Nevermore: Theroux, Berg, Allende, Gundry, Jonasson, Owens, Sullivan, Cornwell

Reported by Laura

            On the Plain of Snakes: A Mexican Journey is written by legendary travel writer, Paul Theroux. Mr. Theroux drove the entire length of the US-Mexican border interviewing the locals and giving a behind the scenes look at the difference on each side. At some locations, the US side was better; in others, the Mexican side, though Mexico exhibited a lot of pure poverty. The author expresses the opinion that NAFTA basically turned the Mexican side of the border into a supply of cheap labor. Many of the Mexicans feel that they don’t fear death because life has cured them of their fears. The reviewer really enjoyed this book and definitely recommends it.

            Elizabeth Berg has been a popular author lately. Open House tells the story of Samantha, the mother of an eleven year-old son, whose husband has left her. In order to survive, she takes in a variety of boarders who all affect her life in different ways. She finds herself open to love, but realizes she has to find herself before she can love someone else. This book is recommended.

            Isabelle Allende’s latest, A Long Petal of the Sea references the shape of Chile. In 1939, Victor Dalmau, a young doctor, and his sister-in-law, a pianist, are forced out of Barcelona and into exile in Chile due to the Spanish Civil War. This historical novel spans four generations and our reviewer found it to be a beautiful book by an author she loves.

            The Longevity Paradox by Steven R. Gundry has also been reviewed in the past to varying degrees of liking or loathing. This week’s reviewer finds his never-ending lists of food to eat or not eat a bit exhausting, but does feel that the author is on track when it comes to keeping bacterial flora at a healthy level within the gut. She feels there is a lot of good health advice included in the book.

            The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson tells the story of Allan Karlson, an old man who is sitting in his room at the nursing home dreading his 100^th birthday party. He makes the decision to climb out the window in his slippers and disappear. The book covers not only his adventures after his escape, but his eventful, interesting life, as well.  As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that he has played a minor role in some of the momentous events of the 20^th century. Our reviewer says that this was a fantastic book that she greatly enjoyed.

            Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is a well-loved book that is still on the best seller’s list. It is both a coming of age story as well as a crime novel. Kya grows up in a shack in the marshlands of North Carolina. Known to the community only as The Marsh Girl, she has still managed to survive and make a life for herself. However, when a local murder occurs, she is the first person to become a suspect. Our reviewer absolutely loved this book. It made her happy, it made her cry, and it helped her to remember her own childhood. She found it lovely, moving, and well-written.

            Set in Italy during WWll, Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan is a novel based on a true story. Pino Lella is a 17 year-old boy who helped Jews escape over the Alps into Northern Italy. This book tells a lot about the Nazis and is suspenseful as well as a love story. The author was able to meet Mr. Lella and an interview is included in the back of the book. The reviewer found the story fascinating and extremely moving.

            Our last review was for The Body Farm by Patricia Cornwell. The title refers to an actual research institute that tests the decomposition of corpses. Dr. Kay Scarpetta, Chief Medical Examiner of VA, is called to investigate the murder of an 11 year-old girl in Black Mountain, NC. Working on a similar case in Virginia, Scarpetta turns to The Body Farm for help in solving the cases. The reviewer loved this book and found it very interesting.

Nevermore: Overstory, Longevity Paradox, Wild Swans, Blowout, Beekeeper of Aleppo, In a Sunburned Country, Pursuit, None of the Above, The Dog I Loved

Reported by Laura 

Nevermore read a wide variety of books this week; some were enjoyed, some were not. The first was The Overstory by Richard Price. Each chapter is a new story about a different tree and the character’s unique experiences with them.  This book won the 2019 Pulitzer Prize, but the reviewer was not impressed. She found the stories a little weird for her taste.

          Our next book has been read by several members. Most did not like it. The Longevity Paradox by Steven R. Gundry outlines a nutrition and lifestyle plan that he says will support gut health and help people to live, not only longer, but well. Our reviewer felt it wasn’t scientifically sound and didn’t find it very helpful. There was no new useful information and the book could do with some editing. One food item (lentils) was on two lists: What to eat and what to avoid. Definitely not recommended.

          The Wild Swans by Jung Chang was a book that was recommended! This nonfiction book spans a century covering three generations of a Chinese family. The author tells the biographies of her grandmother and mother and then her own autobiography. The reviewer enjoyed the book and said she learned a lot about China and the Japanese invasion. The grandmother was a concubine with bound feet and the mother was strong in the Communist party, though fair. The family suffered a lot and Ms. Chang relates how the only time she ever saw her father cry was when he was forced to burn his books.

          Another nonfiction book read this week was Rachel Maddow’s Blowout. The reviewer found it to be a slow, dreary read and couldn’t finish it. She said it covered anything you might need to know about big oil and gas taking over the world and Rex Tillerson illegalities. If you are interested in those topics, give it a try.

          The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri is a fiction book based on the author’s experiences over two summers in Athens at a refugee center. It deals with the flight of refugees from Aleppo to Europe during the Syrian Civil War. Nuri, a beekeeper, and his artist wife, Afra, are faced with leaving everything they love behind as they embark on a journey to Britain where Nuri’s cousin and business partner has started an apiary to teach beekeeping to fellow refugees. The reviewer found it thought-provoking and a good read.

          In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson was deemed laugh out loud funny and highly recommended. In his usual style, he takes readers off the beaten path as he explores Australia and gives information not found in ordinary travel books. With all that is going on in the area at present, it was somewhat bittersweet to read about, but all in all, an excellent book.

          Our next book was a suspenseful offering by Joyce Carol Oates. Pursuit is told in flashbacks, alternating between present day and the terrifying childhood of the main character. Abby marries one day and is in a horrible accident the next. In and out of consciousness, she shares horrifying details of her past and her husband is faced with wondering what his new wife hasn’t told him. The reviewer enjoyed the book, but figured everything out halfway through.

          None of the Above by I. W. Gregorio is a YA fiction book that was sad, but very informative. The book centers around a young girl who is a popular high school student. She is an athlete and elected homecoming queen, but when she decides to lose her virginity, she finds it unbearably painful. A trip to the doctor reveals that she was born intersex, having both male and female parts. After she confides in her best friend, the secret is leaked to the entire school, the bullying begins in earnest, and her life is changed forever.

          The Dog I Loved by Susan Wilson was a beautifully written book that focuses on two different women and the dogs who saved them. Rose was a woman caught in the trap of a controlling boyfriend who ends up serving time in jail for a crime she didn’t intend to commit. While in prison, she becomes part of a program training service dogs. Meghan is a young woman severely damaged in the war and searching for a way to regain her freedom. A service dog may be the key to fulfilling her dreams. This book is a testament to the human (and canine) spirit.

Nevermore: Beekeeper, 1421, Longevity Paradox, Salamander, All We Ever Wanted, Story Sisters, Testaments

Reported by Kristin

Nevermore began with favorable comments on The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri. Set against a backdrop of beauty and war, the story introduces readers to beekeeper Nuri and his artist wife Afra. Their simple life is destroyed as the Syrian war rages, causing them to begin a dangerous journey through Turkey and Greece as they search for stability as refugees in Britain. Proclaimed as touching and well-written, this novel is highly recommended.

 

Moving round the globe, the same reader picked up 1421: The Year China Discovered America by Gavin Menzies. The emperor sent out fleets in order to “proceed all the way to the ends of the earth to collect tribute from the barbarians beyond the seas.” Some ships were able to circumnavigate the globe, but when they returned home in 1423, political upheaval put an end to sea exploration. Our reader found this a fascinating history really worth reading.

Another book club member touted The Longevity Paradox by Steven R. Gundry, MD, as a book that has changed his life. Dr. Gundry is a cardiothoracic surgeon with over 400 published papers, but has written this healthy living volume in language easily accessible to the layperson. Examining microbial bacteria that lives inside each and every one of us, this doctor has a plan to prevent and reverse disease.

Returning to fiction, another reader picked up an older novel with a delightful intricacy of plot: The Salamander by Morris West. Wealthy industrialist Bruno Manzini (“The Salamander”) plays a powerful role in post-World War II Italian politics and he plays it well. Our reader was impressed with the author’s skilled use of language, and the many factors in play which are drawn together in a thrilling climax.

All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin presents Nina Browning, a woman who seems to have a very comfortable life with her wealthy husband and her Princeton-bound son. When something goes extremely wrong, her husband thinks he can fix everything, but some things broken cannot be repaired. Our reader found this to be a compelling novel which kept her turning pages to the end.

Alice Hoffman has made many appearances at Nevermore, and this week The Story Sisters was brought to the table. Three sisters, Elv, Claire, and Meg, are very close, but are on paths which may take them in different directions. When one experiences a very traumatic event, family relationships evolve. Our reader said that there were very sad moments, but it was definitely worth reading to the end.

Finally, The Testaments by Margaret Atwood was discussed as several book club members have enjoyed it. A continuation of Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the story is set more than fifteen years later as the Republic of Gilead has begun to decay. The deeply religious, patriarchal society is still entrenched, but the subversive rebellions are coming closer to the surface, and coming from some surprising characters. Our reader read it quickly, found it very interesting, and could envision a modern world in which the story could happen in real life.