Nevermore: Good Cop, Mobituaries, On the Plain of Snakes, Ellen Foster, Last Three Miles

Reported by Jeanne

 

Nevermore opened with The Good Cop by Peter Steiner, a mystery set in 1920s Munich.  The book depicts a post World War I Germany which is struggling with the aftermath, including rampant inflation, unemployment, and corruption. Things look very bleak; but there is a new politician whose star is on the rise:  Adolf Hitler.  This is the backdrop against which policeman Willi Geismeier is called to investigate the bombing of a newspaper office and soon finds that asking questions may cost him his job— and maybe his life.   Our reader said that this was one of those books that she just couldn’t put down and recommended it highly.

Mobituaries by Mo Rocca continues to make the rounds and remains a favorite.  Rocca profiles  both the famous and unknown, but choosing those who have made a difference in the world.  It’s a wonderful mix, and very well written.  It was quickly picked up by another Nevermore member.





Paul Theroux drove the length of the U.S./Mexican border and then produced the book On the Plain of Snakes, Our reader said this was a hard book, but very interesting.  Theroux examines the lives of the people to the south, learning about their culture, way of life, their hopes, their dreams.  He provides a historical context and presents the views of those most affected, including the changes as some American manufacturing has moved to Mexico.  It’s a fascinating book, and one which gives much food for thought and helps to clarify some of the conflicts at the border.




The next book was actually a re-read for our club member.  Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons is the story of an eleven year old girl growing up in an abusive home. The story is told through the child’s point of view as she struggles to beat the odds.  It’s a “sad little book” but Ellen is a wonderful character, a sweet child faced with terrible conditions, and well worth the second reading in preparation for reading the sequel. The Life All Around Me by Ellen Foster picks up when Ellen is fifteen and living in a foster home. She struggles with adolescence and writes poetry to earn money.  Our reviewer didn’t think this second book was quite as good as the first and struggled with some of the stylistic choices— the absence of quotation marks, for example, and some interesting syntax.  She highly recommends the first and while she was glad she read the second, she doesn’t think it is a “must read.”


 
Finally, The Last Three Miles:  Politics, Murder, and the Construction of America’s First Superhighway by Steven Hart is the true story of the construction of New Jersey’s Pulaski Skyway in the early 1930s.  It proved to be a contentious project, with politics and labor going head to head in a power struggle that eventually turned violent.  It’s local politics, money, power, and greed, and it is a great book, according to our reporter.

Nevermore: Douglass, Crichton, Theroux, Hooper, Harrow, Gibbons

Reported by Kristin

One Nevermore member was slowly enjoying a lovely edition of the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass and Other Works. Douglass was found to be a very brilliant and clear thinker about the social aspects of slavery. Our reader described his admiration for a man born into slavery who taught himself so much and who influenced so many people.

Another reader had picked up the posthumously published Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton. With a cover looking much like the Jurassic Park saga that Crichton is so well known for, this story is set in 1876 in the Wild West, when it was still easy (and relatively unregulated) to excavate fossil sites. Our reader said that the novel was full of Native Americans, soldiers, forts, and even Wyatt Earp made an appearance, making it quite a fun read.

On the Plain of Snakes: A Mexican Journey by Paul Theroux has been making the Nevermore rounds, and the current reader absolutely loved it. Theroux travels the globe to find the cultural richness rarely seen with the struggles of people searching for a better life. Our reader said that the author takes you down the desert roads and presents an excellent portrayal of the rough challenges faced by many south of our national border.

Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper was very highly recommended as it tells the story of eighty-three year old Etta who decides to walk across Canada to see the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. In doing so, she reminisces about the life she has led with her husband Otto, their childhood friends, and lost loves. Our reader emphasized that she absolutely loved, loved, loved it, and encouraged others to give it a try.

Entering a world of mystical possibilities, our next reader picked up The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow. In the early 1900s, January Scaller is the adopted daughter of a rich man who collects curiosities from around the world. When she finds a book filled with secret doors, January is intrigued. This book was praised as excellent, but weird. It is highly recommended for those who like, well, weird books.

Finally, Divining Women by Kaye Gibbons, a novel set within the Spanish influenza epidemic, was enjoyed by our last reader. Mary Oliver is a young woman who comes to help her aunt Maureen during a difficult pregnancy. Maureen’s husband Troop is cold and strict, and Mary finds herself desperate to protect her aunt. Our Nevermore reader said that the underlying theme of the novel was how women can change their lives when they decide to take control.