"The Shadow of the Wind," by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Penguin Press, 2004.
This novel is set in Barcelona during and after the Spanish civil war. On his 10th birthday, Daniel's father takes him to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books, where "last copies" go for safekeeping forever, or until they can be adopted by someone else. Daniel selects the book, "Shadow of the Wind," which captures his imagination so completely that he wants to find out more about the author and read his other works. During the course of his search over the next 10 years or so, he finds it unusual that there seems to be no information about the author, and that someone is methodically tracking down every copy of the author's works and burning them. There is danger, romance, humor, drama, and philosophy in the pages of this novel, and the author is successful in preserving the punchline until near the end of the story.
2006-06-06
2006-05-18
"The Winds of Change: Climate, Weather, and the Destruction of Civilization," by Eugene Linden. Simon and Schuster, 2006.
Linden has spent the last thirty years studying and writing about nature and the environment. In this book, he assembles his own and others' research into a timeline of global climate change cycles. He compares historical events like the disappearances of the Norse settlement in Greenland, the Akkadian community in North Africa, and the Maya in Central America with the climatological record recovered from icecap and ocean floor core samples. He claims there is strong evidence for a model of sudden catastrophic climate changes, rather than for the older model of gradual change over a long time.
Because this is a relatively new field of study, the evidence is still anecdotal. Linden shows that, although global warming is increasing at an unprecedented rate, the United States and other nations are refusing to acknowledge this or to take seriously the potentially disastrous consequenses. The compelling correlations he draws between historical events and global climate change, however, will soon lead you to agree with his conclusion that a major climate change is imminent - and has already begun.
Linden has spent the last thirty years studying and writing about nature and the environment. In this book, he assembles his own and others' research into a timeline of global climate change cycles. He compares historical events like the disappearances of the Norse settlement in Greenland, the Akkadian community in North Africa, and the Maya in Central America with the climatological record recovered from icecap and ocean floor core samples. He claims there is strong evidence for a model of sudden catastrophic climate changes, rather than for the older model of gradual change over a long time.
Because this is a relatively new field of study, the evidence is still anecdotal. Linden shows that, although global warming is increasing at an unprecedented rate, the United States and other nations are refusing to acknowledge this or to take seriously the potentially disastrous consequenses. The compelling correlations he draws between historical events and global climate change, however, will soon lead you to agree with his conclusion that a major climate change is imminent - and has already begun.
2006-04-28
"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time," by Mark Haddon. Doubleday, 2003.
Told from the viewpoint of 15 yr. old Christopher, who has a form of autism, the mystery of who killed his neighbor's dog morphs into another mystery altogether. In systematically "detecting" the circumstances of the dog's death, Christopher actually tells two stories: the story of his struggle to cope in a "normal" world, and the story of the break-up of his parents' marriage.
This book seems to have a big impact on each person who reads it. It is tragic, funny, pathetic, and insightful. I couldn't put it down.
Told from the viewpoint of 15 yr. old Christopher, who has a form of autism, the mystery of who killed his neighbor's dog morphs into another mystery altogether. In systematically "detecting" the circumstances of the dog's death, Christopher actually tells two stories: the story of his struggle to cope in a "normal" world, and the story of the break-up of his parents' marriage.
This book seems to have a big impact on each person who reads it. It is tragic, funny, pathetic, and insightful. I couldn't put it down.
2006-03-30
"Small Island " by Andrea Levy, Picador, c.2005.
Hortense and Gilbert Joseph, black Jamaican immigrants living in London immediately post-World War II, try to build their lives together as members of the British Empire, only to find that Mother England is less than tolerant of her colored children.
Queenie and Bernard, white and English, have issues of their own to deal with. Bernard, presumed dead, turns up at his front door two years after the war has ended, to find his wife has taken in black lodgers to support herself.
I had the eerie feeling that I was actually hearing the voices in this novel. The author has somehow managed to commit to paper the cadences of the Jamaican patois and British and American wartime slang. Through chapters told alternately from the point of view of one or another character, the personalities and histories of the four major players and several others come to life with humor, pathos, drama, and compassion. Certainly the characters are overdrawn, but as representatives of the events of their day, they effectively drive home the difficulties faced by servicemen after the war, as well as those faced by immigrants. This would make a good book for a discussion group.
Hortense and Gilbert Joseph, black Jamaican immigrants living in London immediately post-World War II, try to build their lives together as members of the British Empire, only to find that Mother England is less than tolerant of her colored children.
Queenie and Bernard, white and English, have issues of their own to deal with. Bernard, presumed dead, turns up at his front door two years after the war has ended, to find his wife has taken in black lodgers to support herself.
I had the eerie feeling that I was actually hearing the voices in this novel. The author has somehow managed to commit to paper the cadences of the Jamaican patois and British and American wartime slang. Through chapters told alternately from the point of view of one or another character, the personalities and histories of the four major players and several others come to life with humor, pathos, drama, and compassion. Certainly the characters are overdrawn, but as representatives of the events of their day, they effectively drive home the difficulties faced by servicemen after the war, as well as those faced by immigrants. This would make a good book for a discussion group.
2006-02-03
"The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger. MacAdam/Cage Pub., c2003.
It's impossible to know where to begin in describing this book. Clare and Henry meet, marry, and ultimately have a daughter. Clare is an artist; Henry is a librarian with a peculiar genetic disorder that causes him to abruptly and unexpectedly transport back and forth in time within his life. This causes disconcerting disconnects between himself, his wife, his job, and the everyday normalcy one expects. There is an indication that a cure or control may be possible, but not in the immediate future.
I gave up trying to keep track of dates and ages as Clare ages and Henry time-travels, and just enjoyed the story. However, the ending introduced some new implications and became somehow very disturbing. I would read it again just to see if I could comprehend the potential impacts on the lives of the characters.
It's impossible to know where to begin in describing this book. Clare and Henry meet, marry, and ultimately have a daughter. Clare is an artist; Henry is a librarian with a peculiar genetic disorder that causes him to abruptly and unexpectedly transport back and forth in time within his life. This causes disconcerting disconnects between himself, his wife, his job, and the everyday normalcy one expects. There is an indication that a cure or control may be possible, but not in the immediate future.
I gave up trying to keep track of dates and ages as Clare ages and Henry time-travels, and just enjoyed the story. However, the ending introduced some new implications and became somehow very disturbing. I would read it again just to see if I could comprehend the potential impacts on the lives of the characters.
2006-01-15
"Epitaph For a Peach" by David Mas Masumoto. New York : HarperCollins, 1995.
This book was chosen by a planning committee for the second "One Book Sacramento" program in summer of 2005. I declined to read it then, but thought, as a library employee, I ought to at least give it the once-over. I was surprised to find myself thoroughly enjoying Masumoto's account of a year on his peach and grape farm. I found his writing lyrical and introspective, full of richly evocative images of his trees, house, and family, past and present. I enjoyed his comparisions and following his thoughts as he arrived at his plan for the next year. It is certainly about farming, but encompases so much more: philosophy, wonder, humor, rue, fear, anger, submission. Astute observations of other farmers and the migrant farm workers he hires are sprinkled throughout like salt, to savor this blend. I wish I had read it during the program, so I could have attended the author's talks. I would love to meet him! One reviewer captured it perfectly: "a beautifully wrought tale about food that ultimately nourishes the soul."
This book was chosen by a planning committee for the second "One Book Sacramento" program in summer of 2005. I declined to read it then, but thought, as a library employee, I ought to at least give it the once-over. I was surprised to find myself thoroughly enjoying Masumoto's account of a year on his peach and grape farm. I found his writing lyrical and introspective, full of richly evocative images of his trees, house, and family, past and present. I enjoyed his comparisions and following his thoughts as he arrived at his plan for the next year. It is certainly about farming, but encompases so much more: philosophy, wonder, humor, rue, fear, anger, submission. Astute observations of other farmers and the migrant farm workers he hires are sprinkled throughout like salt, to savor this blend. I wish I had read it during the program, so I could have attended the author's talks. I would love to meet him! One reviewer captured it perfectly: "a beautifully wrought tale about food that ultimately nourishes the soul."
2005-11-15
"Code Orange" by Caroline B. Cooney. New York : Delacorte Press, 2005.
Mitty, who never exerts himself in school any more than absolutely necessary, becomes intensely and personally interested in his "infectious diseseases" writing assignment. Challenged to find titles about smallpox for his bibliography, he investigates some old books his mother has purchased from a doctor's estate - and discovers an envelope containing 100-year-old smallpox scabs. After handling them and accidentally breathing in some of the old dust, he becomes convinced he has infected himself and all of New York City.
Mitty, who never exerts himself in school any more than absolutely necessary, becomes intensely and personally interested in his "infectious diseseases" writing assignment. Challenged to find titles about smallpox for his bibliography, he investigates some old books his mother has purchased from a doctor's estate - and discovers an envelope containing 100-year-old smallpox scabs. After handling them and accidentally breathing in some of the old dust, he becomes convinced he has infected himself and all of New York City.
2005-10-28
"The Prosecutors [A Year In The Life Of A District Attorney's Office]" by Gary Delsohn. Roseland, NJ : Listen & Live Audio, p2003.
Author-reader Delsohn follows the progress of six high-profile crimes prosecuted by the Sacramento County District Attorney's office in a recent year.
This is only the second audiobook I've "read", but I learned that true crime in audio is not for me. I was living in Sacramento when the crimes occurred or were tried, and I found it too much like listening to the news. During our book club discussion, though, some folks said they found it interesting to see the prep work required to bring the criminals to trial, and also were surprised at how much politicking and dealing went on in the DA's office in the interests of getting a conviction.
Author-reader Delsohn follows the progress of six high-profile crimes prosecuted by the Sacramento County District Attorney's office in a recent year.
This is only the second audiobook I've "read", but I learned that true crime in audio is not for me. I was living in Sacramento when the crimes occurred or were tried, and I found it too much like listening to the news. During our book club discussion, though, some folks said they found it interesting to see the prep work required to bring the criminals to trial, and also were surprised at how much politicking and dealing went on in the DA's office in the interests of getting a conviction.
2005-10-21
"Winning every time : how to use the skills of a lawyer in the trials of your life" by Lis Wiehl. New York, Balantine Books, 2004
Wiehl is a trial lawyer, commentator and legal analyst. She illustrates the steps anyone can follow to build a solid "case", argue it rationally, defend it, and win in all the arenas of life: home, work, and school. Each step is explained in its own chapter and brought to life with vivid examples.
Wiehl is a trial lawyer, commentator and legal analyst. She illustrates the steps anyone can follow to build a solid "case", argue it rationally, defend it, and win in all the arenas of life: home, work, and school. Each step is explained in its own chapter and brought to life with vivid examples.
2005-06-21
"The Map That Changed the World : William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology" by Simon Winchester. New York, HarperCollins, 2001
William Smith, while working as a coal miner in the early 19th century in England, learned from other experienced miners that the earth was arranged in predictable layers. Later while surveying routes for coal-barge-carrying canals, he remarked that those layers occurred in the same order all over England; moreover, they could be identified by the fossils they contained. Armed with this discovery, he then made it his life’s work to create the world’s first map of England’s rock layers, thus founding the science of geology.
William Smith, while working as a coal miner in the early 19th century in England, learned from other experienced miners that the earth was arranged in predictable layers. Later while surveying routes for coal-barge-carrying canals, he remarked that those layers occurred in the same order all over England; moreover, they could be identified by the fossils they contained. Armed with this discovery, he then made it his life’s work to create the world’s first map of England’s rock layers, thus founding the science of geology.
2005-05-13
"The Adventure of English : the biography of a language" by Melvyn Bragg, Arcade Publishing, 2003
From its birth as a minority tribal language, Bragg chronicles the development of English through Roman, Norse, and French conquests, its exportation to America and other colonies, and finally to its current state. His premise is that the English language is a sponge, freely adopting and adapting words from other languages until it has created a unique ability to name and describe things better than any other language in the world. Because of this, English has become a powerful world language that is still growing, still naming new things. Despite regional accents and localisms, English is understood in virtually every country in the world. It is now not only adopting new words, but loaning English words to other countries, and continuing to name new things - weblogs and podcasts being among the latest.
From its birth as a minority tribal language, Bragg chronicles the development of English through Roman, Norse, and French conquests, its exportation to America and other colonies, and finally to its current state. His premise is that the English language is a sponge, freely adopting and adapting words from other languages until it has created a unique ability to name and describe things better than any other language in the world. Because of this, English has become a powerful world language that is still growing, still naming new things. Despite regional accents and localisms, English is understood in virtually every country in the world. It is now not only adopting new words, but loaning English words to other countries, and continuing to name new things - weblogs and podcasts being among the latest.
2005-04-28
"The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency" by Alexander McCall Smith. New York, Anchor Books, 2002.
This collection of episodes from the caseload of fictional private detective Precious Ramotswe is uncanny in its unmasking of human foibles of the sorts that span generations and cultures. The author was born in Botswana, where his stories are set, and he has perfectly captured the cadence, the pace, and the imagery of life in 20th century Africa.
Mma Ramotswe has used her inheritance to buy a storefront and set up a detective agency so she can "help people with the problems in their lives." The problems range from a lost dog to a kidnapped child, from a defiant daughter to embezzlement to medical malpractice. Each case is solved by Precious Ramotswe using guidelines from "'The Principles of Private Investigation' by Clovis Andersen," which she uses as her manual. The solutions are witty and almost Solomon-like in their carriage of justice.
This collection of episodes from the caseload of fictional private detective Precious Ramotswe is uncanny in its unmasking of human foibles of the sorts that span generations and cultures. The author was born in Botswana, where his stories are set, and he has perfectly captured the cadence, the pace, and the imagery of life in 20th century Africa.
Mma Ramotswe has used her inheritance to buy a storefront and set up a detective agency so she can "help people with the problems in their lives." The problems range from a lost dog to a kidnapped child, from a defiant daughter to embezzlement to medical malpractice. Each case is solved by Precious Ramotswe using guidelines from "'The Principles of Private Investigation' by Clovis Andersen," which she uses as her manual. The solutions are witty and almost Solomon-like in their carriage of justice.
2005-03-22
"The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver. HarperFlamingo, 1998
Rev. Price, his wife and four daughters fly to the Congo in the late 1950s and take over an abandoned mission. The experience of trying to come to grips with the reality of life in Africa is related in turn by each member of the family, including the 5 year old and a brain-damaged teen twin. Against the background of Congo's struggle for independence, we see how the individual views of events and ways of coping provide us with a complex and very rich composite picture of the personal, political, and economic issues of the time and place.
Rev. Price, his wife and four daughters fly to the Congo in the late 1950s and take over an abandoned mission. The experience of trying to come to grips with the reality of life in Africa is related in turn by each member of the family, including the 5 year old and a brain-damaged teen twin. Against the background of Congo's struggle for independence, we see how the individual views of events and ways of coping provide us with a complex and very rich composite picture of the personal, political, and economic issues of the time and place.
2005-02-22
"Hetty: the genius and madness of America's first female tycoon" by Charles Slack Harper Collins, 2004
Having learned about business and finance at her father's and grandfather's knees, Hetty Robinson used her knowledge to become this country's richest woman in the 1860s. Both before and after her marriage to Edward Green, she rigorously guarded her fortune, tying it up in trusts to prevent it from being dispersed outside her family. This account of Hetty's life, unfashionable and eccentric by her choice, illustrates the disconnect between her Quaker upbringing and the effects of her fabulous wealth on her immediate and distant family.
Having learned about business and finance at her father's and grandfather's knees, Hetty Robinson used her knowledge to become this country's richest woman in the 1860s. Both before and after her marriage to Edward Green, she rigorously guarded her fortune, tying it up in trusts to prevent it from being dispersed outside her family. This account of Hetty's life, unfashionable and eccentric by her choice, illustrates the disconnect between her Quaker upbringing and the effects of her fabulous wealth on her immediate and distant family.
2005-01-30
"The Sinister Pig" by Tony Hillerman Harper Collins, 2003
The Washington office of the FBI has snatched a murder case away from the local authorities that would normally handle it, raising questions and arousing the suspicions of the Navajo Tribal Police and the Border Patrol. Hillerman reprises his cast of characters, including Jim Chee, Bernie Manuelito, and the now retired Legendary Joe Leaphorn in another intricate mystery set in the Four Corners area of the American southwest. The author's web site is at http://www.tonyhillerman.com
The Washington office of the FBI has snatched a murder case away from the local authorities that would normally handle it, raising questions and arousing the suspicions of the Navajo Tribal Police and the Border Patrol. Hillerman reprises his cast of characters, including Jim Chee, Bernie Manuelito, and the now retired Legendary Joe Leaphorn in another intricate mystery set in the Four Corners area of the American southwest. The author's web site is at http://www.tonyhillerman.com
2003-10-27
"How to deal with emotionally explosive people" by Albert J. Bernstein McGraw-Hill, 2003
What do you feel when someone explodes into emotion? What happens inside you when another person bursts into tears, flies into a rage, or collapses into anxiety? When you try to help that person calm down, you may discover that your responses are just making things worse. Dr. Bernstein demonstrates techniques you can use to stay calm, think clearly and understand the emotional explosions well enough to exert some positive influence.
What do you feel when someone explodes into emotion? What happens inside you when another person bursts into tears, flies into a rage, or collapses into anxiety? When you try to help that person calm down, you may discover that your responses are just making things worse. Dr. Bernstein demonstrates techniques you can use to stay calm, think clearly and understand the emotional explosions well enough to exert some positive influence.
2003-09-10
"There are no shortcuts" by Rafe Esquith Pantheon Books, 2003
Learning isn’t easy, and it shouldn’t be. This view, unpopular among students accustomed to today’s instant everything, is espoused by Esquith, who requires his students to work hard. In this account, he documents the evolution of his philosophy and the success of his strategies for motivating students at Hobart Elementary School to perform in the top 10 percent on standardized tests and go on to top colleges. Related with wit, good humor, and a measure of self-criticism, and liberally sprinkled with anecdotes about administrators and students, it’s easy to see how the advice given by a concert cellist to one of his students became their mantra for success: “There are no shortcuts.”
Learning isn’t easy, and it shouldn’t be. This view, unpopular among students accustomed to today’s instant everything, is espoused by Esquith, who requires his students to work hard. In this account, he documents the evolution of his philosophy and the success of his strategies for motivating students at Hobart Elementary School to perform in the top 10 percent on standardized tests and go on to top colleges. Related with wit, good humor, and a measure of self-criticism, and liberally sprinkled with anecdotes about administrators and students, it’s easy to see how the advice given by a concert cellist to one of his students became their mantra for success: “There are no shortcuts.”
2003-06-06
"The Seventh Sense; the secrets of remote viewing as told by a 'psychic spy' for the U.S. military" by Lyn Buchanan Paraview Pocket Books, 2003
“Remote viewing” is the ability to perceive the thoughts and experiences of others through the psychic power of the mind. The United States government has been researching, testing, and using remote viewing as a data collection tool for the past 30 years. Remote viewing has also been used to locate missing children and for other non-military purposes. Now retired, Buchanan, a former trainer in a clandestine Army intelligence unit, tells how he was selected and trained as a remote viewer and outlines some of his experiences as a psychic spy. Citing scientific studies and using examples, he reveals techniques used to teach remote viewing, and claims that anyone can be trained to use their psychic abilities. So … is it for real? You decide.
“Remote viewing” is the ability to perceive the thoughts and experiences of others through the psychic power of the mind. The United States government has been researching, testing, and using remote viewing as a data collection tool for the past 30 years. Remote viewing has also been used to locate missing children and for other non-military purposes. Now retired, Buchanan, a former trainer in a clandestine Army intelligence unit, tells how he was selected and trained as a remote viewer and outlines some of his experiences as a psychic spy. Citing scientific studies and using examples, he reveals techniques used to teach remote viewing, and claims that anyone can be trained to use their psychic abilities. So … is it for real? You decide.
2003-05-09
"Hope Through Heartsongs" by Mattie J. T. Stepanek Hyperion Books, 2002.
Mattie Stepanek is twelve years old, and has a rare form of muscular dystrophy. He began writing poems when he was five, and this is his third published volume. Mattie says in his introduction that "heartsongs are usually easy to hear when we are young, but we sometimes get too busy or hurt or angry to listen to them as we get older." The affecting heartsongs he shares in this slim book express hope, fear, sadness, and joy - often relating directly to circumstances in his life. His message, however, will resonate with both adults and children, and encourages everyone to look beyond daily details for the larger issues that encompass humankind.
Mattie Stepanek is twelve years old, and has a rare form of muscular dystrophy. He began writing poems when he was five, and this is his third published volume. Mattie says in his introduction that "heartsongs are usually easy to hear when we are young, but we sometimes get too busy or hurt or angry to listen to them as we get older." The affecting heartsongs he shares in this slim book express hope, fear, sadness, and joy - often relating directly to circumstances in his life. His message, however, will resonate with both adults and children, and encourages everyone to look beyond daily details for the larger issues that encompass humankind.
2003-03-17
"21 Dog Years : Doing Time at Amazon.com" by Mike Daisey The Free Press, 2002.
Daisey spins incredible insider stories of the online retailer that will make your hair curl. They detail weirdness, curiosity, indulgence, hard work, greed, and the complete disregard for convention that marked his years with the company, and ultimately led to his leaving it. You will never view Amazon the same way again, even if you discount these tales as the wild, hysterical rantings of a disgruntled former employee.
Daisey spins incredible insider stories of the online retailer that will make your hair curl. They detail weirdness, curiosity, indulgence, hard work, greed, and the complete disregard for convention that marked his years with the company, and ultimately led to his leaving it. You will never view Amazon the same way again, even if you discount these tales as the wild, hysterical rantings of a disgruntled former employee.
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