Nevermore 6-11-24: The Cartographers, My Side of the River, The Forgiving Kind

 

Reported by Rita

The Cartographers: a Novel by Peng Shepherd

When her estranged father is found dead with a seemingly worthless map hidden in his desk, cartographer Nell Young soon discovers the map is extremely valuable—and that a mysterious collector will stop at nothing to destroy it and anyone who gets in the way.

 Unbelievable fantasy story, but the maps were very interesting.    – MH     4 stars

 

My Side of the River: a Memoir by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez

Exploring separation, generational trauma, and the toll of the American dream, the author recounts what happened when, at 15, her parents were forced back to Mexico, leaving her and her brother to fend for themselves as underage children affected by broken immigration laws.

  It's a quick read with fascinating characters. Well written.    – KM      5 stars

 

The Forgiving Kind by Donna Everhart

After her beloved father dies in 1950s North Carolina, 12-year-old water diviner Martha "Sonny" Creech must deal with a shady, bigoted neighbor who is trying to insert himself in her family's cotton farm business. By the author of The Education of Dixie Dupree. 

A really good book, but kind of depressing.     – WJ      5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

The Cider House Rules by John Irving

Before We Were Yours: a Novel by Lisa Wingate

Some Days There's Pie: A Novel by Catherine Landis

Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton

Cat Confessions: a "Kitty Come Clean" Tell-All Book by Allia Zobel Nolan

The Women by Kristin Hannah

The Ship of Brides: a Novel by Jojo Moyes

Moonrise Over New Jessup by Jamila Minnicks

The Yellow House by Sarah M. Broom

Abingdon Boardinghouse Murders by Greg Lilly

 

New Books 

In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face-To-Face With the Idea of an Afterlife by Sebastian Junger

The Element Encyclopedia of the Celts by Rodney Castleden

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Subtitled “The ultimate a-z of the symbols, history, and spirituality of the legendary Celts,” this book does take on a lot of territory.  Author Castleden, a former teacher, divides the book up into six sections: Celtic people and lifestyles; Celtic places; Celtic religion; myths, legends, and stories; symbols, ideas, and archetypes; and Celtic twilight and revival.  Each section has an a-z listing of terms under that topic, with many “see” references for alternate terms and spellings.

The length of entries varies from a couple of sentences to several pages, depending on the topic.  The tone is conversational but not casual; and the author tries to be very even-handed on some controversial topics, such as King Arthur. (Castleden does believe there was a historical Arthur but also explains why others don’t believe he existed.)

To be honest, I got much more than I expected from this book.  I like the detailed explanations and that some things are put in historical context:  as in, this is what was thought about the item when first discovered, this is what other evidence showed, and this is the current thought. I like that it is very browseable, and that I found all the entries both interesting and entertaining.  Under “Bean Si,” I learned that this is the term for a Celtic fairy woman who is often seen washing the bloody clothes of those about to die.  It’s pronounced “banshee”—and that certainly explains a lot.  Another term I looked up was “Claddagh,” the popular symbol of clasped hands and a heart. Castleden says it dates to the sixteenth century and seems to have originated in Galway, though it may have been inspired by a Roman design. The section on “Fairies” was quite enlightening, and certainly explained some references I had come across as to their origin and dress.

There are entries on Druids, Samhain, Celtic Cross, and many more.  There aren’t a lot of illustrations but the information more than makes up for it. As mentioned before, I like that the author is up-front about his biases and beliefs rather than just presenting them as fact; it leaves room for disagreement.  I do wish there was an index, but otherwise I found this a very enjoyable and informative book.

The Secret History of Bigfoot: Field Notes on an American Monster by John O’Connor

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

John O’Connor spent months writing a Sasquatch monster movie which was never produced—and that’s probably all to the good.  As O’Connor admits, research was limited and even that is a generous assessment.  Years later he became interested in the search for the apelike cryptid who goes by so many names:  Bigfoot, Yeti, Sasquatch, and even our own “Wood Booger.” He reached out to some groups who search for the creature and spent some time in the woods with them.  He even helped an attempt to re-create the famous Bigfoot footage shot by Roger Patterson in 1967.

However, don’t expect this book to prove Bigfoot exists.  And don’t expect it to prove that it doesn’t exist.  This book is more about human nature and why we believe or, more to the point, why we want to believe in the things we do.

Since we were doing a display on cryptids, I decided I’d give this one a try. Right off the bat, O’Connor lets you know that he doesn’t take himself too seriously and that the book is going to more light-hearted than most on the topic.  He makes some flippant remarks about some Bigfoot enthusiasts, but he obviously likes and respects the people he met.  They come from all walks of life, but they all bond over Bigfoot.  O’Connor does a good job of presenting the arguments for and against the existence of such a creature, and also compares the search to others—including the Ivory Billed Woodpecker, thought to be extinct until a researcher claimed to have evidence to the contrary. The jury is still out on that one as well.

For me, the book did take very seriously the question of belief.  I found that to be thought-provoking and made me consider some of my own biases.  It is definitely not an argument against believing in Bigfoot, ghosts, or Ivory Billed Woodpeckers but just asks the reader to ponder.  There is an epilogue which really puts it all in perspective and had a definite effect on the way I saw the book overall.

Nevermore: Things Past Telling, Summer Crossing, After World

 

Nevermore 6-4-24

Reported by Rita

Things Past Telling: a Novel by Sheila Williams

Loosely based on the author's real-life female ancestors, this story of Maryam Prescilla Grace, a midwife, born in West Africa around 1758, charts her journey across an ocean of years, as she gains and loses family, her culture, a husband, lovers and children

  Excellent read – highly recommend.      - KN      5 stars

 

Summer Crossing by Truman Capote

Seventeen-year-old Manhattan society girl Grady McNeil is free to pursue her illicit romance with Clyde Manzer, a Jewish parking lot attendant from Brooklyn when her parents decide to leave her alone for the summer.

 Loved it – will be reading more Capote.    – DC      4 stars

 

After World: a Novel by Debbie Urbanski

A sentient AI determines that all humans must be eliminated as the root of climate change and leaves a woman named Sen as a“witness” to record her observations on the end of humanity as the world begins to rewild.

Enjoyed the creativity, but it is a very bleak story.    – PP       3.5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

 

Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati

Know My Name: a Memoir by Chanel Miller

The Lost City of Z: a Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

British Killers by Guy Hadleigh

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers: a novel by Samuel Burr

The Women by Kristin Hannah

Reclaiming Desire: 4 Keys to Finding Your Lost Libido by Andrew Goldstein

What a Fool Believes: a Memoir by Michael McDonald

The Hawk's Done Gone by Mildred Haun

The Great Society to the Reagan Era, 1964-1990 by William Loren Katz

The Maid: a Novel by Nita Prose

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

 

New Books

 

The Museum of Lost Quilts by Jennifer Chiaverini

Throne of Grace : A Mountain Man, an Epic Adventure, and the Bloody Conquest of the American West by Bob Drury

LOL Mysteries

 Love Janet Evanovich but you’ve finished Dirty Thirty and can’t wait until November’s Now or Never comes out? Here are some other authors who might just tide you over: 

With a heroine named Bubbles Yablonsky, Sarah Strohmeyer dives right into laugh-out-loud land in Lehigh, Pennsylvania. Bubbles is an investigative reporter whose native costumes might include leopard print, mini-skirts and high heels.  Strohmeyer also has written several stand-alone novels, both for adult and young adult audiences. The first in the series is Bubbles Unbound.

 Jesse Q. Sutanto writes in difference genres, including some truly warm, wonderful, and very very funny mysteries.  In Dial A for Aunties, Meddelin Chan accidentally kills her blind date and has to call her mother and aunties for help. Since they love to meddle in Meddy’s life, they’re only too happy to help her dispose of a body.  Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers features another determined mother. When Vera finds a body in her tea shop, she decides she is going to solve the crime.  After all, she’s watched many, many episodes of Law & Order. On the way, she’ll take charge of her suspects’ lives in ways they could never imagine. Intended as a stand alone novel, Vera’s fans have demanded more so a second book is in the works.

Michael Lee West (otherwise known as Piper Maitland) says she was raised by a tribe of wild Southern foodies, so it’s no wonder food plays a major role in her books. A sense of humor is also standard!  There are three books in her Teeny Templeton series, the first of which is Gone with a Handsomer Man 

Elle Cosimano started out writing YA fiction before debuting her adult mystery, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It.  Finlay’s life is chaos.  She’s a recently divorced author with two small children, deadlines she isn’t going to be able to meet, and bills piling up.  When she meets her agent to pitch a non-existant new book about a hit woman, someone overhears the conversation and believes Finlay is a killer for hire. She’s offering a lot of money—a LOT.  Surely it can’t hurt or Finlay just to take a look at the guy, right? This is the first book in a laugh-out-loud series with a full slate of memorable characters. 

Meg Lanslow is a blacksmith/artist who has a knack for solving mysteries in Donna Andrews’ long running series.  She has an interesting family, to say the least.  In Murder with Peacocks, she is the default planner for three family weddings with brides who keep changing their minds. Then of course there’s a murder…. The titles all have bird themes, mostly puns such as Owl’s Well That Ends Well.    

Carl Hiaasen writes very funny mystery stories that are set in Florida. Off-beat characters and outlandish situations are hallmarks of Hiaasen’s books, which makes trying to describe them rather difficult. Just to give you an idea, one of his most popular characters is Skink, a former Florida governor who lives off the land and eats roadkill. Hiaasen does have some series, but the books can be read as standalones.  He’s also an award-winning author of children’s books. 

Sophie Littlefield’s Stella Hardesty series is about a formerly timid housewife, who finally got fed up with her husband berating and abusing her.  Ever since she took care of her husband, Stella has been doling out vigilante justice to other philandering and just plain mean men.  Stella keeps the scoundrels in line and her women friends just a little bit safer. The first in the series is A Bad Day for Sorry.

 

Newly elected sheriff of Del Sol, New Mexico, Sunshine Vicram hits the ground running as she returns to her hometown. With a teenage daughter, a bad boy ex, an elderly flasher on the loose, and a kidnapped prize rooster, Sunshine has to prove (to herself) that she can make it in her new law enforcement career in this trilogy by Darynda Jones.The first title is A Bad Day for Sunshine. 

Jaine Austen—no, not THAT Jane Austen—is a freelance writer. While that sounds fancy, it really means she takes on writing commercials, jingles, personal ads, you name it.  She is looking for love, but tends to find Chunky Monkey instead.  Subplots usually involve her cat Prozac and her parents, both of whom complain about the other to Jaine. Breezy and over the top, Jaine never met a situation she couldn’t complicate in Laura Levine’s fun series.

The Southern Sisters mystery series by Anne George features two delightful but entirely opposite sisters:  Mary Alice (“Sister”)—the flamboyant, many times married, life of the party; and Patricia Anne (“Mouse”)—the calm, retired school teacher married to the same man for forty years.  Set in Alabama, this series is laugh-out-loud funny. The first in the series is Murder on a Girls’ Night Out.

Third Shift Society by Meredith Moriarty

Reviewed by Jeanne

Ellie is not having a good day.  Bills are due, well, okay PAST due, the landlady wants the rent, and when she goes into work, she finds she is now unemployed.  Desperate, she tries her hand at several jobs and manages to fail spectacularly.  As Ellie says, “Why am I so bad at adulthood?”

Her day may not get worse but it is about to get weirder.  As she walks down an alley, there’s a guy who looks as if he’s wearing a jack-o’-lantern for a head being attacked by some sort of dog thing with horns and a mane.  Impulsively, Ellie leaps in to help—and suddenly there’s blue fire coming from her hands.  Together they manage to subdue the dog/lion whatever and Ellie gets a job offer as a paranormal investigator.

And by the way, his head IS a pumpkin. And his name is Ichabod.

That’s the opening sequence for Third Shift Society, a graphic novel that began life as a web-comic.  Meredith Moriarty, Eisner Award nominee, does both the art and the script.  Ellie is definitely in for the ride of her life as she meets other supernatural beings, friendly or not, and helps Ichabod solve cases.  The artwork is wonderful, very expressive and vivid. I liked both the style and the color palette.   The characters are well developed, especially Ellie who is an appealing heroine:  brave and impulsive, but with a good heart. This is probably a good place to mention that she’s also a bit gullible. It’s very easy to get drawn into this world of curses, vampires, demons, and things that go bump in the night.

More and more web-comics are making the leap into print, and I definitely approve.  I now have several favorites which began life online such as Breaking Cat News, Swan Eaters, and Lore Olympus.  I had never heard of this particular web-comic until the book came out but I have now become a fan.  A second volume is in the works and I’ll look forward to reading it.

Nevermore: Figures in a Landscape, When the Jessamine Grows, Followed by Frost

 

Nevermore 5-28-24

Reported by Rita

 Figures in a Landscape: People and Places: Essays: 2001-2016 by Paul Theroux

Drawing together a fascinating body of writing from over 14 years of work, Figures in a Landscape ranges from profiles of cultural icons (Oliver Sacks, Elizabeth Taylor, Robin Williams) to intimate personal remembrances, from thrilling adventures in Africa to literary writings from Theroux's rich and expansive personal reading. Collectively, these pieces offer a fascinating portrait of the author himself, his extraordinary life, restless and ever-curious mind.

  Downloaded through the hoopla app – loved it – highly recommend.    – CD     5 stars

 

When the Jessamine Grows by Donna Everhart

With her husband and son off at war, and the burden of running the farm falling to her, Joetta, shunned because she doesn't support the Confederacy's position on slavery, finds one act of kindness, bringing her family to the edge of even greater disaster.

 Really interesting – liked it – worth reading.     – WJ     5 stars

 

Followed by Frost by Charlie N. Holmberg

After being cursed for her cold heart, seventeen-year-old Smitha is forced to retreat to the mountains, where she finds companionship with Death, an enigmatic being who would rather see her rule beside him in the Underworld than live such a frozen existence.

  Didn’t really like this book or author.    – MH    3 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

 

Amazing Men: Courage, Insight, Endurance by Joyce Tenneson

Two Trains Leave the Station: A Meditation on Aging, Alzheimer's, and Arithmetic by Catherine Landis

The Lost City of Z: a Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

The Golden Apples by Eudora Welty

The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth by Zoèe Schlanger

The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie

Lost Horizon: a Novel by James Hilton

The Husbands: a Novel by Holly Gramazio

 

New Books

My Beloved Monster: Masha, the Half-Wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me by Caleb Carr

The Rulebreaker: the Life and Times of Barbara Walters by Susan Page

The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Thara Celehar is a Witness for the Dead:  that is, he can touch a deceased person and sometimes ascertain the answers to questions.  He was once at Court, in the service of the young half-goblin Emperor but now he resides in Amalo, a city far away from the seat of power but still not immune from political machinations. When a young woman is found drowned, Celehar is asked to discover her identity and if she was a suicide.  A touch reveals that she was in fact murdered, but her name is not revealed so Celehar must investigate further.  Meanwhile, a wealthy family has two different wills and Celehar is asked to discover who was intended as the heir.

This description is dry, I’ll grant you. I picked this book up on a whim, not having read The Goblin Emperor which was the first one set in this world but is a standalone novel.  I was intrigued by the idea of someone who can have some limited communication with the dead to solve mysteries.  A Witness for the Dead is an advocate for the deceased, finding justice no matter where the truth leads, which can lead to some uncomfortable situations with the living. It didn’t hurt that there was a blurb from John Scalzi, a writer whose works I enjoy.

Also, I’ll admit, I was attracted to the slimness of the volume.  At 232 pages, I felt we’d get to the stories quickly.  Some books I have read of late have had a certain amount of padding to them, and while that can be entertaining there are times I want the author to just get on with the story.

At first I was a bit put off by the names and honorifics, but I was quickly drawn in by the characters and the world-building.  Celehar is empathetic, honorable, honest, humble, and haunted by things from his past.  He’s someone I would very much like to have as a friend.  The world-building is fascinating, both strange and familiar at the same time.  Most characters are described as elven or goblin, though I wonder if there are humans since some are “half goblin” or “half elven.” There are ghouls, ghosts, and other creatures as well.  There are several mysteries to be solved in the book, and while I’ll admit to getting tangled up in names at times I was fascinated and found it difficult to put the book down—“just one more section” syndrome was in full swing.  I would also classify it as a “feel-good” read, despite the various crimes taking place. It’s almost a cozy mystery, what with the characters having discussions over innumerable cups of tea.  There’s a bit of a homey feel to it, despite the odd names and fantasy trappings.

Addison excels at creating characters who seem real.  I cared what happened to Celehar, and genuinely liked many of the other characters—so much so that I had to find the second book and start it as soon as I finished the first.  Alas, the third book isn’t due out until 2025!

Dog Days! Books with Canine Stars

 

Enzo is a clever old dog who has learned a lot.  He adores Denny, an aspiring race car driver, and Denny’s daughter, Zoe, who is at the center of a custody battle. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein is a heartwarming novel with both tears and joy. 

A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron is the first in a series of dog books. Bailey the dog is searching for his purpose in life. He finds it in caring for his boy, Ethan. When that life comes to an end, Bailey becomes a police dog, but he knows he needs to find his way back to Ethan. This book will both touch and charm dog lovers!

 

One Good Dog by Susan Wilson follows the story of Adam March, who once had it all until one day he lost control.  Sentenced to community service, he ends up with Chance, a pit bull mix who has issues of his own.  Wilson has several warm and affectionate fiction books that revolve around the human-dog connection.

 

When widower Sam moves with his son to Christmas Street, Jack the dog welcomes them to their new home.  Jack was left behind when his owners moved, but this neighborhood stray has the knack of building connections between people. A Dog Called Jack by Ivy Pembroke is a wonderful feel-good story about community and the love of a dog.

 

Jet pilot Brady Cole is really attracted to his next-door neighbor, Lily, but he’s not much of a dog person.  The trouble is, to get to Lily he’s going to have to get through her opinionated, temperamental, destructive doggy companion, Doug.  And Doug does NOT like Brady.  Beware of Doug by Elaine Fox is a delightful rom-com with a canine twist!

 

When Dawn’s boyfriend dumps her, she turns to the one being she can count on for comfort:  her rescue dog, Chuck. Chuck has some thoughts on the matter, which much to Dawn’s surprise, she can hear. In fact, she can hear all dogs now and they are just full of advice. Merrill Markoe’s Walking in Circles Before Lying Down is about the search for love, the etiquette of peeing, and the joy of playing fetch.

 

 Dancing Dogs is a collection of sixteen stories by Jon Katz featuring a variety of dogs, from purebreds to mutts.  Katz is a noted dog lover who titled his memoir A Dog Year.  The tales run the gamut of emotions, but all are endearing.

Nevermore: When Crickets Cry, Southernmost, Boys from Biloxi

 

Reported by Rita

When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin

It begins on the shaded town square in a sleepy Southern town. A spirited seven-year-old has a brisk business at her lemonade stand. But the little girl's pretty yellow dress can't quite hide the ugly scar on her chest. Her latest customer, a bearded stranger, drains his cup and heads to his car, his mind on a boat he's restoring at a nearby lake. The stranger understands more about the scar than he wants to admit. And the beat-up bread truck careening around the corner with its radio blaring is about to change the trajectory of both their lives. Before it's over, they'll both know there are painful reasons why crickets cry . . . and that miracles lurk around unexpected corners.

  Heartwarming and spiritual – couldn’t put it down.   – GP     5 stars

 

Southernmost: a Novel by Silas House

A natural disaster inspires an evangelical preacher to reverse his position about gay rights, a transition that ends his marriage and job, forcing him to take desperate measures to introduce his son to a more accepting world.

  One of the most beautiful books I’ve read.    - MD       5 stars

 

The Boys From Biloxi by John Grisham

For most of the last hundred years, Biloxi was known for its beaches, resorts, and seafood industry. But it had a darker side. It was also notorious for corruption and vice, everything from gambling, prostitution, bootleg liquor, and drugs to contract killings. The vice was controlled by small cabal of mobsters, many of them rumored to be members of the Dixie Mafia. Keith Rudy and Hugh Malco grew up in Biloxi in the sixties and were childhood friends and Little League all-stars. But as teenagers, their lives took them in different directions. Keith's father became a legendary prosecutor, determined to "clean up the Coast." Hugh's father became the "Boss" of Biloxi's criminal underground. Keith went to law school and followed in his father's footsteps. Hugh preferred the nightlife and worked in his father's clubs. The two families were headed for a showdown, one that would happen in a courtroom. Life itself hangs in the balance in The Boys from Biloxi, a sweeping saga rich with history and with a large cast of unforgettable characters.

Typical Grisham – enjoyable and easy to read.     – NH     4 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

 

Amazing Men: Courage, Insight, Endurance by Joyce Tenneson

Death on the River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Amazon Adventure by Samantha Seiple

The Manchurian Candidate by Richard Condon

Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder

The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth by Zoèe Schlanger

The Books of Jacob: Across Seven Borders, Five Languages, and Three Major Religions, Not Counting the Minor Sects  by Olga Tokarczuk

 

New Books

 

Container & Small-Space Gardening for the South: How to Grow Flowers & Food No Matter Where You Live by Barbara W. Ellis

Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall

Let us Descend: a Novel by Jesmyn Ward

Oversize Books: Mucha, Thing Explainer, Egyptian Book of the Dead, Atlas of Shipwrecks and Treasures

 

One area of the library is sometimes a bit overlooked:  our Oversize Book collection. As the title implies, these are large books that don’t easily sit on the regular book shelves and so are relegated to a special section with more space.  All are non-fiction and are on a number of topics from NASCAR to cake decorating.  Here are some favorites:

Alphonse Mucha was born in what is now the Czech Republic and showed talent as an artist at a young age. His big break came while he was in Paris, working for a publishing house.  The noted actress Sarah Bernhardt called, requesting a new poster in honor of her play and wanting it done immediately. Mucha designed the poster, which was an immediate sensation.  It proved so popular that Bernhardt ordered several thousand copies and hired Mucha to design future posters for her.  Much of his early work was for advertising or promotional purposes.  It was bright, beautiful, and eye-catching.  Once you have seen some of his work, his style is unmistakable and still influences artists today.  We have Alphonse Mucha:  Masterworks which has some wonderful examples of his works, beautifully reproduced along with his biography and information about the individual pieces.

The Egyptian Book of the Dead:  The Book of Going Forth by Day is a translation with photos of the Papyrus of Ani, the most complete such papyrus to be found.  Books of the Dead found in Egyptian burials contained information that the deceased might need in the afterlife:  directions, spells, hymns to the gods, and so forth.  There is not one definitive version.  The original papyrus of this one is housed in the British museum and was created for the Scribe Ani and his wife Tutu.  This book has a translation of the papyrus by Dr. Raymond Faulkner with commentaries by Dr. Odgen Goelet.  Each page shows a section of the papyrus with the translation below.  The artwork is lovely, and it is fascinating to see the hieroglyphics. 

Randall Munroe’s The Thing Explainer:  Complicated Stuff in Simple Words is a wonderfully informative book about, well, lots of stuff.  There are graphics and words showing everything from the Earth’s past to how they live on the International Space Station.  Munroe is accurate but also has a sense of humor. For this book, he decided he was just going to use the most common ten hundred words (the word “thousand” is not among them) so that people would understand and not be led astray by jargon or unfamiliar words. I think my favorite is the section on the sky at night with the wonderful names of the constellations using those same common words:  “pretend flying horse,” “water animal with hand cutters,” and “little dog.”  Some of them sent me to astronomy books to figure out what they were! In this same section, he offers tips about stargazing such as the best kind of “looking glass” to use to look at space as well as “put warm things over people” because it’s cold at night. Since I am one of those who can never see constellations, I particularly enjoyed the aside with the stick person looking at a drawing of a constellation named after a cat and commenting, “Have the people who named this ever seen a cat?” This book is just plain fun and very engaging.

When it comes to illustrated books, you can’t go wrong with anything published by DK.  That certainly goes for The Atlas of Shipwrecks & Treasure:  The History, Location, and Treasures of Ships Lost at Sea by Nigel Pickford. The book is divided up both by era and type of ship; for example, the first sections deal with Bronze Age, Viking, and Chinese Junks. Later sections deal with pirates, liners (such as Titanic), and World War II wrecks. There are sections about specific ships, both with the history of the ship and the history of the discovery and salvage, as well as overviews of multiple ships in a time period. The second part of the book is the gazetteer, with maps showing locations of various wrecks no matter the time period as well as a list of ships. 

These are just a few of the delights that await in the Oversize collection.  Check them out!

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

London, 1921: Twenty-one year old Opaline Carlisle has just been informed by her brother that he has arranged a marriage for her with someone she has never met.  A spirited girl, she has no intention of being forced into wedlock, so she pretends to agree. Instead, that night she slips away with some books from her late father’s prized collection and escapes to Paris with the intention of becoming a bookseller.

Dublin, the present: Martha is also running away, trying to escape an abusive husband. With no firm plan in mind, she ends up in Dublin and takes a job as a live-in housekeeper for the flamboyant and imperious Madame Bowden. She’s startled one day to find an Englishman pacing beside the house. Henry is an odd young man, a scholar, who claims he is looking for a bookshop that is supposed to be beside the house.  The bookshop was supposed to belong to a renowned bookseller and collector, Opaline Gray.  Martha is a bit skeptical, but there’s something attractive about him.

Henry, for his part, realizes that Martha is perhaps the most intriguing woman that he has ever met. Unfortunately, he also realizes that he has not made the best of impressions.  He’s going to have to find some charm if he is going to learn anything about the bookshop—or the woman.

The book goes back and forth between these three characters, telling us of Opaline’s life as Henry and Martha search for clues—and deal with their own feelings.  They all have secrets, but as we all know secrets have a habit of not staying buried for long.

This is a charming book with beguiling characters who draw you into their stories.  There’s a thread of magical realism running through the book, and not just the mysterious bookshop. Opaline’s story is darker, though, and at times a sad and sobering look at women’s rights in past eras, or rather lack thereof. Overall the book is a beautiful tribute to readers and books, and the transformative power to be found there.  I was invested in all three of the main characters, and anxiously turned pages to discover their fates. There were a number of surprises along the way as well.

One of my favorite parts is when Opaline ends up in Paris where she gets a job at the legendary bookstore, Shakespeare and Company.  In the 1920s, the store was a second home to many great writers, including James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzagerald, all of whom were supported by the store’s owner, Sylvia Beach.  Woods did a lovely job of evoking that era—I wish there had been more chapters!

I am very much looking forward to her next book, The Story Collector, which deals with an Irish farm girl who helps an American translate Irish folk and fairy tales. It’s due out in August, and promises to be just as magical as this book.

Nevermore: Hypochondriac's Guide to Life and Death, Sweet Blue Distance, We Must Not Think of Ourselves

 

Reported by Rita

 

The Hypochondriac's Guide to Life and Death by Gene Weingarten

With an introduction by renowned humor columnist Dave Barry, this exploration of a hypochondriac's life makes a witty foray into medical history, hospitals, and homeopathic medicine, illustrating how an actual life-threatening illness is the ultimate cure for a health worrier.

  Laugh out loud funny – highly recommend.     – CD     5 stars

 

The Sweet Blue Distance by Sara Donati

In 1857, young midwife Carrie Ballentyne travels west to the New Mexico Territory for a nursing position. While helping women give birth in Sante Fe, she discovers her employer is keeping secrets and must ferret out the truth to save his young daughter whom she's come to love. 

  The writing is very descripted and well edited – impressive.    – WJ   5 stars

 

We Must Not Think of Ourselves: a Novel by Lauren Grodstein

In 1940, a prisoner in the Warsaw Ghetto, Adam Paskow joins a secret group of archivists working to preserve the truth of what is happening inside these walls, which leads to unexpected love. Still, when he discovers a possible escape from the Ghetto, he is faced with an unbearable choice.

Sad and sometimes difficult to read, but worth the time.    – CW     5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

 

Anna Karenina: Leo Tolstoy by Leo Tolstoy

O Jerusalem: A Mary Russell Novel by Laurie R. King

Dimestore by Lee Smith

Balkan Ghosts: A Journey Through History by Robert D. Kaplan

The Labyrinth of the Spirits: a novel by Carlos Ruiz Zafón

The Woman in the Library: a Novel by Sulari Gentill

Sleepwalk With Me: and Other Painfully True Stories by Mike Birbiglia

 

New Books

 

The House on Biscayne Bay by Chanel Cleeton

Secrets of the Octopus by Sy Montgomery

Where Rivers Part: a Story of My Mother's Life by Kao Kalia Yang

My Side of the River: a Memoir by Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez

The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening by Ari Shapiro