The Book of Stone / Jonathan Papernick 389 pp.

Matthew Stone is the grandson and son of a gangster and influential judge, respectively. Unlike his 'big man' forebears, Matthew has always felt himself a very small man, indeed. Unable to finish school, maintain relationships or mental health, his father's death sends Matthew into a downward spiral. His father has left him access to a large stash of funds which he may or may not have intended him to use to fund a group of Israeli terrorists functioning out of a cell in Brooklyn, and his father's former friends stalk Matthew in pursuit of the money. Very dark and atmospheric (Matthew never knows who to trust, and he is nearly always drunk, high, or self-mutilating), the story moves toward a grim end which the reader can never quite see coming, for which I give Papernick high marks. The author tried to say a lot here, about becoming a man, and specifically becoming a Jewish man weighted with history, and he didn't fully achieve it, but this was still an engrossing read.

Humans of New York: Stories /Brandon Stanton 428 pp.

From Stanton's blog of the same name, this contains 5 years of photos and accompanying stories (usually just brief quotes) of people from all ages and walks of life in the city. Stanton has great talent for composing his shots and accompanying them with perfectly selected quotes to create maximum impact on every page, whether that impact be pathos, humor, beauty, or, occasionally, adorable children. This is a perfect introvert's treat: read it and you'll feel like you've spent a day in deep conversation with a bunch of fascinating new people without any of the, you know, effort that actual conversation requires.

The Wright Brothers

The Wright Brothers / David McCullough 368 pgs.

Most of us know the basic story of the Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville made history withe the first powered flight and then went on from there to make MORE history and improve their flying machine.  McCullough gives us much more about the men themselves.  Their relationship with each other and the rest of their family, their own special genius and hard work that made all of this happen.  I really appreciate feeling like I know the PEOPLE behind great things a little more than just the facts about the great thing.

Another revelation is Katharine Wright, the little sister who was the only one in the family to graduate from college and who gave so much support to her brothers (including financial) that it is shocking that previous biographers have made little mention of her.

A great book that will be enjoyed by those interested in history, aviation, or just plain old American ingenuity.

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Only Yesterday

Only Yesterday: An Informal History of the 1920s by Frederick Allen Lewis, 338 pages

Originally published in 1931, Only Yesterday is a comprehensive look at the 1920s, a decade full of explosive changes in American history. Rather than tackling the decade chronologically, Lewis devotes his chapters to focusing on decade-long topics: Prohibition, presidential politics, women's rights, fashion, real estate trends, the much ballyhooed publicity stunts (flagpole sitters, anyone?), and various elements of the economy are all explored in detail, and given room to breathe. What's particularly wonderful about this book is how immediate the reactions are--Lewis truly wrote this when the ink was barely dry on the decade--and how many of his observations could easily apply to today's cultural climate. If you have any interest at all in that era, it's well worth a read (or a listen, as the narrator for downloadable audiobook has such an early-radio voice).

Saga, volume 5

Saga, volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughan, art by Fiona Staples, 152 pages

This is the most recent volume in Vaughan and Staples' fantastic sci-fi tale of a new family trying to find their way in the universe. Of course, it's not that easy. Mom and Dad are different races that have been warring against each other for generations, and all of the stakeholder groups are sending their best soldiers, assassins, and revolutionaries to kidnap, kill, or otherwise eliminate Marko, Alana, and their daughter, Hazel. It's a grand, imaginative, not at all kid-friendly tale, and it's well worth reading. This volume follows in the tradition well, with lots of uneasy alliances and backstories. Check it out, but start from volume 1.

Mycroft Holmes

Mycroft Holmes by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Anna Waterhouse, 328 pages

A prequel of sorts to Arthur Conan Doyle's classic Sherlock Holmes stories, Mycroft Holmes focuses on Sherlock's big brother when he was a 23-year-old political newbie (in a "secretary to the secretary" position). Sharp and observant like his better-known brother, Mycroft becomes aware of mysterious occurrences taking place in Trinidad, homeland of both his sweet fiancee Georgiana and his close friend and tobacconist Cyrus Douglas. Using his governmental connections, Mycroft heads to the Caribbean island to investigate and uncovers a scheme to reinstate slavery throughout the Americas.

According to the author bios, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a longtime Holmesian, as well as an NBA legend, and his fanaticism for the works of Conan Doyle are obvious in this, his first novel. That said, it's also obvious that Abdul-Jabbar is living vicariously through his character, Cyrus Douglas, a tall black man skilled in martial arts. He has fun with the character, though he's cognizant of the potential problems of giving Mycroft a black sidekick in the Victorian era, and for that he should be commended. That said, the story is a bit convoluted, and definitely not on par with the Sherlock Holmes canon, though it does have some fun elements. Give it a whirl while you wait for the next season of Sherlock.

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues by Tom Robbins  384 pp.

Somehow this was a Tom Robbins that I never got around to reading so when I found an audiobook version.... This one doesn't quite compare to his later novels but has it's quirky charm nonetheless. Sissy Hankshaw is the main character and quite a character she is. Born with abnormally large thumbs, she realizes as a teen that she was just meant for hitchhiking. When she finds herself in New York, she becomes a model for "The Countess," a misogynistic man who runs a feminine hygiene product empire. She marries an artist who is a full-blooded Mohawk in denial of his Native American-ness. Eventually she ends up at the Dakota spa ranch owned by the Countess and meets the cowgirl Bonanza Jellybean and the rest of the ranch cowgirls who take over the ranch and boot out the spa guests. Living in the hills above the ranch is a Japanese American mystic shaman known as the Chink whose favorite phrase is Ha Ha Ho Ho Hee Hee! The characters and bizarre plot twists are classic Robbins and include his hallmark philosophical expounding. The premise of the government battling cowgirls who have rustled endangered Whooping Cranes by drugging them with peyote is certainly as original as it's author.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling, 309 pages

This is the Harry Potter book that started them all, covering when Harry first found out he was a wizard, first learned about the wizarding world, first glimpsed Hogwarts, first met Ron and Hermione (and that weaselly Malfoy). This is not the first time I've read this book (not by a long shot), but it was the first time I read it to my kids. I loved seeing their reactions to all of the adventures Harry and his pals have, and I loved that they seemed to love this book as much as I do. In the words of my seven-year-old, "Harry Potter cannot be beat!"

Sisters in Law: How Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World

Sisters in Law: How Sandra Day O'Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg Went to the Supreme Court and Changed the World by Linda Hirshman, 390 pages.

Informative, interesting, and convincing in showing how important both justices have been. A really good book about an important topic in the shaping of the legal landscape of modern America.
O"Connor always told the story of how, after graduating from Stanford Law school, where she had served as editor of the law review, the only job she was offered was as a legal secretary at a large California firm. She politely declined.
Likewise, Ruth Bader Ginsburg liked to tell the story of how as a student at Harvard Law she and the other woman students had to attend a dinner with faculty and justify taking the place of a man who could have enrolled in the school.
O'Connor found a place in Arizona politics, first as an assistant States Attorney, then as a State Senator, and then Majority Leader in the State Senate. In 1981, Ronald Reagan appointed Sandra Day O'Connor as the first female Supreme Court Justice.
Ginsburg taught law at Rutgers, then became the head of the ACLU's Women's Rights Project. As the lead attorney for the WRP, she argued several pivotal cases before the Supreme court, and was then appointed to the federal bench in 1981. Bill Clinton, after considering other candidates, appointed Ginsburg to the Supreme Court in 1993. Hirshman makes all this and more compelling and readable.
A great read for those who like legal history, women's issues, civil rights, or just good biographies.

The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients' Lives

The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients' Lives by Theresa Brown, 256 pages.
The author has a PhD in English and taught at Tufts before deciding to become a nurse. In this book she recounts one twelve-hour day working on a cancer ward in a Pennsylvania hospital. She tells how even on what looks like a "light" day, she has three patients while the other nurses have four each, the workload can be all-consuming. With having to "chart everything," two new admissions during the course of the day, a huge mistake by the admitting staff found in one patient, dangerous chemotherapy to be given to another this average shift is fraught with complications, and ptentially life-threatening situations.
Brown does a wonderful job showing the complexity of the lives of her patients and her coworkers.
Balanced, hopeful, and engaging; the author's PhD in English and love of literature makes the account a good read.