Nevermore: Goats, Dragons, Across Open Ground, Ike's Bluff, and Now That It's You

Reported by Ambrea

One of our Nevermore readers decided to pick up something different to share this week by selecting The Dairy Goat Handbook:  For Backyard, Homestead, and Small Farm by Ann Starbard.  It's a comprehensive guidebook about selecting and raising goat breeds, maintaining a healthy herd, and using dairy goat products, like milk and cheese.  Our reader picked Starbard’s book up on a whim, spying it on a display shelf, and she said she just couldn’t resist.  She enjoyed reading The Dairy Goat Handbook and, more importantly, she liked learning something new.  “If you’re into vicarious farming, as I am, this is a very good book,” she told her fellow Nevermore members, and she highly recommended it to others with an interest in homesteading or simply like goats.

Nevermore also looked at The Kingdom of the Golden Dragon by Isabel Allende.  Although Allende has appeared a number of times, it was the first time her young readers’ series was introduced to Nevermore.  In The Kingdom of the Golden Dragon, Alexander Cold and his best friend, Nadia, are reunited in a new adventure that takes them to the highest reaches of the Himalayas and a forbidden kingdom protected by the fabled Golden Dragon.  Our reader enjoyed reading Allende’s novel.  While it reflects the younger age of its audience, she said it has a very good story and she thought the author did a wonderful job of making the setting come to life.  It was even better than the first book, City of the Beasts, she enthused.

Next, Nevermore looked at Across Open Ground by Heather Parkinson, a fascinating epic about Walter Pascoe, a sheep herder in Idaho, and Trina Ivy, a beautiful young trapper, as they struggle to give root to their growing affection—and survive the First World War.  Our reader said she was “so glad I go to read this book.”  Beautifully written and breathtakingly eloquent, Across Open Ground was immediately labeled as a fantastic book.  She said it reminded her of the Red Badge of Courage, threaded with moments of beauty and tragedy that gave the story impact and presence.  A magnificent and searing story about war and love and, ultimately, the fragility of human life, Across Open Ground received some very high marks and a great recommendation from our reader.

Skipping to the tail end of the Second World War and veering right into the 1950s, Nevermore took a look at Ike’s Bluff:  President Eisenhower’s Secret Battle to Save the World by Evan Thomas.  After assuming the presidency in 1953, Dwight Eisenhower set about ending the Korean War by whatever means necessary—or so he lead the American public to believe.  A detailed and in-depth biography portraying foreign relations of the United States during the presidency of Eisenhower, Ike’s Bluff proved to be an intriguing book for our reader.  He said the writing was excellent, and he added that the author did a wonderful job of shedding new light on his subject.   Overall, he rated it highly, saying it was a “very good book.”

Last, Nevermore looked at a lovely comedic romance by Tawna Fenske.  In Now That It’s You, Meg Delaney decides that, after two years of radio silence, it’s time to let bygones be bygones with her cheating ex-fiancé, Matt Midland, and she hopes to make amends for leaving him at the altar.  But when Matt unexpectedly passes away, Meg is left with the lingering debt of their still-broken engagement sans closure—and suddenly Kyle, Matt’s younger brother, is back in her life, leaving her wondering about what could have been.  Our reader really enjoyed reading Fenske’s latest novel, calling it a wonderfully hilarious depiction of both romantic and familial relationships.  She said she enjoyed the humor, the sweetness, and even the awkward moments; however, she noted she was hooked after discovering the group of LARPers (Live Action Role-Players) dressed in fantasy gear in the second chapter.

Nevermore: Allende, Burying Man, Roads, Interior Darkness,

Reported by Ambrea

This week in Nevermore, our readers explored a variety of books new to the library, starting with The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende.  In 1939, Alma Belasco’s parents send her from her native Poland to San Francisco, California, to escape the clutches of the Nazi regime that is starting to make itself seen.  While living with her aunt and uncle in America, Alma meets Ichimei Fukuda, the son of a Japanese gardener, and she falls in love.  But when Ichimei and his family are relocated after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Alma and Ichimei keep their relationship a closely guarded secret—and cultivate a love that blossoms over seventy years.  Our reader was very impressed by Allende’s latest novel, saying it was a very good novel and it was “very beautiful” with its evocative language and it’s tender, lovely characters.  Overall, she enjoyed The Japanese Lover and recommended it to other readers.

Next, our readers discussed The Burying Man, a novel by Cleudis Robbins and Janene E. Nielsen.  Set in the “hills and hollers of Appalachia,” The Burying Man is a story that recounts the struggle of one family that’s caught in the midst of the Bloody Harlan County Coal Wars—one that will try to destroy Mournful Grace, his wife Evangelene, and their daughter, Bud, who narrates their tragic tale.  Although our Nevermore reader hadn’t yet finished reading Robbins and Nielsen’s novel, she said she found it to be one of those books that’s incredibly enjoyable to read.  “[The Burying Man] doesn’t use dialect, rather it uses the language in a way that’s easy to understand,” our reader pointed out.  Like Denise Giardina’s novel, Storming Heaven, Robins and Nielsen take advantage of the language quirks in Appalachia and manage to convey the tone and flavor of Appalachian culture without turning their characters into mere caricatures.

Our next book is far removed from the hills of Appalachia, returning to California to visit the Hollywood Hills in All the Stars in Heaven.  Adriana Trigiani’s latest novel brings to life the glittering, glamorous—and terribly brutal—world of Tinsel Town, offering an insightful look into the relationship of Loretta Young and Clark Gable, weaving a masterful story about scandal and adventure.  Our Nevermore reader said it was a “curious history of Hollywood,” an intriguing blend of history and fantasy that reflected the radiance of the era.  It also reflects Trigiani’s usual style of storytelling with larger-than-life characters, unforgettable stories, and endearing heroines who are sure to capture reader’s hearts.  Our reader recommended it to the group, saying it was both interesting and, more importantly, fun to read.

Additionally, our readers looked at a brand new collection of stories by Peter Straub.  Titled Interior Darkness, Straub’s latest is a collection of 16 selected stories that he compiled over twenty-five years of experience—stories that provide a close examination of the human heart and the darkness that lurks within all people.  Moving from stories like “Blue Rose” and “Mr. Clubb and Mr. Cuff” and “The Ballad of Ballard and Sandrine,” Straub writes tales that encompass all human experience and offer a glimpse at the interior darkness that many harbor.  Our Nevermore reader said that the stories in Straub’s latest collection were both fascinating and interesting.  While some were “quite dark,”  all offered intriguing glimpses into the thoughts and minds of people. Interior Darkness contained an interesting set of stories that definitely made him think.

Next, Nevermore looked Henry Petroski’s brand new book The Road Taken:  The History and Future of America’s Infrastructure.  According to Petroski, many roads in the United States have been rated poorly by the American Society of Civil Engineers while roughly sixty-five thousand bridges have been classified as “structurally deficient.”  He notes that the things taken for granted by drivers—such as stop signs, guard rails, traffic lights, speed limits, interstate systems—did not always exist; however, they are now a crucial part of the American infrastructure.  Petroski offers an in-depth look at the American roadways of today and the roads of yesterday, providing an insightful report on the infrastructure that’s now crumbling.  Our reader was fascinated by Petroski’s book.  He said it was interesting (certainly interesting enough to stir quite a bit of discussion among our book club members) and simultaneously comprehensive, since it looked at the history of road building from Colonial America and beyond and, more importantly, offered an absorbing look at the railway system that nearly killed the roadways.  He highly recommended it to other readers and soon hopes to look at some of Petroski’s other works, which often look at everyday items like toothpicks, pencils, pens, and more.

Last, our book club discussed The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson.  Bryson, who is famous for his Notes on a Small Island and A Walk in the Woods, has written a new book on his return to England,  his adopted country.  Part travel narrative, part memoir, The Road to Little Dribbling is a fascinating examination of the culture and history of Britain, celebrating the same eccentric and wonderfully beautiful country he loved—and taking a long, hard look at the changes time has made.  Our reader, while impressed by some of Bryson’s other works, was less enthusiastic this time around.  He found he didn’t care as much for The Road to Little Dribbling for two reasons:  one, he found Bryson spent less time actually illustrating his travels in England and more time griping about the things which changed which the author didn’t like; and, two, he found Bryson’s language a little less than appealing.  Altogether, he said it was a fine book; however, he said it was ill-suited for him.

Nevermore: Maya's Notebook, Wilson, Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap, and More!

  The last Nevermore Book Club meeting of 2013 featured its usual mix of genres and topics.  The first book up was Maya’s Notebook by Isabel Allende, a novel about a young woman whose life takes some drastic turns after the death of her beloved grandfather.  She becomes involved with drugs and petty crimes, but soon finds herself in way over her head, caught between law enforcement and organized crime.  Sent away to an island off the coast of Chile, Maya is given a notebook in which to write her story, which then forms the book.  The book drew strong opinions:  one reader loved it and the other one hated it.  Part of the discussion centered on the way the book was structured, with the narration moving back and forth in time as Maya recalls her past.  One reader dislikes books using that structure, and while the other reader was no fan of the technique, she felt the characters and story more than made up for it.  (It’s interesting to note that professional reviewers were also strongly divided over the book.)

Wilson by A. Scott Berg is an in-depth look at the 28th president of the United States.  Woodrow Wilson’s presidency seemed an unlikely prospect and probably wouldn’t have happened had not Teddy Roosevelt decided to form an independent party to run against his former friend, William Howard Taft.  A Virginian, Wilson was the first Southerner to be president since Andrew Johnson.  Berg had access to some personal papers not previously available, and used those to help craft an entertaining, enlightening, and personal view of Wilson.  Our reviewer said she thought Wilson was a man who wanted to be in love, and was almost more in love with the idea of love than with an actual person.  He was an avid and ardent letter writer as well.  He was also a bit of a hypochondriac. After his stroke, his second wife, Edith Bolling Galt, acted as a gatekeeper and allowed very little access to President Wilson; in fact, her control was such that some have suggested she actually acted as president.  Our reviewer recommended the book as informative and enjoyable.

The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap by Wendy Welch is the true story of how a couple moved into this region and decided to start a used bookstore. Welch and her Scottish husband, Jack Beck, were seen as outsiders when they first moved to Big Stone Gap, but they managed to win over most of the town simply by proving they were staying and wanted to be a part of the community. The book was applauded as being warm, funny, and thoughtful, pointing out the local characters and customs without being condescending.  It comes highly recommended by several Nevermore members.

Other books mentioned during this meeting included the final Tom Clancy novel, Command Authority, in which Jack Ryan holds the key to the mystery surrounding the rise of a Russian politician.  Clancy passed away in October 2013, before the book was published.  This book was praised as a page turner and drew a comparison with a classic British thriller writer, Evelyn Anthony. Killing Jesus by Bill O’Reilly was brought up as well, described as being a good introduction to historical events while refraining from religious commentary.

The next Nevermore meeting will be Tuesday, January 7, at 11:00 AM.  Join us for doughnuts from Blackbird Bakery, coffee, and books!