Nevermore began with one reader praising Elly
Griffiths’ second installation in her series starring DI Stephens and magician Max Mephisto: Smoke and Mirrors. In Brighton, England in late November 1951,
two child actors are found dead in the snow.
To add to the horror of dead children, candy is sprinkled around the
bodies, causing the press to dub this the “Hansel and Gretel” case. Despite the morbid subject matter, the book
is recommended enthusiastically.
Next up was The Missing World by Margot
Livesey. Main character Hazel is hit by
a car, suffers a blow to the head, and loses her memory of the last three
years. Unfortunately, her ex-boyfriend
Jonathan takes advantage of the situation and tries to control her life again
as Hazel comes out of a coma but continues to suffer seizures. Our reader described the character’s
interactions as almost sitcom-like.
Dakota: A Spiritual Geography
by Kathleen Norris was chosen by another reader upon reflection of current
events in Standing Rock Native American Reservation. As a newcomer to a land with so little water
and so much isolation, Norris found herself exploring the wisdom held by Native
Americans, Benedictine monks, and other high plains residents. Our reader described it as a very spiritual
book with a significant message.
One of Nevermore’s history buffs brought up a
well-written book: A Disease in the
Public Mind: A New Understanding of Why
We Fought the Civil War by Thomas Fleming.
Beginning with the state of affairs before the Revolutionary War,
Fleming discusses the roles of slaves in the northern and southern
colonies. As slavery began to diminish
in other parts of the world, political leaders and private citizens began to
question their conscience and some began to advocate for the abolishment of
slavery. The North and South became
increasingly polarized over these issues, eventually leading to states’
secession and war.
Moving from North America to South America, the next
book up was Turn Right at Machu Picchu: Rediscovering the Lost City One Step
at a Time by Mark Adams. As a travel
magazine editor, Adams had travelled to Machu Picchu previously, but had taken
the easier tourist route. For this
experience, Adams decided to walk (with mules and guides managing all the
supplies) the “original” route travelled by Hiram Bingham a century ago. Our reader said that this was a fun book but
she was glad that she had not been the one walking amidst the giant spiders,
snakes, and other dangers.
How to
Keep House by Sam Martin garnered a few chuckles because it is part of the
tongue in cheek series “The Lost Art of Being a Man”. With 1950’s style illustrations, in this book
the man of the house is the one wearing an apron, ironing the clothes, and
washing the windows while the woman sits back in an easy chair reading. Joking aside, the book offers tips for modern
householders who may not have learned how to remove stains from clothing, troubleshoot
a malfunctioning vacuum cleaner, or replace a windowpane.
Finally, author Anne Wetzell Armstrong was touted as
one of the most important (though largely unknown and unappreciated) novelists
to live in the Bristol area. Her novel This
Day and Time is a tribute to the rural Big Creek community that she came to
know after moving from Michigan to Tennessee as a child. Armstrong also published several articles in
the 1920’s about the emerging role of women in the workplace.
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