Nevermore: Girl in Disguise, Other Einstein, Makeup Man, Physics, Brain, Eva Luna and End of the Day

Reported by Kristin

Our first Nevermore reader very enthusiastically recommends Girl in Disguise by Greer Macallister.  Based on the true story of the first female detective in the Pinkerton agency, Kate Warne forges a career in what until then has been an old boys club.  Once Pinkerton realizes that having women detectives would be to his advantage, Kate is placed in charge of training other women, a task she falls to with a vengeance.  Our reader found this novel fun, interesting and informative, and said that she just got enveloped in this woman’s life.

The next reader had a very different reaction to her novel—she thought that The Other Einstein by Marie Benedict was simply awful.  The book made her dislike Albert Einstein, as he was depicted as a selfish jerk who took credit for his first wife’s work.  Additionally, our reader did not think that the book was well written.  With mixed critical reviews, this volume depicts physicist Mileva Maric, the aforementioned first wife of Einstein, as a brilliant woman who sacrificed her own career for her husband’s.

Discussion turned to non-fiction with Makeup Man: From Rocky to Star Trek The Amazing Creations of Hollywood’s Michael Westmore by Michael Westmore with Jake Page.  The Westmore family has been involved in the Hollywood make up business for a full century, since 1917.  As well as working with such stars as Sylvester Stallone, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Michael Westmore also designed the make up for hundreds of Star Trek aliens.  Our reader found this a fascinating book.

Going from art to science, our next reader talked about Storm in a Teacup: The Physics of Everyday Life by Helen Czerski.  Just detailed enough to be challenging, but simple enough to understand, Czerski seems to know everything about mid-level science.  Our reader was fascinated by the variety of scientific facts offered up, and in fact performed an experiment at the book club table.  How can you tell if an egg is hard boiled or raw?  Spin them and observe which one goes fastest and longest.  After several people tried testing the eggs, our reader cracked the two “boiled” eggs.  Fortunately, our spinners were correct.  Many other scientific curiosities are included in this illuminating book.

From physical science to life science, The Brain That Changes Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain Science by Norman Doidge discusses the way that our experiences shape the physical properties of our brains.  Throwing out the old idea that brains are static organs, the author examines the idea of “neuroplasticity,” looking at how brains can rewire themselves after trauma.  Our reader was very impressed with the idea that our brains can use cognitive reserves to adapt to new circumstances.

The End of the Day is a new novel by Claire North.  Charlie decides he’s ready for a change in his life, so he applies for a new job.  The title?  Harbinger of Death.  Charlie visits people all over the world.  Sometimes he comforts them as they are dying.  Sometimes, he may visit quite some time before the time or day of actual death, but his visit serves some purpose to prepare them for what lies ahead.  Our reader commented on the fact that in Charlie’s world, everyone dies twice: one actual death, and a second when people stop talking about you.

Lastly, another reader discussed Eva Luna by Isabelle Allende.  Eva is a young girl who was orphaned early and is making her own way in a rough South American country.  As Eva moves through life, she experiences a series of unusual circumstances.  Our reader called it a tale of mystical realism, as the reader may question if the events really could have happened.  Our reader said that it was a good book and worth suspending disbelief over the fantastical elements in order to appreciate the story.

Nevermore: High School, Physics, Waking Lions, Laurie Frankel, Flower Moon, and Chimney Sweep

Reported by Ambrea

Nevermore started out with a look at Lindsey Lee Johnson’s debut novel, The Most Dangerous Place on Earth.  Johnson’s novel is a “kaleidoscopic narrative [which] exposes at every turn the real human beings beneath the high school stereotypes,” according to the book jacket.  The Most Dangerous Place on Earth tells the story of Abigail Cress, an Ivy League bound student who has an inappropriate relationship with her teacher; Dave Chu, a decent student being crushed by his parents’ expectations; Emma Fleed, a gifted dancer who parties as rigorously as she practices; Damon Flintov, a student just back from rehab who has something to prove; Calista Broderick, a popular student who shaped herself into a “hippie outcast”; and Molly Nicoll, an English teacher who struggles to connect with her richer, more privileged students.  Our reader said she found Johnson’s novel eye opening.  She thought it might be slightly exaggerated, given the obscene wealth of the characters; however, she considered it a very honest presentation of high school life and adolescent relationships.

Next, Nevermore switched to nonfiction with Storm in a Teacup:  The Physics of Everyday Life by Helen Czerski.  Czerski, a physicist who specializes in bubbles, offers a unique and unexpected perspective on daily phenomena, like how trees manage to “drink” water and why milk looks like it does when added to tea and why raisins cause carbonated lemonade to bubble.  Our reader thought Czerski’s book was very interesting.  He thought it was fascinating how the author was able to link complex concepts of the physical universe to the simple, almost humdrum daily routine most people lead.  He liked the simple discovers and, as a special treat, he showed his fellow readers how he was able to turn a glass upside down without spilling a single drop of water.  Using surface tension and a simple piece of cardboard, our reader was able to turn the fully filled water glass upside down and hold it, never spilling a drop.  Needless to say, we were all very impressed.

Nevermore also looked at Laurie Frankel’s latest novel, This is How It Always is.  Rosie and Penn have five children—all boys, all rambunctious—but, as time goes on, they discover that Claude, their youngest son, has dreams of being someone different.  He wants to be a girl.  Rosie and Penn are supportive of Claude, because they want him to be whoever he wants to be; however, they’re just not sure if they’re ready to share his secret with the world—and then, one day, it’s no longer a secret.  Our reader liked Frankel’s novel.  She wondered if this novel was slightly autobiographical, as the author also has a transgender child; however, she thought it was an interesting novel regardless.  She said it would make an excellent book club recommendation, because it would be so easy to find different perspectives on such a charged subject.

Next, Nevemore visited Ayelet Gundar-Goshen’s latest novel, Waking Lions.  A gripping story from beginning to end, Waking Lions tells the story of neurosurgeon Eitan Green and a deadly mistake that may cost him his family, his reputation, and, quite possibly, his life.  While speeding along a dusty, moonlit road after an exhausting day, Eitan hits someone, an African migrant, and then he leaves the scene.  The next day, the victim’s widow shows up on his doorstep with his forgotten wallet.  She doesn’t want money—she wants help, and she’ll have his if no other.  Although she hadn’t finished reading Waking Lions, our reader said it was an interesting novel.  It’s complex and it’s jarring; however, she did note that she’s “had it up to ‘here’ with all the guilt and angst.”

Nevermore revisited Killers of the Flower Moon:  The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann.  During the 1920s, the richest people in the world were the Osage Indian nation in Oklahoma after they received an unforeseen windfall from the oil discovered beneath their land.  But, one by one, the wealthy Osage were being picked off and investigators were murdered, before J. Edgar Hoover and a fledgling FBI became involved.  Our reader, like many others before her, thought Killers of the Flower Moon was interesting and unexpectedly captivating.  Written well and researched just as thoroughly, Grann’s book was an immediate hit with our current reader.  She said she was particularly entranced by the formation of the FBI.  She found it fascinating to see how more modern, according to the time, investigative techniques were used and how forensics—and Texas Ranger Tom White—influenced the floundering Bureau.

Last, Nevermore picked up Death of a Chimney Sweep, a Hamish Macbeth mystery by M.C. Beaton.  Set in isolated villages in northern Scotland, Death of a Chimney Sweep features Constable Hamish Macbeth investigating another mystery—this one the mysterious murder of Pete Ray, the affable, itinerant chimney sweep of the Scottish highlands.  Our reader loves Hamish Macbeth mysteries, and she was glad she had a chance to dive back into Beaton’s novels.  She said the story was “so light, so fast” and re-reading it was a “wonderful refresher.”  She highly recommended Death of a Chimney Sweep—or any other Hamish Macbeth mystery by M.C. Beaton—to her fellow mystery readers, especially if they were looking for an enjoyable, light mystery that borders on not-too-grisly.