Nevermore: Black, Doig, Clarke, Price, Buechner, Rosewood, Cline

 

The novel Three Hours in Paris by Cara Black is set during World War II and covers the mysterious three hours that Hitler spent in Paris, never to return.  The main character, Kay, is a markswoman from Oregon living in the UK.  After a Nazi attack kills her husband and child, she is recruited to kill Hitler.  Airdropped into Paris armed with only rudimentary instructions and a rifle, Kay misses Hitler, and the whole plan unravels.  Kay is on the run and must escape France if she is ever to reach home.  This historical thriller was recommended by our reader.

 Oliver is the widowed father of three sons and is looking for a housekeeper/cook to help the family on their Montana prairie homestead when he spots an intriguing ad which promises an exceptional housekeeper who “can’t cook, but doesn’t bite.”   Oliver spends a lot of money to bring Rose out West and when she shows up with her brother Morris is in tow.  Thus begins Ivan Doig's The Whistling Season, a humorous tale of eccentrics, institutions and life on the prairie at the turn of the last century.  Our reviewer says this is a book for anyone looking for funny and well written fiction.

 

Next up was one of the weirdest books our reader has ever tackled: Piranesi by Suzanna Clarke, the author of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel.  This dark fantasy was proving hard for our reader to get through. Written as the diary of our narrator, called Piranesi (though that may not be his name), this surreal story is about a man living in an infinite building lined with statues and containing an ocean.   There are scratches all in the building, and the man thinks this building is the entirety of the world.  There is only one other person in this world, The Other, a man who shows up in a suits and ties and asks Piranesi questions and asks him to do things.  Our reader was not finished with the book but was not sure what the point was supposed to be.

 

Children of Ash and Elm: The History of the Vikings is by Neil Price, a professor at University of Upsalla. This book is described as a definitive history of the Viking age, from 750 – 1050 CE and covers the diaspora of the Vikings both westward and eastward and south to Istanbul.  The Vikings were not just raiders, but also traders, colonists and slavers whose impact reached from Eastern North America to the Asian steppe.  Our reader was fascinated by this book and it made her wonder what knowledge of these people has been lost to history. 

King University had a celebration of the 40^th anniversary of the publishing of Godric, a Frederick Buechner book which was a runner-up for the Pulitzer Prize in 1980.  Buechner is an educator, theologian, and writer who has authored thirty six published books.  Godric is about a 12^th century Saint (Godric of Finchale) who lived the first part of his life as a scoundrel and the last half of as a hermit.  Our reader loved this book, particularly as it is written as if from 12^th century, and is in iambic pentameter.  Our reader can’t see a general audience liking it but she loved it. 

True Crime Case Stories:  12 Disturbing True Crime Stories by Jack Rosewood is the first volume of a 4 volume set captivated our reader. Every story is interesting, every story is true and the mystery always gets solved.  If you like Forensic Files, you will love this series, according to our book club member.

 

In the dystopian novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline the world has undergone an economic collapse, making reality a dreary place to be.  Wade, the main character, is a teen who mostly lives his life in The Oasis, a completely immersive internet world/game that uses 1980s culture as its basis.  James Halliday, inventor of the Oasis, has died and has left his massive fortune to whoever can find the “Easter Egg” in The Oasis. When Wade finds a clue, he becomes a world-wide celebrity—and target.  Our reader found it to be a lot of fun and is looking forward to the second book, Ready Player Two.

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.