TCPL Picks

Looking for Book Reviews? Check Out What's Sarah Reading Now

2010-01-27T10:50:00.001-05:00

If you are looking for book reviews by Library staff, please check out our Readers' Service blog, What's Sarah Reading Now.

The New American Plate Cookbook by the American Institute for Cancer Research

2009-11-06T09:31:00.003-05:00

This cookbook, by the American Institute for Cancer Research, is making the recommendation that we increase our daily intake of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans so that it equals 2/3rds of our daily food intake. They encourage us to do this gradually, by first adding some additional fruits and vegetables to our diet. As we become accustomed to having less meat and starches, the authors provide us with a multitude of tasty recipes. They suggest using olive or canola oil and trying to “cook once, eat twice”, to reduce the amount of time in the kitchen.

As I perused the recipes, several sounded especially appropriate for autumn. Acorn squash stuffed with apricots and cornbread or cider glazed sweet potatoes with cranberries are perfect side or main dishes for a cooler fall evening. Some delicious main entrees include baked fish with tomatoes, spinach and olives, cranberry chicken, or shrimp with grapefruit and black bean salsa. The soup recipes that piqued my interest were fresh corn bisque, summer squash soup and chilled strawberry soup. As with most cookbooks, the authors end with dessert recipes. The chocolate angel food cake with raspberries and the fresh plum tart are definitely on my list to try.

Tompkins County Public Library has a variety of cookbooks that are sure to appeal to everyone. Bon Appetit! - Reviewed by Deb

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown

2009-10-27T11:20:00.002-04:00

2003 was the year of Dan Brown and The Da Vinci Code. Selling over 80 million copies to date, the book was translated into 44 languages and a major movie came out a few years later. Those in the publishing world kept asking one question –could Dan Brown do it again? The Lost Symbol, released in mid September, answers with a resounding yes. Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is back in Boston when he receives a phone call from the office of his mentor, Peter Solomon, asking him to quickly get on a plane and deliver an evening lecture in the U.S. Capitol Building. Yet when Langdon arrives, he finds the Capitol empty, except for Solomon’s severed hand, which is now covered with tattoos of ancient symbols.

The Lost Symbol is set over a tense evening in Washington D.C., when Langdon and Peter’s sister, Katherine Solomon join forces to not only find Peter, but to solve an ancient Masonic mystery. Brown draws readers in with short, quickly paced chapters that alternate story lines and gives readers an in-depth background of the historical Washington buildings, secret societies, the intertwined role of history and science, and hidden histories. Brown also creates one of the most evil characters in recent thrillers, Mal’akh, who brings terror to Washington, and tries to expose long lost Masonic secrets.

Those looking for a quick, thrilling read, or those interested in books set in Washington will find it with The Lost Symbol. The Tompkins County Public Library has 20 copies to check out, as well as 3 copies of the audio version. - Reviewed by Sarah

Phaedra by Tangerine Dream

2009-10-15T14:55:00.003-04:00

"....to sleep, perchance to tangerine dream..."

If you are looking for a great album to fall asleep to, then this album is for you. Even the painting on the cover and the song titles themselves can put you to sleep (I like to think that the music on the albums are soundtracks for the group's album covers). Phaedra, which was released in 1974, was Tangerine Dream's fifth album (if you don't count Green Desert, which was recorded in 1973, but not released until the mid 80's) and for me, was the album where Tangerine Dream, by then consisting of Christopher Franke, Peter Baumann and founding member Edgar Froese, finally came into their own with their unique brand of electronic, ambient background music. The first four albums, particularly Atem and Alpha Centauri, sounded too much like the group Pink Floyd around the time of Saucerful Of Secrets (I like that era of Pink Floyd, but Tangerine Dream were no Pink Floyd!). And the double album Zeit was four sides of sheer boredom....kind of like an ambient version of Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music. What made Phaedra so different was the abandonment of any acoustic drumming and the use of the sequencer, which provides the pulse for a good section of the 17 and a half minute title track, which takes up the entire first half of the album. To me, this is 17 and a half minutes of absolute soothing, electronic ambient bliss, my only complaint being that it's not long enough!

The second half isn't quite as spectacular, but it does get off to a good start with the mellotron dominated tune Mysterious Semblance at the Strand of Nightmares, which gets my vote for best Tangerine Dream song title of all time and outer space. It is also the only piece here to have anything even slightly resembling a melody. This band was never really about melodies or catchy guitar riffs, anyway. There are no vocals, so you can't sing along to it. No drums, so you can't tap your foot to it or dance to it. This is not music that one can memorize. Just put it the background, turn the speakers up and let the music absorb you or wrap around you like a blanket.

What's nice is that I don't even consider this Tangerine Dream's best album. I think they got even better at this kind of music on their next four albums, Rubycon, Ricochet, Stratosfear and the live album Encore. Phaedra is a great album, but it was really only the beginning for this group. Highly recommended if you have problems falling asleep at night! - Reviewed by Rich

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

2009-09-22T16:39:00.002-04:00

Recently, on my drive into work, I listened to National Public Radio and there was a piece on Sandra Cisneros. It was the 25th anniversary of The House on Mango Street. Having not read it, I thought I would borrow it from our library. The author’s poetic and narrative style in this short novel truly captivated me. Each short chapter left me with a feeling that I was in the protagonist's mind and knew her well. Cisneros, with her fluid and descriptive writing style, managed to paint a vivid picture of life for a Mexican-American girl in her early teens growing up in a poor neighborhood in Chicago. Now I am hooked and want to read her other works. - Reviewed by Patricia

A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick

2009-09-01T11:09:00.004-04:00

Ralph Truitt, a wealthy businessman, ran a newspaper ad, seeking a “reliable wife”. As a widower, he was lonely living in a desolate Wisconsin town. Catherine Land responded and journeyed through the middle of the winter with plans to marry Ralph and then slowly poison him to gain his wealth.

This story takes place in Wisconsin at the turn of the century when the local economy has suffered major setbacks. Ralph, as the wealthiest citizen, is both envied and pitied. As the story develops, we learn of his tragic life and of his "reliable wife's" checkered past. Throughout the story, we see scenes from their past lives which help us to understand their relationship and the culmination of the gradual effects of the poison. Goolrick’s development of the characters throughout this story gives us an intriguing look into lives which were torn apart by love and greed. The surprising ending reassures us that sometimes love does prevail. - Reviewed by Deb

Losing Mum and Pup: a Memoir by Christopher Buckley

2009-08-27T15:18:00.002-04:00

Christopher Buckley has written a touching and often funny memoir of his famous parents. He is also the narrator and has a very easy-to-listen-to voice. Both his parents were captivating, exceptional people. Of course, William F. Buckley was the more famous former host of Firing Line and author of many, many books, newspaper and magazine articles. Patricia Buckley, apparently, was quite a memorable individual all on her own. It’s a wonderful thing to hear Mr. Buckley’s tribute to his parents and compassion for the difficulties they faced at the end of life. For those of us who have watched our parents go through somewhat similar travails in their final months or years, it’s comforting. - Reviewed by Nancy

Blackout by Gianluca Morozzi

2009-08-20T16:25:00.002-04:00

Bologna, Italy is suffering from one of the hottest Bank Holidays ever seen. Unfortunately, this is bad news for the three people trapped in a high-rise elevator in a downtown apartment building. Readers learn early in the book that Aldo Ferro, a successful businessman and bar owner, is not who he appears to be. Actually a sadistic serial killer, he is returning to his private apartment in the building when he gets stuck in the elevator with Claudia, a young waitress returning home from work, and Tomas, a teenager who is planning to run away to Amsterdam with his girlfriend. What will happen to the three of them when the elevator gets stuck halfway up and there is no cell phone reception and the emergency alarms don’t work?

This psychological suspense novel is a perfect summer read for those who like suspense, characters with hidden secrets, and a shocking twist at the end. As the temperature rises in the elevator, and Ferro’s madness can’t be contained any more, readers are in for a fast-paced ride that never slows down. Morozzi switches characters often so readers can understand how all three characters are dealing with the stress of being trapped and there is plenty of tension to keep readers guessing what will happen in the end. While TCPL doesn’t own the movie version, there was a horror movie made in 2007 that closely (but not completely) follows the book and is available on Netflix. Readers looking for a quick, suspenseful summer read should find it in Blackout. – Reviewed by Sarah

Breakfast at Sally's: One Homeless Man's Inspirational Journey by Richard LeMieux

2009-07-14T11:02:00.003-04:00

I was walking through the New Book section when this title caught my eye. I wondered, “Who is Sally and why is she making breakfast?” Within the first few pages, I learned that the author had been a very successful businessman in the publishing business. When his company failed, his life spiraled downward to the depths of despair. As his depression increased, his relationship with his family disintegrated and so did his finances. He eventually began to live in his car along with his dog and faithful companion, Willow.

Richard takes us through his journey of homelessness by sharing the stories of the people he befriended. It was through the kindness of strangers and groups like The Salvation Army ( Sally’s) and a church that he began to put his life back together. He learns that by caring about others, he is able to regain some of his former life. His relationship with his dog is a very special one. At one point in his life, the author was on the brink of suicide and it was only the love of his dog that saved him.

This is an inspirational story for these difficult times. - Reviewed by Deb

Super Smash Bros. Brawl

2009-07-09T12:36:00.002-04:00

Did you know that you can check out games for the Nintendo Wii at the library? Well, you can – our library system owns a few and can loan them. Ask your reference librarian how! In the meantime, here’s one suggestion for you: Super Smash Brothers Brawl!

It is a bit harder to review a video game than a book or movie, as a video game is by its nature an interactive experience. In the end, however, the question on any video game is: “Will I have fun playing this?” In the end, the answer is a resounding yes, especially if you have a multiplayer game going on.

We put this game in at a party having never played it before. So here’s the weakness of the game: you will have no idea what is going on, and you probably won’t gain one. But here’s the strength: you won’t care. It is just fun. Pick a character. Any character, and there are so many characters – 20 or so to start, with another 10 or so unlockable – and pick a stadium, and start pressing buttons. Each character has its own special moves, and I suppose you could try to learn them. But more fun things happen just button mashing.

And that’s the main fun of this game. 3 friends and I fighting, handing off Wiimotes to our friends between bouts, playing random characters to see what they could do, and different stadiums to see what would happen. And the stadiums matter – some of them shift shapes, or are constantly being destroyed at one end and built at the other. Some are more static. And weird stuff just happens. Probably the weirdest was when, in the middle of a 4 person brawl, a yellow lab from Nintendogs just popped up on screen – like 3/4s of the screen – and started barking at us for a few seconds. We don’t know if we caused that or if it just happened, but it’s something that we still talk about.

In other words, the game is just bizarre fun. You don’t know what’s going on, and that’s the point. Just play and have fun.

For Nintendo Wii only. - Reviewed by John

Home: a Memoir of My Early Years by Julie Andrews

2009-06-26T14:44:00.002-04:00

The best part of this audiobook experience is being able to listen to Julie Andrews. She may not be singing, but her reading voice is very pleasing to the ear. She tells of her close, warmly supportive relationship with her father and the sadness of her parents’ divorce. It was her stepfather who started her on her career path though his effect on her was not completely positive by any means. For many years she performed in music halls with her mother and stepfather and the money she earned helped her family through the difficult postwar period in Britain. Eventually her talent, intelligence and luck led her far from home. There are plenty of good stories about the years on Broadway. Her naturally upbeat outlook and compassion for the human condition shine through this memoir. - Reviewed by Nancy

My Abandonment by Peter Rock

2009-06-23T17:01:00.004-04:00

13-year-old Caroline lives with her father (only known as Father throughout the book) outside of Portland, Oregon. The two don’t live like a normal family, instead choosing to live hidden in caves and shelters in an Oregon state park. Father is meticulous about not being detected, and has worked out an elaborate life full of living off the forest, covering their tracks, and having separate “city” clothes for when the two venture weekly into the city for trips to the bank, library, and grocery store. Extremely intelligent for her age, and loving Father dearly, Caroline accepts this way of life and relishes her freedom in the forest. Unfortunately the two are detected by police one afternoon because of Caroline not being careful enough.

Based on a true story, yet a fictional account, Rock draws readers in to the quiet, simple survival-based life of Caroline and Father. When their unconventional lifestyle forces authorities to house them on a farm, making Father work on the farm and preparing Caroline for school, it becomes too much for Father and he takes Caroline back into the woods, with tragic consequences. In real life, the father and daughter have never been seen again since retreating back to the woods. In Rock’s fictional tale, readers slowly begin to realize what is actually happening to the two and why they need to retreat from the real world.

While the story is full of unsettling moments, and readers may want to look away at the end of the story, it is also a gorgeous story of love, survival, and human mystery. Rock has captured the innocence of Caroline as a 13-year-old confused girl perfectly, and also the counter-culture community of Portland rings true. I finished this book at 1 A.M. one morning and could not stop thinking about it. While people may be intrigued that this is based on a true story, Rock is a confident writer who takes readers onto a journey they won’t forget, even if he used real life for inspiration. Highly recommended if you are looking for something different to read or if you are interested in fiction set in the Northwest. -Reviewed by Sarah

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: a Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective by Kate Summerscale

2009-06-09T11:50:00.002-04:00

A horrible child murder took place in the summer of 1860 at Road Hill House in a small English village. One of the first Scotland Yard detective inspectors was sent to solve the mystery of who might be cruel enough to kill a sleeping three year old boy and cast his body in the servants’ privy. Countless lurid, highly opinionated newspaper articles and average, everyday gossip made this case a national sensation.

Kate Summerscale does a wonderful job of interweaving the history of detective novels with the events and personae of this real life case. The basic facts of the case will capture your interest and the individual characters intrigue you with their layers of deep, dark secrets that may well have laid the groundwork for a violent death. - Reviewed by Nancy

Spain and the World Table by Martha Rose Shulman

2009-06-05T09:17:00.003-04:00

Having spent my third year of college in Spain, I am always on the look out for Spanish cookbooks. In Spain and the World Table, I found a treasure trove of traditional and modern recipes. Martha Shulman worked in conjunction with the Culinary Institute of America to assemble dishes that range from tapas to desserts. My favorite part of any cookbook is always the introduction and the history behind the recipes and ingredients.

Martha addresses the beginnings of the Spanish table through the regional dishes which were based on ingredients which were readily available to the people. This is why Spanish cities near the sea are famous for paella (a saffron, rice and seafood dish) and many that use salt cod as the main ingredient. The National Dish of Spain is the tortilla Espanola which is an omelet made with eggs and potatoes and is served both as a main dish as well as an appetizer or tapa. Gazpacho, a cold tomato soup, has many variations. The author even includes a recipe for one with beets and cherries. Cocido is a stew with beans, meat and sausage that I ate each week with my Spanish family. The recipe in this cookbook is just as I remember it.

Spaniards eat a light breakfast, a large meal after noon, have drinks and snacks in the late afternoon and then another meal later in the evening. Each evening on our way home from class, we would stop and have chocolate and churros. Chocolate is something like hot, thick chocolate pudding in which you would dip your churro ( a stick-like fried donut). Many evenings, we would also head to the local tavernas to “tomar algo” ( which literally means, “to take something”). There we would enjoy a glass of wine or beer and some tapas. Tapas are small snacks that range from a thin slice of ham, a pickled egg, slice of tortilla, anchovies or olives.

The most famous Spanish dessert is flan, which is a custard with caramel topping. Martha has recipes for several versions of this, including one topped with mission figs. This is a colorful and informative cookbook that took me back to my special year in Spain. - Reviewed by Deb

All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot

2009-05-29T11:30:00.002-04:00

If you ever enjoyed the Masterpiece Theater series, All Creatures Great and Small, you will like this audiobook. Christopher Timothy, who starred in the series, is the reader. It was comforting and pleasurable to hear stories about the characters from the series I saw more than twenty years ago. The animal inhabitants of the Yorkshire Dales, Skeldale House, Darrowby, Sigfried, Tristan and Helen are all brought back to life through listening to this audiobook. Yes, the stories are heartwarming and compassionate and hearing them read by Christopher Timothy made the drive to and from work much more amusing than it usually is. - Reviewed by Nancy

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

2009-05-22T10:39:00.004-04:00

Neil Gaiman is a massively talented author. He’s responsible for some of the best graphic novel work of recent times – Sandman – and for some incredible novels like American Gods, Anansi Boys, and Stardust. He’s turned his attention to children’s literature of late, with The Wolves in the Walls, Coraline, and the, amazingly, Newberry Award winning Graveyard Book.

If I seem a little astounded he won the Newberry, it has nothing to do with his talent, and everything to do with everything Gaiman writes is kind of... well, creepy. Gaiman is at his best when the world his characters inhabit is off kilter from the one we inhabit, filled with monsters, darkness, and magic, and forces better left alone, even if they are also filled with wonder. I’m astounded that he’s a successful children’s writer at all, let alone a Newberry award winning one.

So what about the book for which he won? It’s an interesting tale. A child with a murdered family is raised by the ghosts and other supernatural residents of a graveyard-turned-nature preserve. It is based, thematically, on The Jungle Book, replacing the animals with the ghosts etc. Indeed, the supernatural setting allows for things to make slightly more sense than they might have otherwise, Bod (the child) exhibits odd bits of supernatural powers at times, picked up from those raising him.

It’s creepy. It’s sad. It’s meant to be. Gaiman would be no more interested in writing a happy-go-lucky everything is fine story about rainbows and unicorns than you would be in eating glass. If it has a failing, it is merely that we don’t learn quite enough about the forces that are gathering against Bod before the ultimate confrontation with them, so things can feel a little rushed and a little empty.

Is it Gaiman’s best work? No, not really. American Gods far outstrips this story, and even among his kids' books, Coraline is probably more interesting. That said, even the worst Gaiman story is better than 90% of the stuff out there, and this is not Gaiman’s worst work either.

The only warning is know what your children can handle. If they can handle some supernatural, if they can handle a little violence, if they can handle some scares, then they will enjoy this. If they don’t like such things, this won’t be the book for them. And like the very best children’s literature, this should hold a place on an adult’s bookshelf as well. - Reviewed by John

Salvage by Jane Kotapish

2009-05-21T16:03:00.003-04:00

Salvage, by Jane Kotapish, follows the life of an unnamed woman in her thirties as she struggles with her past and its impact on her life. She has just moved back to rural Virginia after witnessing a horrific accident in Manhattan. The story moves backward and forward in time frequently, slowly revealing the sense of mystery and the ghosts of the past that haunt this young woman.

Kotapish weaves her tale with brilliant images and exquisite, honest, and poetic lines. She explores the teetering gray line that separates reality from illusion through the main character and relationship with her mother. This story is light on plot. If you need a plot driven story, this isn’t for you. However, if you appreciate writing that allows you to truly feel your way into a character’s life, you’ll be amazed. You'll come across lines like, “I love testing out cuss words on Nancy. They hold no weight, garner no reaction, so I can mouth the uncomfortable, fraught words like dented coins between my teeth, swirl them around and spit them out at random.”

There is a great deal of pain in this book, but it is humorous and beautiful enough to keep the reader going and hoping for the main character’s future. This is one I'll read again simply for the gorgeous writing. - Reviewed by Cassandra

Leni: the Life and Work of Leni Riefenstahl by Steven Bach

2009-05-14T12:39:00.003-04:00

Leni Riefenstahl was a fascinating character on the world stage. Talented and ambitious, she relentlessly pursued her goals without much concern for morality or ethics or any basic human emotions other than self-interest.

She came of age in Germany when the Nazis were on the rise. She accepted their help and support so that she might become a famous film director. In the post-World War II era, she would deny that Hitler or Goebbels ever played a part in advancing her career. Steven Bach provides plenty of documentation to make Leni look like a collaborator. Still, she was an artist with an indomitable drive to succeed.

Steven Bach does a good job of separating fact from fiction in Leni’s life. The book doesn’t make Leni completely sympathetic, but you will probably admire her energy and want to take another look at her films, Triumph of the Will and Olympia, or her books Vanishing Africa and The Last of the Nuba. VHS copies of Olympia and the two book titles are available in the Finger Lakes Library System. - Reviewed by Nancy

The Mighty Queens of Freeville: a Mother, a Daughter and the People Who Raised Them by Amy Dickinson

2009-05-01T11:36:00.002-04:00

Anyone who has read advice in the “Ask Amy” column in the newspaper will appreciate the behind the scenes look into the life of Amy Dickinson. As a child growing up on a farm in Freeville, New York, Amy and her family experienced the dissolution of the family farm and the divorce of her parents. As a single mother, her mom not only took care of her family, but she held a job and went back to college. Witnessing her mom’s trials and tribulations gave Amy the opportunity to formulate some coping skills that she would need later in her own life.

Amy provides some humorous looks into life in a small town in upstate New York. One of my favorites is when she taught Sunday School and one of her students ate an important piece of the manger scene. Ever present is her remarkable relationship with her daughter and her invaluable support from her female relatives (thus the “Mighty Queens of Freeville”). I can see them sitting at the local diner hashing out the daily news and plotting how to best deal with anything that life sends their way!

This is a wonderful account of how a local girl found success and happiness right here in Tompkins County. - Reviewed by Deb

The Ten Year Nap by Meg Wolitzer

2009-04-23T16:40:00.001-04:00

I generally avoid articles, blogs, books and the like that seem to inflame the “mommy wars” where judgments fly fast and loose about others’ parenting choices. Yet I was intrigued by this book’s wry title and decided to dive in.

The book is meant to be a look at the lives of four professional women who chose to leave the world of work behind after the birth of their children. While the characters acknowledge they are fortunate to have such a choice, given that most families have no alternative to a two-working-parent household, I still bristled at their privilege and narrow existence. As a result, I didn’t much like or care about most of the characters. There also wasn’t much happening until about two-thirds of the way through, so if you are looking for a forward-moving, plot-driven book this isn’t for you.

The author also used the practice of including as separate chapters flashbacks to stories about the protagonists’ parents (and in one instance, Nadia Comaneci!) to flesh out how the women came to be who they are. I found it distracting and ineffective.

Did I expect too much from this book, thinking it would provide some insight into and sense of satisfaction with my own work/life/parenting decisions? I think not. In this instance, I was merely looking for characters whose life stories were interesting and possibly relatable. I didn’t find them. - Reviewed by Suzanne

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

2009-04-17T11:11:00.003-04:00

A fateful meeting on a Nigerian beach years before sets the tone for this heartbreaking novel by British author Cleave. London magazine editor Sarah and her husband Andrew are having marital problems. Sarah is involved in an affair and feels she must decide if she wants to stay with her husband and young son, Charlie. When a free invitation comes addressed in her name to the magazine she edits, she decides that the trip to the Nigerian coast would be the perfect getaway to save her marriage.

One perfectly normal, sunny afternoon on the coast turns into a nightmare, when two young girls, Little Bee and her sister, suddenly run towards Sarah and Andrew. They are being chased by soldiers who are destroying area villages in their quest for oil. The soldiers give Andrew an ultimatum – chop off a finger and Little Bee’s sister will live. His decision results in everyone’s lives changing forever.

Perfect for book groups, this quiet and stunning novel shows how a “what if this happened to me?” situation changes everything. Frightening, yet also redemptive, the novel alternates narration between Little Bee and Sarah. It is also a novel about the growing friendship, against many odds, between Sarah and Little Bee, especially since Little Bee shows up on Sarah’s doorstep many years later – and also on the day of Andrew’s memorial service. How did she survive and know how to find Sarah? What led Andrew to take his life? All the mysteries are solved by the heart-wrenching end that readers can see slowly building up. Cleave, also the author of the outstanding novel, Incendiary, is definitely a writer to watch. I also found this novel to be very similar to Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones, a review of which can be read at http://www.tcpl.org/sarah/2007/12/74-mister-pip-by-lloyd-jones.html – Reviewed by Sarah

A Very British Gangster

2009-04-15T11:30:00.003-04:00

A look at the real life of Gotti-esque Dominic Noonan of Manchester, England. He gets things done for his community members that the police and social service agencies can’t achieve such as reuniting a mother with her baby “stolen” by the grandparents or making sure one neighbor doesn’t feel free to assault another neighbor with a hammer. Of course, Dom doesn’t have to worry about what he can legally do to effect change. He does whatever he thinks will work even though that might include threats of or actual violence.

There are a whole bunch of Noonans, brothers, cousins, godchildren, in Dom’s “security business.” When one of his brothers dies in a motorcycle accident, so many people come to show respect that the police have to spend thousands of pounds on crowd and traffic control. If you liked watching the Sopranos, try this Manchester version of crime family life. - Reviewed by Nancy

The Ultimates, volumes 1 and 2 by Mark Millar

2009-03-26T16:23:00.006-04:00

Marvel’s Ultimate line is an attempt to solve many of the problems casual readers have with comic books and comic book collections, sometimes called graphic novels. The Ultimate line takes the characters who exist in Marvel’s mainstream books and strips them back down to their essence, taking out most of the continuity that has creeped up over the years, and making their origins more believable to 21st century science – more genetic engineering and less radiation.

The Ultimates are Marvel’s attempt at bringing the Avengers in to the Ultimate line of comics. All in all, it’s a successful attempt, at least in the first series. (The Ultimates lasted only 13 issues, collected in to the two volumes. There have been subsequent collections, Ultimates 2 and Ultimates 3, that have been less successful) You don’t need to know anything about the comic book characters to understand what’s going on in this book, they reintroduce everyone (with one exception; the Hulk – and even with him, they give enough of an explanation so that you don’t get lost). Certainly, fans of Marvel are more likely to notice some of the similarities and differences between this and normal Marvel stories, but it is not needed.

Ultimates is, by nature, an ensemble cast, but it focuses on Captain America. This Captain America is a very patriotic, fairly conservative, but ultimately a friendly guy who has been given powers by an experiment that let him be an ultimate soldier. He’s also one of the few characters with powers that is, more or less, still balanced. Iron Man is an alcoholic, though a functioning one. Thor is a deranged medical student... or maybe a Norse God. Giant Man and Wasp are in an abusive relationship, Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are kind of ickily all over each other for a brother and sister... you need Captain America to hold on to in this story, because believe it or not, he’s the every man you feel your connection to.

In the end, the story is fairly straightforward comic book fare, but its well done, and the takes on these characters is a bit more realistic and updated than a lot of other comic book stories. If you’ve been thinking of getting in to super-hero comics, this isn’t a bad place to start. You could also consider volume 1 of Ultimate Spider-man or volume 1 of Ultimate X-men. - Reviewed by John

The Novels of Ariana Franklin

2009-03-10T11:14:00.002-04:00

If you like, historical fiction, mysteries or just plain good writing, I highly recommend Ariana Franklin. She is described by Karen Harper, author of the Elizabeth I mystery series, as "bold, brilliant... the medieval answer to Kay Scarpetta and the CSI detectives." She is as good as Ellis Peters and is a winner of the Ellis Peters Historical Dagger Award. A former journalist herself, Franklin writes with the immediacy of journalism. She does meticulous research and seamlessly matches fiction with fact. Start by reading Mistress of the Art of Death when you will be introduced to her heroine Adelia, who is doctor and medieval pathologist - not a common or safe career for a woman. Follow with City of Shadows and you will be left poised for more. Be warned, however, today's torture is nothing compared to medieval torture and she leaves none of the cruelty and horror of those times out of her writing. Highly recommended and TCPL has both books. - Reviewed by Sally

The Sinner by Petra Hammesfahr

2009-03-05T10:47:00.004-05:00

The Sinner, a psychological thriller by German author Petra Hammesfahr, was a haunting page-turner that was difficult to put down. The mystery revolves around Cora Bender, a young mother who suddenly and inexplicably stabs a man during a family outing at the lake. Her sudden attack on this newlywed who was necking with his wife on a nearby blanket horrified the onlookers and puzzled the police detective-in-charge, Inspector Grovian. Based on the evidence - witnesses and Cora's own admission of guilt - it should be an open-and-shut case.

However, good mysteries don't work that way. Inspector Grovian, puzzled by Cora's apparent lack motive for the murder, was intrigued. Whatever Grovian's reasons - professional pride, guilt over his relationship with his own daughter (who, like Cora, was in her twenties), Cora's alternating fits of apathy, despair, terror and arrogance - the Inspector probed and pried to explain the crime.

Meanwhile, Cora descends into a deep, black hole of memories that almost surface but cannot emerge clearly enough to explain the murder.

Author Hammesfahr continually reels out clues. In the beginning, I savored the story and followed the leads to piece it together. After about 100 pages, though, I needed to know the answer and could not put the book down.

The Sinner - as one might suspect from the title - is loaded with sex overshadowed by religious fanaticism and psychological trauma. It flirts with incest and sadomasochism. It drew me into Cora's deep well of pain and, like the Inspector, I could not figure her out until the very last page.

I highly recommend it for curious adults who enjoy suspense and a well-written mystery. TCPL also owns a copy of The Sinner in German. - Reviewed by Joyce

Victorian London Street Life in Historic Photographs by John Thomson

2009-03-02T16:14:00.004-05:00

This book was originally published as Street Life in London in 1877. The photographs aren’t quaint or pretty, but document real people in real places. John Thomson, the photographer, and Adolphe Smith interviewed some of the people in the pictures and wrote sympathetic descriptions of their lives. As is noted in the preface, this is a new perspective on the poor.

The first photograph is titled “London Nomads” and it tells almost the whole story: the wooden caravan ‘home on wheels’ with a couple of kids peeking out the door, adults with worn clothes, tired faces and the bare earth beneath their feet. They wander about, making money when they can.

Perhaps saddest of all is the picture of one of the “Crawlers.” They are generally old women who have fallen into extreme poverty and live sometimes in the workhouse and sometimes in an available doorway. There are many more photographs that make Victorian London come alive for a moment. - Reviewed by Nancy

The Last Queen by C. W. Gortner

2009-02-16T12:26:00.002-05:00

Juana of Castile, also known as “Juana, the Mad”, was the daughter of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain. She saw her parents drive the Moors from Granada and unify the kingdoms of Spain. In an effort to expand the Spanish rule, Juana was sent to Flanders to marry Philip the Fair when she was only sixteen. Her sister, Catherine of Aragon, was sent to England to marry Henry VIII for the same reason.

The author tells her story of romance and betrayal through Juana’s voice. In the beginning, her marriage to Philip was one of passion. As their family grew, so did their problems. By marrying Juana, Philip assumed that he would become the King of Spain. After Queen Isabella died, there were major confrontations as both her husband and father positioned themselves to rule Spain. Juana was imprisoned under the accusation that she was mad. As her relationship with both her father and husband began to deteriorate, she became the victim of their plots. Her estranged husband Philip, became ill and died before he could become the King of Spain. Although abused by him, Juana was deeply affected by his death. She traveled throughout Spain in an effort to assert her control and Philip, in his coffin, traveled with her. She was rumored to have had his coffin opened several times so she could see him again. For this and other peculiarities, she became known as “Juana La Loca.”

C. W. Gortner gives the reader new insight into the world of the Spanish royal family and humanizes the woman who was the last Queen from the royal lineage. - Reviewed by Deb

An Exact Replica of a Figment of My Imagination: a Memoir by Elizabeth McCracken

2009-01-28T11:23:00.003-05:00

McCracken writes in her memoir this simple sentence: “This is the happiest story in the world with the saddest ending.” She was a successful novelist and writing instructor in her 30’s when she met her husband and decided to start a family. Always resigned to be a spinster, McCracken was surprised when she quickly became pregnant and embraced her growing family. What happens next is the basis of this beautiful, poignant memoir. Days away from giving birth, she loses her baby and is forced to deliver her stillborn son in a hospital in France, where the new couple is living.

Powerful, bittersweet, but never self-pitying, McCracken explores what her life was like during that horrible time in France. The memoir is also humorous, uplifting, and happy in the end, when readers learn that McCracken is typing the manuscript with her new son (born a year after losing her first child) in her lap. One of the best examinations of grief, this memoir topped many “must read” lists in 2008, and would be perfect for those who loved The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion. - Reviewed by Sarah

Stand Up by Jethro Tull

2009-01-21T12:47:00.004-05:00

How do I love this album? Oh, let me count the ways!! First of all, there's the cover, which I love so much that I got a t-shirt with it on the front. It is a drawing done from woodcuts off all four Jethro Tull members, which at the time consisted of vocalist/ flutist/acoustic guitar player Ian Anderson, bassist Glenn Cornick, drummer Clive Bunker and (then) new guitarist Martin Barre. The combination of yellows and browns and the leaves in the background and the band members' attire give the cover a very woodsy feel, which suits the music to a t...shirt. The artist even gives Ian Anderson an extra finger, maybe to better help him play his flute! Secondly, I like how if you put the last three song titles together without any commas (We Used to Know Reasons for Waiting for a Thousand Mothers) that you get a sentence! Third, I have some very pleasant memories of my walk back from the music store after buying this on vinyl in the summer of 1980. Fourth, and most importantly, there are the songs themselves, which I adore; even some of the lesser ones, like Back to the Family and For A Thousand Mothers, have one or two things to recommend about them.

The blues (which was all over the Tull’s debut album, This Was) still shows up on the album’s opening number, A New Day Yesterday, where Ian Anderson plays both harmonica and flute. Great tune - I think it sounds a bit like early Black Sabbath (Tony Iommi was in Jethro Tull for a few weeks before Martin Barre and I am now thinking that perhaps he had a hand in creating this song). Tull’s jazzy rendition of Bach’s Bouree is a pure delight, with Ian Anderson singing, breathing, sneezing and grunting into his flute. It also features a short but memorable bass guitar solo. Look Into The Sun and Reasons For Waiting are two overlooked and very folksy sounding tunes, both of them full of beautiful and sad vocal melodies, the latter featuring a string section and guitarist Martin Barre on flute. Nothing Is Easy is an up-tempo, bluesy hard rock number, during which each band member gets a chance to show off on their respective instruments. Fat Man, which shows off Ian Anderson’s unique sense of humor, sees Tull experimenting with world music and has balalaika and bongo drums on it.

Elsewhere, We Used to Know has a chord progression that Ian Anderson says The Eagles later stole for Hotel California (I think that's bollocks myself!) and is a fun song to play on guitar. Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Square is a short, but odd number, with Ian Anderson playing mandolin and guitarist Martin Barre once again on flute. The other two previously mentioned tunes, Back To the Family and For a Thousand Mothers are a bit too sloppily produced and played for my liking, but they still rock out quite a bit.

Overall, I think Stand Up is one of Jethro Tull's finest albums. It may not be as sophisticated musically and production wise of some of their later albums, but it is still a great record. And it's more than worth having on vinyl, as well, especially if you can find an original pressing, which comes with a pop-up of the band members! - Reviewed by Rich

Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Mostly True Stories of Growing Up Scieszka by Jon Scieszka

2009-01-15T14:34:00.005-05:00

Every single page of this book made me laugh with unadulterated delight at the antics and adventures Jon grew up with that shaped his life and his work. It also made me extremely glad that I didn’t have to grow up with five brothers...wow, it sounds dangerous!

I don’t think anyone could come away from this book without enjoying (vicariously) growing up in the Scieszka household. His mom was a nurse with a wild sense of humor plus a determination to give her boys a good education and encourage them to excel, however hard they might try to avoid it. Their father, a principal in a school on the other side of town, was “more of a quiet joker” but had the best tool for raising a pack of boys - being a respectful listener. It was he who dubbed the pack “knuckleheads” – it was easier than saying all 6 of their names when he needed to get all six of their attentions! Jon’s life was filled with sparring, broken bones, jokes, pranks, one-upmanship, hand-me-downs, fun, learning experiences (LOTS of learning from mistakes and bad behavior!) and humorous affection.

No one who went to Catholic school, as all six of the Scieszca boys did, could come away without lots of crazy stories about nuns and their particular style of teaching. Many of them were extremely frightening, but there was one nun, Sister Helen Jude, who was convinced that loving attention works much better than fear when teaching children. Jon gets to prove that with his grateful (and hilarious) chapter on schooling.

The chapter titled “Crossing Swords” gets my vote for “most hysterical”. Six boys, finally in the car, ready for church. One HAS to go pee, (“No, urinate” says Mom, who wants her children to grow up intelligently). Of course then the next one has to go and the next and the next. O.K. so, it takes way too long for them to go one at a time, so...well you’ll have to read it to believe it...

It’s hard to describe the general hilarity of this book with my own words, so I will just entreat you - if you need to have renewed faith in the world, if you want to know what kind of a life makes a writer like Jon Scieszka, if you could just use a really good laugh, then pick up this book and read it! You won’t regret it. - Reviewed by TCPL staff

World War Z: an Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

2009-01-13T12:55:00.005-05:00

This is, quite simply, one of the more interesting books I've read in the last year. It’s not exactly a novel - somewhat in the spirit of The Good War - it’s a collection of (fictional) reports about an outbreak of zombie-ism that nearly wipes out the human race. Ten years after humankind manages to survive this worldwide effort to wipe out the living dead, a U.N. worker is compiling these oral histories into a report on what happened - for better understanding of the events and to prevent them from reoccurring.

While it would seem that dozens of stories might get confusing, or at least not give a very clear picture of the war, the author makes it easier by setting things up linearly, moving forward in time from the earliest signs of the upcoming plague, through the sudden massive outbreaks, the disastrous first responses, the turning point, the end, and the aftermath of the war. One can get a clear impression of the general order of the plague and the war.

While a zombie "novel", if one can call it that, the focus isn't actually on the zombies. They are omnipresent, of course, but these are very human stories. Stories about how doctors failed to understand the problems at first. Stories about government corruption. Stories about panic. Stories about heroism, villainy, triumph, and failure, about tough moral choices and about how morality can go out the window in times of difficulty. In short, the horror in this book is less about the zombies and more about the humans.

And above all, the human stories are so real. While one or two may force you to suspend disbelief (in particular, a blind swordsman) most are quite realistic, perhaps even painfully so. People head north because the zombies tend to freeze in cold temperatures, forgetting that, frankly, so do humans. A company releases a placebo vaccination that people buy by the scores - even after it’s revealed it doesn't work, just for that glimmer of hope. And so on, and so on. Almost every action taken, good or bad, you completely believe that the human being there might have taken it.

Another strong point of this book is that while all the stories are written by one man, he manages to give the individual people telling their stories their own voices. Each story doesn't just read like the same person telling it, a great danger in this kind of book. What lapses there are can be easily explained by the fact that one man is collecting the stories, but all in all the rural Chinese doctor and the hardline Israeli soldier and the scared Japanese youth all sound different enough for it to be believable.

This book doesn't exist in a vacuum, it has a companion, somewhat more lighthearted book called How to Survive a Zombie Uprising which I admittedly have not read, and there is an audio-version of World War Z, with different actors playing the parts, which is supposedly brilliant (I've not listened to it yet). It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it can appeal to a far wider audience than just "the horror crowd", because it’s a human story. – Reviewed by John

The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness

2009-01-06T10:53:00.003-05:00

I have just finished The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness, a YA novel by a new American author living in the UK. It was reviewed in the Financial Times as a book that should be read by adults and not allowed to sit buried on the YA shelves. The reviewer said that like The Golden Compass, it would appeal to adults. It is one of the fastest paced books I have read and once I got into it, I found it difficult to put down. The language takes some getting used to. The graphic design of the novel is important and one must pay attention to it. It requires one's full attention when reading. The book is the first in what is planned to be a trilogy. I can't wait for the next book to be published. I finished this one feeling like I was almost falling off the edge of a precipice. I almost regret reading it as I so desperately want to know what is going to happen next. The story is about a boy running away from the community where he has been living where there are no women, and everyone can hear everyone's and everything's thoughts. From the incessant thoughts of men, animals, strange swamp creatures, the noise is everywhere and palpable.

I am really hoping our Teen Librarian will arrange an adult/teen book discussion group to discuss this novel. - Reviewed by Sally

Celebrate! by Sheila Lukins

2008-12-23T09:17:00.003-05:00

Ms. Lukins has written a cookbook that features menus for celebrations throughout the year. The first section of the book is A Year of Celebrations. It begins with a buffet, Ring in the New Year , which includes pork tenderloins and a “platter of plenty” that has a wide array of roasted and blanched vegetables. This dinner is topped off with a pineapple upside down cake. She ends the holidays with A Toast to the New Year complete with recipes for Sparkling Crab Salad and chocolate truffles. She provides the recipes and suggests the music, drinks and table settings for the occasion. In her introduction to each holiday, she gives us a quick overview of the holiday and its special meaning or traditions.

The second half of Celebrate! is dedicated to Celebrating Our Lives. Recipes and ideas for occasions such as The Big Raise, A Gracious Housewarming and my favorite, Celebrate a Ripe Tomato. Her recipe for the Garden Tomato Tart uses frozen puff pastry which makes this easy to make. Recipes for appetizers, main dishes and desserts are plentiful and easy to make. This is a delightful cookbook/ party planner which is fun to read and even more fun to use. Celebrate! - Reviewed by Deb

The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan

2008-12-19T11:29:00.002-05:00

This book transported me to India in the 1500’s. This is the fictionalized story of a real woman named Nur Jahan. She was born to a poor Persian nobleman and his wife. After suffering through a great many difficulties, her family’s luck began to change. As a beautiful young woman, she experienced life in the Imperial harem (the zenana) and began to understand the role of women and the power that they exerted. While there, she falls in love with Prince Salim, but unfortunately is required to marry a cruel Persian soldier, Ali Qui. We follow the parallel lives of Prince Salim and Nur Jahan through their marriages and births of children to the conquest of an empire.

Indu Sundaresan engages the reader of this historical romance through the use of vivid descriptions of clothing, food and customs. She gives the reader a peek into the daily life of both the poor and nobility. I am looking forward to reading the sequel, The Power Behind the Veil. - Reviewed by Deb

The Touch by F. Paul Wilson

2008-12-18T15:32:00.003-05:00

In the third entry in the Adversary Series (the first being The Keep, the second one being the first Repairman Jack novel, The Tomb), a caring and compassionate doctor by the name of Alan Bulmer is given the ability to heal people by just touching them. This ability, called The Touch, or Dat-tay-vao, unfortunately comes with a price, which I dare not reveal here, as it one of this book's many wonderful plot twists.

I love this book. The main character may be the sweetest and most sympathetic main character of any book I have ever read, which makes all the bad things that happen to him even more tragic. The book moves at a fast pace, but the author also allows enough time for character development and does his best to make everyone as three dimensional as possible. There is a villain in this story, but even he is not drawn out to be totally evil. And one supporting character who starts out as being a bit aloof and anti-social eventually mellows out and turns out to be quite a nice guy in the end. The plot twists are absolute genius and the story is very unpredictable. It is also a very fast read. I plowed through it just one day!

Though the front cover makes this out to be a horror novel, it is really a medical thriller, with elements of horror and the supernatural thrown in. There is even a sweet romance in the book. A very touching and moving book. I think it is one of F. Paul Wilson's best books ever. A must read! - Reviewed by Rich

Dewey: a Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron

2008-12-11T16:38:00.004-05:00

What’s not to like about this New York Times bestseller? A true story about a cat which was found almost frozen in a library book-drop on January evening, adopted by the library staff, beloved by everyone who used the library, and who eventually became known around the world? Too cute for words - yet I fell I love with Dewey, identified with the daily routine at the Spencer Public Library and admired Vicki, who was the library director at Spencer for twenty years. Vicki’s personal history of her family, along with the history and values of Spencer made this book more than just a story about a personable and appealing feline. Recommended. - Reviewed by Janet

Vicki Myron was interviewed on the Charles Osgood Sunday morning show television program and a friend of mine called me to tell me to look at it. When I listened to the interview and saw that she wrote a book about an orange cat(my favorite type), I just had to read this book.

This is a very touching story not only about the cat Dewey and the Spencer Public Library in Spencer, Iowa but about the town, its people, and the changes it has been through over the last two decades.

The author shares a lot with us about her life with all its challenges and ups and downs. This book made me cry and laugh and this was fine. It’s a wonderful story not only for those of us who work in public libraries.

I heard it will be made into a movie with Meryl Streep that I am looking forward to watching. - Reviewed by Patricia

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

2008-12-07T15:30:00.005-05:00

I feel I should start this review with a disclaimer: I am not the target audience for this book. Perhaps if I were, my review would be quite different, since the popularity of this book indicates that the writing holds appeal to one group or another.

That said, Twilight is a strange book. Now, I love a good vampire story, I really do. I also love a bad vampire story, because let's face it - vampires are awesome. The modern-day vampires are monsters, and that appeals to the tough little kid in all of us, and they are tragic romantic heroes, and that appeals to the wide-eyed and full of wonder little kid in all of us. But Twilight isn't so much a book about vampires as it is about restraint. So much restraint perhaps, that it approaches the idealized courtly love of a medieval story from a young adult book of the early 21st century.

The story centers around Bella Swan, a young lady (high school junior) who moves back to the Pacific Northwest to get away from her mother and her mother's new boyfriend. The first third of the book must be much maligned in the Pacific Northwest, because the major feature of that section of the book is discussing how much the Pacific Northwest is terrible. Bella really honestly hates it, until she spots Edward, whose major personality feature seems to be that he's gorgeous and that he doesn't want to hang around with Bella.

After a rocky start and some admittedly decent set-up, Bella realizes Edward is a vampire and their courtship starts. It basically consists of Bella wanting to know Edward better (in every sense of the word) and Edward insisting he's dangerous. Edward's claims of danger are undermined by his a. inability to leave Bella alone and b. the fact that nothing about him seems dangerous in any way. His thirst for blood is under control. His reaction time is so inhumanly fast that nothing can hurt him (or anyone with him). He insists that if he lost control he could really hurt Bella, but his control is so exacting we never believe him. He doesn't even burst in to flame in the sunlight... he just sparkles. In the end, we're left wondering what the downside is to being a vampire, and why he's so dead-set against allowing Bella to become one.

There's really not much to recommend for this book or the series. The book is paced oddly, spending most of the book on set-up of the world they live in and what vampires are. The characters are often one-dimensional; Bella is inhumanely distant emotionally, and inhumanly clumsy physically. Edward doesn't have much going for him, in terms of personality. Bella's father seems to exist only because she has to have one parent or another to live where she does. And most of the other humans in the book (with the possible exception of the Native Americans) are written in such a way as you feel they do nothing but compare, poorly, to the vampires...

And yet...I can’t help but want to know what happens to these characters next. I can't explain why. But I'm very, very interested in reading the rest of the series. Which can only mean that even if I can't identify it, there must be something right about this series. Off to read New Moon now. - Reviewed by John

Without the King: the Shocking and Astonishing Story of the Kingdom of Swaziland

2008-12-03T12:29:00.003-05:00

In 2006, when filming took place, Swaziland was the last absolute monarchy in Africa and one of 4 remaining worldwide. King Mswati III was chosen from the 250 children of the 110 wives of his father to inherit the throne. Though he is educated and well-spoken, he appears to be unable to comprehend the facts of life that most of his subjects face daily. Swaziland has a 69% + poverty rate, an incredible HIV rate of 42.6% of its 1.1 million people and more than 80,000 AIDS orphans. Interviews with the king’s first wife and oldest daughter are compelling. You will never forget the image of Princess Pashu shaking the hands of very young children orphaned by AIDS. It’s obvious they would have much preferred being given a piece of bread. - Reviewed by Nancy

His Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman

2008-11-19T11:31:00.004-05:00

An elderly man – a regular library patron - sparked my curiosity about Philip Pullman's trilogy, His Dark Materials. Although they were shelved in the Young Adult section, he told me that they were based on John Milton's Paradise Lost and recommended them for adults.

He was listening to the audio books on CD, read by the author. I, too, listened to the three books - read aloud to me over the course of several months by a friend (a great way for us to experience books together!)

The Golden Compass was the most exciting – filled with brave children, evil parents, arctic places with cool names like “Svalbard” (a real place that is home of the global seed vault about 700 miles from the North Pole!), armored polar bears, and physical "daemons," which are spirits in personalized animal forms attached to every human. In the finale, a massive explosion of energy released from the separation of a child from his daemon rips a hole in the universe that the young heroine, Lira, travels through to a new world.

In the second book, The Subtle Knife, Lira meets Will, who uses a magical knife to cut anything – even windows into more worlds. From this point and throughout the third book, The Amber Spyglass, the adventure follows the two children as they explore the world of the dead and confront a fundamental choice between good and evil that parallels the story of Eve’s choice in the Garden of Eden.

I really enjoyed these books. They were fun and also thought-provoking in that they raised questions of spirituality, organized religion and the existence of a supreme, divine "Authority,” as well as scenarios of global climate changes. Sometimes, though, I felt that the three books could have been consolidated into one, for it seemed like the author was repeating himself. Although that may allow each book to stand on its own, I advise reading them in order.

We began reading/listening to these books last winter, the same period of time that the first book in the trilogy, The Golden Compass, was released as a movie. I haven't seen it yet, but the library has the DVD. I’ve placed a hold on it and am looking forward to watching it.

I would recommend the Dark Materials trilogy to adults and youth who enjoy fantasy/science fiction, or just want to read a good adventure tale. - Reviewed by Joyce

Exit...Stage Left by Rush

2008-11-13T15:53:00.003-05:00

I am a big fan of the Canadian progressive hard rock trio Rush, but I have never been a fan of their live albums, especially this one, Exit...Stage Left. Why? Mainly because Rush live are very similar to Rush on their studio albums, since they try to do the songs live the exact way they are done on the studio albums. And since the sound of their studio albums (at least from the era represented here, '74 to '81) were so perfect and the sound on this live album is not, there is not too much reason to want to have this.

I certainly approve of the song selection. Any Rush album to have songs like on it Xanadu, Jacob's Ladder, Beneath Between Behind, La Villa Strangiato, Freewill, A Passage To Bangkok (included on the original LP and remastered CD, but not here),and Red Barchetta is more than worth owning. For the casual Rush fan, their three most well known songs, Tom Sawyer, The Spirit Of Radio (a tune I’ve never liked!), and Closer To The Heart, are included here, the last one featuring a children’s choir. It is the mix that I have the biggest problem with. Alex Lifeson's guitar is very low in the mix, which is disappointing because it was so loud on the studio albums and a big part of their sound back then. I could also do without Neil Peart's drum solo, which is in the middle of the instrumental YYZ. Peart gets a chance to show off enough during the songs, so a drum solo from him is unnecessary.

The front and back cover, which show at least one object and/or person from every Rush album from their debut to 1981’s Moving Pictures, is kind of amusing. I like Alex Lifeson’s classical guitar solo Broon’s Bane, partly because it is one of the few times on the album his guitar is audible. And I like the introduction to Jacob’s Ladder, during which Rush play part of a Sam Cooke song; it may be the only moment of spontaneity on the whole album!

Like the first live album, All The World’s A Stage, Exit…Stage Left marked the end of an era for Rush. The next four albums (which include my least favorite album, Power Windows) would see Rush veer further away from their original hard rock roots and add more and more synthesizers and keyboards. I like this album, but do not consider it a must have for Rush fans. - Reviewed by Rich

What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn

2008-11-06T15:44:00.002-05:00

This debut mystery begins in Birmingham, England in 1984. Kate Meaney is 10, a loner who lives with her grandmother after her father has a stroke and dies, and is obsessed with becoming a detective. Her world revolves around her imaginary detective agency, Falcon Investigation, which she runs with her stuffed toy, Mickey the Monkey. Kate lives next door to a sweets shop, and offers surveillance to the owner and his son, Adrian, who at 22 is Kate’s main friend in her solitary life and the only adult who knows of her desire to one day be a private detective. She also does undercover spying at the new shopping center, Green Oaks, and it is there that she suddenly disappears one day, never to be seen again. Adrian, pulled into the police station for questioning, also vanishes after the anguish of being accused of her abduction.

After Kate is lost, the novel jumps to 2003, where Adrian’s sister, Lisa, is an assistant manager at a record shop in the Green Oaks mall. She knows her brother is alive only because he sends her a mixed tape every year on her birthday, but it is not until she finds a stuffed monkey in the mall that she begins to think constantly of Kate and Adrian’s disappearance. Shortly after finding the monkey, a lonely security guard working the night shift at the mall begins to see a girl show up on his CCTV cameras that looks like Kate.

Part mystery and part ghost story, the novel also has funny moments to it, and a budding romance between Lisa and Kurt, the security guard haunted by images of Kate. Both Lisa and Kurt are hiding secrets, including Kurt’s horrible one of seeing Kate the day she was disappeared. Everything is artfully tied together at the end, and readers do get to find out what happened to Kate. Full of wonderfully detailed characters, a haunting desire to find out what happens to Kate, and many surprises, I was enchanted by this novel and couldn’t put it down. While heartbreaking, I highly recommend this gripping book. – Reviewed by Sarah

I Feel Bad About My Neck and Other Thoughts On Being a Woman by Nora Ephron

2008-10-31T10:34:00.003-04:00

Nora Ephron has a good sense of humor. This book is light and enjoyable and will make you smile and maybe even laugh. Included in a list of “What I Wish I’d Known”: “Anything you think is wrong with your body at the age of thirty-five you will be nostalgic for at the age of forty-five, you can order more than one dessert and you never know.” I agree. Ephron is currently blogging for the Huffington Post. - Reviewed by Nancy

Rachel Carson's Silent Spring

2008-10-28T16:20:00.000-04:00

Rachel Carson was a writer, scientist and the mother of modern ecology. This excellent documentary chronicles her investigation into the effects of chemicals upon our ecosystem. When she wrote the book, Silent Spring, in 1962, she was both hailed and hated. Because of her research and documentation of the hazards of chemicals, the U.S. Government began Congressional Hearings regarding their use and regulation.

Her insights into the interdependence of nature are still valid and meaningful for us today. After watching this dvd, I am re-reading Silent Spring (632.9 Carson) as well as her biography ( Biography Carson). - Reviewed by Deb

State of Play by David Yates

2008-10-16T17:21:00.000-04:00

This 2008 release had a great cast with a plot that got more and more twisted with each episode. I love movies like that! They grab you and suck you in and you just have to watch it to see what’s going to happen next. It’s a combination murder-mystery, big-business political intrigue, with enough suspense and drama to keep you constantly revising your expectations of what will happen next. Timely, too, in that the subject matter basically deals with corporate greed and the effects it has on everyday people. The end of every episode was better than the last, with the final three leaving me with a dropped jaw, making for really fun viewing.

I had been wanting to see more of James MacAvoy after watching his wonderful performance in Atonement. He was good in this series, too, and the rest of the cast were convincing in their parts as well. It had moments of comedic relief which also helped. Just when the tension got almost unbearable, the writer inserted some great, anxiety busting gut reactions to the horrible intrigue going on around the characters: nervous giggling, uncontrollable laughter at the absurd audacity of the two-timing politicians and CEO’s involved. When it really counted, though, the human tragedy of the story was not at all overlooked. The ending left me really thoughtful, wondering about human nature. Good movie viewing, definitely some violence, more than I care for, but I’d give it 3 ½ stars! – Reviewed by TCPL Staff

Novel About My Wife by Emily Perkins

2008-10-07T16:53:00.000-04:00

Addressing the realities, insecurities, fears and joys of modern life, Emily Perkins takes us into the world of Tom and his wife, Ann. Perkins invites us into an intimate connection with this young couple trying to hold their complex lives together. Set in England, the story opens after Ann has died and Tom is seeking to make sense of her death and of her life. Sensitively and honestly, Perkins uses Tom’s voice to carry us back into their lives before her death and into the sense of fragility that haunts them. The descriptions of their love, the excitement of their pregnancy and of the challenges, both seen and unseen, they face drew me deeply and quickly into the story. Knowing that Ann has died, I followed along wondering if her death was caused by the hooded man who she’s seen following her, a health problem or some other incident. While this suspense is one focus of the book, it by no means overshadows the story. The writing moves along quickly but not without the well-written details and descriptions of subtleties that made me feel as if I knew Ann and Tom as friends. This is a great book for readers who enjoy a bit of suspense without ending up being kept awake by nightmares! It also offers an insightful tale of what it’s truly like to live in these times. - Reviewed by Cassandra

Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher

2008-10-01T12:03:00.000-04:00

Furies of Calderon, by Jim Butcher, is a solid fantasy novel which has one extra thing going for it - it’s not like other fantasy novels. While I'm a fantasy fan, people who like the genre do have to admit one thing - much of it (by no means all, but much of it) - is written as a Tolkien rip-off. The same medieval societies, the same "fear but respect" magic, the same elves, dwarves, orcs, and other such things. Furies of Calderon is different.

There is no question this is a pure fantasy novel, unlike Butcher's other, more popular series The Dresden Files which takes place in the modern day. This is a world where magic is real. So real, in fact, that everyone has a little of it. Every human has at least a little bit of "fury-craft", the ability to manipulate elemental creatures called Furies. Furies come in six types - earth, air, fire, water, metal, and wood - and humans usually have at least a little ability in 1 or 2 of those types, which allows them to shape items made of those things, or manipulate emotions that are like those things (firecrafting calls up anger, for example), or even have simulacrums of living creatures made of those things - we meet a dog made of stone, for example. Most humans just have enough to make life a little easier - to light lamps, or keep the rain off, or make the field a little easier to plow... but some, mostly nobility, are incredibly powerful and can do things that well qualify as "magic". Everyone in the entire world... except Tavi.

Tavi is 15, and by 15 most students have at least a bit of skill (it seems to start no later than puberty, sometimes earlier) in furycrafting. Tavi can't do it at all. He is seen - at best - as fundamentally disabled - while the crueler folks among his village think he's a freak of nature. Tavi is smart, sensible, and caring, but seems destined to live an abnormal life, and probably alone. He's being raised by his aunt and uncle in a small valley and outside a small village. It’s utterly unimportant, and far removed from the political intrigues of the Roman-like cities and civilization of the Aleran Empire. Or it would be, except that his valley is the border in to the lands of the Marat, a nomadic, almost-human people who have gone to war with Alera before, and seem poised to do so again.

Tavi, his friends (including one newly arrived), and his family must do more than just survive the coming storm of clashes between those loyal to the empire and those who oppose it, and of the marauding Marat - if possible, they have to avert it. If you want to read a fantasy novel with a fully-constructed and realized setting but are a bit bored of the same old thing, you should read Furies of Calderon, the first book in a 6 book cycle called Codex Alera, 4 of which are already published - the 5th will be out in November. - Reviewed by John

Frommer's Portable New York City 2008 by Brian Silverman

2008-09-30T14:50:00.000-04:00

Autumn is a wonderful time of year to explore New York City. Frommer's Portable is an easy to use pocket sized guide book. The book begins with a calendar of events, how to get there and getting to know the New York City neighborhoods. The maps included in this guide are excellent. Restaurants and hotels are listed from inexpensive to very expensive. They include excellent descriptions of specialty dishes and listings for the best pizza and bagels in the city.

Exploring New York City is a chapter about the top attractions in New York City, their histories, hours and fees. I especially enjoyed reading about the museums and Central Park and other places to play. For shoppers, there are hints on where to go and what to buy. The last chapter is about New York City after dark and has numerous suggestions for attending the theatre and musical events. I spent a week in New York City this past summer and wish that I had taken this pocket guide with me! - Reviewed by Deb

Whisky by Juan Pablo Rebella

2008-09-25T14:58:00.000-04:00

There is so much going on in this film and a lot of it lies beneath the surface. Jacobo, a sock factory owner in Uruguay finds himself having to get ready for a visit from his younger, more vivacious and quite prosperous brother Herman. Herman has run a very successful sock factory in Brazil for the past twenty years. Family ties have been lost but Herman does manage to come to visit for the ritual of placing a memorial stone for their mother’s grave. Jacobo has taken care of their mother during her final years. He doesn't want his brother to think he is alone now, so he enlists Marta a longtime employee to masquerade as his wife. I was taken with how well the film moved cinematically and with its subtleties. I won’t tell you why the title is Whisky - you’ll have to see it to find out. - Reviewed by Patricia

51 Birch Street by Doug Block

2008-09-24T19:27:00.000-04:00

This documentary tries to answer one of the most basic questions children often have about their parents – are they really happy together? Documentary filmmaker Doug Block believed that his parents, Mike and Mina Block, had a strong, but maybe not entirely loving, marriage that lasted for 54 years. When Mina died suddenly of pneumonia, Mike shocked the family by taking a trip to Florida and reconnecting with his old secretary from work, Kitty, three months after Mina’s death. Did this mean Mike had been cheating on his wife for over 30 years?

Struggling with the news that his father has married his secretary, and that he will be moving to Florida and selling the Long Island family house, Doug Block tries to learn more about his parents and what went wrong. This process is helped greatly by old photographs, interviews with family and friends, and a surprise treasure trove of daily diary entries from Mina herself. When Doug finally agrees to read his mother’s diaries, he is in for a shock about her marriage over the years. A surprise conversation with his father towards the end of the documentary explains his father’s side of a difficult marriage and a renewed sense of love at the age of 83. Highly recommended for documentary lovers and those interested in family histories. – Reviewed by Sarah

The Manning Sisters by Debbie Macomber

2008-09-18T16:06:00.001-04:00

This romance by Macomber features the story of two sisters living in different states. When Christy visits her sister Taylor in Montana, she ends up unexpectantly falling in love with the local Sheriff. The only problem is that she is engaged to another guy – in Seattle. Should she stay with the man she is involved with, or follow her heart? This book is very suspenseful and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good romance to read. The Manning Sisters is made up of two books that Macomber wrote in the early 90’s – The Cowboy’s Lady and The Sheriff Takes a Wife. –Reviewed by Jackie

Rat Salad: Black Sabbath, the Classic Years, 1969-1975 by Paul Wilkinson

2008-09-18T16:06:00.000-04:00

First of all, don't let the title Rat Salad (which is also the title of an instrumental from the album Paranoid) scare you off, for if you do, you will be missing a great book. There have been many books written about Black Sabbath, but none of them go into such detail about the songs (from their debut album to Sabotage) as this book does. The author gives a background on Black Sabbath and throws in many other personal details about the band. He also lets us know what else was going on in the world at the time that these albums were released (both politically and musically), as well as talking about himself (though I'm not sure if the tidbit about his baby sitter was necessary!). But...the main focus here is on the songs themselves. I like that he states very clearly in the beginning of the book why he only goes up to the album Sabotage and why he didn't interview any of the Black Sabbath members for the book.

I sing and play guitar and percussion, but am hesitant to call myself a musician and I feel that I learned quite a bit from this book. After reading it (or even WHILE reading it), I found myself going back and listening to the first six Black Sabbath albums again and trying to listen more carefully. I'm not put off that the author uses big musical terms that I have never heard of (but should have), like 'subtonic' and 'submediant', but at no point in the book does it ever feel like he is talking down to the reader. Wilkinson uses a very smooth and flowing conversational tone, which makes the book both informative and entertaining to read. Besides, if one does feel a little overwhelmed by some of the big musical terms,he does explain all of these in a glossary in the back of the book. Also, by using all these big musical terms, he shows exactly WHY Iommi's guitar riffs were so unique and so special.

If you love the music of Black Sabbath as much as Paul Wilkinson and I do, then you will love this book. - Reviewed by Rich

Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain

2008-09-11T11:53:00.000-04:00

The haunting relationship between Portland, Oregon cop Archie Sheridan and the most famous female serial killer, Gretchen Lowell, continues in the newest thriller by Chelsea Cain. Set just weeks after the end of her first book, Heartsick, Archie has stopped his weekly visits to Gretchen and is trying to kick his addiction to painkillers. When bodies are found in a Portland park, Archie is reminded of Gretchen constantly because that is where her first victim was found murdered. A sudden phone call from the prison explaining that Gretchen has been beaten and raped by a prison guard brings Archie back into Gretchen’s life. Little does anyone know that Gretchen is planning her escape from prison and is soon on the run – right into capturing Archie all over again.

Full of psychological intrigue, a fascinating and unhealthy sexual relationship between the hunted and the hunter, and page-turning suspense and build ups, Cain has written another superb thriller. A subplot featuring reporter Susan Ward and her investigation into a fallen Senator who ends up dead adds to the intrigue of the book and develops Susan more in this novel. For a review of Heartsick, please view http://www.tcpl.org/sarah/2007/10/55-heartsick-by-chelsea-cain.html - Reviewed by Sarah

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

2008-09-05T16:02:00.000-04:00

Told through a series of letters between writer Juliet Ashton and those who lived through the WWII German occupation of Guernsey, this historical fiction was engaging and imaginative. I learned a lot about what life must have been like during the five years that the English lived under German rule, but I was also taken with the lively and witty writing of the authors. It was a great summer read, one of those books that you can’t put down and when you finish, you wish for more. - Reviewed by Janet

Ready When You Are by Martha Rose Shulman

2008-09-04T14:57:00.000-04:00

Summer is coming to a close, the kids are headed back to school and now we are again faced with the age old question, “What’s for supper?” Ms. Shulman shares more than 200 favorite “new comfort food” recipes in her book. In the introduction, she tells the reader, “These recipes are meant to be liberating.” She takes traditional recipes and lightens up the ingredients and gives us suggestions for how to prepare dishes in advance and what to do with the leftovers. She also advocates cooking many ingredients on the weekend and then using them throughout the busy work week.

Soups and stews such as minestrone, seafood gumbo, pasta e fagioli and Peruvian seafood chowder would be a hearty and filling meal as the nights become cooler. A recipe for the “Last of Summer vegetable stew” makes the most of what is left in our gardens. Roast lemon chicken with honey and Greek cheese and squash pie are easy to make and a welcome change to the weekly menu. Her dessert recipes are simple to assemble and a great ending to any meal. Some of her favorites are Bill’s Trifle, honey baked apples and homemade chocolate pudding. Delicious! - Reviewed by Deb

Secret Servant by Daniel Silva

2008-08-29T16:33:00.000-04:00

Gabriel Allon, master art restorer and sometime officer of Israeli intelligence, is sent to Amsterdam to purge the archives of a murdered terrorism analyst, Solomon Rosner. While in Amsterdam he uncovers a plot to kidnap Elizabeth Halton, daughter of the American Ambassador to England. Warnings to British authorities are not acted upon in time and Allon gets to the scene just as Elizabeth Halton is being kidnapped by terrorists. We follow Allon as he and his team crisscross Europe in hopes of rescuing her before the terrorists kill her.

Silva has given us an exciting novel that provides some background on the plight of the Islamic and Israeli world in the East and throughout Europe. -Reviewed by Rosie

Aristrocrats: Caroline, Emily, Louisa and Sarah Lennox,1740-1832 by Stella Tillyard

2008-08-28T17:01:00.000-04:00

Through excerpts from the many, many letters the sisters exchanged, you meet four 18th century woman in this book and, in a way, listen in on their conversations with one another. The oldest, Caroline, though “vastly frightened” elopes with a man her family disapproves of adamantly. Emily marries twice, has 22 children (half of whom survive to adulthood), and loves to gossip, gamble and spend money. Louisa, referred to by her sisters as “that sweet angel”, marries the wealthy owner of the Castletown estate in Ireland. Sarah has something darkly independent, even perverse, in her nature. She gains the admiration and love of the future king of England, but ends up marrying Bunbury who doesn’t love her as much as she doesn’t love him. You can find this book on the shelf with the call number 929.2 Lennox. - Reviewed by Nancy

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

2008-08-27T11:10:00.000-04:00

Early in the 1900's, a brother and a sister leave their village in Greece to escape a Turkish invasion. As immigrants, they arrive in the U.S. and wind up in Detroit, Michigan, where another relative had previously emigrated. Their romance becomes the kernel for a family saga that spans three generations.

Eugenides narrates his tale through the character of Cal, a hermaphrodite who carries a rare genetic mutation that begins to manifest when she/he reaches puberty.

In the beginning of the book, during the flight from Greece, the author painted a very gruesome picture of the burning of Smyrna - my mistake was to read it at night before going to bed - however, most of the novel was very entertaining. The author created some enjoyable characters that were quite believable.

For me, the ending was a little disappointing in that the threads of the story seemed to snip off rather than gracefully weave together, but overall, I would recommend this book to older teens and adults. - Reviewed by Joyce

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace--One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson

2008-08-22T16:09:00.000-04:00

One man can make a difference! Greg Mortenson is a mountain climber who failed in his attempt to ascend K2 in 1993. As a result, he was cared for by villagers in a remote mountain area of Pakistan. As he recovered from his failed climb, he came to understand the culture and issues facing these poor villagers. He learned that: " The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family."

David Oliver Relin recounts Greg’s vision to help reduce the results of poverty in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Greg kept his promise to his caretakers by raising money to build schools and bridges and improve the quality of life. As the founder of the Central Asia Institute, Greg’s humanitarian mission has extended throughout the world.

This book is an inspiring tale of perseverance and of the kindness of a courageous man. - Reviewed by Deb

Dick Francis

2008-08-21T15:23:00.000-04:00

If you have not read a Dick Francis novel, now is a good time to start. Francis takes you behind-the-scenes into the world of horse racing with a number of different characters: jockey, trainer, owner, accountant, artist, and private investigators, to name a few. Dick Francis was himself a professional steeplechase jockey winning more than 350 races and a grand champion in 1954. He won the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award for Best Novel three times. Readers of any age who enjoy a good mystery will appreciate the detail of the racing world and the story lines.

If you like to start at the beginning, Dead Cert, was his first racing novel, but there is no need to read them in order. He wrote 36 novels and for years every March I would await the newest selection. Each title stands on its own and rarely does a character appear in more than one novel. The mysteries are fast paced with a strong appealing protagonist in his 20s or 30’s who is honorable with a high moral sense, and a high pain tolerance generally due to his rigorous and demanding years as a jockey.

With the renewed interest in horse racing after the Kentucky Derby and interest in Big Brown, this author is especially appealing. Francis is a consistent and reliable author, who writes a good story and is perfect for a summer read. -Reviewed by Rosie

Watchmen by Alan Moore

2008-08-19T16:19:00.000-04:00

Watchmen by Alan Moore is considered one of the greatest graphic novels of all time; it is the only graphic novel to have made Time magazine's list of top 100 novels of all time. Reading it, one can see why it is so highly thought of, and rereading it, one can find new details that escape notice the first time around. Moore has set us up with a story that is surprisingly detailed, interlocked, and complex but makes sure to lay out all the details of the story in such a way that, as long as one is paying attention, it is not hard to follow at all.

The story does begin to feel a bit dated because the time period it takes place in is receding further and further from our thoughts; it was published in the late 80s and took place in 1985; 20 years later 1985 might as well be 1285 for some readers. However, it is perhaps saved from being completely obscured by the passage of time because the 1985 the story takes place in is not the 1985 we all lived through; it is a 1985 where superheroes are quite real and where one, who can create matter at will, has completely changed the course of history, technology, and the like. He is also the one thing keeping the world from mutually assured destruction, and therein lies the entire problem.

The story plays out like a mystery, and while there are superheroes and some superheroics, the costumed crime-fighters are presented in a very realistic way – far more realistic than in your average comic book – as is their impact on the world. The mystery unfolds and gets deeper and more complex, and in the end, it is solid detective work and investigation, not super powers, that gets the job done. There is no 4-color comic book ending where good is right and evil wrong, but instead the motivations and actions of multiple individuals are both called in to question and supported by the results, if not the means.

This is a thinking person’s graphic novel, and it well deserves the accolades it has accumulated over the years. - Reviewed by John

Eden's Outcasts: the Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father by John Matteson

2008-08-14T16:34:00.001-04:00

Sharing a birthday and almost sharing the same day of death, the story of Louisa May Alcott and her father, Bronson Alcott, is complex and intertwined. Most readers will know Louisa May Alcott as the author of Little Women. Fewer readers will know about her father, Bronson, who was a teacher, philosopher, starter of a utopian society, and friend of Emerson and Thoreau. Matteson expertly explores their relationship – a relationship complicated by Bronson’s career faltering while his daughter became more and more famous. Highly readable and full of fascinating historical detail, this biography won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Biography. – Reviewed by Sarah

The Tompkins County Public Library will host a reading and signing by Pulitzer Prize winner John Matteson, Saturday, August 16, 2008 at 1:00 PM in the Borg Warner Community Meeting Room. Eden’s Outcasts is a complement to the 2008 Community Read selection, March by Geraldine Brooks, which tells the story of the absentee father from Alcott’s Little Women. Copies of Eden’s Outcasts will be available for purchase from the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation on the day of the event.

Chinese Fiction

2008-08-08T16:52:00.000-04:00

Celebrate the opening of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games by reading some Chinese fiction books from the Tompkins County Public Library. From historical family sagas to modern-day mysteries set in China, our reading list has something for everyone. Each month librarians create thematic reading lists for those looking for a good book to read. To sign up for our monthly booklist newsletter service, please visit http://www.booksite.com/texis/scripts/bookletter/addnluser.html?sid=6631. To view the Chinese fiction booklist, please click on the title, "Chinese Fiction" above. - Posted by Adult Services Staff

Dog Days: Dispatches from Bedlam Farm by Jon Katz

2008-08-07T17:15:00.000-04:00

If you like dogs and farms that have animals on them with names, then this is a book for your enjoyment. The cover drew me to this book. There is a resting Border Collie laying down near some summer flowers. This of course is unusual because these dogs are very active. In this non- fiction book, Katz chronicles his days at his farm in upstate NY. He calls the farm Bedlam Farm.

His insights about his animals including 4 donkeys, 1 large steer and one cow, a flock of sheep and 4 dogs along with a cat called Mother, a rooster and hens are very funny. But he also conveys many pearls of wisdom about his move from an urban area, his love of dogs and his new place in the farm community. Katz reveals his deep connection to his wife Paula who mostly lives downstate but visits often. -Reviewed by Patricia

Evening Class by Maeve Binchy

2008-07-24T15:16:00.000-04:00

An odd assortment of disillusioned people from varied backgrounds meet each week for an evening class to learn to speak Italian. These classes culminate in a once in a lifetime trip to Italy where some of them make decisions which change their lives for the better! If you like Maeve Binchy's writing, check out the writings of Elizabeth Goudge, Rosamunde Pilcher, Belva Plain, and Anne Rivers Siddons. -Reviewed by Deb.

March by Geraldine Brooks

2008-07-22T15:40:00.000-04:00

Set during the Civil War, March, explores the moral complexities of war, racism, slavery, and family. Told from the view of Mr. March, the absent father from Louisa May Alcott’s classic, Little Women, the historical novel follows March as he decides to join the Union forces in his forties as a chaplain. Author Geraldine Brooks based Mr. March on Louisa May Alcott’s father, Bronson Alcott, and like Alcott, the main character is an abolitionist, participates in the Underground Railroad, and has radical beliefs in education. Throughout this Pulitzer Prize-winning story, glimpses of March’s life before his marriage, and his letters home to his wife and girls convey wonderfully lush historical details and a beautiful love story. - Reviewed by Sarah

This summer, the Tompkins County Public Library is sponsoring our 7th annual Community Read. We urge all Tompkins County residents to read this historical novel and meet with friends, neighbors, community organizations, and area libraries to discuss March by Geraldine Brooks. TCPL has 300 copies of March for people to check out, and copies are available at all other local libraries. We also have copies in various foreign languages, as well as foreign language copies of Little Women. TCPL also has extra copies of Little Women available, as well as the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, Eden’s Outcasts: the Story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father by John Matteson (Matteson will be at TCPL on August 16th at 1 PM for a lecture). Copies of Cornell’s New Student Reading Project title, Lincoln at Gettysburg by Garry Wills, are available in addition and together these books offer readers a wonderful reading complement to the Civil War era.

Please join us for our Community Read Kick-Off this Saturday at 1 PM in the Borg Warner Community Meeting Room, when Jan Turnquist, director of Orchard House, Louisa May Alcott's famed childhood home, will assume the identity of Alcott to tackle 19th Century issues like suffrage, abolition, the Underground Railroad and equal education. For more information, please visit: http://www.tcpl.org/march/events.html.

Lover of Unreason by Yehuda Koren

2008-07-17T14:06:00.000-04:00

If you’re intrigued by the Sylvia Plath/Ted Hughes story, you’ll want to read this fascinating biography of Assia Wevill whose existence very probably helped push Sylvia toward suicide. More than just the beautiful ‘other woman’ in the Hughes marriage, Assia’s past included escaping the Holocaust, life in the newly created Israel, three husbands as well as a talent for art, translating poetry, creating advertising campaigns and seduction. She and her 4 year old daughter by Ted died in 1969. - Reviewed by TCPL Staff

The Garden of Last Days by Andre Dubus

2008-07-08T16:18:00.000-04:00

April is a single mother who supports herself working as a stripper in the Puma Club for Men in Florida. When her normal babysitter, Jean, ends up in the hospital, April is forced to take 3-year old Franny to work with her. Leaving her with the house mother while she dances, April becomes involved with Bassam, a Muslim who is on his way to becoming a September 11th hijacker and who pays April to talk to him in the Champagne Room about why she chooses to dance for a living. With April being occupied with high-spending Bassam, Franny wanders into the parking lot of the club and is snatched by a disgruntled club customer who has been thrown out for getting too close to a dancer.

Set mainly over one night shortly before the September 11th attacks, author Dubus explores a multitude of characters in short, effective chapters, drawing readers into their sad lives and the impending doom of the terrorist attacks. Although over 500 pages, this is a fast-paced, taut exploration of fate, sexuality, and power. Dubus is the author of the acclaimed novel, House of Sand and Fog, and if readers liked that novel, they are sure to enjoy this electrifying novel. - Reviewed by Sarah

Manhunt: the Twelve-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson

2008-07-03T15:19:00.000-04:00

John Wilkes Booth, President Lincoln's assassin, escaped from Ford's Theatre the night of Lincoln's assassination with a broken leg. He headed South and was aided by several sympathizers for twelve days until his luck ran out. Mr. Swanson describes Booth's motives for killing Lincoln and his flight from Washington, D.C. in great detail, engaging the reader into the life of a famous killer. - Reviewed by Deb.

The Hummingbird's Daughter by Louis Alberto Urrea

2008-07-01T14:26:00.000-04:00

The Hummingbird's Daughter is a fascinating tale of Mexican history that focuses on a young woman now known as Santa Teresita. The author, Urrea, explains that she was a distant relative and that he spent 20 years researching the novel.

The story follows the life of Teresita, illegitimate daughter of a 14 year old peasant, Cayetana (the "hummingbird" ) and a powerful Mexican land owner, Don Urrea (surname of the author), a man driven by his instincts for land, money, sex and power. Teresita possessed a special talent for healing and becomes the student of the old curadera of the ranch who recognizes her gifts.

The personal evolution of Teresita's life upon the backdrop of the Mexican revolution kept me turning the pages. The book dives into Christian mysticism and surfaces on the gruesome frontiers of a cruel Mexico, harsh for Indians and the "people."

I thought the ending of this work was a bit unsatifsying, but, generally, I would recommend it to anyone with a taste for Latin American fiction - especially historical fiction, which, some say, the Spanish do best. - Reviewed by Joyce