Staff Choices
Posted by Uncle Will on 07/03/08
Author W.E.B. Griffin is a knowledgeable historian and master of character development. He has written over 40 novels divided into 6 different series of books primarily dealing with World War II and all of the armed forces' branches. His books are always very comprehensive and show great detail toward the time period. Loyal fans of his have been waiting nearly 10 years for this installment. I was worried that I would have to reread his last previously written book in this series in order to remember the plot and characters; however, I should have remembered that all of Griffin's characters are so memorable, that I just fell right into this next chapter in their lives. Griffin's characters are generally fictitious, based on real people. His plots are always based on historic facts written as nonfiction prose. The Honor Bound series of books deal with U.S.A. Marine aviator, Capt. Frade, and hi selection by "Will Bill" Donovan into the OSS (prelude to the C.I.A.) Frade was born in Argentina and because of political connections in that country is posted there around 1942 to spy. His "Uncle Tio"is the legendary Col. Juan Peron (who later went on to become the leader of Argentina) who is a Nazi sympathizer. The major plot line in this book is the seldom talked about extortion scheme the Nazis developed late in the war that released Jewish prisoners held in concentration camps in exchange for gold. The riches collected were then transported to Argentina, in secret, by submarine; to be stashed for use by high-ranking Nazi officials after they lost the war.
Posted by Auntie Anne on 07/02/08
Samantha Morrow is thirty-three years old, trying to reclaim her life after her husband has declared that he is leaving her and their eleven year old son, Travis. Sam realizes that she doesn’t know this person that she has become after years of marriage, having molded herself into what she thought was the perfect woman that her husband wanted her to be.Now, as her life is unraveling, Samantha receives counsel from her eccentric mother and wacky best friend. She covets the sage advice of Martha Stewart as her ideal role model. She even calls Martha, and actually talks to her, to ask how she handled her own divorce! In a last act of desperation to get back at her husband, Sam goes on a spending spree at Tiffany’s to purchase the beautiful (and expensive) things that she never had that she thinks will make her life perfect again only to give them all to a homeless woman on the street. Sam’s life begins to turn around when she begins to take in boarders to help pay the mortgage
A couple of them actually help and enrich her life in ways she never expected. She makes a new male friend, King, who is a brilliant but untraditional man, who helps her find work and happiness. In the end, Samantha emerges from her grief and pain a stronger woman who reclaims the talented, independent woman she used to be before her marriage.
I listened to Open House on CD and the narrator, Becky Ann Baker, gave Samantha Morrow a very special and humorous personality.It really enhanced an already very delightful novel.
Posted by jfreier on 07/01/08
This is the authors debut novel, it takes place at a prestigious Indiana College, as students attend their Logic and Reasoning course they are given an unusual assignment. Their is an 18 year old girl named Polly who has been kidnapped and if the students can't find her in six weeks she will be killed. They are give weekly clues by their mysterious professor and all is not as it seems, an interesting but flawed story.
Posted by Ultra Violet on 06/29/08
Employing a masterful economy of expression reminiscent of the French Existentialists, Echenoz examines the final decades of the life of composer, Maurice Ravel. The author gives photographic details of Ravel's personal effects, from his opulent surroundings on an ocean-liner to his obsessively perfect dress. Small details are elevated in importance while the people in Ravel's life are vague and insignificant. This short book is well written and makes for a quick and interesting read especially as the successful composer descends into an inexplicable early dementia. This novel is not so much about Ravel as it is about the emptiness of a life lived devoid of human interaction despite accomplishments and accolades.
Posted by Pam I am on 06/18/08
This is a great thought provoking young adult novel. The premise is really "out there" but the book is extremely well written with rich characters that you really love and root for. The protagonist, Liz Hall ends up in Elsewhere when she is killed in a bicycle accident. Elsewhere is where you arrive when you are dead - it is quiet and peaceful, no once gets sick, it is usually sunny and warm... Elsewhere turns out to be a place like earth where you age backward from the day of your death until you become a baby again and return to earth. The book follows Liz as she meets her Grandmother in Elsewhere, makes friends, finds love, misses her family on earth and all sort of emotions that Teenagers feel. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in young adult fiction but wants age appropriate, thought provoking reading material. I definitely will read this author again and will recommend this book to my preteen daughter.
Posted by jfreier on 06/09/08
This is a collection of columns, observations and opinions from the host of Travel Channels No Reservations . I found the book very funny and also showed a somewhat kinder and gentler Bourdain, his writing was better than I expected and wasn't as cynical as he is on his show. A nice, funny and fairly light summer read.
Posted by Auntie Anne on 05/31/08
The second book in Philippa Gregory's "Tudor" series
Anne Boleyn’s younger sister, Mary, was the mistress of Henry VIII long before Anne became his queen. Historical novelist Philippa Gregory uses the perspective of this "other Boleyn girl" to reveal the rivalries and ruthlessness embroiling 16th century English court. The sisters and their brother George were raised with one goal: to advance the Howard family's interests, properties, titles and riches. The Seymour family was their bitter rival. Daughters were used as pawns, brokered out by their families for sexual favors or marriage, or both at the same time. This was Mary Boleyn’s case, who was married at the age of 14 but had to abandon her husband when she became the King’s favorite. She bore Henry two children, including a son. Her older sister Anne becomes her bitter rival to gain the King’s favor and replace Catherine of Aragon as queen, knowing that Henry is desperate for a legitimate son to be his heir to the throne. Anne’s desire to be queen drives her with ruthless intensity, alienating family and foes. Mary ultimately follows her own heart and abandons court life to live with a new husband and her children in the countryside, but love and duty bring her back to Anne time and again. We know the end of this story and what led to Anne’s demise amid accusations of adultery, incest, and witchcraft. But the author deftly holds her reader’s rapt attention throughout the book, capturing the escapades of Henry VII’s court set against the backdrop of political and religious clashes throughout Europe.
Posted by cclapper on 05/23/08
Includes the first three mysteries in the Stephanie Plum series:
One For The Money
Two For The Dough
Three To Get Deadly
The Stephanie Plum books are incredibly popular! As I write this, Janet Evanovich is about to release the fourteenth mystery in this series: Fearless Fourteen. And that count doesn't include Ms. Evanovich's other "stand-alone" books featuring Ms. Plum.
These mysteries remind me of Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone books, but with a healthy dose of humor- and a thread of romance. Though, oddly, I think the crimes in these books are more gruesome than those in the Grafton mysteries.
Entertaining, and, as I say, incredibly popular. I enjoyed them!
And... if you like even broader humor (there's a pun in there), try Sarah Strohmeyer's mysteries featuring Bubbles Yablonsky. Wild!
Posted by Pam I am on 05/14/08
This is Thomas Mullen's debut novel and he received the James Fenimore Cooper Prize for Historical Fiction for it! The novel is set in the small Pacific Northwest town of Commonwealth during the the 1918 flu epidemic.
As the book opens, the town of Commonwealth is threatened from all sides – World War I is raging, and with the fear of spies rampant, the loyalty of all Americans is coming under scrutiny. Meanwhile, the flu epidemic has fallen across the region striking down surrounding communities.
Commonwealth votes to quarantine itself against the flu and guards are posted at the single road leading in and out of town. But, a tired, and apparently ill, soldier presents himself at the town’s doorstep begging for sanctuary. The encounter that ensues, and the shots that are fired trigger a series of events and consequences throughout Commonwealth escalating until every human value – love, patriotism, community, family, friendship – not to mention the town’s very survival, is in question.
Posted by jfreier on 05/01/08
This book is by one of my favorite travel writers, in this book he travels the world with the Dalai Lama. The book gives a very personal and insightful look at the Dalai Lama and his daily life, it shows his humor, compassion and humility plus his boundless energy. This book would appeal to not just to fans of the Dalai Lama or travel , but to anyone interested in the human condition.
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