that much sweeter because it is so hard fought. Pelecanos has long been celebrated for his unerring ability to portray the conflicts men feel as they search and struggle for power and love in a world that is often harsh and unforgiving but can ultimately be filled with beauty.

Straight Man by Richard Russo

At the BEA, this year, Pete Dexter said this is the best novel he’s ever read, so I had to read it, straight away. I’ve always liked Russo so Dexter’s comment spurred me to read it.

This book had me laughing out loud; with its combination of characters and their thoughts and fantasies. Russo is an easy, elegant writer. The book is beautifully plotted, and Russo makes you care about his character, Devereaux, and his fate. He also makes you laugh out loud. "Truth be told," Devereaux muses in the prologue, "I'm not an easy man. I can be an entertaining one, though it's been my experience that most people don't want to be entertained. They want to be comforted." Somehow Russo has managed both. It’s a book about the relationships in our jobs and families; it’s well worth the read.

Who by Fire by Kiana Spechler

This debut novel, tells the story of Ash and Bits, a brother and sister whose younger sister had been kidnapped more than a decade ago. When their mother informs them that her remains have finally been discovered, it's up to wild child Bits to go to Israel and convince her now Orthodox Jew brother to come home for a memorial service. This is no easy feat as he's been out of touch with the family since entering the yeshiva.

The book is told from shifting perspectives, really getting into the minds of the various characters. I'm no expert on Orthodox Judaism, so I can't comment on how accurate the scenes in Israel might be, but I the information adds a great deal to the book. None of the characters are particularly lovable, but that won’t stop you from devouring this book. Each character is a bit (or a lot) like a train wreck; but in Specchler’s capable hands, the reader never gives up. I particularly love Spechler's conversational, down-to-earth writing style; she shows that humor has a place everywhere, even when dealing with heavy topics. I found myself imagining what happened to the main characters-the true sign of a great book. Spechler’s plotting, pacing, and writing all shine throughout the book.

The Walking People by Mary Beth Keane

First the cover caught my eye, then the title; the clincher, was Keane is a first time novelist. A beautifully old-fashioned novel, The Walking People is a debut of remarkable range and power.

The story deals with the experience of Irish immigrants acclimating to America in the early 1960's. It looks at the total life experience of Michael and Greta Ward, who came to New York City, straight off the boat. At its core, this is a story of how people form a family, and the strength that it takes to come to a new country and build a life, the difficulty of leaving the old country and old ways behind.

The Walking People is thoughtful and appealing; it's a solid, intelligent piece of work, and I highly recommend it.

Swim the Fly by Don Calame

Three adolescent boys with a single goal: see a real live naked girl. The result is razor-sharp, rapid-fire, and raunchy, of course; and beyond hilarious. The novel is geared for teen boys, but a great read for adults, too.

Three 15 year olds, Matt, Coop and Sean BFF, always set themselves a summertime goal. This year's goal, to see a real-live naked girl for the first time — quite a challenge, given that none of the guys has the nerve to even ask a girl out on a date. But catching a girl in the buff starts to look easy compared to Matt's other summertime aspiration: to swim the 100-yard butterfly (the hardest stroke known to God or man) as a way to impress the sizzling new female star of the swim team. In the spirit of Hollywood’s blockbuster comedies, screenwriter-turned-YA-novelist Don Calame unleashes a true ode to the adolescent male: characters who are side-splittingly funny, sometimes crude, yet always full of heart.

Vacation reads

We're just back from a 3 week vacation. These are the books I read while we were gone:

3 by John Sanford, Death Watch, Dark of the Moon and Eyes of Prey. I've just started reading him and really enjoy his writing. He writes police/mysteries, based in Minnesota. I keep reminding myself- these are works of fiction. No modern PD would operate like his characters do, but I'm hooked. He's a good, very funny writer.

Straight Man, Richard Russo

Deadville, Ron Koertge

The Way Home George Pelecanos

The Scarecrow, Michael Connelly

Gone tomorrow, Lee Child

German for Travelers, Norah Labiner

Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys

Bones to Ashes, Kathy Reiches

Who by Fire, Diana Spechler

I'll be doing reviews on some of these, soon.

Historic Photos of The Chinese in California by Hannah Clayborn

Recently, I received an offer from Turner Publishing for a free copy of Historic Photos of The Chinese in California.  The book arrived, and I loved it.  The book covers Chinese history in California until just after WWII.  Hannah Clayborn, did a wonderful job selecting which photos to use.  I'm a California native and I learned so much.  

Outcast United by Warren St. John

When you read Outcast United, not only will your learn about the terrific kids that make up the Fugees, and their dedicated coach, you get a lesson in global politics. Here's a synopsis:

Set against the backdrop of an American town that without its consent had become a vast social experiment, Outcasts United follows a pivotal season in the life of the Fugees and their charismatic coach. Warren St. John documents the lives of a diverse group of young people as they miraculously coalesce into a band of brothers, while also drawing a fascinating portrait of a fading American town struggling to accommodate its new arrivals. At the center of the story is fiery Coach Luma, who relentlessly drives her players to success on the soccer field while holding together their lives—and the lives of their families—in the face of a series of daunting challenges.

This fast-paced chronicle of a single season is a complex and inspiring tale of a small town becoming a global community—and an account of the ingenious and complicated ways we create a home in a changing world.

Read it, you'll be glad you did.

That Went Well, Terrell Dougan

In this debut memoir Terrell Dougan writes with humor, humanity, and complete honesty. Funny, wonderful, horrible, happy, sad, touching, wise, breathtakingly honest, and compellingly readable are few words that aptly describe That Went Well. It’s a journey of over 60 years of two sisters – one who is developmentally handicapped and one, a who is full of spirit. Dougan shows us how much attitudes have changed and how she helped change some of those attitudes.

With heartache and humor, tenderness and honesty, Dougan inspires us to remember the kindness, joy, and grace that forever remain life's possibility.

I’ve come to love reading books, both fiction and non-fiction, written by newspaper people like Dougan. They always say what they need to say succinctly. I can name a few authors who could take lessons, as I’m sure most readers can.

Savvy by Ingrid Law

This is a rollicking, imaginative tale, full of whacky characters and loads of fun.  The publisher, Penguin Group, is slating this for 9-12 year olds; I think 9 to adult would be more like it.  Each member of the Beaumont family receives a special gift (power), upon turning 13.  This has happened for generations, as long as anyone can remember.  The story is about getting those powers and how to handle them, and still try to fit into society.  I highly recommend this debut novel.

Fault Line by Barry Eisler

This is Eisler's first stand alone novel.  His previous novels have featured one of my favorite assassins, John Rain.  I really love Rain, but this new book is the best I've read from Eisler.  It'll knock your socks off.  Fault Line is a full-throttle, take no prisoners, thriller that is both emotionally and politically charged.  It centers on a conspiracy that has spun out of the shadows and into the streets of America, a conspiracy that can be stopped only by three people—three people with different worldviews, different grievances, and different motives. To survive the forces arrayed against them, they'll first have to survive each other. 

Addition by Toni Jordan

This smartly written romantic comedy weighs the value of a normal life against the hidden potential in a life of dysfunction.  A witty heroine, Grace,  with a crippling case of obsessive-compulsive disorder is at the center of this gem of a debut.   She counts everything, absolutely everything.  I really loved this novel, and highly recommend it.

American Rust, Philipp Meyer

This debut novel will most likely put Meyer on the map. He is writing about a dying Pennsylvania steel town, where two aimless miss-matched friends, Poe and Isaac, are trapped by economic and personal circumstance. It is a dark but lucid vision, a moving novel about bleak realities and the power of love and friendship to redeem us. Meyer has a thrilling eye for failed dreams and writes uncommonly tense scenes of violence, and in the character of Grace, creates a woeful heroine. I’m sure Meyer will be compared to Steinbeck for his depiction of our current depression; I think he’s closer to Lehane.

Dog on It by Spencer Quinn

This book is a fun read, told from a dogs’ point of view. Chet, the dog detective, goes on crazy adventures and solves crimes, with his partner Bernie. With his doggy ways and his endearingly hardboiled voice, Chet is full of heart and prone to mischief, he's a dog. He is intensely loyal to Bernie, who, though distracted by issues that Chet has difficulty understanding — like divorce, child custody, and other peculiar human concerns — is enormously likable himself, in his flawed, all-too-human way.

This debut novel is light-hearted and fun to read; it is also well written with great characters and suspense. Dog On It, is the first of a planned series. I’m sure I’ll read them all.

Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese

“Cutting for Stone” is a sweeping, emotionally riveting first novel that moves from India to Ethiopia to an inner-city hospital in New York City over decades and generations. There's a mystery, a coming-of-age story, political thriller, abundant melodrama and even more abundant medical lore in this debut novel from a doctor best known for the memoir “My Own Country”. I found the medical background fascinating; Verghese delves into fairly technical areas of human anatomy and surgical procedure; but he never overdoes it.

Irreplaceable by Stephen Lovely

While reading Irreplaceable, I felt as if I were visiting another country. It was very convenient that everyone spoke American English, but I was a tourist, experiencing lives I’d never considered. I was indeed, a stranger in a strange land. In lesser hands the subject may have been sappy or repulsive. Stephen Lovely is a master, a new master, of fiction. I really loved this novel, and had a hard time putting it down. I told my Tai Chi class that I considered cancelling the class, so I could stay home and read Irreplaceable.

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet , Jamie Ford

In his impressive debut, Jamie Ford has written a tender and satisfying novel that is part of American history we would rather not face. It gives us a glimpse of the damage that is caused by war--not the sweeping damage of the battlefield, but the cold, cruel damage to the hearts and humanity of individual people. It deals with the relocation of Japanese Americans, at the beginning of WWII. This beautifully written book not only explores the age-old conflicts between father and son, it will make you think; more importantly, it will make you feel.

I was born in 1944, but this issue still affected me when I was a girl. Mrs. Odigari, the mother of a childhood friend, had been rounded up and spent the war in the horse stables at Santa Anita Racetrack; her daughter was born there. She was never bitter, and didn’t talk about it, but as a result of that terrible internment, she contracted TB, which affected her and her family for the rest of her life.

Ford sets his story in Seattle, but this happened to the entire West Coast. Read it, you’ll love it.

Beat the Reaper, Josh Bazell

Bazell’s debut novel is a must read if you like excitement and weirdness rolled into one book.  I loved it.  If you’re uptight about language, drugs, sex, pain, murder, this is not the book for you.   I read part of the first page to my husband, by way of explanation, of why he shouldn’t bother me until I finished.  The protagonist is an ex-hit man for the mob, turned ER doctor; that alone is amazing.   Read this amazing thriller, you won’t be sorry.

Life After Genuis by M. Ann Jacoby

In her debut novel, M. Ann Jacoby offers readers an extraordinary, thought-provoking, humorous plot. I found it hard to put down; it is very humorous and yet sad. People really can be cruel. The chapters are not in chronological order; they are mixed up--much like Mead's life.

Mead, the genius in the title, is an engaging character, with a wonderful sense of humor and an indomitable spirit. Other characters are also drawn well, eliciting strong responses. This is a truly moving story of a young man who is book smart, but struggling to find his way outside of the books. You'll find yourself cheering for and laughing with Mead as he struggles to find his place in the world.

This is the first time I've included a video; but I thought it gave great insight to the novel.

A Guide to the Birds of East Africa, Nicholas Drayson

If you went strictly by the title, you might not think A Guide to the Birds of East Africa, is your “cup of tea”; but it is, it really is. This is a charming little book that belongs in most libraries. You can safely “gift” this to anyone on your gift list. This is a quirky novel, involving a love story, an odd protagonist, bird watching, and a bet. The cast of characters is memorable; you’ll talk about them with your fellow book readers. Read it, give it, you’ll love it.

Great news for Robert Jordan fans.

The LA Times posted a fascinating article today regarding A Memory of Light, and how Brandon Sanderson is working to complete it. You can read the article here.

When Wanderers Cease to Roam, Vivian Swift.

This is a most unusual memoir. I love that it engaged me from the first page to the last. Swift's concept as well as her art are marvelous.

Mudbound by Hillary Jordan

Mudbound is a poignant debut novel set in the Jim Crow’s American south of the late 1940’s. The story involving two families and their prejudices, both subtle and brutal, is told by several voices. Jordan explores the meanings of respect, love, marriage, family and friendship, in an extremely complex tale.

Between Here and April by Deborah Copaken Kogan

How could a mother kill her children?  In her first novel, memoirist, TV producer and photojournalist Kogan examines motherhood in a way few books ever have.  She attempts with breathtaking prose and insights, to give the reader a heart-wrenching answer.  Her tale is gripping, hard to put down and definitely not a feel-good book; but I think it’s a great book.

A Cure for Night by Justin Peacock

Peacock’s debut novel is a marvelous page-turner, and I loved his writing.   Cure for Night deals with the law, lawyers, bad guys, and a few good guys.  In Peacocks able hands the law and court become a contest over who tells the best story, fiction or non-fiction.  Doesn’t matter, just win.   Here’s a quote from the book:

“That’s what the criminal law is: it’s how the day tries to correct the night’s mistakes. Most of my cases, people have done something they never would’ve dreamed of doing in broad daylight.”

“What does that make us?” I said. “The night’s janitors?”

“We’re absolutely that,” Myra said, sipping her cosmo. “What else do we do but clean up after it? That’s why we’ll never run out of work. Not unless someone invents a cure for night.”

The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman

This is Gaimans' first book for Teens; I'd put it at Middle School, and up. It contains all the things kids love: wonder, terror and magic. When tragedy strikes local household, the only survivor; Bod who is under 2 years old, scoots out the door, across the street, and into the Graveyard. For the next 14 years, he is the only living person in the Graveyard, which has become his home. Oh, he has plenty of company and he is well taken care of, and his education is very unusual, as you can only imagine. Great, fun read, for anyone older than 10.

The Flying Troutmans, Miriam Toews

This is essentially a "road-trip" book, one we hope never happens, to us. The main character, Hattie, is living in Paris, she gets a call that her sister is institutionalized, again. The call comes from her niece, 11, who along with her 15 year old brother, have no adults around, and they need help. Things are dire, and Hattie has no maternal instincts, what so ever. She hatches a plan to find the kids father, who left years ago, unable to cope with the sister's mental illness. Her hope is the father will step up to the plate and take the kids off her hands. Their trip takes them from home, Manitoba, to South Dakota, to Flagstaff, to 29 Palms, to the border lands of the U.S. and Mexico. It's quite a trip, and you'll be glad you went along for the ride.

Good news for Sci-Fi/Fantasy fans.

This a very interesting piece of news.

Jane Belson, the widow of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy author Douglas Adams, has given permission for a sixth book to be added to the series. The Guardian reported that And Another Thing . . . will be written by children's author Eoin Colfer, who said being chosen by Belson for this task was "like suddenly being offered the superpower of your choice."

The book, which is scheduled to be published next fall by Penguin, will "make no claims for Eoin being Douglas," said Joanna Prior, the publisher's marketing and publicity director. "It's not Eoin Colfer writing as Douglas Adams, as was the case with Sebastian Faulks [who wrote as Ian Fleming]. It's absolutely about him being himself--Eoin the author, but with the cast of Hitchhiker."

Coal Black Horse, Robert Olmstead

One of my favorite authors is Cormac McCarthy, he’s a master of noir.  I’m telling you this because I think if he wrote a book about the Civil War, it would be this book.  Olmstead uses lush, fiery language to describe one of the most horrible battles ever experienced by Americans- Gettysburg, through the eyes of a 14 year old boy.  With this masterful telling you experience the depravity and cruelty that surrounds the battlefield and the lengths the boy, sent out to find his father, goes through to survive; his actions are balanced against love, loyalty and family.  This is a terrific book, but it’s not for the faint of heart.

Good People, Marcus Sakey

The only thing weak about this book is the cover, I mean, come on; I’d have probably passed this book by, based on the cover.

Lucky for me, I’m already a fan of Sakey’s and have been looking forward to his next book. His books are always set in Chicago, this is his third, and they just keep getting better. When you pick it up, be prepared to read all day. Good People is full of action, suspense, and realistic characters; cops, robbers, good people and bad people; lots of bad people. The plot is very involved and I’m not giving anything away, trust me, just dive in.

The Little Book by Selden Edwards

This is a masterpiece of unequaled storytelling; the tale of Wheeler Burden, exiled heir of a famous New England family. He's a philosopher, student of history, rock idol, writer, lover of women, recluse, and baseball hero. In 1988 he is forty-seven, living in San Francisco. Suddenly he is, still his modern self, looking like the rocker he is, with a cultivated Wild Bill Hitchcock persona, meandering in a city and time he knows mysteriously well: fin de siècle Vienna. It is 1897, precisely ninety-one years before his last memory and a half-century before his birth. While in Vienna, he mets his father, grandfather, grandmother, Freud and Jung.

Edwards has great fun with time travel paradoxes and anachronisms, but the real romance in this book is with the period, topped by nostalgia for the old-school American elite, as represented by the we-all-went-to-the-same-prep-school Burdens. This novel ends up a sweet, wistful elegy to the promise and hopes of the 20th century. Edwards began writing this, his first novel, as a young English teacher in 1974, and continued to layer and refine the manuscript until its completion in 2007.

Leather Maiden, Joe R. Lansdale

Leather Maiden the new thriller from Landsdale, reminded me of Cormac McCarthy's writing. Believe me when I say, that's high praise from me. It's a aggressive mix of suspense, raw humor, and mystery that unfolds in the vividly rendered shadowy lowlands of eastern Texas. It’s noir at it's best; full of salty humor, brisk plotting and appealingly off-key characters who move through a world that's at one moment folksy and the next macabre. With its mysterious disappearances, abandoned houses, midnight trysts, and hidden culverts, Lansdale's latest is a contemporary Hardy Boys story on crank, read to best advantage late at night under the covers, with the aid of a flashlight.

This is the first time I've read Landsdale, and now I understand why he's won all of his awards. He has received the British Fantasy Award, the American Mystery Award, the Edgar Award, the Grinzane Cavour Prize for literature, and seven Bram Stoker Awards.

Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins

I received the ARC for this novel at the BEA this year. It's Collins' first Young Adult read, she's published juvenile books previously, geared to the under 12 crowd. Bob beat me to the punch, he read it first, and loved it. We have significantly different reading taste, but he assured me I'd love it; and he was right. As soon as I finished I took it to work to pass around.

Hunger Games, is a page-turner. Collins has created a brilliantly imagined dystopia; equal to Brave New World. It keeps you guessing and on the edge, and you make connections with the characters without realizing it. You get swept up into the story immediately and do not want it to be over when you reach the last page; then on the last page you discover you've just read Book One. At least there's hope the saga will continue.

The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti

This first novel is different from anything I’ve read in a long time, and I absolutely loved it! It’s filled with vivid characters, imaginative descriptions, and perfect pacing. Once started, you won’t want to stop reading until you’ve turned the last page.

Full of wit, humor, and memorable characters, it has an authentic feel and a fast moving plot. The subject matter is dark, but it doesn’t feel that way at all. In fact, it is surprisingly lighthearted. I was fully engrossed in this world of outcasts populated with a dwarf living on the roof, a doctor who buys recently deceased bodies, the religious crippled orphan boy with a good heart, the cruel owner of a mousetrap factory, a violent giant assassin with a soft spot for orphan boys, a hard of hearing widowed landlady, and the tall-tale spinning con man.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it to anyone 14 years and up.

The Given Day, Dennis Lehane

I've been waiting forever for this to be published. The last time I talked to Lehane, he said it was turning into a "brick", and he didn't know when it'd be published. He is my favorite writer and I wasn't too happy with the 5 year wait.

But, it was worth it, totally. The rest of his novels have been mysteries, this is not. It is historical fiction, at it's finest. Well written, well researched, The Given Day covers a turbulant time in American history, at the end of The Great War and, of course, it's set in Boston. Over 700 pages, but truly a fast read; because you can't put it down, it just flows and you are swept up, as you read it.

I told a fellow bookseller, It flows like silk.

The Dawn Patrol, Don Winslow

Don Winslow is a California writer, when his work focuses on California, it has an authentic and compelling feel to it. Winslow often takes a segment of fringe society, this time surfers, and so thoroughly steeps his story in it, that we come away feeling like experts. This new novel is no exception. The Dawn Patrol surfs every morning before work; they’ve been together forever, some since elementary school, and have jobs they go to after the morning rides. Their jobs are varied, cop, P.I., waitress, attorney, lifeguard, drug-lord, I did say varied. With short chapters and gritty dialog, Winslow keeps the pace fast and the interest high. Several subplots make the main story line even more compelling; the whole narrative plays out against a coming "swell"-the big waves that surfers dream about. This is a thriller that is hard to put down

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows

Now, I must admit to being a book snob. Part of my snobbery is I usually don't read books written by two authors, for me, it generally hasn't worked. This time it worked, in spades. Maybe it's because the authors are related, they're an aunt and niece. For what ever reason this novel works. Get ready to fall in love with a book.

It takes place in Guernsey, after WWII. Readers discover the island and it's inhabitants thru a series of letters. We learn about their strengths and bravery in very hard times. The entire book is nothing but letters, letters full of warmth, humor and humanity. As I was reading I couldn't wait to go on to the next one, to see what or whom I would discover.

I think these would be a great read for book groups, too.

I've pre-ordered, and sent this book to my Mom, my daughters, and my friend's daughter and daughter-in-law. That's how great it is.

Bikeman, Thomas F. Flynn

Every American and many others, of course, remember where they were on 9/11/2001. I do, you do, we all remember. Most of us were not in Manhattan that day, but NYC is all of ours hometown, so we remember.

Flynn was there and heard the 1st plane fly over, while not recognizing exactly what it was; he recognized it was not normal. He got on his bicycle, rode toward the towers, and experienced hell. Bikeman is a narrative poem, about what he experienced that morning. What sets his story apart for other 9/11 accounts is his journalist’s eye and poet’s pen. I think it's amazing to have an epic poem published today; but he has friends in high places, and I'm glad.

An Award

The Mountains & Plains Independent Booksellers Association's 2008 Regional Book Awards, has awarded the top fiction prize to one of my favorites, God of Animals by Aryn Kyle.

This is my review from 2007:

It's wonderful book by a first time author; one of those novels that stay with you for a long time. It's different, of course, but I'd compare it to The Turtle Warrior, Augusta Locke, Name all the Animals, and Blind Your Ponies. For me, fits in with these greats because I couldn't put the book down, and when I had to, I couldn't wait to get back to it. And it passed my ultimate test; it stayed with me long after I closed the book for the final time. Kyle paints a true picture of the modern American West, and the struggles of the families who live there. The God of Animals is a magnificent story of western life and character."

Undiscovered Country: A Novel, Lin Enger

This first novel blew me away. It's a hair-raising tale of betrayal, murder and revenge; the riveting portrait of a young man trying to hold his family together in a world turned upside down. The writing is rich and descriptive, but still spare. The protagonist, Jesse, an English Teacher, is writing a memoir for the benefit of his younger brother, who is getting ready to graduate from High School. Both of their parents are gone, and he wants his brother to know the truth about how their father died, 10 years earlier.

City of Theives, David Benioff

This coming of age story is set in war torn Russia. The narrator talks his grandfather into telling him about his experiences during the 1941 Siege of Leningrad. He knows his grandfather killed two Germans with a knife before he was 18, but nothing more. No one has been able to pry the story from Grandfather. Many war survivors don’t talk about their experiences, but I’m sure glad this tale was told. It’s quite a harrowing story, and because of Benioff’s meticulous research, sounds very authentic. I’d recommend this novel to any lover of great fiction. I have to tell you, without spoiling the story, I smiled when I read the last page.

Heart in the Right Place, Carolyn Jourdan

I truly love this book. Carolyn Jourdan was on the fast track in Washington DC, when her Mom had a heart attack, and she rushed home to Tennessee to help out. Dad is a country doctor, and Mom had been his receptionist, so Carolyn, a high power attorney, became Doc's receptionist, just until Mom recovered. I literally laughed and cried while reading this wonderful memoir. It's being considered for a TV series, or mini-series, I won't hold my breath, because they may not be smart enough to do it.

Hit and Run, Lawrence Block

I have two favorite assassins, and this book is about one of them, Keller. Block is a master of the mystery genre, and the “Hit” series featuring Keller, is great. Framed for a high-profile murder he didn’t commit Keller goes on the run to save is life. He has $200.00 in his pocket and has to get from Iowa to NYC without being found. It’s a wild ride, and Keller ends up re-inventing himself, new name, new occupation, new location, and a new life. This may be the end of Keller, say it isn’t so, Mr. Block, say it isn’t so. The other books in this series are Hit Man, Hit List and Hit Parade.

Humor

I thought I'd throw in a little Bookstore/Library humor.

Bookstores and Libraries are really not so different.

I can see this happening in both,

and I know it happens all the time in the bookstore.

From Unshelved.com

The Garden of Last Days, Andre Dubus III

When I first started reading The Garden of Last Days, I thought of Elmore Leonard, most of the characters are connected by a Florida strip club. They work or visit there regularly, and their lives become intertwined. Dubus shows why each character does what he does, we may not approve, but we understand. He explores the faith, fate, love, power and culture that shape these denizens of the underbelly of America. This is a fast moving, multi-layered novel; there are several sub-plots going on that culminate with disaster. Dubus artfully carries the reader along with fast paced, short chapters, so you are never bored or left hanging.

Children's Books

Here is a short list of very good read-out-loud Children's Books. I highly recommend all four.

The Worst Best Friend - Alexis O'Neill

A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever - Marla Frazee

The Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes - Mem Fox

Dodsworth in New York - Tim Egan

Book Expo America

I have an exciting time coming up. Today, I'm leaving for Book Expo America, or as we booksellers call it, The Book Show. All the publishers are there to tell us about their new books, and give us copies of unpublished ones; and many of my favorite authors will be there to chat and sign books. This will be my 6th year attending the BEA.

This year the BEA is in Los Angeles, so I don't have too far to go; I'm staying at the Holiday Inn, right across the street from the L.A. Convention Center. Here are some of the things I'm looking forward to:

Today, I'm attending a Luncheon for African American Bookselling Professionals, it's being underwritten by Random House, and RH said it was OK for me to attend. The speakers are Nikki Turner, Donald Welch, Bertie Bowman, Halima Bashir and Terry McMillan. Terry McMillan is the only one I've read, so it'll be a great opportunity to discover new authors, and met other booksellers.


On Friday, I'm having breakfast with Sherman Alexie, Judy Blume, Neil Gaiman and Eoin Colfer. I'm most excited about Neil Gaiman, he's like a Rock God for booksellers; even if you don't normally read fantasy, you should read him.


On Saturday, there's Speed Dating with Children's Authors and Illustrators. I try to never miss this one, it's always fun.

On Sunday, I'm having breakfast with Dennis Lehane, Ted Turner and Azar Nafisi. Dennis Lehane is my all time favorite author, and it's been too long between books. I'm so excited.


Then, on Sunday, I'm having lunch with Micheal Connelly and Dean Koontz.



In between there will be lots of activities, and chances to stroll the aisles, and be given as many ARCs, as I can handle. The publishers want booksellers to have a chance to read their upcoming books, before they're released, so that we can hand-sell their book to you the public. I usually come home with hundreds of books, a few signed.

Hopefully, I'll have something exciting to tell about when I get home, and some photos to share. This is the first year I've gone, that I'll have my camera with me. I always come home good and tired, books are heavy. This is the first year I'll be attending alone, Bob's not up to it this year.

Don't worry, I've traveled alone, a lot, some weekends, a driving trip to Yosemite, and once I went to Hawaii by myself, Bob didn't want to go, he went the next time.

All photos, from the publishers.

The Art of Racing in the Rain - Garth Stein

The novel's premise, a dog living a good life so he can be reincarnated as a human, is creative. The execution, told from the dog's point of view, is brilliant. The dog, Enzo, recounts a heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, friendship and hope. Enzo learned much of what he knows about the world by listening carefully to his master and watching television, when he’s home alone; including his theory on reincarnation. The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life, as only a dog could tell it. This one is moving fast, it’ll be on the best seller list, soon.

Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet

I have a tiny bit of book snob in me, I really hate to admit it, but it's true. I usually don't read novels that are co-written. To me, it smacks too much of a writing factory; but I like most of Patterson's writing, and my friend Tom highly recommended Sundays at Tiffany's. He said Patterson is giving Sparks a run for his money. I'd say there's no contest. Sparks is pretty sappy, and he has his niche, and tons of readers, but this novel is more like The Time Traveler's Wife. We find one man involved with the same woman, when the woman is a girl; then when she is a woman. This is a wonderful, sweet love story, and well written, to boot. Charbonnet is a children's author, and this is her first adult book.

Bright Shiny Morning by James Frey

I started this with great trepidation; I loved Frey first two books, A Million Little Pieces and My Friend Leonard, and he was pilloried for presenting them as memoir, not fiction. For me, it was all about the writing, and Frey is a great writer. OK, he uses run-on sentences and not enough punctuation, but it works. I'm happy to say this one works, too.

I didn't know what to expect, but plunged right in to this 500 page monster; not all monsters are bad. This one is good. It's about Los Angeles, a city I know well (my hubs is retired LAPD), and Frey lived and worked here for awhile. It's not a cohesive narrative but a compilation of vignettes of several characters who have come to the city to fulfill their dreams. Frey states a lot of facts, but this is fiction, and the wise reader will remember the nudge-nudge, wink-wink disclaimer in the front of the book: Nothing in this book should be considered accurate or reliable. It's fiction, wonderful fiction.

The God of War, Marisa Silver

This is a complex novel by a great storyteller. It deals with the importance parenting, family, and location, in all our lives. As much as I loved this story, I found it too complex for a tidy summary, so I'm offering a quote from another author.

“Marisa Silver is the author for whom we've all been waiting. With unabashed voice she steadily, bravely, unerringly tells a heartbreakingly beautiful story for our time. The God of War is the truest novel I've read in ages.”
- Alexandra Fuller, author of Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight

the Middle Place, Kelly Corrigan

So, what is the Middle Place? According to Corrigan it’s where you find yourself when you’re both a parent and a child; what others have called the “sandwich generation”. I like Corrigan’s description better. This is not a sociology study, it’s a memoir; a memoir about her time dealing with breast cancer, but more than that, it’s a wonderful tribute to her fantastic father, George Corrigan. He is the reason she kept her maiden name, because she always loved when people asked, “Are you George Corrigan’s daughter?” No one would ask, if she’d taken her married name, it is as simple as that. She captures our hearts and teaches us something new about family, love, and yes, even death. A great read; a laugh and cry read, I loved it.

So Brave, Young and Handsome, Leif Enger

Those of us who loves Enger's first novel Peace Like a River, couldn't believe our good fortune, when his second novel arrived. It had been a long wait, seven years; I'd about given up, thinking Enger was a one book wonder, it happens.

While both books could be described as a heroic quest, a tragedy, a romance, and a meditation on the possibility of magic in the everyday world, they are also different. The current offering is a rugged and nimble story about an aging train robber on a quest forgiveness, and the blocked writer who goes with him. The writer’s inviting voice guides us through this expansive saga of redemption in the early West, circa 1915, and gives a teeming vitality to a period too often represented with stock phrases and characters. I am very impressed with Enger research, I’d compare his research to Lamour’s; he gets time, place and history right. He doesn’t write fantasy.

How to Talk to a Widower, Johathan Tropper

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It was engaging and witty, poignant and touching. The points about grief and the fear of moving on resonated true. The characters were very true to life; the family dynamic was also true to life and incredibly funny. Before you read it, you may not see how you'd laugh out loud about a slacker who fell hopelessly for a vibrant, talented, beautiful older woman who dies and leaves him and her teenage son adrift, but you will laugh, I promise. This book has a little bit of everything, and really I loved it.

No Time for Goodbye, Linwood Barclay

This mystery/thriller held my interest from the first page to the last page; I felt like I was on a rollercoaster ride. This is the set-up, a 14 year old girl wakes up in the morning, and no one is home, no one is ever going to be home again. The story involves how this is handled and how the mystery is finally solved. There are many unexpected twist and turns that are plausible, I never felt I'd entered the "Twilight Zone", as I might have with a different author telling the tale. This is the first novel I've read by Barclay, it won't be the last.

Small Favor, Jim Butcher

This is the 10th novel in the Dresden Files. I reviewed the first one and have read the rest. They are all good. Often an author with a established series, just goes stale; but not Butcher, his most recent grabs you just the way the first one did. Did you know that Harry Dresden is the only wizard listed in the Chicago phone book? No? Well, find out what else you don't know. This series is outside my normal reading, it's fantasy, not the quasi-romantic bodice-ripper that a lot of fantasy novels are, but more he-man adventure fantasy. I usually read a series in the order written, it's not necessary. Jump right in.

One Mississippi - Mark Childress

This is a tale of one teenage boy's odyssey from naive acceptance to a strong sense of self; it will knock your socks off. It is an extremely funny and touching story about family, best friends, first love, and surviving the scariest years of your life - the teenage years. I laughed till I almost fell off my chair, when I read the chapters about a home-grown church musical production and the hero's ill-conceived trip to the prom. One Mississippi is many things: it's wild it's unpredictable, yes it's tragic in the end, but so is life, sometimes. It’s about as easy to resist as a riptide. Jump in you’ll love it, too.

Last Lecture, Randy Pausch

In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humor, inspiration and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form.

A lot of professors give talks titled "The Last Lecture." Professors are asked to consider their own deaths and to talk about what matters most to them. When Pausch gave his "The Last Lecture.” he really was near the end of his life, he’d been diagnosed with terminal cancer. This is not a sad or maudlin book, it is life affirming. The book takes his "The Last Lecture", and expounds and expands on it. If I could, I’d quote the entire book here, that’s how good it is. Here’s on of my favorite quotes from the book: "We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand." This is a book that will be shared for generations to come.

This is unusual in a book review, but I’m an unusual book reviewer:

Belong to Me, Marisa de los Santos

Belong to Me, is utterly magical. You’ll meet the best 14 year olds, ever. The men of this novel are varied and “keepers”, in the relationship derby. But, it’s the women of this story you’ll fall the hardest for. The story is told from the perspective of 3 different characters, two of the women and one of the teenagers. De los Santos braided their tales together, to tell a beautiful tale that had me twisting and turning in all directions, laughing out loud or crying, while cheering their relationships on. The struggle through heartbreak and the will to find love and happiness is what it’s all about. This is de los Santos' second novel, and a follow-up to the first one, Love Walked In. It is not necessary to read Love Walked In, before Belong to Me. Belong to Me really does stand on it's own two feet.

The Woman Who Wouldn't, Gene Wilder

This is a very small, short work of fiction. It's only 167 pages, and the pages are about 3/4-size, but Wilder's second novel is a huge winner. His prose is elegant, spare and affecting. But it’s his romantic’s eye for the intense emotions that animate a real love story that makes The Woman Who Wouldn’t an unforgettable book. Just when it seems the tale is heading into Love Story territory, the redemptive power of love proves stronger than that in this is sweet, adult fable.

The English American by Alison Larkin

I came across this book while I was doing front list (putting new books away) this week at the bookstore. First, the book jacket caught my eye, then the title. I put one aside for myself because it is Larkin's first novel, and I love to read an authors' first. Then an hour or so later a customer requested it, and raved about an interview she'd heard with Larkin on NPR.

This is a very good book; immensely readable and enjoyable. It is semi-autobiographical, both the author and our heroine, Pippa, were given up by American birth parents and raised by English parents. The English American is a comedic but heartfelt look at issues of identity, heredity and self-acceptance. I really did laugh and cry as I read it. Plus there's the bonus of a love story, or two or three woven in. The stories of her parents, both sets, are wonderfully done, and Pip's final love is all a girl could ask for.

Lush Life by Richard Price

This is the first book I've read by Price. I loved it. I don't know about his other books, but this one was like reading Micheal Connelly and George Pelecanos, braided together. Very street, hear the beat, combined with police procedure. The setting is Manhattan, the crime is homicide. In the story of the aftermath, Price focuses on everything; the perpetrators; the victims and their families; and the cops who doggedly pursue the frailest threads of evidence and possibility. It could be overwhelming, but it's not, it's skillful writing, the best.

Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey through His Son's Addiction by David Sheff

Beautiful Boy, is an amazing book. To me addiction is a foreign land, but Sheff uses haunting candor to tell us about his son's addiction. Before meth, Nic was a varsity athlete, honor student, and award-winning journalist. After meth, he was a trembling wraith who stole money from his eight-year-old brother, lies about everything and lived on the streets. I've always said parenting is the hardest job I've ever had. The assumption is that if we were good parents our children would not have problems. Parents with easy kids don't understand how addiction can happen. Sheff's book provides a rare opportunity to experience the parental nightmare of substance abuse. The story is compelling, and hard to put down. I hope everyone will read it to gain empathy and understanding.

Down Town by Ferrol Sams

There are many great American storytellers, but the narrator of Down Town, James Aloysius “Buster” Holcombe, Jr., is one you won’t soon forget. Buster Holcombe begins his tale immediately after the Civil War, as the patriarchs of his small Georgia town sow seeds that will sprout for more than a century. Generation after generation, we are introduced to the men and women of “our town” and all their delightful strengths and weaknesses.

Through the characters of “our town,” I gained new perspectives on the historical events that have shaped our country since 1865—Reconstruction, the first World War, the Depression, World War II, racial integration, land speculation, and economic boom.

Sams’s eye for what is real among the myths, what's humorous among the ruins, and what’s human in us all is pitch-perfect. Sams is a physician, humorist, storyteller, and best-selling novelist. His works are rooted in the oral traditions of Southern humor and folklore.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

– I’m very selective about the Young Adult titles I read, but I decided to see what this phenomenon is all about. First, let me say it’s a think book, nearly 500 pages, but in reality it’s a short-thick book. If it were normal sized and they lost all the blank areas, it’d be closer to the norm of 300 pages. So don’t hesitate to pick it up. It’s a good read for all ages. Since the main character is a female, the people who read it are females. But these are not all teenagers; all ages of women are reading it, from young teens to grandmothers. I enjoyed it so much I’ll be finishing the next two in the series, so I can be up to date when the 4th is released in August. Barnes and Noble already has enough pre-orders that it’s #4 in sales, as of today.

Remember Me? - By Sophie Kinsella

This is chick-lit at its best. Remember Me?, has a fresh heroine, who can’t remember anything from the past three years. Lexi wakes up in a London hospital and she’s a stranger to herself. She’s thin, toned, well-coiffed, veneered and married; she doesn’t remember any of it. Lexi’s tale of catching up with herself is a riotous roller-coaster ride. Tag along for the ride, you won’t be sorry.

Missing by Karin Alvtegen

Missing is part of a series of offered by Felony & Mayhem Press, one of their "Foreign" category. What ties the series together is they all feature, "an intricately observed, richly atmospheric setting in a part of the world that is neither England nor the U.S.A."

The setting is Sweden, a homeless 30-something woman is running a con, getting a meal and a room at a high end hotel. The con works, but in the morning the police are ready to arrest her for murder; a particularly horrendous mutilation was involved. She manages to slip the cops, and in rapid succession the actual murderer strikes 3 more times. Now, our protagonist is the object of a nation-wide manhunt, she has been tried and convicted by the police and the press, and she has no place to hide. I had a hard time putting Missing down, it held my attention from the first page, to the last. The plot twist and turns, but doesn't leave you swinging the wind; instead it's a masterful mosaic with a satisfying ending.

Missing was translated from Swedish by Anna Paterson.

At The City’s Edge – Marcus Sakey. I have no problem comparing Sakey to one of my favorite authors, George Pelicanos, or even Dennis Lehane. Pelicanos writes about D.C., Lehane about Boston, and Sakey about Chicago. This is Sakey’s second thriller, and he’s good at it, very good. Sakey's conspiracy and corruption scenarios twist together in startling ways. At The City’s Edge is fast paced from the first page. I just hope Sakey keeps releasing new thrillers. I’m already looking forward to the next one.





Some of Tim's Stories - S. E. Hinton This is a very slim book. For you lovers of Hinton's first book, The Outsiders, published over 40 years ago, the last half of the book is devoted to an interview of Hinton. I really loved this book, except it is far too short. The stories occupying the first part of the book are great. They reminded me of The Driftless Area by Tim Drury. If this book was 400 pages, I would be very happy.



High Up In The Trees by Kiara Brinkman - I really loved this book. I think Brinkman captured the voice of a nine-year-old beautifully. But this is a very complex tale, and I'm going to quote Ron Charles of the Washington Post for the rest of this review. I think he really nailed it.

"No one could blame you for turning away from Kiara Brinkman's haunting first novel. The muffled pain of Up High in the Trees will trigger your reflex for emotional protection but, if you can bear it, the treasures here are exquisite. I can't remember when I ever felt so torn between recoiling from a story and wishing I could somehow cross into its pages and comfort a character."


The Indian Bride by Karin Fossum – This is a well translated, by Charlotte Barlund, Norwegian mystery. It is actually a very good police procedural, in the vein of Michael Connelly. This mystery has many of the qualities I love in a book. It kept me interested through all 297 pages. I learned a lot, about Norway and about Norwegians. I thought about the “case”, when I wasn’t reading. When I was 50 pages, or so from the end, I had a a-ha moment, while I was in the shower, I thought I’d solved the case. Alas, Inspector Sejer solved the case, but then he’s a trained investigator, and I a mere reader. I strongly recommend this murder mystery to all who enjoy a good book.




The Opposite of Love by Julie Buxbaum – Alright, the whole time I was reading this novel, I was thinking could this be a James Frey kind of book? No, not drugs, but was it a thinly veiled memoir? Well, the answer is no. Thanks to Random House, I had lunch with Julie, last week. Buxbaum is a debut author so good, you believe every word. Her heroine, Emily, is not some one you love or feel close to right away. Not Emily, she’s going through changes, oh boy, you wish she’d hurry. The story is about family. I loved Grandpa Jack and his friend Ruth. In the end I loved Emily, too. This is a great book for book clubs; there is much to discuss.





Nursery Crimes by Ayelet Waldman – Waldman is a former Public Defender, much like her heroine, Juliet. Waldman is married to a very creative man, Michael Chabon. Juliet is married to a very creative man, who writes horror screenplays. Waldman writes what she knows. She has created a strong, smart, fearless, funny, clever and wacky character in Juliet. Juliet is, now a stay at home mom, and prego, again, and bored. She starts playing PI, and the fun begins. This is the first of a series; I highly recommend it.




Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin - This is really a terrific book; it should be required reading for everyone. It was released over a year ago and I heard only good reviews and recommendations about it. And guess what, everyone was right, they absolutely knew what they were talking about. Mortenson, a former mountaineer, had a life-changing experience after a failed attempt on K2. He went on to realize his dream of fighting terrorism through education. He built schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He did it without U.S. government help, as an individual. This book tells about all his struggles, and takes the reader along on his long learning curve. I hope Greg Mortenson wins the Nobel Peace Prize, he deserves it. There is one confusing thing: the book is written by Relin, about Mortenson, they don’t appear to be co-authors.


Dear Gabriel – by Halfdan W. Freihow This is a wonderful, small, well translated memoir. I’ve been reading some Scandinavian authors lately, Freihow is Norwegian, and the translator makes a major difference. With great love and profound wonder, Freihow describes his relationship with his youngest son, Gabriel, who was diagnosed with autism at the age of three. Though their relationship is sometimes fraught with frustration and misunderstanding, it endures and flourishes with parental pride, and ultimately, unconditional love. Taking the form of a personal letter this intimate tale evokes a rich sense of childhood magic. A tender and brutally honest testament to love and the power of family, Dear Gabriel reaches out to all parents as they try to understand and nurture their children, regardless of any obstacles that may stand in their way.