Nevermore opened with a glowing review for Cristina
Henriquez’s novel, The Book of Unknown
Americans. The story centers on the
Rivera family who have left a good life in Mexico to come to the United States
because of their daughter’s traumatic brain injury. Maribel needs to go to a special school, but
life in America is difficult for them.
It’s also difficult for their neighbors, who hail from a variety of
Latin American countries. Our reviewer
said that it’s a wonderful book that combines romance with Hispanic
culture. It’s thought provoking and
compassionate. She also said that she’ll
look at mushrooms differently now, knowing how they are raised and the toll the
work extracts.
Another highly recommended book was The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt.
Our reviewer said she knows some people didn’t like the book, but she
felt it gave her a new way of looking at life. Theo, the narrator, is thirteen
when his mother is killed in an act of terrorism at the Metropolitan Museum of
Art. His father has abandoned him, so he is taken in by friends. He has one treasured possession: a painting of a bird done by a Dutch
Master. Our reader said this book is
Harry Potter and a Russian novel rolled up into one, with a dash of Virginia
Woolf thrown in for good measure.
The first non-fiction title of the day was Believer:
My Forty Years in Politics by David Axelrod. It too had an enthusiastic review as an
insider’s look at politics. Our reader
said for her the fun was in learning the backstory to events and learning about
the relationships between the various players.
She also said that Axelrod’s account was devoid of malice, and that she
felt he treated everyone fairly. When asked about the title, she said it referred to his belief in the democratic process.
The Boy Who Harnessed
the Wind by William Kamkwamba is the autobiographical story of how a
teenager in drought-stricken Malawi was inspired to build a windmill to
generate electricity. Kamkwamba had a
long time affinity for electronics and machinery. A library book sparked his interest in
building a windmill, which he constructed out of scrap metal, wire, part of a
clothesline, and other salvaged material.
Our reader said that learning about the country and its culture was
quite an eye-opener: it was like stepping back in time. He was also impressed with the ingenuity of
the young man, who went on to attend Dartmouth College.
Next up was the novel I
See You by Patricia MacDonald. It’s
a psychological thriller which asks the question, “How well do you know those
around you?” Hannah, Adam, and Sydney Wickes are living a quiet life until an
incident brings media attention to the family. It turns out that they have been
hiding from a secret in their past, a secret which now may be about to catch up
with them. Our reviewer thought the book
was worth reading, and was especially interested in it because there was a
sociopathic character.
Finally, there was a recommendation for Flesh and Bone, the second in the “Body Farm” mystery series by
Jefferson Bass. The books are written by
Jon Jefferson, a journalist, in concert with Dr. William Bass, who taught
anthropology at the University of Tennessee.
Dr. Bass has been a pioneer in the field of forensic science. Our reader was quite taken with the book, in
part because of good use of the Knoxville and Chattanooga setting. There are references
to real people, such as Knoxvillian Art Bohanan who is known for his work with
fingerprints. It’s a good mystery with
wonderful local color.
The Nevermore Book Club meets every Tuesday at 11:00 am at the Bristol Public Library. We have coffee and doughnuts courtesy of The Blackbird Bakery. Bring a book and join in the fun!
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