Nothing with Strings: NPR's Beloved Holiday Stories

NOTHING WITH STRINGS; Bailey White; New York: Scribner's, 2008; 193pgs. Fiction

I have laughed myself sick over some of Bailey White's early stories and essays in her books "Mama Makes up Her Mind," and "Sleeping at the Starlite Motel," but her new collection, "Nothing with Strings," is more sober, with stories of Alzheimer's, unkind and oblivious family members, and missed opportunities for happiness, given and received. White, a Southerner, has a fine ear for dialect and good eye for the lay and beauty of the land--one of the finest prose
stylists of our generation. "Nothing with Strings" is memorable and cautionary--don't not see what is there--don't not do what you can.

LW

The Graveyard Book

THE GRAVEYARD BOOK: Neil Gaiman: HarperCollins: Young Adult:312 pages

After his family is killed by a man named Jack, Nobody Owens wanders into a cemetery and is adopted and raised by the ghosts who live there. Years later, Jack discovers Nobody in the cemetery and Nobody must use all the skills he’s learned in the graveyard to survive. This is a terribly fun story with an imaginative premise that remains light-hearted despite the fact that it revolves around the murder of a family.

MBC

Shakespeare Wrote for Money

SHAKESPEARE WROTE FOR MONEY: Nick Hornby: Believer Books: Nonfiction: 131 pages

In this compilation of novelist Nick Hornby’s “Stuff I’ve Been Reading” columns from Believer Magazine, Hornby lists the books he’s read each month and reviews them in an informal, conversational style, taking the occasional detour into a review of the British football (soccer) season. This is the third and final collection of “Stuff I’ve Been Reading” column, following The Polysyllabic Spree and Housekeeping vs. the Dirt, and in each Hornby is a delightful companion with a wide range of interests that are reflected in his book selections. This last collection is especially nice, since Hornby finally discovered YA literature (with the publication of his own YA novel, Slam) and includes a number of contemporary YA classics in his last columns.

MBC

Finding Nouf

FINDING NOUF: Zoe Ferraris: Houghton Mifflin: Mystery: 305 pages

Finding Nouf tells of the mysterious disappearance of the daughter of a well-to-do Saudi family in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia. Nayir al-Sharqi, a Palestinian desert guide and friend of the family tries to help locate the missing girl. He is aided in his search for the truth about Nouf’s disappearance by Katya Hijazi, who works in the state medical examiner’s office and is the fiancé of Nouf’s brother.

The author, who lived in Arabia for a year, has a very interesting idea: write a mystery set in an exotic and little known place, create a male/female investigative team and develop a relationship between them (and then, possibly, write more books featuring these two characters). Ferraris writes well, her descriptions of the Saudi landscape are wonderful and she gets many, many things right but too many impossible and unbelievable things happen in this book that, really, believe me, couldn’t have happened in Arabia (I lived in Arabia for nine years). Reading the book you’ll believe that you are gaining insight into the way people really live in Arabia and you are – but unless you’ve lived there it will be impossible for you to know when you are glimpsing life as it really is and when you are not. If you like mysteries set in exotic places you’ll want to read this one but …. remember, it is fiction.

SH

Into the Dark

INTO THE DARK: Peter Abrahams: Young Adult: Laura Geringer Books: 300 pages

Ingrid is on the case again, but this time she has to prove that her Grandfather did not murder the local conservation agent who was found dead on his property. To prove his innocence, she has to dig into her grandfathers past and family secrets have to be revealed before it is too late.

Not as strong as the first book in the series, Down the Rabbit Hole, but if you are looking for a quick, easy mystery, Abrahams stories are a treat.

KK

The Loser's Guide to Life and Love

THE LOSER’S GUIDE TO LIFE AND LOVE: A.E. Cannon: HarperTeen: YA Fiction: 256 pages

Ed works at a video store in Salt Lake and wears the nametag of a former employee, Sergio. In an attempt to impress Ellie, a beautiful girl who visits the store, Ed pretends his name actually is Sergio and that he’s from Brazil. Meanwhile, Ed’s best friend Quark falls for Ed’s other best friend Scout, who may have feelings for Ed but doesn’t want to hurt Ellie, who’s warmed up to “Sergio.” In a plot very loosely based on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the four characters navigate their way through their complicated relationships in a quick but sometimes stale story. The references to Salt Lake are fun, but readers may enjoy the author’s earlier works more than this one.

MBC

Outlander

OUTLANDER: Diana Gabaldon: Delacorte Press: Romance: 627 pgs.

WWII nurse Claire Randall is suddenly hurled back 200 years when she visits an ancient circle of stones in Scotland. Her chief goal is to return to her own time, but she becomes entangled in local distrust between the Scots and the ruling English. The only way for her to escape being arrested and held by the English is for her to claim rights as a Scot – by marrying one. Claire is torn between surviving long enough to make it back to the circle of stones and her husband in 1945, and her growing attraction for the husband of her marriage of convenience in 1743.

Adventure and romance captivate in this series hailed for its outstanding characters and the relationships between them. Be aware that this book contains sexual situations, though you could skip to the next section of the chapter once you see them coming.

BHG

Anybody Out There?

ANYBODY OUT THERE?: Marian Keyes: William Morrow: 2006: Fiction: 456 pages

I went into this story expecting a chic-lit romance. It surprised me by being much deeper and emotional than expected. The story begins with Claire recuperating on her parents couch in Dublin. She is incapacitated with massive injuries, the reason for is not explained until well into the first half of the book. When the cause of her injuries are revealed it's a shock, and you as the reader feel something of the emotion she is dealing with.

Marian Keyes has an excellent way with character development and even the side characters are charming and well fleshed out. Along with the serious theme there is quite a bit of humor to balance the sadness.

DEF

Eat, Memory: Great Writers at the Table: A Collection of Essays from the New York Times

EAT, MEMORY: GREAT WRITERS AT THE TABLE; ed. Amanda Hesser; New York: W. W.
Norton and Company, 2008; 204pp. Nonfiction.

“Eat, Memory: Great Writers at the Table,” edited by Amanda Hesser, riffs on Nabokov’s
“Speak, Memory” to bring the reader stories by prominent writers about memorable food experiences. As Hesser suggests, “Food is the royal road to the unconscious” and “the most familiar and universal medium of our lives.” Some of these essays are sad, many are funny,
none is “sentimental,” as that was against the rules—in fact, it was the only rule. Julia
Child finds a prominent place here in “The Sauce and the Fury,” where she describes flunking her written exam at the Cordon Bleu because she skipped over the beginner’s pamphlet and went immediately to work on the high-end stuff (“Zut alors, and flûte!”). Ice cream lovers may
be undone by Colson Whitehead’s “I Scream,” where he tells the sad story of losing all interest
in that chilly dessert after three summers of making waffle cones and scooping “the nuclear green sludge of mint chocolate chip” at Big Olaf’s on Long Island. Although the texture and tone of each essay is different from the others, all are surpassingly well written. A tasty treat in more ways than one.

LW

Keeper of the Grail

KEEPER OF THE GRAIL: Michael P. Spradlin: Young Adult: Putman’s Sons: 248 pages

When a troop of Templar Knights board at a monastery on their way to fight in the Third Crusade, Sir Thomas asks Tristan, a boy who was raised by the monks, to join them and be his squire. While in battle in the Holy Land, knowing they will soon be defeated, Sir Thomas tells Tristan to escape with the Holy Grail and bring it safely to Scotland, reminding him no one can be trusted, not even a fellow Templar.

This new series, The Youngest Templar, is a great read alike for those who enjoy John Flanagan’s Rangers Apprentice series.

KK

Truth and Beauty: A Friendship

TRUTH AND BEAUTY: A FRIENDSHIP: Ann Patchett: HarperCollins: Nonfiction: 257 pages

Ann Patchett, author of the award-winning novel Bel Canto, and Lucy Grealy, author of Autobiography of a Face, roomed together as graduate students in Iowa and became fast friends, seeing one another through relationships, career changes, and Lucy’s neverending medical procedures. Patchett’s devotion to Lucy is evident as she recounts memories of her lively friend, even as Lucy’s behavior becomes self-destructive and she spirals out of control, abusing drugs and contemplating suicide. Reading about Lucy’s last year is difficult but Ann Patchett, as always, beautifully tells her tale and delivers a memoir overflowing with affection.

MBC

The Best Game Ever

THE BEST GAME EVER: GIANTS VS. COLTS, 1958, AND THE BIRTH OF THE MODERN NFL; Mark Bowden; New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2008; 239pgs. Nonfiction.

Most sports fans have favorite plays or games, but Mark Bowden argues convincingly for this pro football contest as number one in this fine volume of sports history. Bowden is a Colts fan and it is hard not to take his side in this book with its beguiling portraits of Raymond Berry, the guy with indifferent natural talent who studied his way into the record books, and Johnny Unitas and his nearly frightening ability to predict what would happen on the other side of the line of scrimmage. Even knowing how the game will turn out hardly lessens the suspense as the Colts, down three with scant minutes to go, drive towards field goal range and the first Sudden Death playoff in football history. But the greatest delight of this well-written book is in its stories and player profiles: Raymond Berry scouting the field before the game to find the wet and icy patches where his defenders might slip; NBC sending an employee onto the field in a fake drunken state when they lost their feed during the waning moments of the game and needed time to plug back in, and the Catholic novitiate where the nuns, forbidden to watch the game, draped a blanket over the TV and listened. In those days, pro football played a distant second fiddle to baseball in the hearts of American fans, and future Hall of Famers worked in steel mills and as insurance agents to supplement their skimpy football checks. The championship game of 1958 changed all that and Bowden tells the story oh so well.

LW

Multiple Blessings

MULTIPLE BLESSINGS: Jon & Kate Gosselin: Zondervan: Non-Fiction: 201 pages

Infertility treatments, twins, more infertility treatments, followed by six beating hearts on an ultrasound screen. That sets up the Gosselins' memoir of the exhausting and joyous events surrounding the births of their now famous sextuplets. Those familiar with the TLC program Jon & Kate Plus 8 know how their household runs; now their story comes alive for readers as well. Kate admits, "I was a bit of a control freak," yet also quickly draws on and receives the "peace of God... like a security blanket" through her months in the hospital, Jon's job loss and the impending arrivals. Details such as how they chose names; the sextuplets' birth day of May 10, 2004; and the babies' weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit are fascinating, as are stories of running a household that was perpetually full of volunteers, looked like "baby base camp" and required carefully sequenced nightly bath time. The Gosselins' life is a whirlwind, with their book reflecting the fast-paced, faith-filled approach they take to raising their twins and their miracle sextuplets.

This was a quick, whirlwind read! I was impressed with the courage and faith of Jon and Kate as they have raised their children. I enjoy watching the show and seeing how they interact with each other and their children.

AMM

Final Warning

FINAL WARNING: James Patterson: Young Adult: Little Brown: 256 pages

The newest installment of the Maximum Ride series has Max and her flock of genetically engineered bird kids in Antarctica helping scientist do research on global warming. But being at the bottom of the world does not keep the flock from danger and once again a mad scientist wants to capture them to auction them off to the highest bidder to do evil.

Final Warning for me was a weak addition to a series that I really enjoy. I felt it was too much of a soapbox for the author about the environment than an adventure story.

KK

Bogus to Bubbly: An Insiders Guide to the World of Uglies

BOGUS TO BUBBLY: AN INSIDERS GUIDE TO THE WORLD OF UGLIES: Scott Westerfeld: Simon Pulse: Young Adult Nonfiction: 196 pages

A behind-the-scenes guide to the world of the Uglies series discusses its history, geography, technology, cliques, names, and slang.

Anyone who enjoyed the Uglies series will be interested in this exclusive guide to Tally’s world. Scott Westerfeld infuses this book with humor and deleted scenes. The book is fast paced and I enjoyed learning even more about the characters and environment of Uglies.

AMM

To Kill a Mockingbird

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD: Harper Lee: Warner Books: Fiction: 296 pages

Between the ages of 6 and 9, Scout Finch has doubts about whether she wishes to grow up to be a lady. She much prefers the free, boyish life she enjoys with her older brother, Jem, and his friends. She also enjoys an open relationship with her widowed father, Atticus, a local attorney and perennial legislator. Though many of the family's adventures are told, Scout's life during these years centers on two events, her developing relationship with Boo Radley and her father's defense of Tom, a black wrongly accused of raping a white woman.

I first read this novel in high school and was excited to discover this story once again. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the novel a second time around. This classic is both humorous and thought provoking, serious and heartwarming.

AMM

Nation

NATION; Terry Pratchett; New York: HarperCollins, 2008. Young Adult.

One of the saddest bits of news I have heard in a long time is that the singular, peerless, irreplaceable Terry Pratchett has been diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. But if Nation becomes the last of his books to be published, it will be a powerful, fitting, and beautiful conclusion to a canon which has brought joy and laughter to many lives. In this story, Mau has left his island home to go to the Boys' Island where he must complete certain tasks before returning to his home island. As he goes back, a tidal wave sweeps under and over him, and then goes on to wash across the island drowning his family and friends as they wait to welcome him home as a man. At first Mau gives all the bodies to the sea, and is only saved from seeking the deep himself by the appearance on the island of a ghost girl, one of the trouser people whose ship has washed ashore with her the only survivor. Together Mau and Daphne reestablish a society, a culture, a village on the island, as other survivors find the place and need their care. A bare bones recounting of plot says nothing about the lovely pas de deux between science and religion that fills these pages, or the trademark Pratchett jokes and witticisms, or the deep understanding of human nature and the natural world with which the story is redolent. Nation is a powerful, unforgettable book with a bittersweet ending, in more ways than one.

LW

The Whiskey Rebels

THE WHISKEY REBELS: David Liss: Random House: Fiction: 525 pgs.

Ethan Saunders was a spy for General Washington’s army until incriminating documents framed him as a traitor. In the ten years that followed he sunk into drunkenness and self-loathing, losing the love of his fiancé and the respect of almost everyone he knows. Joan Maycott and her husband have lost everything several times because of the greed and manipulation of speculators and government representatives. She blames Hamilton and his unfair whiskey task for the financial ruin she faces. These two characters find themselves embroiled in schemes and deceptions centered around the newly founded Bank of the United States and the countries emerging financial market.

There are two things I love about David Liss’s novels. I always fall a little in love with his heroes and their shady backgrounds, cavalier attitudes, and their snarky comments. I also find it fascinating how he can take current financial concerns and show them in the context of earlier times…demonstrating that history does, in fact, repeat itself.

CZ

Al Capone Does My Shirts

AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS: Gennifer Choldenko: Puffin: 2006: YA: 240 pgs

As a 12 year old boy, Moose Flanagan is not happy when he is told by his father that they will be moving to Alcatraz Island so that his father can be the island Electrician. Once there, Moose ends up having to care for his autistic sister who often causes problems with her unpredictable behavior. In addition, the warden’s daughter entices Moose to participate in a money making scheme that if caught, could cause his father to lose his job. Moose continually struggles with wanting to enjoy himself and his deep love for baseball, and needing to grow up and take care of his sister and family. There is wonderful character development here, and it would be a great recommendation for any boy who isn't necessarily into Historical Fiction.

DEF

Night

NIGHT: Eli Wiesel: Hill and Wang: Biography: 120 pgs.

This memoir recounts Eli Wiesels experiences as a young teenage boy during the Holocaust. It includes his time in a small ghetto in Hungary, his transportation to Auschwitz, his days in the Buna labor camp and the forced march to Buchenwald before it was liberated in April of 1945.

This is a book I had been meaning to read for a very long time but I found it hard to actually pick it up because I knew the subject matter would be difficult to get through. There were many heart-breaking scenes that brought the true horrors of the Holocaust to life. This is an important book that everyone should read.

AL

Well of Ascension

WELL OF ASCENSION: Brandon Sanderson: Tor: Fantasy: 590 pgs.

This is the second book of the "Mistborn" trilogy. It continues the story of the the Final Empire with the establishment of a new government. Although it was long, I read it quickly, or I should say, I put off a lot of other things in order to read the book.

The story had many twists and turns and the characters were great. It did drag just a little for me as it talked about the theories of government and there was a lot of fighting and carnage, but I still loved it. For a second book in a trilogy I felt it did a good job of developing the characters and moving the story along. There was not as much closure at the end of the book as there was in "Mistborn" so I'm glad the third book "Hero of Ages" is already published. A great recommendation for any fantasy reader and even some that aren't.
AL

The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits

THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS: HOW CHARLES DICKENS’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL RESCUED HIS CAREER AND REVIVED OUR HOLIDAY SPIRITS: Les Standiford: Crown Publishers:241 pages: nonfiction

“A Christmas Carol,” through its thousands of retellings, adaptations, and productions, has become part of “the DNA of Western civilization.” (Man Who Invented Christmas, page 196) The centerpiece of this engaging book is certainly the story of the creation of “A Christmas Carol.” But the book is also an absorbing and readable biography of Charles Dickens and is filled with interesting facts about the history of Christmas, the history of publishing and of Dickens’s other novels. Who knew that the geese raising industry in England was sent to near ruin by “A Christmas Carol”?

Like Dickens “A Christmas Carol,” Les Standiford’s book about Charles Dickens’s most famous book was published just in the nick of time for Christmas, making it a great option for gift giving or for reading pleasure during the season.

SH

Ruins of Gorlan

THE RUINS OF GORLAN: John Flanagan: Young Adult: Philomel Books: 249 pages

All his life, Will wanted to be a knight despite his size, but when he turned 15 years old and was rejected by battleschool, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt. Soon Will learns that becoming a ranger for the king is more difficult, dangerous, and worthwhile than he had imagined and that the skills of a ranger come naturally to him.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, as well as it sequels. I would recommend this series to teen guys and adults who want a quick adventure.

KK

The Black Tulip

THE BLACK TULIP: Alexandre Dumas: Fiction: Oxford University Press: 236 pages

A tulip fancier in 17th Century Holland, seeking to grow the black tulip is unjustly imprisoned and sentenced to death having associated with an enemy of the State. When his live is spared, he finds new hope in the love of the jailers’ daughter Rosa who helps him fulfill his dream and plants the black tulip that he has cultivated.

It took a while for me to get into the story, but in the end I too wanted to know the fate of the Black Tulip. A short read as classics go, but I would not recommend it to a reluctant classic reader.

KK

Foundling

FOUNDLING: D. M. Cornish: Young Adult: Putman’s Sons: 434 pgs

Having grown up in a home for foundlings and possessing a girl's name, Rossamund gets assigned to his new job as Lamplighter- lighting the highways of Half-Continent to protect the citizens from evil. Rossamund wants to see adventure and fight the nickers and bogles so he too can bear the mark of the Monster Blood Tattoo but agrees to his appointment and sets on his way to training camp. But getting there becomes an adventure in of itself as he meets up with Miss Europa, a fulgar (one who can release immense charges of electricity), who battles the monsters.

In this first book of the Monster Blood Tattoo series, the author has done a wonderful job creating a new world in the style of J.R.R. Tolkien. In the back of the book there is the Explicarium- a massive glossary, maps, and illustrations to help the reader understand the world of Half-Continent. Even if you listen to the story, as I did, the author does a wonderful job describing the new world that you understand without the need of the Explicarium.

kk

The Adoration of Jenna Fox

THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX: Mary E. Pearson: Henry Holt & Company: Young Adult: 265 pages.

When she wakes up from a yearlong coma, 17-year-old Jenna Fox can remember nothing and must reconstruct her life and sense of self from what others tell her. But are they to be trusted? The people who claim to be her parents . . . well, ARE they? And what is the meaning of the strange, contradictory memories Jenna keeps having?

I was intrigued by the premise of this book. I enjoyed figuring out with Jenna what her life was like in the past and what it is to be in the future.

AMM

The Hero of Ages

THE HERO OF AGES: Brandon Sanderson: Tom Doherty Associates: Fantasy: 572 pgs.

‘The Hero of Ages’ is the third and final installment of Brandon Sanderson’s ‘Mistborn’ trilogy. It seems that many trilogies start off really strong, with the second book seeming to be just a tool to get from here to there, and finally the third book can either bring it all together or leave you disappointed. I totally did not feel that with this trilogy. Each of the three portions continue the story in an interesting and gripping way.

Sanderson has created an intriguing world filled with vibrant and relatable characters. I will admit that at times I skim sections of theoretical musing, but other than that I thoroughly enjoyed it and whole heartedly recommend the series to anyone who enjoys fantasy.

CZ

Chalice

CHALICE: Robin McKinley: G. P. Putnam's Sons: Fantasy: 263 pgs.

Mirasol has a woodlot in her demesne, Willowlands, where she also raises bees. When the current Master and Chalice of the demesne die, Mirasol is chosen to be the new Chalice (the Chalice, who is second in the Circle, binds the Master and the demesne together). Confused, lost, and bewildered by this turn of events, Mirasol struggles to learn her new duties and to work with the new Master, a former Elemental priest of Fire, who was called back from his priestly life when his brother, the old Master, died. The new Master is not quite human and the people are frightened by him. Mirasol is not scared of him, but is determined to help him bind himself to the demesne and the people. She works her power with the help of and honey from her bees. Mirasol journeys the entire demesne to try to save it and the Master when the Overlord of the demesne challenges the Master’s fitfulness to serve.

This well-written book is so different from any other that I have read recently and is beautiful. I was drawn into it and didn’t want it to end.

MN

Out Stealing Horses

OUT STEALING HORSES; Per Petterson, translated from the Norwegian by Anne Born; New York: Picador, 2007(?): Fiction: 238pp.

“Out Stealing Horses,” Per Petterson’s lyrical, luminous novel of a Norwegian boyhood as viewed from older age was chosen by the “New York Times Book Review” as one of the ten best novels of 2007, and is richly deserving of the honor. Trond Sander retires in his late 60s to a broken-down country cottage, hoping for the solitude and contemplation he has long desired. But the beauty of the countryside and a chance meeting with a neighbor who figured prominently in his past bring vividly to mind a particular day in his youth when he and his friend Jon went out “stealing” horses, and all that followed from the tragic events of that day. Petterson’s prose has the depth and movement of a big, slow river, everything developing as it should, character and circumstance pooling, circling, and rippling in his profound revelation of nature, family, felt loss, and love, leading to a breathtaking final sentence. “Out Stealing Horses” in the original Norwegian must have been stunning; Anne Born’s English translation is beautiful.

LW

The Three Musketeers

The Three Musketeers
By Alexander Dumas
Viking, 2006. 704 pgs. Fiction

This is an admirable adventure story with which most everyone is familiar; however, if you’ve never read the book, you’re not really familiar with the story. The plot is intricate with numerous twists and turns. Although Dumas spends time developing characters, it feels like the story never slows down.

Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D’Artagnan possessed more honor and morality than I had expected after seeing their depictions on the silver screen. There are several characters that never made it to the film versions, including the Musketeers’ servants. The four servants play critical roles in the success of the Musketeers. I recommend this recent edition with its highly readable translation.

SML