Never Split the Difference

Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if your life depended on it

by Chris Voss

Harper Business, 2016. 288 pages. Business

A former international hostage negotiator for the FBI offers a new, field-tested approach to high-stakes negotiations—whether in the boardroom or at home. Never Split the Difference takes you inside the world of high-stakes negotiations and into Voss's head, revealing the skills that helped him and his colleagues succeed where it mattered most: saving lives. In this practical guide, he shares the nine effective principles—counterintuitive tactics and strategies—you too can use to become more persuasive in both your professional and personal life. With poignant examples from the field and practical ways to implement the skills in your daily communication, Never Split the Difference will impact your communication style right from page one.

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Stalling for Time

by Gary Noesner

Penguin Random House, 2018. 240 pages. Biography/Memoir

In Stalling for Time, the FBI’s chief hostage negotiator takes readers on a harrowing tour through many of the most famous hostage crises in the history of the modern FBI, including the siege at Waco, the Montana Freemen standoff, and the D.C. sniper attacks. Having helped develop the FBI’s nonviolent communication techniques for achieving peaceful outcomes in tense situations, Gary Noesner offers a candid, fascinating look back at his years as an innovator in the ranks of the Bureau and a pioneer on the front lines. Whether vividly recounting showdowns with the radical Republic of Texas militia or clashes with colleagues and superiors that expose the internal politics of America’s premier law enforcement agency, Stalling for Time crackles with insight and breathtaking suspense.

Start with No

by Jim Camp

Penguin Random House, 2020. 288 pages. Business

Think a win-win solution is the best way to make the deal? Think again. For years now, win-win has been the paradigm for business negotiation. But today, win-win is just the seductive mantra used by the toughest negotiators to get the other side to compromise unnecessarily, early, and often. Win-win negotiations play to your emotions and take advantage of your instinct and desire to make the deal. Start with No introduces a system of decision-based negotiation that teaches you how to understand and control these emotions. It teaches you how to ignore the siren call of the final result, which you can’t really control, and how to focus instead on the activities and behavior that you can and must control in order to successfully negotiate with the pros.

AS
 

Winning the Gentleman

Winning the Gentleman

By Kristi Ann Hunter

Bethany House, 2021. 348 pgs. Romance

When his reputation is threatened, Aaron Whitworth makes the desperate decision to hire a circus horse trainer as a jockey for his racehorses. Most men don't take Sophia Fitzroy seriously because she's a woman, but as she fights for the right to do the work she was hired for, she finds the fight for Aaron's guarded heart might be a more worthwhile challenge.

 

 

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A Captain for Caroline Gray

By Julie Wright

Shadow Mountain, 2021. 330 pgs. Romance

Taking a one-way trip aboard the Fishing Fleet to India after a third failed London season, outcast Caroline bonds with unconventional ship captain Thomas Scott, who is captivated by her forthright nature.

 

As You Are 

By Sarah M. Eden

Covenant Communications, 2014. 193 pgs. Romance

 

A horse breeder by trade, Corbin Jonquil is more at home in the stables than in the ballroom of his sprawling estate. Corbin is the quietest of the Jonquil brothers and has always faded into the background, contentedly unnoticed. When a mysterious young widow, Mrs. Clara Bentford, moves into the neighborhood, horse breeder Corbin Jonquil quickly falls in love -- but the menace of Clara's past threatens to tear them apart. Will the couple have the courage to fight for the promise of forever?    

 

AL

A Taste for Love

A Taste for Love

by Jennifer Yen 

Razorbill, 2021. 336 pages. Young Adult Romance 

 Both high school senior Liza Yang and her mother share a love and talent for baking but disagree on the subject of dating, especially when Mrs. Yang turns her annual baking contest into a matchmaking scheme. 

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You Have a Match 

by Emma Lord 

Wednesday Books, 2021. 305 pages. Young Adult Romance 

When Abby signs up for a DNA service, it's mainly to give her friend and secret love interest, Leo, a nudge. After all, she knows who she is already: Avid photographer. Injury-prone tree climber. Best friend to Leo and Connie...although ever since the B.E.I. (Big Embarrassing Incident) with Leo, things have been awkward on that front. But she didn't know she's a younger sister. When the DNA service reveals Abby has a secret sister, shimmery-haired Instagram star Savannah Tully, it’s hard to believe they’re from the same planet, never mind the same parents. The logical course of action? Meet up at summer camp (obviously) and figure out why Abby’s parents gave Savvy up for adoption. But there are complications: Savvy is a rigid rule-follower and total narc. Leo is the camp’s co-chef, putting Abby's growing feelings for him on blast. And her parents have a secret that threatens to unravel everything. 

Frankly in Love 

by David Yoon 

G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2019. 406 pages. Young Adult Romance 

High school senior Frank Li takes a risk to go after a girl his parents would never approve of, but his plans will leave him wondering if he ever really understood love--or himself--at all. 

I’ll Be the One 

by Lyla Lee 

Katherine Teegan Books, 2020. 323 pages. Young Adult Romance 

Skye Shin has heard it all. Fat girls shouldn't dance. Wear bright colors. Shouldn't call attention to themselves. But Skye dreams of joining the glittering world of K-Pop, and to do that, she's about to break all the rules that society, the media, and even her own mother, have set for girls like her. She'll challenge thousands of other performers in an internationally televised competition looking for the next K-pop star, and she'll do it better than anyone else. When Skye nails her audition, she's immediately swept into a whirlwind of countless practices, shocking performances, and the drama that comes with reality TV. What she doesn't count on are the highly fat-phobic beauty standards of the Korean pop entertainment industry, her sudden media fame, and scrutiny, or the sparks that soon fly with her fellow competitor, Henry Cho. But Skye has her sights on becoming the world's first plus-sized K-pop star, and that means winning the competition, without losing herself.

AG

Europe's Best Bakeries

Europe's Best Bakeries

By Sarah Guy

September Publishing, 2019. 223 pages. Nonfiction. 

An inspirational, illustrated guide to Europe's 135 best bakeries. The aroma of just-baked bread, the chewy bite of an oven-fresh bagel and the thrill of a cream-filled patisserie are conjured up in this enticing list of bakeries from the UK, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Spain, Greece, Italy, and France. A fascinating, mouthwatering and unique introduction to Europe's long and impressive baking tradition. 

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Eat Like a Local: Tokyo

By Mike Reilly

Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018. 142 pages. Nonfiction. 

This book is a food tour in your pocket, featuring more than 100 of the best restaurants, cafes, bars, and markets recommended by a team of in-the-know Tokyoites. You'll also find insights into the city's idiosyncratic food culture, and a handful of iconic recipes to cook at home. It's the inside knowledge that allows you to drink, shop, cook, and eat like a local. 

Soul Food

By Adrian Miller

Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 2013. 333 pages. Nonfiction. 

Delves into the influences, ingredients, and innovations that make up the soul food tradition. Focusing each chapter on the culinary and social history of one dish--such as fried chicken, chitlins, yams, greens, and "red drinks"--Miller uncovers how it got on the soul food plate and what it means for African American culture and identity. Four centuries in the making, and fusing European, Native American, and West African cuisines, soul food--in all its fried, pork-infused, and sugary glory--is but one aspect of African American culinary heritage. This refreshing look at one of America's most celebrated, mythologized, and maligned cuisines is enriched by spirited sidebars, photographs, and 22 recipes. 

Ultimate Food Journeys

By Louise Abbott

DK Publishing, 2011. 336 pages. Nonfiction. 

This book takes travelers on a gastronomic tour of the globe to find truly world-class culinary experiences. Whether it is the most delicious food in Southeast Asia, or the best clam chowder in New England, this beautifully illustrated book includes every must-try treat in some of the world's best destinations, and places them in their cultural and geographical context. 

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Travels With Charley

 

Travels with Charley
by John Steinbeck 1986, Penguin Books. 277 pages. Nonfiction 

With Charley, his French poodle, Steinbeck drives the interstates and the country roads, dines with truckers, encounters bears at Yellowstone and old friends in San Francisco. Along the way he reflects on the American character, racial hostility, the particular form of American loneliness he finds almost everywhere, and the unexpected kindness of strangers.

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The Lost Continent

by Bill Bryson. BBC Digital Audio, 2004. Nonfiction. Audiobook. 

 

In an ageing Chevrolet Chevette, he drove nearly 14,000 miles through 38 states to compile this hilarious and perceptive state-of-the-nation report on small-town America.From the Deep South to the Wild West, from Elvis' birthplace through to Custer's Last Stand, Bryson visits places he re-named Dullard, Coma, and Doldrum (so the residents don't sue or come after him with baseball bats). But his hopes of finding the American dream end in a nightmare of greed, ignorance, and pollution. This is a wickedly witty and savagely funny assessment of a country lost to itself, and to him.Travel through small-town America with Kerry Shale's popular BBC Radio 4 reading of Bill Bryson's comic travelogue.

 

Ten Years a Nomad 

by Matt Kepnes. New York: St. Martin's Press 2019. 226 pages. Nonfiction

Matthew Kepnes knows what it feels like to get the travel bug. After meeting some travelers on a trip to Thailand in 2005, he realized that living life meant more than simply meeting society's traditional milestones, such as buying a car, paying a mortgage, and moving up the career ladder. Inspired by them, he set off for a year-long trip around the world before he started his career. He finally came home after ten years. Over 500,000 miles, 1,000 hostels, and 90 different countries later, Matt has compiled his favorite stories, experiences, and insights into this travel manifesto. 

Our Towns: A 10,000 Mile Journey Into the Heart of America

by James Fallows. New York: Pantheon Books 2018. 413 pages. Nonfiction

For the last five years, James and Deborah Fallows have been traveling across America in a single-prop airplane, visiting small cities and meeting civic leaders, factory workers, recent immigrants, and young entrepreneurs, seeking to take the pulse and discern the outlook of an America that is unreported and unobserved by the national media. Attending town meetings, breakfasts at local coffee shops, and events at local libraries, they have listened to the challenges and problems that define American lives today. Our Towns is the story of their journey--an account of their visits to twenty-one cities and towns: the individuals they met, the stories they heard, and their portrait of the many different faces of the American future. 

NS

The Girl Explorers

The Girl Explorers: The Untold Story of the Globetrotting Women Who Trekked, Flew, and Fought Their Way Around the World

by Jayne Zanglein

Sourcebooks, 2021, 416 pages. Nonfiction

The Girl Explorers is the inspirational and untold story of the founding of the Society of Women Geographers—an organization of adventurous female world explorers—and how key members served as early advocates for human rights and paved the way for today's women scientists. They scaled mountains, explored the high seas, flew across the Atlantic, and recorded the world through film, sculpture, and literature. Some of the women covered in this book include the group’s founder, Blair Niles; mountaineer Annie Peck; author Pearl Buck; pilot Amelia Earhart; and suffragist Margaret Mead.

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Frontier Grit: The Unlikely True Stories of Daring Pioneer Women

by Marianne Monson

Shadow Mountain, 2016, 198 pages. Nonfiction

The stories of twelve women who heard the call to settle the west and came from all points of the globe to begin their journey. These are gripping miniature dramas of good-hearted women, selfless providers, courageous immigrants and migrants, and women with skills too innumerable to list. Many were crusaders for social justice and women's rights. All endured hardships, overcame obstacles, broke barriers, and changed the world.

 

Utah Women: Pioneers, Poets & Politicians

by E.B. Wheeler

History Press, 2019, 188 pages. Nonfiction

Representing lawmakers and lawbreakers, artists and adventurers, scholars and activists, the women of Utah defied stereotypes. At the crossroads of the West, they found new challenges and opportunities to forge their own paths. Emma Dean explored the Rocky Mountains with her famous spouse, John Wesley Powell. Martha Hughes Cannon defeated her husband to become the first female state senator. Maud Fitch drove an ambulance under German artillery fire to rescue downed pilots in World War I. Author Emily Brooksby Wheeler celebrates the remarkable Utah women who, whether racing into danger or nurturing those who fell behind, changed their world and ours.

The Women with Silver Wings: The Inspiring True Story of the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II

by Katherine Sharp Landdeck

Crown, 2020, 435 pages. Nonfiction

When the U.S. Army Air Forces put out a call for women pilots to aid the war effort, just over 1,100 women from across the nation made it through the Army's rigorous selection process to earn their silver wings. The brainchild of trailblazing pilots Nancy Love and Jacqueline Cochran, the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) gave women a chance to serve their country—and to prove that women aviators were just as skilled as men. While not authorized to serve in combat, the WASP helped train male pilots for service abroad, and ferried bombers and pursuits across the country.

MB

American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics, and the Birth of American CSI

American Sherlock: Murder, Forensics, and the Birth of American CSI

by Kate Winkler Dawson

G.P. Putnam’s Son, 2020. 325 pages. Nonfiction. 

Known as the 'American Sherlock Holmes,' Edward Oscar Heinrich was one of America's greatest forensic scientists, with a skill level that seemed almost supernatural. Heinrich spearheaded the invention of new forensic tools that police still use today, including blood spatter analysis, ballistics, lie-detector tests, and the use of fingerprints as courtroom evidence. His work, though not without its serious - some would say fatal - flaws, changed the course of American criminal investigation. Based on years of research, American Sherlock captures Heinrich's life, work, and legacy. 

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A Desperate Place 

by Jennifer Greer 

Crooked Lane Books, 2020. 311 Pages. Mystery. 

The body of a famous actress is unearthed from its shallow grave in the small town of Medford, Oregon. Local reporter, Whit McKenna, is trying to lick her wounds and get her life back on track when she is called to cover the murder. Working with her best friend, medical examiner Katie Riggs, race across the clock to find the killer as more bodies are discovered. 

Blood, Bullets, and Bones: The Story of Forensic Science from Sherlock Holmes to DNA

by Bridget Heos

Balzer & Bray, 2016. 264 pages. Nonfiction. 

An account of the history of modern forensic science from the first test for arsenic poisoning in the 1700s to criminal profiling, fingerprinting, blood splatter analysis, DNA evidence, and all the milestones in between. 

ME

The Awakening of Malcolm X

The Awakening of Malcolm X 
By Ilyasah Shabazz
Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2021. 323 pages. Young Adult Historical Fiction 

In this lyrical and compelling novel, based on real events and written by the subject’s daughter, Malcolm Little struggles with the weight of his past. Plagued by nightmares, Malcolm drifts through days, unsure of his future. Slowly, he befriends other prisoners and writes to his family. He reads all the books in the prison library, joins the debate team and the Nation of Islam. Malcolm grapples with race, politics, religion, and justice in the 1940s. And as his time in jail comes to an end, he begins to awaken — emerging from prison more than just Malcolm Little: Now, he is Malcolm X. 

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Dear Martin (Dear #1)
By Nic Stone
Crown, 2017. 210 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

 Justyce McAllister is a good kid, an honor student, and always there to help a friend—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out. Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Justyce comes face to face with the reality of race relations today and how they are shaping him. 

Punching the Air
By Ibi Aanu Zoboi
Balzer + Bray, 2020. 386 pages. Young Adult Fiction 

Amal Shahid has always been an artist and a poet. But even in a diverse art school, because of a biased system he's seen as disruptive and unmotivated. Then, one fateful night, an altercation in a gentrifying neighborhood escalates into tragedy. "Boys just being boys" turns out to be true only when those boys are white. Suddenly, at just 16-years-old, Amal is convicted of a crime he didn't commit and sent to prison. Despair and rage almost sink him until he turns to the refuge of his words, his art. This never should have been his story. But can he change it? 

ACS

The Lost Apothecary

The Lost Apothecary
by Sarah Penner
Park Row Books, 2021. 301 pages. Historical fiction

Hidden in the depths of eighteenth-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientèle. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary's fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious twelve-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries. 

When aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London two hundred years ago, her life collides with the apothecary's in a stunning twist of fate, and not everyone will survive.

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The Light Over London

by Julia Kelly

Gallery Books, 2019. 293 pages. Historical fiction

It's always been easier for Cara Hargraves to bury herself in the past than confront the present, which is why working with a gruff but brilliant antiques dealer is perfect. While clearing out an estate, she pries open an old tin that holds the relics of a lost relationship: among the treasures, a World War II-era diary and a photograph of a young woman in uniform. 

Eager to find the author of the hauntingly beautiful, unfinished diary, Cara digs into this soldier's life, but soon realizes she may not have been ready for the stark reality of wartime London she finds within the pages.

The House on Vesper Sands

by Paraic O'Donnell

Tin House, 2021. 403 pages. Historical fiction

London, 1893: high up in a house on a dark, snowy night, a lone seamstress stands by a window. 

So begins the swirling, serpentine world of Paraic O'Donnell's Victorian-inspired mystery, the story of a city cloaked in shadow, but burning with questions: why does the seamstress jump from the window? Why is a cryptic message stitched into her skin? And how is she connected to a rash of missing girls, all of whom seem to have disappeared under similar circumstances?

AS

Sixteen Scandals

Sixteen Scandals
By Sophie Jordan
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021. 235 pages. Young Adult Romance

The youngest of four daughters, Primrose Ainsworth is used to getting lost in the shuffle. But when her parents decide to delay her debut into English society, Prim hatches a plan to go rogue on the night of her sixteenth birthday. Donning a mask, Prim escapes to the infamous Vauxhall Gardens for one wild night. When her cover is nearly blown, a mysterious stranger intercedes, and Prim finds an unexpected partner in mischief…and romance. But when it's revealed her new ally isn't who he says he is, her one night of fun may last past dawn.

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Of Curses and Kisses
By Sandhya Menon
Simon Pulse, 2020. 361 pages. Young Adult Romance

East Indian Princess Jaya Roa and Grey Emerson, an English lord, are part of a centuries-old feud between their two families. When they meet at an elite boarding school, Jaya plans to exact her revenge by making Grey fall in love with her and breaking his heart. But, not everything goes to plan. Can Jaya and Grey find their fairy-tale ending or will they be torn apart by family loyalty?

Verona Comics
By Jennifer Dugan
Putman's Sons, 2020. 327 pages. Young Adult Romance

Jubilee has it all together. She's an elite cellist, and when she's not working in her stepmom's indie comic shop, she's prepping for the biggest audition of her life. Ridley is barely holding it together. He's the black sheep of his family who can never do anything right. His parents own the biggest comic store chain in the country, and Ridley can't stop disappointing them. They meet one fateful night at a comic con prom, and they can't help falling for each other. Too bad their parents are at each other's throats every chance they get. As Ridley's anxiety worsens, Jubilee tries to help him cope on his own. But what if love can't conquer all?

TT

Sapiens: A Graphic History

Sapiens: A Graphic History. The Birth of Humankind. Volume One

By Yuval N. Harari

Harper Perennial, 2020. 245 pages. Graphic Novel. 

One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited the Earth. Yet today there is only one: homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us? In this first volume of the full-color illustrated adaptation of his groundbreaking book, renowned historian Yuval Harari tells the story of humankind's creation and evolution, exploring the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be "human." 

If you liked Sapiens: A Graphic History, you may also like: 

Lone Survivors

By Chris Stringer

Henry Hold and Company, 2012. 320 pages. Nonfiction. 

Outlines a reassessment of human evolution that draws on recent fossil findings. Challenges current theories to say that humans coexisted and competed across the African continent while exchanging genes, tools, and behaviors. 

Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species: A Graphic Adaptation

By Michael Keller

Rodale, 2009. 192 pages. Graphic Novel. 

A stunning graphic adaptation of one of the most famous, contested, and important books of all time: "On the Origin of Species." Includes sections about Darwin's pioneering research, the book's initial public reception, his correspondence with other leading scientists, as well as the most recent breakthroughs in evolutionary theory. 

Heretics!: The Wonderous (and Dangerous) Beginnings of Modern Philosophy

By Steven M. Nadler

Princeton University Press, 2017. 180 pages. Graphic Novel. 

A graphic narrative that charts the birth of modern thought during the 17th century, a time where thinkers challenged authority to lay the foundations of modern philosophy and science and help usher in a new world. Tells the story of these early philosophers' ideas, lives, and times. 

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Love Your Life

Love Your Life
By Sophie Kinsella
The Dial Press, 2020. 432 pages. Romance

While visiting an anonymous writers' retreat in Italy where names and personal information can't be shared, Ava shares an idyllic love affair with a fellow romantic before they return to London.  Back on their home turf, they share their true identities and learn how different their lives are.  They must decide if opposites not only attract but if they can make a life together.

 

 

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The Garden of Small Beginnings
By Abbi Waxman
Berkley, 2017. 368 pages. Fiction

Lilian Girvan has been reeling ever since her husband died in a car accident three years ago.  Now raising her two daughters herself, aided and cheered on by her sister Rachel, Lilian makes ends meet working as an illustrator of textbooks.  When her company takes on a commission to do all of the illustrations for a new gardening book, Lilian's boss signs her up for a vegetable gardening class to become more familiar with flora and fauna.  Spending her Saturdays tilling and planting isn't exactly Lilian's idea of fun, but when she meets the patient instructor and quirky fellow students in her class, she can't help it when they start to worm their way into her heart.

Attachments 
By Rainbow Rowell
Dutton, 2011. 323 pgs. Fiction

Lincoln O'Neill took a job at as an "internet security officer" at a newspaper, but he didn't realize that he would basically be reading other people's email.  He imagined building firewalls and installing security software, not checking for gamblers and inappropriate workplace language.  When Lincoln comes across Beth and Jennifer's emails, he knows their conversation is just a harmless (but hilarious) discussion of their personal lives.  But he can't help being drawn in by their stories.  By the time he realizes he's falling for Beth, it's way too late to introduce himself.

 

BHG

Come, Sweet Day

Come, Sweet Day: Holding On To Hope in Dark Times

by Julianne Donaldson

Ensign Peak, 2021. 89 pgs. Poetry

Julianne Donaldson is best know for writing the romance novel Edenbrooke. In this short collection of poems and essays, she shares her thoughts and feelings from an unsettled time of despair and suffering in her own life, so that women can know they are not alone and that there is hope even in the hard times.

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Making it Through the Middle: Hope and Help When the Journey Seems Long
by Emily Freeman

Deseret Book, 2014. 56 pgs. Nonfiction

Emily Freeman starts her book by talking about how people usually only talk about after they have made it through a trial. We tend to focus on the end, when an answer has been given, or the illness goes away. Very rarely does anyone offer help or advice while we are still stuck in the middle. When we are still struggling and it doesn't seem like there is ever going to be an end. She uses her personal experiences and scriptures to share six lessons that can help us make it through the middle moments in our lives.

Rising Strong: How the Ability to Reset Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

By Brené Brown

Spiegel & Grau, 2015. 301 pgs. Nonfiction

The author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Daring Greatly and The Gifts of Imperfection tells us what it takes to get back up, and how owning our stories of disappointment, failure, and heartbreak gives us the power to write a daring new ending. Struggle, Brene Brown writes, can be our greatest call to courage, and rising strong our clearest path to a wholehearted life.

AL

The Bear

The Bear

by Andrew Krivak 2020, Bellvue Literary Press. 221 pages. Science Fiction 

In an Edenic future, a girl and her father live close to the land in the shadow of a lone mountain. They possess a few remnants of civilization: some books, a pane of glass, a set of flint and steel, a comb. The father teaches the girl how to fish and hunt, the secrets of the seasons and the stars. He is preparing her for an adulthood in harmony with nature, for they are the last two left. But when the girl suddenly finds herself alone in an unknown landscape, it is a bear that will lead her back home through a vast wilderness, which offers the greatest lessons of all, if she can only learn to listen. A cautionary tale of human fragility, of love and loss, The Bear is a stunning tribute to the beauty of nature's dominion. 

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The Innocents

by Michael Crummey. Doubleday, 2019. 290 pages. General Fiction

 

A brother and sister are orphaned in an isolated cove on Newfoundland's northern coastline. Their home is a stretch of rocky shore governed by the feral ocean, by a relentless pendulum of abundance and murderous scarcity. Still children with only the barest notion of the outside world, they have nothing but the family's boat and the little knowledge passed on haphazardly by their mother and father to keep them. 

Greenwood 

by Michael Christie, Hogarth, 2019. 504 pages. General Fiction

It's 2038 and Jake Greenwood is a storyteller and a liar, an overqualified tour guide babysitting ultra-rich vacationers in one of the world's last remaining forests. It's 2008 and Liam Greenwood is a carpenter, fallen from a ladder and sprawled on his broken back, calling out from the concrete floor of an empty mansion. It's 1974 and Willow Greenwood is out of jail, free after being locked up for one of her endless series of environmental protests: attempts at atonement for the sins of her father's once vast and violent timber empire. It's 1934 and Everett Greenwood is alone, as usual, in his maple syrup camp squat when he hears the cries of an abandoned infant and gets tangled up in the web of a crime that will cling to his family for decades. And throughout, there are trees: thrumming a steady, silent pulse beneath Christie's effortless sentences and working as a guiding metaphor for withering, weathering, and survival. A shining, intricate clockwork of a novel, Greenwood is a rain-soaked and sun-dappled story of the bonds and breaking points of money and love, wood and blood--and the hopeful, impossible task of growing toward the light.

NS