Nevermore: Obituary Writer, Midwife of Hope River, and My Own Country

Two fiction books and a non-fictional account about this area dominated a recent meeting of Nevermore.

The Obituary Writer by Ann Hood intertwines the lives of two women separated by place and time.  In 1919, Vivien is still searching for the love of her life, an already married man who disappeared years earlier in the San Francisco earthquake.  She now writes obituaries to help others cope with their own losses as she continues to grieve her own.  The second part of the story is set in 1963, where wife and mother Claire is fascinated by Jackie Kennedy, who seems so glamorous.  Claire is restless, feeling that she wants more from life—and from her marriage to a man she’s no longer sure she loves.  Our reviewer was quite taken with this book and with the way the lives of the two women converge.  She highly recommends this book, and compares it to The Postmistress by Sarah Blake.

The Midwife of Hope River is set in Depression-era West Virginia, where Patience Murphy works as a midwife, delivering babies for poor families no matter their race or ethnicity.  Patience is hiding secrets of her own, however, and is afraid that her past may catch up with her sooner rather than later. Author Patricia Harmon, a midwife herself, has written a riveting and uplifting book that employs the social conditions and mores of the time to good effect:  striking miners, segregation, the Ku Klux Klan, etc.  While the details are authentic, Harmon doesn’t resort to writing in dialect to give the flavor of the place. This novel has been read by several Nevermore members, earning praise all around. Fans of Call the Midwife (both memoir by Jennifer Worth and the PBS series based on the book) might enjoy this one, which has many of the same themes in a different setting.

A modern, non-fictional book about medicine in Appalachia also caught the attention of a Nevermore reader. My Own Country:  A Doctor’s Story by Abraham Verghese tells of his experiences as a doctor in Johnson City, Tennessee when a strange disease begins showing up: a peculiar and frightening auto-immune disease that will become known as AIDS.  Verghese writes beautifully, with a discerning eye and compassion toward both his patients and toward his new home in Appalachia, which carries a bit of culture shock.  This is another book that has received near universal praise and recommendation for its insights and sensitivity. My Own Country first came out some years ago, but the library continues to have to buy replacement copies due to the book’s popularity. Verghese has continued to write, most recently producing an acclaimed novel entitled Cutting for Stone.

Bryant and May on the Loose by Christopher Fowler

Reviewed by Jeanne

Having stepped on a few toes too many, the Peculiar Crimes Unit has been disbanded and its members scattered hither and yon—at least until a headless corpse is discovered in a politically sensitive area at a politically sensitive time.  The Powers That Be grudgingly decide to let May reassemble the team-- not an easy task when some have gone on to other jobs and Bryant has taken to his bathrobe and books. They have less than a week to solve the case, and they have to do so without any real authority, no access to official channels and an office without a working toilet but with a rather large pentagram.While May and most of the others spend their time following the money trail, Bryant gets sidetracked by a report of some crackpot wearing antlers made of cutlery who may or may not have anything to do with the case.

Such is the premise for Bryant and May on the Loose, the seventh in Christopher Fowler's Bryant and May series. This was the first time I’d tried a book in this series and I harbor the very strong suspicion that if I had deliberately set out to pick the worst possible place to start, it would be this book.  There are too many characters I’m supposed to know about already and I had trouble keeping them all straight.  There were a number of scenes which I knew were probably Very Significant but I didn’t know why.  On the other hand, I did keep reading because I enjoyed the writing and the fascinating bits of London history that were constantly being dropped.  I don’t recall ever hearing about the Saint Pancras Old Church before, but it plays a major role in the story; if I ever get to London, I want to pay a visit.

By the end I was admiring the way that Bryant and May both reached a conclusion through very different routes:  one from the realm of superstitions and strange forces and the other from very solid, non-mystical means, and no way to saying which one was right.  In fact they were both a bit right and both a bit wrong:  that’s quite a balancing act.

If you like your mysteries to be very British, with large dollops of history, folklore, clever observations and humor, this series might just be the ticket for you.  Personally, I’m intrigued enough to try another in the series and would recommend the series-- though I'd suggest starting with an earlier book.

August Big Books

Summary by Jeanne

The summer book season is still going strong!  Here are some August highlights:

•    Debbie Macomber new series continues with Rose Harbor in Bloom, a spin-off from her popular Cedar Cove books

•    Kelley Armstrong, best known for her Otherworld novels, starts a new fantasy series with Omens. Olivia Taylor Jones has lived a papered life as the only child of wealthy parents, not knowing that she was adopted and her birth parents are serving life sentences for serial murders.  Now she’s out to uncover the truth about her family, which may include some supernatural connections.

•    J.A. Jance has Second Watch, a J.P. Beaumont mystery

•    Thomas Keneally, best known for Schindler’s List, returns with an engrossing story set in World War I.  Sisters Sally and Naomi are serving as nurses and facing horribly injured soldiers even as they struggle with personal traumas.  Reviewers say that once again Keneally has humanized a sweeping and complex historical event in The Daughters of Mars.

•    Readers who enjoyed Gap Creek by Robert Morgan will be glad to know that there’s a sequel, Road from Gap Creek, which continues the story of the Richards family as told by their youngest daughter, Annie.

•    James Patterson and David Ellis (Guilty Wives) re-team in Mistress, a standalone novel about a man with obsessive tendencies determined to find out who murdered the love of his life.  (Note that Ellis has a new book of his own out this month.)

•    And while it may not be a “Big Book,” I’m looking forward to Love Potion #10 by Betsy Woodman, which is the second in the Jana Bibi series. Jana is a Scotswoman by heritage who has lived in India for years.  I found it to be utterly charming.  My review of the first book is here.

More highly anticipated books:

Bowen, Rhys  Heirs and Graces  (Her Royal Spyness series)
Box, C. J.  The Highway (Cody Hoyt)
Cain, Chelsea Let Me Go (Archie and Gretchen)
Cook, Thomas Sandrine’s Case
Doiron, Paul  Massacre Pond (Mike Bowditch mystery)
Ellis, David  Last Alibi (Jason Kolarich)
Fairstein, Linda Death’s Angel (Alex Cooper)
Fisher, Suzanne Woods The Letters
Garwood, Julie  Hotshot (Buchanan-Renard)
Gregory, Philippa White Princess (The Cousins’ War series)
Hurwitz, Gregg  Tell No Lies
Jance, J.A.  Second Watch (Beaumont)
Kellerman, Faye  Beast (Peter Decker & Rina Lazarus)
Penny, Louise  How the Light Gets In (Inspector Gamache)
Reichs, Kathy  Bones of the Past (Temperance Brennan)
Robards, Karen  Last Kiss Goodbye (Charlotte Stone)

Next August will have another long awaited book: Anne Rivers Siddons returns with Girls of August, the story of a group of friends who get together at the beach each August, starting when they are in their twenties and ending after one of the group dies.  Now they’ve reunited and are about to make some startling discoveries about each other—and themselves. (

Series & Short Stories: Baker Street, Irish County, Victorian Magic & Evil Geniuses

Reviews by Jeanne

Baker Street Translation by Michael Robertson is the third in the “Heath and Heath” series about two brothers who rent offices at 221 B Baker Street in London, and thus fall heir to answering all the letters sent to Sherlock Holmes.  This time around, the brothers find themselves involved with an earnest translator who wants to prove he made no errors, but ends up dead for his troubles, a Texas lawyer who wants to know why his client was told to make a will leaving her vast fortune to Reggie, Reggie’s romantic rival kidnapped, and a whole load of toy ducks. I found the book to be a lot of fun, with some Sherlockian references thrown in.  You don’t have to read all the books in the series, but you might want to read The Brothers of Baker Street before this one just to learn about the romantic triangle.

An Irish Country Wedding by Patrick Taylor continues the story of Dr. Fingal Flahertie O’Reilly and his young protégé Dr. Barry Laverty as they minister to the good people of Ballybucklebo in the early 1960s.  In this entry, O’Reilly is planning his wedding to old flame Kitty when his loyal housekeeper, Kinky Kincaid, is stricken with a serious ailment.  In the meantime, there are the usual village problems to be sorted and perhaps the start of a new romance.  I have thoroughly enjoyed all the Irish Country series, which just seems to get better and better.  If you like the stories of Miss Read, James Herriot, or even Alexander McCall Smith, this might be a series for you.  The stories are gentle but there’s a practical, no nonsense feel to them. Some things work out as expected; others don’t. The Irish setting is absolutely delightful, though the author makes sure that it isn’t seen as purely idyllic.  He avoided Irish politics for the most part, but does start to address the question a bit in this book.  Here’s an earlier series review: Irish Country Series

Queen Victoria’s Book of Spells, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terry Wilding is a collection of fantasy stories in a Victorian setting.  As usual with these editors, there’s a strong collection of stories and excellent selection of authors, including Gregory Maguire (Wicked), multiple award winning novelist Tanith Lee, and Ellen Kushner (Thomas the Rhymer.)  A number of the stories feature magical takes on real people such as Queen Victoria and the Brontes, real events (the phosphorous strike) or well-known literary creations (Scrooge and Frankenstein.) If you like the era and enjoy a bit of the fantastical, there’s sure to be something you like in this collection.

On the other hand, if you prefer something more futuristic, try The Mad Scientist’s Guide to World Domination:  Original Short Fiction for the Modern Evil Genius edited by John Joseph Adams.  This collection features contributions from authors such as Diana Gabaldon, Naomi Novik, and Harry Turtledove.  The stories range from amusing to tear-inducing, and all are clever.  “Professor Incognito Apologies:  An Itemized List” by Austin Grossman is the sort of story I expected in this collection, but the twists made it memorable.  “The Executor” by Daniel H. Wilson read a bit like one of the old hard-boiled mystery stories, while “The Angel of Death Has A Business Plan” by Heather Lindsley explains that evil geniuses need a coach to get those threats just right.

War Nevermore: War is a Force, Cavaliers and Roundheads, and Sarah's Key

"Ain't gonna study war no more" isn't a phrase used at Nevermore, because war is a frequent book topic both in non-fiction and fiction.  Here are some of the books about war which were discussed recently:

Foreign correspondent Chris Hedges has covered conflicts all over the world, from the Sudan to the Balkans to the Americas.  He’s studied accounts of historical warfare (including Shakespeare’s portrayals) to compare with contemporary wars, looking the ways they differed and were similar.   The resulting book, War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, is a fascinating look at “the virus of war,” a disorder to which human beings seem all too susceptible.  War brings a complete breakdown in morality, and makes for a black and white world in which soldiers on our side are not only good, they’re all heroes; those fighting for the other side are all evil. Battles are glorified; dissenters, even artists or musicians, are silenced. This seems to be true through both time and place. Jud Barry, our director, felt this was definitely a book for reading and reflection.

 

Speaking of conflicts, there was a lot going on during the English Civil War, none of it good.  Christopher Hibbert’s book Cavaliers and Roundheads does an excellent job of presenting the war on a more personal and intimate level. Communities and families were divided; collateral damage was enormous.  Hibbert highlights the personalities involved, including some of the minor players whose names aren’t as well known as Charles I or Oliver Cromwell.  The religious component was enormous, but it was more nuanced that a simple matter of Protestant against Catholic. This well-written, revealing and well-researched account is highly recommended.

World War II is the catalyst for the novel Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. In 2002, journalist Julia Jarmond is writing a 60th anniversary piece on the round up of Jews in Paris, which were done with the complicity and sometimes active participation of the French authorities.  As Julia does her research, she discovers that the apartment where she lives once belonged to the family of a young girl named Sarah who was taken along with most of her family by the Nazis. Left behind is Sarah’s younger brother, who is hidden in a locked cupboard. The novel alternates between past and present, as Julia learns more about the fate of Sarah’s family and of a very dark period of French history.  Jud found the book to be a well-written, plot driven book with good pacing which drew him in quickly and kept the pages turning.

Spotlight on Oversized Books!

 Reviewed by Kristin

Bristol Public Library has a very nice selection of books that are too large to fit on the regular shelves.  You might imagine large coffee table books of Monet paintings or the 100 most scenic golf courses of the world.  In addition to books like these, you can see beautiful pictures of the crown jewels or dollhouse miniatures.  Find these special volumes in the oversize section, just beyond the new non-fiction.  Ask at the reference desk if you need directions!

Southern Appalachian Celebration Photographs by James Valentine, text by Chris Bolgiano
Valentine is well-known for his photographs of the southeast.  This volume spans the mountains of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia.  Stunning forest and floral views make this a photographic showcase to remember.


A Day in the Life of the United States Armed Forces Created by Matthew Naythons and Lewis J. Korman
Civilian and military photographers documented life throughout all the United States Armed Forces on October 22, 2002.  Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard members all over the world were photographed during training, active duty and leisure time activities. From Special Forces training in the Philippines to bedding down at night on Ky Thuong Mountain in Vietnam, this book presents a view of the daily lives of our armed forces.

The Crown Jewels by Anna Keay
Along with full color pictures of the British crown jewels, Keay includes a history of these valued artifacts.  Many craftsmen’s design drawings are reproduced alongside the finished products.  Also included is a complete inventory of the crown jewels kept in the Tower of London.  It’s not just crowns, rings and sceptres; we can’t forget the “Ladle for the Grand Punch Bowl” made for Queen Victoria in 1841 or the “Spurs” made for Charles II in 1660-61.

Tennessee: A Homecoming edited by John Netherton
From turtle races in Ducktown to Rock City signs in Greene County, this book encompasses a wide variety of sights around the Volunteer state.  Using both color and black and white film, twenty-four of Tennessee top photographers traveled the state and took thousands of pictures to be considered for this compilation.

Virginia 360 by Mark Benjimen Carey
Written for the 400 year anniversary of Virginia’s settlement, Carey presents wide, panoramic photos arranged by geographical sections of the state.  Each page has interesting information about the subject and an address, GPS coordinates, and/or a website related to the location.  In addition, readers can play hide and seek while searching for the author’s Jack Russell Terrier, Chester, in most of the photographs.  (Chester was respectful and stayed out of view for historic cemeteries and military tributes.)

The Dollhouse Book by Stephanie Finnegan
Shaped like a house, this volume includes primitive dollhouse styles as well as an elaborate Palace of Versailles.  For every child (or adult) who enjoys dollhouses, this book is a peek into a wide variety of miniatures found round the world.  The attention to detail will amaze you, and leave you wanting a closer look.

The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World Photographs by Guillaume De Laubier, Text by Jacques Bosser
We might be biased, but this is a beautiful book about beautiful libraries.  From the Vatican Library to the New York City Public Library lions, (named “Patience” and “Fortitude” and made from Tennessee marble), these institutions have immense cultural value.  Classical paintings abound in many of the libraries featured, as well as intricate carvings and sculptures.  Of course, the central feature of each of these places is the book collection.

Shunning Sarah by Julie Kramer

 Reviewed by Jeanne

Riley Spartz is a TV news reporter working for a station in Minneapolis, trying to scoop the other stations in a very competitive market.  The station has just taken on a new manager after a horrific incident, meaning that Riley doesn’t yet have a good sense of how things will be run.  Still, when she gets a tip from her mother about a child trapped in a sinkhole, Riley figures that’s a no-brainer and probably a ratings bonanza. As it turns out, there’s much more to it than that: not only was the boy trapped in a sinkhole, but he was sharing it with the corpse of a murdered woman.

What doesn’t play out as expected is the new boss’s reaction:  he takes a dim view of covering events outside of the immediate market area.  He also has some other ideas about station economics that make life miserable for anyone actually trying to cover news. Riley stubbornly pursues the story, discovering that the deceased was a member of the close-knit Amish community.  Close-knit also means closed mouthed, especially to English (i.e., non-Amish) television reporters.  Soon Riley realizes that her investigations may not only be jeopardizing her job, but her life as well.

This is the fifth in Julie Kramer's popular Riley Spartz series, but the first one I’ve read. I noticed a blurb from James Patterson on the front cover, and the structure of the book did remind me of his work:  short, punchy chapters designed to keep the reader turning pages.  The plot has enough twists and turns to surprise, and there are some strong action scenes.  One in particular is a standout. There’s even a bit of romance in the background as Riley tries to decide whether or not to rekindle the flame with an ex-boyfriend or to move on. If there’s a weak point for me, it’s the characters don’t seem to have a lot of depth. I enjoyed the book but didn’t feel compelled to find the others immediately and catch up get any background I might have missed. There’s also one part of the book I had a quibble with but I can’t discuss it without giving away a part of the plot that I definitely don’t want to spoil.

My favorite parts of the book had to do with the insider’s view of how television news: not just the reporter’s tricks of getting the good shots, but what determines the stories that are covered and the ones that aren’t. There’s no sugar-coating about the public’s need to know; for the most part it all comes down to advertisers and money.

Shunning Sarah is a good solid thriller which I’ll be recommending to our readers who like well-written action-oriented books.