Unless, by Carol Shields

When my book group selected this title to read, which I had read when it came out ten years ago shortly before the author’s death, I could remember little about it except the central premise.  A young college-aged woman has abandoned everything to live, mutely, on the streets holding a sign saying “Goodness.”  Her family, particularly her mother, is devastated and uncomprehending.  As I reread it, I realized that there isn’t really a plot as such to fix it in your mind.  It is more an exploration of ideas, including, of course, what is goodness?  I wasn’t that crazy about the book the first time and didn’t like it much more on second reading I’m afraid.  Too neat an ending for one thing.  336 pp.

A constellation of vital phenomena, by Anthony Maara

The day after I finished reading this first novel, which I was recommending to everyone, it was long listed for the National Book Award.  Jumping back and forth in time between 1994 and 2004, if is set in Chechnya during the two civil wars there after the breakup of the Soviet Union.  By in large, most Americans’ eyes were turned elsewhere during this period and I knew nothing about it except that there had been wars there.  Eight-year-old Havaa must be saved after her mother dies and her father is first tortured, then “disappeared.”  Akhmed, her neighbor and an unsuccessful doctor, conceals her nearby in the only functional hospital, and begins working there with the very skilled surgeon, Sonja, an ethnic Russian who has returned to her home country from London because of her sister.  Her sister, Natasha has disappeared, twice actually.  There are several surprising plot twists that interweave the characters in ways I did not anticipate.  As life becomes ever more difficult and fear of informers destroys any remaining trust, what, if anything, can survive?  A beautiful, heartbreaking and important book.   400 pp.

Tell the Wolves I'm Home

Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt  360 pp.

In 1987 AIDS was something to fear and be ashamed of. In fourteen year old June's family it isn't discussed even though her beloved Uncle Finn is dying of the disease. June's mother blames Finn's boyfriend, Toby, and won't allow him at the funeral. When Toby contacts June, they form a bond based on their sorrow over Finn's death. Each does not realize, Finn had given the other the task of taking care of one another. June's talented sister Greta was jealous of June's relationship with Finn and is equally jealous of her friendship with Toby. Greta is troubled in many ways and heading in a downward spiral. Soon the two girls seem to bond only through the portrait Finn made of them. In order for the lies to be revealed and the secrets to be told, the family must reveal their own emotions and weaknesses. But June still holds on to some of hers at the end. There is a lot happening in this story. While AIDS is the catalyst for the events, lies and secrets are the fuel. It's a well told tail about a scary era in recent history.

Linda's review.

The woman upstairs

The woman upstairs/Claire Messud 253 pgs.

Nora Eldridge is one of those utterly dependable women who does her job (elementary school teacher), never causes any trouble and who has completely lost touch with all of her dreams.  She is stagnant and giving up when a special family moves to town and she ends up with the child in her class, then builds a relationship with his mother and then a very different relationship with his father.  I don't mean that to sound odd, she has very separate relationship with each of them interacting occasionally with the whole family.  These people get Nora thinking about her life and possibilities.  She starts working on her art again (she originally wanted to be an artist), she starts thinking a better more interesting life if possible.  Then, they move away. Nora shuts down again, a bit but then a few years later is ready to resume a more interesting life and to visit the family that she had obsessed over. It is on this trip that a betrayal comes to light and anger follows.  Will this be the spark that puts life back on track for Nora?

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The World's Strongest Librarian

The World's Strongest Librarian: A memoir of Tourette's, faith, strength, and the power of family by Joshua Hanagarne  291 pp.

As the title suggests, this book is about the author conquering the odds and learning to live with Tourette's syndrome, becoming a husband and father, and having a career as a librarian.  The random Tourette's tics which range from minor (blinking) to violent (hitting himself) affected Hanagarne's life, physically, socially, and emotionally. From the time he fell in love with Fern in Charlotte's Web books became his refuge. When engrossed in a book his Tourette's tics subsided. The tics were at their worst during Hanagarne's time as a Mormon missionary, causing him to quit before his two years were up. He dropped out of college multiple times before finally finishing. With the help and unflagging support of his family he tried various treatments including having his vocal cords paralyzed with Botox injections, quack remedies, and exercise. Ultimately he overcame (but has not conquered) the problems and became a librarian at the main Salt Lake City Public Library. He married, and fathered a child. The title is a nod to his passion for weight training and his 6'7" frame. It was through weigh-lifting he found another way of controlling his tics. This is a story of a man's incredible persistence and perseverance told with honesty and humor.

Detroit City is the place to be

Detroit City is the place to be: the afterlife of an American metropolis by Mark Binelli 318 pg.

After reading my second book about Detroit, I'm starting to get the picture that things are pretty messed up there.  Mark Binelli grew up in Detroit and moves back as an adult to report on the state of things in his home town.  His perspective is interesting because he has a lot of memories but he also does the research to update the memories he has with how things really were.  We could dedicate this entire blog about the issues in Detroit but lets start by saying there is no money, there is a poor education system, there is very little population remaining in a very large area. And yet, there are bright spots.  At the end of the book, the author is unsure if his sense that things are getting better is based on reality or just his hope.  Either way, there is still quite a climb for this once proud mecca of the middle class and stable job center.

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The Remains of the Day

The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro  245 pp.

I saw the award winning movie version of this a long time ago and finally decided to read the book. The story of the of an elderly English butler told through reminiscences as he takes a "motoring trip" across England. He takes the trip to see the woman who was once the housekeeper at his place of employment in hopes of getting her to return to her former position. As he travels, Stevens, the butler at Darlington House manor for over thirty years, recalls his life and dedication to his work as a "perfect" butler. In the process he realizes how his loyalty and dedication have caused him to sacrifice his own emotions in order to hold up the facade of perfection. His dedication and stifled emotions caused him to refuse to leave his post to be with his dying father, neglect to acknowledge his affection for the housekeeper who clearly loved him, and to ignore the fact that his employer was involved in the Nazi appeasement movement while hosting dignitaries like Prime Minister Chamberlain and German Ambassador von Ribbentrop. Ishiguro won the Man Booker Prize for this beautifully written portrait of a life devoted to dignity and pride of a well done job.

Vessel/Sarah Beth Durst

Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst; young adult, fantasy; 432 pages

Once each century, the desert clans summon their gods to take human form; the gods inhabit a human vessel (after displacing the human soul inside), and restore water to the wells, heal sickness, and perform other miracles for the well-being of the clan.  The summoning is even more important than usual this year, when the Great Drought has destroyed many of the oases that the clans rely on for survival.  Liyana is the chosen vessel of Bayla, goddess of the Goat Clan, and she is more than willing to give up her life to save her people.  But when Liyana and the clan magicians summon Bayla, she does not come.  Believing her to be unworthy, Liyana's clan abandons her to fend for herself in the desert with only minimal supplies.  Then, on her third (and possibly last) day, a young man walks out of the desert.  He carries no food or water, and claims to be the trickster god Korbyn, of the neighboring Raven Clan.  He says that someone has kidnapped many of the deities that should have come to earth, including Liyana's goddess, and he needs her help to get them back. 

This is far and away one of my favorite books of this year.  The setting is rich and well-developed, and the back-and-forth between Liyana and Korbyn is lots of fun.  There is a villain in this story, but we don't get a glimpse of him until the very end of the book, so most of the conflict comes from trying to survive the harsh and beautiful desert, as well as trying to convince the isolated, self-reliant clans that they must work together to save themselves.  Highly recommended for fans of Robin McKinley, Tamora Pierce, and Rae Carson (though that last one might be because I'm reader her newest book right now, and it shares a similar desert setting). 

Breakfast with Buddha

Breakfast with Buddha by Roland Merullo  323 pp.

Otto Ringling has recently lost his elderly parents in a car accident. Otto, a cookbook editor for a book publisher and his flakey, new ager sister, Cecilia are set to drive from the east coast to the family farm in North Dakota to make arrangements for selling it. At the last moment his sister announces she is not going but wants her brother to take her guru, Volya Rinpoche (Rinpoche is a title given to respected teachers) to see the property. She has decided to give away her portion of the estate for the Rinpoche to build a meditation center. Otto is highly suspicious of this little man in the saffron robes but has no choice but to agree. However, the little man turns out to be a fascinating companion and Otto can't help but become the recipient of his non/teaching in spite of his anger and frustration over the situation. Otto even learns about meditation and yoga--the latter to a painful degree. The Rinpoche imparts his wisdom while enjoying new experiences like bowling and miniature golf. I enjoyed this book and the gentle way the Rinpoche teaches Otto how to change his outlook. While not laugh-out-loud funny you can't help but smile while reading it.

Sisterland, by Curtis Sittenfeld

Of course, much of the fun of this book is recognizing the many St. Louis places and landmarks that are in it.  Sittenfeld followed her husband here from the east coast when he was offered a job at Washington University.  It will be interesting also to hear her speak at the April Friends of the Library event.  Identical twin sisters, Vi and Kate (nee Daisy), have “senses.”  From a fairly early age, they become aware of their ability to sometimes foretell the future.  Kate has had the happier life – she’s married to a man she loves and has a charming two year old daughter, Rosie, and new baby Owen.  She has made a conscious decision to put her senses behind her.  Vi has had a troubled life, dropping out of college her first year, never settling down with a partner, and making her living in low-paying jobs.  When her ESP helps find a kidnapped child, she parlays this into a more successful career as a psychic.  All hell breaks loose when she predicts that a major earthquake will hit St. Louis on October 16.  Kate’s husband Jeremy is a scientist in Washington University’s Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, and he and his colleague, Courtney, have a rather different take on this prediction.  A page-turner, and, not surprisingly, the earthquake turns out to be somewhat different than predicted.  397 pp.