Book Reviews
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August 2010
The Politics of Genocide by Edward S. Herman and David Peterson
(reviewed by Zeb)
364.15 HER (adult non-fiction)
The atrocities attributed to our country are more searing than those other countries commit though we downplay our crimes while extrapolating on those committed by others. The minimal coverage of the 800,000 Iraqi citizens killed by U.S. economic sanctions in the 1990s and the additional 1,000,000 citizens killed during the 2003 U.S. led invasion and illegal occupation, compared with the much publicized deaths of 4,000 Kosovo Albanians is a perfect example. This much researched book provides an overview of how modern genocides are portrayed in the U.S. depending on who is involved and where the funding/support for the massacres comes from; they are either greatly exaggerated or almost completely disregarded. The authors’ discuss how the U.S. government portrays conflicts to their advantage and only gets involved when it is to their economic benefit. Lamentably, in most cases our involvement aims to expand, rather than lessen, the atrocities being committed.
July 2010
Beyond the Killing Fields : war writings by Sydney Schanberg
(reviewed by Pam)
070.4 SCH (adult non-fiction)
This is a tremendous, bone-chilling book of eyewitness war correspondence. But what makes it transcend war literature is the story of the survival of Dith Pran, and the relationship between Schanberg and Pran, his Cambodian translator. Schanberg’s writing matches the intensities of the stories he has to tell and makes you feel the hurt. It is hard, necessary information as we remain in foreign conflicts yet today.
Homer & Langley : a novel by E.L. Doctorow
(reviewed by Pam)
F DOCTORO (adult fiction)
The Collyer Brothers live as recluses in their once grand 5th Ave mansion. Homer becomes blind at age 15 and his older brother Langley has been damaged into madness by mustard gas in World War I. They lose both parents early in their lives and want nothing more than to shut out the world. But history seems to pass through their cluttered house and the epic events of the century play out in their lives – wars, political movements, technological advances – all encroach on them, and their daily lives become perilous as they struggle to survive. Written as a narrative spoken by Homer, the story will touch your heart and amaze you at their strength and love for each other.
Physics for Future Presidents : the science behind the headlines by Richard A. Muller
(reviewed by Pam)
530 MUL (adult non-fiction)
This is a lively and non-technical primer on those all-important topics that future presidents and world leaders should (must) become knowledgeable of. He covers the physics behind terrorist attacks, anthrax, global warming, nuclear power and weapons, space, and over-population. He also relays viable solutions to many of the problems and includes a presidential summary at the end of each chapter. Easy to read and understand from a popular university professor.
Belong to Me by Marisa de los Santos
(reviewed by Trish)
F DELOSSAN (adult fiction)
The cover of this book made me smile from the day I first saw it! The Boots remind me of a happy family with, Dad, Mom, little boy and a little girl. Although the story inside doesn’t exactly fit this “perfect” family picture, it is a beautiful story of people who become family by choice. I enjoyed this book so much, that I also read “Love Walked In” by the same author, and I recommend both books.
June 2010
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
(reviewed by Heather)
YA Kelly (young adult fiction)
This historical fiction book tells the tale of eleven-year-old Calpurnia Tate, known as Callie Vee. She lives in central Texas at the turn of the century, 1899. Being the only girl, she is expected to become a lady by learning the domestic arts. However, her love is studying nature, which she has in common with her curmudgeonly grandfather. She learns of love and courting from her three brothers and makes an awesome discovery in the natural world with her grandpa.
May 2010
Bone Fire by Mark Spragg
(reviewed by Pam)
F Spragg (adult fiction)
Bone Fire brings back the characters of Spragg’s “An Unfinished Life.” Griff is now a young woman caring for her grandfather who is now in his eighties. Her mother Jean is married to the local sheriff who is occupied with the murder of a young meth dealer and his own symptoms of the disease that killed his grandfather. Ten year old Kenneth appears as an endearing character whose innocence and humor adds another aspect to the story. As all of their lives become more strained and intertwined, they also become more generous and compassionate towards each other. It’s a story of people caught up in their own tragedies who manage to alleviate the suffering of others, and thereby change themselves.
Touch the Top of the World: a blind man's journey to climb farther than the eye can see by Erik Weihenmayer
(reviewed by Brian)
796.522 WEI (adult non-fiction)
Erik was a rambunctious kid, who was going blind at 12. He found wrestling as he struggled to adjust to his blindness, and by chance was introduced to rock climbing. He stuck with college, yet before he applied for a job to become a grade school teacher, his determination lead him up higher paths. He trekked around the world with dedicated friends and family leading him. The summit of Everest loomed in his imagination: could he make it to the top? Erik's forthright commentary and inner journey makes this a page turner.
Blindsight DVD directed by Lucy Walker
(reviewed by Brian)
DVD 796.522 BLI (adult DVD)
A teacher of blind students in Tibet asked blind mountaineer Eric Weihenmayer to visit. He, in turn, asks to take six blind teenagers to approach a peak near Everest, led by the same guides that took him there. They trekked to Everest base camp before two kids showed signs of altitude sickness. And Eric tells them they made it 99% of the way there. Should they all turn back or split up the group? Watch the DVD: The huge valleys and snow-capped peaks are as breathtaking as the personal stories are inspiring.
Slavery by Another Name by Douglas A. Blackmon
(reviewed by Dave)
305.896 BLA (adult non-fiction)
Before reading this excellent book I read an essay by conservative economist Thomas Sowell, called Black Rednecks and White Liberals, in which he traced black ghetto culture back to Southern antebellum white redneck culture, and further still to cracker culture of Scotland and the fringes of England. While an interesting and reliable history (as the few hundred footnotes will attest to), he uses it as a provision for a dismissal of political racism and implicitly for free-market advocacy, essentially blaming the failure of poor blacks’ adaptation to mainstream America on an inheritance of bad habits, instead of, say, the legacy of slavery or corporate exploitation. Knowing enough about Slavery by Another Name prior to reading it, I picked it up to get a side of the story that was missing in Sowell’s essay. It delivered, and then some! This Pulitzer Prize-winner by author Douglas A. Blackmon gives a chilling narrative of the post-Civil War fate of many an African American. Arrested for as trivial a violation as vagrancy and unable to pay the fee, the “criminal”, almost always black, was given into indentured servitude to the first plantation farmer or industrialist willing to pay, in what became an established practice of convict leasing persisting into the 20th century. Blackmon’s thorough account suggests what Sowell’s allegiance to the free markets requires a moral ignorance of: capitalism’s dependency on cheap labor. This is what racism obscures, if anything, and not cultural inequality in lieu of the fact that “all men are created equal.”
April 2010
Field notes on democracy: listening to grasshoppers by Arundhati Roy
(reviewed by Zeb)
320.954 ROY (adult non-fiction)
This compilation of essays by Arundhati Roy is a great introduction to the problems facing India, the world’s largest democracy. Roy differentiates between the vast majority of India and the wealthy of India and how the poor majority are the ones confronting many of the problems; while the elite continue to grow rich and more powerful the population faces hunger problems worse than many areas of Africa. Violence between Hindus and Muslims has increased, fueled mostly by misinformation disseminated by political leaders. All the essays are tremendously engaging, relevant, depressing and, also, encouraging. While Roy’s essays are devoted to India many can easily be used more globally, especially when she says “The only way to contain – it would be naïve to say end – terrorism is to look at the monster in the mirror. We’re standing at a fork in the road. One sign points in the direction of “Justice,” the other says “Civil War”. There’s no third sign, and there’s no going back. Choose.”
The girl who chased the moon : a novel by Sarah Addison Allen
(reviewed by Jasmina)
F ALLEN (adult fiction)
After the sudden death of her mother, Emily moves to Mullaby, NC to live with her grandfather. Shortly after her arrival, she begins to wonder why her mother never mentioned the town where she grew up or talked about her past. As Emily tries to unravel a big family secret, she experiences strange happenings like magically changing wallpaper and the mysterious Mullaby lights. This is a quick and fun read that Allen fans will enjoy.
The hunger games by Suzanne Collins
(reviewed by Jasmina)
YA COLLINS (young adult fiction)
What was once North America has become Panem, a country divided into twelve districts and the Capitol. Each year, the Capitol selects a boy and girl from each district to compete in a televised event called The Hunger Games. The last contestant to survive wins the games. When her younger sister Prim is chosen for the games, Katniss volunteers to take her place. This book was excellent and kept my interest from start to finish. I can’t wait to read the next book in this trilogy.
The postmistress by Sarah Blake
(reviewed by Linda J.)
F BLAKE (adult fiction)
This book tells the stories of 3 women during the early months of WWII. Frankie Bard is a radio correspondent in London during the Blitz. Emma Trask is the new, young wife of the local doctor and Iris James is the postmistress of the title, both recent arrivals in Franklin, MA. While the war rages in Europe, Frankie travels by train interviewing the masses of people trying to escape. Emma’s husband goes off to London to help with the war effort and she is left alone and lonely. Iris, at the post office, hears all that goes on in town. She makes a crucial decision to hold back a letter that affects all of heir lives. Ms Blake really makes you feel as if you are in London, living through the Blitz and her stories of the people Frankie meets are heart-wrenching. Wonderful book.
In the deep heart’s core by Michael Johnston
(reviewed by Pam)
373.11 JOH (adult non-fiction)
In the fall of 1977, as a member of the Teach for America program, Michael Johnston went to the rural Mississippi Delta to become an English teacher in one of the poorest districts in the nation. He would confront a racially divided world in which his African American students struggled daily against a legacy of poverty, drug addiction, and gang violence. This is the story of how he reached out and inspired his students (by unconventional means) and learned invaluable lessons about teaching, himself, and life in the Delta.
Remarkable creatures by Tracy Chevalier
(reviewed by Pam)
F Chevali (adult fiction)
The poor and uneducated Mary Anning discovers on the windswept beaches of the English coast fossils that no one else can see. When she uncovers an unusual fossilized skeleton she causes an upheaval in the religious and scientific world of the 19th century. Mary also finds an unlikely companion in Elizabeth Philpot, a middle-class spinster recently exiled from London, who shares her passion for fossils. As the story unfolds you realize the “Remarkable Creatures” are the women themselves, the hardships they endure, and the discoveries they make together.
March 2010
People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
(Reviewed by Heather)
F BROOKS (adult fiction)
This is one of my favorite books of all time. I love the way history and present day are woven together.
I enjoyed the history lesson and intricacies of the storyline. The story is about one of the earliest Jewish religious volumes to be illuminated with images, the Sarajevo Haggadah. The volume survives for centuries through war and more thanks to people of all faiths who risked their lives to safeguard it. Hanna Heath, a rare-book expert, is restoring the manuscript in 1996 Sarajevo. Interesting clues found in the volume: an insect wing, a wine stain, salt crystals, and a white hair lead Hanna and the reader to the history of the book.
The Zinn Reader: writings on disobedience and democracy by Howard Zinn
(Reviewed by Zeb)
973 ZIN (adult non-fiction)
This volume provides a comprehensive overview to the vast body of work from Howard Zinn. Each essay included contributes to the strength and scope of the entire volume though can easily be read individually; allowing the reader to choose certain areas or essays to focus on. The first three sections on race, class and war are just as important now as when they were written. The race and class section provide powerful examples that effortlessly relate to problems faced, and largely ignored, in the nation, while the section on war can be seen in the global context in which “just” wars are being waged today. The law section provides an overview of how laws are made to protect those in power, and prevent any challenges to that power, while the history section confronts a misrepresentation of American history promoting only the wealthy and upper class while consciously forgetting the underprivileged and those that have fought against government oppression and illegal imperialism. The last part of the book, means and ends, is an optimistic section showing triumphs individuals and small groups have made against long standing immoral institutions and values. All of this against a government ‘ruled’ by a constitution that says the citizenry may revoke the government’s power at anytime, while the government tries harder and harder to conceal that fact. Zinn creates a feeling of urgency to continue to campaign for change so that ours, and more importantly, future generations may live in a better world.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
(Reviewed by Dave)
F BRO (adult fiction)
Jane is an insightful narrator and gives plenty of psychological glimpses into her relationships with family, friends and love interests. She acts by a sense of justice, which she no doubt developed as a child, living under the torment of her guardian (her aunt by law), then in the girl’s boarding school that she is sent to, where conditions leave much to be desired. After her rough childhood, she begins employment at Thornfield Manor as governess, where, after a brief interval of contentment, her sense of justice and duty are tested nearly to failure. The principled Jane Eyre goes on to more trials and tribulations and Dickensian coincidences, eventually bringing her back to where she feels that she most belongs. A Victorian classic by Bronte sister Charlotte, it’s well worth the read.
The Glass Castle : a memoir by Jeannette Walls
(Reviewed by Chris)
362.82 WAL (adult non-fiction)
The Glass Castle is an amazing and sometimes almost unbelievable but true story of the challenging childhood of Jeannette Walls. I found her experience completely awe inspiring. She had to deal with many hardships that I could never imagine which could have easily been avoided if her parents had chosen a different path yet she holds no grudges or bitterness towards them for the poor decisions that they made. It is a true instance of a person choosing to make the best of a very difficult situation and overcoming many hardships with out blame or anger.
February 2010
The Ghostway by Tony Hillerman
(Reviewed by Jasmina)
F HIL (adult fiction)
The story starts with a shootout in a parking lot between Albert Gorman and an L.A. hit man. Gorman manages to escape, badly wounded. Navajo tribal detective Jim Chee finds himself on the case. His search for Gorman leads him to the residence of Hosteen Began, Gorman’s grandfather. Instead of finding answers, Chee finds Gorman dead and laid out in the proper ceremonial way. Hosteen Begay is nowhere to be found. Chee must use his knowledge of the Navajo way to solve the crime, even as it takes unexpected twists and turns. This book will keep the reader’s interests and has a satisfying end.
Come hear Anne Hillerman (Tony Hillerman’s daughter) discuss her new book Tony Hillerman’s Landscape: On the Road With Chee and Leaphorn. For more information click here.
Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean
(Reviewed by Heather)
F DEA (adult fiction)
Marina Buriakov, 82, is presently preparing for her granddaughter's wedding. She is also battling Alzheimer's. Marina is struggling to remember present day, but she does remember her youth as a docent for the Hermitage Museum as the siege of Leningrad began. The Hermitage's collection is packed away and sent to a safe hiding place. Meanwhile, museum staff and their families remain in the basement to avoid bombs and soldiers. Past and present are woven together. The reader gets a history lesson and can sympathize with Marina’s battle against Alzheimer’s.
Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs
(Reviewed by Heather)
F JAC (adult fiction)
In the first book of this series, you meet a cast of female characters who meet weekly at Manhattan yarn shop, Walker & Daughter. Georgia Walker, shop owner, is a single mom raising a 12-year-old daughter, Dakota. When Dakota's father reappears the drama begins. Knitting club members are there for support but have dramas of their own to deal with. If you enjoy this book, read Knit Two and Knit the Season.
The golden spruce : a true story of myth, madness, and greed by John Valliant
(Reviewed by Pam)
333 VAI (adult non-fiction)
An engrossing story of a spruce tree in the forest of British Columbia's Charlotte Islands. This tree is a puzzle to scientists and is sacred to the Haida, a seafaring tribe based there. Vaillant recounts the history of logging in the area and the mystery of a shocking act of protest and what it means to the people there. Includes several pages of photographs.
Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs
(Reviewed by Heather)
F JAC (adult fiction)
Forty-nine year old chef, Augusta Simpson, hosts her own TV show, Cooking with Gusto! Suddenly a co-host is forced upon her, YouTube star Carmen Vega. Carmen is young, hot and very tight with the boss. Things aren’t working out, so the two are packed off to a corporate team-building weekend, complete with a New Age guide. When the chef doesn’t show up, Augusta gets to show her stuff and attracts some male attention of her own. For fans of chick-lit: this is a light read.
January 2010
Baking cakes in Kigali : a novel by Gaile Parkin
(Reviewed by Linda)
F PARKIN (adult fiction)
In this engaging novel Angel Tungaraza bakes and sells cakes from her apartment in Rwanda. Through her story and those of her clients the reader gains insight into the struggles faced by this country. Readers who enjoy the Alexander McCall Smith "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series will appreciate Angel’s insights and advice to her family, friends and customers.
Last night in twisted river : a novel by John Irving
(Reviewed by Pam)
F IRVING (adult fiction)
In the logging camp of a northern New Hampshire settlement in 1954, a 12yr old boy mistakes the local constable's girlfriend for a bear. Both the boy and his father become fugitives and are forced to live on the run. Their only protector is a river driver logger who befriends them and remains a constant in their lives. The story runs until the present time, covering many of the changes and upheavals of the last 50 years in America. Many sub- plots that will hold your interest.
Into the porcupine cave and other odysseys : adventures of an occasional naturalist by William W. Warner
(Reviewed by Pam)
508 WAR (adult non-fiction)
A born naturalist, Warner's adventures have taken him from the southernmost point of South America to North America's permanent Inuit community. Starting with the porcupine adventure as a child, he relates stories from the Guatemalan rain forest, the Florida Keys, a Maine lighthouse, some islands in the Pacific, and more. They all include animals and the natural areas they inhabit, and as the book jacket says: "Warner doesn't look at things, he looks into them."
The Vagrants : a novel by Yiyun Li
(Reviewed by Brianna)
F Li (adult fiction)
Set in 1979 Communist China, The Vagrants centers on the execution of counterrevolutionary Gu Shan. Her actions as a Red Guard and the controversy surrounding her death affect nearly everyone in her hometown of Muddy River. Yiyun Li creates a beautifully written story that has the reader feeling loss, hope, happiness and despair alongside each of the characters.
The Husband Habit by Alisa Valdez-Rodriguez
(Reviewed by Heather)
F VAL (adult fiction)
Vanessa, a talented chef in Albuquerque, New Mexico has a habit of falling in love with married men- at least she doesn’t know that they are married. She promises her sister that she will quit dating for awhile to figure out why she attracts the wrong men. Then along comes Paul, an Iraq War veteran, living right next door to Vanessa’s mother’s home. Sparks fly and Vanessa must decide what kind of relationship she wants with Paul. This book is a fun, light read. However, it does bring up some difficult issues, such as fighting in a war you aren’t sure you believe in and alcoholic parents.
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