We All Want Impossible Things by Catherine Newman

Reviewed by Kristin

Ash and Edi have been best friends for 42 years. From feeding the nursery school class Venus flytrap together, to marriages and children, they have been there for each other. Now, Edi has advanced ovarian cancer, and Ash will do anything to help. Anything. The idea of life without Edi is unimaginable.

When the Sloan Kettering doctors say that there is nothing else to do, Edi’s husband Jude starts calling hospices in New York City, only to find that there are waiting lists. What? Do they not understand the immediate need for care in a a hospice situation?

Ash lives in a little town in western Massachusetts where the Graceful Shepherd Hospice does have space for a patient. It’s a crazy idea and Jude is heartbroken at the idea of having his wife so far away, but there are few options. Edi and Jude have a young son who has already been upset by seeing his mother deteriorating. Edi wants Dash to remember her as her whole self, not the shell she is becoming.

Ash’s goal is to be with Edi, to enjoy their time together, and to be there for the ugly parts too. Bodily fluids, brain fog, and weakness must be taken into account, and Ash is there for her friend. While being strong in front of Edi, Ash is also being torn apart by the pain of losing her best friend. She engages in some outrageous bed-hopping behavior. Even if her 17-year-old daughter Belle doesn’t understand, (and unfortunately happens to catch Mom in some of those particular beds) everyone has different coping mechanisms.

This cleverly writen story of two best friends and all their family living in the liminal space of anticipatory grief is told with much love and humor. Ash and Edi find joy, even as they know their time together is coming to an end. The characters are well developed, though Edi’s life story is told more through Ash as she goes through their memories together. Strong family connections hold them all together, even as they face an enormous loss.

This is Catherine Newman’s first adult book. Another novel entitled Sandwich is being published in June 2024.

New in April: Non-Fiction

 April is turning out to be a big month for books!  While there is a lot of good fiction on the publishers’ calendars, there are some very interesting non-fiction books a well.  Here are a few of them:

Dame Judi Dench, the wonderful British actress who has delighted audiences with her performances in movies including a turn as M in the James Bond series, turns her attention to her stage work. In Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, she offers insight into the Bard’s plays as well as anecdotes about her roles in them.  According to the publisher, this includes having a live snake in her wig and cavorting naked (albeit painted green) in the countryside.

 Doris Kearns Goodwin is known for her insightful, well-written books on history.  Her newest book, An Unfinished Love Story, is a very personal look at America in the 1960s, when her husband Richard worked for leaders such as Lyndon Johnson and Robert Kennedy.  The book came about as she and her husband began sorting through boxes of papers from that era during the last years of Richard’s life, bringing a mature assessment to both people and events.

Anne Lamott brings her insight to one of our basic emotions in Somehow: Thoughts on Love.  It’s not just romantic love under consideration here, but platonic love, family love, and spiritual love.  

Erik Larson is well known for his riveting non-fiction that has readers turning pages as if reading a thriller.  The author of Devil in the White City, Isaac’s Storm, and In the Garden of Beasts turns his attention to the American Civil War in his new book, The Demon of Unrest.  Larson examines the time between Lincoln’s election and Ft. Sumter which the publisher describes as “a political horror story.”

 

Author Salman Rushdie survived an assassination attempt in August 2022, when a knife-wielding assailant stabbed him several times. In Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, his publisher tells us that Rushdie “reminds us of the power of words to make sense of the unthinkable. Knife is a gripping, intimate, and ultimately life-affirming meditation on life, loss, love, art—and finding the strength to stand up again.”

 

James Patterson is known for his many, many, many fiction books, but of late he has turned his attention to non-fiction, writing about true crime, combat veterans, police officers, nurses, and more. His latest non-fiction title is The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians and I have to say that several staff members are really looking forward to this one!

The Columbo Collection by William Link

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

There are a few television characters who become such icons that they are recognized practically the world over.*  One such character is Lt. Columbo, the rumpled detective who always solves the case by asking suspects “just one more thing.”  While there may not be any new television episodes now that Peter Falk has passed away, I was pleased to discover a collection of short stories featuring the rumpled detective written by William Link who co-created the character and series with the late Dick Levinson.

There are a dozen stories in the collection, which originally came out in 2010.  Many adhere to the Columbo formula; that is, we see the murder and know whodunit.  The fun is watching how Columbo proves it.  A few are more the traditional murder story that starts with the police on the scene, trying to find clues. The stories are entertaining little puzzles that let the reader match wits with the detective.  I did enjoy reading them, but I also have to admit that I felt there was not much in the way of characterization.  There were little thumbnail sketches.  I fared better when I could mentally cast actors in the roles, people who could provide the texture.  I found myself wondering if these were originally story treatments for episodes that were never made.

If you are a Columbo fan, by all means check this one out!

*I can attest that Columbo is at least known in Hungary because there is a statue of Columbo and his faithful Basset Hound in Budapest! It is, appropriately enough, on Falk Miksa Street.

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Vera Wong is the proprietor of the somewhat misleadingly named Vera Wang’s World Famous Teahouse. (Yes, it’s Wang, because it can’t hurt to have her tea house associated with a famous person, right?) With customers few and far between, Vera can spend her time trying to “help” her only child, Tilbert, by calling him at 5 am to be sure he is not being lazy, reminding him to look for a girlfriend, and imparting valuable medical advice such as going to bed past 9 pm leads to prostate cancer. Oddly, Tilly—as she insists on calling him—doesn’t seem to be properly grateful for her parental participation in his life.  It’s most discouraging, except that Vera is not one to be discouraged.

Then one morning she comes downstairs to the tea shop to find a dead man.

Vera is thrilled.

She has watched “Law and Order” and “CSI” and she knows she is going to be a great help to the investigation.  Of course, she preserves the crime scene almost as it was, and eagerly awaits the arrival of the police.

She is deeply disappointed in the official response. They are very unappreciative of her efforts, refuse to drink the tea she has prepared, and don’t seem to be taking her seriously.  She decides that it’s up to her to solve this mystery and show the police the error of their ways.

This book had rave reviews and is up for some mystery awards, so it was definitely already on my radar.  I had read other books by Jesse Q. Sutanto and knew they were funny, but this one knocked it out of the ballpark.  It is a wonderful mix of humor, mystery, romance, and family.  We get the story not only from Vera’s point of view, but also from some of Vera’s suspects, all of whom are left dazed with the force of Vera’s personality.  I was anxious to find out how it all turned out, not just to solve the murder but to find out what happens to all the characters.  I also wanted to track people down and make them listen to me read passages from the book. 

This is definitely going to be one of my “Best of” lists for 2023.

Nevermore: The Sea, Journey, Boys in the Boat

Reported by Rita

The sea by John Banville

Struggling to cope with grief, anger, and loss following the death of his wife, Max, a middle- aged man, returns to his childhood seaside home, where he deals with his memories of his first encounter with the Graces, a wealthy vacationing family, his recollections of his wife, and the emotional upheaval of the present as he comes to an understanding of the profound influence of the past on the his life. 

Poetic - Banville is a wonderful writer. - DC     5 stars

 

Journey: a novel by James A. Michener

Five men are swept away in a speculation frenzy born of the 1897 Klondike gold rush, and they brave the rugged Canadian wilderness for nearly two years to fulfill their dream. 

Very interesting, but also frustrating. - WJ     5 stars

 

The boys in the boat: nine Americans and their epic quest for gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics

by Daniel James Brown

This book tells the story of the University of Washington's 1936 eight-oar crew and their epic quest for an Olympic gold medal, a team that transformed the sport and grabbed the attention of millions of Americans. It traces the story of the team that defeated elite rivals at Hitler's 1936 Berlin Olympics, sharing the experiences of their enigmatic coach, a visionary boat builder, and a homeless teen rower.

Watched the movie & documentary also - fascinating story. - VC     5 stars

 

Sigrid Rides: The Story of an Extraordinary Friendship and an Adventure on Two Wheels by Travis Nelson

I could pee on this: and other poems by cats    by Francesco Marciuliano

Oh. It's you: love poems by cats    by Francesco Marciuliano

You Need More Sleep: Advice from Cats    by Francesco Marciuliano

I knead my mommy: and other poems by kittens    by Francesco Marciuliano

Snow   by John Banville

The last days of night: a novel by Graham Moore

Beartown: a novel    by Fredrik Backman

A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East; Library Edition        by David Fromkin

Body-for-life: 12 weeks to mental and physical strength    by Bill Phillips

Deaf republic: poems    by Ilya Kaminsky

The best American essays 2013 by Cheryl Strayed

French braid by Anne Tyler

Squeeze me   by Carl Hiaasen

The last days of night: a novel    by Graham Moore

The winners: a novel    by Fredrik Backman

Tom Lake: a novel by Ann Patchett

The soloist: a lost dream, an unlikely friendship, and the redemptive power of music by Steve Lopez

Ultra-processed people: the science behind food that isn't food by Chris van Tulleken

Other Birds   by Sarah Addison Allen

The lost library   by Rebecca Stead

New Books

The river where America began: a journey along the James

by Bob Deans

Documents the role of the James River in the formation of modern America, from the establishment of the Jamestown colony and major Revolutionary War battles to the conflict over slavery and the fall of Richmond, in a historical account that also cites the river's use by such figures as John Smith, Thomas Jefferson, and Robert E. Lee.

 

Around the world in 60 seconds: the Nas daily journey

by Nuseir Yassin

A beautifully photographed, perspective-shifting global adventure that shines a fascinating light on places and people well off the beaten path, from Nas Daily, the 1-minute video platform with massive international following

 

Before we say goodbye: a novel

by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

A new set of customers at a Tokyo café experience a trip into the past as long as they return before their coffee gets cold, in the fourth novel of the series following Before Your Memory Fades.

Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall

Reviewed by Jeanne

The first James woman walked alone out of the Forest in Cabal Hollow, West Virginia generations ago.  Since then, all the James women have had certain gifts. The current James family has them too.  They are somewhat small gifts as magic goes; for example Rowan James knows when someone is lying and Sorrel James can charm bees.  Linden James can taste emotions: she knows exactly what people are feeling, whether or not she wants to.

What Linden can’t do is remember what happened last summer when she went missing in the woods during the festival.  She was found with a head injury and no memory of what happened or how she ended up where she was.  Some people seem dubious about her claim of amnesia, but then the James women have always been the object of suspicion even as people come to them for tonics and creams.

Now the summer solstice is here which means festival time:  the Moth Festival, celebrating the legend of the Moth-Winged Man, a folkloric figure who may bring death or at least warn of death. Linden’s friend Dahlia Calhoun has come home from college for the festival.  Dahlia is the reigning Moth Queen, and it’s time for her to relinquish her crown.

But Dahlia goes missing the night of the festival, only to be found dead. Linden knows that she is going to have to discover what happened to her the year before if she is going to be able to solve Dahlia’s murder. She’s also going to have to uncover a lot of secrets—including some about her own family.

Sometimes a novel just has you by the opening paragraph.  That’s what Bittersweet in the Hollow did for me.  I liked the writing and the imagery from the start, and the story just drew me in. This is a beautifully written YA novel set in West Virginia. Appalachian traditions are represented without condescension or judgment.  The book is a wonderful blend of mystery with some supernatural elements, romance, coming of age, and family.  Characters were well developed, and the setting was very vivid.  I liked that Pearsall took the Point Pleasant’s Mothman legend and reshaped it into something else, drawing more on traditional lore. I was drawn to all the characters and the book left me wanting more.  I liked all the sensory descriptions Pearsall employed.  In some ways, the book reminded me of those written by one of my favorite authors, Sarah Addison Allen. 

I understand there is going to be another book in the series, and I’m already looking forward to it.

Sleepytime by Joe Brumm

Reviewed by Kristin

Or, a love letter to the creators of Bluey books and episodes, from Kristin

In case you haven’t heard of Bluey, she is a cartoon dog. She has a little sister named Bingo, and they live in Australia with Mum and Dad. The show has attracted worldwide attention and is now showing on Disney Plus. The shows and the books can be viewed and read on many different levels, which seems to be why adults like Bluey as much as their kids.

Bluey and Bingo love to play. You won’t find any alphabet songs, number games, or learning to go potty here. They learn through play with their friends and their parents. They go with Mum and/or Dad to the creek, the beach, or the playground. They have cookouts and picnics with family friends. There is much laughter, silliness, and love. The background music is often classical, and the theme song is an earworm.

I have found that some of the paperback books published are a little stilted, as if someone decided to take a show script and copy and paste it into a book. That’s not entirely a bad thing, as adults may want to avoid screens with their young children, whether at bedtime or not.

Sleepytime, however, is another story (no pun intended). Both the episode and the book are beautifully presented. Little sister Bingo is the focus of this story, as she decides that she wants to do a “Big Girl sleep” and wake up in her own bed. Mum has read Bingo a bedtime story or two, tucks her in, and says, “Remember, I’m always here if you need me.”

Bingo drifts off to sleep and begins to dream of floating through the universe. Her bunny Floppy floats along with her, swooping past suns and planets. It’s about this point that I realized Bingo’s dreams are actually related to her sleepwalking into a variety of other beds. As she finds a really big planet and decides it’s fun to jump on, Bluey joins in (as they both kick Dad, aka the big planet).

As Bingo continues to travel the universe (and her blanket slips off) she becomes cold, and is drawn to an approaching warm sphere of light, which of course, is Mum. Mum tucks Bingo in again, and says, “Remember, I’ll always be here for you. Even if you can’t see me. Because I love you.” (Cue the tears from the adults…)

I highly recommend this as a peaceful bedtime story for toddlers and pre-schoolers.

Read It Before You See It!

There are a lot of books being made into movies or TV shows these days. Here are some of the ones getting a lot of buzz:

 

Shogun by James Clavell: This story of an Englishman making his way in Japanese feudal society was a surprise bestseller in 1975.  The 1980 mini-series starred Richard Chamberlain and was a blockbuster success. Main does own a copy of it on DVD.  The new F/X version is also a ratings winner and is receiving much praise for its careful recreation of a place and time.

Another 1975 book getting a second mini-series treatment is Stephen King’s ‘Salem’s Lot.  This tale of vampires invading a town was first filmed in 1979; the second version should air later this year on MAX.

This year’s Academy Award went to Oppenheimer, the story of the scientist who helped create the atomic bomb. It was based on the book American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. It also netted acting Oscars for Cillian Murphey and Robert Downey, Jr.  The library owns a DVD copy of the movie.

Fool Me Once is the latest Harlan Coben book to be turned into a film. Maya’s nanny cam captures an image of her husband, Joe, playing with their daughter. The catch is that Joe was murdered two weeks earlier. . . . The filmed version is on Netflix.

Dune 2 is still in theatres, but if you want to know what happens next you may want to read Dune by Frank Herbert. This is the first in the series which continues with Dune Messiah, Children of Dune, God Emperor of Dune, Heretics of Dune, and Chapterhouse: Dune. The series (and prequels to the series) have been continued by Herbert’s son Brian and Kevin J. Anderson.

A Russian count is placed under arrest in a hotel during the Revolution.  Ewan McGregor stars in  A Gentleman in Moscow based on the book by Amor Towles. It will air on Paramount+ and Showtime.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris has been a very popular book at the library. Based on a true story of the man who was tasked with tattooing numbers on Jewish prisoners and who falls in love with one of them, the mini-series is scheduled to air on Peacock.

Erin Go Bragh! Irish series

 

With St. Patrick’s Day on the horizon, it seems a good time to mention a few book series with an Irish setting. 

Finfarran Peninsula series by Felicity Hayes-McCoy starts with The Library at the Edge of the World. Hanna Casey thought she’d left rural Ireland behind when she married an English barrister and began living an upscale, sophisticated lifestyle.  That ended when she found her husband in bed with another woman. Now she’s back in Lissberg working as a librarian and trying to restore an old cottage left to her by a great aunt.  Readers are introduced to a wonderful cast of characters in a memorable setting.  While other books in the series do continue the stories of the villagers, the main characters sometimes change from book to book.  A grand read!

 Irish Country series by Patrick Taylor is set in 1960s Ireland and recount the stories of some rural doctors and their patients.  Taylor was born in Ireland and practiced medicine there before moving to Canada in 1970, so this is familiar territory for him. He draws on those experiences to create memorable stories with a strong sense of place and time. He doesn’t ignore some of the era’s problems, but handles them in an even-handed manner.  The first in the series is An Irish Country Doctor, in which young Dr. Laverty finds himself apprenticed to Fingal O’Reilly, a larger than life character who cares deeply for his community despite his gruff exterior.  Apprentices may come and go but Dr. O’Reilly is a constant.  These can be read out of order, but I found it rewarding to at least start with the early titles.

Inishowen Peninsula series by Andrea Carter is set on the coast of County Donegal.  Solicitor Benedicta “Ben” O’Keefe usually is kept busy with mundane legal issues such as drawing up wills, but she’s also proven adept at solving murders. The first book in the series is Death at Whitewater Church.

Dublin Murder Squad series by Tana French has been described as a cross between a police procedural and a psychological thriller.  The main characters are police officers but each book tends to highlight a different character.  In the Woods is the first in the series, all of which have been best-sellers. There was also a BBC TV series Dublin Murders which adapted the first two books.

Compiled by Jeanne

The Death of Jane Lawrence by Caitlin Starling

 

Reviewed by Christy

            During our January snow days, I was suddenly struck with the desire to read a gothic book. The Death of Jane Lawrence had been on my mental back burner for quite some time (I couldn't get that gorgeous cover out of my head), and since it was available on Libby, I decided to snatch it up. Jane is a very practical woman who is good with numbers. After doing the necessary calculations, she creates a short list of suitable husbands-to-be with Dr. Augustine Lawrence at the top. Augustine is reluctant to marry anyone; however, he cannot deny the spark between them. He accepts the proposal with both parties agreeing to keep the arrangement strictly business. Less messy that way. Augustine's one stipulation is that Jane must never visit his crumbling ancestral home Lindridge Hall, while he will sleep there every night.

            I really enjoyed the first third of the novel, as the pace was enjoyably slow yet still felt like it was building to something intriguing. My interest waned in the middle but I still held hope for a climactic ending. I'm sorry to say it built to not much of anything, with the final third becoming a bit of a slog. It was a disappointment as I really liked both characters and didn't even mind their instant love. I also enjoyed Starling's writing for the most part. Without giving too much away, the reasons for all the strange occurrences felt under developed. At one point, I remember thinking, "Oh. Okay, I guess this is happening now." I just felt like, in the end, a lot of things were being thrown at the reader and none of it was sticking for me.

            I did find the conclusion to be interesting and satisfying, and it helped save the book the tiniest bit in my eyes. But overall, I was very underwhelmed, and I am still on the hunt for a great gothic read – even though our snow days won't be back for quite some time.

March New Books!

 March New Books

Banks, Russell  American Spirits

Black, Cara  Murder at La Villette

Bohjalian, Chris  The Princess of Las Vegas

Bowen, Rhys In Sunshine or in Shadow (Molly Murphy)

Cavanagh, Steve  Kill for Me, Kill for You

Coelho, Paulo  Maktub:  An Inspirational Companion to the Alchemist

Colgan, Jenny  Studies at the School by the Sea

Cosimano, Elle  Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice

Fisher, Tarryn  Good Half Gone

French, Nicci  Has Anyone Seen Charlotte Salter?

French, Tana  The Hunter

Gardner, Lisa  Still See You Everywhere

Gentill, Sulari  The Mystery Writer

Gudenkauf, Heather  Everyone is Watching

Hall, Tamron  Watch Where They Hide (Jordan Manning)

Jones, Stephen Graham  The Angel of Indian Lake

Michaels, Fern  Wild Side

Orange, Tommy  Wandering Stars

Pandian, Gigi  A Midnight Puzzle   (Secret Staircase)

Peterson, Tracie  A Love Discovered

Raybourn, Deanna  A Grave Robbery

Robinson, Marilynne  Reading Genesis (non-fiction)

Rose, Karen  Cheater (San Diego Case Files)

Sanderson, Brandon  The Sunlit Man (Cosmere)

Serle, Rebecca  Expiration Dates

Steel, Danielle Never Too Late

St. James, Simone  Murder Road

Unger, Lisa  The New Couple in 5b