Inkwellian Picks

The Company They Kept by Robert B. Silvers and Barbara Epstein

2010-02-10T19:42:00.000-05:00

Recommended by Michelle
The Company They Kept: Writers on Unforgettable Friendships
By Robert B. Silvers and Barbara Epstein
Published by the New York Review of Books
This smart, quirky collection of essays gathered from the New York Review of Books is compulsively readable. Intimately written, the essays capture the mundane and profound moments in the interaction between writers and those who inspired them. The table of contents reads like a Who’s Who of the best in their fields: Derek Walcott, Susan Sontag, Albert Einstein, Seamus Heaney, Gertrude Stein, Octavio Paz, Anna Akhmatova, Isaiah Berlin… the list goes on. Yet, it isn’t just the titillation of reading about famous people that makes this a perfect book, it is the seductive voices of the talented writers that draw you in and take you by the arm to point out the smallest details that capture your heart and imagination.

The Ladies of Grace Adieu by Susanna Clarke

2010-02-10T19:38:00.000-05:00

Recommended by Cristin
The Ladies of Grace Adieu
By Susanna Clarke
Published by Bloomsbury
Bestselling author Susanna Clarke returns with a thoroughly diverting collection of short stories. Fans of Jonathan Strange will be especially pleased to reunite with some of her familiar characters. Readers should prepare to meet more mischievous faeries, women who transform into owls, and a variety of magical friends and foes. Blur the boundaries of reality as you delve into Clarke’s latest literary treat! Enjoy!

Sarah Canary by Karen Joy Fowler

2010-02-10T19:29:00.000-05:00

Recommended by Michelle
Sarah Canary
By Karen Joy Fowler
Published by Plume
Sarah Canary is a richly detailed historical novel with a slender vein of the unreal threaded through it. Chin Ah Kin is a Chinese railway worker in the Washington Territory in the late 1800s. A mysterious, seemingly mad, white woman appears, and Chin becomes her caretaker on a journey to find an asylum. Fowler brackets the chapters with period news clippings and pronouncements, and also captures the Victorian fascination with the freakish & bizarre. With dazzling flair, she has written a novel that can be read on multiple levels: for pure enjoyment of language, as a literary mystery, and as a commentary on racism and sexism in America.

St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell

2010-02-10T19:26:00.000-05:00

Recommended by Kathleen
St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves
By Karen Russell
Published by Vintage
One of my favorite books. Karen Russell bursts into the reader’s mind with this gorgeous and confident debut that features ten stories written with skill and fierce imagination. In the title story, a pack of girls raised by wolves are painstakingly reeducated by nuns. In “Haunting Olivia,” two young boys make midnight trips to a boat graveyard in search of their dead sister, who set sail in the exoskeleton of a giant crab. Russell creates a rich, new mythology filled with whimsy and darkness. Fans of Jonathan Safran Foer, Kelly Link, and Denis Johnson will love Karen Russell. Have you been missing what it feels like to be totally absorbed in a wonderful book? Here is the answer to your longing!

Black Jack by Osamu Tezuka

2010-02-10T19:22:00.000-05:00

Recommended by Josh
Black Jack Volume 1
By Osamu Tezuka
Published by Vertical
I must admit, I didn't know what to expect when I first picked up Osamu Tezuka's Black Jack Volume 1. While Tezuka's Astro Boy is often hailed as the cornerstone of modern manga, reading it has always felt to me like more of a 'study of the grand masters' than an honest-to-goodness engaging read. (Sort of like reading the first few dozen issues of Superman or The Green Lantern -- the art's amazing and the characters are iconic, but goddamn if the stories aren't repetitive.) But Black Jack? Wow. The collection's first story, "Is There A Doctor?", quickly establishes the series' playful perversity. The plot: When a famous tycoon's good-for-nothing son is disfigured in a car accident, genius surgeon/man of mystery, Black Jack, is called in to save the boy's life. But there's a catch.
In order to obtain the body parts needed for the operation, someone else is going to have to be sacrificed. With no time to waste, the tycoon bribes the police and the courts into convicting an innocent pauper of causing the accident, thereby getting a suitable set of replacement parts. Although Black Jack appears disgusted, he agrees to perform the operation -- so long as he's paid his multi-million yen fee. I won't spoil the details of the ending, but suffice it to say, heads are swapped, paupers become wealthy, and the scarred surgeon known only as 'Black Jack' sees to it that justice is served.

In the stories that follow, things just get more and more bizarre. Take for instance, Pinoko, Black Jack's pint sized side-kick and comic relief. She's literally an old doll filled with the living remains of an unborn Siamese twin that was removed from the psychic tumor of a famous actress in chapter 3. (Go on, read that last sentence again. I'll wait.) Or how about the return of Black Jack's long-lost love? Pinoko is jealous until she finds out that years ago, Black Jack had to perform a sex change operation on his true love in order to save her (now: him) from uterine cancer. And then there's the close-up, gross-out panels included in nearly every story. Usually occurring during an operation scene, these are the one place in the comic where Tezuka switches from his normally cartoony style to something closer to life drawing. While it could be argued that these are there for educational purposes, truth be told, I think that Tezuka just likes giving his readers the willies at the sight of an abdomen being pried open by medical equipment.

All of this would just be mind-warping eye-candy, though, were it not for the fact that Tezuka makes each of these stories so emotionally affecting. There is a genuine undercurrent of sadness throughout, a haunting sense of heartbreak, and even, at times, moments of inspiration and elation. As strange as this is gonna sound (especially after the tumor-becomes-a-main-character reveal), while reading Black Jack, I kept being reminded of Carl Barks' classic Disney duck stories. Both series feature moody, misanthropic leads. Both use short, self-contained adventures as a means of slowly exploring the backgrounds and motivations of their lead characters. Both are drawn in an unabashedly 'cartoony' manner; their deceptively simple styles showcasing their creators' mastery of the artform. Oh, and both comics are hella fun to read. Yes, Osamu Tezuka's Black Jack might be the answer to that age old question: What would an EC Comic by Carl Barks look like?

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

2010-02-10T19:16:00.000-05:00

Recommended by Cristin
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell
By Susanna Clarke
Published by Bloomsbury
Surprisingly witty, eerie, and fantastical! It is always so delightful to experience an author’s unique perception of magic. It is obvious that Clarke is enamored of the highly detailed, creepy, and well-crafted world she has created.

Sounding the Trumpet by Richard Tofel

2010-02-10T19:09:00.001-05:00

Recommended by Steve
Sounding the Trumpet
By Richard Tofel
Published by Ivan R. Dee
This book is ideal for anyone interested in JFK history. Sounding the Trumpet is a full account of the making of one of history’s great inaugural speeches. Tofel does a great job of dissecting the speech and revealing the inspirations and contributions from the Bible to Shakespeare, and the man whose opinions and thoughts were one with JFK’s... Theodore Sorenson. Also recommended is Kennedy by Theodore Sorenson.

Silver Surfer: Requiem by J. Michael Straczinski

2010-02-10T18:48:00.009-05:00

Recommended by Josh
Silver Surfer: Requiem
By J. Michael Straczinski and Esad Ribic
Published by Marvel Comics
Since the Silver Surfer's inception in 1966, the character has been an outlet for countless authors' overwrought, over-written, middle-aged angst. But is it any wonder why? Unlike most of Marvel's menagerie, the Silver Surfer isn't a fast-talking teenager or a testosterone fueled he-man. He's an intellectual alien prone to alliterate elegies and impassioned pleas for peace. If you're a corporate comics writer with a flash drive full of unpublished poetry, you couldn't ask for a better mouthpiece!

Silver Surfer: Requiem by J.M. Straczynski & Esad Ribic continues this tradition. It's a four-issue funeral parlor farewell, complete with purple prose. The plot is simple: The Silver Surfer is dying, and has only one month to live. Ever the emotional E.T., he decides to spend his last 30 days re-visiting the people and places he loved most. If that sounds to you like a set-up for a series of somber guest-star appearances, you're right!

The first issue features the Fantastic Four, which is fitting, as theirs was the first comic book that the Silver Surfer appeared in. Straczynski does a nice job writing the FF here. Their dialogue and interactions are completely character based, reminding me of the original Kirby & Lee comics. The Thing and Johnny Storm's bickering is spot on (i.e. it's actually funny, and feels natural instead of forced), and Sue Storm is given a small moment of silent tenderness that'll break your heart. It's been a long time since a guest-spot has made me want to read more of the guest-stars' comics, but this book had me placing an order for the Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 2 as soon as I was finished. And in this world of synergistic sales, isn't that what guest spots are really all about?

Issue two is told from Spider-Man's perspective. Beginning with a goofy battle with a giant robot and ending with a solemn rooftop eulogy, this issue sees the Surfer finally connecting with Earth's inhabitants after 40-some-odd years (real time, not Marvel Comics time) of disconnect. Now, I know that this is sacrilege, but I've never been much of a Spider-Man fan. That said, I found his inclusion here to be inspired. Straczynski keeps all of the smart-alecy one-liners that the character is known for, but tweaks them, using them less as punchlines than as the sort of uncomfortable joking one resorts to when confronted with tragedy. It's a nice touch.

Oh, and as an added plus, this is the issue where we finally find out why the Silver Surfer rides a surfboard -- and the reason is pure, pothead poetry.

The third issue begins with a brief visit from the master of the mystical arts, Dr. Strange. ("Dr. Richards called me because...well, because doctors always consult other doctors when they find themselves at the end of a diagnosis they can't beat.") The doctor is there to say goodbye to the Surfer and to give him a magic flame. ("It is divided into two parts. That which existed before you came, and that which was created after [...] you saved our world from extinction. The fire of that knowledge will merge with you, will always be a part of you. [...] This way, you will always know what you preserved...and what was created through your kindness.") After thanking the Doc, the Silver Surfer takes off into outer space, headed home to the planet and the woman he was forced to leave years ago. But as this is only issue three of four, the Surfer is inevitably delayed en route -- this time by a religious war raging between two neighboring planets. Thus begins a brief, sci-fi side-story with obvious allegory a-plenty. In Straczynski's defense, I think that this mini-story's main goal isn't to preach, but to further illustrate Dr. Strange's "That which existed before you came, and that which was created after" line quoted above. Is it a touch heavy handed? You bet it is. But a touch heavy handed is what Silver Surfer fans have come to expect. It's as much a part of the character as the shiny, silver skin and the pupil-less, Orphan Annie eyes. Hell, even Stan Lee refers to his cosmic creation as "the most soliloquizing superhero of them all," and Stan is no stranger to heavy handed soliloquizing!

The fourth and final issue is narrated by The Watcher. It begins with an unconscious Silver Surfer lying sprawled out on his board, soaring through space. When he finally awakens, he finds that he is on his home planet, Zenn-La. Confined to a Kubrickian hospital bed with his beloved Shalla-Bal standing beside him, the Surfer becomes the star attraction of his own living wake. Citizens from all over Zenn-La stream past to thank the man that "saved them, their children, and their children's children." Even Galactus -- the giant, God-like, planet eater responsible for the Silver Surfer's life of solitude -- makes an appearance. I won't spoil the purpose of Galactus' visit, or what it means for the fate of the Silver Surfer and the people of Zenn-La. Suffice it to say, it provides the sort of ending that fits perfectly with what came before, yet was impossible to anticipate.

For better and for worse, SS:R's artist, Esad Ribic, is clearly of the 'Alex Ross school' of painted comic book art. In the book's few action scenes, this is a bit of a hindrance, as the characters tend to look static and slightly dull. Fortunately, there are only two such scenes. The rest of the time, Ribic's painted approach serves to enhance the intended solemnity of the piece. His autumnal palette keeps things sufficiently somber, and he makes outer space look infinite and isolating all at once. Ribic's best 'trick' is his portrayal of the Surfer. He gives the character very little visible emotion, yet by using repeated close-ups, we as the readers are forced to transfer whatever emotion we are feeling onto the character's mirror-like face.

Reading Silver Surfer: Requiem, I was repeatedly reminded of two other comics:
1. Dave Gibbons and Alan Moore's Watchmen #4 (a.k.a. The Dr. Manhattan issue)
In both SS:R and W#4, the lead characters have reached the end of their respective stays on Earth and are ready to move on. But where Dr. Manhattan's seeming omnipotence leaves him feeling largely removed from Earth's inhabitants, the Surfer's seeming omnipotence only expands his empathy. Another thing that struck me as similar was the way that both writers chose to accentuate the 'otherness' of their lead characters by using what could be called 'cold' or 'sterile' dialogue. While I know that this is a genre trope, both Moore and Straczynski managed to elevate it beyond mere cliché, transforming clunky and clinical terminology into something strangely beautiful.
2. Frank Quitely and Grant Morrison's All Star Superman
This one even more so. You have two alien superheroes dealing with their impending deaths. Superman has twelve days(?), the Silver Surfer has a month. Both are physically deteriorating, yet spiritually strong. Their last acts are to say goodbye to a who's who of funnybook friends, while working to ensure these friends' future safety. Both series' basic structures are also the same; each issue is a self-contained story, with all of these stories combining to tell one over-arching tale. And the endings! (WARNING: EXTREME SPOILERS AHEAD!) At the end of both series, both heroes become celestial light sources -- Superman becomes a part of/the heart of Earth's sun, and the Silver Surfer is transformed into a star.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not suggesting that Silver Surfer: Requiem is equal to either All Star Superman or Watchmen. Those two comics are gold medal classics, the work of insanely talented writers and artists at the top of their game. But I will say this: SS:R is one of the few corporate comics in recent memory which attempted to achieve something similarly artistic. All things considered, a silver medal seems totally apt.

Lost and Found by Carolyn Parkhurst

2010-02-10T18:44:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Kay
Lost and Found
By Carolyn Parkhurst
Published by Little, Brown and Co.
This novel, a subtle satire about an amazing race type reality show, features seven unlikely couples who scour the globe searching for love, treasure, fame, family, and themselves. Employing a constantly shifting perspective, Parkhurst admirably juggles the large cast of characters, whose carefully constructed TV-ready personas slowly unravel. Emotional confrontations, suppressed desires, and unexpected connections surprise the Vannes contestants in this delightfully complex and fast-paced story. The game show is treated as an opportunity for the characters to decide “What have you found?” The answer for readers is a thoroughly enjoyable journey.

Junky by William S. Burroughs

2010-02-10T18:39:00.005-05:00

Recommended by Wendell
Junky
By William S. Burroughs
Published by Penguin
A disturbing, but fascinating glimpse into the world of heroin addicts, written dispassionately with veritas. While the language may seem dated, the idea that addiction is a moral problem, rather than a health problem, is still relevant and prevalent today. This book is a subtle critique of addicts, their subculture, as well as societal attitudes towards them.

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

2010-02-10T18:36:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Michelle
The Eyre Affair
By Jasper Fforde
Published by Penguin
This witty literary mystery will delight word lovers and bibliophiles. Characters from great works of literature are being kidnapped, and literary detective Thursday Next is on the trail of the villain. The Eyre Affair is a quick-paced, quirky novel that is jam-packed with wordplay and sly references to enjoy.

An Ordinary Man by Paul Rusesabagina

2010-02-10T18:30:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Charlotte
An Ordinary Man
By Paul Rusesabagina
Published by Penguin
Paul Rusesabagina’s haunting and riveting memoir of his struggle to survive and provide leadership for 1,200 Rwandans who escaped the evil genocide of 1994 inspired the film Hotel Rwanda. The Rwandans looked up to Paul not as an “ordinary man”, but as a person of great determination, courage, and faith in a higher being. He is an exemplar of selflessness to the rest of the world.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

2010-02-10T00:39:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Michelle
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
By Alan Bradley
Published by Bantam
When Flavia de Luce knocks An Elementary Study of Chemistry to the floor while scaling the bookshelves of her family’s library, her life is changed forever by a consuming fascination with chemistry. She spends her days on the top floor of the East Wing of Buckshaw, the ancestral home of the de Luces, in a glorious laboratory that once belonged to her eccentric Uncle Tarquin. Nothing gives her more joy than conducting experiments and studying poisons, much to the dismay of her sisters, Ophelia and Daphne. When her father is implicated in the death of a stranger found in their garden, Flavia resolves to use her scientific skills to exonerate him. There’s just one problem…Flavia is eleven years old.
Alan Bradley has crafted one of the most charming sleuths ever. Flavia narrates the story with a voice that is clever, morbid, and hilarious. Opening up The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie to any page reveals dialog and prose that sparkle vivaciously, just like Flavia!

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

2010-02-10T00:32:00.019-05:00

Recommended by Steve
Still Alice
By Lisa Genova
$7.99, Published by Pocket Books
Author Lisa Genova has a PhD from Harvard University in Neuroscience. It is with these credentials that she has written an emotional novel of high impact that will touch all who read it. In the novel, Alice Howland is a Harvard University cognitive psychology professor at the height of her career. She leads a fulfilling life with a husband, three children and owns upscale homes in Cambridge and on Cape Cod. At the age of 50, she becomes aware of minor changes in her memory abilities. The affliction increases rapidly, leading her to seek a medical opinion. The diagnosis is early-onset Alzheimer’s.

The suspenseful novel is written through the unique perspective of the character of Alice. The reader gets insight into Alice’s frustration and inability to remember. Genova writes convincingly and in easy to understand terms about Alzheimer’s. The emotional pain Alice feels is intensified because she is aware of what is happening to her, and yet she has to endure people talking about her as if she were not present. Her family and friends are the ones forgetting she is still alive, that she still has feelings, and is still Alice. The book affected me emotionally, and tugged on my heartstrings. I highly recommend Still Alice, particularly for book club discussions.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2010-02-10T00:29:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Kathleen
The Help
By Kathryn Stockett
Published by Putnam
This book found its way into my hands because of a customer who told me this was the best book she had read this year. Always on the hunt for good, meaty summer fiction, I gave it my usual 3 pages...and I was hooked! It is 1962 in Jackson, Mississippi. Eugenia Phelan has come home from college and is attempting to become a writer. The budding social reformer takes on the risky and complicated task of a book based on the stories of the black women that clean the homes, raise the children and live with the white women of Phelan’s country-club set. Follow Aibileen and Minny as they tell the truth to Phelan about what it’s like to raise the white children only to see them grow into their racist parents, to be constantly fearful of losing their jobs, and of living in poverty and terrified of the law. Stockett handily draws characters that are memorable, repulsive and thought-provoking in a story that will keep you reading on your porch all evening.

Any Bitter Thing by Monica Wood

2010-02-10T00:24:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Steve
Any Bitter Thing
By Monica Wood
Published by Ballantine Books
Maine author Monica Wood is the one to keep your eyes on. Her tale of a Catholic woman recovering from a near fatal accident while simultaneously reflecting on and trying to resolve the conflict surrounding her uncle, a Maine priest accused of child molestation twenty one years ago, is powerful. Wood’s characters show depth and complexity. They struggle with the past, and are very human and real. With this book, Monica Wood can be added to the list of great Northern New England authors like John Irving.

The Seal Wife by Kathryn Harrison

2010-02-10T00:22:00.003-05:00

Recommended by Marjorie
The Seal Wife
By Kathryn Harrison
Published by Random House
The author tells this captivating story through the eyes of a male scientist who is on assignment at a weather station in the harsh, frontier town of Anchorage, Alaska, in the early 1900’s. He fills the depressingly long, sunless winter months with two consuming passions: the design of a novel weather kite, and his desire for an Aleut native woman. Her aloofness and self-absorbed nature, and her choice to not speak during their romantic meetings, only fuels his desire to possess her. When the Aleut woman goes away for several weeks, his life takes a poignant turn. Anyone who has traveled to Alaska, or worked in science will love this story.

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

2010-02-10T00:17:00.003-05:00

Recommended by Kathleen
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
By Jonathan Safran Foer
Published by Mariner Books
Foer established himself as a young writer to watch with his debut Everything is Illuminated. With his second novel, he is not just a writer to watch, but a writer that must be read. He tells the hilarious and heartbreaking story of nine year old Oskar Schell by inventively incorporating photographs and unusual typography into the narrative. Oskar’s search through New York to find the lock that fits a mysterious key belonging to his father, who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center, hauntingly addresses the great questions of life and love.

Little, Big by John Crowley

2010-02-10T00:12:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Michelle
Little, Big
By John Crowley
Published by HarperCollins
Little, Big is a mesmerizing, brilliant novel that predates Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by twenty years. Smoky Barnable falls in love with Daily Alice and loses himself in her strange, otherworldly family. Edgewood, a place not found on any map, is home to the Drinkwaters, an eccentric, secretive family living on the edge of reality. Filled with mystery, past and present drift as the tale of the Drinkwaters is uncovered. Like Mark Helprin’s Winter’s Tale, Little, Big blends myth and magic with a family saga. The result is an intoxicating and vivid masterpiece.

Three Junes by Julia Glass

2010-02-10T00:08:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Kay
Three Junes
By Julia Glass
Published by Anchor
This debut novel is wise and illuminating about the lives and loves of a Scottish family. Intelligent, well-written characters burst into life on these pages, and the insights about family interactions and happiness are so true. Three Junes is a perfect choice for book club discussions.

Crooked Little Heart by Anne Lamott

2010-02-10T00:04:00.007-05:00

Recommended by Kathleen
Crooked Little Heart
By Anne Lamott
Published by Anchor
I just love Anne Lamott’s writing. I give her memoir Operating Instructions to all the prospective parents I know. Her expressive writing style is tender and funny. Her novel, Crooked Little Heart asks big questions in intimate ways: what keeps a family together? What are the small heartbreaks that tear at the fabric of our lives? What happens to grief when it goes underground? And on what road must we walk with our flawed and crooked hearts? Don’t miss this gem!

End of Story by Peter Abrahams

2010-02-10T00:01:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Steve
End of Story
By Peter Abrahams
Published by HarperCollins
Local Falmouth author, Peter Abrahams, has written a compelling psychological thriller that offers unexpected suspense and surprise. Ivy, an ambitious struggling writer, takes a job teaching writing to prison inmates. Share her discovery of a rare talent in this most unlikely place and the reversal of roles that results. This is a terrific page-turner for the beach.

Possession by A.S. Byatt

2010-02-09T23:58:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Michelle
Possession
By A.S. Byatt
Published by Vintage Books
Possession is an intellectual mystery about two rival scholars, Maud and Roland, who endeavor to unravel the secrets of two Victorian poets through journals and letters. Brimming with a passionate love for words and books, Byatt has crafted a perfect novel of romance and wit. Anyone who is in love with the “reading life” will be enraptured by this book.

Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith

2010-02-09T23:54:00.003-05:00

Recommended by Charlotte
Blues Shoes and Happiness
By Alexander McCall Smith
Published by Anchor
This is another in the series of the "adventures" featuring the Number One Ladies' Detective Agency of Botswana. Ms. Precious with her infamous white van, and Ms. Makutsi, her assistant, investigate, probe, and eventually provide clever solutions to many age-old problems of mankind. Conclusion by Ms. Precious is that a "properly" brewed pot of bush tea will ease one's travels across the bumpy roads of life. One cannot buy happiness!

Postcards by Annie Proulx

2010-02-09T23:50:00.003-05:00

Recommended by Michelle
Postcards
By Annie Proulx
Published by Scribner Book Co.
This is Annie Proulx's debut novel which was eclipsed by The Shipping News. It is an alluring, dark contemplation of loneliness and forgiveness. Her character, Loyal Blood, is alienated and on the run from an awful mistake. Loyal's haunting past and long journey towards redemption is an absorbing story. Annie's writing is luminous with small details and alive with intelligence.

A Long Way Down by Nick Hornby

2010-02-09T23:46:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Steve
A Long Way Down
By Nick Hornby
Published by Riverhead Books
Funny and at the same time sad...how could it not be? Imagine being so utterly depressed that you decide to end it all by jumping to your death, and at that very moment, you meet three others who wish to do the same. Each chapter is written from the distinct voice of that character and makes them all the more real. Another author I recommend who writes this way is Daniel Wallace.

The Souls of Black Folk by W.E.B. Du Bois

2010-02-09T23:40:00.003-05:00

Recommended by Wendell
The Souls of Black Folk
By W.E.B. Du Bois
Penguin Classics
Du Bois is probably America’s foremost sociologist; his gorgeous prose elucidates the color line of his time. However, most of what he writes is still pertinent to today’s milieu. The subjects range from the death of his firstborn child to the politics of his day with the common thread of “the veil” (his metaphor for the dual nature of being black in the U.S.) running through it all.

Lapham Rising by Roger Rosenblatt

2010-02-09T23:38:00.004-05:00

Recommended by Kathleen
Lapham Rising
By Roger Rosenblatt
Published by Harper Perennial
Lapham Rising is a furiously funny novel that Cape Cod residents will find all too true. Harry March, a disgruntled novelist, is outraged by the huge trophy mansion that is being built across from his home in the Hamptons. His plot to bring down the house sets up a comedy of errors. Rosenblatt skewers our society’s worst excesses with a deft touch; he is a modern day Jonathan Swift.

Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris

2010-02-09T23:31:00.003-05:00

Recommended by Marjorie
Gentlemen and Players
By Joanne Harris
Published by Harper Perennial
Here is another spellbinding story from the acclaimed author of Chocolat. This intriguing novel, set at an English boys school, is cleverly constructed. Each chapter offers a piece of the puzzle, presenting a challenge for the reader to solve. You won’t want to put this book down!

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang

2010-02-09T23:24:00.003-05:00

Recommended by Michelle
Stories of Your Life and Others
By Ted Chiang
Orb Books
Ted Chiang’s short story collection is a heady blend of pure science and human emotion. He incorporates Fermat’s Principle of Least Time into a story about remembering the future and the loss of a child. In “Division by Zero” a mathematical concept explains the disintegration of a relationship. The award winning stories are intense, brilliant and captivating…they deserve a wider audience.

Don't Try This at Home by Kimberly Witherspoon

2010-02-09T19:09:00.005-05:00

Recommended by Kathleen
Don't Try This at Home
By Kathleen Witherspoon
Bloomsbury Publishing
This book delivers exactly what it promises...dire, yet entertaining stories from kitchens all over the world. Read about the chef who got drunk on the job to spite his boss, and the New Year’s Eve gala event that was an unmitigated disaster. Don’t Try This at Home proves that all of us can have an off day. If you are a Food Network addict, this book is for you!

Waiting by Ha Jin

2010-02-09T18:50:00.006-05:00

Recommended by Michelle
Waiting
By Ha Jin
Published by Vintage Books
This sublime novel is set in communist China in the second half of the 20th century. Torn between tradition and desire, army doctor Lin Kong spends years leading a double life. With simple prose that sounds like poetry, Ha Jin deftly creates an elegant, restrained love story.

Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy

2010-02-09T18:48:00.003-05:00

Recommended by Kay
Monkeewrench
By P.J. Tracy
This debut is a smart, funny thriller. The creators of a new software game called Serial Killer Detective are horrified to discover that game scenarios are being played out in real life. Monkeewrench has received rave reviews from many mystery authors like Harlan Coben, Robert Parker, and Nevada Barr for being an expertly researched and thoroughly enjoyable page turner. You won’t sleep a wink until you finish the book!

Train by Pete Dexter

2010-02-09T18:43:00.004-05:00

Recommended by Kathleen
Train
By Pete Dexter
Published by Vintage Books
Winner of the National Book Award. Train is vintage Pete Dexter - a fierce, tautly written novel of suspense and violence. Set in 1953, a young black man named Train is a golf prodigy who comes to the attention of a gambler with a plan. Add in a beautiful, wounded woman, and a dangerous triangle of scarred people is set to implode in this hypnotic crime novel.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro

2010-02-09T18:40:00.005-05:00

Recommended by Michelle
Never Let Me Go
By Kazuo Ishiguro
Published by Vintage Books
Ishiguro has written five other acclaimed novels, including Remains of the Day. His sixth, Never Let Me Go, is another stunning feat of writing. The choosing of words and details to fill each scene is done with such precise skill that the power of the novel grows imperceptibly until the final pages. Three children are bound by a terrible fate, pawns in a society that doesn’t see them as human. Particularly striking is the exploration of childhood logic, memory and behavior that becomes almost mythical upon retelling. This is a futuristic morality tale in the tradition of Margaret Atwood.

Andrew Jackson by H.W. Brands

2010-02-09T18:35:00.004-05:00

Recommended by Marjorie
Andrew Jackson: His Life & Times
By H.W. Brands
Published by Anchor Books
A great gift. This is by far and above the best biography I have ever read. The author has a wonderfully engaging writing style, which brings out Jackson’s colorful character to its fullest while also keeping the reader informed of the historical time-line.

The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl

2010-02-09T14:58:00.006-05:00

Recommended by Michelle
The Last Dickens
By Matthew Pearl
Published by Random House
Pearl plunges the reader into the world of 1870, skillfully blending historical fact and literary fiction into a riveting tale about Charles Dickens’ unfinished last novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
Drawing on original letters and newspapers, Pearl recounts the extraordinary celebrity of Dickens during his speaking tour of America, at a time when hundreds would line up overnight, enduring freezing temperatures in the hopes of obtaining tickets to his sold out shows.
The mystery begins when the seedy underworld of the opium trade washes ashore in Boston Harbor with tragic results. Daniel Sands, a young apprentice for publisher Fields, Osgood, & Co., is killed while on an errand to pick up the coveted manuscript of Dickens’ last serial installment of Drood.

Daniel’s mentor, James Osgood (of the aforementioned Fields, Osgood, & Co.) is disbelieving of the police’s insinuation that Daniel was involved with opium. In an effort to unravel the mystery, Osgood and Daniel’s sister Rebecca set sail for London to investigate the recently deceased Dickens’ papers. They hope the answers to Daniel’s death might lie in the missing ending to Drood.
Intelligent and fun, The Last Dickens is chock full of insights into the history of publishing, the politics of opium, and the trials and triumphs of literary genius.
Pearl has garnered acclaim for his previous books, The Dante Club and The Poe Shadow. His well-researched literary mysteries are thoroughly enjoyable, and particularly appealing to avid readers. They are literally literary. His titles say it all.

The Good Thief by Hannah Tinti

2010-02-09T14:45:00.005-05:00

Recommended by Michelle, Kathleen, and Steve
The Good Thief
By Hannah Tinti
Published by Dial Press
Michelle says, "The Good Thief is a rare find, a feat of imagination that thrills and captivates the reader from the first chapter. Set in Colonial New England, the unsettled and unlikely cast of heroes faces squalor and hard luck with a curious mix of deadpan humor and hope. Tinti tells a gripping tale about a one-handed orphan boy named Ren and his search to unravel the mystery of his past. The answer might lie with the charismatic and enigmatic con man, Benjamin Nab, who adopts twelve-year-old Ren from St. Anthony’s orphanage. Nab introduces Ren to a shadowy world of thieves, grave robbers, and mercenaries. A quirky household forms around Ren and Benjamin: Tom – an incurably drunk teacher, Mrs. Sands – who lets them stay for a night then can’t get rid of them, a dwarf - who lives on the roof and sneaks in at night by descending the chimney, and Dolly – a hired killer who was buried alive. Ren glues these strangers together in his humble desperation for a family, and he is the catalyst that cracks the hardened hearts of the adults around him who have been broken and scarred.
It’s not just the wonderful characters and plot that make The Good Thief a novel to treasure, it’s the talent and insight that Tinti exhibits with her assured writing style.
From the very first paragraph, the reader is a willing accomplice to the story. Tinti writes with a precise pen, using words with care – lavishly when Benjamin is in his tall-tale telling mode, and sparingly when a scene is sentimental:

“Is that what you wanted to hear?”
“No.”
The man reached over, took hold of the lantern, and blew it out. Night enveloped the barn.
“Well,” he said at last to the darkness between them, “that’s when you know it’s the truth.”

The irrepressible Ren lodges in your heart with his mix of world weary acceptance and yearning hopefulness. His search for his place in the world reveals the most basic of human needs: the desire to love and be loved."

Steve says, "By dropping you right into the middle of the action at St. Anthony’s orphanage, Hannah Tinti’s debut novel takes you on a fast paced journey. Immediately we learn that the protagonist Ren may never be adopted because of a physical deformity. Ren and the other orphans pine away their hours wishing for ideal parents. Upon leaving St. Anthony’s, Ren is immersed in a world of mayhem that includes: graves, medical science, murder, thieves, child laborers, and liars. Redemption is a major theme in this novel. A stolen copy of Lives of the Saints nurtures Ren’s faith in the bad company he keeps. All the characters suffer, but by the end, we find their suffering was worth it. Critically, the language is simple and beautiful. Emotionally, the words of the story flow, creating a fast paced fable, like a road race in Munchkinland. Our book club’s praise for The Good Thief was unanimous. I loved it so much that I read parts aloud to my wife. She is now anxious to read it too. I plan on buying copies for family and friends."

Kathleen says, "Let’s be frank, anyone who has ever been a member of a book club has been forced to read a book they would never have picked up on their own...and after having read the book, now had concrete evidence to back up their original reluctance. This is NOT the case with The Good Thief. True, I was forced to read it, but having been drawn into Hannah Tinti’s imagination from the very first paragraph, I was glad to accept my fate.
With few words, Ms. Tinti does an outstanding job imparting Ren’s desperation and the constant imagining of what life would be like with parents. When a man named Benjamin finally picks Ren out of the line-up, you find yourself warning Ren “be careful what you wish for.” As Benjamin and Ren set out together living a life of criminal pursuits, they meet characters that are both intensely flawed and uniquely endearing. Through a deft use of words and exceptional story-telling, this author raises the themes of family relationships, self-sacrifice, and the ultimate wish – to belong.
To add just the right amount of mystery to a novel, and keep the reader hanging on until the very last page, is truly an art - one that Hannah Tinti has mastered. For the beach, book club, travel or in the comfort of your own reading chair, I highly recommend The Good Thief to entertain, absorb and enthrall your inner-reader."

The Legend of Colton H. Bryant by Alexandra Fuller

2010-02-09T14:41:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Kathleen
The Legend of Colton H. Bryant
By Alexandra Fuller
Published by Penguin Books
Writing about what she knows gives Alexandra Fuller the ability to develop an unparalleled truthfulness and depth to both her scenes and subjects. The unusual format (short chapters with a hint of playwright) makes the story even more riveting. Reading this book means slipping from chapter to chapter as seamlessly as it is written. I have never been to Wyoming or visited an oil rig, but I can see them both in my mind’s eye with crystal clarity. Her subjects are people you wish you’d meet, but never seem to find, not unrealistic, just painfully tied to a harsh landscape with the hardscrabble incumbent wisdom. Purposely skipping the chapter index, I was shocked and thrilled at the end, which I intentionally delayed, to find out that this larger-than-life cowboy walked this earth. So few authors hit again with a third book, but Ms. Fuller surely did. We can only look forward to her next masterpiece.

Stand the Storm by Breena Clarke

2010-02-09T14:37:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Charlotte
Stand the Storm
By Breena Clarke
Published by Back Bay Books
Breena Clarke’s debut best selling historical novel, River, Cross My Heart, and her new novel take place in the historic Georgetown neighborhood in Washington, D.C. before, during, and after the Civil War. The author has spent many years doing research about the lives of African Americans in Georgetown who lived there since the 1770’s. Stand the Storm speaks to the complex circumstances for African American women during the early years of the Civil War because there was more than one slavery experience, and more than one freedom experience.

The Kiss Murder by Mehmet Murat Somer

2010-02-09T14:31:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Josh
The Kiss Murder
By Mehmet Murat Somer
Published by Penguin Books
A thriller by genre, a character piece at heart, Mehmet Murat Somer’s The Kiss Murder is a week in the life of an unnamed drag queen who looks like Audrey Hepburn and kickboxes like Tony Ja.
When one of the girls at ‘Audrey’s’ nightclub goes missing, our hero/ine finds him/herself thrust into a mystery involving right wing politicians, bored housewives, catty co-workers and lustful cabbies. There’s murder, of course, and sex. These are the stock and trade of mysteries, after all. But where The Kiss Murder subverts the genre is in its exploration of the Cinderella-like lives of the club queens who must make it home before sunrise lest their facial hair grow too thick. Somer has created a diverse community of outlandish outcasts who, when not fighting against their repressive society, are cat-fighting mercilessly amongst themselves. So vicious are these vixens that even the sudden disappearance of their cross-dressing co-worker fails to unite them. In fact, it makes things worse. Old rivalries re-arise, dead drama is resurrected, and what might have been a simple whodunit becomes a labyrinthine journey through the backstreets and bachelor pads of Istanbul.
In Turkey, Somer’s anonymous Audrey Hepburn lookalike is already the star of her own series of books. Not only is she the classic, accidental action hero, but she’s got enough emotional baggage and quirky acquaintances to fill a dozen novels. Beneath ‘Audrey’s’ fantastic facade of witty one liners and stylish ensembles, she’s all of us, male and female.

Italian Folktales by Italo Calvino

2010-02-09T14:27:00.003-05:00

Recommended by Wendell
Italian Folktales
By Italo Calvino
Published by Harvest Books
Calvino’s Italian Folktales is now my favorite folktale collection. It is a huge paperback with hundreds of stories in it, which average about two pages each. Calvino collected Italian folktales, sometimes building on previous folktale collectors’ work, and made slight changes - which he makes note of, unlike the Grimms - for continuity or even aesthetics. I would not have noticed the changes myself, as the tales still feel “authentic” to the spirit of the story, while having an elegant simplicity to the language, even in translation! The wonder I find in the stories shares space with a matter-of-fact attitude towards the roughness of life-giving it no more or less attention than it should have - as well as just the right amount of the bizarre to please my tastes. Thanks to these folktales, my imagination is sparked, and my interest in using the phrase “seek my fortune” in daily life is growing. Now to see whether this fortune includes a castle!

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

2010-02-09T14:12:00.003-05:00

Recommended by Kay
The Girl Who Played with Fire
By Stieg Larsson
Larsson’s follow up to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is superb. Lisbeth Salander, a misanthropic computer genius, is accused of a double murder, and she goes into hiding while trying to clear her name. These Swedish mysteries are international bestsellers - which comes as no suprise as they are smart, tautly written and provocative.

Sweeping Up Glass by Carolyn Wall

2010-02-09T14:09:00.001-05:00

Recommended by Kathleen
Sweeping Up Glass
By Carolyn Wall
Published by Delta
This book has the distinction of possessing the best-last-50-pages of any book I have read this year. The other 286 pages are excellent also! Olivia has lived on her mountain top for all of her hard-scrabble life. This debut novel begins in her middle age at a point when she has to stand up to hunters killing wolves, the town toughs and her own family. Discover, as I did, in Wall’s tight, emotional writing the strength Olivia possesses as she fights for her beliefs. Inspiring, entertaining and the perfect read for your enjoyment and/or that of your book club.

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters

2010-02-09T14:02:00.001-05:00

Recommended by Michelle
The Little Stranger
By Sarah Waters
Published by Riverhead Books
Sarah Waters (Fingersmith and The Night Watch) has built a reputation for writing literary gothic stories reminiscent of Henry James and Shirley Jackson. Her talents for creating realistic historical settings and unique characters come to fruition in her newest novel, The Little Stranger.
Post WW2, the Ayres family struggles to hold onto Hundreds Hall, a crumbling English great house that still retains a fading remnant of its glory. Mrs. Ayres clings to her past in an attempt to imagine that the aristocracy still holds power, even as massive social changes sweep postwar England. Her son, Roderick, terribly wounded and scarred from battle, exhausts himself working on the land to try to keep Hundreds solvent. Spinster daughter, Caroline, who is bright and bitter, tries to keep up some semblance of family.
Into their Grey Gardens style lives appears Dr. Faraday, who as a young boy visited the great house during a village fête, and became enamored of Hundreds. The Ayres alternately welcome the distraction of the outsider Faraday and then remind him of his humble origins.
Each character is trapped by circumstance and by the house that holds deep secrets. Their lives are bound by a darkness they have yet to comprehend, and the unraveling of their pride, fears, and longings brews up a chilling storm of consequences.
The Little Stranger makes for compelling reading; in addition to featuring nuanced characters and psychological insight, it has a surprise ending that will change your interpretation of all the preceding events.

Darling Jim by Christian Moerk

2010-02-09T13:53:00.002-05:00

Recommended by Michelle
Darling Jim
By Christian Moerk
Published by Henry Holt & Co.
Moerk spins a deliciously dark, modern fairy tale about three sisters and a mysterious stranger who simultaneously entices and repels them. In a small Irish town, the Walsh sisters, Fiona, Aoife, and Róisín, rue the day that a séanachai (Irish storyteller) named Jim Quick rode in on his red motorcycle luring them with tales of wolves, murder, and true love. The rich, mythic words Jim recites in packed local pubs haunt each sister’s reality by having surprising parallels to their interactions with him. Jealousy and rivalry are put aside as they seek to uncover Jim’s past when his dark proclivities gnaw at the initial glamour he had cast upon them.
Layered with stories within stories, the end of the book is actually revealed in the first chapter. This is remarkably effective in propelling the reader through the pages since the path the story takes is more important than where the path ends. By showing the fate of the characters at the beginning, the reader becomes entranced by the story, yet is constantly reminded by the implacability of the ending. It sets up a complex and rewarding tension throughout the novel.
The greatest strength in the book is the individual voice of each sister as she tells her story through a journal. The eldest, red-haired Fiona, understands and unconditionally loves her younger sisters. Aoife is exploratory and free-spirited. Róisín is a quirky, dark-haired pixie, who also happens to be an anti-social genius. The perspective of each sister enriches the story, adding new details and motivations to each event as it is remembered. Darling Jim is a fiercely provocative and heartfelt fable of desire, betrayal, and above all - love.

The Glass Room by Simon Mawer

2010-02-09T13:51:00.004-05:00

Recommended by Steve
The Glass Room
By Simon Mawer
Published by Other Press
Don’t be deceived by the cover nor the weight of this hefty four hundred and sixteen page novel. This was a book I never would have picked up, but am so glad I did. Simon Mawer’s brilliant literary masterpiece (nominated as a finalist for the Booker Award) is a well-written and fun read for the culturally endowed.
The pivotal setting of this literary novel is an ultra modern house built in the mid nineteen twenties on the side of a Czechoslovakian slope with complex characters as spokes. Love is apparent as Viktor Landauer, a Jewish businessman, marries Liesl, a Christian. With an abundance of money, the Landauers hire Rainer Von Abt, an elite German architect who designs buildings with a Bauhaus dogma.
The Landauer House is a splendid feat of design with an enormous glass room and an onyx wall. The philosophy behind the structure is that everything is transparent. The characters struggle with this as they often have hidden lives. Although the book is fiction, there actually is such a house, and the book reads like a historical novel. Throughout the book is the use of the Czech and German languages which enhances the prose, and is never cumbersome. The context makes it easy to understand the foreign phrases.
As the novel progresses, music and the arts flourish in the house as the philanthropic and cultured Landauers entertain in their new home and raise their children. Life is good. As the tumultuous thirties gain momentum in Europe with the rise of the Nazi party, the main characters parallel the confusion going on in the world. Whom do you trust? For the characters it also includes who is sleeping with whom?
Viktor Landauer foresees the future, and begins setting up Swiss Bank accounts and turning over his assets to Liesel’s family. He plans flight for his wife, two children, his mistress and her child, and himself. The character with the most strength, Liesel’s best friend Hana, remains behind. After the family flees the country and abandons the house, it then serves a variety of uses including a genetic lab for research by the Germans in hopes of finding the key factor in Hitler’s racial propaganda.
I would love to reveal the ending but will not. Those that pick up this gem will have an opportunity to discover the surprising conclusion for themselves.