Becky S.

• Rated 4 stars

“From RA for All: http://raforall.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-im-reading-destiny-of-republic.html

Last week, I finished one of 2011's best picks for Nonfiction, Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine, and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard. Previously, my book group read Millard's other critically acclaimed book, River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey. You can use the link to read all about that one and to see readalikes.

This book is a detailed recounting of James A. Garfield's unexpected rise to the Presidency and the story of his assassin, Charles Guiteau. I will not give away the interesting details of how these two men's stories were set on a trajectory towards a violent collision because allowing Millard to reveal them to me as I read was one of the joys of the book. There were times I literally gasped with shock at this book. Personally, I love it when history can still shock me.

She also recounts a brief biography of Alexander Graham Bell because Bell created a metal detector specifically to try to find the bullet lodged in Garfield. It goes into some detail about his background and personal life, specifically his family and his great frustration with all the grief the invention of the telephone brought him.

But it is the information on the radical differences of opinions in medical science at this time where this book shines. Millard slowly introduces the vehement fight between doctors at the time with the new idea of trying to keep things sterile led by Dr. Lister against the old way of the grubbier the better. Literally she describes doctors wearing dirty coats into surgery like a badge of honor; wiping instruments on their bloodied shirts from one surgery to the next, without washing a thing!

The crazy thing is, Lister was seen as wrong for wanting to keep things sterile. Millard uses the case of Garfield to show how the world was soon going to fall in line with Lister. Garfield's doctors, led by Dr. Bliss, are what killed him, not the bullet. In fact, as Millard tells us, the shot Garfield sustained then, would barely keep him in the hospital 24 hours today. To see how he suffered all summer waiting to die of an infection is quite horrific, but unfortunately 100% accurate.

While I enjoyed the medical parts, this book works because of Millard's obvious affection for Garfield. In a letter posted on Amazon here, Millard wrote, "This book is my attempt to step back in time, to understand these men and this moment in history, and to tell a story that should never have been forgotten." Her compassion and personal interest in this forgotten history comes through in her prose. She tells a specific story about particular men, but it is also our American story.

Sadly, Garfield knew he would be forgotten. I think that is what I take away most from this book. For the first time, I am thinking about how different America would have been if Garfield had lived, instead of viewing him as a footnote in our history. He was staunchly for the equal rights of blacks at a time when that was an uncommon political stance. Could he have helped to bring about Civil Rights sooner? If I go by Millard's overall argument, probably not. It was in how his death united the country that Garfield made the biggest strides of any post-Civil War President to bring the country back together.

I was so mad at Guiteau by the end of the book. Millard made me go from never thinking about Garfield to being in awe of his intelligence, fairness, and statesmanship to then mourning him, all in 350 pages. That is a good book.

The combination of Millard's engaging voice, her ability to cram in lots of details without overwhelming the reader, and her research which allowed her to link independent events of the era and show how they all played out through Garfield's shooting, long suffering, and eventual death, is a joy to watch unfold. This book may be about Garfield's assassination on the surface, but at its heart it is a story about an adolescent America going through some real growing pains, trying to move into adulthood.

Any readers who like smart, interesting, and entertaining narrative nonfiction should read this book.

Three Words That Describe This Book: engaging, compelling, richly detailed

Readalikes: Although the tone is completely different, I kept thinking of Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell. In this book, Vowell uses her trademark geeky humor to delve further into the ways in which the assassination of Lincoln, Garfield, and McKinley were played out in a cultural context. In the process of reading Vowell's book I learned quite a bit about Guiteau, and I knew the weirdness of Robert Todd Lincoln's presence at the assassination (and McKinley's later), but Vowell's book did not have any of the details about Lister, Bell and/or Bliss that I found so interesting. Together these books make a nice pair.

A search on NoveList revealed a few good nonfiction readalikes: Ira Rutkow's James A. Garfield (a biography), Kenneth Ackerman's Dark Horse: The Surprise Election and Political Murder of President James A. Garfield (as much about the era as the assassination), and Midnight Rising by Tony Horwitz (similar writing style; about the post-Civil War era).

For those interested in the subsequent McKinley assassination (which finally got the President some armed guards wherever he went), Scott Miller's The President and the Assassin: McKinley, Terror and Empire at the Dawn of the American Century is widely considered to best the best narrative nonfiction on the topic.

As an author, Millard's richly detailed, yet not bogged down style, her engaging voice, and compelling plotting remind me of a few other authors:
Tony Horwitz (mentioned above)
David Grann
Erik Larson
And the great David McCullough
If you have a reader who liked Destiny of the Republic but wants a fiction suggestion, I would try The March by E.L. Doctorow for its American History, multiple points of view, engaging voice and compelling plot. Just like Destiny of the Republic, we know what is going to happen but we are still compelled to see how it turns out.”

Becky S. wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“From RA for All: http://raforall.blogspot.com/2012/01/bpl-book-discussion-crashing-through.html

On Monday, we began our 2012 run of book discussions at the BPL. We began with Robert Kurson's Crashing Through. From the publisher:
Mike May spent his life crashing through. Blinded at age three, he defied expectations by breaking world records in downhill speed skiing, joining the CIA, and becoming a successful inventor, entrepreneur, and family man. He had never yearned for vision. Then, in 1999, a chance encounter brought startling news: a revolutionary stem cell transplant surgery could restore May’s vision. It would allow him to drive, to read, to see his children’s faces. But the procedure was filled with gambles, some of them deadly, others beyond May’s wildest dreams. Beautifully written and thrillingly told, Crashing Through is a journey of suspense, daring, romance, and insight into the mysteries of vision and the brain. Robert Kurson gives us a fascinating account of one man’s choice to explore what it means to see–and to truly live.
One more thing before I get into the discussion. There were no questions available to discuss this book online; however, my paperback copy did have questions in the back. I used these as a guide and did add one specific question about how the author chose to recount May's story (more on that later). If your group wants to do this book and you do not have access to the paperback edition, please contact me and I can copy the pages for you.


On to our discussion:

If you follow our book discussion reports you know the drill by now. I began by asking who liked, disliked, and was so-so on the book. We had 9 liked, 2 so-sos, and 0 disliked.
The so-sos mostly centered around May. These two people liked the book, but couldn't get past the fact that May was too arrogant for them. He was not someone they particularly liked as a person, despite the fact that they were intrigued by and completely respected him. Particularly people were upset by how he treated his wife. For example, more than once in their marriage, he asked her for a divorce because he didn't want to deal with the nagging and squabbles. Others were turned off by his obsession with seeing beautiful women.
But, overall, people not only liked this book, they were riveted by it. The combination of the science about how people see, the personal story of May (both his amazing accomplishments when blind and his courage to try to see after a lifetime of blindness), and the inspirational tone of the book were enchanting. Interestingly, just about everyone was surprised by how much they enjoyed the book.
May's Mom: Lots mentioned here. Some wanted more about her. Others felt like she was a bit too risky with May. She let him do the craziest things and always fought for him. This allowed May to be blind but function easily in the sighted world. We all agreed that we could never have been this way with our children. But we respected her greatly.
We could barely talk about the needles May had to have to the eye in order to save the transplant from being rejected. I get the willies just typing this.
We loved how Kurson integrated the science into the story. The doctors Fine and Goodman were mentioned as being portrayed well. We all also felt like this book and May's work with his doctors will help mankind and medical science for years to come; way past all of our lifetimes.
May made a list of pros and cons as to whether or not to try the surgery that could make him see again (but also could fail at anytime and the medicines involved could give him cancer). His con list was VERY long. But the pro list had 1 thing: curiosity. May was curious to see what would happen. Curiosity, taking risks, and pushing limits defined May throughout his entire life. We talked about this. Someone said, "Thank God for people like him who are always trying to find something new." We totally understood why he went for the surgery, but none of us felt we shared any of his risk taking abilities. We also felt this curiosity also allowed him to make his brain understand what he was seeing even when the doctors thought this would be impossible. That part of the book, when May figures out how to see, was most people's favorite part of the book.
We passed around my iPhone to all look at the website for Sendero, May's company which invented and produces GPS systems for the blind. There is also more information about May, this book, and his work as an inspirational speaker there. After so many failed inventions and start-ups were were glad to see that he finally had success at business.
We all were intrigued by the strength and personality of May's wife Jennifer. She truly is a patient and understanding partner.
We spent some time talking about how the book was written. Kurson seamlessly moves between the human interest story and the science. He made the story very personal, but kept himself completely out of it. We also appreciated Kurson's skill as a writer. "He uses words very well," said one participant.
One of my favorite comments about the universality of this book, "We could all learn from Mike by asking ourselves "What am I good at?" especially when we get stuck." This is how May tackled the problem of his vision not improving after the surgery. He did not focus on what was wrong or what he was doing badly. We all resolved to try to solve problems this way in the future. We could all benefit by turning to our strengths in times of trouble, rather than dwelling on our failings.
We spent some time talking about the way Mike sees and how it is different from people who have had sight for their entire lives. This was a long conversation, but I do want to mention how weird we found it that optical illusions (which we all thought were universal) do not work on May.
After reading this book we talked about how we now look at the world differently. We all agreed that we are noticing more details. One person even tried to walk around her house with her eyes closed.
As we wound down I pointedly asked the group if they would be willing to take the risks May did in order to see, especially considering how secure and fulfilled he was as a blind person. A few responses: "To look into the eyes of your children is worth it." "Examining your partner's body was so romantic." "If I had been blind for life, I don't think I could have been able to imagine what it would mean to see, so no." And, "I would not have taken the risk."
We moved to the title, which interestingly does not mention anything about being blind. We loved it because it describes May; he is a guy who always was crashing through. We loved that it had a happy ending. And finally, we decided this would be the perfect book for a coach to read and use to motivate his team.
And, for our grand finale as always, I asked the group to give me words or phrases to sum up the book:
inspirational
innovative
scientific
not-boring
thought provoking
engaging
exciting
heart warming
unstoppable attitude
motivational
ground breaking
informative
compelling
Readalikes: There are many ways to go here. A participant said that this book reminded her of the writings and essays of Indian-American Ved Mehta who lost his sight as a child and has since gone on to be a well known scholar. She highly recommended his memoir, Face to Face.

NoveList suggested a few other books about being blind. Eclipse by Hugh de Montalembert and Planet of the Blind by Stephen Kuusisto both look interesting.

However, as a group, while we found all of the information about being blind and how the brain takes what our eyes see to give us full sight, I would not say it was our main appeal. Remember when I asked people to give me a single word or phrase about the book above? Not a single person said "blind" or "sight" or "eyes."

So the true appeal of this book (for our group at least) lies in the writing and the inspirational story.

In terms of inspirational, Crashing Through reminded us of when we read, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. Click through to see that report.

The group mentioned over and over again, how nice it was to learn so much about something technical and scientific wrapped up in a very readable and compelling story. These comments made me think about other authors whose works also bridge the gap between the specialist and the average reader with compelling jargon free prose. I have come up with the following list of suggested authors:
Simon Winchester
John McPhee
Dava Sobel
Stephen Jay Gould
Oliver Sacks
Finally, on a personal note, reading Crashing Through showed me once again why I so disliked 2010's The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. While both Skloot and Kurson spent countless hours with the families involved in these heart wrenching stories of medical miracles, Skloot put herself in the "story" of her book, while Kurson kept himself out of the story completely. In fact, it was not until I read the "Notes" section of Crashing Through that I even knew he lived with the Mays for long periods of time in order to write this story, that is how natural the story flowed.

I mentioned this to the group, many of who read and enjoyed Skloot's popular book too. Not many of them were bothered by this difference. So, while I cannot say for me it was the case, I think these two popular medical memoirs are good readalike options for each other.

Finally, if you want to hear the interview between Kurson and May that is on the audiobook edition, click here. It was recorded 7 years after the interviews in the book. For audiobook fans, May spends some time talking about the appeal of a good audiobook toward the end of the interview also.”

Becky S. wrote this review Wednesday, January 18, 2012. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“From RA for All: http://raforall.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-im-reading-in-garden-of-beasts.html

I am down to the last two books I finished this year to talk about, and both are on many of the 2011 Best Lists. I will begin with In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and An American Family in Hitler's Berlin by Erik Larson.

First, I should mention that I really like Erik Larson. Of course I enjoyed Devil in the White City, and I thought Thunderstruck was much better than people gave it credit for. But I am also a huge fan of his first book about the creation of the National Weather Service, Isaac's Storm.

What I enjoy most about Larson's narrative nonfiction is how he takes lesser known moments in history and pairs them with larger ones. So a killer is paired with the World's Fair (Devil), the invention of transatlantic radio communication with another murderer it was used to catch (Thunderstruck), and the creation of the National Weather Service with a devastating hurricane (Issac's). Larson gives us a known frame of reference, lulling us into a comfort zone, and then throws us a huge curve ball, knocking you off your feet and screaming at you to pay attention to the history (although it feels more like a story) he is telling you.

It is a brilliant method and frame which Larson has perfected. Although it is this perfection which is what is keeping this book off my 2011 Best List. This book was wonderful and deserves all of the accolades it is getting, but I expected that. Larson delivered on my expectations; therefore, when I sat down and looked back on my "best" reading experiences of 2011, this one does not stand as exceptional precisely because it was so good.

So that's my mini lecture on Larson. Here's the info on this book specifically.

Here the larger, known frame is Hitler's improbable rise to power seen through the eyes of the most unlikely diplomat, William Dodd and his daughter Martha. Dodd was a historian who wanted to change the diplomat culture. He was a true believer in Democracy and was mad that you had to be independently wealthy to be an Ambassador. He managed to get the Berlin post in the early 1930s, a post FDR was having trouble giving away, and spent the early years leading up to WWII railing against the tradition of wealth in the diplomat core and sending dire warnings of Hitler back to America. Unfortunately, both arguments were dismissed as frivolous.

Dodd's daughter Martha was also quite a character. A divorcee playgirl, she dated many key figures in Hitler's government, many of his enemies, and even once went on a date with Hitler himself. But she found her true love in a Soviet spy named Boris. Her story is one of the accidental spy. And, one of the most interesting parts of this story is Martha's transformation from one who thought that Hitler would bring good things to Germany to absolute disgust for the man and his followers.


Larson's book is about the Dodds and about the early years when Hitler was solidifying his power base. The Dodd's bore witness to many atrocities leading up to the war. They did not ever see a concentration camp, but they saw the torture of Jews and were there for a Hitler ordered mass purge of his enemies. They returned to America before Hitler began his European campaign of aggression, but they left knowing a horrible war was coming. And even worse, they knew they tried to warn the world of the problem and no one would listen.


Everything I said about Larson's appeal before this short summary applies here. He uses letters and official documents to tell his story, quoting extensively from William and Martha's correspondences. You really get a bird's eye view of the years leading up to WWII. It is alternately enlightening and upsetting to see how easily Hitler could have been tripped up along the way.


Larson's use of primary documents allows the reader to feel as if he or she is there, in Berlin, during the early 1930s, living amidst the terror and fear.


Martha especially is quite a character. She is a wanna be spy and sex crazed playgirl. She goes through men like most women of her time went through new outfits. She took a lot of heat for her behavior, but she was quite an independent spirit.


Read this book if you like Larson, but even if you haven't enjoyed his work in the past, read this book if you think you have read everything on WWII already. Larson managed to find a unique and enlightening angle to a time period that can be overdone by both historians and novelists.

On a final note, I listened to this book and really liked the narration. It was engaging and even toned. I found myself wanting to return to the story for both the way it was written and the man telling it to me.


Three Words That Describe This Book: fresh look at history, enlightening, engrossing


Readalikes: Of course there are hundreds of good nonfiction WWII options, but a few that appeal specifically here are:

Democrat and Diplomat: The Life of William E. Dodd by Robert Dallek
Resisting Hitler: Mildred Harnack and the Red Orchestra by Shareen Blair Brysac
The Coming of the Third Reich by Richard J. Evans

For another nonfiction book that takes a fresh look at WWII try Diane Ackerman's The Zookeeper's Wife. I wrote about our book group's discussion of it here. Using that link you can also find a few other WWII suggestions.

NoveList also pointed me to a fascinating novel, Every Man Dies Alone by Henry Fallada. From the PW starred review:

/* Starred Review */ This disturbing novel, written in 24 days by a German writer who died in 1947, is inspired by the true story of Otto and Elise Hampel, who scattered postcards advocating civil disobedience throughout war-time Nazi-controlled Berlin. Their fictional counterparts, Otto and Anna Quangel, distribute cards during the war bearing antifascist exhortations and daydream that their work is being passed from person to person, stirring rebellion, but, in fact, almost every card is immediately turned over to authorities. Fallada aptly depicts the paralyzing fear that dominated Hitler's Germany, when decisions that previously would have seemed insignificant—whether to utter a complaint or mourn one's deceased child publicly—can lead to torture and death at the hands of the Gestapo. From the Quangels to a postal worker who quits the Nazi party when she learns that her son committed atrocities and a prison chaplain who smuggles messages to inmates, resistance is measured in subtle but dangerous individual stands. This isn't a novel about bold cells of defiant guerrillas but about a world in which heroism is defined as personal refusal to be corrupted. (Mar.) --Staff (Reviewed January 12, 2009) (Publishers Weekly, vol 256, issue 2, p29)

Jeffrey Deaver has a thriller entitled, Garden of Beasts: A Novel of Berlin 1936 which I think is a good option, especially for fans of Martha's accidental spy part of the story. Another review also said her escapades had shades of a John Le Carre novel.

Thinking outside of the WWII box here, for another book which takes a well trod history and gives it an enlightening and surprising new spin, try The Known World by Edward P. Jones.”

Becky S. wrote this review Saturday, December 31, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“From RA for All: http://raforall.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-im-reading-leftovers.html

In my review of In the Garden of Beasts I mentioned how I love Larson and expect good things from him, so as a result, this book did not surprise me.

To show the other side of the same coin, I present The Leftovers. I also love Tom Perrotta (use this link to see), so here I was also expecting to enjoy his newest novel The Leftovers. Like the Larson book, this novel is also on most of the year end Best lists. So, I expected to enjoy this book greatly. What I did not expect was to be blown away by this novel. It also didn't hurt that he returned to setting his books in New Jersey again. (Click here for more on that)

Perrotta is THE expert at the 21st Century suburban novel. I have been a suburban girl my entire life (save 2 years in Chicago proper) and am drawn to novels which contemplate the late 20th Century into the 21st Century rise of the burbs. Each Perrotta novel has a different storyline angle but all of them boil down to him analyzing life in suburbia.

Here his lens has a slightly different focus than previosuly. We are in a world 3 years after some sort of rapture like event where a significant percentage of the population disappeared into thin air. We see this changed world where people are still actively healing through a few different points of view. We have Kevin the town mayor, his wife, who has left the family for a rapture obsessed cult who all wear white and took a vow of silence, his daughter Julie who is experimenting with being a bad girl, their son, who has left college to join another cult, and Nora, a woman in town who lost her husband and both kids to the rapture like event.

The book has nothing to do with the calamitous event and everything to do with how the main characters deal with the after effects of it. Each character has a different reaction to the event and each reaction is understandable given the magnitude of what happened.

What makes The Leftovers different from the other literary post-apocalyptic novels that have become so popular this past year is that the world for those left behind is not apacalyptic in any way. Only people are missing. In fact, three years after the fact, everything has pretty much gone back to complete normalcy.

You read The Leftovers if you want to take a long hard look at your own comfortable suburban existence and think about what truly makes you happy. That is what all 5 of the main characters are forced to do by circumstance. And they each find a different path to follow. It is as if they are all in a form of mourning (some mourning the loss of a person or people, others the world as they knew it, and others going through adolescent growing pains in a changed world), and the time we are with them in the story they all hit bottom and begin the long climb back up. Just like real life, some have made better choices than others; and therefore, some will be happier than others. But, all have to find their own way.

As usual, Perrotta's prose is smooth and realistic, but insightful in a way that makes you want to stop an ponder his characters' motivations. His descriptions of suburban American life are also spot on, but not in a completely negative way. Perrotta has a love for the suburbs that writers in previous generations did not. He appreciates what that life has to offer, but he is also reminding his readers that just because you think you are happy and successful, you may not truly be. You have to be happy with yourself and your life choices, not just with the stuff you have or the appearances you keep up.

The pacing here is surprisingly brisk for literary fiction. The first third is more methodical as we meet the characters and enter their points of view, but after that it steadily gains speed like a truck going downhill. Also I should point out that the ending is very open, but each character does make a big decision about where the next stage of their life should take them. There is no way you can agree with all of them, but they all make sense for each character.

The Leftovers is a thought provoking literary novel disguised as a genre departure. You could read it on the surface as a story of life after this event, or you can read it as a warning to yourself to find what truly makes you happy before it is too late.

Three Words That Describe This Book: multiple points of view, thought provoking, calamitous event

Readalikes: This may strike you as odd, but when reading The Leftovers I could not stop thinking about how similar it was to The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. Both novels begin with a horrible event in which loved ones are lost, but then neither book continues to be about that event. Both continue to be about those who are left on earth and how they each deal with their grief.

I read The Radleys by Matt Haig this past year also and it is very similar to The Leftovers. Click here for more.

Jonathan Tropper is also a good readalike for Perrotta. This is Where I Leave You deals with one man's struggle to come to terms with a few different personal catastrophes. Like Perrotta, Tropper has a sharp eye for detail and criticism but also a good sense of humor.

If you wanted more of the science fiction aspect than The Leftovers gave you, but you still want the literary elements, try Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake or The Year of the Flood. The novels are loosely connected.”

Becky S. wrote this review Saturday, December 31, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“From RA for All: http://raforall.blogspot.com/2011/12/bpl-book-discussion-killer-angels.html

In December, our book club met for our annual holiday party/book discussion/movie. This year we chose Michael Shaara's Pulitzer Prize winning historical novel about the Battle of Gettysburg, Killer Angels.

For the last 10 years we have had great success with the December book discussion. The way I run it, everyone can have a break if they want, but still participate. What we do is purposely pick the book to have a good movie, in this case, we had the fabulous film, Gettysburg.

Our plan is to turn the normal discussion rules completely around and put the socializing first and the discussion second. This is always a welcome change come the end of the year. We all bring food to share, and while we are eating we talk about the book. Then we move to the movie.

I make it clear to everyone that they DO NOT need to read the book. I encourage all to come and be part of the celebration of another great year of reading whether they have read the book or not. Even I took advantage of the break. I read this book years ago and had seen the movie back when it came out, but in the spirit of the party, I did not re-read the book for the meeting. It was a welcome break.

Before I share some of the notes from our short discussion, I want to stress how important it is for any group, but especially a longstanding one such as ours, to take a break now and then. We don't necessarily need a break from each other, but you don't want to burn out on discussing books either. Our December meeting is always a nice change of pace that we all look forward to.

For more great ideas on ways to keep your group from getting stuck in a rut, check out Neil Hollands' "Bringing Back the Buzz" series on Book Group Buzz.

Our discussion itself was very short but a few things did come up:

We talked about how "real" this fiction book felt. It really walked the line between where fiction and nonfiction meet. We decided that if someone wanted you to pick just one historical novel as an example of the best of the genre, this could easily be it.
The groups of soldiers here made up a microcosm of life. For example, in the camps they had bands and played games amidst the chaos of war. In fact, one participant loved how music was "woven" into the story.
We all found it interesting to see so many different characters with so many different reasons for choosing to fight in the war. We all got a better picture of the story behind the war, and developed a better understanding of why the people of that era fought in it.
Speaking of characters, there were a lot here. One participant mentioned how you could have an entire discussion about a few of the officers alone. People shared favorite characters or quotes. We all agreed that while there were too many characters to keep track of at times, the shear magnitude of them added to the story. It reinforced the fact that there really were thousands of men out on those fields, each with their own unique story, fighting for their own reasons.
Fighting. There was a lot of it. There was blood and death and gross hospital scenes. Did I mention there was a lot of it? But this is a novel which realistically depicts war from every angle. Even my group of mostly older ladies was okay with the level of gore and violence. It did get to a few of them after awhile, but only because it hammered home how brutal hand to hand combat could be.
We ended by agreeing that this was not the type of book we would normally read, but we were glad we did.
”

Becky S. wrote this review Thursday, December 29, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 3 stars

“From RA for All: http://raforall.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-im-reading-i-am-half-sick-of.html

Merry Christmas Eve. Today I would like to celebrate the true joy of a child's Christmas by writing about the latest installment in Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce series, I Am Half-Sick of Shadows.

Since it is Christmas Eve and I have already read and reviewed the previous 3 books in this fabulous series, I am going to take some shortcuts here today. So here is the plot from the publisher:
It’s Christmastime, and the precocious Flavia de Luce—an eleven-year-old sleuth with a passion for chemistry and a penchant for crime-solving—is tucked away in her laboratory, whipping up a concoction to ensnare Saint Nick. But she is soon distracted when a film crew arrives at Buckshaw, the de Luces’ decaying English estate, to shoot a movie starring the famed Phyllis Wyvern. Amid a raging blizzard, the entire village of Bishop’s Lacey gathers at Buckshaw to watch Wyvern perform, yet nobody is prepared for the evening’s shocking conclusion: a body found, past midnight, strangled to death with a length of film. But who among the assembled guests would stage such a chilling scene? As the storm worsens and the list of suspects grows, Flavia must use every ounce of sly wit at her disposal to ferret out a killer hidden in plain sight.
All the charm of past Flavia books is here. I went into details about the appeal and readalikes in each review. Please use the provided links for those details:
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (bk 1)
The Weed That Strngs the Hangman's Bag (bk 2)
A Red Herring Without Mustard (bk 3)
While the back story of the de Luce family is moved forward in a few subtle ways, the great thing about I Am Sick of Shadows is that it can be easily read as a standalone. It makes for a perfect Christmas story. It has it all. The entire town snowed in (with the reverend) at Buckshaw, the birth of a baby, and some family reconciliation.

Bradley is consciously nudging us to get the jokes too. For example, the closed room murder setting is very Agatha Christie-esque, and then later in the book, the Inspector even says that it is all very Agatha Christie like. This book is not going to force you to think. It is a sit back and enjoy with a warm cup of cocoa by the fire kind of holiday story.

But as in all of the books, the appeal lies in Flavia. Here Bradley perfectly captures the conflict of an 11 year old's desire to believe in Santa with her intellect's understanding that it cannot possibly be true. As the mother of a 9 year old going through similar thoughts, this book was especially moving and touching to me. In the finally lines, Flavia is still questioning whether or not Santa is real and then she opens the door to her lab...

If you are looking for a heart warming and fun Christmas read, this is a great choice for this year or any Christmas to come.

Three Words That Describe This Book: charming, Christmas spirit, historical

Readalikes: As I mentioned above, please use the links to the 3 previous entries in the series for more specific appeal and readalikes.

Also in December of 2008 I read, The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits by Les Standiford. Click here and scroll to the bottom of the post to read about it. This is another one of my favorite holiday themed books.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!”

Becky S. wrote this review Saturday, December 24, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“From RA for All: http://raforall.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-im-reading-known-world.html

It is time for the year end barrage of reviews before I unveil my list of the 10 best books I read this year. Here is a book you all already know is going to appear on that list since I proclaimed it the best pre-2011 book I read this year, here. Yes I am talking about The Known World by Edward P. Jones.

I need to start this review by first saying that I was guilted into reading this book by some friends/patrons who could not believe I had never read it. I had always meant to, but never got around to it. Then our fearless leader Kathy walked up and also expressed her shock that I had never read this book. All three of them agreed that it was one of the best books they ever read.

Well, I am very grateful that they shamed me into finally getting around to it.

This book is a benchmark example of historical fiction at its best. Jones took a little known fact of history-- that there were black slave owners-- and created a completely fictional story about the life of one such black slave owner, Henry Townsend.

The novel begins with Henry's death but then goes on to tell Henry's life story and the story of those around him. Time is fluid in this novel, as is the narration. The reader gets a bird's eye view of the life of a black slave owner, his parents (who as freed blacks are disapproving), his wife, his slaves, the white man who is his mentor, and many other people in his "Known World."

It is this wide cast of characters and their unique experiences, thoughts, and actions which are the center of this novel. The plot is known from page one-- Henry, a black slave owner dies. It is how Henry got to his final days and the stories of the people around him both before, during, and after this event that IS the novel.

I mentioned that time is fluid here. That is an aspect that readers will either love or hate. I liked how I heard about characters throughout their lives. We even get to know what happened to many of them up to their dying day. I got to see them interact with a wide variety of characters. This unique, unstructured style added a mythic quality to this story.

Speaking of the story. The premise itself, a peek into an unknown part of history, was very appealing. Just reading about the structure of a society in which black plantation owners bought and sold other black people was both fascinating and horrifying. Jones was able to introduce extremely complex characters who eschewed any attempt the reader may have had to pigeon-hole them. Everyone, white, black, or mixed, was "real." They had things about them that could be labeled "good" and things that made you cringe. There was no attempt by Jones to create heroes and villains, just an honest, well researched look into a complicated world. Some people got what they deserved (good or bad) and others did not. It was just like real life. This was not a nostalgic look into a quaint past.

The detached omniscient narration added to the mythic quality of the story too. These people, although not real, represent actual people who did live a similar life. The ability of an all-knowing narrator who can see into the past, present, and future of the story and its characters added to the overall feeling that this was an epic tale of an adolescent America. As a former American Studies major, I loved this.

There were some absolutely beautiful and lyrical scenes in this novel. Descriptions of a slave brushing his female master's hair, Henry's father's internal struggles with his son's life choices, and the Sherriff's story were all memorable to me.

The overall tone of the book can best be described as haunting, heart-breaking, but ultimately uplifting. I cannot stress enough how fluid the style is. This makes the book leisurely paced, but engrossing. It is multi-layered both in plot and style. You cannot finish this book without taking a fresh, long look at everything you ever learned about American history.

As a final note, I want to mention that I listened to The Known World. The fluidity of the story lent itself well to audio. It moves easily between people and time in a manner that felt as if someone was telling me an epic story. The beautiful language, multiple overlapping plot lines, and wide cast of characters washed over me. The narrator used different voices to denote different characters, but in a very natural way. I never felt like he was trying to create voices, the voices were just who the character was to me. From a personal standpoint, listening to this complex and layered book was wonderful.

Three "Words" That Describe This Book: lyrical, new view of history, fluid

Readalikes: If you are looking for other novels which take a different look at the history of slavery in America I would suggest the following books.
Sally Hemmings by Barbara Chase Riboud is the fictionalized life of the black mother of Thomas Jefferson's children. Like The Known World it is fiction but uses historical information to add to its authenticity. It also shows a variety of points of view in this morally ambiguous true story.
Beloved by Toni Morrison is lyrical and fluid like The Known World and looks at another side of the consequences of slavery. In this case, the psychological effects of being enslaved.
Kindred by Octavia Butler takes a modern African American woman and has her time-travel back to slave times to see what it was really like. Reading about it and living it are two completely different experiences.
The March by E.L. Doctorow tells the story of Union General Sherman's victorious march to the sea. Like The Known World we see a wide picture of the people of the South during the slavery era, not just the stereotypes of Southern whites=bad, blacks=good. Both novels have a multi-layered plot with a huge cast of characters and shifting narrations.
Although there are no slavery issues, The Known World also reminded me of Away by Amy Bloom. Here is my full review on Away where you can see why.

Although Jones' characters are all fictional, and even the county in which he set his novel is made up, there really were black slave owners. Use this link to read about some books which look at this issue at length. Please be aware that they are a bit scientific and dry to read, but they are very well researched and informative.

Also, don't forget that after reading a prize winning book many readers want to try more that have won that same award. So here is a link to all of the Pulitzer Prize winners in the "Fiction" category. But specifically, a recent winner, Tinkers by Paul Harding, is an excellent choice. Here a man recounts his life story as he lays dying. Like The Known World, Tinkers uses time very loosely and incorporates the lives of many people in its story.
”

Becky S. wrote this review Friday, December 23, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 5 stars

“From RA for All: http://raforall.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-im-reading-before-i-go-to-sleep.html

Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson is on many year-end best lists. Not only is it a well received novel in the press, among the BPL staff it was a favorite too. Just about everyone on staff has read it, and we have yet to have someone dislike it. And the interesting thing about it is, we all have a different reason for liking it. Which just goes to prove one of my 10 Rules of Basic RA Service: "Everyone reads a different version of the same book."
I believe that Before I Go To Sleep is so popular for two key reasons. First, it is a classic psychological suspense thriller which moves quickly but is also extremely thought provoking. Second, it manages to be chilling, suspenseful, and compelling with little to no sex or violence. It is simply an engrossing story which uses its narrative (not sex and violence) to keep you engaged and on the edge of your seat. As a result, it is a great choice for a wide range of readers.

I have talked about the power of good psychological suspense in the past; in fact, if you click here you can read my dirty little secret about psychological suspense (hint is has to do with where it ranks in my heart next to horror).

For the uninitiated though, here is a quick primer on psychological suspense. The term refers to books which put an uneasy atmosphere at the forefront, producing a chill in the reader; however, as opposed to horror, the fear and anxiety comes from very real sources because the monsters in psychological suspense are flesh and blood individuals who are frighteningly real, not speculative. These are books filled with serial killers, stalkers, and evil masterminds. They play with the psyches of their victims and the reader. Tension in these novels builds, the atmosphere is nightmarish, the chills do not let up, and the plot resolutions are disturbing and unclear. These are fairly literary novels filled with darkness, plot twists, and obsession.

Okay now let me move to the details of Before I Go to Sleep.

Christine is a middle aged woman who has a condition which causes her to wake up every single morning without knowing who she is. Her memory is blank before her 20s. She must start fresh each day. Her husband, Ben, is there to help her restart each morning, but as our book begins, it appears that Christine has been meeting secretly with a doctor who has asked her to keep a journal. He calls her each morning to remind her to read it. There is just one problem. The very first page of the book says "DON'T TRUST BEN!"

The book takes place entirely from Christine's point of view. We, the reader, only know what she knows, but we also know her knowledge is shaky at best. We read through her journal with her. Along with her, we also become increasingly uneasy, anxious, and paranoid. Who should we trust (we being the reader and Christine)?

In fact, this is what Watson does most brilliantly. His writing dissolves the line between the reader and Christine. It is hard to believe this is the British scientist's first novel. As a reader, it is as if the story is happening to you. And things are going from bad to worse very quickly. Or are they? Is Christine correct in her paranoia or is it all part of her condition? This drives the suspense.

Beyond the chills and a plot that starts to spiral out of control, Before I Go to Sleep is an extremely thought provoking and philosophical novel. When I could tear myself away from the book's action and stop compulsively turning the pages late into the night, I found myself thinking about how one lives a life with Christine's condition. What does it mean to live if you begin each day with a blank slate? What is identity?

Finally, the best thing about Before I Go to Sleep is the ending. Well, let me back up a bit. The pages leading up to the ending are a little too neat, but the final lines are perfect. Everything is resolved for the reader, but it is the end of the day. Christine will go to sleep. What will happen the next morning when she awakes? That answer is up to the reader.

Three Words That Describe This Book: disturbing, engrossing, psychological

Readalikes: In July, Alice LaPlante released Turn of Mind, which is very similar to Before I Go to Sleep. Here is the summary from NoveList:
Implicated in the murder of her best friend, Jennifer White, a brilliant retired surgeon with dementia, struggles with fractured memories of their complex relationship and wonders if she actually committed the crime.
There are also a few other psychological suspense novels where people are held against their will (with or without their knowledge). Room by Emma Donoghue is an excellent example here. Also Still Missing by Chevy Stevens. In fact, Stevens is a great example of a newer voice in the psychological suspense arena, although I should note that her books are more explicit.


A few other titles which remind me of Before I Go to Sleep in terms of the intense psychological strain which is inflicted upon the protagonist and, as a result, the reader, are Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane and The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.

Readers who like the very best of what psychological suspense has to offer, click here to see every post where I talk about psychological suspense and/or review a book which fits in that category.

As I recently said here:
Some of my favorite recent psychological suspense novels include, Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn, Await Your Reply by Dan Chaon, and by Alden Bell. All of the links here go back to reviews I have written about each novel. For more on their specific appeal, click on the titles.
I also created this tri-fold brochure on the genre for the BPL. It has many other suggestions although admittedly, it is due for an update.”

Becky S. wrote this review Friday, December 23, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

0 of 1 members found this review helpful.

• Rated 5 stars

“From RA for All: http://raforall.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-im-reading-night-circus.html

It is always refreshing to read a book with heavy hype and find it simply charming. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern fit this bill for me when I read it this fall. Before I get into the details, I want to say that while I was reading this book I was utterly captivated. This was by no means the best written book I read this year (it has some first novel issues and could have used cutting in some places and beefing up in others); however, I cannot remember the last time I read a book which sucked me into its world and refused to let me go. Maybe it was when I read Harry Potter for the first time.

The set up here is simple. 2 aging magicians meet to have another competition; one in a long line of competitions they have engaged in over the years. They each find a young child to become their protege. As the two children grow up, they are pitted against one and other in a test of their skills and imagination. The venue of this battle is an amazing circus, but the two young people (a boy and a girl) do not know each other; they just know they must continue to act upon the circus to keep the battle going. What the terms of engagement are, and the consequences of losing are not known, but it is clear that they are severe.

That is the plot, but it is not even close to the reason you would read this book. This is a novel that needs to be discovered.

The Night Circus is all about the details and the characters. The story bounces around between different character's points of view and even to different years (but the date is clearly marked at the start of each chapter). We see how the competition affects dozens of people, changing the course of their lives. These characters drive the narrative. Their relationship to each other, but more importantly to the circus itself, is a joy to watch unfold. Some grow and some crumble, but all are both interesting and through provoking.

So, you need to be okay with a book that jumps between characters and subplots quickly. All points of view and subplots add depth to the story. It worked for me because it enhanced the power of the circus. I suggest you simply let Morgenstern take you along on her ride. For some it may be too confusing, but for me, it was a joy to be so entertained in such an original and intricately built story.

I actually found the relationship that develops between the 2 magicians themselves the least satisfying part of the book, but it didn't really matter to me. My enjoyment went back to the circus itself and the characters' places within it.

I loved the details of the circus itself. The two magicians build new attractions and tents trying to up stage each other. New sections begin with descriptions of these wondrous inventions. These sections were the best part of the novel. I read them over and over. The language was lyrical, the descriptions captivating and enchanting. I was left begging to go to the actual circus.

There is also a clock, the clock-maker himself, and those who become groupies of the circus which I also enjoyed following.

Again, I am trying to be vague but still articulate the book's appeal. I want readers to discover this book on their own. Giving any of the wonder away would be unfair. The wonder is why a reader will fall in love with this book.

I do have to say that while this novel is filled with beauty, there is also an underlying darkness that permeates the story from the first page on. This intense magic has serious consequence for all involved. Watching the characters come to terms with the price they have paid by being a part of this enchanting world is also a reason I liked this book. I did find the ultimate conclusion of the novel only partially satisfying, but to be fair, the book was so captivating that I think no ending would be perfect. Readers will not want to leave the world Morgenstern created, so as a result, would not be happy with any ending.

If you want a book which will take you away to a magical world that will take a hold of you and threaten to never let you go, read The Night Circus. It is a great option for a plane ride or vacation. It is not perfect, but it is mesmerizing. I will put it on my sure bet list for years to come.


Three Words That Describe This Book: captivating, magical, lyrical.


Readalikes: Neal Wyatt had this great list of Readalikes, Read Arounds, and Watchalikes. Please use the link to see her suggestions. I will not repeat any of them here.

If you like The Night Circus, run, do not walk, to the library and check out Steven Millhauser's Martin Dressler: The Tale of an American Dreamer. This novel won the Pulitzer in 1997, but has become largely forgotten. I am telling you now though, fans of the descriptions of the circus itself and those who were caught up in the awe of its beauty need to read Martin Dressler too.

Two other lyrical, magical, and captivating books with interesting characters about whom you come to care deeply are The Illumination by Kevin Brockmeier and Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen.

Although I do not personally like Lev Grossman's The Magicians series it should be a solid suggestion for most fans of The Night Circus.

For those who liked the more macabre aspects of The Night Circus, a better choice would be Mrs. Peregrine's.

For people looking for more books about or set in a circus, click here for some suggestions I have made in the past. ("the circus" is one of my personal favorite frames).”

Becky S. wrote this review Tuesday, December 13, 2011. ( reply | permalink )

• Rated 4 stars

“From RA for All: http://raforall.blogspot.com/2011/12/what-im-reading-sisters-brothers.html

In October I read the Booker Prize Finalist, The Sisters Brothers by Canadian author, Patrick deWitt.

Here is how I have been describing it: It is a cross between the Cohen Brothers movies O Brother, Where Art Thou and No Country for Old Men. That's exactly what it is. If this sounds intriguing to you, stop reading the review and go read this great book. On the other hand if you are not a fan of the Cohen Brothers' sense of humor, this is not the book for you.

Also, this novel has a great cover that portrays the appeal very well. It is ominous, but humorous, deadly, but playful.

Our narrator is Eli Sisters. He is a contract killer in the Gold Rush era Pacific Northwest, along with his brother, Charlie. Get it. They are brothers with the last name Sisters (the Sisters Brothers).
The brothers work for a rich man named the Commodore, who remains unseen until the closing pages of the novel, but directs their movements. Charlie is the "brains" of the operation (quotes intentional) and Eli the heart. The entire novel is about their journey to find the man they are supposed to kill. It is about who they meet and how they act along the way.

Once the find their man, the story loses much of its steam, very similarly to O Brother, Where Art Thou. If you read for a plot with a clear end in sight, this may not be the book for you.

Throughout the course of the story, Eli is contemplating "getting out of the game." He is a killer, but one with a heart. He is trying to convince his brother that it is time for them to live a legitimate life. But is that even possible when just the mention of your name makes people tremble? Once you are a killer, do you always remain one? I am not sure if the book answers these question, but the end does see the brothers achieving a twisted kind of redemption. And, the novel will leaving you thinking about these questions long after you return the book.

This is a dark and quirky book. What happens on their journey to fulfill their commitment to the Commodore is more important than the job they were hired to do. It is the journey and the eccentric characters, towns, and situations the Sisters Brothers encounter along the way that is the reason why you would read this book.

Readers also need to be willing to identify with a killer, a nice killer, but still a killer, and follow him along for the ride. It might sound weird to say, but Eli is charming. I wanted to follow him and his twisted logic anywhere he was going to take me. In fact, I was sad to see the book come to and end because it meant I had to say goodbye to Eli.

The Sisters Brothers has a great Western setting and feel. But it is not in the style of a traditional western because of the sympathetic murdering heroes. I loved the descriptions of the landscape, the horses, the grizzled men panning for gold. There are entire chunks of the novel during which Eli contemplates his conflicted relationship with his horse.

This novel is also extremely fast paced, especially considering it is literary fiction. The chapter are short and most end with cliff hangers. While it cannot be described as "non-stop" action, the flow of the story is constantly leading you up to the next action sequence.

Overall, this is an original, character-centered, dark and quirky read. I personally adored it.

Three Words That Describe This Book: quirky, character driven, strong sense of place
Readalikes: As I mentioned above, if you like the Cohen Brothers sense of humor, you will love The Sisters Brothers.

For another historical novel in which the journey is more important that the finish line, try Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier.

For another charming killer who talks directly to you, the reader, try any of Jeff Lindsay's Dexter books. In the case of Dexter, however, you have a modern setting.

Elmore Leonard is also a good readalike author option here. Leonard has some western settings, but even in his modern, urban set crime novels, he always has sleazy but lovable characters, a wry sense of humor, and quirky people and situations.

In terms of novels with a Western setting, but a more twisted (ie, not traditional Western) point of view I would also suggest True Grit by Charles Portis and Larry McMurtry's Berrybender Novels.

Look for more reviews in the coming days as I try to clear out the backlog and get ready for my personal "best" list for 2011.”

Becky S. wrote this review Thursday, December 8, 2011. ( reply | permalink )