Nancy Drew, Girl Detective. #1, The Demon of River Heights

NANCY DREW, GIRL DETECTIVE #1, THE DEMON OF RIVER HEIGHTS: Stefan Petrucha, writer and Sho Murase, artist: Young Adult Comics: 96 pgs.

This is not the Nancy Drew novel that I grew up reading. But it is a contemporary pocket-sized graphic novel rendition of my favorite girl detective series. While the characters, best friends Nancy, Bess and George, are familiar, their high tech tools are nothing like the old-fashioned magnifying glass used by author Carolyn Keene’s crime solvers. The sleuths utilize gadgets like cell phones and WIFI connected tablet PCs.

The manga-style illustrations will appeal to a new generation of young readers eager to watch the titian-haired Nancy outsmart a bear, solve the mystery of the missing film students and bring justice to an ethically-challenged business man.

DLD

Superman Returns: The Prequels

SUPERMAN RETURNS: THE PREQUELS: Bryan Singer, Michael Dougherty, and Dan Harris: DC Comics: Young Adult Comics: 128 pages

The movie Superman Returns picks up with Superman coming back to Earth after a five-year absence. These prequels give glimpses of the same five years in the lives of the three most important people in his life. In the first, Martha Kent reminisces about Clark's formative years. In the second, Lex Luthor bides his time in prison, nursing a grudge and vowing revenge for Superman's "theft" of five years of his life. The final episode shows Lois Lane, heart in turmoil, pressed to write another article about the Man of Steel. Frustrated and wanting to move on, she writes a story that earns her a Pulitzer, "Why the World Doesn't Need Superman."

This is the first DC comic book that I have read. I surprisingly liked this book, even though I wasn’t really familiar with the timeline of the Superman series. I would recommend this book to any comic book enthusiast.

AMM

Confessions of a Teen Sleuth

CONFESSIONS OF A TEEN SLEUTH: Chelsea Cain: Bloomsbury: Non-Fiction: 160 pages

America’s favorite girl detective, Nancy Drew, is back to set the record straight. According to our titian-haired heroine, she was not in fact a fictional character, but an intrepid real-life sleuth who investigated some of the twentieth century’s biggest mysteries. And the famous series she starred in was not cooked up by a team of writers, but plagiarized from her exploits by her nosy college roommate Carolyn—who, not surprisingly, got a whole lot wrong.

I enjoyed this parody quite a lot. It was fun to see “the other side” of the Nancy Drew novels. I loved the descriptions of what Nancy considered ‘essentials’ when she left town to solve a mystery. I would recommend this to anyone familiar with the Nancy Drew novels who wants to be entertained.

AMM

Slam

SLAM: Nick Hornby: G.P. Putnam’s Sons: Young Adult: 309 pages

Fifteen-year-old Sam Jones is a British teenager who loves Tony Hawk, talking to a poster of Tony when he needs advice. And Sam does need advice. He’s recently broken up with his girlfriend, Alicia, only to discover that she’s pregnant.

Nick Hornby has frequently been praised for his accurate portrayals of British men, and in this first teen novel, he gives a great, rare look at the male perspective on teen pregnancy. Both the subject matter and the language make this a book intended for an older teen or adult audience, but it is a well-written, insightful look at a choice and the many consequences and phases that follow it.

MBC

The Year of Living Biblically

THE YEAR OF LIVING BIBLICALLY: A.J. Jacobs: Simon & Schuster: Nonfiction: 388 pages

What would happen if you attempted to literally interpret and live every admonition in the Bible? Jacobs undertakes this task for one year, first studying the Bible for several months and recording all the laws and commandments in the Old and New Testaments and then attaching tassels to the corners of his clothing, observing food restrictions, tithing, and attempting to do everything the Bible mandates. Additionally, Jacobs visits religious groups that interpret the Bible literally. He attends a meeting with snake handlers, invites a Jehovah’s Witness to his home for several hours, and goes to the Creationism Museum in Kentucky.

With a premise that could potentially be offensive, Jacobs does a very nice job of fairly and respectfully examining the Bible and its adherents. He does his research, reading multiple versions of the Bible and commentaries and gathering a board of religious advisors from several Jewish and Christian faiths. While there are absurd portions of the book (the author “stones” an adulterer with pebbles in a park) and Jacobs is, admittedly, agnostic, the work as a whole is both interesting and thought-provoking for believers and non-believers alike.

MBC

Undercover

UNDERCOVER: Beth Kephart: HarperTeen: Young Adult: 278 pages

Very loosely drawing on the classic Cyrano story, Elisa uses her way with language to help the boys in her high school write love notes to the girls that interest them. Elisa becomes personally interested in one the boys she helps, and her ice skating serves as a way for them to become friends.

Language is very important in this story, perhaps more important than the story itself. The lyrical text slows the pace of the story and distances the reader from forming attachments to any of the characters or feeling emotionally involved in the story. Nicely written, but somewhat cold in tone.

MBC

Travels with Herodotus

TRAVELS WITH HERODOTUS; Ryszard Kapuscinski; New York: Knopf, 2007; Nonfiction; 275 pgs.

Having graduated from the university in 1955, and taken up a job as a journalist, Ryszard Kapuscinski desires nothing more than to "cross a border"--any border. So his editor sends him to India, and from there to China, Africa, Indonesia. He takes as his companion a gift copy of Herodotus' Histories and learns from him the importance of encountering other cultures and other peoples firsthand, and of recording historical events as best as possible. Kapuscinski writes with elegance and warmth about the global village. Translated from the Polish by
Klara Glowczewska.

LW

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac

MEMOIRS OF A TEENAGE AMNESIAC: Gabrielle Zevin: Young Adult: 271 pages

After falling down the school steps, Naomi awakes without any memory of the previous four years, including her parents divorce, the birth of her sister, or her relationship with her boyfriend.

The premise for this story is intriguing. As she attempts to make sense of her current situation, Naomi provides a fascinating, outsider perspective on her own life. This would be a good book club discussion book, because it explores decision-making and the evolution of individuals and relationships in such a unique way.

MBC

Rebel Angels

REBEL ANGELS: Libba Bray: Delacorte Press: 2005: 548 pages

In this sequel to A Great and Terrible Beauty, Gemma and her friends, Ann and Felicity, have mastered the power to transport themselves to the mystical Realms and are now seeking the way to bind the powerful magic so that it will not fall into the hands of the evil Circe and her minions. Meanwhile, Gemma must also deal with problems in the real world such as her laudanum addicted father grieving for his wife and her attraction to affable Tom, the son of a viscount, and the mysterious Indian boy, Kartik.

As the author points out near the end of the book when referring to the new electrical underground railroad, the Victorian time period was on the cusp of the modern world. Gemma, Ann and Felicity are perfect examples of the changes taking place in this world. They are supposed to grow up to be well-mannered wives, but they long for more power in their lives. Libbra Bray does an excellent job of creating complex and fallible characters.

AJ

A Great and Terrible Beauty

A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY: Libba Bray: Delacorte Press: 2004: 403 pages

Growing up in British ruled India in the late 1800s, Gemma Doyle has longed to visit London. When her mother dies mysteriously, something that Gemma witnesses in a dark vision, she is finally sent to London where she is enrolled in a secluded girls’ finishing school. Gemma encounters trouble at the new school with the rich and popular girls and is frightened over her growing visions. She also discovers she has been followed from India by Kartik, a young Indian man who warns her to fight off her visions. Gemma has difficulty controlling them and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical realm.

Part Gothic mystery, part teen school drama and part other-worldly fantasy, this novel will delight a variety of readers and leave them wanting to know more about Gemma and her strange powers.

AJ

Soldier's Heart: Reading Literature Through Peace and War at West Point

SOLDIER'S HEART: READING LITERATURE THROUGH PEACE AND WAR AT WEST POINT; Elizabeth D. Samet; New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007; 259pgs. Non-Fiction

Elizabeth Samet, Harvard and Yale-educated professor of English, is beguiled into taking a teaching position at West Point when she reads the memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant. As she becomes acquainted with the plebes, yearlings, cows, and firsties of the Army Corps of cadets she learns much about soldiers in time of war, and uses literature (and film) to help them know themselves even better. Soldier's Heart is a tender and enlightening account of young men and women who become dear to the reader, and dearer because they may not survive the course of the war. Along the way we become acquainted with the literature of war and the uses in wartime of the literature of peace. Samet is a thoughtful, deeply intelligent writer whose prose and sensibilities linger in the mind long after the book is closed. Highly recommended.

LW

Persepolis

PERSEPOLIS: Marjane Satrapi: Pantheon: 2004: Young Adult Comics:160

For sassy young Marjane Satrapi, growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution of 1979 is pretty confusing. After growing up in a relatively modern society, Marjane is now forced to wear a head scarf in public, wear her jeans only in secret, and stop listening to tapes where people might hear, as these things are now against the law. More seriously, she watches as family and friends are taken away, tortured, and sometimes even murdered.

Told through the eyes of a child, this graphic novel is stunning in its ability to capture the complexities of Iran in the early 80’s while remaining accessible and informative. A really great read for anyone interested in the region.

Wallace and Gromit: The Bootiful Game

WALLACE AND GROMIT: THE BOOTIFUL GAME: Ian Rimmer: Titan Books: Young Adult Comics: 48 pages

When Wallace takes over the running of a local soccer club, he uses all his inventive skills to set it on the road to glory. But all is not as it seems at Growther AFC, and soon Wallace and Gromit’s dreams of success are hobbled by foul play and outright sabotage!

I like Wallace and Gromit and this was a fun book, however I had a hard time with all of the British words, since I didn’t know what all of them meant. The story did have some interesting twists and turns.

AMM

Beowulf

BEOWULF: Gareth Hinds: Candlewick Press: Young Adult Nonfiction: 128 pgs.

Hinds sketches a new take on the oft told epic poem, Beowulf, in this gruesome graphic novel. Why wield away hours struggling through 3,183 lines of Old English when you can slog through a little text and blast past a cavern of dark, harsh and scary illustrations to pierce the tale. Essentially, Beowulf, hero of the Geats, encounters three antagonists: vicious monster Grendel, Grendel's vengeful mother and lastly a virulent dragon.

Hinds breaks the story into three books. He uses gory dark colors and pointed frightful creatures to paint the slaughters in books one and two. "Clang," "Sswackkhack," "Shlup." The colors transform into muted grays in the final book when the hero slays the dragon but is himself mortally wounded. Beowulf, now King of the Geats, is cremated and buried along with the dragon's treasure on a cliff overlooking the sea.

DLD

A War of Gifts

A WAR OF GIFTS; Orson Scott Card; New York: Tor, 2007; 126pgs. Fiction/Young Adult

Ender Wiggins' Battle School is an odd setting for a Christmas story, but when Zeck, the son of a fundamentalist preacher, arrives at the school and refuses to wage even simulated war, the Holiday that Must not be Named (nor celebrated) becomes an issue. When Dink writes his fellow Dutchman a poem for St. Nicholas day, and cuts his pancakes into letters, Zeck complains that if others are celebrating a "Santa Claus holiday," he should be able to observe his religion openly. Soon students of other faiths get riled up, and the War of Gifts is joined. Zeck becomes a pariah among his classmates, and Dink and Ender must use wisdom and restraint to restore peace in the season thereof. Aside from the cookie cutter portrait of the abusive fundamentalist father, the characters in this book are richly realized, and the story is sweetly told. Home, country, tradition, fellow-feeling, and brotherly kindness find a place in Outer Space.

LW

Epic

EPIC; Conor Kostick; New York: Viking, 2007; 364pgs. Young Adult

"Epic" is the name of a computer game that takes the place of representative government and societal ebb and flow in an unnamed country were actual violence has been outlawed and
people's lives and livelihoods are determined by their facility in playing the game. Outside the game, conditions are primitive and workers are assigned to their jobs, transferred to new tasks, or exiled completely depending on their facility at gaming. Erik is a young man who seems not to play well, because rather than slogging away with a faceless character for the slow accumulation of coppers, he challenges difficult opponents and often fails. His parents are afraid that he will be reallocated, but can't convince him to go conventional. Erik's team play becomes dangerous when he and his friends attract the attention of Central Allocations by doing things no one has been able to do before and the Council unleashes the "Executioner" into the game to protect their own power. The book reflects to some degree the current confusion of game life with real life--the Epic scenes in this story are often more vivid than reality, and it isn't always readily apparent whether Erik and his team are in or out of the game--sometimes it is startling when they unclip to go to bed or to eat supper. Kostick, himself a sometime game designer, argues in this well-wrought fantasy against confusing electronic victories with actual achievement. The freedom to grow, learn, and serve is balanced against freedom from violence in this gripping novel of parallel worlds.

LW

Remind Me Again Why I Need A Man

REMIND ME AGAIN WHY I NEED A MAN: Claudia Carroll: Harper Collins: Fiction: 374 pages

On paper, Amelia Lockwood, 37, seems to have it all—a great career as a television producer and great friends in married Caroline, bitter Rachel, and flamboyant Jamie—except for a man. Determined to change this, she enrolls in a night course for women over 35 on how to find a husband. The instructor demands she and her fellow classmates revisit 10 past boyfriends past in order to figure out what they have been doing wrong. Amelia dutifully makes the calls, revisiting the louse who cheated on her, the vain control freak, and the snooty rich boy. The one ex she doesn't want to revisit, her most recent boyfriend, turns up on her doorstep to announce that he not only is engaged but also will be living, along with his bride-to-be, right down the street. Buoyed by a charming cast of characters, Carroll's novel will have readers rapidly turning the pages to find out if Amelia finds her man and lives happily ever after—with or without him.

A fun read! Set in Ireland, Amelia certainly has an interesting dating past and her ex-boyfriends continue to live colorful lives. I was a bit disappointed in the ending because I felt like we never had much resolution. The book isn’t squeaky clean. I did enjoy reading about Amelia’s adventures in tracking down her ex-boyfriends though!

AMM

The Blade of Kringle

THE BLADE OF KRINGLE: Nathaniel Marunas: Razorbill: Young Adult Comics: 80 pages

With an eye-catching cover–Santa (aka Manga Claus) stands bare-chested wielding two samurai swords–and a ludicrous plot, this graphic novel is sure to attract manga lovers. 'Tis the night before the night before Christmas and all is well in the North Pole–until a disgruntled elf places an evil spell on a ninja nutcracker. He in turn infects a roomful of teddy bears, causing them to wreak havoc in Santa's factory, threatening to disrupt the holiday. Only Santa and his Blade of Kringle, a gift from a displaced samurai a century and a half earlier, can slice the stuffing out of these terrible teddies, saving the factory and Christmas Day. Black, white, and red illustrations are action-packed and full of comic fun, making this a satisfying choice for kids who've tired of sugarplums.

This is the first manga book that I have read. I can’t say that I loved this book, but it was a good introduction to the genre of graphic novels. I would recommend it to those that are looking for a holiday read manga style!

AMM

Talking with My Mouth Full

TALKING WITH MY MOUTH FULL: CRAB CAKES, BUNDT CAKES, AND OTHER KITCHEN STORIES: Bonny Wolf: Nonfiction: 2007

Wolf, NPR’s food commentator, shares a collection of food memoirs complete with recipes. Traditional family foodways, regional favorites, and special events featuring food are all discussed in a style very reminiscent of Laurie Colwin’s wonderful books, Home Cooking and More Home Cooking. Antipasto, ice cream, latkes, and chili are all treated with warmth and surrounded with tales of family and friends.

MBC

Listening is an Act of Love

LISTENING IS AN ACT OF LOVE: A CELEBRATION OF AMERICAN LIFE FROM THE STORYCORPS PROJECT: Penguin: Nonfiction: 2007

StoryCorps is a nonprofit organization that allows individuals to record the stories of their lives with the people they care about in small, sometimes traveling, studios. Listening is an Act of Love is a transcription of a number of interviews that have been recorded through the project. The stories are so diverse and so touching. A grandson interviews the grandmother who raised him. A 9/11 survivor describes his escape from one of the towers. A woman from India tells her American daughter-in-law about her arranged marriage. Each story is only a few pages long, but the entire collection is a powerful testament to the strength, resilience, and goodness of humanity.

MBC

Hot Lunch

HOT LUNCH: Alex Bradley: Dutton: Young Adult: 2007

When Molly and Cassie cause the head of the school kitchen staff to quit, they are placed in charge of the kitchen and can only end their service there when the food they serve is better than their predecessor's. Some of the recipes that Molly, Cassie, and their dessert chef, Clyde, prepare are included (the author has also written several cookbooks under a different name). The story advocates for better, locally produced food for schools and individuals, which gets a little heavy-handed toward the end of the book, but this remains an enjoyable teen read that includes friendship, romance, humor, and a plug for social responsibility.

MBC

Shakespeare: The World as Stage

SHAKESPEARE: THE WORLD AS STAGE: Bill Bryson: HarperCollins: Nonfiction: 2007

A new addition to the Eminent Lives series, Bryson’s book creates a fascinating context for William Shakespeare’s plays. Bryson admits early in the book that there are few known facts about Shakespeare himself. In fact, there is still a debate over whether or not William Shakespeare actually wrote the plays credited to him. Despite the lack of information, Bryson manages to create a quick-paced, thoroughly enjoyable read that gives readers insight into Elizabethan and early Jacobean England—the laws, the people, the customs, and the plays—which shed light on Shakespeare’s work and time.

This is a wonderful, short introduction to Shakespeare. A good companion volume is Jennifer Lee Carrell’s new suspense novel, Interred with Their Bones, which incorporates a lot of the same information Bryson supplies in a contemporary, fictional story.

MBC

Good Dog. Stay.

GOOD DOG. STAY.: Anna Quindlen: Random House: 2007: Nonfiction: 84 pages

Are you an animal lover or even just an animal liker? In a reflective mood and want to read a book in less then a hour? Then try Pulitzer prize winner Anna Quindlen’s new book “Good Dog. Stay.”. This book is only 84 pages and about half of them are black and white pictures of dogs. A memorial to Quindlen’s beloved dog Beau, she reflects on the influence the dog had both on herself and her growing family. We all learn life lessons but some of us are not lucky enough to be taught them by a patient forgiving dog. Quindlen learned from Beau to “roll with the punches, take things as they come, to measure herself not in terms of the past or the future but of the present, to raise her nose in the air from time to time and, at least metaphorically, holler, “I smell bacon!” Quindlen’s writing style is smooth and easy. Though the book is extremely short, it still made me dab my eyes and smile as I thought back on my pets and lessons they taught me. Purpose of book accomplished. I do have one question about the book however, besides Beau and Bea, who are the dogs in the pictures?

mpb

SHAGGY MUSES

SHAGGY MUSES: Maureen Adams: Ballantine Books: 2007: Nonfiction: 320 pages

Through letters, journal entries and contemporary writings, author Maureen Adams offers a unique perspective into the lives of Emily Bronte, Edith Wharton, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Emily Dickinson and Virginia Woolf. These women, plagued by loneliness, depression, poor health and bouts of creative frenzies, often had only one fragile link that kept them grounded in the real world, their DOG. Each self contained chapter explores the life of one of these women giving us insight into how their dogs affected their daily lives, influencing them creatively, mentally, and socially. Whether running through the moors or living vicariously through their dogs, these “women/dog” bonds were life sustaining. This book fascinated me. I learned about the struggles these women endured, about routine daily life and what was culturally & politically “correct” behavior during this era. (Dog napping was a profitable business, lap dogs were the only acceptable house dogs, women did NOT write novels.) Although this is not a riveting page turner, it is a worthwhile read for teens and above especially if you are a literature lover, dog lover (or liker) or if you want to understand how animals can influence a human life. The reader on the Books On Tape version, Polly Stone, is quite listenable.

mpb

FINDING MIRACLES

FINDING MIRACLES: Julia Alvarez: Alfred A. Knopf: 2004: Young Adult Fiction: 264 pages

This is a delightful young adult coming of age story about Milly, who until refugee Pablo and his family enter her life, was an ordinary teen. There is something about Milly that attracts Pablo to her. Then Pablo’s mother notices how unique Milly’s eye color is. So begins Milly’s struggle to sort out and her quest to understand exactly who she is and where she fits into both her adopted and birth world. Written by Julia Alvarez, author of the popular novel “In the Time of Butterflies”, the ending is a bit schmaltzy but I enjoyed this easy read immensely and would recommend it to anyone.

mpb

Galileo's Daughter

GALILEO'S DAUGHTER: Dava Sobel: Walker & Co.: 1999: Nonfiction: 420 pages

Contrary to the title, this book is mainly about Galileo. Much information for the book however, came from letters that Suor Maria Celeste (Galileo’s eldest daughter) wrote to her father while she lived in a convent. Devoted to her father and his beliefs, she was his true supporter. There is a lot to be learned about 17^th century life from this book: how feared the bubonic plague was, the control the Pope had over literature and science, how many incredible inventions and discoveries made by Galileo we still use today. I listened to the Recorded Books audio version. George Guidall is a wonderful reader and kept my interest even through the extremely dry and slow parts. The insight on Galileo’s life and the times he lived in make this a worthwhile read to anyone who enjoys history. I strongly recommend the audio version.

mpb

LAST HEROES

LAST HEROES: W.E.B. Griffin: G.P. Putnam: 1997: Fiction: 342 pages

This is the first in the five part “Men at War” series. Set during the time the United States is beginning its involvement in World War II, Griffin gives us some insight on the beginnings of the OSS. He introduces us to a couple of fictional hot shot pilots and their friends. Their main goal is “whatever it takes” to secure the rare ore that will power a new weapon – the atomic bomb. I listened to the Book On Tape audio version. Despite the fact that this book contains way too much sex for my liking AND there is an excessive amount of offensive language AND I had to adjust to the reader’s not so pleasing voice, I actually found myself sort of caught up in the story. I do wish it had a bit more “military action.” I will read the next one because I want to know what happens. Not recommended to anyone who takes offense at sex or language.

mpb

POMPEII

POMPEII : Robert Harris: Random House: 2003: Fiction 278 pages

I love it when I can learn and be entertained by a book at the same time. Such is the case with Pompeii by Robert Harris. Streams are drying up, the massive Aqua Augusta aqueduct which supplies fresh water to a quarter of a million people isn’t flowing properly, the fish in the villa ponds are dying, wisps of sulfur are floating in the air, earth tremors are increasing, all signs things are not right with Mt. Vesuvius. The general public chooses to ignore and even poo-poo these events. However, Marius Primus Attilious, newly placed in charge of the 60 mile aqueduct (his predecessor has mysteriously disappeared), is extremely concerned. This novel is presented through the eyes of the engineer Attilious. Details of the culture from the pleasure seeking rich to the mistreated slaves, the intricate workings of the aqueduct, historical insights, power, corruption, and even a bit of romance make this novel an entertainingly fascinating read. There is minimal implied sexual content and a scattering of language. John Lee’s voice compliments the Book on Tape audio version.

mpb

The Sleeping Beauty Proposal

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY PROPOSAL: Sarah Strohmeyer: Dutton: 2007: 312 pages

Genie Michaels has been dating a smart, good looking British professor for four years and she has always assumed it was just a matter of time before Hugh got over his commitment issues and asked her to marry him. So when his sappy, Nicholas Sparks-style novel becomes a best seller and Hugh proposes on live TV, Genie is overjoyed. Her joy soon turns to shock and distress when she learns that Hugh has actually proposed to some one else and is leaving Genie to explain the mistake to all their friends and family. Her best friend, Patty, suggests that she stop sleeping through life, waiting for her prince to find her and start enjoying life by pretending to be engaged and the perks that come with it. Genie is nervous at first to deceive the people she knows, but when she sees how interested and friendly people act towards her she soon embraces the hoax fully.

At first glance this is a predictable if still enjoyable novel, but Strohmeyer delves a little deeper into some of the issues single young women face today. For example, Genie’s parents aren’t willing to help her with a down payment on a house until she gets (pretend) engaged because they don’t believe life starts for a woman until she’s married (even though Genie is in her thirties).

AJ

The Measure of a Man: [A Spititual AutoBiography]

THE MEASURE OF A MAN: [A SPIRITUAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY: Sidney Poitier: New York Harper Audio, 2000: Non-Fiction: AudioCD--7 CDs/8 hrs

If you know the man, you know his voice: cultured, aristocratic, slightly British and completely beautiful. Sidney Poitier--first black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. His autobiography explores the poverty of his early years on Cat Island, a tiny mass in the Caribbean, to his difficult rise up the echelons of Hollywood stardom. Poitier consistently struggled with the twin trials of poverty and prejudice. But, his stories are also deeply courageous and his journey laced with experiences that tested the man he was and wanted to be. He respected himself and by his actions, insured that others did so also. Was measured, and found worthy.

A book filled with wisdom, truth, and great stories. It really was a spiritual experience as I listened to the story of his life, and the experience was made all the richer as he told it personally in his melodic voice. The only un-impressive element was his occasional use of offensive language. An Oprah Book Club selection and beloved by many, perhaps the inappropriateness is outweighed by his greater good. You decide.

DLA

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE: Jonathan Safran Foer: Mariner Books: 2006: Fiction: 368 pages

Oskar Shell is an unusual nine year old. He’s a brainy kid who spends his time inventing interesting tools as well as writing to famous scientists. When his father dies on 9/11 after leaving 5 voicemail messages, Oskar turns his focus to his father’s death. Oskar meets a number of interesting characters along the way and wrapped in is a subplot of his Grandmother and Grandfather’s relationship and survival from the Dresden firebombing in WWII. The author experimented with visual modifications to the text and included photos and other artwork. This is a very moving story about personal relationships gained and lost. The ending and accompanying pictures will stay with you long after you finish the book.

DEF

Taken

TAKEN; Edward Bloor; New York, Knopf, 2007; 247 pgs.
Young Adult fiction

Feed meets The Scarlet Pimpernel in this flawed but fascinating story of a young girl who is "taken" or kidnapped in a society where rich kids live in fortress-like compounds, only venturing out into the "real" (read: poor) world with Glock-toting guards. Thirteen year old Charity Meyers has written a report about the kidnapping industry, and has undergone what-to-do-if-you-get-taken training in her school, so she is somewhat prepared when she is abducted by a sham doctor in a bogus ambulance. Her thoughts while she is waiting for her ransom to be paid reveal much about the divide in this futuristic society: the rich employ servants who are contractually obligated to reveal nothing about their personal lives and even to work under false names; rich kids are taken out of their compounds only occasionally to give their cast-off clothes to the poor kids or copies of the Ramiro Fortunate series, books about a poor Hispanic boy who does the right thing even when he could make his life easier by stealing or dealing drugs. What happens to Charity during the course of the narrative should be left to the reader to discover. Is Taken a bit heavy-handed in its message? are some of the situations improbable? is the ending somewhat difficult to believe? Yes, but . . . . Taken is a gripping, thought-provoking story about a terrible but completely plausible future, a story where the whole is much more than the sum of its parts, and which teens and adults should find hard to put down and harder to forget.

LW

Book of a Thousand Days

BOOK OF A THOUSAND DAYS: Shannon Hale: Bloomsbury: Young Adult: 306 pages

When Dashti, a maid, and Lady Saren, her mistress, are shut in a tower for seven years for Saren’s refusal to marry a man she despises, the two prepare for a very long and dark imprisonment.

As food runs low and the days go from broiling hot to freezing cold, it is all Dashti can do to keep them fed and comfortable. But the arrival outside the tower of Saren’s two suitors—one welcome, and the other decidedly less so—brings both hope and great danger, and Dashti must make the desperate choices of a girl whose life is worth more than she knows.

I loved this book! I really enjoy the way Shannon Hale tells stories. This book is loosely based on the Grimm Fairy Tale “Maid Maleen” and was just delightful. I loved how the characters developed and how the adventure continued up to the very last page. I would recommend this book to anyone!

AMM

Women & Money

WOMEN & MONEY: OWNING THE POWER TO CONTROL YOUR DESTINY: Suze Orman: Spiegel & Grau, c2007: Nonfiction: 255 p.

Finance Guru, Suze Orman, is THE woman to see regarding all matters money. You might have seen her recent appearance on Oprah or on her own CNN talk show. And now she dispenses financial advice specifically to the fairer sex. Suze takes women through the basics of CD’s, money markets, trusts, and living wills. What she says is essential information for all women to know. Her mantra: People First, Then Money, Then Things.

The plus...it's not all scary financial mumbo jumbo. The book is easy to understand and I finally realize the difference between a traditional and a roth IRA--I think. Now that's talent.

DLA

Playing for Pizza

PLAYING FOR PIZZA; John Grisham; New York: Doubleday, 2007, 262pgs. Fiction

A lightweight outing for Grisham, who tells here a story of a failed NFL third-string quarterback who, run out of town after a disastrous loss, winds up playing for the Parma Panthers in Italy. If our hero, Rick Dockery, telegraphed his passes like Grisham telegraphs what will happen next, he would soon be out of the business altogether, but sometimes predictable is pleasant enough, and the charms of Italy along with the rise of an appealing underdog team make this a good afternoon read on a snowy day, if ever we should get one.

LW

The Winter Prince

THE WINTER PRINCE; Elizabeth E. Wein; 1994; 202pgs. Fantasy

Elizabeth Wein's Welsh version of the Mordred-King Arthur story is breathtaking. The characterizations are rich and nuanced: Medraut, the older but illegitimate brother who must pledge fealty to a younger, less able half brother; Lleu, the heir, and his protective twin
sister Goewin who loves her brother but knows herself to be more capable than he, and more in love with the land and her people; Artos the King, and Morgause, evil but compelling. Medieval England comes brilliantly to life in Wein's beautiful telling.

LW

Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger's

LOOK ME IN THE EYE: MY LIFE WITH ASPERGER'S; John Elder Robison; New York, Crown, 2007; 288pgs.; Non-Fiction

Augusten Burroughs’ bestselling “Running with Scissors,” features stories of his brother John Elder, diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome after thinking himself a misfit and loser for most of his life. John's situation caused much more public comment than much of the rest of the book, and in “Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s” John tells his story. Although John escaped the household before his parents got as mental and as abusive as they would be with his little brother, he still suffered from his mother’s mania and his father’s drunkenness. In addition, John was almost universally tormented for his weirdness—refusing to look people in the eye; being unable to respond logically to ordinary forms of discourse; choosing different names for people because their real names didn’t make sense to him; inventing and executing bizarre and dangerous practical jokes. What is so interesting and enlightening about “Look Me in the Eye” is Robison’s remarkable ability to share what it is like to have Asperger’s from the inside out. As time went on he learned what to say in order to be considered normal, though his interior life still differed vastly from what was common to others. This well-written, funny, fascinating memoir is nearly impossible to put down, and what an education in why one ought not to condemn others for their differences or ourselves for our own.

LW

An Army at Dawn: the War in North Africa, 1942-1943

AN ARMY AT DAWN: THE WAR IN NORTH AFRICA, 1942-1943; Rick Atkinson; New York: Henry Holt, 2002, 541 pp. Non-fiction

An Army at Dawn won the Pulitzer Prize for 2002 and rightly so. I have read many good non-fiction books this year, but this one is the best, second only to Barbara Tuchman's The Guns of August among my favorite history books. Atkinson's subject is the entry of the United States into World War II, beginning with the campaign in Northern Africa designed to root out the Germans and Italians to clear the way for a strike across the Mediterranean into Italy and then northward to retake Europe.The writing is splendid, the detail of conversations, letters home from soldiers, what Eisenhower was wishing (to get in his bunk and read a Western), and what Roosevelt and Churchill were saying to each other is no less than extraordinary. This is a sad book, of course, as all books about wars must be, but so well done--enlightening, poignant, revealing.

LW

Mr. Darcy's Daughters

MR. DARCY'S DAUGHTERS: A NOVEL: Elizabeth Aston: Touchstone, 2003: Fiction: 360pgs.

Pride & Prejudice: the next generation. Coincidentally (or not) the married Darcys’ are the proud parents of five daughters--all with strong personality traits reminiscent of the original five sisters. The novel follows the girls as they leave Pemberly for London, where the sisters experience a whirlwind season of balls and evening soirees. Delightfully, the Darcy daughters manage to embroil themselves in all sorts of mischievous, romantic adventures. All the more mischievous because the girls find themselves barely chaperoned by family relations. And adventures of the sort that their dutiful parents, who happen to be on a diplomatic mission in Turkey, might not quite approve! (Book Club sets available)

Readers will notice familiar characterizations and similar/identical plot development to the beloved classic favorite. Inventive enough to be entertaining; however, and only slightly more liberal than an Austen novel, Aston should ring fairly true to Austen fans. Perhaps not quite as witty. (And does anyone else find the similarity in the authors’ last names somewhat suspicious?)

DLA

Elsewhere

ELSEWHERE: Gabrielle Zavin: Square Fish: 2007: Young Adult Fiction: 304 pages

This was a very engaging story of a young girl killed in a car accident at the age of 14. It begins with her death when she awakens on a ship bound for Elsewhere. It turns out that after you die you go to Elsewhere and live a relatively normal afterlife. The main difference being that inhabitants of Elsewhere age backwards. Upon reaching the age of -0- they will return to earth to begin a new life. Lizzie has to figure out how to live in Elsewhere and deal with all the complex emotions and issues that every teenager faces. Regret, romance, family strife are all part of this story and make for a great read.

DEF

Simple Genius

SIMPLE GENIUS: David Baldacci: Warner Books: 2007: 420 pages

Former secret service agents turned private investigators, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, are hired to check out a mysterious death being ruled as a possible suicide of a researcher named Monk Turing who works for an secretive laboratory in Virginia that happens to be located directly across the York river from Camp Peary, a super secret training ground for the CIA and the location where Monk Turing’s body was found.

Sean and Michelle begin searching for answers but find few people willing to tell them anything about the laboratory or Camp Peary. What begins as a search for the reason behind one man’s death leads to more murders, secret codes connected to World War II German POWs, hidden treasure, and much much more.

Overall I enjoyed this thriller even though the language, characters and plot were at times a little too cliché. I think this book would appeal more to people who enjoy a slowly unfolding mystery than some one looking for a good action thriller.

AJ

About Alice

ABOUT ALICE: Calvin Trillin: Random House: Nonfiction: 78 pages

In this brief volume, Calvin Trillin, the well-known staff writer for The New Yorker, presents a touching tribute to his wife Alice, who died at age 63 in 2001. Appearing in Trillin’s previous humorous works, Alice was familiar to the author’s audiences, but in this latest work, Trillin writes in a more serious fashion, recalling Alice’s battle with lung cancer, her work as an educator, and her role as a wife and mother. Based on a 12-page essay, “Alice, Off the Page,” previously published in The New Yorker, this book is a sincere, but brief, memoir of love.

MBC

Frannie in Pieces

FRANNIE IN PIECES: Delia Ephron: HarperTeen: Young Adult: 374 pages

When fifteen-year-old Frannie’s father dies, she discovers a wooden box with the words Frances Anne 1000 carved on the outside and a handmade puzzle inside. As Frannie works on the puzzle, she is transported into a different time and place and finds her father as he existed at that time.

Frannie’s work with the puzzle is the inspiration for the title of this book and runs through the entire novel, but her time in the world of the puzzle is actually the least satisfying portion of the story. As Frannie works on the puzzle, she is also working as an arts and crafts camp counselor for children (she helps them create a collage about household poisons—mothballs, hairspray, markers), dealing with her best friend’s new romantic relationship, and struggling to see her mother and stepfather as something other than a burden. Frannie’s real life and the answers she finds there create a light, humorous story about overcoming trials, deftly handled by Ephron, the author of well-known screenplays, including The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and You’ve Got Mail.

MBC

Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society

CHINESE CINDERELLA AND THE SECRET DRAGON SOCIETY: Adeline Yen Mah: HarperCollins Publishers: Young Adult: 242 pgs.

During World War II’s Japanese occupation of China’s coastal lands, Ye Xian is suffering from an abusive family when her father throws her out of the house. She finds refuge with the secret Dragon Society of Wandering Knights where she begins to train in the art of kung fu and hopes to join her few new-found friends. Soon she and the rest of the society members are making plans to help rescue American heroes who have crashed after bombing Japan and bringing renewed hope to China.

While a couple of scenes have some interesting action, most of this book is poorly done. It is written more for a children’s audience. The storytelling aspect is terrible and often has a preachy feel to it. This was especially disappointing since the book was written by the author of the New York Times Best-seller Falling Leaves. Younger children might find the historical aspects, children protagonists, and Chinese elements, and fantasy action intriguing—but older audiences will likely not find much to enjoy about the book overall.

HMT

City of Shadows

CITY OF SHADOWS: A NOVEL OF SUSPENSE: Ariana Franklin: Harper: Fiction: 2005: 422 pgs.

The story of Anna Anderson, who claimed to be the Russian Grand Duchess Anastasia, is familiar to many. This novel takes a new spin on the old story adding in a vicious and clever serial killer and a Berlin being torn apart by a sinking economy and the political upheaval that took place during the years leading up to World War II. Esther Solomonova becomes Anna's caretaker as she prepares to present herself to the Russian Aristocracy. However, Anna's fragile mental state and a string of strange murders draw Esther into a far more dangerous plot than presenting a royal fraud to the world.

Anyone interested in historical fiction or the early years of serial murder investigations will find Franklin's book intriguing. I loved the plot's multiple twists and turns. Each time I thought I had it all figured out I was surprised yet again...clear up until the final pages. A fascinating thriller with very little sex or graphic violence.

CZ

The Second Mrs. Darcy

THE SECOND MRS. DARCY: Elizabeth Aston: Simon & Schuster: Fiction: 2007: 300 pgs.

This is the fourth book in Elizabeth Aston's series following the relations of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. In this installment, a cousin of Mr. Darcy's dies leaving behind his young bride, Mrs. Octavia Darcy. An unknown relation of Octavia's follows her husband to the grave and unlike her late husband, Mrs. Worthington leaves Octavia a very large fortune. With the fortune come suitors more interested in her yearly income than in her company. All is not lost, though, for Octavia finds her path crosses that of the intriguing confirmed bachelor, Sholto Rutherford.

Aston is an entertaining writer and I believe this to be one of the better "Pride & Prejudice" sequels to be published. The Second Mrs. Darcy wasn't my favorite of the series, I felt like too much of the book was dedicated to setting the story up and concerned too many "social" details. But still an enjoyable, light, clean read.

CZ

Iceberg

ICEBERG: Clive Cussler: Berkley Books: 2004: 340 pages

Admiral Dirk Pitt, Special Projects Director for the National Underwater and Marine Agency, is investigating a mysterious ship trapped in an iceberg. He’s not the only one interested in the ship, though, and his involvement throws him into the path of a dangerous international group with a ruthless assassination team.

Cussler’s popular character, Pitt, has been described as a cross between James Bond and Jacques Cousteau. Iceberg is full of Bond-like action—karate, crashing helicopters, underwater excavation, deception, murder, flirtation, and spies fill the storyline. The beginning seemed slow, but once the action began, it was a non-stop adventure.

MBC

The Glass Castle: A Memoir

THE GLASS CASTLE: A MEMOIR: Jeanette Walls: Scribner: Biography: 2006: 288 pages

Growing up Jeanette Walls’ parents weren’t exactly Ma and Pa Cleaver. In fact, they were negligent at best. This book is largely about Walls’ nomadic parents who follow their free spirited whims to many parts of the country—with four children in tow.

While based on a mostly sad childhood, this book doesn’t have an ounce of self pity or really, bitterness. I felt angrier about Walls selfish parents at the end of the novel than she did. To some extent she champions her parents for making life seem like an adventure and teaching her about ‘truth’ as the dedication states. In addition to a memoir of an outrageous childhood, this novel explores the vices that make us human, but also the breaking of unhealthy cycles. A quirky, entertaining read…even if almost ruined by a “Family Christmas Letter” last chapter.

The Principles of Uncertainty

THE PRINCIPLES OF UNCERTAINTY; Maira Kalman; New York: Penguin, 2007; 325 pp.
Biography
Maira Kalman is a well-known and beloved author and illustrator of children's books, but this grown-up story is a thought-provoking delight. Kalman tells the story of a year in her life with scribbled ruminations and pictures of great hats, old people crippling along, a dead man on the front page of the newspaper, eating honey cake with her aunt in Tel Aviv. "The people, the people!" she exclaims, and much of the treasure of this book is Kalman's overwhelming love for the people--family, friends, celebrities, strangers--who come into her life. The fact that all will die stops her in her tracks several times a day, but instead of allowing herself to be undone by the knowledge she "springs into action. [She finds] meaningful distraction." A sparkling gem of a book.

LW

How to Take the Ex Out of Ex-Boyfriend

HOW TO TAKE THE EX OUT OF EX-BOYFRIEND: Janette Rallison: Putnam Juvenile: Young Adult: 265 pages

Sixteen-year-old Giovanna Petrizzo finds it hard enough to fit in. Three years since her family moved to Texas, she’s still the newcomer compared to everyone around her. It doesn’t help matters when her twin brother, Dante, takes on the mayor’s son by running for class president. The least she could expect, though, would be for her boyfriend, Jesse, to support their cause. But Jesse’s apparent defection triggers Giovanna’s rash emotional side, and before she knows it, she’s turned Jesse from the boy of her dreams to the ex-boyfriend she dreams of winning back.

This was a quick, enjoyable read. I laughed out loud at some of the predicaments Giovanna gets herself into. I would recommend to anyone looking for something light and humorous.

AMM