Hitler's Furies: German Women in the Killing Fields

Hitler's Furies: German Women in the Killing Fields by Wendy Lower, 270 pages.

Lower's account of several German women who came of age between the wars, and then served the Nazi state in some capacity that brought them into contact with the killing of those deemed undeserving to live by the state. Several of the women discussed in the book either worked for the SS (usually in an office role) or were married to or involved with members of the SS. Others whose tales are told here worked as nurses, and teachers.  Many nurses in Nazi Germany served the state by selecting or helping to euthanize citizens who were considered physically or mentally unfit. Teachers were tasked with spreading the party line concerning the Aryan race, to children orphaned by the conflict.
Evidence exists of the crimes committed for many of the German women, but as those who committed murder almost always did so of their own volition there are no written records. After the war, in West Germany at least, witness statements alone, even if there were many witnesses, weren't enough to convict accused mass-murderers. The author states that women who showed empathy, and denied the accusations, were believed by West German courts. In the east, interrogation methods were more intense, and one woman whose crimes were examined in this book, Erna Petri, was sentenced to life in prison for shooting six Jewish children who were hiding on her estate.
Lower tells several interesting stories, but she vacillates between telling a broad tale and several small tales, and doesn't do either fully. The book also seems to be written partially for a wide audience, and partially for a more academic readership, changing stylistically throughout the book.
A little bit uneven, and hampered (as the author states) by the lack of documentation of women's roles in the Holocaust and other war crimes.
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Ebook.

American Born Chinese

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang, 233 pages.

A very well-drawn, and thoughtful graphic novel centered around a young Chinese-American boy as he goes through middle school on into high school. The novel juxtaposes the tale of the Monkey King and his attempts to become different, more than what he was, with that of the young man, Jin Wang (or Danny, as he renames himself). Embarrassed by everything about himself and seeking to change, Jin Wang seeks to assimilate as much as possible. Later, as Danny, he is constantly humiliated by visits from his imaginary cousin, Chin-Kee, who embodies all of the stereotypes from which Danny is attempting to distance himself.
I'm not usually a fan of books where the character's squirm-inducing shame plays a big role, and I did hurry through some sections, but the subject is handled well here, and there is real growth for Jin Wang. I liked it.

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Boxers & Saints: Saints

Boxers & Saints: Saints by Gene Leun Yang, 170 pages. The second book of this diptych, showing the boxer rebellion, or at least the same scenes witnessed in Boxers, through the eyes of a young Chinese girl, Four-Girl who has converted to Christianity. There is a lot of resentment against the foreigners, their Christian missionaries, and their Chinese converts. When the Society of the Righteous and Harmonious Fist decides to do battle, Four Girl, now renamed Vibiana decides to follow the path laid down by Joan of Arc, and try to lead her people to victory, or something like that.  A wonderful series with really excellent art. Check our catalog.

The Thief Lord

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke, 349 pages. Brothers Bo and Prosper are on the run. Their mother has died and their aunt wants to adopt Bo, and send Prosper off to boarding school. They head to Venice, a city about which their mother told them magical tales, and there they meet Hornet, Riccio, Mosca, and the Thief Lord. The young thieves give them shelter in their "secret hideout," an abandoned movie theater, and Prosper and Bo become part of the group. The paths of the young thieves collide with those of Victor, the detective hired by Aunt Esther to track them down, and with Ida Spovento, a photographer who owns a rare piece that the Thief Lord is hired to steal. When unexpected betrayals occur, help comes from unexpected quarters, and the Thief Lord's secrets are revealed, Prosper has to make some difficult decisions. A great book for all ages. The Audio was nicely narrated by Simon Jones. Check our catalog. Downloadable audio.

A User's Guide to Neglectful Parenting

A User's Guide to Neglectful Parenting by Guy Delisle, 190 pages. Delisle's very funny book about his experiences with his two young children. Lots of fun. Check our catalog.

Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea

Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea by Guy Delisle.

Delisle has chronicled his time working in China, and Burma as well. He also drew a hefty graphic work out of his wife's stint in Jerusalem working for MSF. In Pyongyang Delisle tells of the weirdness he encounters in all aspects of North Korean society while he is there working on a children's cartoon series.

Like his other books, this tells the story well, with clear, interesting, and intelligent artwork. I plan on reading the volumes I have missed by Delisle.

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The Flame Throwers

The Flame Throwers by Rachel Kushner, 383 pages.
This book was shortlisted for the National Book Award, as was the author's previous book, Telex from Cuba. Set in primarily in 1970's Italy, NYC, and briefly, the Bonneville Salt Flats, the novel follows a woman nicknamed Reno through the New York City art scene, to Bonneville as she sets a short-lived land speed record as part of her photography / art installation, and then to Italy first to meet her boyfriend's family, and then to interact with the Red Brigades.
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The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

. The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis, 243 pages. This was our December book discussion title. I listened to the CD, narrated by Adennele Ojo, Bahni Turpin (my all-time favorite cuz of her work on Smekday), and Adam Lazarre-White, for about half the book and then read the rest. Hattie and her young husband move from Gerorgia to Baltimore when she was just 17. The first two of her Tribe, Philadelphia and Jubilee, die as infants and break Hattie's heart. All her children that follow long to see the love she showed her first two babies, but Hattie's never really capable of that kind of feeling again. Each chapter follows another of her children (and one grandchild) through their mostly tragic lives; and through those chapters we see the story of Hattie and her husband, August as their love dies but their shared lives continue. An engaging, if somewhat depressing book that chronicles children and parents wanting for love,  and sometimes food and material things. Check our catalog. Ebook Downloadable audiobook.

The Hard Way

The Hard Way by Lee Child, 371 pages. Reacher witnesses something odd as he is having a cup of espresso at a sidewalk cafe. When a man comes by the same cafe the following day seeking witnesses to a kidnapping Reacher becomes entangled in the odd machinations of a group of mercenary soldiers. More of a stretch than some in the series, but still a fun read. Check our catalog.

Darth Vader and Son

Darth Vader and Son by Jeffrey Brown, 60 pages. A cute graphic work that asks how the famous scenes in the Star Wars movies would have played out if Darth Vader had been a caring father. Check our catalog.

Already Dead by Charlie Huston

Already Dead by Charlie Huston, 268 pages.

The first volume of Huston's Joe Pitt novels. Pitt is a fixer of sorts, a sometime detective among the large and secretive vampire community in Manhattan. It sounds absurd, but it comes across as believable.

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Ebook

Shenzhen: A Travelogue from China by Guy Delisle

Shenzhen: A Travelogue from China by Guy Delisle

Delisle's account of his time spent in China overseeing animation for the French company that employs him. A very solid book, and well worth reading.
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How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You

How to Tell If Your Cat Is Plotting to Kill You by the Oatmeal, 130 pages. An amusing collection of comics from theoatmeal.com, quite a few of them featuring "the Bobs.' Really funny, often inappropriate. Check our catalog.

Darkness Sticks to Everything by Tom Hennen

Darkness  Sticks to Everything: Collected and New Poems by Tom Hennen, 184 pages.
These animated, plain-spoken poems attempt to describe the land, the weather, and all that is and has been around and alive in the author's Minnesota over the last four or five decades. Several of the reviewers compare Hennen to Robert Bly. Since I became aware of Bly at the time of Iron John, with all its fame and the attendant mockery, I haven't read Bly's poems. Maybe now is the time to try them. They are all spare, and cold, and deep, but though they are all lovely in their own way, I think that I like the new poems best:

"Skift snow frightens all the birds away except the chickadee
that has no room left in its little body for an ounce of fear. The only sound of skift snow is a whisper as it brushes across the crusty winter afternoon."

and

"Red maple leaves
Lie just so
In the tall faded grass.
Happy to do it."

Well worth the read, especially in winter by a warm fire.

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Tripwire by Lee Child

Tripwire by Lee Child, 343 pages.

Jack Reacher's long-time friend and mentor, General Leon Garber leaves a job for Jack. An aged couple are looking for closure concerning the fate of their son, Victor Hobie, a helicopter pilot lost somewhere in the jungles of Vietnam.
Meanwhile, Chester Stone has taken a disastrous step in trying to solve his financial woes, one that puts his life and that of his wife in grave danger. One of the better Reacher novels, though it hits some rough patches. Reacher falls rather deeply in love, and encounters some feelings he has not encountered before.
I read this a long time, and listened to the audio this time. Dick Hill does a credible job, but the tinny special effect used when the dialog takes place on the phone is pretty annoying.
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Audiobook.

Silesian Station

Silesian Station by David Downing, 308 pages.

The sequel to Zoo Station, the second novel set in Berlin, featuring British journalist John Russell. This one is set on the eve of the war. Though he knows that war is inevitable, Russell is determined to stay in Berlin so that he'll be able to keep an eye on his son Paul, who's living with his ex-wife, and his girlfriend Effi.
He has hopes of helping them both escape the coming storm. To that end, he secures US citizenship, and consequently, agrees to help the US spy on Germany. At the same time the Nazis threaten Effi's life and liberty unless Russell agrees to feed false information to the Soviets. Russell also makes a deal with the Russians, hoping for an escape route for his loved ones. Russell is a compelling, well-drawn character, and he moves the story along, though it never seems to go the way he plans. A fast-paced and competent series.

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