Roomates: My Grandfather's Story

ROOMMATES: MY GRANDFATHER’S STORY: Max Apple: Warner Books: Nonfiction: 211 pages

The saga of an ambitious, immigrant Lithuanian Jewish family in Michigan and the exceptional bond between baker grandfather Rocky and his grandson, the author, who replaced a dead son in the old man's affections, is recounted here by Apple. This focuses on the choleric but lovable Rocky and his guidance of his grandson into manhood, including their sharing quarters during the author's graduate studies at the University of Michigan. Their loving though often stormy relationship was seriously tried only by Rocky's dislike of Debby, the woman Apple married, who ultimately won him over by bearing two great-grandchildren. During Debby's long, terminal illness, Rocky, at age 103, "bounced back into action . . . too busy to die," caring for the author's children and the household just three years before his own death.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book- a grandfather living with his grandson at college. This book told both the joys and sorrows of Max Apple’s family. This biography was a quick read, although I felt that the ending fizzled out.

AMM

So Brave, Young, and Handsome

SO BRAVE, YOUNG, AND HANDSOME; Leif Enger; New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2008;
285 pgs. Fiction

Leif Enger’s long-awaited second novel, “So Brave, Young, and Handsome,” is a circular tale—it begins as it ends. Perhaps somewhat autobiographical, the story is told by Monte Becket, author of a surprise bestseller of derring-do in the Old West. “Martin Bligh” was the story of a pony express rider, “ . . . a story to make a boy lean forward; it had Indians and great ships and the buried gold of Coronado and two separate duels, including one with sabers.” On the strength of the first book’s success, Monte quits his job at the P.O. and styles himself an author, but after seven starts of new books and no finishes, he decides he had better reclaim his day job. At that precise moment, a white-haired man rows out of the mist of the river, and by and by invites Monte for a six-week trip Out West where he will seek forgiveness from a lost love. The conventions of the picaresque novel come richly into play as Monte and Glendon run afoul of (the historical figure) Charles Siringo, who as a former Pinkerton agent is trailing Glendon for the crimes of his youth. Baptisms of flood and fire follow, a friend is gained and violently lost, followed by redemption of many sorts in a California citrus orchard. “So Brave, Young, and Handsome” is no “Peace Like a River,” but it is certainly the very best next thing.

LW

Apples are from Kazakhstan: the Land that Disappeared

APPLES ARE FROM KAZAKHSTAN: THE LAND THAT DISAPPEARED; Christopher Robbins; New York: Atlas & Company, 2008; 296pp. Nonfiction

Easily the best book I have read this year, and among my top 5 favorite travel narratives of all time, Christopher Robbins history/travelogue/character study of Kazakhstan and her people is rich and fascinating reading and reveals with painful clarity the specious slander of the Borat movie. Robbins' interest in Kazakhstan began with a chance meeting with a man from Arkansas
on his way to Kazakhstan to marry a widow he met on the Internet. As they parted company the Arkansan said "apples are from Kazakhstan," and intrigued by the notion (which turned out to be true), Robbins followed up. The result is a fascinating narrative of the human result of Soviet repression on the people of the steppes, of the extraordinary beauty of a land largely invisible to the West, and of the character of a people who have brought their land back to life. Stories of open air atomic testing and the destruction of the Aral Sea alternate with hair-raising trips in -30 degree weather in a Soviet-era Lada with nearly treadless tires. Robbins had unparalleled access to Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev, a man of extraordinary vision and capacity who has brought Kazakhstan into the twenty-first century as one of the few successful former Soviet republics. Splendid.

LW

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio

THE PRIZE WINNER OF DEFIANCE, OHIO: Terry Ryan: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks: Nonfiction: 351 pages

In the 1950s, the Ryan family struggled to make ends meet. Ten kids and a father who spent most of his paycheck on booze drained the family's meager finances. But mom Evelyn Ryan, a former journalist, found an ingenious way to bring in extra income: entering contests on the backs of cereal boxes and the like. Terry Ryan, Evelyn's daughter, tells the entertaining story of her childhood and her mother's contest career with humor and affection.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It reminded me of “A Girl Named Zippy” which I also enjoyed. The story was humorous and really gave me a feel of what small town life was like in the 1950s and 60s. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a biography that reads like fiction!

AMM

Suite Scarlett

SUITE SCARLETT: Maureen Johnson: Point: Young Adult: 353 pages

Scarlett Martin lives in the small New York City hotel that her family owns. On her 15^th birthday, Scarlett’s given responsibility for one of the suites in the hotel and suddenly becomes entangled in the life of the suite’s summer resident, Mrs. Ambersen, an eccentric actress who makes Scarlett her assistant. Scarlett and her entire family—caring parents, struggling actor brother, sheltered younger sister, and beautiful older sister—are warm and grounded characters who make a nice foil for Mrs. Ambersen and her (mostly) well-meaning schemes and antics. Fun and fast-paced.

MBC

Unwind

UNWIND; Neal Shusterman; New York: Simon & Schuster, 2007; 335pgs. Young Adult Fiction

After the Heartland War, which pitted Pro-Lifers against Pro-Choicers, a truce is reached with a third option: abortions are outlawed, but any child between the ages of 13 and 18 may be "unwound," or harvested for organs, hair, skin, appendages, all body parts. According to The Bill of Life, "human life may not be touched from the moment of conception until a child reaches the age of thirteen. However, between the ages of thirteen and eighteen, a parent may choose to retroactively 'abort' a child . . . on the condition that the child's life doesn't 'technically' end." Unwanted babies must be delivered full term, but the Storking Initiative allows mothers who don't want, or can't care for their children, to leave them on a doorstep of their choosing--if the mother is caught, she must keep the baby. If she gets away, the baby, by law, belongs to the people on whose doorstep it was found. Connor is being unwound because he fights too much and has become a problem to his parents; Risa is being unwound because she has no parents, and as a ward of the state has no talent significant enough to allow her to continue to take up bed space; Lev is a "tithe" who is being offered by his religious parents as a sacrifice to the greater good of the community. Lev doesn't want to escape his fate, but Connor and Risa do and when they have a chance they make a break for it taking a resistant Lev with them. As the three teens make there way through the Unwinds underground, sometimes together and sometimes separately, a host of moral, ethical, and political issues become part of the nonstop action. One would image such a scenario to be far-fetched, that it would be impossible for parents to discard their children just because they had become troublesome, but Shusterman perhaps believes this: that the child is father to the man; that the seed becomes the flower; that every life is precious at any age or stage. Unforgettable.

LW

The Blue Door

THE BLUE DOOR; David Fulmer; New York: Harcourt, 2008, 325pp. Fiction

Shamus award winner David Fulmer introduces boxer turned private eye "Fast Eddie" Cero in "The Blue Door," the story of a great South Philly band whose lead singer disappears without a trace at the height of his career. Eddie picks up PI work because he's too busted up to go back into the ring, but after a few domestic infidelities cases, he starts to nose around in Johnny Pope's three-year old story because he is taking a liking to Johnny's sister Valerie, a singer at The Blue Door nightclub. There are many suspects but not many clues in this wisecracking, hard-drinking (bad language), blue collar detective novel. The dialogue is so crisp, and the characters so engaging, the case itself almost becomes tangential to the felt reality of Philadelphia in the early sixties. Eddie is such an endearing guy, tough, clear-eyed, but kind--one hopes he will appear again--and again.

LW

The White Darkness

THE WHITE DARKNESS; Geraldine McCaughrean; New York: HarperCollins, 2007; 369pp. Young Adult

Sym, a fourteen-year old hearing impaired girl who thinks her dead father didn’t love her, is obsessed with Antarctica, thanks in part to her “Uncle” Victor’s interest and
the polar regions books he gave her for every birthday. Tormented at school, Sym is delighted when Victor (her father’s former business partner) offers to take her and her mother to Paris for a three-day, two-night vacation. Sym's mother's passport goes mysteriously missing and Victor’s “Paris” vacation turns out to be a ruse to get Sym to Antarctica. Sym's excitement soon turns to dismay and then to a fight for her life when Uncle Victor’s true self and bizarre schemes are revealed. Lucky for Sym she is sustained through her troubles byTitus Oates, one of the five explorers who died in Robert Falcon Scott’s second Antarctic expedition, but who lives on in her mind as an extraordinary presence in this virtuoso novel of adventure and psychological suspense. Winner of the American Library Association’s 2008 Michael Printz Award for best young adult novel, “The White Darkness” was obviously originally written for a British audience who would be familiar with Scott’s second expedition. Some knowledge of that tragic journey makes this tale much richer and more accessible, and McCaughrean has added a postscript—Scott of the Antarctic—which she suggests should be reviewed in advance to help frame the story for anyone unfamiliar with polar exploration. “The White Darkness” is a richly imagined, beautifully well-written story that should lead many readers to the original story.

LW

This I Believe

THIS I BELIEVE: THE PERSONAL PHILOSOPHIES OF REMARKABLE MEN AND WOMEN: H. Holt: Nonfiction: 281 pages

Edward R. Murrow hosted a radio segment titled “This I Believe” in the 1950s. It featured brief statements of personal belief or life philosophies from both famous and unknown radio listeners. In 2005 the idea was resurrected and reintroduced on NPR. In this compilation, the host and executive producer of the NPR segment make available some of the best essays from the original and the current broadcasts. Essays come from a wide range of people, including well-known personalities like Helen Keller, Colin Powell, Eleanor Roosevelt, Bill Gates, and Gloria Steinem. Contributors share their belief in a wide range of topics. Among other things, they believe in reading, in being present, in having integrity, and in putting flowers on graves. This is a thoroughly enjoyable and uplifting reading experience, full of thoughtful contemplations on how we live our lives and why.

MBC

The Ladies Auxiliary

THE LADIES AUXILIARY: Tova Mirvis: Ballantine Books: Fiction: 336 pgs.

Batsheva moves into a strong Orthodox Jewish community in Memphis, Tennessee. She is a convert to Judaism and a recent widow trying to find a close-knit community in which to raise her young daughter. Batsheva is shockingly modern and fervently spiritual and from the very beginning the other women in the community don't trust her.

As Batsheva adds her own twists to rituals, traditions and holidays some women in the community are inspired while others are shocked. When several of the teenage girls become close to Batsheva and then make some bad decisions, she is the first one the community blames.

The author, Tova Mirvis, grew up in a neighborhood similar to the one portrayed in this novel. She does an excellent job of conveying the everyday happenings of an Orthodox Jewish community in the South. She also explores the effect fear and intolerance can have on everyone involved. There is a lot of humor in the book and it was fascinating to learn about a different religion.

AL

Christine Falls

CHRISTINE FALLS: Benjamin Black: Holt: Mystery: 340 pages

This is the first book in a series about 1950s Dublin pathologist, Quirke. The author, Benjamin Black (a pen name for John Banville) who was nominated for an Edgar award for his first foray into mystery fiction.

Hard drinking Quirke has always felt the world was against him. His first love married his adopted brother and his wife died in childbirth. When Quirke drunkenly stumbles upon his brother changing the cause of death records of a young woman named Christine Falls, he finds himself almost unwillingly searching for the reason for this cover-up and soon gets in deep enough to receive threats.

Black’s lyrical use of language and psychologically complex characters is a divergence from the typical fast paced detective novel, but in my opinion offers much more to think about after finishing the book.

AJ

His Majesty's Dragon

HIS MAJESTY’S DRAGON: Naomi Novik: Ballantine Books: Fantasy: 375 pages

A blend of fantasy and history, this delightful novel is the story of Will Laurence, a British navel captain, during the Napoleonic wars and Temeraire the dragon. Captain Laurence and his crew take over a French frigate on its way back from the Orient and discover in the cargo an unhatched dragon’s egg, but before the ship can make it back to land, the dragon hatches.

Dragons must agree to be harnessed shortly after hatching or they become feral beasts. So when Captain Laurence and Temeraire bond, Laurence agrees to give up command of his ship, become the dragon’s aviator and join His Majesty’s Aerial Corps.

The author does a wonderful job of integrating dragons into this time period. But what kept me turning the pages were the characters especially stuffy yet true-hearted Captain Laurence and eager to please but slightly rebellious Temeraire.

AJ

The Silver Swan

THE SILVER SWAN; Benjamin Black; New York: Henry Holt, 2008, 290 pgs. Fiction

If you need a few laughs, better look elsewhere. Benjamin Black is the murder mystery pseudonym of Booker prize winning author John Banville and he has chosen his pen name
well because this book is a very dark story of a faked suicide, a blackmail/porno operation,
a father who pretty much loses his already disaffected daughter by trying to save her from a truly icky guy. Black/Banville is a fine prose stylist with the bleakest of outlooks, as befits any winner of the "dark is deep" Booker. The Silver Swan is a finely tuned psychological drama, but be prepared if you read it for the irresistable impulse to crawl under your bed that will follow.

LW

I Heart You, You Haunt Me

I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME: Lisa Schroeder: Simon Pulse: Young Adult: 226 pages

Fifteen-year-old Ava’s boyfriend, Jackson, died in an accident for which Ava blames herself. Now Ava feels Jackson return to her as a ghost, and she struggles to choose between maintaining a relationship with Jackson and embracing the life that still exists without him. Told entirely in free verse, this is a well-written tearjerker that teens will eat up, despite the slightly saccharine ending.

MBC

Service Included: Four-Star Secrets of an Eavesdropping Waiter

SERVICE INCLUDED: FOUR-STAR SECRETS OF AN EAVESDROPPING WAITER: Phoebe Damrosch: William Morrow: Nonfiction: 228 pages

Phoebe Damrosch landed her dream job at Thomas Keller’s 4-star restaurant in New York City, where she worked for two years serving the rich and famous. Damrosch takes her readers behind the scenes, revealing the waiters’ extensive training, the drama of evaluation by a professional food critic, and the staff’s devotion to food. Damrosch writes well and the first half of the book is extremely enjoyable, but the second half suffers when the author’s relationship with an unfaithful co-worker takes over the story and moves the emphasis away from the food world.

MBC

The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks

THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS: E. Lockhart: Hyperion: Young Adult: 345 pages

Having blossomed over the summer, Frankie returns to school and immediately catches the attention of Matthew, a privileged and well-connected boy who introduces Frankie to the inner circle of her exclusive boarding school. Frankie soon discovers, though, that not all doors are open to her, and Matthew is keeping secrets about an all-male society on campus. Feeling underestimated by her boyfriend, Frankie secretly takes control of the society and orchestrates a series of events that disrupt the school.

Frankie is an extremely likeable character who is smart and strong and dares to take action. This story begins like any number of Girl Meets Boy young adult novels but progresses to challenge the conventional plot in an amusing, girl-power book.

MBC

The Safe-Keeper's Secret

THE SAFE-KEEPER’S SECRET: Sharon Shinn: Viking: Young Adult: 222 pages

Damiana is the local safe-keeper who hears the secrets of others and holds them until they need to be spoken. Two children are born on the same night—one to Damiana and one to the king. The king’s child is delivered to Damiana to be raised as her own, and the two babies, Reed and Fiona, are treated as brother and sister. Fifteen years later on her deathbed, Damiana confides her own carefully concealed secret to Fiona, which has lasting consequences for Fiona and Reed.

Sharon Shinn has a very enjoyable writing style and creates stories that move quickly right from the first page. The revelation of Damiana’s secret occurs at the end of the story in a way that was not entirely satisfying, but prepares readers for the next two books in the series.

MBC

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN: Lisa See: Random House Trade Paperbacks: Fiction: 2006: 288 pgs.

Lily, at 80, is reflecting back on her life starting with her daughter days in 19th-century rural China. Society was ruled by rigid codes of conduct, especially for women. Women were to have their feet bound, marry men through arranged marriages, and reside in upstairs women’s chambers. Their lives were isolated and their only value was in having sons. Through all of this isolation and hardship, Lily and Snow Flower are matched as laotongs, an emotional match that would last a lifetime. They use the secret women’s writing of nu shu to share their joys and heartaches on a fan that they pass back and forth over the years.

This is a story of love, friendship, rebellion, pride and heartbreak. The description of foot binding was agonizing, as narrated by Lily at the tender age of 7. This novel really focuses on the relationship of Lily and Snow Flower and how it changes over the years . Great detail is given to certain events and then other events are barely given any notice.

I really liked the book but I wish the author had just told the story instead of foreshadowing certain events so many times that when they actually happened, it was kind of a let down.

AL

The Girl Who Stopped Swimming

THE GIRL WHO STOPPED SWIMMING: Joshilyn Jackson: Grand Central Publishing: Mystery: 308 pgs.

Laurel has worked very hard to put her past behind her and create a perfect life for her family but it all starts to unravel the night a ghost enters her bedroom and leads her to the body of a dead girl in the backyard pool. As Laurel tries to discover what really happened that night, it soon becomes apparent that she must ask her estranged sister Thalia for help. Thalia, an actess who lives to stir up trouble, is about as different from Laurel as two people can be. As the two work together, they not only come closer to finding out why the girl died, but their own family's buried history is revealed.

The author was able to write in a manner that was very sophisticated yet quick and easy to read. She portrays a strong Southern quality throughout her story. Each of the key players is fully developed and brings hidden agendas and motivations to the story. This is a wonderful character driven tale.

AL

Murder 101

MURDER 101: Maggie Barbieri: St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2006: 275 p.

Murder seems to be the main subject for this hip, young English professor. But, Alison Bergeron is taking the class this time, not teaching it. When her car is stolen and the dead body of a young co-ed is found in the trunk, she (and her recently divorced ex-husband) look like the top two suspects. The case is complicated by the mob connections of the murdered student and the ‘family’ wants answers and a private revenge that includes their own version of justice. However, NYPD Homicide Detective Bobby Crawford is there to see that procedure is followed. And the professor does more than just fall over her own too-high heels, she begins to fall for the warm, trustworthy, single(?) detective. So when keeping watch over her house leads to him sleeping inside—on the couch of course—Alison doesn’t really mind. But will the detective exonerate Alison just because she’s attractive?

A light, chicklit style mystery to read over the weekend.

DLA

No Good Deeds

NO GOOD DEEDS: Laura Lippman: William Morrow: 2006: Mystery: 343 pages

A desire to do a good deed puts Private Investigator, Tess Monaghan, and her soft hearted boyfriend, Edgar “Crow” Ransome, on the trail of the murder of an assistant U.S. Attorney.

Crow spends his time outside of work donating food to soup kitchens in the Baltimore inner city. When Crow’s tires are slashed in a con by a young Blackman named Lloyd Jupiter, Crow brings him home for a good meal and a warm bed. While there, Tess discovers by accident that Lloyd may know something about the still unsolved murder of Gregory Youssef, an assistant U.S. Attorney. Tess gives the information to the local paper on the condition that Lloyd will remain anonymous, but after a friend of Lloyd’s is murdered and Tess receives a visit from three menacing law enforcement agents avid to know her source, she knows she gotten herself, Crow and Lloyd into a dangerous situation.

A large portion of the book was devoted to how Tess could tell the truth to the three government agents without giving any information away, which got to be very dull after a while. The ending though had a few plot twists and enough action to make up for the boring parts. The biggest problem for me, though, was the huge amounts of profanity in the book.

AJ

The London Eye Mystery

THE LONDON EYE MYSTERY: Siobhan Dowd: Young Adult: 322 pages

Autistic Ted and his sister Kat watch their cousin Salim enter the London Eye—a ride similar to a giant Ferris wheel—but when the doors open to let him off, Salim has disappeared. With only a few clues, Ted and Kat piece together the events surrounding the mystery and help the police relocate Salim. Ted narrates the story, giving readers an unusual perspective that is filtered through Ted’s disorder. Mild and gentle, this is a book appropriate for middle readers on up.

MBC

Bones to Ashes

BONES TO ASHES: Kathy Reichs: Scribner: 2007: Mystery: 320 pages

This is the 10th book in a series narrated by Temperance Brennan, Forensic Anthropologist. An exciting, cerebral read, I enjoyed the mixture of mystery and science in this novel. The story revolves around a cold case of missing and murdered girls. Tempe is wracked with guilt over the disappearance of a childhood friend over 20 years ago. As Tempe works with her ex-lover Ryan on the cases she discovers a connection to her old friend and begins to suspect that she may have been one of the missing girls. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys CSI type reads, but there was one unsavory incident involving child pornography that was painful to read. Interesting to note that the author is vice president of the American Academy of Forensic Scientists and the producer of Fox's Bones series.

DEF

Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through his Son's Addiction

BEAUTIFUL BOY: A FATHER'S JOURNEY THROUGH HIS SON'S ADDICTION; David Sheff; Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2008, 326 pgs. Non-Fiction

Nic Sheff is a bright, funny, precocious, caring child whose descent into the frenetic, vacant-eyed persona of meth addiction is a dagger to the reader's heart, not to mention what it does to his family and friends. David Sheff's harrowing memoir grew from an article written for the New York Times Magazine, and traces Nic's his happy childhood, the unhappy days of his parents' divorce; his first experiments (at age 12) with drinking and marijuana use, and then crystal meth. In telling Nic's story, his father tells us the stories of all the victims of the meth epidemic in our country, but especially of the desolate parents, brothers and sisters, friends who are helpless against the ravages of a disease that becomes essentially incurable after just the one bad choice. (One mother in a support group is glad to learn that her Harvard-educated daughter is in jail, because at least she knows where she is.) Anyone who has supposed that drug abuse can be readily overcome in rehab, or by the simple exercise of willpower, or that intractable addiction does not have a physical basis should read this book, along with anyone--which should be all of us!--who wants to help stem the wicked, filthy, deadly tide of substance abuse which robs us of our peace and of our children.

LW

The Peacegiver: How Christ Offers to Heal Hearts and Homes

THE PEACEGIVER: HOW CHRIST OFFERS TO HEAL HEARTS AND HOMES: James L. Ferrell: Shadow Mountain Publishing: Nonfiction: 203 pgs.

The Peacegiver is written as an extended parable to explain the peace that comes through the atonement of Christ. Rick believes in Christ and loves his four children but his marriage is in serious danger from petty arguments and wounded pride. When things look their darkest, Rick's deceased grandfather starts visiting him in dreams, to try to help him find the peace and forgiveness promised by Christ. Through powerful interpretations of several Old Testament stories the author shows how the atonement is designed to make is as easy as possible for us to forgive others and find our own peace and salvation.

I do not usually enjoy reading nonfiction books but this read very much like a novel. I discovered new aspects of the atonement that I had never considered before. At some points I found myself wishing the author did not repeat himself so much but for the most part I enjoyed the book. This book has many good discussion points for a book club.

AL

No Trace

NO TRACE: Barry Maitland: St. Martin’s Minotaur: Mystery: 320 pgs.

In a London neighborhood known for its artists and bohemian style, six year old Tracey Rudd is abducted from her home. She is the daughter of notorious contemporary artist Gabriel Rudd, best known for the grotesque "Dead Puppies," a work centered around his wife's suicide five years earlier. While Rudd exploits Tracey's abduction as an inspiration for a major new work, D.C.I. David Brock and Detective Sergeant Kathy Kolla hunt for the missing girls' kidnapper, who is suspiciously connected to the eccentric community of artists, dealers, and collectors in the neighborhood.

Themes which question the morality and drive of contemporary art were woven with motives and characters in this mystery, which was intriguing for me. The feel of the book reminded me a lot of an episode of Law and Order.

BHG

Sorcery & Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot

SORCERY & CECELIA OR THE ENCHANTED CHOCOLATE POT: Patricia Wrede & Caroline Stevermer: Harcourt: Young Adult: 320 pages

A great deal is happening in London this season.
For starters, there's the witch who tried to poison Kate at Sir Hilary's induction into the Royal College of Wizards. (Since when does hot chocolate burn a hole straight through one's dress?!)
Then there's Dorothea. Is it a spell that's made her the toast of the town--or could it possibly have something to do with the charm-bag under Oliver's bed?
And speaking of Oliver, just how long can Cecelia and Kate make excuses for him? Ever since he was turned into a tree, he hasn't bothered to tell anyone where he is!
The girls might think it all a magical nightmare . . . if only they weren't having so much fun.

This book is sort of a Jane Austen meets Harry Potter novel. It was slow in the beginning, but by the end I was excited to see how it would all turn out. I would recommend this book to readers that enjoy historical fiction or the regency period, although it may be a little too slow for someone who enjoyed the pace Harry Potter.

AMM

Change of Heart

CHANGE OF HEART: Jodi Picoult: Atria Books: Fiction: 447 pages

Eleven years ago, Shay Bourne was convicted of murdering 7-year-old Elizabeth Nealon and her police officer stepfather. Now on death row, Shay is obsessed with the idea of donating his heart to Elizabeth’s sister Claire, who suffers from a heart condition, after his execution. With the help of a priest who served on the jury that convicted him and an ACLU attorney, Shay attempts to find redemption after death.

In her newest novel, Picoult once again considers complicated moral issues in a legal setting. Picoult excels at creating multi-dimensional characters and plots and never resorts to a dichotomy between good guys and bad guys. My Sister’s Keeper and Nineteen Minutes remain my favorite of Picoult’s work, but Change of Heart is an interesting, thoughtful book.

MBC

Suffer the Little Children

SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN; Donna Leon; New York: Atlantic Monthly, 2007. 264 pgs.
Fiction

This latest book in Donna Leon's superb Venetian mystery series finds Commissario Guido Brunetti investigating an early morning raid of a pediatrician's home by the Carabinieri, to seize the couple's illegally adopted child. The doctor is seriously injured, and questions arise as to why such a brutal raid occurred. Short on conventional violence, Suffer the Little Children is long on the horrific damage we do to one another with self-righteous meddling. Venice, as always, is a beautiful, palpable presence in the story, not just backdrop, but a character herself. Commissario Brunetti is a delight as well, a loving husband and father, and a police officer of great compassion and a piercing intelligence.

LW

Tangled Roots

TANGLED ROOTS: G.G. Vandagriff: Deseret Book, 2007: Mystery: 295p.

Genealogy and murder—what’s not to love? Another high adventure featuring Alexandra and Briggie, the two women who founded RootSearch, Inc.—a company designed to help those with genealogical dilemmas. And when mysteries unearth murders, the dilemma reaches thoroughly tangled proportions. Not to worry, with Alexandra’s mother (a recovering alcoholic), Briggie’s handy shotgun and several love interests to boot, the team is more than capable of handling any family scandal—past AND present.

More action than your local Family History Center provides and sure to appeal to those who’ve come to appreciate the intricacies of genealogical charts and the search for lost relations. Be sure to read “About the Author” before or after you read the novel--the novel’s origins might be the most interesting mystery of all.

DLA