Sonora

Sonora by Hannah Lillith Assadi, 196 pages.
Ahlam is the daughter of a Palestinian refugee father and an Israeli mother. She and her friend Laura grow up in the desert outside of Phoenix, and they feel that they never really fit in.
When the two grow older, and start drinking too much and hanging out with meth-heads, they feel they have to flee the state and the region. Laura has fallen in love with an artist from New York, and they end up following him there. The book has an interesting style, written as a account of Ahlam's fevered thoughts and dreams. It's a first novel by an author who is also the daughter of a Jewish mother and a Palestinian father. An interesting read.

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler, 308 pages.
Rosemary tells us the tale of her broken family. Her brother Lowell left years ago and something happened to her sister, Fern. Rosemary doesn't tell us what right away, she lets her secrets out gradually. Fern was a chimpanzee raised as Rosemary's sister as part of her father's experiment.
Fowler tells of a time when this was a common sort of experiment with half-a-dozen animal-family experiments going on around the country. Lowell and Rosemary are left broken by the splitting of their family, and they both have to find a way to go on.
An engaging tale of family secrets, good intentions, and tragic results.

A Separation

A Separation by Katie Kitamura, 229 pages.

The unnamed narrator of Kitamura's novel starts to worry about her soon-to-be ex-husband when her mother-in-law, Isabella, calls to ask where he has gone. Isabella is worried about her son, and hasn't heard from him. Christopher, the husband / son in question, has run off to Greece to do some writing knowing that his marriage is over. The narrator is convinced by Isabella to go off and look for him; it seems easier to do that than to explain the state of her marriage to Isabella, As the narrator begins her search she finds out more about the man she had married, and discovers that there is a mystery here, more than just the "who is this man that I married?" mystery, though that's here too. A good choice for fans of intelligent prose with a bit of mystery.

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI

Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann, 338 pages.
When oil was discovered on land that had been ceded to the Osage tribe after they had been forced off the much larger area they had previously held members of the tribe became very rich. Fortunately for the members of the tribe, mineral rights had been part of the treaty they had signed. Unfortunately, the courts had appointed white guardians to "protect" the Osage and their fortunes. In the early 1920s, over the course of a couple of years, several Osage tribe members were murdered. Some of their allies and some investigators were murdered as well. Grann does an excellent job of recounting the events, the investigations, and the trials. He also points the finger at several members of the community who were not indicted. A fascinating read about an entire community seemingly willing to murder their neighbors because of their race and their property. Narrated by Will Patton, Ann Marie Lee, and Danny Campbell.

The cold cold ground

The cold cold ground / Adrian McKinty, read by Gerard Doyle, 320 pgs.

The OCD part of me never likes to read a series out of order but I started with the sixth in this series and loved it. But now I have to go back and fill in some background.  In this, the first Sean Duffy novel by McKinty, we meet Sean at 30.  He is a Catholic cop in Northern Ireland and still figuring a few things out.  Of course, he already has a lot under control.  Not his drinking, his smoking, or (he finds out) his sexuality.  He is a plodding cop (his description) who likes to figure things out.  When it seems like there is a serial killer taking out homosexuals (this is 1981, homosexual acts are still illegal in Northern Ireland), he applies the brawny brainpower to figure out the situation.  Not one to stop, even when his bosses take him off the case, he pieces together a story that sounds kind of nuts to everyone else.  Then he gets some confirmation that he is on to something.  I don't want to reveal any spoilers but am glad I've kept digging into Duffy.  Gerard Doyle does a great job of narrating.

Beartown

Beartown / Fredrik Backman, Read by Marin Ireland, 418 pgs.

This starts at a "sports" book but then turns into so much more.  Beartown is a dying town, more people are leaving than coming, jobs are scarce but there is still one focus...HOCKEY.  The junior team is coming on strong.  There is a legitimate star and they have a chance to win it all.  Winning is more than just a game.  If the town wins and is a hockey powerhouse, the hockey training academy might be located there and put Beartown back on the map.  With the academy might come a shopping area and other development.  Even though it is a sport, it means a lot to the population. We get to know many characters as the time grows closer to the quarter final.  Many players, their families, some of their friends.  Each more interesting than the last with personal stories that matter.  Then tragedy strikes.  Now everything is in question.  How will the town respond?  People who have been friends for years end up on different sides. Competition goes beyond the rink.  I listened to the audio of this book and was enthralled with Marin Ireland's narration.

The wildest race ever

The wildest race ever: the story of the 1904 Olympic marathon / Meghan McCarthy, 42 pgs.

A great book about the 1904 Olympic marathon held in St. Louis. McCarthy uses quotes from the newspaper reports of the time and shows us just how different this marathon is from contemporary sporting events.  Cars and bikes followed and lead the runners kicking up so much dust the competitors, at times, could not see.  The participants from around the world were not always well supported.  Felix Carvajal from Cuba stopped frequently along the route to eat as it was later discovered that he had spent all his money and not eaten for a couple of days before the race.  South African Len Tau lost a lot of time when he was chased by an angry dog and went off course by at least a mile.  The inside covers of the book are decorated with post cards from the era.  St. Louis at its finest, hosting the Worlds Fair and the Olympics.

The Gatekeepers

The gatekeepers: How the White House chiefs of staff define every presidency / Chris Whipple, 365 pgs.

A fascinating look at chiefs of staff from H. R. Haldeman (Nixon) to Denis McDonough (Obama).  It is very interesting to read about the role of the chief of staff...perhaps the most powerful person next to the President and who are not elected and not confirmed by the senate.  The best parts, of course, are the honest stories about mistakes made and personalities of the various men (yes, all men so far) who have held the job.  Don Regan (Reagan) was kind of a jack ass but sealed his exit when he hung up on the first lady.  Great for political junkies.

Saints for all occasions

Saints for all occasions / J. Courtney Sullivan, read by Susan Denaker, 335 pg.

Nora and Theresa Flynn leave Ireland for America where Nora, engaged to Charlie, plans to live for a few years to make money to buy their own farm in their home town.  Theresa is the younger of the two and much more interested in fashion, lipstick and meeting boys.  Not long after they arrive in America, Theresa finds herself in trouble and Nora, the responsible, believes she is taking care of the problem and doing what is best for everyone.  Fifty years past and the sisters are no longer speaking.  Without giving you any spoilers, believe me when I tell you this book does a great job of depicting the messiness of FAMILY.  Even when people love each other, there is still underlying resentment, anger, hurt feelings and SECRETS.  Of course, the secrets are my favorite.  I loved the way the book follows the sisters through their lives.  Once the party girl, Theresa is now a nun. Once a wall flower, Nora is now a strong mother of four that no one pushes around.  The audio is read well by Susan Denaker who provides accents where appropriate.

The tea girl of Hummingbird lane

The tea girl of Hummingbird lane / Lisa See, read by Ruthie Ann Miles and others, 380 pgs.

Li-Yan lives with her family who are tea farmers in the mountains of  China.  She is being trained as a midwife but doesn't have a lot of interest. She does well in school and may be able to be the one in her village who continues on to higher education (AKA secondary education).  Instead, she falls in love and ends up pregnant, a state that is unacceptable for an unmarried woman.  Her boyfriend has left for Thailand to make money so they CAN get married but the baby is coming too soon.  Despite thinking that her mother will make her "get rid" of the baby (kill it after it is born and bury it in the forest), she instead helps Li-Yan hide her pregnancy and deliver her new born to an orphanage.  The baby is adopted out to an American couple.  Li-Yan's life seems to be going down hill fast but then takes a turn when her teacher helps her get into a training program to become a tea expert.  She moves to the big city and starts a business.  Now she is interested in tracking down the daughter she gave up.  The story goes between Li-Yan's perspective and her daughter in America.  Will they ever be able to find each other?  Listen to this great audio book and find out.

Exit West

Exit West / Mohsin Hamid, 231 pgs.

Nadia and Saeed live in an unnamed city that is heading into disorder. They are starting a tender love affair but things around them are getting worse.  There is fighting and destruction and everyone is worried.  Saeed lives with his parents who are devoted to him.  His mother's death makes the young couple decide they need to leave.  Saeed's father refuses to leave.  Doors appear that take migrants to new places.  They end up in a camp in Greece.  There are people from all over.  Next they are in London, squatting in a large abandoned house with other migrants, mostly from Nigeria.  Finally, they go through a door and end up in the bay area of California.  Along the way, Nadia and Saeed decide to part but they are on good terms. The end of the book tells of a meeting much later back in their city of origin.  Hamid is a master of making the bit of magical realism just seem real.  The story does not hinge on these details but the relationship between Nadia and Saeed that gives us a window into the state of the world and a hope for the future.

The Bullet

The Bullet by Mary Louise Kelly  357 pp.

How does a woman live with a bullet in her neck for thirty-four years and know nothing about it? The answer is startling and French literature professor Caroline Cashion learns the startling truth. When she was three a double murder was committed and she was injured. The doctors chose to leave the bullet lodged at the base of her skull for fear that the surgery would cause more damage. Now the bullet is causing her health problems and it could be the only key to convicting the suspect from thirty-four years ago. Family secrets, a cold case, insistent journalists, and crooked lawyers all combine in this convoluted but page-turner of a story. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen there would be a twist that took it in another direction. It's a mostly satisfying thriller.

The brief wondrous life of Oscar Wao

The brief wonderous life of Oscar Wao / Junot Diaz, read by Lin-Manuel Miranda & Karen Olivo, 339 pgs.

A family story that tells of Oscar, his mother, his grandparents.  Is there a curse on the family?  Everyone has issues but no one more than Oscar.  After a childhood of being cute, he turns into an overweight nerd who has no chance with the ladies.  He is miserable and suicidal.  Is there hope for Oscar?  The narrator is Oscar's former college roommate and his sister's on again, off again lover.  He knows Oscar as well as anyone, has read his writings, has seen him strike out over and over.  I first read this book when it was newly published and was not impressed.  This audio version has made me change my tune.  Loved every aspect of the dysfunctional family and Oscar's travails.

The beautiful dead

The beautiful dead by Belinda Bauer read by Andrew Wincott, 341 pgs.

Eve Singer is a crime reporter who stumbles onto the work of a serial killer, then attacks the attention of the killer himself.  Eve is a woman with a lot on her mind.  She is taking care of her dementia suffering dad Duncan while trying to push her career to the next level.  She decides to use the serial just like he is using her, to get ahead.  This book is a thriller but some of the scenes seem pretty ridiculous.  I also thought the reader made Eve seem weak instead of smart and strong so can not recommend the audio version.

The Hobbit

The Hobbit or There and Back Again by J.R.R. Tolkien  365 pp.

I originally read the LOTR trilogy and The Hobbit when I was in college. Several years ago I spent a good portion of the summer listening to the audio version of all three LOTR books. I finally got around to listening to The Hobbit. For those who are completely unaware, it is the story of a Hobbit by the name of Bilbo Baggins who is chosen by Gandalf, the wizard, to go on an adventure with a group of dwarves to reclaim their mountain and riches from Smaug, the dragon. Along the way Bilbo finds the ring that gives the wearer invisibility which he uses to much advantage during the journey. The audio version read by Rob Inglis is perfectly voiced including the songs. I enjoyed this version a great deal.

Anything is Possible

Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout, 254 pages. Narrated by Kimberly Farr.
A truly wonderful collection of interconnected stories that follows the people living in Amgash, Illinois. Lucy Barton, the main character of Strout's previous book, grew up here, and all the characters in this latest work know her or knew her or her family, and many of the townspeople express strong feelings about her and her (fictional) work. There is a lot of pain and anguish here, but it's revealed in an almost unsentimental way that makes it possible for the reader and most of the characters to get through. Everyone is carrying around secrets and hidden wounds in the town of Amgash. Really worth the read. I read the author's Olive Kittredge years ago, but had avoided her subsequent books for some reason I look forward to catching up on all of them now.

Boundless

Boundless by Jillian Tamaki, 248 pages.
The extraordinary Canadian graphic artist and storyteller gives us a collection of short stories that are quite different in tone and texture from her previous works and collaborations, Skim, This One Summer, and Supermutant Magic Academy.
Where those (the first two done in collaboration with her cousin, Mariko) were aimed more at a YA audience, these stories are marketed towards adults. And where earlier works had characters with some hopefulness about their futures, the stories here have characters who look back, if not with regret, then with a sense that some of their earlier optimism had been misplaced, whether it's a woman who finds herself growing smaller every day, the producer of a once popular pornographic sit-com looking back on the show's heyday, or the members of an odd collective / cult who had initially bonded over a shared obsession with a strange music file, the characters tell their tales with hints of melancholy and nostalgia. Very engaging and a very good read.

On the Camino

On the Camino by Jason, 186 pages

Graphic artist Jason recounts his journey on a 500-mile stretch of the pilgrimage route from St. Jean-Pied-du-Port near Biarritz, France to Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Part of the author's journey involves learning to interact with the people he meets along the way; walking with or near them during the day or sharing a meal at the hostels at night. Justin conveys the mix of loneliness, and companionship he felt, along with a bit of the wonder and spirituality (or something like spirituality that he finds and feels along the way.
Not really explained in the book is that Santiago, or St. James the Great, was, of course, the disciple of Jesus, who after he was "decapitated in Jerusalem with a sword by Herod Agrippa himself, his body was taken up by angels, and sailed in a rudderless, unattended boat to Iria Flavia in Iberia, where a massive rock closed around his relics, which were later removed to Compostela" (thanks, Wikipedia). His tomb was discovered in 814 and pilgrims have been making their way there ever since. An interesting book with compelling art.

The Orphan's Tale

The Orphan's Tale by Pam Jenoff, 344 pages.

Decent enough story involving circus folk, orphans, angry adolescents, greed, betrayal and nazis. None of it rings quite true, though;the strarving teen who is found by the circus folk just happened to be a world -class gymnast? And though it's several years into the war the Jewish circus performer who married a German officer is somehow surprised to find out that there's a bit of official antipathy borne by the German government towards Jews?
If you can get past the author's seeming unfamiliarity with her chosen setting, the book is alright.

The Right Side

The Right Side by Spencer Quinn, 323 pages.
Spencer Quinn is the author of the "Chet and Bernie" mysteries,  stories that all apparently feature a dog helping the detective solve crime. That doesn't sound all that appealing to me, but after reading The Right Side, and after finding out that Spencer Quinn is a pseudonym for prolific author Peter Abrahams, I would be willing to give them a try. Abrahams has written a wide array of thrillers over the years and they almost never disappoint.
The main character in this novel is Afghan War vet LeAnne Hogan.  On her last tour, Sgt. Hogan had served with a CST, or Cultural Support Team. It's a real thing apparently, female soldiers work with special operations combat teams to "engage the female population in an objective area when such contact may be deemed culturally inappropriate if performed by a male servicemember." On Hagan's last mission, things went terribly wrong; her friend was killed and she was badly hurt. The book moves between Hagan's earlier life with her parents and her plans, her time in the Army, and then focuses on her PSTD-marred present. While trying to adjust to her circumstances, or maybe to find a way back to her pre-trauma self, Hagan flees Walter Reed Medical Center in Maryland and ends up in Washington state, at the home of a dead comrade. Along the way she finds a dog and solves a mystery (the book itself is not a mystery, but you can imagine the sequels with the angry soldier and her trusty canine helping out those in need), and both of these smaller plotlines add to the story. A good story with a compelling main character.

Step aside, pops

Step aside, Pops: a Hark! a vagrant collection / Kate Beaton, 166 pgs.

A comic take on classic literature, feminism, and historical figures, Kate Beaton once again shows us how to be hilarious and somewhat serious at the same time.  Some of the people featured are obscure historical figures and others are well known.  Ever wonder about the relationship between composers Chopin and Liszt? Maybe you can find your insight here.  What if Cinderella's fairy godmother had made her a body builder instead of a garden variety babe? Wondering how the founding fathers would react to a modern mall?  Clearly Jefferson would buy a singing fish.  Always great, Beaton encourages thinking.

Knots and Crosses

Knots and Crosses by Ian Rankin  256 pp.

Inspector John Rebus of the Edinburgh Police suffers from what we now call PTSD from his time in Britain's elite SAS. He has never talked of his experiences to anyone. Now the policeman is receiving mysterious crank letters that he is ignoring. He is also part of the investigation into a series of murders of young girls. He soon discovers that the next target is his own daughter, Samantha. Eventually a connection between a horrific episode in his SAS career and the serial killings is made and he must race the clock to find his daughter before she too is killed. There is a side plot involving Rebus' stage hypnotist brother and a relentless new reporter who wants to bring down the Rebus brothers. This is a police procedural with interesting twists and a satisfying mystery.

The People We Hate at the Wedding

The People We Hate at the Wedding by Grant Ginder, 326 pages

When you have a book with a title like this one, it immediately begs the question: who are the people they hate at the wedding? The answer, if you consider the "we" to be siblings Alice and Paul, is EVERYONE.

But let's back up: the book starts with 20-something data entry drone Alice conferring with her brother Paul (a psychologist working at a controversial clinic in Philadelphia) about the exorbitant cost of the invitations for the wedding of Eloise, their sister half-sister (as they keep reminding us, and each other). Eloise is their mother's child from her globe-trotting first marriage to wealthy French businessman Henrique, while Alice and Paul are the children of Bill, an accountant from the Chicago suburbs, and the sharp divide between their upbringings persists into adulthood, with Alice and Paul dismissing their elder sister as a pampered snob (which she is) and Eloise attempting to solve their problems by throwing money at them. And let's not even get started on their mother, Donna, a widow who has turned to pot to deal with her issues. As Eloise prepares for her wedding in the English countryside, Alice and Paul deal with their own baggage of dead-end jobs and unconventional relationships, adding up to a hot mess in the days leading up to the wedding.

Each chapter takes us into a different character's point of view, giving us insight into each character's motivations and personality that makes them much more three-dimensional and sympathetic than if this was a straightforward novel. This is an excellent addition to the dysfunctional family genre; fans of Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney's hit The Nest will like this one, and it's a perfect read for the summer wedding season.

We are never meeting in real life

We are never meeting in real life: essays / Samantha Irby, 275 pgs.

After choosing this book based solely on the cover (something I explained here), I read Irby's previous book while I waited for this to come up on hold for me.  This one is just as good as the last.  I laughed out loud several times, once scaring my own cats when I could not easily stop laughing. Irby continues to tell it like it is, she does not sugar coat, she does not care if she offends you, she does not care if it embarrasses you because it certainly doesn't embarrass her.  In other words, Irby is everything I admire.  This book has some great insights, some absolutely profane disgusting stories, and something else.  After years of dating men, she found the perfect woman and married her.  Keep up the good work Samantha, I'm already ready for your next book.

The Little Hotel

The Little Hotel / Christina Stead, 209 pp.

Some time ago Jonathan Franzen wrote an essay about another Stead novel, The Man Who Loved Children, praising it in the highest possible terms.  Whether he was responsible for renewed interest in Stead, an Australian who did most of her writing outside her homeland, I can't say.  But we currently have several brand-spanking new copies of her novels, just issued by Text Classics, so I thought I'd give one a try.

Set in a '4th-class hotel' on Lake Geneva in the years just after WWII, The Little Hotel is full of Brits, Americans, Belgians, Swiss, and Italians who have washed up for a variety of reasons, nearly all of them having to do with money and the need to hide it in Switzerland.  In between gossiping, fighting, drinking, and insulting the servants, they all plan to leave at any moment, for fear that the Russians will descend and confiscate all of those precious funds.  Every page of this is funny, some of it hilariously so, but the undercurrent of pathos is strong.  I loved every page.

Dragon Teeth

Dragon Teeth by Michael Crichton, 295 pages

Set in 1876, Dragon Teeth follows William Johnson, an aimless rich college student who makes a $1000 bet with a rival that he'll go west on a paleontology excursion to recover dinosaur bones from the Montana and Wyoming territories. Johnson fulfills the bet, joining the voyage of Yale professor Orthniel Marsh, a paranoid man who has a fierce rivalry with Edward Cope. Heading west, Johnson (a greenhorn if ever there was one) gets pulled into a world of shootouts, saloons, bandits, and, of course, the ongoing war between the U.S. government and the Native American tribes of the western territories.

This is not a great novel. I generally like the late Crichton's books, particularly when he dips his toe into historical fiction (Timeline and The Great Train Robbery are my two favorite Crichton novels), but this book is filled with stereotypes and celebrity run-ins (Robert Louis Stevenson AND Wyatt Earp) that make me cringe. Also, it lacks the researched-within-an-inch-of-its-life feel that were the hallmark of the books published during Crichton's life (he died in 2008). Diehard Crichton fans will appreciate this for its historical significance — an afterword notes that this book dates back to the mid-70s and represents the beginning of the Jurassic Park author's interest in dinosaurs — but I can't really recommend it for any other reason.

The easy way out

The easy way out / Stephen McCauley, 298 pgs.

Patrick one of three brothers, he is the gay one but the only one in a long term relationship.  But he is wondering if he should continue the relationship.  Arthur is a good guy but a bit boring.  He wants them to buy a house together which might be too much commitment for Patrick.  Brother Tony is engaged but also in the middle of a torrid love affair with a woman he clearly prefers over his fiance.  Ryan has been separated from his wife for three years and living in his parent's basement.  The parents, Rita and Jim are the perfect picture of dysfunctional marriage.  They only know how to fight and don't seem to have ever liked each other much.  They are not very helpful to their sons as far as figuring out relationships even though they are clearly devoted to them.  This summary seems kind of bleak but the book itself is very funny. McCauley has a great perspective on family matters, nothing is taken too seriously.  Also, love that Patrick is a travel agent...does that job even exist anymore?  Great fun.

What Do YOU Care What Other People Think?

What Do YOU Care What Other People Think? Further Adventures of a Curious Character by Richard P. Feynman  255 pp.

This is a collection of anecdotes by Nobel Prize winning physicist, Dr. Richard Feynman mainly about two very important periods of his life. The first half of the book concerns his unfortunately short marriage to his first wife, Arlene, who was diagnosed with tuberculosis before they married. Whenever Arlene asked him to do something and he was worried how it would look to others she would say, "What do you care what other people think?" and he would do as she asked. They had an amazing relationship in spite of her illness. She died in a hospital in Albuquerque, NM while Feynman was working in Los Alamos on the Manhattan Project. The second half concerns Feynman's work for the Rogers Commission investigating the causes of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. It was Feynman who demonstrated during a press conference how the now infamous "O-ring" failed after being exposed to the cold temperatures in Florida the morning of the disaster. He also pointed out that NASA higher-ups were more concerned with the publicity surrounding the space program than listening to the engineers and techs when problems were found.

Illumination Night

Illumination Night by Alice Hoffman  224 pp.

I've read a number of Hoffman's books and this one is my least favorite to date. It's the story of a family Vonny & Andre and their young son, Simon, a problem teenager sent to help her ailing grandmother, and a reclusive gentle giant. The couple has money issues and worries about their young son's lack of growth. The Elizabeth, elderly woman, is failing in health bit by bit. Jody, the teenager, is a wild one and her grandmother is hoping to turn her into a decent human being. There is an illicit attraction between Andre and Jody. All the family worries cause Vonny to have panic attacks and agoraphobia. The giant recluse doesn't appear until the last half of the book when he develops a crush on Jody. A horrible accident brings the giant out of hiding. There are a few too many twists for such a short book. It would have been better if either a few things were left out or the final product longer.

Al Franken, giant of the Senate

Al Franken, giant of the Senate / Al Franken, read by Al Franken, 406 pgs.

After a 35 year career in comedy, Al Franken decided to run for senate.  He won in the closest race in history and set to prove to his constituents that he was up for the job, willing to work hard, and stay true to his progressive values. In this memoir, Franken tells about the issues dear to him, talks about what it is like to be a senator and reveals some of the jokes that he was unable to tell on the senate floor because his staff has forbidden it.  Franken is no Stuart Smalley but parts really give you hope about politics, politicians and the direction of the country...right up until November 2016.  Oh well, still a great book and the audio version is wonderful.

Certain dark things

Certain dark things / Silvia Moreno-Garcia read by Dan Bittner, 323 pgs.

Drug wars, Mexico City and vampires.  Domingo, a street kid who is a junk picker meets Atl, an Aztec vampire who, along with her dog is being hunted by at least a couple of enemies and the cops.  Atl's clan has been murdered (including her mother and sister) and she goes to Mexico City to find help.  Now Domingo and a couple of old family acquaintances are her only hope.  Lots of action, lots of intrigue, and great narration by Dan Bittner.  Never thought I would like this book but couldn't stop listening once I started.

The crossing, by Andrew Miller

In the beginning, Tim is infatuated by the enigmatic Maud, a classmate and fellow member of the university sailing club.  Seeing her fall from the deck of the dry docked boat they are working on seals his fate.  Caring for the injured young woman leads to their moving in together and then becoming the parents of Zoe.  Tim is from a moneyed family, musical, and somewhat unambitious, so he stays home with their daughter, while Maud, now a research scientist, works long engrossing hours.  Some see her as a brilliant introvert, others as odd and cold – the latter opinion is held by Tim’s parents, and ultimately Tim.  In the first half of this short novel, we see things primarily from Tim’s viewpoint.  Then when Zoe enters school, tragedy strikes.  Both parents are stunned.  Tim casts his fate with the neighbor, Bella, with whom he has had an ongoing affair for some time.  Maud heads to the Lodestar, the sailing boat they have jointly bought and restored, and then off to sea from England and across the Atlantic.  The second half of the book is her voyage and its aftermath – or perhaps a new beginning for Maud.  The writing is excellent and the character of Maud will haunt you, but I’ve not been quite as surprised, in an annoyed way, by the ending of a plotline since Geraldine Brooks A Year of Wonder, a terrific book about the Black Death in England, which in the final chapter transports the main character into a Turkish harem and dumps her there.  Still trying to figure this book out – what became of Maud and what actually happened in the tragedy that sets the second half in motion.  It’s compelling reading and unique. [another annoyance is the number of spellcheck type wrong words -- are there no editors anymore?] 316 pp.

Past Imperfect

Past Imperfect by Julian Fellowes  410 pp.

Fellowes, creator of "Downtown Abbey" penned this book several years ago. It is also about the British upper class but this time focuses on the changes and deterioration of their way of life from post World War II to the present. The narrator is a bit of an outsider to the group of children of the gentry but is included in all the coming out balls, etc. In later life he is asked by his long estranged friend, Damian to locate the child he fathered with one of his ex-girlfriends. The dying Damian only knows of the child from an anonymous letter and wants to leave his fortune to the child. The book flashes back to various episodes in the lives of this group of friends between the narrator's interviews with the old girlfriends. Frequent foreshadowing about an incident in Portugal that led to Damian's self banishment from the group. That episode is revealed near the end of the book. The story is okay but not particularly captivating due to Fellowes' frequent digressions about the sociological changes occurring in Britain during the last half of the 20th century. It is almost as if he would forget he was telling a story and not writing an academic treatise.

Setting Free the Kites

Setting free the kites / Alex George, read by Ari Fliakos, 324 pgs.

The book opens with Robert Carter being bullied.  Robert is not having the best time, his older brother is weak with muscular dystrophy and won't live much longer, his parents are struggling with the impending loss of a child.  Robert is sort of ignored.  A new kid, Nathan, starts school and rescues Robert from the bully.  Now they are fast friends.  The book follows Robert and Nathan's adventures over a couple of years.  There seems to be a lot of tragedy involved.  I found it all pretty depressing.

Police at the station and they don't look friendly

Police at the station and they don't look friendly / Adrian McKinty, 319 pgs. Read by Gerard Doyle

Sean Duffy is one of those cops who will do what is "right," rules be damned!  The kind of cop I love to read about.  When a drug dealer ends up dead, he is investigating even though there is evidence that the crime is IRA related and thus will probably not ever be solved.  But Sean isn't going to let that stop him.  He starts putting together a theory and the more he digs, the more he sees this case is something bigger.  Throw in a couple of assassination attempts, a  blackmail scheme and some heavy drinking and you have the making of a perfect cop story.  This is part of a series and normally I hate not starting at the beginning, but I will certainly go back and fix this soon.  Narrator Gerard Doyle is an award winner and I can see why, he does a wonderful job and the pacing makes you want to feed one cd after the other.

Born Bright

Born Bright: A Young Girl's Journey from Nothing to Something by C. Nicole Mason  242 pp.

After retrieving this book from my sleeping cat, I finished it in anticipation of the upcoming discussion including the Skype visit by the author. Without giving too much away, it is the story of Dr. Mason's living in a childhood of poverty in dangerous circumstances, navigating an inferior school system, and ultimately making it to college.

Lizzie liked it better as a pillow. 

Ghostwritten

Ghostwritten by David Mitchell  426 pp.

Mitchell's novels are not particularly easy but they are intriguing. Ghostwritten is a series of stories involving widely disparate characters living through a variety of life events that are all connected in some small, or large, way. A terrorist act in Japan by a devoted cult member reminiscent of the Sarin attack in a Tokyo subway connects with a vintage jazz record store sales clerk to an old woman with a tea shack through a crooked lawyer and a disc jockey among others. The stories and vignettes travel from Japan through China, Mongolia, Russia, England, and the U.S. While reading I would frequently wonder how the subsequent section would connect to the previous ones. It is intriguing and yes, there are ghosts.

Fire!!

Fire!! The Zora Neale Hurston Story by Peter Bagge, 104 pages

In this short graphic biography, Bagge attempts to tell the life story of Zora Neale Hurston, from her youth in Eatonville, Florida, through her writing career and multiple anthropological trips to the Caribbean, to her late-life decline. While he succeeds in hitting the main points, Fire!! doesn't really do service to the multifaceted life that Hurston led; this is more of a montage than a biography. That said, Bagge does provide a lot of background information in the notes at the end of the book, which is well worth reading. So this is a good jumping-off point for those who know nothing about Hurston, but by no means an endpoint.

(Also: I was sad to see Hurston wearing the same simple outfit and hat throughout the book. She was well known for her love of audacious hats and clothing, which Bagge mentions in his foreword, before announcing his decision to keep her style simple so as to not distract from the overall story. Smart choice, but still sad.)