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2006 Staff Picks Book Reviews
A
Small Death in Lisbon, by Robert Wilson
(Reviewed by Teresa)
Fiction
F WIL
This 2000 award winning book (Library Journal Best Books, Gold Dagger
(Best Crime Novel of the Year), and New York Times Notable Books
(Mysteries)) did not disappoint. A murder is committed in present
day Lisbon, but solving the crime means jumping back to find out
what took place during World War II. Wilson keeps the double storyline
going smoothly and I began to find it difficult to put the book
down as I began recognizing characters in both time periods.
November 2006
Blue
fingers: a ninja's tale, by Cheryl Whitesel
(reviewed by Linda)
YA WHI
Koji runs away rather than facing his parent’s disappointment when
they learn of his failure as an apprentice to the master dye maker.
He soon finds himself alone in the woods at night, where his adventure
with the ninja begins. Koji embarks upon a journey of self discovery
as he learns the ways of the “people of the grass.” Descriptions
of ninja customs and training combine with an engaging story line
to make Blue Fingers a very absorbing tale.
Maisie
Dobbs,by Jacqueline Winspear
(reviewed by Yvonne)
F WIN
Her mother died when Maisie was 14. so she had to go to work as
a servant in a well-to-do home to help support herself and her father,
a green grocer in London in the early 1900’s. When her intellect
was noticed by the lady of the house, arrangements were made for
Maisie to attend Cambridge where she studied for one year before
jointing the ranks of nurses who went to serve in France during
World War I. In 1929, well after war’s end, Maisie, being a perceptive
observer of human nature, established a detective agency thus allowing
her to use her abilities to work with all classes of people and
weave together events from pre-war to wartime to post-war England.
A good read for adults as well as teens.
Letter
to a Christian Nation, by Sam Harris
(reviewed by Yvonne)
Non Fiction 277.3 HAR
Written as a response to those readers of his book The End of Faith
who questioned his reasoning, the author presents this slim volume
which challenges some of the deeply held superstitions and bigotry
of many Americans who profess Christianity. Harris points out the
good and the bad which have been spawned by religions while presenting
a good case for the morality of atheism. He speaks rational frankness
about what he perceives as a moral and intellectual emergency in
America, precipitated by religious fantasies.
October 2006
Hoot
by Carl Hiaasen (Reviewed by Heather)
Juvenile Fiction
JF HIA
This novel is Hiaasen’s first for a younger audience. It is a pro-ecology
story with a bit of mystery and a good dash of humor thrown in.
Although it is recommended for ages 9-15, adults will appreciate
the story of Roy Eberhardt, the new kid at school, in Coconut Grove,
Florida. He encounters a bully, and a strange but likeable friend
in tough-girl Beatrice. Along with Beatrice’s mysterious step-brother,
they discover endangered, burrowing owls living in a lot scheduled
for bulldozing to make room for a pancake house. Their fight to
save the owls will make you smile.
The
Schwa was Here by Neal Shusterman (Reviewed by Teresa)
Young Adult Fiction
YA SHU
Nobody noticed the Schwa who is “functionally invisible” or “observationally
challenged”, but when Anthony Bonano (Antsy) notices him they put
this talent to work for them. It’s like Woody Allen’s “Zelig” who
used his chameleon like ability to sit-in on famous occurrences,
except the Schwa is usually in more mundane places and not being
noticed. A great story about what it is like to be a boy in the
eighth grade and virtually invisible to everyone.
The
Whale Rider, by Witi Ihimaera (Reviewed by Yvonne)
Juvenile Fiction
JF IHI
This coming of age story differs in its adaptation from page to
film in that the book follows Kuha (who becomes the whale rider)
from birth to age ten, depicting a girl who knows she has the right
stuff even in this very male-dominated Maori culture. All the main
elements in book and film are the same: the baby girl dismissed
by her grandfather because she is not a boy; her training in Maori
culture and her ability to excel in areas not traditionally female;
her clear development into the new Maori Chief despite her chieftain
grandfather’s ‘blind’ eyes; the beaching of the whales and Kuha’s
subsequent whale ride to become Chief of the Maori. The story fuses
a kind of magical realism and very real descriptions of issues faced
by indigenous peoples around the world.
Montmorency:
Thief, Liar, Gentleman?
by Eleanor Updale (Reviewed by David)
Young Adult Fiction
YA UPD
Montmorency/Scarper is the double main character of this book, at
first convict and objectified medical marvel; then, after his release
from prison, master thief and impersonator. With his Scarper persona,
the master thief, he travels through the sewer system of London,
enabling him to make a quick get-away. He uses the wealth from his
loot to become a well respected gentleman – Montmorency, ironically
the kind of person from whom he’s accustomed to stealing. With historical
flavor and critical underpinnings, Montmorency is a quick and fun
read, a great book for the Young Adult audience.
Chasing
Vermeer by Blue Balliett (Reviewed by Heather)
Juvenile Fiction
JF BAL
When strange events start to happen in Chicago, 11-year-olds Petra
Andalee and Calder Pillay, classmates at the University school,
are brought together. When a precious Vermeer painting disappears,
they find themselves in the middle of an international art scandal.
This mystery story finds Petra and Calder following many clues,
including those from a mathematical tool consisting of 12 pieces
called pentominoes. This is a great read for those who love an exciting
and intricate mystery.
The
Wright 3 by Blue Balliett (Reviewed by Heather)
Juvenile Fiction
JF BAL
In Blue Balliett’s sequel to Chasing Vermeer, the reader is returned
to Chicago, where Calder and Petra, best friends, are in Ms. Hussey’s
6th grade class at the University school. Tommy, Calder’s ex-best
friend, has moved back to town and the three must come together
to save Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous Robie House, which is scheduled
to be demolished. This architectural mystery combines eerie happenings
that seem to come from the house itself, as well as seemingly unconnected
coincidences.
Listening
for Lions by Gloria Whelan (Reviewed by Heather)
Juvenile Fiction
JF WHE
This historical novel begins in British East Africa in 1918, where
thirteen-year-old Rachel is left an orphan after an influenza epidemic.
She is manipulated by neighbors to assume the identity of their
deceased daughter, Valerie. She is then sent to England to Grandfather
Pritchard’s estate to pave the way for their return. They wish to
inherit his estate. Even though Rachel’s only dream is to return
to Africa and rebuild her parents' mission hospital, she forms a
strong bond with Grandfather and enjoys his love of birds. Rachel
is a strong and determined girl trying to find her way in a world
that is not ready to accept women as equals to men.
Artemis
Fowl, By Eoin Colfer (Reviewed by Vannessa)
Young Adult Fiction
YA COL
Twelve year old millionaire genius Artemis Fowl II, along with his
faithful bodyguard Butler, discover a way of restoring the Fowl’s
family fortune, lost by Artemis’ father in a Russian exchange, by
decoding an ancient “Book” written by the Fairies. The Fairies hid
themselves in the Earth to escape the “mud-people” stealing their
fortune and wrote of their gold’s whereabouts in secret code in
a “Book”, which Artemis decodes and sets out to discover the gold
and claim it as his own. By stealing Captain Holly Short of the
LEPrecon and causing massive war with the fairies, trolls, sprites,
and dwarfs at the Fowl estate, Artemis battles to gain control of
the fortune and escape the war alive, or will he?
September 2006
(Review by David)
Several DVDs of Hayao
Miyazaki’s anime films have been recently added to
the library’s collection, Spirited
Away, Princess
Mononoke and Porco
Rosso among them. Miyazaki’s films are visually engaging
and highly imaginative, with fairy tale-type narratives sub-textually
commenting on social and cultural issues such as consumerism, the
environment and chauvinism. Good for the family and the serious
film viewer alike, Miyazaki’s films create a world of curiosity
and intrigue, wonderment and fun – an enjoyable viewing experience,
all around.
The
Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger (Reviewed by
Heather)
Fiction (chick-lit)
F WEI
This novel tells the story of Andrea Sachs, unfashionable recent
college graduate, in her first job in New York City. She's hired
as an assistant to the most revered-and hated-woman in fashion,
Runway editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly. Andrea knows as a new graduate
she will have to pay her dues, but she never expected to be running
to Starbucks for lattes and delivering dry cleaning. She is at Miranda’s
beck and call 24 hours a day. This novel gives an inside look at
the world of fashion and will keep you laughing.
August 2006
Bollywood
Confidential by Sonia Singh (Reviewed by Teresa)
Humorous Fiction
F SIN
Raveena’s acting career isn’t going
anywhere in Hollywood so she takes a lead acting job in a Bollywood
film in Bombay. The director is cheap and horrid while the lead
male actor is beautiful, but aloof. Throw in a case of dysentery
and you have the makings of a great summer read! The list of Singh’s
top ten Bollywood films at the end of the book was a great bonus
July 2006
The
Geographer’s Library by Jon Fasman (Reviewed by Dave)
Mystery Fiction
F Fas
In an idyllic New England town a reporter is assigned to write an
obituary for a reclusive professor, a simple task that turns into
an ambitious uncovering of a mystical conspiracy traversing the
globe and history, modern and ancient. The reporter exists in a
kind of limbo, an unusually young resident in a slow-paced town,
a loner graduate of a near-by university and not fully applying
himself, non-ambitious in a way that seems to protest his critical
father, for which his current investigation turns into a psychological
displacement, throughout finding father figures or confronting paternal
authority. The Geographer’s Library is a fun and informative fast-paced
read.
From
the Land of Green Ghosts: A Burmese Odyssey, By Pascal Khoo
Thwe (Reviewed by Yvonne)
Biography
B THW
A member of the tiny Kayan Padaung tribe in remote Eastern Burma,
the author attended Mandalay University where he was a student leader
and a member of Aung San Suu Kyi's pro-democracy movement in the
late 1980s. One night on government short wave radio he heard his
own name mentioned, labeling him a subversive troublemaker, so Pascal
and several others immediately fled Burma on a dangerous trek through
remote jungle to relative safety in Thailand. He persevered through
years of guerilla fighting, hard work, ill health, despair, and
eventual good fortune; he describes how he made his way to Cambridge
University, London, in this deeply moving, riveting, inspiring,
and heartbreaking tale.
June
2006
PATRON RECOMMENDATION by Colin Gilboy
If you liked the Hornblower by C. S. Forester and Patrick O’Brian’s
Aubrey/Maturin series, you will like the Richard Sharpe series by
Bernard Cornwell*. Set in the British Army in the same era (1800-1820),
the story follows Corporal Richard Sharpe as he saves the future
Duke of Wellington and is made an officer. The future story goes
through the Peninsular Wars in Spain and ends in Waterloo. Great
reading!
(*Note-Books written out of order.)
Richard
Sharpe Series
by Bernard Cornwell
1. Sharpe's tiger (1999) (v.1)
2. Sharpe's triumph (1999) (v.2)
3. Sharpe's fortress (2000) (v.3)
4. Sharpe's Trafalgar (2001) (v.4)
5. Sharpe's prey (2002) (v.5)
6. Sharpe's rifles (1988) (v.6)
7. Sharpe's havoc (2003) (v.7)
8. Sharpe's eagle (1981) (v.8)
9. Sharpe's gold (1982) (v.9)
10. Sharpe's escape (2004) (v.10)
11. Sharpe's battle (1995) (v.11)
12. Sharpe's company (1982) (v.12)
13. Sharpe's sword (1983) (v.13)
14. Sharpe's skirmish (2002) (v.14)
15. Sharpe's enemy (1984) (v.15)
16.Sharpe's honour (1985) (v.16)
17. Sharpe's regiment (1986) (v.17)
18. Sharpe's siege (1994) (v.18)
19. Sharpe's revenge (1989) (v.19)
20. Sharpe's Waterloo (1990) (v.20)
21. Sharpe's devil (1992) (v.21)
Jack
Aubrey and Stephen Maturin Series
by Patrick O’Brian
1. Master and commander (1990) (v.1)
2. Post captain (1972) (v.2)
3. H.M.S. Surprise (1991) (v.3)
4. Mauritius command, The (1978) (v.4)
5. Desolation island (1979) (v.5)
6. Fortune of war, The (1991) (v.6)
7. Surgeon's mate, The (1992) (v.7)
8. Ionian mission, The (1992) (v.8)
9. Treason's harbour (1992) (v.9)
10. Far side of the world, The (1992) (v.10)
11. Reverse of the medal, The (1992) (v.11)
12. Letter of Marque, The (1990) (v.12)
13. Thirteen-gun salute, The (1991) (v.13)
14. Nutmeg of Consolation, The (1991) (v.14)
15.Truelove, The (1992) (v.15)
16. Wine-dark sea, The (1993) (v.16)
17. Commodore, The (1995) (v.17)
18. Yellow admiral, The (1996) (v.18)
19. Hundred days, The (1998) (v.19)
20. Blue at the mizzen (1999) (v.20)
21. 21 (2004) (v.21)
Horatio
Hornblower Saga Series
by C. S. Forester
1. Mr. Midshipman Hornblower (1950) (v.1)
2. Lieutenant Hornblower (1952) (v.2)
3. Hornblower and the Hotspur (1962) (v.3)
4. Hornblower during the crisis (1967) (v.4)
5. Hornblower and the Atropos (1953) (v.5)
6. Beat to quarters (1966) (v.6)
7. Ship of the line (1939) (v.7)
8. Flying colours (1967) (v.8)
9. Commodore Hornblower (1945) (v.9)
10. Lord Hornblower (1946) (v.10)
11. Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies (1958) (v.11)
12. Indomitable Hornblower, The (1958) (v.12)
13. Captain Horatio Hornblower (1939) (v.13)
Got
the Look by James Grippando
(Reviewed by Linda)
Mystery/Thriller
F GRI
In James Grippando’s Got the Look, the wrong number kidnapper abducts
wives and asks the husband to “pay what she’s worth.” A judgment
is then made by the kidnapper, whether the ransom is sufficient,
resulting in either the return or the death of the victim. When
Mia becomes a victim of the wrong number kidnapper a secret past
comes to light, which must be unraveled by her lover and FBI agent,
Andie Henning, in time to save her. This thriller is fast paced
and full of twists unlikely to be anticipated by even veteran mystery
readers.
The
Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom, by Slavomir
Rawicz (Reviewed by Yvonne)
Non-Fiction
940.54 RAW
A Polish cavalry officer captured by the Russians in 1939, Rawicz
was sent to the Siberian Gulag with thousands of other captive Poles,
Finns, Ukranians, Czechs, Greeks, and a few French, English and
Americans. One year later he and six fellow prisoners escaped from
the labor camp near the Arctic Circle and in an epic trek, walked
4000 miles through Mongolia, the Gobi Desert, Tibet, and across
the Himalayas to India and freedom. Only four survived this year-long
arduous and horriffic journey, enduring unbelievable suffering and
despair; it is all described here, and keeps the reader spellbound.
Pike’s
Folly by Mike Heppner
(Reviewed by Dave)
Psychological Fiction
F Hep
Nathaniel Pike’s Independence Project – building a Kmart in the
middle of New England wilderness – is stripped of motive, much like
his assistant’s wife, Marlene, is stripped of clothing. Though there
is a difference, Nathaniel Pike feels no shame and Marlene feels
excessive shame. And Brian Wilson-obsessed Heath makes an independent
film of the whole thing. Then there’s Gregg Reese, Pike’s millionaire
buddy, who, in order to humanize and dissociate himself from his
financial legacy, hires a ghost writer to fabricate his horrific
family history. Could mean that America’s corporate agenda is currently
creating a historic context of excess and the economic foundation
for which is soaked in blood; or, as Pike would have it, it could
mean nothing at all.
May
2006
Daughter
of Heaven by Leslie Li
(reviewed by Kim)
Fiction
F LI
An earthy, tangible, beautifully written perspective regarding Chinese-American
culture circa 1950, and how the author’s life changed when her “Nai-nai”
–grandmother emigrated from mainland China to live with her family.
Two cultures are bridged through anecdote and food—Nai-nai’s authentic
and delicious recipes are included throughout the book. A thoroughly
satisfying read.
Blue
Shoes and Happiness: the new novel in the #1 Ladies’ Detective
Angency Series by Alexander McCall Smith
(Reviewed by Heather)
Fiction
F MCC
This book is the seventh in the series—The author presents Precious
Ramostwe, the “traditionally built,” private detective and her shoe
loving assistant, Grace Makutsi, with several mysteries, including
the search for the identity of a blackmailer and the source of malaise
at a nearby game reserve. Ramotswe's intuition and understanding
enable her to find the truth, while dispensing justice according
to her own personal dictates. Even newcomers will be charmed by
this wonderful novel, with its skillful blend of humor and pathos,
and will doubtless rush to catch up with the earlier books. (portions
taken from Publisher’s Weekly review).
The
City of Falling Angels by John Berendt
(Reviewed by Heather)
Non-fiction
945.31 BER
The author, Berendt moved to Venice in 1997, just three days after
the city's famed Fenice opera house burns down during a restoration.
Thus, begins the mystery at the center of this non-fiction book
that reads like fiction. Berendt spent much of his time in Venice
wandering through canals and palazzos, seeking to understand a place
that any native will tell you is easy to visit but hard to know.
Berendt uncovers a colorful history by speaking with some of Venice’s
most eccentric citizens.
April
2006
The
Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
(Reviewed by Maddy)
Fiction
F NIF
This is the classic “love is timeless” story with a twist—the protagonist
is a reluctant time traveler! The unusual habit of leaving one point
in time for another brings complications as well as unprecedented
intimacy between the two lovers. Imagine being practically raised
and educated by the man you are passionately in love with? Crazy!
Fantastically narrated by both leading characters, the story unfolds
in nonlinear, mysterious tidbits that keep you hooked until the
final surprise comes out of nowhere. All the seemingly disconnected
threads come together in a very satisfying, exclaim out-loud, “Ohhhh,
yeah…. Now I get it!” light-bulb moment. However, the real enjoyment
from this book comes when the pace slows and you get to experience
the simple pleasures of love without all the drama.
Saving
the World
by Julia Alvarez
(Reviewed by Teresa)
Fiction
F ALV
This is a great book that tells two parallel stories, one set in
present-day Vermont and one in the past. In Vermont Alma is trying
to write a novel, deal with ethical terrorists, a dying neighbor,
and her husband working in another country to improve the environment
and increase jobs. In the past, Isabel is helping transport a vaccine
for smallpox around the world through child carriers since there
was no refrigeration. No matter what year it is there are people
trying to save the world and deal with their own lives. I highly
enjoyed this book.
The
King's English: Adventures of an Independent Bookseller
by Betsy Burton
(Reviewed by Brian)
Nonfiction
381.45002 BUR
Only 25 miles from Park City, this bookstore survived the invasion
of dotcoms and big box competition, but how? The answer is full
of twists, turns and passions— author appearances exceeding expectations
or gone awry, Nobel prize winning poets and poetry fans flocking
to Salt Lake, and the bookstore's staunch resistance to censorship.
Independent and engaging, this book reads like fiction.
Tigerland
and Other Unintended Destinations by Eric Dinerstein
(Reviewed by Yvonne)
Non Fiction
590.92 DIN
A former Peace Corps Volunteer in Nepal and currently the Chief
Scientist and VP for Science at the World Wildlife Fund-US, the
adventures begin as the author must ride an elephant for 3 days
to reach his Peace Corps posting in Nepal in 1975 where his assignment
was “to count the tigers”. He subsequently earned a higher degree
in biology, and the projects in which he participated, described
with passion in this book, include: Costa Rica-bats; Nepal-snow
leopards; New Caledonia-tropical dry forest conservation; Venezuela-river
otters; Eastern Africa-black rhinos; Galápagos-nature conservation
planning; Great Plains, USA-its restoration/conservation; Nepal-tigers.
Exciting, adventurous, inspiring, and well-written, I could hardly
put it down.
March
2006
Between
Two Worlds Escape from the Tyranny: Growing Up in the Shadow of
Saddam By: Zainab Salbi (Reviewed by Leslie)
Biography
B SALBI
This book is a fascinating memoir of a woman from an affluent family
growing up in Iraq in the 70’s and 80’s. The author gives us a look
inside a country we often hear about but don’t really know. Her
father became Saddam’s personal pilot and her family was drawn into
his world, although they secretly despised him. Her family lived
in constant fear and denial under Saddam’s power. She tells about
her experiences and how she came to escape it all, and her struggle
to become a strong and successful woman. This book is well written,
emotional, and very hard to put down.
Long
Way Round
Starring: Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman
Directed by: David Alexanian and Russ Malkin
(Reviewed by Trish)
DVD
791.43
LON
Long Way Round is an incredible documentary film starring
Ewan McGregor, of Star Wars fame, and his best friend, actor Charley
Boorman, as they make a 20,000 mile, 120 day motorcycle trip around
the world. Their journey takes them from London to Europe and then
on to Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Siberia, Alaska, and Canada, ending
in New York. While the scenery is absolutely beautiful, it is also
difficult terrain for motorcycles, which tests the relationship
between the two friends. McGregor and Boorman are candid and engaging
as they voice their frustrations and their joys along the journey.
They entertain us with their humor and quick wit in unexpected situations.
We intended to watch one of the seven episodes each night, but ended
up watching five the first night because we couldn’t wait to see
what happened next! This is reality TV at its best, unscripted and
spontaneous!
February
2006
Balzac
and the Little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Sijie (Reviewed by
Yvonne)
Fiction
F DAI
Recently adapted to film, this is the story of two teenage city
boys sent to a remote part of China for “re-education” during Mao’s
Cultural Revolution. Their job for the foreseeable future is to
lug buckets of excrement up the mountainside, day in and day out,
and they weather years of banishment. Recognized by the village
headman for their abilities as story tellers, they are allowed to
go the ‘big town’ to see movies so they can tell the stories to
inhabitants of their remote village. There they meet another banished
youth from whom they acquire a suitcase full of banished books:
western novels translated into Chinese. They read some of the books
to a young seamstress whom they meet in the ‘big town’ and whom
one of the boys loves. The conclusion to this wonderfully human
tale is unexpected and poignant. A great read!
Friends,
Lovers, Chocolate by Alexander McCall Smith (Reviewed by Linda)
Fiction
F MCC
Alexander McCall Smith’s new character, Isabel Dalhousie, who debuted
in The Sunday Philosophy Club, returns in his latest title. Isabel
Dalhousie has Miss Marple-like curiosity paired with an intense
desire to do the right thing, which stems from her life’s work as
a philosopher. As one might imagine these two attributes land her
in some interesting predicaments. In Friends, Lovers, Chocolate
she becomes involved with a heart transplant patient, who enlists
her help in finding his donor’s family in an attempt to relieve
nightmares, which he believes are related the donor’s untimely death.
News
of a Kidnapping by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Reviewed by Yvonne)
Non Fiction
364.15 GAR
The Colombian Nobel laureate, noted for fiction, wrote his first
non-fiction book about kidnappings in his country. The Medellín
drug cartel, led by the infamous terrorist Pablo Éscobar,
kidnapped and held captive 10 noted Colombians in 1990, not for
ransom but for political reasons. The daily squalid conditions and
never-ending terror are detailed explicitly as victims endured many
months of capture. All but two came out alive in this chilling account
of clashes between politicians and narcotrafficers. A horrific and
true story.
January
2006
Beasts
of No Nation by Uzodinma Iweala (Reviewed by Yvonne)
Fiction
F IWE
An American of Nigerian descent, the author presents civil war from
a child soldier’s viewpoint – and what a view. Agu, the gentle pre-teen
son of remote villagers somewhere in West Africa, witnesses and
is traumatized by his father’s slaughter. Agu is discovered by the
guerilla fighters who force him to join them and become a soldier
in a civil war; he is molded into a fighting man by his demented
guerilla leader and becomes a brutal killer. Young and alone, he
is starved of food and affection. He is repeatedly sodomized by
the commandant who rewards him with extra scraps of food and a dry
place to sleep. Constantly trying to understand things that cannot
be understood, Agu dreams/thinks of his former village life, family,
and friends, but thinks he cannot ever go back after being a soldier.
After the war, this child tries to rediscover his humanity. This
is a horrifying story but an important one, as so many children
world-wide currently are soldiers.
One
Door Away from Heaven by Dean Koontz (Reviewed by Juli)
Audio Fiction
Audio F KOO
A friend told me to listen to this book. I argued that Dean Koontz
was too scary and would give me nightmares. She insisted, so I started
and then had a hard time getting out of the car until it was finished.
It was riveting and just scary enough. Now I’m listening to, The
Face, by the same author, but this time I also checked out the
book so I could get out of the car when I get home at night!
Tropic
of Cancer by Henry Miller (Reviewed by Dave)
Fiction
F MIL
Henry Miller’s infamous autobiographical novel begins with Miller,
the ex-patriot, telling us about his friend Boris, who is a self-proclaimed
weather profit. “The weather will continue bad,” he says, “more
calamities, more death, no sign of change anywhere.” (Miller 1)
His friend’s statement sets the mood for the rest of the book, which
is not as negative as it might seem. Instead of sidestepping the
dirt and disease and pain and depression, he celebrates them with
an obscene honesty that makes the negativity laughable.
Truth,
Torture, and the American Way: The History and Consequences of U.S.
Involvement in Torture by Jennifer K. Harbury (Reviewed by Yvonne)
Non Fiction
323 HAR
The litany or horrors presented here is chilling as one thinks of
the American involvement and complicity. Economic and military aid,
and military training from the U.S., including at the School of
the Americas in Georgia, are all a part of this sordid picture,
with effects felt in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua,
Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The CIA
has run secret prisons and torture operations in most of these countries,
often with a CIA agent present in the torture cell directing or
supervising the paid torturers. Actions in these countries have
been open and notorious; these are not mere accusations or suppositions,
as the book is heavily footnoted. What the CIA considered appropriate
investments for US tax dollars is horrifying, for these taxes paid
for routine torture and “disappearances” by government forces of
these other countries. The author was not surprised by Abu Ghraib.
2005 Staff Picks
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