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The Capitol
Book Newsletter
Thursday,
March 10, 2011
Mark Childress!
Please join us THIS SATURDAY, MARCH 12 FROM 4 – 6 PM
Mark will be signing copies of his critically acclaimed SEVENTH novel
Georgia Bottoms, in which…
Our heroine Georgia Bottoms, the beautiful, well-to-do devoutly Baptist
Southern Belle of Six Points, Alabama,
who turns out not to be so well-to-do after all
(the family fortune having long since disappeared),
turns to a new profession, which resembles a very old profession,
in that Georgia takes six well-heeled lovers
(six because she feels the need to have Mondays off),
one of whom is the preacher, who suddenly feels the need to confess the affair. Publicly. In church.
Here’s a little excerpt from the Publishers Weekly review:
Childress is sassy
magnolia lit's Truman Capote - sharply observant,
unrelentingly honest,
and downright
hilarious -and his Georgia peach is the freshest bad girl to rise from the
South since Scarlett O'Hara.
Can’t
come? Reserve your signed copies by clicking HERE.
The Capitol Book Newsletter
Today's Contents
1. Level of literary discourse rises
2. Blog
3. Two
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Exeunt
A few of you have asked, and the answer is yes, our newspaper column has been discontinued. We almost made 10 years, we published about 250 columns, and almost 175,000 words, and the newspaper folks thought that was about enough, or at least it was all they were going to pay for. We'll miss it, but it turns out that here in the 21st century there are other ways to reach folks, including.......
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Our blog
A blog is like this newsletter, except it does not arrive in your email inbox along with all the email you'd just as soon not get. You only get a blog if you subscribe to the blog, which if you can't figure out how to do it, ask a kid. Or do this: go to our blog (http://capitolbook.blogspot.com/), and once there you can click on the "Posts" button over there on the right where it says "Subscribe to Capitol Book's Blog." Then you'll get a few choices, then you'll probably get confused, then you should call a kid. But it's worth the trouble....you'll find all sorts of blogs on subjects that interest you, and you can subscribe to as many of them as you like, all free. Then every day you can check your blogs, knowing that everything you get is something you asked to get....NO SPAM. It's very cool.
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A couple of old favorites
Here are two books we always sell as many of as we can get, and now we've gotten a few more..........you can order directly from this email, or you can visit our Sale Books page (where there are lots more books to choose from), or you can just call us or email us if you want either of these.
Lost Worlds in
Ancient Life and Landscapes
by Jim Lacefield
and don’t expect any more until the new edition is published,
and author Jim Lacefield is not promising
that event any time soon. So get one now! Excellent for school science projects! $26.95 paperback, limited supply.
Frank Stitt's Southern Table: Recipes and Gracious Traditions
from Highlands Bar and Grill
By Frank Stitt
His Southern peers find the cooking of Frank Stitt--chef and owner of Highlands Bar & Grill and Chez
Fonfon--rustic and homey yet
sophisticated in method. Now,
long-awaited cookbook that features over 150 of his enticing, Provencal-influenced Southern recipes.
Was $40, now $19.95
The Capitol Book Newsletter
A whole
slew of
Better than candy or flowers for Valentine's Day!
Also a nice treat for your own self!
Here's what we got:
All Aunt Hagar's Children: Stories
By Edward P. Jones
In fourteen sweeping and sublime stories, five of which have been published in "The New Yorker," the bestselling and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Known World" shows that his grasp of the human condition is firmer than ever. Hardcover, was $25.95, now $8.99.
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
By Susannah Clarke
The entrancing international bestseller and TIME #1 Book of
the Year. Sophisticated, witty, and ingeniously convincing, Clarke's
magisterial novel--the story of the rise of two very different
magicians--weaves magic into a flawlessly detailed vision of 19th-century
Let Me Finish
By Roger Angell
Intimate, funny, and moving portraits form this book's centerpiece as Angell remembers his eccentric relatives, his childhood love of baseball in the time of Ruth and Gehrig and DiMaggio, and his vivid colleagues during his long career as a "New Yorker" writer and editor. Angell is one of those people who can write about all the rich, famous, important people he has known and still sound like a regular guy. Wonderful book. Hardcover, was $25, now $7.99.
La Belle Saison: Living Off
the Land in Rural
By Patricia Atkinson
You may not want to move to
The Spellman Files
By Lisa Lutz
Critics loved this one, first of a series. Meet Izzy Spellman, a 28-year-old private eye working for her family’s investigative business--a family that puts the fun in dysfunctional--in this irresistible, laugh-out-loud debut novel. Hardcover, was $25, now $7.99.
The Splendid Table
By Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Just when you thought you knew the best
The King of Lies
By John Hart
A literary thriller that is as suspenseful as it is
poignant, a riveting murder mystery layered beneath the southern drawl of a
humble
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
By C.S.Lewis
What begins as a simple game of hide-and-seek quickly turns
into the adventure of a lifetime when Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy walk
through the wardrobe and into the
Abundance, a Novel of Marie Antoinette
By Sena Jeter Naslund
Once again,
The Trojan War: A New History
By Barry Strauss
Based on the latest archeological research and written by a leading expert on ancient military history, the true story of the most famous battle in history is every bit as compelling as Homer's epic account, and confirms many of its details. Hardcover, was $26, now $7.99.
Have Mercy on Us All
By Fred Vargas
This was the first of the best selling French writer’s Chief Inspector Adamsberg Mysteries to be translated into English, and now we are hooked. More! More! Paper, was $14, now $6.99.
S'Mores: Gourmet Treats for Every Occasion
By Lisa Adams
Thinks there’s only one way to make the classic campfire treat? Wrong! How about with raspberries and figs? Why not substitute chocolate chip cookies for the graham cracker? Fruit for the chocolate? Pound cake? Croissants? All easy, yummy confections. Hardcover, was $16.95, now $7.99.
Great Books: My Adventures with Homer, Rousseau, Woolf, and Other Indestructible Writers of the Western World by David Denby
At the age of forty-eight, writer and film critic David Denby returned to
Still Life
By Louise Penny
Here’s what a few of her peers said about Louise Penny;’s first book:
"Louise Penny's "Still Life" is a gem of a
debut novel---clever, charming, with perceptively realized characters, a
setting to die for, and the enormously appealing Chief Inspector Armand Gamache. I can't wait for the next
installment."---Deborah Crombie,
"An excellent, subtle plot full of understanding of the deeper places in
human nature, and many wise observations that will enrich the reader long after
the pages are closed."---Anne Perry
"A cast of fascinating and beautifully sketched characters, deep insight
into human motives and relationships . . . Georges Simenon kept Maigret going for over a hundred books. It will be a
delight for all of us who love detective fiction if Louise Penny can stay
around long enough to do the same for Gamache."---Reginald
Hill
""Still Life" is a masterpiece of a traditional drawing room mystery.... Louise Penny is a storytelling artist." ---Julia Spencer-Fleming
"What a joy it is to discover a detective like Armand Gamache, strong, calm and charismatic and at work on a good mystery in a believable setting."---Peter Lovesey,
…Oh, and we thought it was great! Hardcover, was $22.95, now $7.99.
The City of Falling Angels
By John Berendt
Berendt captures
Creole Thrift: Premium Southern Living Without Spending a Mint
By Angele Parlange
Southern tradition blends with modern whimsy in this first
offering from famed
Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind
By Ann B. Ross
This was the very first book in the now long-running series of books about a woman whose life is abruptly turned upside down. Very Southern, very funny, very charming. Paper, was $13.95, now $6.99.
Death Comes for the Fat Man
By Reginald Hill
This is number 22 in the best mystery series ever written,
featuring his popular
Soup of the Day: 150 Sustaining Recipes for Soup and
Accompaniments to Make a Meal by Lydie
Who doesn't love a fragrant, steaming bowl of soup when cold winds howl outside?
Now the beloved cooking teacher in
The Grave Tattoo
By Val McDermid
Suspense master McDermid spins a
psychological thriller in which a present-day murder has its roots in the
eighteenth century and the mutiny on the "H.M.S. Bounty". After
torrential summer rains uncover a bizarrely tattooed body on a
Golden Treasures of
By Herve Duchene
A German businessman-turned-archaeologist, Heinrich
Schliemann (1822-1890) had a lifelong dream: to find the world of Homer--the
mythical cities of
The Modern Townhouse: The Latest in Urban and Suburban Designs
By James Grayson Trulove
A townhouse is a residence that many find combines the best amenities of a single-family home and a condominium. By definition, a townhouse is a home that is attached to adjacent houses, which sits upon land that you own. THE MODERN TOWNHOUSE will look at three types of town house projects that are increasingly popular in urban areas and close-in suburbia: 1) Renovation of existing town houses. 2) Vacant lots, primarily in the inner cities, but also in close-in suburban neighborhoods. This activity is in response to the increasing demand for urban housing where high land prices mandate multifamily housing solutions. 3) New, one-off townhouses that are found primarily in wealthier neighborhoods where the high land cost can be recovered with a single, luxury town home. Includes floor plans, exteriors and interiors. Hardcover, was $35, now $11.99.
Fossils: Evidence of vanished Worlds
By Yvette Gayrard-Valy
A historical look at how the discoveries of fossils throughout time have impacted the world. Complete with color photos and interesting details of various discoveries, fossils, and extinct species with original historical documents. Paper, was $12.95, now $5.99.
A Fountain Filled With Blood
To Darkness and to Death
Out of the Deep I Cry
All Mortal Flesh
All four by Julia Spencer-Fleming
You could say that Julia Spencer Fleming is one of out favorite writers; you could say that she is one of our best-selling writers, you could say we can’t recommend her highly enough, and you could say we can’t wait until the next one comes out in June. You would be correct in every case. All in hardcover, were $23.95, $22.95, now $7.99.
The Tenderness of Wolves
By Stef Penney
The year is 1867. Winter has just tightened its grip on
Four Seasons in
By Anthiny Doerr
Anthony Doerr won the Rome Prize, a prestigious awards from the
Words in a French Life: Lessons in Love and Language
from the South of
By Kristin Espinasse
This one is based on the popular blog
(french-word-a-day.com) and newsletter with thousands of subscribers -- a
heart-winning collection from an American woman raising two very French
children with her French husband in
The Rainaldi Quartet
By Paul Adam
"From the first stirring theme to the last fading chord, mystery fans and music lovers alike will be captivated by British author Adam' s excellent contemporary thriller. ... Adam has constructed this tale with all the care and craftsmanship that Stradivari put into his instruments, filling it to the brim with deliciously caustic commentary on Italian city life and fascinating historical detail." - Publishers Weekly (starred review) Hardcover, was $23.95, now $7.99.
Southern Crossword
Complied by Al Dixon
52b challenging crossword puzzles, 1500 clues and answers. “The North isn’t a place, it’s just a direction out of the South.”—Roy Blount, Jr. Paper, was $12, now $4.99.
How Did I Get to Be 40 & Other Atrocities
Forever Fifty and Other Negotiations
I'm Too Young to Be Seventy and Other Delusions
All three by Judith Viorst
The beloved bestselling author has tackled the ins and outs of each decade of a woman’s life with her usual wry good humor. Though Viorst acknowledges she is definitely not a good sport about the fact that she is mortal, her poems are full of the pleasures of life right now, helping us come to terms with the passage of time, encouraging us to keep trying to fix the world, and inviting us to consider "drinking wine, making love, laughing hard, caring hard, and learning a new trick or two as part of our job description." Hardcover, were $16 and $17, now $4.99.
The Book of Air and Shadows
By Michael Gruber
“In this ingenious literary thriller ,
the lives of two men are changed forever by William Shakespeare and the letters
of Richard Bracegirdle, a 16th-century English spy and soldier. Jake Mishkin, a
By Jennifer Haigh
First Drop
By Zoe Sharp
Dubbed today’s best action heroine by Lee Child, British Army veteran Charlie Fox, now a bodyguard-for-hire, only has to baby-sit the gawky 15-year-old son of a rich computer programmer. The last thing she or anyone expects is that the kid’s father and entourage will disappear. We took Lee Child’s advice, read it, and now we recommend you do the same. Hardcover, was $23.95, now $6.99.
The Sins of the Brother
By Mike Stewart
It's been six months since Tom McInnes
opted out of the billable-hours marathon at a tony
Art: A New History
By Paul Johnson
The suthor turns his great gifts
as a world historian to a subject that has enthralled him all his life: the
history of art. This narrative account, from the earliest cave paintings up to
the present day, has new things to say about almost every period of art. He is
a passionate lover of beauty who finds creativity in many places. With 300 colour illustrations, this book is vivid, evocative and
immensely readable. Hardcover, was $39.95, now
$14.99.
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The Capitol Book Newsletter
Your Favorite Reads!
First of all - yes, a few of you received this huge report, or at least a link to it, in your inbox yesterday. That's because you have asked to receive an email copy of our bi-weekly newspaper column in addition to this regular newsletter. Sorry for the duplication. On the other hand, if you had no idea you could get the newspaper column by email, and wish to, now you know, and all you need do to subscribe to the newspaper column is CLICK HERE, and let us know.
And second of all, this is a huge report. If you print it out, it'll take about 30 pages. If you want to refer to it in the future, it will be on our website. Just CLICK HERE to find it.
And third of all, THANK YOU to everybody who took the time, and spent the effort, to report. This whole thing started out back in 2000 as a way for us to get out of writing one newspaper column a year. This year, for the first time, we received enough reports to fill every one of our 2008 columns! Amazing.
So, here it is...........
Do they have to
be from this year? If not, here goes:
I read McCarthy’s “The Road” and enjoyed its nihilistic sparseness. Still, I
believe “All the Pretty Horses” and “Blood Meridian” are both better.
David Mitchell’s “Cloud Atlas” has been out for a few years, but I finally got
around to reading it. It is like nothing I’ve ever read, and though loose ends
might not be tied up at the end, it’s an enthralling read, part sci-fi, part
thriller, all weird in a good way.
I also enjoyed Logan Ward’s “See You in a Hundred Years.” Nice little tale
about how living the simple life ain’t that simple.
-Monte Burke
How
entertaining could it be to read about someone's angst-ridden divorce? That's
what I thought "Eat, Pray, Love" was going to be about, and I didn't
believe my friend Melissa when she said she couldn't wait for every hour of
sit-down with this book.
Melissa
was right, though. "Eat, Pray, Love" is so much more than a
chronicle of author Liz Gilbert's relationship woes. It's a rare glimpse into
the emotional and spiritual growth of a brilliant, quirky, funny 30-something
women. Following her messy divorce, Liz blocks out a year to learn how to really eat,
pray and love. She eats her way through Italy, prays and meditates endlessly in
an Indian ashram, and falls in love with the most unexpected of men in the most
unexpected of places. Through it all, she ruminates on the history and culture
of her surroundings, as well as the strange and wonderful people she meets. Her
writing is deceptively easy to read, considering the breadth of information and
wisdom it conveys.
P.S.
For those of us who love to write, Gilbert's website includes some interesting
thoughts on writing. You can read these, and more about "Eat, Pray,
Love" at
http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/writing.htm.
- Melanie LeMay
I am
particularly interested in historical literature or novels whose settings
incorporate exotic cultures. For this reason my favorite reads of 2007
are The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai, A
Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseni, The
Blood of Flowers by Anita Amirezvani, Mozart’s
Sister by Rita Charbonnier, The Other Boleyn
Girl by Phillipa Gregory, and The Book Thief
by Markus Zusak. Other favorites of this year
include Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Hard Boiled Wonderland and
the End of the World by Haruki Murakami, Water
for Elephants by Sara Gruen, Dreaming Water
by Gail Tsukiyama, The Ha-Ha by Dave King, The
Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff, Sister Mine by Tawni O’Dell, A Garden of Earthly Delights by Joyce
Carol Oates, The End of the Alphabet by C. S. Richardson, and Bridge
of Sighs by Richard Russo.
The
Inheritance of Loss
describes a life away from modernity. An orphaned girl lives with her
retired grandfather and his cook in the Himalayas, and they experience conflict
with the insurgents. I like how instead of perceiving political upheavals
only through viewing the news, readers get a first hand view of how an average
person’s every day life is affected. Another
good book juxtaposing undeveloped areas with our technological society and
revolutionaries with the uninvolved is Saving Fish from Drowning by Amy
Tan. The kidnapping of a tour group in Myanmar is narrated by the tour
guide who, strangely enough, died before the tour even began. I read this
in December of last year, or I would have included it in my list.
A Thousand
Splendid Suns gives
readers a glimpse of two women’s lives, married to the same abusive man, in
Afghanistan. Again, the struggles take on a more personal meaning when
perceived from an individual’s point of view instead of hearing about it
through documentaries.
In The Blood
of Flowers, we get a beautiful portrait of the daily life of Ancient
Persia. A strong female narrator, although she remains nameless,
personifies the unjust treatment of women in this time and place, and gives us
background information on the making of Persian rugs.
Mozart’s
Sister tells the story
of Nan, the equally talented sister of Mozart whose skill was used by her
father to fund Mozart’s music tours. Instead of being allowed to tour
alongside Mozart, she was forbidden by her father to compose or play any
instrument except the piano, and that only for teaching, which brought in the
necessary funds for Mozart’s travel. The Other Boleyn Girl brings
us the point of view of Anne Boleyn’s sister, who was ordered by her family to
seduce the king and who even bore the king children, until her sister Anne took
over to persuade the king to marry her in order to further their family’s
status. It is so interesting to read about these remote time periods and
historical characters.
The Book
Thief is about a girl
who finds a way to bring books to her family and neighbors and manages to
distract them by reading to them while they often gathered in basements during
bomb raids during World War II. The girl and her adopted parents
illustrate their humanity when they attempt to hide a Jewish man to save him
from the Nazis. The point of view of poorer Germans during the Holocaust
is unique because during this time of war they were victims, too, but that is
rarely considered. Another unique element is that the narrator is
Death. A strange concept, but very well done.
I just realized
that all the favorites I portrayed here have females as main characters who
were persecuted in some way. I guess that is because I am inspired by
reading about the strength and goodness of women who are capable of overcoming
any adversity.
Thank you for
giving me an opportunity to write about some of my favorite books. When I
read this report last year, I started a list of every book I’ve read this
year. It has been very helpful. I’ve read 55 books so far this
year! If this is published and someone who knows me is reading this and
wondering what to get me for Christmas, you can’t go wrong with a gift
certificate to Capitol Book!
-Stephanie
Chance
The Book
Thief by Markus Zusak: Such marvelous
writing and different way of telling a sad, yet wondrous, tale.
Water for
Elephants by Sara Gruen: It has depth and substance and is informative and
entertaining.
Without Fail by Lee Child: My favorite suspense author. So far, in my
opinion, Lee Child has yet to deliver anything less than a riveting book.
War By Other Means
by David Crouse: I picked this book
because the author is from Auburn and I could hardly put it down. Fast-paced thriller.
My Cat Spit
McGee by Willie Morris:
Just a fast, enjoyable read for anyone who has known and loved a cat (and maybe
even for those that haven’t).
Moloka'i by Alan Brennert: A smooth story
about the early 1900’s in
The Falls by Joyce Carol Oates: This book has a
magnetic effect from page one.
Saints at
the River by Ron Rash: Environment vs. emotion and, for me, as I
read this story I kept asking myself whose side I would be on, and just when I
thought my mind was made up, the other side made a very good point.
-Joyce Franz
I should have taken your warning to heart. You know,
the one about never reading a book with the picture of a dog on its
cover. Well, the photo of the golden retriever on the cover of the book
was so appealing that I read Merle's Door by Ted Kerasote,
anyway. Of course, it does have a sad ending, but the journey there is
joyous most of the way. It's a lovely book. To offset the sadness,
I read Sonny Brewer's Cormac: The Tale of a Dog Gone Missing. I heartily
recommend both.
-June Zimmerman
Hi, Cheryl,
Thomas or Eleanor....don’t know who does this
The hard part
is always remembering what I read.
Clearly, the best read of the year for me for A Thousand
Splendid Suns. I really enjoyed The Tipping Point. I’m glad
I read American Prometheus and Animals in Translation.
-Phyllis
Kennedy
My favorite
read n 2007 was Eat, Pray, Love.
You don’t have
to have your life completely fall apart like the authors did to appreciate and
greatly benefit from this book. There are so many wise, sage and
helpful nuggets in it which stick with the reader long after they’ve finished
it. The world we live in today is difficult and chaotic in certain ways, and
her wisdom cuts right through a lot of it and can truly be
beneficial to all who read it. Plus it’s highly entertaining and humorous at
the same time.
And it is NOT a
self-help book which I run from.
-Amy Nachman
Fiction-- The Cunning Man, by Robertson Davies; Magic Time,
by Doug Marlette,
Non-fiction -- The King's English: Adventures of an
Independent Bookseller, by Betsy Burton
-
The yearly challenge
is to narrow down to my favorite book in the past
twelve months. There were so many good reads this year that it was hard to
choose, but I would have to say that the book with the most lasting impact
was The Yiddish Policemen’s
social commentary, and love story in one thought-provoking package. A
classic "what if" tale that turns history on its head, it
nevertheless is
rooted in current political realities and is a damning look at all
religious fundamentalism. I can't stop thinking about it! Other favorites
this year include Eat, Pray, Love; Run by Ann Patchett;
Bridge of Sighs by
Richard Russo; Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver; Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows; Ines of My Soul by Isabelle Allende
(wonderful); and The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
-Alice Hart Wertheim
Whoops, I
almost forgot ...
Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician by
Daniel Wallace. Is the magic real or not? You'll never know until the
breathtaking final page. Henry's giddy journey through a life lived on the
confusing border of what is either delusion or illusion reads like a cross
between James Thurber and Ray Bradbury--wicked fun.
The Night Country by
Stewart O'Nan. The ghosts of three
teenagers killed in a car wreck haunt their survivors on the one-year
anniversary of their deaths (Halloween, naturally). O'Nan
reveals the truth behind the accident with painstaking perfection; the final
moments are stunning--one of the best endings I've read in years.
Happy holidays, guys!
-Jim Gilbert
Thanks for
asking about my favorite (and least favorite) books this year. Since
mid-May I've read 61 books I've read and listened to 19 audiobooks.
Of those 80, here's my response:
Favorite books
of 2007 (in no particular order):
Speak (Laurie Halse
Anderson) - young adult
Talk Talk
(T.C. Boyle) - fiction
Everyman (Philip Roth) - fiction
Then We Came
to the End (Joshua
Ferris) - fiction
Five
Roundabouts to Heaven (John
Bingham) - fiction
Imperial
Life in the
The Worst
Hard Time (Timothy
Egan) - non-fiction
Favorite audiobooks of 2007:
Beowulf (Seamus Heaney) - he read his
translation magnificently
Restless (William
Boyd) - interesting story, well read
His Dark
Materials: The Golden Compass
(Philip Pullman) - he was exactly the right reader for his work
Least Favorite
(I didn't even finish them):
The Piano Turner (Daniel
Mason)
The Sunday
Philosophy Club (Alexander
McCall Smith)
An Innocent
Man (John Grisham)
The Testament
(John Grisham)(audio book)
-Jean Tucker
My favorite
book of '07 was Wrapped in Rain. Everyone I
recommended it to loved it!!! -Julie Shashy
I sent you about a billion for last year’s book roundup and certainly
read some good books in 2007. I read A Thousand Splendid Suns last
week- good, but not the surprise that The Kite Runner was.
However, the one I
BTW – the Beatles book I bought from you for my daughter was a huge
hit! Apparently she’d been wanting that exact
book (I had no idea) and this particular one had Ringo
(her favorite) on the cover. Thanks for helping me (unwittingly) give a
nearly perfect gift.
-Diane L. Christy
Dear Tom,
Cheryl and Eleanor,
My favorite read in 2007 was The Poet of Tolstoy Park by Sonny
Brewer. This novel is based on the life of Henry Stuart, a retired,
rather eccentric professor, who in the 1920s was diagnosed with
tuberculosis. He was told by his doctor that his condition was
terminal, but that his quality of life during what remained of his
life would be enhanced if he moved to warmer climates.
As a result, Stuart decided -- sight unseen -- to move to Fairhope.
Through the mail, he contracted with a business agent in Fairhope to
purchase 10-acres of land in Montrose. And, then, he begins his journey.
I hate to reveal much more than this because the book is so rich and
full of surprises. It is a beautifully written account about a man's
journey, his philosophy of death, his love of literature --
especially anything written by Tolstoy -- and what he thinks will
become his final project before he dies.
This book is well worth the read, and if will most likely inspire
readers to dust off one of their old Tolstoy novels, or -- better yet
-- purchase the new translation of War and Peace.
-Cathy Gassenheimer
My favorite was
ATONEMENT by Ian McEwan. I've also read
SATURDAY and ON CHESIL BEACH by McEwan and enjoyed
both of them, but ATONEMENT, in my opinion, is really
a masterpiece--gorgeous writing, captivating characters, and an intriguing
plot.
-Betty Burgess
My favorite
book was WOLF OF THE DEEP by Stephen Fox. The personal story of Raphael
Semmes, a transplanted
It was a
stay-awake all night book!
-Dot
These were my
favorite reads for 2007:
Illuminated by Matt Bronleewe. This book
is a cross between "The DaVinci Code" and
"National Treasure." In it, the hero is an archeobibliologist
who is forced to help a criminal discover clues to an ancient secret hidden in
illuminations in the Gutenberg bible (hence the name). The secret the
hero of the story finds threatens the very foundation of Christianity.
This book is both thrilling (I couldn't put it down!) and interesting.
The secret societies and other historical events in the book actually
happened. This book was published by Nelson and is Christian fiction but
I do warn that it is a thriller and not for the timid.
The Oath by Frank Peretti.
I had been intending to read this book for a long time and just recently got
around to it during the Christmas holidays. This story is another
Christian thriller like Illuminated. However, unlike Illuminated,
Peretti's experience as a story-teller shines
through. I felt Peretti did a better job of
character development than Bronleewe. As the
story developed, I felt like I knew the characters and I was anxious to see how
they faired. In The Oath, a town is
ruled with an iron fist by the descendant of one of its founding fathers.
Anyone who crosses him or breaks "the oath" mysteriously
disappears. The title refers to an oath taken by the founding fathers not
to reveal a shocking secret having to do with the founding of the
town. It also refers to an oath not to reveal the reason by the
mysterious disappearances. This was another book I couldn't put
down. In my opinion, Peretti is just as good a
storyteller as Stephen King.
I read another novel by Peretti in 2007, Monster.
Peretti's novels typically deal with good vs. evil in
more of a spiritual sense. Monster was more of a cross between
"King Kong" and "Frankenstein" in the sense that the
monster was a result of man's tinkering around where he shouldn't be.
Another book that was hard to put down and, like the other two, I highly
recommend it.
-Susan Tudor
Montgomery, AL
Cheryl and
Thomas -
Here is my list:
The Places in Between by Rory Stewart - Just a
tremendous book, combining travel, adventure, and
sociology. Very informative. I have given
copies to
all my friends who are deploying to Afghanistan.
Fiasco: The American Military Adventure in Iraq by
Thomas Ricks - Good book that captured the initial
stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom, both the
failures (not enough ground forces) and the great
heroism of our soldiers. I went back and read it
again this year after the surge and it was interesting
to compare Iraq in 2003-2004 to now.
The Foreigner's Gift: The Americans, the Arabs, and
the Iraqis in Iraq by Fouad Ajami
- Best book I read
all year! Great story and insight from a leading Arab
scholar. For anyone who wants to understand the
religious (and therefore political) landscape in Iraq,
this is an absolute must.
The Creek War of 1813 and 1814 by H. S. Halbert, T.
H.
Ball, and Frank L. Owsley - I actually took this book
on our trip to Mexico intending to browse it, but
ended up reading it completely. Halbert and
Ball
actually wrote this book in 1895, but Owsley has done
a tremendous job in adding later notes. I was
astounded by Halbert and Ball's insight into the
origins of this war, especially considering it was
written in 1895.
Pickett's History of Alabama: And Incidentally of
Georgia and Mississippi from the Earliest Period by
Albert J. Pickett - I have read this book once a year
since college graduation in 1991. Written in 1852, it
is a great companion book to Alabama: The History of a
Deep South State by William Warren Rogers. Together,
they are an informative and entertaining compendium of
Alabama history.
Manhunt: The 12 Day Search for Lincoln's Killer by
James L. Swanson - For those who are interested in
history, conspiracies, or just want to get an idea
what our country was like in the immediate post-mortem
period of the Confederacy. Also, if you're familiar
with Washington, DC, it will give you some perspective
on how much the Capitol Region has changed in the 143
years since the assassination.
America Alone by Mark Steyn - Steyn
writes about how
population and immigration patterns in the Third World
will change Europe and America into the next century.
Hope this helps. I tried to keep it a 'best' list.
-David
Dear Tom and
Cheryl,
This is such a
great thing that you do. I only wish there was the time to read all of the
books that are on the list you put together.
Some of these
are first reads and some are re-visits during 2007:
GILEAD
by Marilynne Robinson. This amazing meditation stopped me
in my tracks. It will be re-read many times.
DISGRACE by J.M
Coetzee. A disturbing book in the best sense. Stark and lyrical at the same time.
ON
BEAUTY by Zadie Smith. Terrific and smart.
She writes of a literate and honest family.
DISTRICT
AND CIRLCE by Seamus Heaney. The
great Irish poet continues to startle and enhance my life.
INTO
THE WILD by Jonathan Krakauer. A re-visit of a
harrowingly true story.
MOY SAND AND
GRAVEL by another great poet, Paul Muldoon.
THE
DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY by Jean-Dominique Bauby. A memoir by the
editor of Elle who had a massive stroke and suffered a "locked-in
syndrome." The fight to keep communicating.
THE
PROFESSOR AND THE MADMAN by Simon Winchester. How the OED came to be. A great read.
SHAKESPEARE'S
ENGLISH KINGS by Peter Saccio. I have read this a few
times but was pleased to re-visit it while we did THE WARS OF THE ROSES at ASF this past
season.
Thanks and my
very best to you in this New Year.
-Greg Thornton
Cheryl, Tom, a
short list of a few of my favorites for '07:
Masters of the
Air by Donald Miller - A superb WWII account of Eighth Air Force
.... extremely well written and researched ...
a real page turner.
Soldier's Heart
by Elizabeth Samet - Very interesting view of
teaching literature at West Point and the relationship to war and other
military issues.
SOG by John
Plaster - Excellent book that details special operations in Vietnam
Einstein
by Walter Issacson - Terrific bio. Interesting life! Tough
to get the mind around some of the physics but fun trying.
Lone Survivor by
Marcus Lattrell - Great read about a true American
Hero!
The Doolittle
Raid by Carroll Glines - Very enlightening account of
the infamous raid on Tokyo.
The Rescue of
BAT 21 by Darrel Whitcomb - First class account of one of the more heroic
search and rescue efforts in Vietnam.
The Rescue of
Streetcar 304 by Kenny Fields - Very well told story of the shootdown,
escape and evasion, and rescue of a Navy Fighter Pilot.
Happy New Year
- Keep smiling.
-Joe Panza
I recently picked up a couple of copies of “Things I Want My Daughters
to Know: A Small Book About the Big Issues in
Life” by Alexandra Stoddard for Christmas gifts for my girls. It’s a very
good read that really makes you stop and think about what’s really important.
I also re-read “The Book of Virtues: A Treasury of Great Moral Stories”
by William Bennett. As the grandmother of 10, I need all the examples and
help I can get in working with them.
“Manhunt: The 12-day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer” by James Swanson was
interesting and reminded me of facts long forgotten in the hunt for John Wilkes
Booth.
“Playing for Pizza” by John Grisham started off a little slow but by the
time it was over, I was involved with the players and cheering for them to win.
-Sandra Porter
Children (including
those of the 60s) have a real treat in Puff
the Magic Dragon, which includes a terrific CD with a beautifully
illustrated book. My 4 yr. old granddaughter was transfixed by the book &
the CD, & older members of the family joined her in singing along but also
talking above her enthusiasm about the songs, the 60s, & the “settings” for
many Peter, Paul & Mary creations that characterized our generation and
entrance us still.
-Mary Morgan
I spent an
afternoon visiting with old friends of Capitol Book and News in August.
We were all celebrating George Browning’s
birthday. George has lived a very interesting life and it is one of his
contemporaries that introduce to you here. Patrick Leigh Fermor is a little older than George and like George he is still
around to grace us with wonderful stories. Fermor
was knighted by the Queen a couple of years ago at the age of 92. At the age of
18 in 1933 Fermor began a hike across Europe.
Expelled from school and not finding his dream as a writer as easy to come by
in London he struck out. Catching a steamer from London to Rotterdam he
sets off down the Rhine, through Germany to the Danube and own to
Constantinople. He is on the journey of a lifetime and the reader is
privileged to share this adventure shortly before the world he writes about
comes crumbling down. Hamburg, Munich, Vienna and Prague are as vivid, and real
to your senses as they were to Fermor. If I had
a life to live over, I would want to live his life and so would you. His
story is A Time for Gifts. This
book is best read on a boat lost on the Danube. Part
history, part travel memoir and all an absolute thrill. I followed
A Time of Gifts with its sequel,
Between the Woods and the Water, both books should be read with a map of Europe
at your side. Oh, and dust off your passport.
The Everyman’s
Library edition of History of My Life
by Giacomo Casanova was exceptional. The eleven
volumes have been abridged and serve the modern reader well. What you may
think of Casanova should be placed in a brown bag and put out on the edge of
the street with the trash. Here is a sensational history of the workings
of European society. Casanova was indeed a lover but he was also much
more. Diplomat, priest, flim flam man,
politician, gambler, investor, prisoner, escape artist, tutor, father, and
lover, Giacomo was not more scandalous than most
young and talented men in Italy. The difference is he dared to write
about his loves. That was the scandal and fame came in the form of the
most miraculous escape from the Leads next to the Doge’s Palace in
Venice. Do yourself a favor and read this memoir. It’s no more
scandalous than any Republican or Democrat’s behavior in Washington these days
and the politics are just as exciting in 18th century Europe if not
more. And remember, Giacomo was a contemporary of Ben
Franklin’s. Best read on Eurostar Italia train #9490
between Venice and Milan.
Lieut. Henry Timberlake’s Memoirs 1756-1765 by Henry Timberlake is a detailed
account of one American-British officer’s time spent among the Cherokee Indians
in North Carolina and Tennessee. Timberlake’s account of offering himself
up as a hostage/diplomat and inspector of the Over the Hill Cherokee tribes v
during a time when the tribes were suing for peace with the British colonials
during the French and Indian War. Much better reading than the UN
inspectors accounts of Iraq and their search for Weapons of Mass
Destruction. This book is out of print so Capitol Book want have it on
their shelves.
Lost Son by M. Allen
Cunningham is this novelist second book and one of my favorite novels for
2007. A fictional memoir of Rainer Maria Rilke, this novel could
certainly pass as a memoir save for the first person narrative. The conversations between Cunningham’s Rilke and Auguste
Rodin is worth the price of this one, but please don’t try to read this
on the Delta flight 58 from Seattle to Atlanta. There is not enough room
to get comfortable in coach.
Boone A Biography by Robert Morgan breathes new life into the dusty relic
of myth we call Daniel Boone. Here is a satisfying biography that gives
us the real man. Boone preferred words to bullets and his gift for gab
saves his and many others scalps. Morgan’s bio is just the perfect follow
up to Richard Rhodes biography of John James Audubon, John James Audubon The Making of an
American. Two great adventures in a wilderness lost to us.
Read Boone with a Fess Parker Pinot Noir and forget the coon skinned cap, Boone
never wore one.
And the best
novel I have read in years, Any Human
Heart by William Boyd is lush and timeless this novel smacks of a young
Somerset Maugham. You can drink this one now or let it age and it will
still be full bodied. This is the story of Logan Mountstuart
beginning in Montevideo, Uruguay, then to Oxford in the 1920’s and on into the
world. Mountstuart is everywhere you would want
to be with the charm and accent every woman would want in a man, but not
everyone becomes wise and reserved in their later years. This novel is as
good as Of Human Bondage and
will leave you wanting more. The first 5 chapters will read well with a
Guinness while the rest of book is best capped off with scotch. Here’s to 2008.
-Steven Wallace
Lawrenceville, GA
Here are a few from my list in
no particular order.
Sufficient Grace by Darnell Arnoult--A
good Southern story of the lives of two families and the effect Gracie's
illness has on their lives.
Balzac and the Little
Chinese Seamstress by
Dai Sijie
On Agate Hill by Lee Smith--Lee Smith is at her best
when she uses the diary of her main character to reveal herself.
The Innocent Man by John Grisham--Shocking
nonfiction--reminded me of In Cold Blood
Mockingbird: A Portrait of
Harper Lee --I have
loved any tidbit of information about Miss Lee for about 40 years since I read
To Kill a Mockingbird.
Home to Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani--Enjoyed
the series and catching up with Ave Maria.
The Memory Keeper's
Daughter--Heartbreaking
about the choices we make and their consequences. My daughter recommended
this after her book club read it.
Alabama Moon by Watt Key--Loved this little book and
Moon Blake. What a character he is.
The Bean Trees and Prodigal
Summer by Barbara
Kingsolver--Good books and I learned a lot about nature. Interesting connections between the characters and their particular
love of nature.
Death in Equality by Lucinda Ebersole
Letter from Point Clear by Dennis McFarland
Since I have my first
grandchild, Stella and I have also enjoyed selections from
Read to Me Grandma
Collected Nursery Rhymes
So Big
Merry Christmas, Mouse
Stella and I have found many
seasonal books to enjoy except for Thanksgiving. Someone needs to write
some Thanksgiving books for all ages.
Thanks,
-Lou Fuller
South Pittsburg, Tennessee
My favorite
reads of 2007 included both the Alex Cross and Women's Murder Club series by
James Patterson. All of them were outstanding reads. One of my favorite authors
is Homer Hickam and I loved The Coalwood Way , a
continuation of his brilliant The Rocket Boys.
Covering the same period as Rocket Boys, it covers other humorous and
moving stories of Homer's high school days in the West Virginia coal mining
town of Coalwood. Highly
recommended. His newest book, The Far Reaches,
continues the story of Josh Thurlow and his crew and
how they join the invasion of Tarawa during World War II. Another very well
written and enjoyable book was Jeff Shaara's The Glorious Cause, the story of George Washington and the American Revolution. A truly enjoyable look at history. I also enjoyed David
Baldacci's Hour Game and Split Second, which introduce us to the wonderful
detective duo of former secret service agents Sean King and Michelle Maxwell.
They featured suspenseful plots and wisecracking humor. Of course any mention of
wisecracking detectives leads me to another of my favorite authors, Robert B.
Parker and his Spenser series. In 2007 I read his Walking Shadow and Hundred Dollar Baby,
as well as his outstanding western novel Appaloosa.
Another of my favorite authors, Clive Cussler,
returned to his winning Dirk Pitt character with the exciting Treasure of Khan. The Missing Ring
by Keith Dunnavant was the very well told story of
how Bear Bryant's 1966 Alabama team was unfairly denied the national
championship due mostly to matters more political than sporting. A very
interesting read about Kenny Stabler and his fellow
team mates, as well as the great coach. And last but not least, Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows by J. K. Rowling. A marvelous ending to a truly outstanding series.
-John Brown
Because they
are the most recent reads, and I remember them and can put
my hands on them on the bookshelf...
in no particular order:
The Seasons of Rome, by Paul Hofmann
Read this one on the plane to Rome; great way to enjoy the rhythms and
nuances of the Eternal City in preparation for landing.
The Genius in the Design: Bernini, Borromini and the Rivalry That
Transformed Rome, by Jake Morrissey
A terrific way to get a dose of architectural history in context with
the power and politics that have shaped Rome since the beginning, so its
fun even if you're not interested in architecture. A true
life
thriller.
A Valley in Italy, The Many Seasons of a Villa in Umbria, by Lisa St
Aubin de Teran
I had read and enjoyed Palladian Days by Sally Gable and this one
really ups the ante on the crazy, wacky lovable characters, and they're
not only the Italians ! This family adventure is a delight, and I would
be jealous if I weren't so spoiled by the comforts of indoor plumbing.
The City of Falling Angels, by John Berendt
Another page turner, and a delightful look behind the crumbling, shored
up facades of that fabled city, Venice. Not only full of richly drawn
characters who are actually real people, it has wonderful descriptions
of life outside the tourist routes that cross the many and venerable
bridges of this city in a lagoon. Go figure.
Are you detecting a theme here?
The Lost Painting, by Jonathan Harr
What can I say? Yet another fantastic book that brings
real people and
places to vivid light and life. What passion and intrigue! Let's head
off to track down all the Caravaggio's we can find.
Satyr Square, A Year, A Life in Rome, by Leonard Barkan
A little more complex to follow, but an interesting and honest
exploration of finding oneself in finding a new place. I did seek out the
Square in order to see the stair, and discovered some other gems in the
city that I had heard about before but not yet found.
Michael Graves: Images of a Grand Tour, by Brian M. Ambroziak
A picture book, full of glorious drawings and paintings and sketches by
a noted architect, American Academy in Rome Fellow, and a former
Professor of mine in college. This has been a very inspirational tome.
Roman Builders: A Study in Architectural Process, by Rabun Taylor
Fascinating and detailed account, well illustrated, showing the
development of Roman building form and process. OK, OK, so it’s another
book about architecture, and Roman at that. But one cannot discuss the
buildings a culture creates without discussing something about the
culture.
Ditto for
The Pantheon: Design, Meaning and Progeny, by William L. McDonald
Great story of a great building.
The Garden of the Finzi-Continis, by Giorgio Bassani
I had always wanted to read this book (and see the film), and a trip to
the Gardens at Ninfa, which inspired the author,
finally caused me to
achieve that goal; the movie is next on my list, or somewhere on my
list.
I've started a couple of cheezy prep school-private
school novels,
Prep, Academy X, The Upper Class, but they didn't hold my interest long
enough to finish, and summer was coming to a close.
I also started The World Is Flat, by Thomas Friedman, but I haven't yet
gotten into the rhythms of his writing; I will probably start again
sometime soon.
The Big House, by George Howe Colt, allowed me to luxuriate in the
fantasy of a rambling shingled summer house, as I sat in the living room
of my mother's charming wee cottage on Nantucket, and read by the pale
green light of a too brief summer stay.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Rosenbaum House, by Barbara K. Broach, Donald
Lambert and Milton Bagby
Thoughtful and articulate and loving account of the restoration of a
Wright treasure in Florence (there's the connection to the theme, see
!?) Alabama. Well researched and thorough, it is a compact and engaging
discussion, as well as another really interesting glimpse into the life
and times of the PEOPLE who built the house, nit just
the structure.
You can never have the architecture without the story of those who
built it, what the times were like, and what legacy they hoped to leave.
Rome. Florence. Venice. Cape Cod. Montgomery.
I am pleased to say that almost all (but not quite) of these books were
purchased (at some point in time) at CAPITOL BOOK & NEWS COMPANY.
Enough. There were some other texts, too. Stop,
Scott. Leave these
poor people alone.
Grazie mille
-Scott Finn
DISTRICT AND CIRCLE
by Seamus Heaney. The great Irish poet continues to startle and enhance my
life.
-Greg Thornton
My book club reads a lot of different kinds of books and sometimes I
can't remember when exactly that I read them but here goes my closest guess as
to my favorites for 2007: first I believe One Thousand White Women: the journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus was
probably the most favorite. It is an historical fiction but we all kept
questioning whether it really happened or not Fergus had just enough facts
mixed in to keep you believing this was actual history plus the story was
wonderful you laughed, you cried, and you were angry all the emotional roller
coaster.
Second not a book club selection but A
Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hoseini
another one that was a ride on the roller coaster. It is set in the present in
Afghanistan the story involves the life of a young girl growing up being the
product of an unwed mother and father from different classes and the struggles
that it took to survive.
The rest are The Saddlemaker's
Wife by Earlene Fowler a love story mystery.
The Space Between
Us by Thrity Umrigar
another foreign class system story.
Between Georgia by Joshilyn Jackson hilarious!
The
Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas a western mystery quite a surprise
ending.
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult just sad but you didn't want to see
either side win.
Downtown
: the
journal of James Aloysius Holcombe Jr. by Ferrol Sams
interesting history of a Georgia town’s people.
And finally three Clare Ferguson mysteries by Julia Spencer-Fleming All Mortal Flesh, Out of the Deep I Cry, and In the Bleak Midwinter I
just love the characters of Clare and Russ the priest and the local police
chief.
-Lois Keel
Hi, I sure
spent a lot of time with my nose in the books last year. But I have to say that
my favorites were Angels and Demons by
Dan Brown, Memoirs of a Geisha which
is old and everybody's read but I just read it and loved it.
Also,
read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan which is somewhat reminiscent of Memoirs but reads quite
quickly (because you cannot put it down once you get started).
I did discover
a new author Allison Winn Scotch who wrote The Department
of Lost and Found. A very
promising novel about a young girl diagnosed with breast cancer and the effects
of chemo in regards to her life, both personal and professional.
Also, I
read The Historian .....which folks either love
or hate. I loved it. A friend suggested it to me. Along with Good in Bed which has some personal meaning to me.
I recently
finished Skipper's Revenge, The Five Love Languages, The Handmaid
and The Carpenter,
and The Devil Wears Prada, and The Eyre Affair.
I was really
disappointed with Shopaholic and Baby
but then I never really cared for any of these but read them because they are
so quick.
Hope you all
had a great year reading!!!!
My book pile is
getting taller and taller already. And this year I will brave the Lord of the Rings trilogy
which I have never read.
Take care....
Sit down with a
good book....
-Rachel Nanzer
I forgot to
mention that The Garden of the Finzi-Continis was
thoroughly engaging, beautiful and sad. It is one that haunted me for
quite a while, and I seemed to see the world in sepia tones for a day or
two, and felt anxious about the state of the world and the fragile
beauty of the things we have created in the world around us.
Also read The Secret Life of Bees.
Delightful, cathartic, funny and happy sad. It
was one of those books
that just came at the right time into my hands, and I cried a good long
cleansing cry for the loss of my own mother.
-Scott Finn
Here is my list and thanks for
publishing your list. Each one was my favorite while I was reading it.
Servants of the
Map-Andrea Barrett
The Whole World
Over-Julia Glass
The Road- Cormac McCarthy
The Creation-
E. O. Wilson
Naturalist- E.
O. Wilson
The Children of
Men- P. D. James
The Curious
Incident of the Dog in the Night Time-Mark Haddon
The Ruins-Scott
Smith
Everyman-Philip
Roth
The Emperor’s
Children-Claire Messud
Suite Francaise-Irene Nemirovsky
The Kite
Runner-Khaled Hosseini
March-Geraldine
Brooks
The Girls-Lori Lansens
Hannable Rising-Thomas Harris
Middlesex-Jeffrey
Eugenides
Big Bad
Love-Larry Brown
Good Scent from
a Strange Mountain-Robert Olen Butler
The Bear Bryant
Funeral Train-Brad Vice
Gus Openshaw’s Whale-Killing Journal-Keith Thomson
Brunelleschi’s
Dome-Ross King
Coming of Age
at the Y- William Cobb
The Sportswriter-Richard
Ford
Underworld-Dan Delillo
-Randy Shoults
I recently
finished Mary Morris' THE RIVER QUEEN that proves once again she is one of the
finest memoirists writing these days. Like her NOTHING TO DECLARE of a few
years ago, QUEEN is a fantastic story, telling about her journey with couple of
interesting midwestern good old boys on a small boat
down the Mississippi River.
I am currently
reading an outstanding history and autobiography, REVOLUTION OF HOPE, by
Vicente Fox, the former president of Mexico. For a part-time Mexican resident
it is a worthwhile story. For anyone else, it should be an eyeopener
about the recent history, the culture and history of this country. A man whose
grandfather migrated to Mexico where he farmed land and raised cattle, Fox is
opposed to a wall between the U.S. and Mexico. He writes openly and with great
feeling about his election, the first exercise of a democracy in the country
where a single party had ruled for nearly a century.
Sena Jeter Naslund's
ABUNDANCE tells the colorful, dramatic, and explosive tragedy of Marie
Antoinette. It's a wonderful historical novel filled vibrant characters
-Wayne Greenhaw
San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
Anything by Ron
Rash!! You can tell this guy was a poet first; his
language is so great. Of course, the fact that he is from the same area
of NC as I am helps too! THE WORLD MADE STRAIGHT, ONE FOOT IN EDEN,
SAINTS AT THE RIVER
Agate Hill by
Lee Smith - A really unique Civil War epistolary novel
If you're looking for laughs, Carl Hiaasen's NATURE
GIRL or SKINNY DIP
will keep you in stitches.
One book that I loaned out that got rave reviews (one lady even had me
order 3 for her to give as Christmas gifts!) was BEING DEAD IS NO
EXCUSE by Gayden Metcalfe. And it has great recipes!!
THE LAND OF MANGO SUNSETS by Dorothea Benton Frank was enjoyable. She
is one of those authors who makes me look forward to
her next novel.
Katherine Valentine's series - A MIRACLE FOR ST. CECELIA'S, A GATHERING
OF ANGELS, GRACE WILL LEAD ME HOME -
are kind of a Jan Karon/Thomas Kincaid style but have
their own merit.
You get involved with the people of the town as in the Karon
novels but
these are set in a New England community.
WINTER BIRDS by Jamie Langston Turner. Another author
that deals with
people's lives in a small Southern town. While not as related as
Karon's or Valentine's, the story is well thought out
and written.
Sharyn McCrumb returns to
NASCAR with ONCE AROUND THE TRACK. I have
always enjoyed her Appalachian Ballad novels but was surprised how much
I enjoyed ST. DALE.
-Susan Graben
Decatur, AL
Thank you for the opportunity to recommend two terrific books from
2007.
As a resident of the Gulf Coast, I was interested in
the literature and art generated during rebuilding from the
Katrina tragedy. I expected works of defiance, hope, mysticism, humor,
irony, and great permeating sadness. I did not think I'd find all of
these in one stunning work until I picked up James Lee Burke's "The Tin
Roof Blowdown." I think it's the most
haunting work Mr. Burke has produced, and that's saying something.
I'm glad he waited 2 years to write it because it is so affecting that I could
not have read it immediately after the hurricane. As with all tragedies, we
have to get our sea legs under us before we can look it in the eye, and that
takes time, but he tells his story without flinching.
My other recommendation is Ron McLarty's
"The Memory of Running." I picked it up in the marked-down
display, read the first page, and was captured by Smithy Ide's
trek across the continent. His transformations on the trip, physical
and mental, are beautiful to witness.
Thanks so much, hope you all have a wonderful year.
-Pat Mayer
Mobile, Alabama
It was hard to narrow it down, but I have read two books in 2007 that I really
loved and would highly recommend.
The Queen of Bedlam, by Robert McCammon, was a
wonderful follow up to his last book, Speaks The Nightbird. The Queen Of
Bedlam was so hard to put down, full of colorful characters, and drenched in
history and mystery. I look forward to reading more about Matthew Corbett
and his further adventures.
Rhett Butler's People, by Donald McCaig, ended
up being quite a surprising read. I usually don't like it when authors
"mess with the classics", but this book is indeed an exception.
The story of Rhett Butler's childhood and all of the things he did that were
not mentioned in Gone With The Wind made for fascinating reading, I truly loved
the book, and have been recommending it to all of my friends.
-Laura W.
Temple, GA
As we approach
the 100th anniversary of the beginning of World War I, which did so much to
create the world we live in, I've been thinking about how it is going to be
commemorated. Historians still debate what caused it. Rather than a historical
tome, I would recommend the trilogy of novels by the British author, Pat
Barker: Regeneration, The Eye in the Door, and The Ghost Road.
-Elaine Fuller
Dear Thomas,
One of my favorite books was "Loving Frank," a novel about the affair
that Frank Lloyd Wright had with a married client. I had developed a liking for
FLW's architecture only after watching my friend, Barbara Broach, work to
restore the only FLW house in the state, the Rosenbaum house in Florence. His
architecture had never really appealed to me until I went into that house,
particularly after it was restored. It is so perfectly sited
on its lot that you feel safe, like a fox in her den. The novel, which Barbara
Broach says is factually accurate, revealed a much warmer, more human man than
I had thought Frank Lloyd Wright to be. Not to say that he wasn't a bit
obsessive-compulsive!
A book I hated was "What Happened Before He Shot
Her," by one of my favorite writers, Elizabeth George. As those who follow
her books about Inspector Thomas Lynley and Detective
Barbara Havers of Scotland Yard know, Lynley's pregnant wife was gunned down in the book before
this one. Thus the title of this one. It begins in the
housing projects of London with a very sad situation, and although it was very
depressing, I kept thinking that George was just setting a scene for part of
the book, and that my old friends Tommy and Barb would soon make an appearance.
Not so. It continues and ends in the hopeless environment of the projects,
which sound as bad, if not worse, than the ones in America's major metropolitan
cities. Not what we have come to expect from Elizabeth George, and I was
disappointed. Not that I won't buy her next book, however!
(If I think of others, I'll send them along. It's amazing how hard it is to
remember what you read last January! I just read "Loving Frank" at
the end of November or first of December, so I can remember it.)
Til later,
-Sunshine Huff
Hello and Happy
New Year!
In 2007 our book group at Saint Thomas Episcopal Church read Lenten Lands by
Douglas Gresham, a memoir of Gresham's growing up years with C.S.Lewis and Joy Davidman, his
step father and mother. We also read The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio by
Terry Ryan, the true story of a woman who kept poverty at bay by winning
contests. In the Fall we read Boo Who by Rene Gutteridge, a zany funny book with a serious side. This
book is reminiscent of a Frank Capra comedy! As our public library sponsored a
one read event in October, we followed the library lead and read the great
To Kill a Mockingbird. We finished the year with Eat, Pray,
Love a very, very popular book that our group enjoyed a great deal. Future
reads are Pride and Prejudice, another great classic, Things Seen and Unseen by
Nora Gallagher, a year in the life of Trinity Episcopal Church in Santa
Barbara, and Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fanny Flagg.
The Friends of the Library in Columbus sponsored a visit by young adult author
Chris Crutcher in November. He appeared at my school
and was a great success. His most recent work is Deadline.
I am currently reading Bookmarked to Die by Jo Deleske
and Paula Deen's It Ain't All About the Cookin'!
Very different books, but both enjoyable.
I can' wait to read Julia Spencer-Fleming's next book I Shall Not Want which is
due in the Summer. I continue to recommend Margaret Coel's mysteries, set among the Arapaho people. The most
recent, The Girl with Braided Hair, was very
affecting.
Thanks for keeping us all informed about the best in reading materials! Keep up
the good work and have a great 2008!
-Sonya Boyd
Columbus, Georgia
Thanks for providing "Favorite Reads." I always enjoy
seeing what others are reading.
This was a good year for good books. Let me mention several that I particularly enjoyed.
TWELVE MIGHTY ORPHANS by Jim Dent - An inspiring and interesting
David-Goliath story about a football team of misfits. Verne
Lundquist of CBS Sports says, "This just might be the best sports book
ever written."
THEY MARCHED INTO SUNLIGHT by David Maraniss -
Written several years ago, this book paints a picture of the incredible events
in the U.S. and Vietnam in the year 1967. It is well-written by a first
class historian.
MONEYBALL by Michael Lewis - Non-fiction book about
the incredible and largely unknown changes that have occurred in major-league
baseball.
NINETEEN MINUTES by Jodi Picoult - A tragic
event happens in a small town. This is one of Picoult's
best. I read it just around the time of the Virginia Tech tragedy.
That made it all the more pertinent.
AMERICA ALONE by Mark Steyn
- A well-written, disturbing, challenging non-fiction book about the rapidly
changing problems that face our world.
-Don Bouldin
I always enjoy your column in the Montgomery Advertiser.
Unfortunately I have never visited your shop; it's off my beaten path, but I
still read your column every Sunday.
In today's column you asked readers to e-mail favorite and least
favorite reads of 2007. Here are mine.
Favorite Read: The Religion by Tim Willocks.
The frontspiece of the dust jacket lays it right
out. This book sweeps you away and sucks the breath right out of
you. An historical novel about the seige
of Malta in 1565, and the heroic stand by the Knights of St. John the
Baptist, The Religion is riveting -
there is no other word. The language is beautiful without being flowery;
precise without being terse. It will actually send you to the dictionary
occasionally - in my opinion that's an asset for a book!
The protagonist of the novel, a soldier of fortune, is an adventurer and
an arms dealer by trade, who agrees to help a French countess find her 10
year old son, whom she has never seen, and whose name she doesn't know, in
the midst of the most spectacular siege in military history.
This British physician author, Tim Willocks, is
new to me but The Religion is the first book of a Trilogy, and I will
find, buy, read, and treasure the remaining two when they are published.
For any student of history, this book absolutely will blow
you away.
-Cecil McElvaine
Best reads of
2007
There is an ephemeral pleasure to be
felt when looking back over a list of books read during the year and enjoying
those books anew. A similar sensation occurs when reviewing a list of movies
watched or birds observed. Perhaps we feel an ability to conceive time in a
different fashion through this activity, or perhaps it is just satisfying to
remember books that have entertained, enlightened or sustained us over the past
12 months.
Surely though, it is more than this.
It is an accomplishment, a building up of emotions and sensations and memories
that adds up to something substantial, even though it
is not measurable in any conventional sense. The memory of a good book, and all
that it evokes, is one of the great pleasures in life.
Here are some brief notes on the
books I enjoyed in 2007:
“Arthur and
George” by Julian Barnes -- A historical-fiction mystery (is that a category?)
about the relationship between Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and George Edaljy, a lawyer of Pakistani descent in the end of the 19th
and beginning of the 20th centuries in Scotland.
George is accused of a heinous
crime, and is able to enlist the help of Arthur. Both men have emotional
difficulties and family problems. Barnes uses an artful technique with which to
unfold the tale.
“Smonk” by Tom Franklin – Franklin is a rising star in
southern literature and continues to show strong writing skills in this short
novel. He is able to describe some of the most grotesque and horrifying scenes
while keeping a sense of sympathy for humanity and a certain
sentimentality.
To
attempt further description of this book would overtax my limited abilities.
Read it and everything else written by Tom Franklin.
“We Were the Mulvaneys” by Joyce Carol Oates – Oates is one of our
greatest living writers and this book is one of her best, according to many
critics. After a young girl is victimized in a despicable act, her family
slowly disintegrates in a most excruciating fashion.
Oates
unfolds the story with gentleness and great descriptive skill and lightens it
with humor and some pleasant family moments.
“How to Read a
Poem…and Start a
“On Writing” by
Stephen King – King describes his process and provides a short “writing
biography” in this fairly short book. His process is much more workman-like and
less fantastic than I had previously thought. He also describes the experience
of being struck by a vehicle while on one of his daily walks and how it nearly
killed him.
“The Amazing
Adventures of Kavalier & Clay” by Michael Chabon – This turned out, quite unexpectedly, to be my
favorite book of the year. It is large is size and scope and tells an epic tale
that includes Hitler’s persecution of the Jews before and during World War II,
the rise and glory days of comic books and the effects of war on the
individual. Chabon also covers the world of escape
artists and magicians (illusionists), family life, love, sex, horror, art and
the Empire State Building.
It
is a 600-plus page rollicking good read that moves with great speed through moments
of elation and utter heartbreak and just about everything in between.
“The Yiddish
Policeman’s Union” by Michael Chabon – This is an
alternative history mystery (what is it with these hybrid categories for 2007?)
in which Chabon again shows off his story telling
genius. What if part of Alaska was Israel and Israel in the Middle East didn’t
exist? Also, the Jews are required to turn this homeland back over to the
United States and they ain’t real happy about it.
Toss in a murder and a jaded cop and you got yourself a whopper of a story.
Chess and chess history are featured
prominently in this novel, and I didn’t get all of these references, since I
never played. It is still a very good novel that I think will appeal to mystery
lovers and just plain fiction lovers alike.
“The Fifth
Woman” by Henning Mankell – If you are a mystery
lover and are looking for something different, Mankell
is your man. His novels are set in and around Sweden, and his
hero, Kurt Wallender, is the antithesis of the
Sam Spade type of crime solver.
Wallender
is a senior police investigator who spends a lot of time drinking coffee and
making lists when he is not complaining about the weather. But when a murder is
committed, he instantly becomes all business – relentless and brilliant. A
series of bizarre murders has Wallender stumped until
he is able to decipher the message conveyed by the method of the killings.
“The Dogs of
Riga” by Henning Menkel – Wallender
travels to Latvia to solve two murders and sees firsthand the misery of the
people in this part of the recently-dissolved Soviet Union. He is appalled by
the corruption of the police force and the quality of the coffee. Another
murder ensues.
Wallender
has to resort to spy-like tactics to solve the murders, and quite surprisingly
finds romance in the gray city of Riga.
“1912” by James Chace
– This is history in a very academic form – possibly a doctoral thesis made
into a book. The year in question was a tumultuous one, with fears of communism
and the rise of unions informing the presidential election. History buffs will
enjoy it.
“A Death in the
Family” by James Agee – The Pulitzer Prize was awarded to Agee posthumously for
this novel, which feels heavily autobiographical. One of Agee’s greatest
talents was the ability to describe the world through a child’s eyes.
The stream-of-consciousness passages
here are similar to those found in “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men.” They can be
difficult to read sometimes, but they offer some of the most tender and
sentimental moments of the book.
-Clark Bruner
My favorite read for 2007 was "Blackbird" and it's sequel "Stillwaters" by Jennifer Lauck.
The true and amazing story of a young girl and the incredible
odds that she is able to overcome with a family that keeps falling apart.
An unbelievable testament to the human spirit.
-C. Robbins
I was born near the end of World War II, and as a child I was fascinated
to hear my mother and aunt reminisce about victory gardens, rationing and
coupons, knitting sweaters and socks for the troops, plane spotting, and
rolling bandages. Women's contributions to the war effort have always
been an interest, and in 2007 two books were especially informative and
appealing. (1) Our Mothers' War: American Women at Home and at the Front During World War II, by Emily Yellin. Inspired by her mother's WW II journal and
letters written while a Red Cross volunteer in the Pacific, the author presents
the wartime experiences of movie stars and average Janes,
women of many ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds who served at home and
overseas as members of the military or as everyday civilians. An excellent
overview of what life was like for American women in the 1940s. (2) No Ordinary
Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II
by Doris Kearns Goodwin. A marvelous account of the indomitable Mrs. R.'s
wartime life - her newspaper column, clashes with her husband over social
policy, her wide travels in the USA and abroad, her close friends and
those who thought she ought to be muzzled and/or incarcerated ... very readable
and often fun.
Two baseball biographies were on my list. Jane Leavy's
Sandy
Koufax, A Lefty's Legacy made me marvel at
Koufax's monumental talent and left me wondering what records he might have set
had his arm and his career lasted another decade. Terrific book! I
was not nearly so taken with Joseph Durso's DiMaggio: The Last American Knight, mostly because the
subject was not as appealing. The Yankee Clipper comes across as arrogant and
utterly self-centered - the opposite of Koufax. But perhaps I should, in all
fairness, confess to a preference for the National League over the American....
The Tender Bar, J. R. Moehringer's
autobiographical account of growing up among the denizens of a New York
bar, abounds with some of the strangest, most memorable characters I've
ever encountered, and I'm glad none of them was part of my own formative years.
A friend introduced me to the thrillers of Iris Johansen late in the
year, and both Countdown and Stalemate satisfied my liking for plot
twists, snappy dialogue, and boffo finishes.
-Lowell Berenguer
I have read
several Elizabeth George books during 2007 and loved all of them. They are so
British, have great plots and character development. I have also enjoyed
reading Julia Fleming Spencer who has won several prestigious awards for her
mysteries. I met Julia at the Montgomery Book Fair this past year. She is a new
author for me and I have found her series about the female Episcopal priest and
the small town police chief working together to solve murders to be very
compelling reading.
-Char Freeman
Hey guys,
I'm sending along my vote for the best of 2007. I didn't do as well as I did
last year; I only got in 85 books, but I was very pleased w/the offerings this
year. It seemed like everyone had something new to offer, from a biography
about the Crocodile Hunter to the last Harry Potter book to Lost in Austen (a
choose your own adventure Austen book that I couldn't include because I haven't
finished it yet!) to the reissue of Kathryn Tucker Windham's book about front
porches. I think I'll remember 2007 as one of the best years for books in a
long time. It was hard to find time to read them all and still harder to pick
from the lot and choose the best. Still, I've made a go of it and here are my
10 picks for the best of 2007:
10) The Last Stand by Chris Claremont
I am a HUGE X-Men fan. The whole universe just captures my imagination. The
movies have been a major source of entertainment and can always make me feel
better on a down day. They are thrilling, exciting, and action-packed. This
book is the novelization of the last X-Men movie. I know, why would you read it
if you can just watch it? Because Claremont includes juicy
little bits that you don’t get in the movie. Like how deep Logan’s
feelings for Jean really go. Nope. Won’t tell you.
You’ll have to check it out on your own.
The book is even more exciting than the movie and provides valuable insights
that aren’t available in the motion picture. It really makes me think that
there will be another movie, which is a great source of comfort for me.
Claremont does a brilliant job and I hope he takes on the next one.
It gets A+ **** Energizingly Brilliant
9) Mr. Monk Goes to the Firehouse by Lee Goldberg
I love the TV show Monk. It's always so funny and Mr.
Monk's OCD is just great. This is actually the first season Jonathan and I have
watched it & we're now addicted. I was thrilled beyond words to learn that
there was a mystery series out there based on the characters. And a little concerned. Let's face it, books based on
television series and/or movies don't always live up to their expectations. So
I read this book warily.
I needn't have worried. Goldberg is brilliant. He captures Monk perfectly. And
the other characters, too. The plot? Monk tries to
solve the murder of a firehouse dog and ends up involved in trying to solve
another murder. It was a great whodunit and a true jewel for fans of the show.
By the way, for those who loved Diagnosis Murder, Goldberg also wrote a
series of mysteries about that show. I'm definitely gonna
check them out.
It gets A+ **** Hilariously Brilliant
8) I'm Proud of You by Tim Madigan
I readily admit to being a Mister Rogers fan. When I've had a bad day, it's
nice to turn on the television and see that Mr. Rogers is still sharing the
same message of unconditional love. I have wondered, of course, if he was as
nice in real life as he was on television. And apparently, he was. This is the
story of Madigan's 'unlikely' friendship with Fred Rogers, host of Mr. Rogers'
Neighborhood, which began when he was interviewing the television star. Madigan
copies letters written by Rogers to demonstrate the growth of their friendship.
It is a heart-warming book and will easily inspire tears (keep the tissues
handy), especially the tale of Madigan's reunion with his brother through
cancer. It's well-written, clear, and charming.
It gets **** A+ Joyfully Brilliant
7) My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite writers; she has a
talent for tackling controversial topics and making you think about your
position. This one is no exception. Picoult tells the
story of a 13 year old who was conceived to be a genetic match for her sister
who is dying of leukemia. It tells the stories of the many times that she goes
to bat for her sister, placing her own body at risk, at her parents' request to
save her sister. Until the day she doesn't want to do it anymore. It's
skillfully and eloquently done. I have thought of this topic many times and I
had never considered what it would mean to be the child who was only born to
help a sibling. What if the sibling had never needed help? Picoult
tackles these aspects with care and concern. While I haven't changed my mind
about genetic matches, I now can appreciate the other side better. And isn't
that the mark of a truly great writer?
**** A+ Achingly Brilliant
6) A Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult
As previously stated, Picoult is one of my favorite
writers. The writing is clean and fresh, sharp and clear. The situations,
however, are muddy, confusing, and worthy of debate. This novel focuses on
Nathaniel, a child who was molested and his mother, the Prosecutor, who can't
stand what the "justice" system will do to the little guy. As a
social worker, I have ranted and raved many times about how helpless children
are before our system; there is no one to speak for them, no one to protect
them. The predators are protected securely by the system. I agree fully with Picoult's view of the system. It fails. Many
many times. Too often.
And if you've ever seen the system fail a kid, you know the frustration. So the
mother extracts her own justice. And fails. I have to
tell you, it was eye-opening to me. I've thought (quite happily) about the kind
of justice I would extract from someone who hurt my nephews. This, however, got
me to thinking. Is justice really best for the kids? Did Nathaniel benefit from
what his mother did? The questions are many and this book sparked some wonderful
debates around the office. Picoult is passionate
about her subject and her talent shines through.
**** A+ Profoundly Brilliant
5) The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
This was a surprising treasure I lucked up on at my
public library. What bibliophile could resist such a title? It was a foreign
concept as well, the tale of a German girl during World War II. Not a topic I
had given much thought, although I had thought much and read much about Jewish
Germans during that time. So what must it have been like? A
leader run amuck and dragging his country with him. Although many agreed
with him, not all did and life for them was a constant gamble. In this tale,
told in mesmerizing fashion by Death himself, the characters shine brightly and
tales of bravery and humanity (even by Hitler's staunchest followers) are an
everyday occurrence. Zusak has true talent and I look
forward to reading much more of his works.
It gets **** A+ Vividly Brilliant
4) A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
This is a book recommended to me by my dear husband
about a year ago. It took me this long to get to it. And, now that I've read
it, I'm very sorry I didn't get to it sooner. This is the memoir of a girl
growing up in a small town in Indiana. For those of us who grew up in small
towns, it will re-affirm our belief that children can only grow up successfully
in a town with fewer than 3,000 people. For those of you who grew up in big
cities, it will encourage you (good things really can come out of small places)
and inspire jealousy (after all, you missed the joy of knowing everyone and all
their business). It is full of the hilarious stories that are inherent in any
tales about small towns- the neighbor who terrified you, the family with too
many kids, the 'cat lady.' It also has the stories that tug at the heart
strings: the child caught in the spotlight because everyone knows what her
brother did, the knowledge of social classes, and the desire of parents to give
their children all they can. The writing is crisp and Kimmel manages all this
without seeming heavy-handed.
It gets **** A+ Sparklingly Brilliant
3) Across the Miles: Tales of Correspondence by L.M. Montgomery
I adore Ms. Montgomery. Have ever since I was 12 and got Anne of Green
Gables for Christmas. Her writing is extraordinary and is fresh even in
2007. I read all the novels I could get my grubby little paws on, but wanted
still more. How wonderful to discover a collection of short stories written by
her and compiled by Rae Wilmhurst (a true heroine for
locating the jewels).
While there are several collections, this is the best of the group. Ms.
Montgomery had a reputation for recycling story lines, but you see none of that
in this collection. Each story is a brand new treasure. They are stories
revolving around letters and journals; everything from love letters to lost
notes. They are heart-warming and satisfying. Even for fans who eschew the
short story collections, this collection should be examined closely. I loved
it!
It gets **** A+ Wonderfully Brilliant
2) Steve & Me by Terri Irwin
I didn't really think much about the Crocodile Hunter. I mean, beyond the fact
that my nephews love him and the kitties like to watch his show. That is, I
didn't really think about him until his untimely death and then I heard a kid
make a remark that one of his dreams would never come true now. He is a
brilliant kid, interested in wildlife, who wanted to grow up, move to Australia
and work with Steve Irwin. It struck me, then, that the Crocodile Hunter meant
an awful lot to people and my interest was piqued. I started watching the show
and even his movie. I became a Crocodile Hunter fan late.
When I saw this book, I just had to pick it up. Mostly, I was curious, but I
wasn't holding my breath that it would be a brilliant read. Just
a good one. I can't say why. I just didn't. I'm very glad to say that I
was wrong.
Steve & Me is written by Terri Irwin, a grieving widow raising two
small children. A major feat, I'm sure. It is unflinching as it looks at her
grief and sparkling as she talks about the man that she loves. She does not
make him out to be a saint, but shows us his flaws. And it makes us respect him
more because he wasn't perfect.
It's a fast read and well worth the time.
It gets **** A+ Authentically Brilliant
And finally... My vote for book of the year goes
to....
1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling
I have waited for this book for so very long. Ever since I
read the first one, really. How does it all end? Does Harry survive? Can
the Wizarding World ever be truly safe from Moldy Voldy? (Gotta
love Peeves!) The release, however, was bittersweet. After all, it’s the
end of a phenomenon. Very likely the last time we will see children standing in
line at midnight to pick up a book. But I can imagine Mrs. Rowling’s joy at being
done with Harry, having brought him all the way to the end. It is something to
celebrate.
The final installment in the Harry Potter series is, in my humble opinion, the
best of the lot. This follows Harry on his search for the Horcruxes
and the Wizarding World’s descent into the dark days.
I had feared that we would be left with unanswered questions and a lack of
resolution (remember Snicket’s The End?), but
none of that is true. There is resolution and the whole series is wrapped up
lovingly. It is the most exciting of the series and I was thrilled from the
first page to the last. There were no flaws and I could not have asked for
more.
I will include a warning: I’ve heard people saying that they’ll start with this
one and go back and read the first books later. Don’t. You’ll miss the joy of
discovering Harry, Hermione, and Ron along the way and the pay-off won’t be
there for you. Trust me on this one. You’ll want to wait. It is well worth it.
It gets A+ **** Magically Brilliant
-Amanda Cullum
Valley, AL
My favorite
read of 2007 was Water for Elephants--hands down. What an
interesting, unusual, and tightly woven tale, with layers and layers of
emotion, drama, mystery, and intrigue lightened by a love story and by contrasting
perspectives of the main character's life. The books I enjoy most are
those through which I learn something new, and this book was packed full of
information disguised as fiction. When I first read the back cover, I
thought: why would I want to learn about circuses in the time of the
Great Depression? After the first paragraph, I couldn't put it
down. What a great read!
The other books I remember most from last year were Suite Francaise, by Irene Nemirovsky,
and four by Jodi Picoult, My Sister's Keeper, The Pact, Plain Truth, and Songs of the Humpback
Whale, in order of preference beginning with the one I enjoyed most. Picoult takes a scholarly approach to her writing and
research, which I enjoy immensely, but her language is delicate and nuanced.
After reading a few of her novels, I could see the formula by which she
completed the work, but that only bothered me a little bit. I still want
to read more from her. Suite Francaise
is the first two novels of what Nemirovsky planned to
be a series of five on the topic of the German occupation of France. A
Russian Jew who fled the Bolsheviks and lived in France, she was respected for
her writing before WWII began but her life was cut short at Auschwitz, to which
she and her husband were deported. Her manuscripts, preserved by her
daughters, surfaced six decades later. I found the first book, Storm
in June, to be the most engrossing and haunting, with images I still
remember vividly. I could only imagine the circumstances under which she wrote
the second book, Dolce--the deep fear, the scars that continual worry
carved on her. I was so deeply saddened by the experience of reading Suite
Francaise that I can't say I "enjoyed"
it, but I will remember it.
-Su Ofe
Lagging behind my wife's, here is my list of 2007 reads, in the
approximate order that I read them:
1. 40 EXAMPLES by Ansel Adams -- As my
interest in photography continued to develop (pun intended) early in the year,
I decided to study up. Adams was a perfectionist, and the detail he
provides in these essays is remarkable.
2. PICTURE TAKER: PHOTOGRAPHS BY KEN ELKINS -- A career's worth of
great work from one of Alabama's own. Not a book to "read" but
to drink in with the eyes.
3. EUDORA WELTY: PHOTOGRAPHS and COUNTRY CHURCHYARDS, both by Eudora
Welty -- This was my year to rediscover Welty's genius after a brief encounter
in college. Again, these are "picture books" but full of depth
nonetheless. Unlike the work of Walker Evans, Welty's images of the South
are captured with the affection of a native.
4. PHOTOPORTRAITS by Henri Cartier-Bresson -- I pored over several
books by the legendary French photographer, but this is the one I find most
impressive, for its visual elegance.
5. ENCOUNTERS by Kathryn Tucker Windham -- Short essays and photos from
a living Alabama legend and member of the Alabama Academy of Honor (nominated
by no less than Harper Lee). Thanks to Capitol Books for hosting her
speaking engagement at Huntingdon College in December! Hearing her
discuss these compelling photographs was a true Christmas gift.
6. 1/2 PRICE LIVING: SECRETS TO LIVING WELL ON ONE INCOME by Ellie Kay
-- A bit skimpy, but I enjoy Kay's financial wisdom and Christian
perspective anyway.
7. HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS by J.K. Rowling -- Rowling
pulls off the final chapter of this years-long balancing act with a lot of
finesse. Dark stuff, full of imagination.
8. THE END (A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS) by Lemony Snicket -- I didn't think there were any surprises left after
13 books, but WOW, what a clever ending! It blindsided me. My
interpretation: the Snicket character in the
book is not the man we've thought he was. My wife, on the other hand,
says I misread the ending... But I think not!
9. A REDBIRD CHRISTMAS by Fannie Flagg -- My first time reading another
Alabamian. Generally entertaining and heartwarming.
10. DOLLY: MY LIFE AND OTHER UNFINISHED BUSINESS by Dolly Parton -- The
music history and childhood remembrances are fascinating. I could have
done without some of the pseudospiritual fluff.
11. MR. MONK GOES TO THE FIREHOUSE by Lee Goldberg -- One of the best
of the year, surprisingly. Goldberg takes a lovable TV character and
brings him to life with pinpoint accuracy. A page-turner
in the very best sense of the word.
12. A CURTAIN OF GREEN AND OTHER STORES by Eudora Welty -- My
favorite of the year, perhaps the whole decade. Welty proves herself
head and shoulders above most other writers with now-classic stories like
"The Whistle" and "A Worn Path." Her figures of speech
are startling in their imagery, her sentences seem
constructed with surgical precision. Otherworldly in its
masterful use of language.
13. MR. MONK GOES TO HAWAII by Lee Goldberg -- Lighter fare after
Welty. Somewhat more predictable than MR. MONK GOES TO THE FIREHOUSE, but
Goldberg's pacing and characterizations are spot-on.
14. JUST AN ORDINARY DAY by Shirley Jackson -- For some reason, it took
me a year and a half to finish this book, even though it is an average-length collection
of weirdly interesting short stories. A deal with the devil, death by chocolate, and ghostly children inhabit the pages of this
mixed bag from the author of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE and "The
Lottery."
Jonathan Cullum
LaFayette, Alabama
Here are some books I really enjoyed in 2007 apart from the bestsellers
already on people's radar:
"Suddenly They Heard Footsteps: Storytelling for the Twenty-First
Century" by Dan Yashinsky, a professional
storyteller who lives in Canada, is a great book that combines experiences Yashinsky has had as a storyteller, his insight on why
storytelling is important and how to be a good teller and a collection of
stories. It has great stories about telling stories, along with great
stories.
"Only You Can Save Mankind" by Terry Pratchett
is one of his "young adult" books from the early 1990s, although I
don't think it was published here until somewhat more recently. The book is
about Johnny Maxwell, a British boy who gets sucked into a computer game where
some of the characters no longer want to fight, and it has a lot to say about
war both in the game and real worlds. The humor and the crackerjack writing
will appeal to adults (even those like me who don't play computer games), and
it's a must-read for any kid or adult who enjoys computer games. The two Johnny
Maxwell sequels are a lot of fun, too.
I have just recently discovered Jane Austen (How did I manage to put off
devouring these books off as long as I have?) and cannot believe what a
"modern" voice this author of the early 1800s had. And the books are
so funny. I've found that I particularly enjoy them as audiobooks.
"Mansfield Park" as read by Johanna Ward was fabulous. I particularly
enjoyed her portrayals of Mrs. Norris and Mr Rushworth. "Masterpiece" on PBS is doing all six
books this year, so it is a particularly good time to be reading them.
-Madelyn Dinnerstein
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Usually I prefer fiction but, in 2007, I found two very interesting
nonfiction books. After watching both The King of Scotland and Hotel
Rwanda, I read The Bone Woman: A Forensic Anthropologist’s Search for
Truth in the Mass Graves of Rwanda, Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo by Clea Koff. It sounds
gruesome and some parts of the book give more detail than I wanted. The book,
however, gives a good description of a forensic anthropologist’s
work and how her team’s discoveries brought those guilty of genocide to
justice. I liked the first half of the book better because it explained a
lot of the questions I had about the political situation and genocide in
Rwanda, which were not answered in the movie Hotel Rwanda.
The second nonfiction book I liked was The Colony by John Tayman, which deals with the establishment of the leprosy
colony on Molokai Island, Hawaii in 1866 and covers the next 103 years.
It is a comprehensive look at the disease of leprosy, its treatment and
why government entities decided it was best to isolate leprosy patients from
their families and communities. This information is revealed through the
personal stories of the patients, their families and the people who treated
them and puts a very human face on this once very mysterious illness.
On the fiction side, I liked the following:
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. It’s about a circus and has thrills, chills,
a love story and, of course, an elephant!
The Girls by Lori Lansens. Rose
and Ruby Darlen are the oldest, surviving conjoined
twins and they are writing their life story. They write individually and
in very different styles and their interpretations of life events are often
very different. It’s a fascinating look at how they see their family and
community and how they feel about each other. Although it sounds like a
nonfiction book, it is fiction.
This is probably cheating because I read this book two years ago but I
loved The Twelve Little Cakes by Dominika Dery. Ms. Dery, who was
born in 1975 in what was then Czechoslovakia, writes a mostly warm and fuzzy
childhood memoir of growing up in a Communist country in an unconventional,
very non-Communist family. She writes about a close family, their
experiences and how they managed to get through difficult times with a sense of
humor.
-Jean Smyth
Maurice Manning’s Bucolics, a book of poetry
that poses the age old man/god in a pastoral setting with a laborer constantly
haranguing someone he calls “Boss” was my number one favorite poetry read of
2007. Many poets write wonderful and memorable poems, but Mannings’
book is unique – it’s a poet’s book, as well as one that will touch the heart
of anyone who has ever wondered – who made us? why are
we here? is anyone listening? For fiction, hands
down I have to say Ian McEwan’s Atonement was
one of those books in the league with Ahab’s Wife or Sound and the
Fury, a true ground-breaker. This book had languished in my house for
at least a year before I picked it up in December. To swim in the ocean of such
powerfully well-made fiction is exhilarating, and I really didn’t want to come
up for air. This is a book that changed my life as a writer.
-Jeanie Thompson
Executive Director
Alabama Writers’’ Forum
Easily: Stephen
Colbert's "I Am America (and So Can You)" I never would have bought
it for myself, but I got it as a gift and it is hilarious!
-Foster Dickson
-More than likely many of your customers have read these first two
books and perhaps had the opportunity to see the author at Huntingdon. Two of
my favorites were Magic Time and The Bridge both by Doug Marlette who
has sadly left this life. Magic Time is the story of Mississsippi's
Freedom Summer of 1964 told in flashbacks between that summer and current time
in New York City and the South. The main character deals with how that summer
affected his life and how he resolves it.
Pat Conroy said that The Bridge is the finest novel to come
out of the South since Thomas Wolfe's Look Homeward Angel! It centers on the
past as well - the Great Textile Strike of 1934 and life in the mills and their
villages. Its main character has to deal with his career, the tear in his
marital relationship, returning home to his extended family and their
eccentricities and the truth that is uncovered that
helps to settle his questions and his life. This book caused a huge
controversy in Hillsborough,NC,
where Marlette was living at the time. Not only is the book excellent but the
events that followed its publishing are equally interesting if you take the
time to research it.
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See is a fascinating book about women
in a remote province of 19th century China. It tells the story of how women
communicated, survived and reflected on their lives. Secret language,
foot-binding, arranged marriage, motherhood are
all shared in this book.
The Distance from the Heart of Things by Ashley Warlick is a beautifully written novel about the
South. It's about family and the strong bond that exists as this lead
character becomes a woman.
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert was such a good read! After
going through a divorce and severe depression a woman journeys
to Italy, India and Indonesia in search of "everything". Pleasure in Italy, devotion in India and balance in Indonesia.
It is heartbreaking, humorous, intense and uplifting. I loved it!
Elizabeth Baucom, Greenville, SC
I am lucky to
have creative folks in my life and in 2007 three of them had new books.
In April I
introduced my friend Tom Kimmel for his reading at the Alabama Book Festival in
Montgomery. We met the day before the event and he gave me a copy of his first
poetry book, The Sweetest and the Meanest. Tom is a master songwriter
and performer so I expected to be wowed by his poetry and was not disappointed.
Tom’s poems are versatile: insightful, spiritual, funny and always lyrical. I
loved Tom’s book and heartily recommend it.
Another friend
who is a poet, Barbara Wiedeman, published her book, The
Half Life of Love, later in the year. Lots of Barbara’s poems are set in
the American southwest and her images and emotions transported me back to my
own desert adventures many years ago. Barbara is a powerful poet and her work
describes landscapes exterior and interior in ways that makes a mental,
emotional and spiritual impression.
Lee Smith
swears that her latest novel, On Agate Hill, is her last because
creating the characters require so much emotional
investment. Certainly, the characters of her new book are full, commanding,
endearing, and sometimes even frightening.
Although for reasons most readers of these comments will know, I am
forever in love with Ivy Rowe, Molly certainly deserves a place in my
heart. Lee remains concerned On Agate
Hill is too dark. But anyone who is even a little versed in the tale’s time
period—Reconstruction—knows that those days were tough, and it took tough
characters to survive them. Molly, Jacky, BJ, Simon are tough, alive, and
present to an amazing degree. Hanging out around a dinner table at the Sunset
Grill in Nashville one evening, Tom House and I got into an intense discussion
concerning a character’s actions. Finally other folks at the table asked—WHO
are ya’ll talking about? Like I said, these characters
feel real.
And since I am
writing about folks that I do even pretend to be objective about, I heartily
recommend Tim Henderson’s book, A Glorious Defeat, and not just because
I am a fan & he is my hubby! He’ll probably get mad at me for writing this,
but I really think it is his best writing so far. In entertaining, lyrical
prose, Tim explains the events and situations that brought the United States
and Mexico to war. Tim’s analysis of the evolution and social perspectives of
Mexican and American societies, focusing on the differences in their histories,
and their philosophies, gives the reader insight into both sides’ proudest
moments and most grievous mistakes. After the events leading to war, Tim
explains certain key issues concerning the way the war was waged. It was
amazing to me, after reading the book, that I never knew before the huge
influence the war had on both countries, including the civil war and even
issues continuing into our present time.
-Karren Pell
Cheryl and Thomas,
Your book list is always one of the highlights of my year. I've read some
really wonderful books in 2007. I'm terrible at describing books so will
not even try because I don't want to discourage anyone. The following are
truly exceptional books - I was sorry when each of them ended.
Body and Soul by Frank Conroy
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Queen of the Underworld by Gail Godwin
A Line of Beauty by Alan Hollinghurst
-Lee Eaton
I am enjoying Galt Neiderhoffer's
"A Taxonomy of
Barnacles" very much. I read horrible reviews of the
book (which is what made me decide to read it for
myself), but I'm finding it witty. The author, who
was pretty widely panned for this book, drew me in
immediately with descriptions of the six Barnacle
sisters, their crazy penthouse apartment (complete
with indoor zoo!) and their lives, each of which is
utterly different.
Jon Krakauer's "Into the Wild" is at the
top of my
2007 list. I loved the kid and hated his careless
disregard for his life. Although I didn't think
McCandless was completely arrogant or the least bit
suicidal, I found Krakauer's story about his own
hiking adventure to be explanatory and moving, in the
context of the book. Krakauer said that he
suffered
from "hubris, perhaps, and an appalling innocence,
certainly; but [he] wasn't suicidal." He went on to
say that at his age, death was an abstract concept.
Several 10th grade M.A. students read this book for
extra credit last semester (thank you for the
suggestion, Capitol Book) and enjoyed it; one intrepid
student pointed out that as McCandless shed his
belongings during his cross-country trek, he also left
behind the guitar on which his mother played lullabies
for him. That, and the part where McCandless'
parents
visited the bus where McCandless spent his last days,
broke my squishy mom heart. I can't wait to see the
movie at the Capri.
-Stephanie Hill
And just for the fun of it, here’s Cheryl’s list of
all her 2007 reads:
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CHERYL'S
2007 READS |
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|
|
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|
|
TITLE |
AUTHOR |
RATING |
SETTING |
GENRE |
|
1 |
Blind
Submission |
Ginsberg,
Debra |
*** |
US/San
Francisco |
Fiction |
|
2 |
Burning |
Johnson,
Diane |
** |
US/Los
Angeles |
Fiction |
|
3 |
Three
Men in a Boat |
Jerome,
Jerome K. |
*** |
England |
Memoir |
|
4 |
A
Fatal Grace |
Penny,
Louise |
**** |
Canada/Quebec |
Mystery |
|
5 |
Warm
Springs |
Shreve,
Susan Richards |
***** |
US/Georgia |
Memoir |
|
6 |
The
Overlook |
Connelly,
Michael |
**** |
US/California |
Mystery |
|
7 |
The
Last Chinese Chef |
Mones, Nicole |
**** |
China |
Fiction |
|
8 |
Pleasures
and Landscapes |
Bedford,
Sybille |
** |
Europe |
Travel |
|
9 |
Prisoner
of Memory |
Hamilton,
Denise |
*** |
US/Los
Angeles |
Mystery |
|
10 |
Dark
Fire |
Sansom, C.J. |
*** |
England |
Mystery |
|
11 |
The
Woods |
Coben, Harlan |
**** |
US/New
Jersey |
Mystery |
|
12 |
Mr.
Sebastian & the Negro Magician |
Wallace,
Daniel |
**** |
US/Alabama |
Fiction |
|
13 |
Somebody
is going to die… |
Metcalfe,
Gayden |
*** |
US/Mississippi |
Humor |
|
14 |
Letter
from Point Clear |
McFarland,
Dennis |
***** |
US/Alabama |
Fiction |
|
15 |
The
New Yorkers |
Schine, Cathleen |
**** |
US/NYC |
Fiction |
|
16 |
All-of-a-Kind
Family |
Taylor,
Sidney |
*** |
US/NYC |
YA |
|
17 |
Thistle
& Twigg |
Saums. Mary |
*** |
US/Alabama |
Mystery |
|
18 |
Mistress
of the Art of Death |
Franklin,
Ariana |
*** |
England |
Mystery |
|
19 |
The
Dead Father's Club |
Haig,
Matt |
*** |
England |
Fiction |
|
20 |
Crimes
of New York |
Willis,
Clint |
*** |
US/NYC |
Nonfiction |
|
21 |
The
Late Bloomer's Revolution |
Cohen,
Amy |
*** |
US/NYC |
Memoir |
|
22 |
The
Secret of Lost Things |
Hay,
Sheridan |
** |
US/NYC |
Fiction |
|
23 |
Garden
Spells |
Allen,
Sarah Addison |
** |
US/NC |
Fiction |
|
24 |
The
Invention of Hugo Cabret |
Selznick,
Brian |
**** |
France |
YA |
|
25 |
Death
Comes for the Fat Man |
Hill,
Reginald |
***** |
England |
Mystery |
|
26 |
Mediterranean
Summer |
Shalleck, David |
*** |
Italy |
Travel |
|
27 |
A
Thousand Splendid Suns |
Hosseini, Khaled |
***** |
Afghanistan |
Fiction |
|
28 |
The
Discomfort Zone |
Franzen, Jonathan |
*** |
US/St.
Louis |
Memoir |
|
29 |
Free
Food for Millionaires |
Lee,
Min Jin |
**** |
US/NYC |
Fiction |
|
30 |
The
Eyre Affair |
Fforde, Jasper |
***** |
England |
Fiction |
|
31 |
What
the Dead Know |
Lippman, Laura |
***** |
US/Baltimore |
Mystery |
|
32 |
Animal,
Vegetable, Miracle |
Kingsolver,
Barbara |
***** |
US/Virginia |
Food |
|
33 |
Lost
in a Good Book |
Fforde, Jasper |
***** |
England |
Fiction |
|
34 |
The
Dud Avocado |
Dundy,
Elaine |
*** |
France |
Fiction |
|
35 |
Officer
Down |
Schwegel, Theresa |
**** |
US/Chicago |
Mystery |
|
36 |
The
Well of Lost Plots |
Fforde, Jasper |
***** |
England |
Fiction |
|
37 |
Probable
Cause |
Schwegel, Theresa |
*** |
US/Chicago |
Mystery |
|
38 |
Here
If You Need Me |
Braestrup, Kate |
**** |
US/Maine |
Memoir |
|
39 |
The
Janissary Tree |
Goodwin,
Jason |
**** |
Turkey |
Mystery |
|
40 |
Lying
Low |
Johnson,
Diane |
*** |
US/California |
Fiction |
|
41 |
The
Tenderness of Wolves |
Penney,
Stef |
***** |
Canada |
Fiction |
|
42 |
Heartsick |
Cain,
Chelsea |
**** |
US/Portland,OR |
Mystery |
|
43 |
Something
Rotten |
Fforde, Jasper |
**** |
England |
Fiction |
|
44 |
A
Student of Living Things |
Shreve,
Susan Richards |
**** |
US/Wash,
D.C. |
Fiction |
|
45 |
Our
Former Lives in Art |
Davis,
Jennifer S. |
*** |
US/Alabama |
Fiction |
|
46 |
Wash
This Blood Clean from My Hand |
Vargas,
Fred |
***** |
France/Canada |
Mystery |
|
47 |
Bridge
of Sighs |
Russo,
Richard |
**** |
US/NY/Venice |
Fiction |
|
48 |
A
Valley in Italy |
St.Aubin de Teran, Lisa |
*** |
Italy |
Memoir |
|
49 |
Stalin's
Ghost |
Smith,
Martin Cruz |
**** |
Russia |
Fiction |
|
50 |
Death
at the Old Hotel |
Lehane, Con |
*** |
US/NYC |
Mystery |
|
51 |
The
Grave Tattoo |
McDermid, Val |
**** |
England |
Mystery |
|
52 |
Harry
Potter and the Deathly Hallows |
Rowling,
J.K. |
***** |
England |
YA |
|
53 |
The
Pirate's Daughter |
Cezair-Thompson,
Margaret |
**** |
Jamaica |
Fiction |
|
54 |
Bangkok
Haunts |
Burdett,
John |
**** |
Thailand |
Mystery |
|
55 |
Within
Tuscany |
Spender,
Matthew |
*** |
Italy |
Travel |
|
56 |
Thursday
Next: First Among Sequels |
Fforde, Jasper |
***** |
England |
Fiction |
|
57 |
No
Time for Goodbye |
Barclay,
Linwood |
*** |
US/Connecticut |
Mystery |
|
58 |
The
Used World |
Kimmel,
Haven |
**** |
US/Indiana |
Fiction |
|
59 |
The
Tenth Muse |
Jones,
Judith |
*** |
US/NYC |
Food |
|
60 |
Down
River |
Hart,
John |
**** |
US/NC |
Mystery |
|
61 |
Little
Heathens |
Kalish, Mildred Armstrong |
*** |
US/Iowa |
Memoir |
|
62 |
The
Holiday Season |
Knight,
Michael |
***** |
US/Alabama |
Fiction |
|
63 |
Ratking |
Dibdin, Michael |
**** |
Italy |
Mystery |
|
64 |
A
Nail Through the Heart |
Hallinan, Timothy |
**** |
Thailand |
Mystery |
|
65 |
Three
Junes |
Glass,
Julia |
***** |
Scotland,NYC |
Fiction |
|
66 |
Trail
of Crumbs |
Sunee, Kim |
**** |
France |
Memoir |
|
67 |
Death
in the Garden |
Ironside, Elizabeth |
***** |
England |
Mystery |
|
68 |
The
Wee Free Men |
Pratchett, Terry |
*** |
England |
YA |
|
69 |
Away |
Bloom,
Amy |
**** |
Russia,
U.S. |
Fiction |
|
70 |
The
Wrong Kind of Blood |
Hughes,
Declan |
**** |
Ireland |
Mystery |
|
71 |
Let
Me Finish |
Angell,
Roger |
**** |
US/NY/Maine |
Memoir |
|
72 |
The
Various Haunts of Men |
Hill,
Susan |
***** |
England |
Mystery |
|
73 |
But
Enough About Me |
Dunn,
Jancee |
**** |
US/NYC |
Memoir |
|
74 |
Persian
Nights |
Johnson,
Diane |
***** |
Iran |
Fiction |
|
75 |
Death
in the Truffle Wood |
Magnan, Pierre |
*** |
France |
Mystery |
|
76 |
Baltimore
Blues |
Lippman, Laura |
*** |
US/Baltimore |
Mystery |
|
77 |
The
Pure in Heart |
Hill,
Susan |
***** |
England |
Mystery |
|
78 |
Taken |
Bloor,
Edward |
*** |
Us/Florida |
YA |
|
79 |
The
Accomplice |
Ironside, Elizabeth |
***** |
England |
Mystery |
|
80 |
Hons and Rebels |
Mitford,
Jessica |
***** |
England |
Memoir |
|
81 |
Unaccustomed
Earth |
Lahiri, Jhumpa |
***** |
US/Mass |
Fiction |
|
82 |
Friend
of the Devil |
Robinson,
Peter |
**** |
England |
Mystery |
|
83 |
An
Incomplete Revenge |
Winspear, Jacqueline |
**** |
England |
Mystery |
|
84 |
Diary
of a Wimpy Kid |
Kinney,
Jeff |
*** |
USA |
YA |
|
85 |
The
Namesake |
Lahiri, Jhumpa |
***** |
US/Mass/NY |
Fiction |
|
86 |
My
Family and Other Animals |
Durrell,
Gerald |
*** |
Corfu |
Memoir |
|
87 |
The
Hard Way |
Child,
Lee |
**** |
NYC/England |
Mystery |
|
88 |
Killing
Floor |
Child,
Lee |
**** |
US/Georgia |
Mystery |
|
89 |
Bad
Luck and Trouble |
Child,
Lee |
**** |
US/California |
Mystery |
|
90 |
One
False Move |
Coben, Harlan |
*** |
US/NYC |
Mystery |
|
91 |
First
Drop |
Sharp,
Zoe |
**** |
Us/Florida |
Mystery |
|
92 |
Second
Shot |
Sharp,
Zoe |
**** |
Us/NH |
Mystery |
|
93 |
Frost
at Christmas |
Wingfield, R.D. |
**** |
England |
Mystery |
|
94 |
The
Seasons of Rome |
Hofmann,
Paul |
** |
Rome |
Travel |
|
95 |
Born
Standing Up |
Martin,
Steve |
***** |
US/California |
Memoir |
|
96 |
Let
Us Eat Cake |
Boortsin, Sharon |
** |
US/California |
Food |
|
97 |
Last
Night at the Lobster |
O'Nan, Stewart |
**** |
US/New
England |
Fiction |
|
98 |
Beautiful
Lies |
Unger,
Lisa |
*** |
US/NYC |
Mystery |
|
99 |
The
Man Who Turned into Himself |
Ambrose,
David |
*** |
US/New
England |
Fiction |
|
100 |
The
Cruelest Month |
Penny,
Louise |
**** |
Canada |
Mystery |
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