Forget Me Never by Susan Wittig Albert

 

Reviewed by Kristin

If you like your murder mysteries with an abundance of plants and folk wisdom, Susan Wittig Albert’s China Bayles series might be for you. With 29 titles published from 1992-2024 (not to mention some spin-off series!) this will keep you reading for quite some time.

China is a former lawyer and current proprietor of Thyme and Seasons, a little shop in Pecan Springs, Texas, halfway between Austin and San Antonio. Her best friend Ruby Wilcox operates the Crystal Cave in the same building, and they have collaborated with other local business owners to staff a tearoom, catering, and other artistic endeavors.

Local blogger and podcaster Olivia Andrews was investigating a decades old crime when she was struck and killed while jogging on a winding foothills road one morning. Her death is declared an accident, but was it? Olivia’s sister Zelda has some questions, and she wants China to find answers.

As China reluctantly accepts Zelda’s request, she finds that Olivia may have been uncovering secrets that some people would much rather stay buried. A prominent citizen might find exposure of their past crimes embarrassing, but would they go as far as murder to protect themselves?

Albert plays fair with the clues, letting the readers attempt to figure out the mystery along with China. Of course China knows everyone in town and has plenty of legal and law enforcement connections. I had some suspicions as to “whodunit”, but I enjoyed the characters and the plot as it unrolled.

Albert also writes a charming mystery series called The Darling Dahlias, with a group of women sleuthing their way through Depression era Alabama. The China Bayles spin-offs are novellas in the Crystal Cave and Pecan Springs Enterprise series. Also noteworthy is her Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter series.

Nevermore: Sunset Beach, Touch, The Familiar

 

Nevermore 7-9-24

 

Sunset Beach by Mary Kay Andrews

Reluctantly accepting a job with her father's law firm, Drue finds herself investigating the possibility of corruption within the office after a suspicious death at a nearby resort.

A very light and easy read but too formulaic and predictable.    – VC     2 stars

 

Touch: a Novel by Olaf Olafsson

When he receives a message from a lover from the 60s who disappeared, restaurant owner Kristofer is pulled toward finding an answer to the mystery of her sudden departure, compelling him to travel to London and Japan just as the virus threatens to shut everything down.

Poetic and emotional – beautifully written with well-developed characters.    –NH    5 stars

 

The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo

During the Spanish Golden Age, Luzia Cotado, gifted with magic, garners the attention of the disgraced secretary to Spain's king, plunging her into a world where the lines between magic, science, and fraud blur—and where she must enlist the help of an embittered immortal familiar whose deadly secrets could destroy them both.

Filled with intrigue and magic, I really liked it.   –MH   4 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

The Woman with a Purple Heart: Based on True Events by Diane Hanks

Everyone Is Watching by Heather Gudenkauf

A Walk for Sunshine: A 2,160-mile Expedition for Charity on the Appalachian Trail by Jeff Alt

Sula by Toni Morrison

Something Rich and Strange: Selected Stories by Ron Rash

Blackberries, Blackberries by Crystal Wilkinson

The Lego Story: How a Little Toy Sparked the World's Imagination by Jens Andersen

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

Secret Appalachian Highlands: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure by Robert Sorrell

Burning Bright: Stories by Ron Rash

Signs & Wonders by Phillip Gulley

In the Shadow of the Sacred Grove by Carol Spindel

A Romantic Education by Patricia Hampl Nothing Gold Can Stay: Stories by Ron Rash

Paws to Remember by Sofie Kelly

James by Percival L. Everett

 

New Books

Making Native American hunting, fighting, and survival  tools   : A Fully Illustrated Guide to Creating Arrowheads, Axes, and Other Early American Implements by Monte Burch

 Sociopath: a memoir by Patric Gagne

Maigret

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

When the library acquired “Maigret” on DVD, I was curious to see it. Based on Georges Simenon’s classic mystery novels about a police commissioner in Paris, it starred Rowan Atkinson, an actor I knew best from his comedic turns as Blackadder and Mr. Bean as well as movie appearances. I had read a couple of the Maigret books in high school but that was—um—let’s just say awhile ago.  I did have the distinct impression that Maigret was a big man:  Michael Gambon played him in an earlier version and he more closely fit my vaguely remembered image of the detective. Casting a slender British comic actor in the role of a serious, heavy-set Frenchman sounded intriguing.

But first, I wanted to reacquaint myself with some of the source material. I read a couple of the early Maigret books.  I was expecting something more along the lines of Agatha Christie, but instead of a follow the clues, fair play mystery, I found them to be more atmospheric and focused on the psychology of the crimes rather than physical clues.  Since the first books in the series were published in 1931, I found that a bit surprising—but then Simenon wasn’t trying to compete with the other mystery novelists of the era. He was trying to sell stories to earn a living.

Simenon does a brilliant job of setting scenes so vividly one can almost see them.  The characters aren’t particularly well developed, not even Maigret, but there’s still a power to the story that carries the reader along. Unlike the more recent trends in crime stories, the detective’s personal life doesn’t play a large role. It’s all about the crime. They’re grittier books than the usual Golden Age detective stories, sometimes set in the seedier areas of Paris among the less reputable shops and bars. They certainly aren’t set in a cozy village and more beer is consumed than cups of tea.  The novels tend to be short, less than 200 pages and sometimes less than 150.  I didn’t see the translator listed on the copies I read, but the books were originally written in French.

With that background, I moved on to the DVDs.  The stories are set in the 1950s, with at least one reference to the German occupation. The visuals are very well done, with narrow streets, era appropriate cars and clothing, and some of the darkness and grit from the books.  Newspapers blare headlines in French, with handy English translations superimposed on some scenes, giving a bit of an edgy feel to the historical scenes.

Being an aficionado of British TV mystery series, it was a bit startling to see a detective pull out a gun, something the detectives of Midsomer* would never do.  Maigret is known for smoking a pipe, and he most certainly did in almost every scene.  Others were puffing away on cigarettes, as would have been appropriate for the time and place.  And, in keeping with the books, there was more than a bit of beer consumed even while on duty.  The rest of it—plot, story structure, and characters—did seem to reflect the sensibilities of the books I read.  I checked and Simenon’s son, John, was am executive producer on the series, and is very protective of his father’s work.

As for Atkinson, he did pull off the role as far as I’m concerned. While he didn’t have the heft, he had the thoughtful, calm persona down.  Maigret is interested in people; he seeks to understand both the victim and the murderer, and doesn’t render judgment on either.  Atkinson seemed to embody that attitude. I also liked the relationship between Maigret and Madame Maigret was portrayed: just as in the books, they’re a mature couple, comfortable with each other but also considerate.

I certainly enjoyed the series and do recommend it.

 

*Yes, I am addicted to Midsomer Murders. The library has some episodes of that series on DVD as well and some are available through Hoopla.

Silent Came the Monster by Amy Hill Hearth

 

Reviewed by Jeanne 

The summer of 1916 was hot—very hot.  Those who could afford it left the cities and headed for the mountains or the beach to escape the heat.  Charles Vansant, the only son of a prosperous family and a promising young stockbroker, had just arrived in Beach Haven, New Jersey to join his family.  Too eager to wait, he sets out an evening swim, accompanied by a dog.  Suddenly the dog turned back.  As onlookers shouted warnings, something in the water struck Charles. As lifeguards and bystanders rushed to help, they noticed the water was turning red.

Dr. Edwin Halsey already thought that 1916 was shaping up to be a very odd year, what with German U-boats plaguing the Atlantic as part of the European war, not to mention an outbreak of polio, so to hear that a man had been bitten by a fish and needed medical attention was just another in a long list of strange things. Concerned that his potential patient might not survive the trip from Beach Haven, Halsey and his new nurse set out by automobile.

They are too late.

Halsey looks at the victim’s wounds and announces that he has been bitten by a shark, which causes consternation among those gathered around, most of whom scoff at the idea.  It must have a mackerel or a sea turtle or perhaps a school of fish but not a shark. There are no sharks around New Jersey and besides, sharks don’t bite humans. Talk of sharks will just stir people up and cause a panic.  Despite Halsey’s pleas, the beaches are going to stay open.

After all, it’s not likely to ever happen again. 

Hearth is a resident of the Jersey Shore and was inspired by the true events of 1916 when for the first time a death was recorded as being from a shark bite.  Even more frightening was that more attacks occurred in a relatively short time period in the same area—and not just in the ocean, but in a river at a local swimming hole. Peter Benchley was inspired in part by these attacks when he wrote Jaws, but used a contemporary setting.  Hearth wanted to portray the  social and political forces of the time, and creates characters to help voice those themes.

But for me, some of the characters never quite came to life.  They were more mouthpieces for various points of view while the valiant Dr. Halsey struggles to get the truth out there.  He’s also contending with his daughter, a willful young woman who is entranced with an unsuitable young man and also enticed by modern notions—like wearing short hair. The reader is told about the characters, not shown. The most effective character is Margaret, a young woman who is a witness to some of the events.  Even if the characters fall flat, the story itself still has power.

The library owns both  Close to Shore: A True Story of Terror in the Age of Innocence by Michael Capuzzo and Twelve Days of Terror: A Definitive Investigation of the 1916 New Jersey Shark Attacks by Richard G. Fernicola which provide factual information, if the novel piques your curiosity. 

Nevermore: What Really Happens in Vegas, Hidden Life of Deer, Burning Bright

 Reported by Rita

What Really Happens in Vegas: True Stories of the People Who Make Vegas, Vegas by James Patterson

Revealing the real Vegas, this dazzling journey through stories of excess, drama, and hope transports readers from the thrill of adrenaline-fueled vice to the glitter of A-list celebrity and entertainment.

 This behind-the-scenes look at hotel and casino workers was not what I wanted or expected.    –MS    4 stars

 

The Hidden Life of Deer: Lessons from the Natural World by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas

The author describes the vast hidden world she discovered after she observed deer as they fought through a rough winter, bred fawns in the spring, fended off predators and hunters, and made it to the next fall, in a book by the best-selling author of The Hidden Life of Dogs.

  Full of interesting observations of the habits of deer.   – CD   3 stars

 

Burning Bright: Stories by Ron Rash

The acclaimed, best-selling author of Serena captures the eerie beauty, stark violence, and rugged character of Appalachia in stories that span the Civil War to the present day. Two members of the group reviewed this title, which is the chosen book for the NEA Big Read activities taking place from October 1 through November 30.

I really liked it and am looking forward to the Big Read discussions.    – CD    5 stars

While not usually a fan of short stories, this collection was quite enjoyable.    – DC   5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

The Late Show by Michael Connelly

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

The Country of the Pointed Firs by Sarah Orne Jewett

Eternal by Lisa Scottoline

The Devil Amongst the Lawyers: a Ballad Novel by Sharyn McCrumb

Assistant to the Villain by Hannah Nicole Maehrer

A Most Curious Murder by Elizabeth Kane Buzzelli

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

Secret Appalachian Highlands: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure by Robert Sorrell

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

 

New Books

Touch by Olaf Olafsson

The Lego Story : How a Little Toy Sparked the World's Imagination by Jens Andersen

Art Nouveau by Rosalind Ormiston and Michael Robinson

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

 

An often overlooked gem of our collection is the Oversized Books.  While there are books on many topics, from cake decorating to NASCAR, many of the books are on art.  One new to us entry is Art Nouveau:  Posters, Illustration & Fine Art from the Glamorous Fin de Siecle by Rosalind Ormiston and Michael Robinson. While the title sounds ponderous, the contents are not.  Art Nouveau refers to a style that became popular around the 1890s-early 1900s in Europe and in America. It tended to feature natural elements like flowers and trees, and flowing lines.  Women have beautifully draped clothes and wonderfully curling hair, along with wavy or circular design elements. Many well-known posters of the era used art nouveau design, most notably Alphonse Mucha’s posters for Sarah Bernhardt or Theophile Steinlen’s cat posters advertising everything from theater performances to beer to chocolate. In fact, advertising posters are perhaps the best known examples of Art Nouveau, as struggling artists found that a more lucrative way to make a living than waiting for commissions or hoping to sell paintings. These are instantly recognizable, even if you don’t know the artist or the particular work. “Le Chat Noir” or “Moulin Rouge” are among the best known.  American Louis Comfort Tiffany’s famous lampshades and windows are another famous example of that style as is Gustav Klimt’s painting “The Kiss" which adorns the book's cover.

The book itself is a gorgeous compilation.  Although posters and paintings form the bulk of the book, there are pieces of furniture, stained glass, and stunning jewelry included as well.  Ormiston is an art teacher and Robinson writes on British art and design, so they are well suited to provide the text.  It’s both readable and informative, if one can take one’s eyes off the glorious art long enough. 

While I recognized several names, there were new ones to discover as well.  I also hadn’t realized the influence of Japanese and other Asian art on the Art Nouveau movement, and there are literary influences as well.  I like that the authors show examples along with the definitions to help me see exactly what is meant.

As an added local bonus, the William King Art Museum in Abingdon has “The Art of Advertisement” exhibit going on now until October 27, 2024 which features Art Nouveau posters from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts collection. The Museum is free and if you enjoy this style, it’s well worth a visit. There are other exhibits as well, including one on the Highlands Festival.

The Antique Hunter’s Guide to Murder by C.L. Miller

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Freya Lockwood used to be an antiques hunter, before the incident in Cairo ended her career.  She was pushed out by Arthur, her former mentor, and ended up in an unhappy marriage. At least she had her daughter, Jade, but now Jade has grown up and Freya is at loose ends. Then a call comes from Aunt Carole, asking Freya to come visit:  Arthur is dead, and Carole says he wanted Freya to come back.  Frankly, Freya could not care less about what Arthur wanted—he betrayed her, after all—but Aunt Carole is another matter.  She needs comforting, and she’s always been there for Freya.

Then Freya receives a letter from Arthur, written just days before he died.  It’s rather cryptic but he wanted Freya to get back in the antiques game, and he hints that he’s in danger.  Is it possible that Arthur’s fall down the steps wasn’t an accident? And why does he want her to go to an antiques weekend at a manor house?

I was excited about this book because the author is the daughter of Martin and Judith Miller, authors of the well-known Miller’s Antiques Handbook and Price Guide. I’m not really an antiques person, but I love Antiques Roadshow and like knowing the history behind the items. The reviews on it were good as well, so I had high hopes.

Miller has a good grasp on the mystery aspect: the plot is classic Golden Age mystery, with a letter filled with clues and some international antique intrigue.  I was not as impressed with the rest of the book, however.  The characters were not well developed, and the author’s use of multiple narrators really didn’t add anything.  It was an effort to ratchet up the tension, but it fell flat for me.  Finally, there was some general information about antiques but not enough to be entertaining.  There was some detail about antiques forgery and how crime syndicates sometimes use them as collateral in transactions, but I had read another mystery with better explanations more entertainingly delivered (The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman).  As for antiques, Jane Cleland’s Josie Prescott series delivers a good mystery and some fascinating information.

Every book is not for every person, and from other reviews I think a lot of people really enjoyed it.  It just didn’t meet my expectations.

This is the author’s first book and it is a first in series book, so I still have hopes for the next one.  Death on the Red Sea is due out in February, 2025.

Nevermore: Anam Cara, Shadow Divers, Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

Anam Cara: a Book of Celtic Wisdom by John O'Donohue

Explores the stories and teachings of the Celts, mining their rich religious traditions to provide an accessible approach to spirituality and to such subjects as solitude, friendship, and aging.

Very poetic, thought-provoking, and inspiring.    – DC     4 stars

 

Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who Risked Everything to Solve One  of the Last Mysteries of World War II by Robert Kurson

Recounts the 1991 discovery of a sunken German U-boat by two recreational scuba divers, tracing how they devoted the following six years to researching the identities of the submarine and its crew, correcting historical texts, and breaking new grounds in the world of diving along the way.

Learned a lot of interesting information about diving.     – CD     5 stars   

 

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand: a novel by Helen Simonson

Forced to confront the realities of life in the 21st century when he falls in love with widowed Pakistani descendant Mrs. Ali, a retired Major Pettigrew finds the relationship challenged by local prejudices that view Mrs. Ali, a Cambridge native, as a perpetual foreigner.

Beautiful, really enjoyed it. The hero was wonderful.      – AH     5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned 

The Late Show by Michael Connelly

Fire Along the Sky by Sara Donati

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Journey to Change the World...one Child at a Time by Sarah L. Thomson

Look Back All the Green Valley by Fred Chappell

The Things We Didn't Know by Elba Iris Pérez

Life is Looking Up: Regaining Hope with Mental Illness by Maggie Hess

Splintered: a Novel by A. G. Howard

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

Home Is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose

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

 

New Books

The Unvanquished: The Untold Story of Lincoln's Special Forces, the Manhunt for Mosby's Rangers, and the Shadow War That Forged America's Special Operations by Patrick K. O'donnell

What Really Happens in Vegas: True Stories of the People Who Make Vegas, Vegas by James Patterson

Our Kindred Creatures: How Americans Came to Feel the Way They Do About Animals by Bill Wasik

The Dogs Buried Over the Bridge: A Memoir in Dog Years by Rheta Grimsley Johnson

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Full confession:  I often refuse to read books where I know the animal dies at the end.  I empathize far too much.  This is why I didn’t pick up The Dogs Buried Over the Bridge when it first arrived at the library.  I felt the title said it all.

However, I was looking for something to read and remembered how much I had enjoyed Rheta Grimsley Johnson’s column in the newspaper.  Even when she was writing about something I really didn’t care about (okay, Auburn football), she managed to make it interesting.  She is one of those people who sees the details, especially picking up on the little things that bind us together, and makes life in a swamp seem as familiar as life in a holler. Even better, most of the time she did write about things of interest such as the South and country music.  She even wrote a book about Hank Williams, Sr.

The first chapter in, I knew I had made a good choice.  The book is more memoir than I expected, but that is not at all a bad thing.  I confess I had wondered a bit about her life from various references in her columns and not only was I going to find answers, but they’d be given in her own inimitable style. That’s not to say the dogs got short shrift; they are an important part of her life.  She’s learned a lot from her dogs, but she didn’t start out as an avid dog lover.

 Growing up, the rule was no animals in the house.  It didn’t matter if there was a heatwave or a flood: no exceptions.  When Rheta and her first husband, Jimmy Johnson (author of the Arlo and Janis comic strips) got their first dog, they really didn’t know how to take care of it. Also, they were barely scraping by themselves so didn’t have the money to spare for dog food, much less vet bills or dog accessories.  They ended up giving that dog away, but the seed had been planted.  As she writes, “We dog people are born, not made, and simply need dogs. We aren’t easily discouraged by inconveniences—or reality.”

Johnson writes beautifully.  She is descriptive but she cuts to the heart of the matter.  She is honest about her failures with dogs and relationships, and how hard it is to write a personal newspaper column, to give away parts of yourself to be scrutinized by thousands of readers who believe they know you and can criticize or just come visit at will.

So, yes, there are losses in this book, but Grimsley Johnson is clear-eyed about them all, never maudlin even though you know how much it hurts.  She is more interested in conveying their lives than their passing.  Mabel, her heart dog, is the one who convinced her to get her to get permanent eyeliner because Mabel’s natural “raccoon eyes” always helped her get her way.  It certainly helped Mabel to to become the first of many indoor dogs, breaking once and for all the “no animals in the house” rule.  

Even non-dog lovers will find much to enjoy in this book.

Crochet Monsters by Megan Lapp

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Monsters with horns, monsters with a single eye, monsters with eyes on stalks, monsters with teeth, monsters with tongues sticking out—all sorts of amazing creatures adorn the cover of Crochet Monsters by Megan Lapp.  I was drawn in by their expressions and the bright colors and had to pick up this book.  Just look at those faces!

Inside the book, there are instructions for various body types as well as body parts to let a crafter mix and match to create a unique creature.  The cover featured shiny plastic eyes on the monsters but there are also instructions on how to do crocheted versions.  I love that the photos showed versions of the same parts and/or monsters done in different colors and with different accessories to give an idea of what effects one can get.

For example, one page has 15 different types of teeth for your monster: sharp, human, rounded, fangs, flat, pointy, close together, far apart, squared, long short—you name it.  Instructions for each are given.

The photographs are just glorious.  It’s amazing how expressive the little faces are. I was totally charmed.

There’s just one problem.

I don’t crochet.

That certainly didn’t stop me from enjoying this book.  It’s so creative and just fun to look at. If you are creative, there are lots of ideas to explore in this book.  I think the designs could be adapted to artwork, sewn toys, clay, or other mediums.

Or, like me, you could just admire.

Nevermore: Starling House, Snow Leopard, Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

 Reported by Rita

Starling House by Alix E. Harrow

Determined to find a better life for her younger brother Jasper, Opal, when she gets the chance to step inside the Starling House, the estate of the 19th-century author of her favorite book, and make some extra cash, finds things taking a sinister turn.

  I didn’t love it, but I liked it – good if you like horror.    – MH      4.5 stars

 

T

he Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen

An account of the author's two-hundred-fifty-mile journey, on foot, from Kathmandu, Nepal, to the Crystal Mountain in Tibet, in search of the Himalayan blue sheep, the rare snow leopard, and distances of the spirit.

Third time reading. It’s a beautifully written adventure.    – DC       5 stars

 

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

When she discovers a dead man in the middle of her tea shop, Vera Wong, a suspicious Chinese mother with time on her hands, calls the police. Later decides she is better equipped to solve the crime herself.  This becomes more complicated when she develops unexpected friendships with her suspects.

It‘s a good mystery, funny, and has well-developed characters.   – KP      5 stars

 

Other Books Mentioned

 

The House of Closed Doors by Jane Steen

Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes by Daniel L. Everett

The Hunt by Ryan Green

Outback Outlaws by Ryan Green

The Color of Water: a Black Man's Tribute to his White Mother by James McBride

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand: a Novel by Helen Simonson

Caravans: a Novel of Afghanistan by James A. Michener

Ship of Theseus by V.M. Straka

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

The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu

The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu

 

New Books

 

100 Places to See After You Die: a Travel Guide to the Afterlife  by Ken Jennings

The Little Encyclopedia of Fairies: an A to Z Guide to Fae Magic by Ojo Opanike

The United States of Cryptids: a Tour of American Myths and Monsters by J. W. Ocker

Breaking Down Plath by Patricia Grisafi

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

This is one of a series of books from publisher Jossey-Bass which discusses literary figures in the context of their work. It’s designed for students, but that’s not to say that others won’t find them interesting.

I picked the one on Sylvia Plath, because I had read The Bell Jar and some of her poetry while I was in high school. Years later, I was intrigued by the movie Sylvia, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig.  In the intervening years, there has been a lot of new information out about Plath and some re-evaluation of her work, so I was curious to see how this slim (111 pages including index and references) book would handle it.

The first section of the book takes a look at Plath’s life, including her schooling, marriage, and suicide.  Grisafi points out several times the pitfalls of reading an artist’s work as being strictly biographical, though it does help to give a reader some context. Her tumultuous relationship with Hughes, the death of her father, and other experiences are described as a backdrop to her work.  This is followed by a look at the social and political conditions in which Plath lived: specifically the expectations for women, strictures of class, and the world political environment, which included the Cold War.

Grisafi takes a look at some of Plath’s work, offering some commentary and guidance but refraining from definitive interpretation.  I found it very interesting, but do wish that the text of some of the poems had been included to make it easier to view the entire poem rather than merely some of the lines.

Finally, Griasfi briefly discusses Plath’s legacy in literary, cultural, and family terms; for the latter, she describes not only Plath’s children’s careers but also that Ted Hughes published a book of poems about their marriage, The Birthday Letters.

I found this to be a very interesting and even-handed examination of an important author.  I liked that Griasfi didn’t push specific interpretations but did offer suggestions and provide context.  This is one of the cases in which an author’s life and relationships do have a distinct bearing on the work: I’m thinking specifically of the way Plath’s poems were re-arranged for publication after her death by her estranged husband.

While not an in-depth look or full biography, there was a lot of information packed into these pages.  It’s a very nice resource for anyone interested in a broad overview of Sylvia Plath’s life and work.

There are two other books in this series, Breaking Down F. Scott Fitzgerald and Breaking Down Vonnegut.  I’m looking forward to getting insights from them as well.

August New Books

 

Andrews, Donna  Between a Flock and a Hard Place

Barton, Fiona Talking to Strangers

Bowen, Rhys  The Rose Arbor

Brunstetter, Wanda  The Protector

Cleeves, Ann The Dark Wives

Colgan, Jenny Close Knit

Heller, Peter Burn

Kellerman, Jonathan & Jesse Lost Coast

Kingfisher, T.  A Sorceress Comes to Call

Krueger, William Kent Spirit Crossing

Ledwidge, Michael No Safe Place

Maehrer, Hannah Nicole  Apprentice to the Villain

McFadden, Freida  The Perfect Son

Michaels, Fern Backwater Justice

Moreno-Garcia, Silvia  The Seventh Veil of Salome

Pekkanen, Sarah  House of Glass

Picoult, Jodi  By Any Other Name

Preston, Douglas & Child, Lincoln  Angel of Vengeance

Quinn, Spencer  A Farewell to Arfs (Chet and Bernie)

Reichs, Kathy  Fire and Bones

Rollins, James  Arkangel (Sigma Force)

Rose, Karen  Buried Too Deep

Slaughter, Karin  This Is Why We Lied

Steel, Danielle  Joy

Strout, Elizabeth  Tell Me Everything

Thor, Brad  Shadow of Doubt (Scot Harvath)

Tracy, P.J. City of Secrets

Woods, Evie  The Story Collector

Woodward, M.P. Tom Clancy Shadow State

 

Non-fiction:

Friss, Evan  The Bookshop: A History of American Bookstore

Kousser, Rachel  Alexander at the End of the World: The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great

Pelosi, Nancy  The Art of Power: My Story as America’s First Woman Speaker of the House