From The Files Of Det. Peter Coleho, L.A.P.D. (From The Files Of Det. Peter Coelho, L.A.P.D. Book 1)

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. She realizes time is short. She makes a list of things to do which includes: The book affected me emotionally, and tugged on my heartstrings. There are many moving moments in the book such as when Alice gets lost in her neighborhood, and the most powerful for me is when she gets lost in her own home, frantically trying to remember where the bathroom is.

I highly recommend Still Alice , particularly for book club discussions. 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. 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. 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. 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: Night enveloped the barn. His search for his place in the world reveals the most basic of human needs: 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.

Redemption is a major theme in this novel. 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.

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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. With few words, Ms. 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. Harris delivers a perfect historical mystery. Cyr, a former soldier and a gentleman, is forced into hiding when his dueling pistol is found at the scene of a murder. He becomes the prime suspect in the brutal slaying of an actress who had suspicious political connections.

With insight and humor, Harris gives us a story filled with the most classic themes: Babcock, this book is a life changer! Take control of your health by learning what to eat as well as what to avoid to maintain the proper pH. Fat exists to keep toxins away from vital organs, and that is why most diets do not work. You may cut down on consumption, but the fat will remain long after the decrease to protect the organs from the toxins.

I adore it for different reasons than the reviewer. Unleashing philosophical diatribes in the character of Martin Dean, an Australian man as quirky as the outback, it is clear why Toltz was short-listed for the Booker Prize.

Newsletter #85 March — May, 2009

Dean is raising his ever-forgiving son on his own, in a labyrinth, while suffering under the shadow of a murderous, iconic brother. He utters some very clever lines! 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. Laetitia Talbot finds herself not quite welcome at Villa Europa, the home of Theodore Russell who is a prominent archaeologist on the island of Crete. Laetitia is an aspiring amateur archaeologist, but her excitement for her first dig is tempered by the inexplicable hostility of Mr.

Russell, and by the apparent suicide of his wife Phoebe. The twists of the plot and the wonderful characterizations add to the storytelling, however it is the well-researched, fascinating tidbits about the history of Crete and the ancient Minoan civilization that delight the reader. The Tomb of Zeus succeeds with a depth beyond the traditional mystery.

She loves to cook! During the course of being a first time business owner she reveals her life slowly as if preparing a complex yet sumptuous cuisine. Making her tiny Paris restaurant profitable and also living there is a struggle. Literally, her work is her home. The book has a distinct meter, and the use of the words makes the novel read like a poem. The book is intelligent and complex.

Thanks are due to Kathleen for the terrific suggestion. In addition to using language to potent effect, the author plays with an unusual format of linked short stories — each chapter delves into the life of one person from the Steenwyck family tree starting in the s and progressing to the modern day.

Each generation carries on the legacy of the original patriarch, Dr. Olaf van Schuler, by pursuing the medical profession. Interwoven into the narrative is the history of a burgeoning New York City from its beginnings as New Amsterdam in the 17th Century. The resulting scandal is huge and involves not only the teenagers themselves, but also the parents and faculty. Told in different voices from varying points of view, Shreve has written an absorbing emotional story with compassion for all the characters while delineating the moral dilemmas and tragic consequences that can result from a single reckless act.

On this planet we are all one. We all feel the same emotions: We all make mistakes and try to learn from them. These essays eliminate our surfaces and reach to the roots of our ideals, emotions, and souls. NPR listening will become a fixture in your life because of this book.

The Woman Warrior has all the mystery, wonder, and torment of an ancient myth, while being rooted in her own life. She successfully conveys a sense of what it must be like to be a first generation American of any background, finding themselves in between two cultures, having allegiances to both though struggling with reconciling the conflicts that arise.

This book is a fascinating look into the convergence of two major cultures happening in one person. September Staff Picks White Heat: Her brilliant and patient research of a recently discovered trunk of personal letters has brought us a real life drama. White Heat is lot like that trunk of letters in the attic that made this book possible, it contains hidden gems.

Marianne arrives at the bedside of a burn victim and tells tales of medieval, international romance and intrigue. Davidson adeptly crosses between worlds and time periods with main characters you will remember long after you finish the book. When she receives a mysterious letter from a stranger who found her name in a book by Charles Lamb, not only does it solve her writer's block, it introduces her to the quirky inhabitants of the island of Guernsey.

Juliet finds solace in the stories of the inhabitants of Guernsey which was occupied for five years by the Germans during WWII. The novel is strikingly told through letters between the characters, and each voice is distinct and amusing. Guernsey is a loving ode to the transformative power of literature which can reveal hidden truths and help us through the darkest days. Eight years ago he brought his perfectionism and class to the written word with his excellent memoir, The Measure of a Man , a memoir in which he traced his life from being born and raised in the Bahamas to becoming a movie star.

In Life Beyond Measure he offers heartening stories and life lessons to his adorable 2 year old great granddaughter, Ayele. Poitier moved us to tears in To Sir With Love and Lilies of the Field will have your eyes just as misty when you read his newest memoir. Every gumdrop you can think of is here to make this an unforgettable read. At the age of ten pianist Dawn Baliff performed with Leonard Bernstein, and was accepted into the Peabody Conservatory of Music at age Through a brazen act as musical undergrad she appeared in a standing ovation concert that made her a high demand musician.

Dawn will begin a new path of healing as she is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This unknown gem is a compassionate read for women and men who are sensitive and intelligent. Notes From A Minor Key allows men a greater understanding of women and vice versa. Book clubs will find this a great selection. The conferences are where the Dalai Lama and prominent scientists in their fields share findings and learn from each other. The conference focusing on neuroplasticity was particularly interesting, because Buddhist thought has long held that the mind can change the brain through mental training and discipline.

Neuroscience has recently found neuroplasticity—the capacity of the brain to be re-wired at any stage of life—to be experimentally verifiable, and even an integral part of the machinations of the brain. Of course, it takes work to do such a thing intentionally, but the book—excellently written by Begley for layfolk curious about science—shows the myriad possibilities and aspects of neuroplasticity. Most salient for me is how neuroplasticity disproves genetic determinism—likely a misreading of genetic studies by science writers who have an agenda, as genetics are stunningly complex—and shows not only how our surroundings are constantly shaping who we are as individuals, but also how neuroplasticity makes a better case for taking responsibility for oneself.

By extension, this new area of neuroscience makes an excellent case for living in accordance with the golden rule, though this is my own ideology talking now! All in all, Train your Mind, Change Your Brain is a book that has the potential to inspire, and to instill wonder at how we can, indeed, change who we are if we so wish. Been there, done that? The story centers on the murder of a family and the ripple effect of the crime on the townspeople.

Written in a spare, stimulating fashion, this novel keeps you on your toes both with its plot and prose. Pared down to potent pages, each one is a concentrated nugget of inventive writing. This multi-layered first novel would be a perfect consideration for your book club as it is sure to generate discussion. Similar to taking your finger to the first domino in a row I loved this book! The Abstinence Teacher is a satire filled with characters: The protagonist, Ruth Ramsey, has the strength throughout the story. Women and men will identify with her when she stands up for her beliefs.

Many of the residents of Stonewood Heights are flawed with some affliction or habit. Whether it is religion or sex education, the author never forces his point of view. It is a great novel that lets us reside with our own perspectives. It is a huge paperback with hundreds of stories in it, which average about two pages each. 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.

Now to see whether this fortune includes a castle! May Staff Picks Counselor: Kennedy, the first member of his staff and one of the last surviving members, making Counselor a must read memoir. In Counselor , Sorensen remains the gentleman. With so much material on JFK, we might think we have heard it all. Surprisingly, we have not. Counselor includes new information: People in Washington are still eager to be the next Sorensen, and after reading this memoir you will truly understand why.

There is some interesting historical baseball trivia in the book as well. The author keeps things light with his humor, with very few interjections of his opinion. The situation-dependent responsibilities of each fielder; the many different kinds of pitches there are, the complexity of calculating some statistics, the vagaries of official scorekeeping, and much more helps the reader learn to watch the subtleties and nuances of baseball. This may not be the best book for a long-time baseball fan, but anyone who wants to know more beyond what each fielding position is called should pick it up.

One thing that concerns me is that there is no index for quick searches for a specific bit of information. Discovering the Game within the Game is also a good starter baseball book, with small asides from Remy of his opinions and perspective, including a lot of Red Sox coverage—great for a Red Sox fan who wants to learn more or relive some Red Sox moments.

The past is never truly behind us, as 98 year old Grace discovers when a filmmaker comes asking questions about the alleged suicide of a poet that happened 70 years ago. When Grace was a teen, she entered into service of the Hartford family at Riverton House, and witnessed the death of the poet, R. After long years of silence, Grace must confront the truth of the loves and lives lost through chance and choice.

The House at Riverton is not only a gripping novel - it is also a thoughtful meditation on the devastation of war, the end of an era, family loyalty, aging, memory, and love. Here is the book for you. Donald Ray Pollack has written an unabashed, meaty, raging series of connected short stories that include hermits and abuse — and this is his debut! Meet the folks from Knockemstiff the actual name of Mr. Worth your time, if you dare. How to Read A Painting: Well, redemption is at hand!

You may have asked yourself what the masters were talking about in their paintings. De Rynck asks and answers it. We may only see the works as old and stuffy, albeit sometimes pretty, canvases. De Rynck discusses about European masterworks from the 13th through the 19th century. He tells who and why, what the symbols mean, and how the work fits into local history and culture. Each work gets two pages for images and text.

It can be a doorway, or it can be just enough. In other words, how we remember home, and how we communicate these memories to another. It is, in any event, nicely sized for reading, whether in bed, the conservatory, or in an armchair in front of the fire. The second odd bit is the author. No strings attached there. And by the end of his page book most of his readers will likely want to hear some violins. Marchese chronicles the saga of premier violin crafter Sam Zygmuntowicz in Brooklyn, New York as he creates a new instrument for Eugene Drucker, one of the top violinists in the world, who usually plays a Stradivarius.

While the construction of the Drucker fiddle a disconcerting choice of word, but one used extensively by author and violin maker forms the backbone of the story, Marchese takes us into the world of geniuses and hucksters, concert violinists of the first rank and up and comers playing church picnics. Marchese follows his fascination with Stradivarius all the way to Cremona, Italy, where live and work well over a hundred violin makers. We learn how little is known of Stradivarius, and we learn about other geniuses, like Guarneri, as well as about collectors and salesmen and musicians.

We get mythology and legend and what truth can be had, and a completely fascinating view of a great maker creating a violin from scratch, from choice of wood through painstaking shaving and carving using tools as small as a thumbnail to the final treatment of varnish. In all, a delightful, informative book for anyone who has the slightest interest in such arcane struggles and accomplishments, well seasoned with history and personalities.

The character Ali had me wrapped around her finger. She is seductive, reads over a books a year, is a nonconformist, carefree, and a classical musician and composer. Women may either relate to her or hate her. Men who read this book will fall all over her. Patry Francis is an immensely talented new novelist who knows just how to keep her readers guessing.

This woman can write! He paints a picture of an historical, but fictional Italy where there was enough forest to allow the main charcater to travel for miles from tree to tree. He lives a full, interesting life which you vicariously enjoy. Much fun, and masterfully told. Underhill stumbled upon a career in the "science of shopping" by applying ideas he learned from anthropology and environmental psychology to consumers. Small realizations about how people react to their environment e.

With humor and a brass tacks kind of writing, Underhill has condensed the massive amounts of data he accumulated through his company, Envirosell, into a pithy must-read for all people in the business of selling, and for anyone interested in human nature. There is also a struggle between economic progress and love for the land, between haves and have-nots. This is an intricate story with several plot lines and the author displays his superb ability as he draws the threads together. Down River is a truly engrossing read. The pages contain 80 short essays that will move one to tears, to laugh, or to ponder.

You may even consider penning an essay on your own beliefs to submit to NPR. I am unintentionally a different person because of this book, and know anyone who reads it will be inspired by more than one of the essays. Editor John Updike with co-editor Katrina Kenison have compiled a collection of American short stories that spans the twentieth century years from to The expanded edition is augmented with interesting editorial comments about the process of selecting the 66 stories, with the aim of having the stories reflect the flavor of their respective decades.

I was not disappointed in their selections. Each story has its own brand of uniqueness, entertainment, and depth. The beauty of this collection is that there are so many stories with diverse topics, and each is short enough in length to read in one sitting. This makes it an ideal choice for those of us with overextended lives and relatively limited time to read in the evenings. Reasoned discourse on the issues, or emotion? The Democrats discuss the issues, bringing the power of reason to bear on the important matters. The Republicans go after your emotions.

The Republicans win elections. He is a lucid, compelling writer. In the first half he explains the nitty-gritty of how the mind processes messages and emotion. Then, in the second part of Political Brain Westen explains how savvy Republicans twist things up and how Democrats let them get away with it. And then he shows you how the Democrats can start winning again, and winning honestly, with integrity, not by the cheap manipulation of your emotions.

Principles matter, and honestly coupled with emotional underpinnings, principles win elections. One of them got to your emotions. Westen tells you how and why, and gives you the tools you need to make a genuinely intelligent decision and not get bamboozled again. Read it at least twice. This review of an older book published in came about through a discussion with fellow bookseller Cristin about the kind of books that make your fingers itch with a yearning to fly through the pages. Moonheart is a delightful, fantastical book dense with mythology Native American and Welsh , magic, and music.

Sara Kendall and her Uncle Jamie co-own a wonderful, eclectic antiques and books shop in Ottawa. When Sara discovers a Native American medicine bag with a gold ring, a bone disc, and a feather inside, her fate becomes entwined with the mysterious artifacts. From the first paragraph, I was hooked on The Laments. Page one had me laughing out loud. I read the paragraph to my wife Donna, and soon we were both laughing. The novel is not all laughs - there are themes that the characters evolve with: Similar to a Dickens novel, Tom goes from a child laborer to becoming an exclusive prep school student by means of a mysterious family benefactor.

After making a pact that will haunt him, he proceeds with his education to become a doctor. With humor and insight, Tom Bedlam delves into the issues of family, grief, and loyalty. A Biography is the story of the rise of one of the most elusive African-American writers out of desperate poverty and virulent racism to reign as one of the most sought after intellectuals in America. In the epilogue, he questions why the invisible man is never more hated than when he is honest, and never more loved than when he says what people want to hear.

Two main characters become obsessed with their search for one particular novel which has escaped their grasp a major flaw in the printing of the book has made it impossible for them to reach a satisfying conclusion. Befuddled and totally entranced by their pursuit of this mysterious novel, the two protagonists develop a friendship that blossoms because of their mutual misadventures. The writing is superior. The author cleverly describes how this radical change impacts the Price family as each member attempts to adjust to life in the rural Belgian Congo village of Kalanga. For example, they find that the villagers, with the exception of the Chief, were lucky to have even one set of clothes.

Fueled by an undercurrent of tribal and political unrest, the clash between these traditions and cultures slowly skyrockets and the story concludes with a suspenseful ending. Every Cape Codder will relate to the antics of the anti-social Harry vs. Rosenblatt is a prize-winning journalist and television commentator. This is his first novel, but I am ever hopeful not his last. Rowland brings to life the vibrancy of feudal Edo Tokyo , and gracefully weaves fascinating details about the time period and culture into the unfolding mystery. On his recommendation, I read Blind Watchers of the Sky.

Kolb, theoretical astrophysicist and a Professor and Chair of the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Chicago is described as having a dry wit. His humor enlivens this history of cosmology, and makes the personalities behind the great astronomical discoveries of the past years really come to life. My favorite part of the book follows the passions and obsessions of two early astronomers: After reading Blind Watchers , the night sky is more comprehensible, but even more awe inspiring. Leaving Saturn is a collection of masterful sounds and edgy beats. He makes you see steam grates and smell city smells.

His work goes through incredible phrases - at once hard and soft. Jackson explores more than his observations of life in Philadelphia. He takes stock of what it is to be an artist, a master of words when all thoughts and words seem used and taxed. His energy - wild and uninhibited - is well worth your while. The result of her experiment is a smart, quirky collection of essays that avid readers will gobble up. You will certainly be captivated by her year long adventure in literature, and ready to start your own list of must-reads, starting with So Many Books, So Little Time!

How I adore, truly adore Henry Smart. This book had me after the first sentence. I am bound to it, invested in it, in love with it. My sister read it and highly recommended it, and how I thank her! This is one passionate, raucous, brilliant tale of an unforgettable Irish rebel, Henry Smart. It is a truly Irish experience and it will make your eyes sparkle in a way that is exclusively, mischievously, magically Irish. September Staff Picks Radical Acceptance: 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. This was a book I never would have picked up, but am so glad I did. 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. 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 enha nces 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. 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? He plans flight for his wife, two children, his mistress and her child, and himself. 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. As always he delivers a suspenseful story full of twists and turns. While investigating the cold-blooded murder of a liquor-store owner he becomes involved with the Chinese Underworld and their triads. He pays no attention to a warning to drop the case, but then his daughter, who lives in Hong Kong with her mother, his ex-wife , is kidnapped.

With his personal and professional lives now intertwined Bosch flies to Hong Kong and the action ratchets way up. This is a really entertaining entry in the crime-thriller genre from one of my favorite authors. From his humble beginnings as a foundling with an abusive father, David Martin attains huge success as the author of gothic thrillers, yet remains haunted by his lack of acceptance among his peers and from Cristina, the woman he loves.

Betrayed by his most trusted mentor and disappointed with the failure of his latest book, David rashly accepts a commission from a foreign publisher named Andreas Corelli. Zafon writes in a richly descriptive prose that is the perfect ingredient for a literary gothic novel. The settings he creates are spectacular and inventive: A Memoir by Edward Kennedy, better known as Ted, has captured his life in an autobiographical page book that is both entertaining and educational.

A few readers have chosen to limit their reading to the juicy parts or the gossip of this memoir, i. It is the rest of the material in the book that chronicles his life as the youngest of the Kennedy siblings, and also provides insight about the members of his extraordinary family. It is a fascinating history from the perspective of last surviving child of Rose and Joseph Kennedy.

Despite being hostages to fortune, the emphasis for the Kennedy Clan was strong family ties and a focus on intelligence and spirituality. True Compass upholds his legacy as a survivor. 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. 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.

The Ayres alternately welcome the distraction of the outsider Faraday and then remind him of his humble origins. Each ch aracter 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.

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. Together these two words form the title of Ms. Riggs eighth book featuring ninety-two-year-old sleuth Victoria Trumbull. All of Riggs' novels are named after plants and flowers, which double as clues in her mysteries. Marple quality to the story.

It features Islanders with eccentricities and old fashioned ways such as making jellied candies from island berries, raising chickens and goats, and quarreling with neighbors over an out of control rooster that crows morning, noon and night. The book opens with Victoria on an investigation involving murder and mistaken identity. When a fourth party arrives looking to get in on the action, even more bodies begin appearing! A sub-plot involving one of the rich homeowners, an unholy clergyman, and a chauffeur thickens the plot.

Cynthia Riggs' prose is clear and flowing. She uses rapid fire dialogue effectively, both as a way to propel the story and bring her characters to life. Death and Honesty makes a great, fun beach read. My only regret with this novel is that the character Victoria Trumbull did not have her usual Saturday night fare of baked beans.

It was my first reading of Beckett: I knew he was well-respected, and a writer who played with writing conventions. To exaggerate a bit, nothing at all happens in the book in the most glorious way. The two of them are convinced they have a destination or objective, yet they seem to wander about aimlessly. I chuckled, and then wondered what possibly could cause Mercier not to know whether he feels like singing.

Little absurdities tucked away throughout the text draw the reader in, and yet give one pause to think about any possible deeper levels they may imply. Whether or not more meaning actually lies in waiting is another matter, and feels like part of the exploration the reader goes on. There are some books where I can barely read the text due to the rough subject matter.

Only one or two passages in Mercier and Camier come anywhere near making me want to stop reading; however the episodic nature of the book keeps the pace moving which makes the scenes all the more fleeting. It may seem odd to say after all this that, while these two characters do exist in their own little world, their world is firmly entrenched in ours, with all the ethical and moral obligations intact.

Their rejection of our world and their unwitting creation of their very own is one of many reasons why this book interested me. These polysyllabic words give the characters a mad professor type of feel to them, which has a delicious tension with how absurd their banter and actions are. While n ot an easy or even straightforward book, Mercier and Camier is a rewarding meander.

Always on the hunt for good, meaty summer fiction, I gave it my usual 3 pages It is in Jackson, Mississippi. Eugenia Phelan has come home from college and is attempting to become a writer. Stockett handily draws characters that are memorable, repulsive and thought-provoking in a story that will keep you reading on your porch all evening. It started with Persuasion , ramped up with Emma , and is continued by Sense and Sensibility.

The latter has all the usual elements of a novel by Austen: Sense and Sensibility mentions the servants regularly throughout, unlike the other two novels. Also, it focuses on a pair of sisters, with one of them fulfilling the role of primary protagonist. There is a richness to their sisterhood, and it endears you to both of them, even when one holds a little less sense than the other.

In contrast, I found myself under-whelmed by the male characters. The previous books had male characters that impressed, while one in Sense and Sensibility comes off as a bore at first. Another is far too charming, to the point of being suspicious. Both characters eventually show other layers. The protagonist Elinor Dashwood is thought by some scholars to be one of the first literary depictions of a female intellectual. Her consideration of social situations and her pleasure at playing with ideas seem to back this up.

An advance copy of this book arrived in the mail late last year, and I began it immediately based on the back cover blurb. This book is my top pick for ! Nothing can compare to this captivating novel. The story begins with a young woman from Africa in an immigration detention center in Great Britain. Her life is intertwined with a British woman whose marriage is falling apart and the relationship between these women reflects not only a sharp realism, but the beauty possible in any coming together of two people.

This novel will keep you on the edge of your seat couch or bed until the final page. A heart of a novel in both its horrific depiction of violence in Africa to contemporary life in Europe and back again. I daresay this is of no import to Mr. Ball, though I could be mistaken. Indeed, there is a care for both the characters and the reader in this book, accompanied by an understanding that not all may find the book as engaging or enjoyable as others.

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As with his previous book, this one makes reality seem blurry. Please join me for the experiences and playfulness I hope to share with you. Because the thread of this book may not even end up being a thread! It may end up a web, and if the reader struggles or resists it may entrap and cause dis comfort. If the reader relaxes into it, the web serves nicely as a hammock of sorts, though dozing off is strictly prohibited; one must pay full attention to the swirls of characters and events moving throughout the web.

Others have noted his work does not follow many conventions of the novel. There have been writers who discarded these conventions in disgust and furrowed their brows to create a sort of reaction to the novel. Again, in this regard Ball comes off as playful, folding and re-folding conventions into forms—whether paper airplane or origami crane—which please him.

In his latest novel, the sentence structure is consciously shorter to mimic the noir mystery genre - think Raymond Chandler. Using the framework of a mystery opens a panoramic window to see into the private moments of a people whose very existence is threatened by deportation. Landsman bridges all levels of society as he investigates the death of a chess prodigy and son of the local, Orthodox mob boss. The murder is a thread that wends through the story, revealing and illuminating the secrets, fears, and bravery of an isolated and displaced people.

Chabon is funny and melancholy, often in the same sentence, and the result is a literary treat that has an appeal across genres and genders. If this sounds like yet another depressing memoir, fear not. No matter how bad things get, he chooses to highlight the absurdity of the situation rather than the tragedy. Foraging for food and alcohol becomes a treasure hunt. Getting arrested is treated as a comedy of manners.

Hell, even the violent crime that results in his hospitalization is only given one panel and two goofy sound effects! Of course, this casual approach to autobiography does have its draw backs. So then, what is Disappearance Diary? Hawthorne, reclusive and eccentric, fluctuated in his opinions about being a writer.

He even burned original drafts of his stories to control how he would be portrayed by future critics! The Etched City By K. The three authors do share an overall tone, one of loneliness in a hostile environment. Despite these surface similarities, The Etched City remains gloriously unclassifiable. The best way to describe it is by stringing together superlatives such as brilliant, strange, intense, and poetic so that the atmosphere of the story might come to life. Raule is a talented physician, on the run and seeking a new life after taking part in a failed revolution.

She finds her fate ensnared with that of Gwynn, a former mercenary, who is also a casualty of the bitter war. Bishop has crafted a stunning world - a decadent, crumbling empire where mercenaries, priests, and drug dealers rub shoulders, talk philosophy, and politely kill. This is an engaging, meticulously crafted novel that stands out in the current spate of stories about India and the life of the Indian people.

Congratulations to a well-deserving author. It ties together two murders of children committed twenty years apart and features a wonderful team of detectives - Cassie Maddox and Rob Ryan.

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Only Maddox knows that Ryan was the sole survivor in the case, and is still scarred by the experience. Set in contemporary Ireland, In the Woods is an intelligent, exciting story with a perfectly crafted plot. The unique perspective and illuminating observations in his non-fiction likely spring from his practiced ability at writing fiction. There is some discussion of his transition from jazz club owner to writer, though he primarily talks us through his thought process about and his motivation to write. He quickly found that creativity was draining to him on numerous levels, and had to change his jazz-club-influenced lifestyle.

He likens the creative process to searching for and drawing from a well until a piece is finished and the well runs dry—an exhausting process. Taking up running helped him stay strong physically and mentally when diving deep within himself for his stories. As one would expect from the title, he spends a good amount of the book speaking on long-distance running, and he was quite successful in keeping a non-runner like me interested.

His descriptions of the stages one goes through physically and mentally when running a marathon fascinated me because they were only partially related to what I would have imagined. I was amused at his frustration with the cycling aspect of a triathlon, because I myself prefer bikes to running! He is correct to point out that there is an elegant simplicity to running, while cycling uses a complex tool: The bike requires regular maintenance to reliably assist one in the act of cycling, while the only extraneous item needed for running is a pair of good athletic shoes.

Of course both running and cycling must be backed by rigorous training and care for the person and their body, but Murakami found himself frustrated during the triathlon having to depend on his bike. Set mostly in Boston, it encompasses social turmoil, racial prejudice, the Spanish flu pandemic, the molasses disaster, the birth of the union movement and the police strike of We meet anarchists, corrupt politicians and ordinary citizens struggling for survival, as well as some of the leading figures of the era including Babe Ruth, W. Dubois, and Calvin Coolidge.

Above all it is a story of people caught in turbulent times and ultimately a tribute to the triumph of the human spirit. It is set in Japan in the late s, with the music of the time playing a key role, and some commentary on the unrest of the time added. For the author, it was a challenge, and it turned out to be an incredibly successful venture, exploding his readership in his home country of Japan to such a degree that he felt the need to leave the country for a few years. Now Ballard joins forces with Bosch to find out what happened to Daisy, and to finally bring her killer to justice.

World-famous for its pastrami, cole slaw, and for its disappearing managers. The police are baffled. And why those words? And, most importantly, which of the mans many, many enemies did the deed? Baffled, the police are forced to bring in Private Investigator Daniel Hawthorne and his sidekick, the author Anthony.

All she left behind was her husband Martin and a mysterious string of numbers scribbled on a piece of paper. Every year on October 9th Chief Inspector William Wisting takes out the files to the case he was never able to solve. But now Martin Haugen is missing too. But is Wisting playing cat and mouse with a dangerous killer or a grief-stricken husband who cannot lay the past to rest? The kingdom is divided between those loyal to Catholic Mary and those who support her half-sister, Lady Elizabeth.

Former cutpurse turned paid assassin Jack Blackjack has more immediate matters to worry about. Having been ordered to kill a man, he determines to save him instead. But Jack defies his spymaster at his peril. As Vic digs deeper, she discovers that the dead man was obsessed with Middle Eastern archeology. The first clue in a bewildering case that leads to a stolen artifact and a shadowy network of international criminals. Planchon wants to kill his wife, or perhaps his wife and her lover, who for two years have been making him sleep on a cot in the dining room.

He has even worked out a plan to hide their bodies in concrete. November brings an influx of series and some unusual comics that bring words to life. The Tales of the Smiths was a daily strip now bound in a single volume documenting the early years of Morrissey and forming the band The Smiths. In dazzling artwork, Nick Hayes follows Rimbaud from his youth in Ardennes to the poetry salons of Paris, from the absinthe-glazed passion of his relationship with Verlaine to his flight into the jungles of Indonesia and the deserts of Yemen and Egypt.

Tales of The Smiths: The story reaches its climax with the meeting of Morrissey and Marr, the formation of the band in and their first gig as The Smiths. Gems and minerals, biscuits and pastries, fine-tailored jackets, or perhaps all of the above. The volume is divided into four chapters on larder, closet, hoard, and house, each representing a key element of her cozy, nerdy, bookish lifestyle. On a quest for self-understanding and self-acceptance, along the way, she seeks to answer some eternal questions- What makes us whole?

As they follow their tour guide, the giddy letter h also known as the Planck constant , Bob and Rick have crepes with Max Planck, talk to Einstein about atoms, visit Louis de Broglie in his castle, and hang out with Heisenberg on Heligoland. On the way, we find out that a dog — much like a cat — can be both dead and alive, the gaze of a mouse can change the universe, and a comic book can actually make quantum physics fun, easy to understand and downright enchanting.

But both the procedure and the newly formed Qs Squad are untested. Will they become heroes…or monsters?! Rao Pingru was a twenty-six-year-old soldier when he first saw the beautiful Mao Meitang. It was a moment that sparked a union that would last almost sixty years. But when Meitang passed away in , Pingru realised that their marriage and all the small moments and memories of a life together, would be lost to history.

And so at the age of eighty-eight, in an outpouring of love and grief, Pingru began to paint. Unfortunately, Pontus may not be as safe as Maika and her allies had hoped. As the impending war between humans and Arcanics creeps ever closer, and powerful players fight for the chance to control her future, Maika finds she must work with Zinn, the Monstrum that lives inside her, in order to ensure their mutual survival. But even that alliance might not be enough to prepare Maika for the horrors to come.

Who is this new vigilante superhero? Who is the new Kick-Ass? Find out in the first collection of Kick-Ass: Dragons are a huge influence in fantasy writing. They are embedded in storytelling traditions from European legends of beasts snacking on villages, ripe for a conquering by a hero, to Chinese and East Asian elemental figures, kin to the people of the land. Many authors have worked these figures into tales contemporary and as part of creating new worlds.

Martin, delves into the history of the Dragonlords. Centuries before the events of A Game of Thrones , House Targaryen—the only family of dragonlords to survive the Doom of Valyria—took up residence on Dragonstone. Dragons and hateful spirits haunt the flooded streets of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. In a parallel universe, a utopian society watches our world, trying to learn from our mistakes.

A black mother in the Jim Crow South must save her daughter from a fey offering impossible promises. These courageous dragonriders arrived from the past, traveling four hundred years to help their descendants survive. But the collision of past and present took its toll. While most of the displaced rescuers adapted to their new reality, others could not abide the jarring change and found themselves in soul-crushing exile, where unhappiness and resentment seethed… Now, in a world already beset by Thread, another, more insidious danger looms: For the first time in living memory, dragons may be on the verge of fighting dragons.

The ship encounters a technologically and culturally advanced alien empire, led by a royal family of dragons. As heir to his throne Sulema must be trained to take his place, yet the more she learns, the less she trusts the sinister agendas that surround her. Knowing that her life hangs in the balance, Sulema seeks to return to the Zeera.

Salvation may lie with her mother, Hafsa Azeina, who walks the dark and deadly pathways of the Dreaming Lands. To save her daughter, the dreamshifter will be forced to strike a pact with her greatest enemy, a huntress who would rather kill her than assist her. Drake of unimaginable power has risen, and it commands an army of both beasts and men. Humanity itself is at stake, but with the aid of ancient knowledge, revolutionary technology and unexpected allies, all hope is not lost.

Saving the world will require sacrifice, as Clay, Lizanne and Hilemore will see all they know either consumed by flames or reborn from the ashes. Trained as a slayer and predator, I learned to fit in and stay low. To become a tool for evil. My hesitation cost her her life. Captain Kate Fitzmaurice was born to sail. She has made a life of her own as a privateer and smuggler. Hired by the notorious Henry Wallace, spymaster for the queen of Freya, to find a young man who claims to be the true heir to the Freyan, she begins to believe that her ship has finally come in.

Stan Lee, co-creator of some of the most famous super heroes ever: It is no exaggeration to say that the comic creations he helped bring to life changed the global entertainment world profoundly. Some of those characters have permeated just about every aspect of world culture. His larger than life public persona often appeared as cameos in Marvel Universe films. Can Miguel trust this mysterious newcomer, or is she yet another obstacle in his quest for vengeance?

Adapted from Syndetics summary. Contents of this book include: A brief history of comic books. The Large print collection has a great range of fiction and non-fiction material. These books feature text at 18 points or larger for ease of reading. This month there are a swathe of new titles from well known contemporary authors and a few reprints of classic authors.

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Thrillers that navigate the twisted paths of dark deeds and stories that warm the heart. In Every Breath Nicolas Sparks uses a deft hand to bring to life chance encounters that can have extensive consequences. Take a look below for more recent titles. Zimbabwe-born safari guide Tru Walls is also in town, tracking down a man who claims to be his father. Sent to an obscure department of MI5 tasked with monitoring the comings and goings of British Fascist sympathizers.

Ten years later, Juliet is unexpectedly confronted by figures from her past. A different war is being fought now, on a different battleground, but Juliet finds herself once more under threat. Transcription is a work of rare depth and texture, a bravura modern novel of extraordinary power, wit and empathy. She never comes back. And life as the children know it is changed forever. Three years later, Jack is still in charge: A methodical, diligent, and exceptionally bright detective, South is an avid birdwatcher and trusted figure in his small town on the rugged Kentish coast.

He also lives with the deeply buried secret that, as a child in Northern Ireland, he may have killed a man. The Birdwatcher is British crime fiction at its finest; a stirring portrait of flawed, vulnerable investigators; a meticulously constructed mystery; and a primal story of fear, loyalty and vengeance.

When dragging the lake, not only do the divers find the murder victim, they also discover dozens of bones. Even more shocking is the identification of a unique belt buckle found among the bones. Working together with Chief Christie, Savich and Sherlock soon discover a frightening connection between the bones and the escaped psychopath. Borderline recluse Theo Grainger is scarred mentally and physically from an appalling fall seven years ago.

Adjusting to the presence of a TV documentary team next door is one thing. Dealing with Jen Matlock, who helps people in trouble whether they want her to or not, is something else entirely. Lily is fostered by the kind RAF pilot and his wife, Meg. Before long their lives are disrupted once again by the war and, with their home in ruins, they are forced to flee to the country. In Somerset, Lily is reunited with Rudy, the heroic dog. However it soon becomes clear that Rudy is not just her companion, he is protecting her too, and someone wants him out of the way.

She imagined searching the whole world for a place, high and remote as a sheep stell, quiet as a monastery — challenging and pristine. Janet has always tended sheep — first as a young girl in the Cheviots, then on an uninhabited island off the coast of New Zealand, with a bonfire as her only means of communication with the mainland. After a brutal attack, she was forced to leave her island and returned to England, where she married, became a smallholder in Sussex, and finally bought a hill farm in Somerset. In Rio , with the nation cheering her on, she did it all over again.

From a leisure centre in Leeds to the Olympic Stadium, Nicola has become the poster girl for women in sport. So whether it is a one, two or three pipe problem sit back look out the Persian slipper and relax into a great mystery read. When a distraught Scottish veteran from Afghanistan is knocked unconscious, waking up to find his beloved ex-service dog missing, Corinna and her lover, Daniel, find themselves inextricably drawn into the machinations of a notorious underworld gang of drug runners. While Billy is obviously mentally distressed, and cannot remember many concrete details, there is something sincere about him and his story.

But before Strike can question him further, Billy bolts from his office in a panic. City of Medicine, Money, Murder. Across the city in the New Town, medical student Will Raven is about to start his apprenticeship with the brilliant and renowned Dr Simpson. His house is like no other, full of visiting luminaries and daring experiments in the new medical frontier of anaesthesia.

A missing private investigator is found, locked in a car hidden deep in the woods. Worse still — both for his family and the police — is that his body was in an area that had already been searched. Everyone has secrets… Detective Inspector Siobhan Clarke is part of a new inquiry, combing through the mistakes of the original case.

Every officer involved must be questioned, and it seems everyone on the case has something to hide, and everything to lose. But there is one man who knows where the trail may lead — and that it could be the end of him: Because Bell died two years ago, they buried him. Or they thought they did. Where has he been all this time? Why did he disappear?

She has never been the kind of cop who leaves the job behind at the end of her shift -and she wants in. She will have to canvas opinion. Her intention is to halt the construction of the Big Fun Hotel, a dubious, flashy business near a graveyard — an act that many consider to be disrespectful. Mma Ramotswe will take the campaign as far as she can, but lurking around the corner, as ever, is the inextinguishable Violet Sephotho.

The unpredictable spring season brings a wealth of new material to the library. New to the fiction collection are seasoned writers exploring new territory and first time writers with a unique take on the world. Marcus Zuzak takes his writing in a new direction with Bridge of Clay describing the transformation of a family. Countering springtime, the spectre of Halloween is raised by a long established voice in vampire literature, Anne Rice has a new work on the long reign of Prince Lestat.