Mark's Book Blog

Early Allende

2009-02-23T06:43:00.000-08:00

Several years ago, I read THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS by Isabel Allende and liked it's style of magical realism well enough that I decided to check out another of Allende's early novels, EVA LUNA. I liked it as much as THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS. It's the life story of a woman, born in the jungles of an unnamed South American country and follows her life from childhood, when she's orphaned at an early age and shows a talent for spinning fabulous stories. The novel is a somewhat sprawling work and has a fairly large cast of characters and lengthy time frame. Allende's style is hyper-descriptive and almost every sentence is filled with unusual and fascinating adverbs and adjectives. THE STORIES OF EVA LUNA is a collection supposedly written by Eva Luna. I thought creating a character who's a writer and then having that character write a collection of short stories was very interesting. Isabel Allende has written many novels since EVA LUNA and her DAUGHTER OF FORTUNE was an Oprah book club pick in 2000. It's a good bet that no matter which of her novels you pick, you'll be happy with your choice.

New novel by Wisconsin author

2008-10-21T12:25:00.000-07:00

The new novel DRIFTLESS by Wonewoc, Wisconsin author David Rhodes has been getting rave reviews. It's the story of July Montgomery who has settled down in the fictional town of Words, Wisconsin after a period of drifting. Through July, the reader meets the many citizens of Words and sees how life flows in this slow moving community. A reviewer in Booklist says "In vividly realized scenes involving family secrets, legal battles, gambling, and miracle cures, Rhodes illuminates the wisdom acquired through had work, the ancient covenant of farming, and the balm of kindness. Encompassing and incisive, comedic and profound, Driftless is a radiant novel of community and courage."

Rhodes, the author, has had a fascinating life and career. He had published three acclaimed novels while still in his twenties -- one of which, ROCK ISLAND LINE, the library also has on order -- and then was badly injured in a motorcycle accident. Divorce and drug dependency followed and it would be more than thirty years before he published his fourth novel: Driftless.

Better than the movie

2008-09-15T09:46:00.000-07:00

I'm don't always agree that a book is automatically better than a film based on it. THE ICE STORM by Rick Moody and anything by John Grisham are examples of film treatments being better than the novels they were based on. However, one book that's definitely better than the movie is RESERVATION ROAD by John Schwartz. The book is an examination of how the hit-and-run death of ten-year-old Josh Learner affects his family and also the diver of the car that kills him. The book is told from three perspectives: Ethan, Josh's father and Grace, Josh's mother and Dwight, the driver of the car. These three characters take turns narrating the events of the novel and as they do, the tension starts to build towards a provacative climax. Schwartz does a good job of differentiating each character and as the book progresses, the reader begins to understand each person's motivations and decisions more fully. At less than 300 pages, the book is a fairly quick read and would probably make a good choice for book discussion groups.

Political fiction, Part III

2008-09-10T06:56:00.001-07:00

Robert Penn Warren's 1946 Pulitzer Prize winning book, ALL THE KING'S MEN, has been called one of the best political novels in American literature. It is the story of a small town southern politician in the beginning of the last century and his rise to the governor's mansion. It is often said to be based on Louisiana's Huey Long but Warren repeatedly said the book was based on the general political atmosphere of 1920's and 30's South. The novel is narrated by Jack Burden, an political employee of Willie Stark (the "Boss"). As Jack charts Stark's political progress, he also tells his own story: his relationship with his divorced mother and father, his stepfathers, his childhood and young adulthood, his friendship with Adam Stanton and his love for Adam's sister, Anne. Jack, an extremely introspective character, continually struggles to make sense of his world and his place in it. The narration style is fairly cynical and hard-boiled and is reminiscent of films noir of the 1940's and 50's. And, being about politics in America, a large focus is on the compromises often made in the name of the overall good. Do the often good ends justify the often not-so-good political means? The style is dense and tends to force the reader to slow down. This mirrors the languid atmosphere of the slow-talking, fan-waving, cocktail-sipping pre-air conditioning South. If you're looking for a break from the "real" political show being played out on the airwaves, check out a copy of this classic. It'll stay with you for quite awhile.

If you read one book this year ...

2008-08-28T08:12:00.000-07:00

... you might want it to be OUT STEALING HORSES by Per Petterson. I really haven't read another novel like it and really loved it. The setting is eastern Norway (how many novels have you read that take place in Norway?) and as the book opens, we meet 70 year old Trond Sander. He is living alone in a remote area, remembering the summer of 1948, one of the most important of his life. Almost from the beginning, the reader is aware that Trond is trying to come to terms with himself and his life. He gradually paints a picture of that life and how it has made him the person that he is at the book's beginning. The book moves back and forth in time and as it does we learn more and more about Trond's father and also life in Nazi-occupied Norway during World War II. This was one of the more fascinating elements for me. I wasn't expecting it to be a "war novel," and in many ways it isn't. While the war does play a major role, the book is about so much more: fathers and sons, personal lives being lived during great historical events, nature and our part in it and also about memory, loss and acceptance. The book moves swiftly and suceeds on several levels. While it could be termed a "page-turner," the issues that is deals with are profound and unforgettable.

A blast from the past

2008-08-28T07:32:00.000-07:00

I've always been fascinated by authors whose work has been "rediscovered" long after their deaths, even when they had achieved a certain critical and commercial success during their lifetimes. Zora Neale Hurston is one example. Even the novels of F. Scott Fitzgerald were out of print shortly after his death. It wasn't until years or even decades later that their work was reevaluated, reexamined and republished. Another example is Dawn Powell (1896-1965), a prolific author from the 1920's through the early 1960's, who produced a dozen novels, hundreds of short stories and ten plays. At the time of her death, most of her books were out of print and it wasn't until the 1990's when writers such as Gore Vidal championed her work that readers could again enjoy her fiction. Her specialty was satire and perhaps the best example is THE LOCUSTSHAVE NO KING (1948), a novel skewering the publishing industry and New York intelligentsia shortly before the Cold War. It's full of eccentric characters who interact in the small hothouse world of books and Powell doesn't hesitate to expose her characters' foibles and shortcomings. Another example of Powell's New York satire is THE WICKED PAVILION (1954), which depicts a group of people connected by the restaurant that is their second home, the Cafe Julien. Both novels portray a New York that no longer exists and while they definitly aren't to everybody's tastes, those who relish a cynical and satirical view of humanity will want to check them out.

An old favorite

2008-08-06T06:54:00.001-07:00

In a couple of weeks, I'm flying to Atlanta to visit my friends Felipe and Ricardo. My upcoming trip reminded me of one of my favorite books (and movies), GONE WITH THE WIND. I'm planning on seeing the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum, where Mitchell wrote her one novel. I'm sure we're all familiar with the plot and characters: Tara, the Civil War, the burning of Atlanta, reconstruction, Scarlett O'Hara, Rhett Butler, Ashley Wilkes and Melanie Hamilton. As famous as the novel is -- one of the best-selling novels of all time, it went through twelve printings within two months of publication -- I'm sometimes surprised how many people have not read it. If you are one of those who hasn't read it, you should; and if you have read it, it's worth a re-read. Like all great novels, the themes found here are broader than the specific time and place of the plot. The struggle for survival in a period of complete war and devastation are timeless and Scarlett O'Hara is one of modern literature's most memorable characters.

For true GWTW fans, the library also has MARGARET MITCHELL'S "GONE WITH THE WIND" LETTERS 1936-1949. Collections of letters aren't always easy to read since they're often filled with people and incidents unfamiliar to the reader. This collection is different. Because it prints only letters having to do with the writing and publication of GWTW, the focus is much narrower. Mitchell was a prodigious letter writer and after the publication of her great novel, spent much of her time simply responding to fans. As the frenzy over the novel and movie grew, her life was almost consumed by her correspondence. This is truly a fascinating picture of how one of last century's best-loved novels came to be written.

Atlanta, I'll see you in a couple of weeks!

Excellent English mysteries

2008-08-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

Although I don't read many mysteries, the reviews of Rennie Airth's RIVER OF DARKNESS were so good I decided to give it a try. Almost immediately I was caught up in the setting and atmosphere of the novel. It takes place in post-World War I Britain and the protagonist is Inspector John Madden, a veteran whose war experiences make him uniquely qualified to investigate the horrible killing of a local family. The book is tense and the pages fly. The world-weary Madden is a great character and his struggle to recover from the horrors of war mirror his investigation, both of which are played out against the the larger canvass of Britain's post-war struggles. THE BLOOD-DIMMED TIDE also features John Madden, this time in the early 1930's, as the Nazis rise to power in Germany. These two novels by a lesser-known author are well worth reading.

Political fiction, Part II

2008-08-05T13:26:00.000-07:00

No, I, CLAUDIUS by Robert Graves isn't about a democracy or Washington, D.C. but great political fiction it is. As a matter of fact, politics is so consuming in this novel that it often is literally a matter of life and death. It's a fictional memoir of the 1st-century-AD Roman emperor, Claudius. Physically weak and suffering from a stammer, Claudius writes how he managed to survive the shark tank that is his family (and a more dysfunctional family you'd be hard-pressed to find) and become the Emperor of Rome. Often considered a classic example of well written historical fiction, the novel presents a fascinating picture of ancient Rome and some unforgettable characters such as Livia, Claudius's grandmother, a truly monstrous character. If the modern election cycle is wearing you down, give I, Claudius a try.

"The rich are different from you and me."

2008-07-31T12:07:00.000-07:00

I read Caitlin Macy's FUNDAMENTALS OF PLAY shortly after it came out in 2000 and have always remembered liking it. It's Macy's first, and as far as I can tell, only novel, which is somewhat surprising since I found her writing style to be smooth and very polished. George Lenhart is the book's narrator and his jaundiced views of his "set's" manners, relationships, careers and obsessions are well worth reading. One such obsession of this group of wealthy and not so wealthy (but still painfully class-aware) twenty-somethings is Kate Goodenow and who she will marry. As these former Ivy Leaguers begin making their way in New York in the early 80's, they sense the changing world, some more acutely than others. George, always the intelligently aware narrator says "we were the last generation of the century to come of age, and the first one that wanted to be as much like our parents' as possible. We ought to have started a revolution; instead we brought cocktail shakers." I have read people dismiss this novel as Gatsby-lite, and while there are hints of Fitzgerald as well as John O'Hara (mentioned earlier in this blog), I think Macy has a definite and unique take on these characters at a particular time and place in America.

When you don't know what to read

2008-07-24T14:17:00.000-07:00

The library has several excellent titles that give suggestions on authors and novels that are worth reading. Some of these books are aimed at book discussion groups and others at individuals interested in broadening their reading horizons. One title I've looked at more than once is THE NEW LIFETIME READING PLAN by Clifton Fadiman and John S. Major. It's divided into five sections. The first section deals with authors such as Homer and Virgil and the following sections trace important literary works from that time until the 20th century, the fifth section featuring Edith Wharton, E.M. Forster, Ernest Hemingway and Saul Bellow. Each entry puts the featured author into his or her historical and literary context and explains why the suggested title is important in world literature. The book describes itself as a "lifetime plan" and is certainly helpful if that's what the reader wants, but it can also be dipped into for one or two suggestions. Another similar title is THE WELL-EDUCATED MIND: A GUIDE TO THE CLASSIC EDUCATION YOU NEVER HAD by S. Wise Bauer. Although the suggestions in these books aren't exactly beach reading, they are fun to look through to see what classics you might be interested in.

Zany summer read

2008-07-23T08:34:00.000-07:00

The inside flap of James Conrad's MAKING LOVE TO THE MINOR POETS OF CHICAGO says it's "a novel of love, ambition, poetry, and nuclear waste," and that pretty much sums it up. The government has hired an artist, a botanist, and an architect to design a warning for future generations of the nuclear waste to be stored deep in the Yucca mountains in Nevada, but an influential Chicago poet insists that the project include an epic poem. Of course, the poet envisions herself as the author of this epic poem. As she schemes to make this happen, a fairly large cast of minor poets are introduced, each with their own ambitions, attractions and plans. Watching just how far academics and literary types will go towards achieving their ambitions is what makes this novel fun. Some of the plot is unrealistic but the characters are genuinely interesting and the book moves quickly as the differing subplots come together. It's a fun crazy summer read and author Dale Peck calls it "the ultimate love story of the nuclear age."

Political fiction, Part I

2008-07-22T13:30:00.000-07:00

In honor of the upcoming presidential elections, I thought I'd remind people of some of the great political novels the library has. As I was looking for titles to highlight, one novel kept coming up over and over: ADVISE AND CONSENT by Allen Drury. Written in 1959, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction the next year and has been called one of the greatest novels about politics in Washington D.C. ever written. It tells the story of a U.S. president naming a new Secretary of State to deal with the U.S.S.R. and the nomination process that follows. As the hearings proceed, the reader has an insider's view of D.C. It's a definite page-turner.

The library also has the movie version on dvd. It's directed by Otto Preminger and has an all-star cast, including Henry Fonda, Charles Laughton and Gene Tierney.

Have you read Kent Haruf?

2008-07-09T14:09:00.001-07:00

Kent Haruf describes PLAINSONG as "any simple and unadorned melody or air" and this perfectly describes his wonderful novel. It's set in Holt, Colorado, a small town on the High Plains east of Denver. As the book opens, the reader is introduced to half a dozen characters, each dealing with different issues: Tom Guthrie's wife is seriously depressed and won't leave her bed; their sons Ike and Bobby wonder what will happen to their family; high school student Victoria Roubideaux is struggling with an unplanned pregnancy; the older bachelor brothers Harold and Raymond McPheron are ranching, unaware of the changes soon to come; and Maggie Jones will soon bring these disparate characters together. The story is fascinating in the way the unique landscape influences the characters and how they interact and Haruf's writing style also matches the setting -- sparse and lean, reminiscent of Hemingway.
Many of the characters in Plainsong are reintroduced in EVENTIDE. Haruf is definitely an author to savor.

Rediscovering John O'Hara

2008-06-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

John O'Hara (1905-1970) is one of those fascinating authors whose reputation waxes and wanes and then waxes again. Although often considered a master of the short story, O'Hara was also a consistently best-selling author, starting in the thirties and continuing through the sixties. He themes were often money and people trying to get it, class distinctions and spot-on dialog. Fran Lebowitz called him the "real F. Scott Fitzgerald." While his works weren't often critically acclaimed, he's definitely worth a look.

APPOINTMENT IN SAMARRA is O'Hara's first novel and often considered his best. It is a concise (251 pages) and somewhat terrifying tale of hubris in the modern world. Set in 1930, it is the tale of Julian English who, at the novel's start, resides at the top of Gibbsville, PA's social structure, but who loses everything in a breathtakingly short time. English's struggle to retain his social status and everything that goes with it is tense and has a certain classical element to it. When the editorial board of the Modern Library (Random House) published their 100 Best Novels of the Century, they put Appointment in Samarra at number 22.

If you're looking for a good old-fashioned long novel that takes weeks to get through, you might want to try O'Hara's FROM THE TERRACE and RAGE TO LIVE. The library has new paperback editions of all three.

Report from Afghanistan

2008-06-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

NPR's Morning Edition recently interviewed Sarah Chayes, author of THEPUNISHMENT OF VIRTUE: INSIDE AFGHANISTAN AFTER THE TALIBAN. Chayes worked as a correspondent for NPR from 1997 to 2002 and then took a position running the aid agency Afghans for Civil Society. In 2006 she published this book, an account of how the Taliban had supposedly been conquered and then allowed to regroup and regain power. Her perspective as a former news person working to help stabilize a fragile traumatized country is extremely interesting, especially since she had unusual access to President Hamid Karzai, his government and even his family.

Other personal stories from Afghanistan at the library include COME BACK TO AFGHANISTAN: A CALIFORNIA TEENAGER'S STORY by Said Hyder Akbar and ZOYA'S STORY: AN AFGHAN WOMAN'S STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM by Zoya Follain.

New novelist

2008-06-24T15:44:00.001-07:00

Dinaw Mengestu immigrated to the United States from Ethiopia in 1980 and last year published his first novel, THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS THAT HEAVEN BEARS, a short powerful novel about three friends from Africa trying to lead lives in this country. The protagonist, Sepha Stephanos, is an Ethiopian grocery store owner in a slowly gentrifying Washington DC neighborhood. He and two friends, one from Congo and one from Kenya, gather often to talk about their experiences leaving Africa and coming to America. Sepha's quiet life changes when Judith, a mother with a biracial child buys the large house next door and moves in. As these characters interact, ideas of place, home, belonging and race all come into play. In it's starred review, Publishers Weekly called Mengestu's prose "assured" and "haunting."

New title by Leif Enger

2008-06-23T07:58:00.000-07:00

In 2001 Amazon put Leif Enger's PEACE LIKE A RIVER on it's "Best of the Year" list and many people discovered this new voice of Midwestern literature. Now Enger has a new novel out called SO BRAVE, YOUNG, AND HANDSOME that is wowing reviewers and readers alike. It's the story of Monte Becket who, in 1915, is an author of a successful first novel struggling to write a second. It is at this stage of his life that he meets a somewhat mysterious older man with a very storied past. The two decide to go on a pilgrimage that forever changes their lives. This fast-paced novel is definitely worth a read. The library has two copies on the new bookshelf.

Cyd Charisse dies

2008-06-18T09:45:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know this is called Mark's Book Blog, but there's nothing to say I can't mention some of the great DVDs the library has in it's collection.

Yesterday, Cyd Charisse, one of film's most elegant and sophisticated dancers died in LA at the age of 86. This legend worked with such stars as Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire and for such directors as Vincente Minnelli and Arthur Freed. The library owns IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER, THE BAND WAGON, BRIGADOON and SINGIN' IN THE RAIN. Check these titles out and go back to a time with just a little bit more class and grace.

Too much water

2008-06-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

The flooding in the Midwest is certainly tragic, but unfortunately, not new. David McCullough, of PBS fame, wrote an early book describing another terrible flood, one of the worst in America's inland. THE JOHNSTOWN FLOOD was written when the last of the flood survivors were still living and describes the dam failure in Johnston, Pennsylvania, in 1889. One of America's most highly-regarded historians, McCullough's non-fiction reads like the most suspense-filled fiction. Other titles by McCullough include THE GREAT BRIDGE: THE EPIC STORY OF THE BUILDING OF THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE and PATH BETWEEN THE SEAS: THECREATION OF THE PANAMA CANAL, 1870-1914.

Coming to America

2008-06-17T15:53:00.001-07:00

The library has two recently well-reviewed collections of short stories dealing with emigrants trying to start new lives in America. THELAST CHICKEN IN AMERICA by Ellen Litman tells the stories of Russian immigrants who settle in Pittsburgh. The central character is Masha, a lonely teen who tries to stand out among the other Russians in town. Other characters include an unhappy housewife, a single mother and a widower trying to begin again. Publishers Weekly called Litman a "very promising writer."

The library will be ordering ASK FOR A CONVERTIBLE by Danit Brown very soon. When it's ordered, you will be able to place holds on it. These collection of stories deal with Osnat Greenberg who has settled in Michigan with her parents after leaving Israel. All of them struggle to settle into their new country and this struggle is described against the backdrop of more ordinary issues of growing up, fitting in, finding love and family disagreements. Library Journal calls Brown a "writer to savor."

Kosovo in the news

2008-06-16T08:21:00.001-07:00

There was a headline today about Kosovo's constitution taking affect after the province declared independence in February. The library has a very readable book called KOSOVO: A SHORT HISTORY by Noel Malcolm who has written extensively about the Balkans. It does a good job of explaining the long and complex history of the wider region and Kosovo specifically, giving a clear picture of the historic and often violent struggle between ethnic Albanians and Serbs over this small piece of land. The library also has Malcolm's BOSNIA: A SHORT HISTORY; also well worth reading.

Same-sex marriage in CA

2008-06-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day same-sex couples can legally marry in California. The library strives to have materials for all members of the community and our gay/lesbian patrons are no different. There's a cool book called HITCHED! WEDDING STORIES FROM SAN FRANCISCO CITY HALL that is a collection of accounts of couples from all over the country who married when the mayor told clerks to preform such unions in 2004. Eventually the state supreme court stopped those marriages and they weren't legal until today. The essays are very personal and demonstrate how the mayor's stand affected the everyday lives of thousands of people from around the country. Seeing the news about those unions being legal statewide in California today reminded me of this interesting title.

South African fiction

2008-06-13T08:36:00.000-07:00

National Public Radio is running a series of stories profiling South Africa's progress from apartheid to democracy and it reminded me of a couple of South African novels I've read. The first, DISGRACE by J. M. Coetzee is a Booker Prize winner and tells the story of David Lurie, a 25 year old technical school teacher who is fired after an affair with a student comes to light. Somewhat adrift, he travels to his daughter's farm on the Eastern Cape, planning to write a book. However, things on the farm don't go as smoothly as David had hoped. At only 220 pages, the novel deals with an amazing number of themes such as crime in South Africa, authority and it's abuses, race, sex, family, disgrace and redemption.

THE HOUSE GUN by Nadine Gordimer deals with many of the same themes, especially South Africa's complicated history of official racial discrimination and it's attempts to move past it. Harold and Claudia are successful professionals whose lives are turned upside down when their son is accused of murdering one of his housemates. They struggle to support their son while trying to pin down the exact events that landed him in prison. As in Disgrace, South Africa's high crime rate is a major theme, along with the country's justice system and it's complex racial history.

Check out this great series!

2008-06-12T12:29:00.000-07:00

Crime stories. Mysteries. Noir fiction. Call them what you want, but you know you love them. The library has 11 titles in this great noir series focusing on different cities. Dark crime-ridden streets, urban jungles, murder, sex and intrigue is what you'll find in these volumes, peopled with desperate lonely characters who can't see a way out.

Each volume contains original short stories by various authors set in the title city. So, HAVANA NOIR has stories by Achy Obejas, Carolina Garcia-Aguilera and Arnaldo Correa; DETROIT NOIR has stories by Joyce Carol Oates, Craig Holden and Megan Abbott; and LOS ANGELES NOIR includes selections by Michael Connelly, Janet Fitch and Christopher Rice.

Other titles include TRINIDAD NOIR, TORONTO NOIR, QUEENS NOIR, LAS VEGAS NOIR and WALL STREET NOIR. Take a walk down these mean streets.

Wisconsin short story author

2008-06-12T09:11:00.000-07:00

Last year I read a good collection of short stories called TIME BETWEEN TRAINS by Anthony Bukoski. Bukoski was born in a Polish neighborhood in Superior, Wisconsin and his stories feature characters living, working, growing up, falling in love and growing older in that small northern town. I was amazed that an author could imagine so many different lives with such different histories all located in a small Wisconsin town. Some of his themes include a town dealing with a declining population, once vibrant immigrant communities that are slowing losing their importance in people's lives and whole industries in decline that once supported families for generations. His other titles include POLONAISE and CHILDREN OF STRANGERS. He also has a new book that's currently on order called NORTH OF THE PORT which can be put on hold. This is definitely a Wisconsin author more people should be aware of.

Iran in the news

2008-06-11T07:14:00.000-07:00

Iran has been in the news a lot over the last several years but even people who faithfully read newspaper articles describing current events in Iran and it's relationship to the U.S. are probably uninformed about the country's history and culture. Last year I read a great book called THE SOUL OF IRAN: A NATION'S JOURNEY TO FREEDOM by Afshin Molavi. Often, histories of a country can read like textbooks, but I didn't find that to be the case with this book. Molavi has reported on Iran for Reuters and the Washington Post and went to Iran to get a clearer picture of the current situation there, not from government officials but from ordinary Iranians. What they have to say about their daily lives, their country and it's position in the world is fascinating. Molavi alternates their stories with chapters on Iran's rich history dating to pre-Islamic Persia.

Other well-reviewed books about Iran available at the library include PERSIAN MIRRORS: THE ELUSIVE FACE OF IRAN by Elaine Sciolino, HONEYMOON IN PURDAH: AN IRANIAN JOURNEY by Alison Wearing, and IRAN: A PEOPLE INTERRUPTED by Hamid Dabashi. Check out some of these great titles at your Racine Public Library.

NPR reminded me ...

2008-06-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

I was listening to This American Life on NPR and the show's theme was The Ten Commandments. It reminded me of an interesting series of books by the Oxford University Press and the New York Public Library. Each one deals with one of the seven deadly sins (envy, gluttony, lust, greed, anger, sloth, pride) and is written by a different author. This provocative series received positive reviews and should make for interesting reading. The library has all seven.

Three Junes and a third novel for Julia Glass

2008-06-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

THREE JUNES is a great debut novel by Julia Glass and since reading it a couple of summers ago, I always think about it when June gets here. The structure of the book is three interlocking sections told from differing viewpoints during three important Junes over the course of a decade. The first is told by Paul McLeod, the second by his oldest son Fenno and the third is told by Fern Olitsky, an artist both Paul and Fenno come into contact with. The prose is very smooth and fluid, exploring complex relationships between people and how very differently they often see or judge their world and each other. My friend Steve from California told me about this book and since it's the one worthwhile suggestion he's made, he's very proud of it.

Glass's second novel, THE WHOLE WORLD OVER, also got glowing reviews and is kind of cool because Fenno from THREE JUNES shows up as a minor character. Both books are also available at the library on compact disc.

If you enjoy those books, you'll want to put a hold on I SEE YOU EVERYWHERE which is Glass's third novel and is currently on order. Steve from CA is reading it even as I type and says it's great.

Great summer reads

2008-06-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

Last year about this time, I read MONTANA 1948 by Larry Watson and thought it was probably the perfect summer read. It's the story of one summer in a small Montana town told from the perspective of David Hayden, a 12-year-old-boy whose father is the town sheriff who has to arrest his brother, David's uncle, for rape. It's a fascinating story of how David tries to figure out what's happening to his family, questions of right and wrong, and how to navigate some of life's more thorny issues. The novel is told in lean, direct prose which makes it deceptively simple; the moral questions raised are extremely complex, especially for a book with less than 200 pages. Best of all, the library has five copies so there should be no hold list.

JUSTICE, by the same author, is a prequel exploring the family dynamics of David's father, uncle and grandfather.

Traveler's Literary Companions

2008-06-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

Lots of people know about the great travel resources the library has for many many places around the world, but fewer know about the series A TRAVELER'S LITERARY COMPANION published by Whereabouts Press. The library has over a dozen titles in this series ranging from Cuba to Greece to Chile (with China, Vienna and France coming later this year). Each volume has short stories, essays and literary selections by authors from that country or city. The volume on Mexico, for instance, includes selections by Carlos Fuentes and Laura Esquivel; the volume on Spain includes Manuel Rivas and Federico Garcia Lorca.

The selections in these books are short and easily readable on the beach, in an airport or plane or in your hotel and let you discover the literary heritage of your vacation destination.

Wisconsin author

2008-06-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

SUITE FRANCAISE deals with the German occupation of a French village during the early days of World War II. In APARTMENT IN ATHENS, Wisconsin author Glenway Wescott paints a claustrophobic picture of Greek family forced to billet a German officer in their Athens apartment.

Westcott, born in Kewaskum, WI in 1901, is an author more people should know about. Two earlier novels, THE GRANDMOTHERS and GOOD-BYE WISCONSIN are semi-autobiographical and deal with a young man leaving his Midwestern rural roots early in the century and beginning a writing career. THE PILGRIM HAWK is another interesting Wescott title. The library also owns a biography of Wescott called GLENWAY WESCOTT PERSONALLY: A BIOGRAPHY by Jerry Rosco. Discover this fascinating Wisconsin novelist.

First cool author

2008-06-04T07:25:00.000-07:00

SUITE FRANCAISE by Irene Nemirovsky was published in English in 2006 but was written during the German invasion and occupation of France, which is also the book's plot. Nemirovsky, a Russian-born Jew, envisioned a five part "suite" dealing with an interlocking cast of characters during France's invasion and occupation. SUITE FRANCAISE is the first two of these parts and the only ones completed before Nemirovsky died in Auschwitz in 1942. It is a wonderful read describing the chaotic evacuation of Paris as the Nazis approached and the complex relationships of the occupied French and occupying Germans.

Since it's English publication, the novel has been a favorite with book discussion groups and is well worth reading. The other two Nemirovsky titles available at the library are FIRE IN THE BLOOD and DAVID GOLDER; THE BALL; SNOW IN AUTUMN; THE COURILOF AFFAIR, a collection of four novellas. DAVID GOLDER was her first work published and had established Nemirovsky's reputation as a skilled author.