Case Histories: a Novel

I came across Case Histories through Masterpiece Theater. I am really enjoying the TV program and couldn't wait to read the book that the program is based on.

Private investigator Jackson Brodie has 3 cases to solve. He is an interesting detective -- a former police officer with authority issues and a childhood tragedy that still haunts him. He relates to his clients' pain and can't say no to cases that he should turn down. He does not solve mysteries through forensics and is not terribly concerned with legalities; he simply wants to get answers to help his clients. What the clients choose to do with the answers is entirely up to them.  

The cases are told  from the clients' perspectives as well as Brodie's. The narrative hops from client to client and jumps back and forth through time until slowly the various pieces come together and the answers are revealed.

I think I was expecting the novel's narrative to mirror the TV show and have a linear time line (with certain key flashbacks). It took a bit for me to adjust to the storytelling, but it was enjoyable read.

-Natalie

The Affair

The Affair is another solid, exciting novel by Lee Child. In it we learn about the early days of the elite military cop Jack Reacher and how his unusual lifestyle came to be. The Affair answers many perplexing questions for Reacher fans and fills in the blanks on Reacher's past.

For the growing number of fans of Lee Child, The Affair is a novel of unrelenting suspense and an intriguing murder investigation fraught with political ramifications, and it is the beginning of Reacher's problem-solving, drifter lifestyle.

-Anne

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I finally got around to reading Stieg Larsson's mega best-seller, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. For a while it was hard to get my hands on a copy: while we have multiple copies, the book was so popular that they were always checked out.

The plot revolves around two characters, a reporter and an asocial computer hacker, the eponymous tattooed "girl." The reporter is hired by a wealthy industrialist to write his biography, but there are strings attached and skeletons in closets. Mayhem and mystery ensue.

Verdict: B+. It is an engaging page-turner that keeps you guessing until the end. But like all books in this genre it requires some suspension of disbelief. You should also be warned that this is an extremely violent book and most of the violence is directed against women. Fans of the book might argue that this was necessary for character motivation, but it wore thin after a while and could have been toned down without affecting the book negatively.

-Paul


If you like Stieg Larsson try these authors too:

Arnaldur Indridason
Jo Nesbo

Booklamp and Reading Recommendations

A new site called Booklamp claims to use a sophisticated software to analyze patters in a book's content. It then uses this information to match a book or author you like to other books or authors that you might like. There are many sites that claim to do this and some do it better than others. I tried a few searches and Booklamp seems to work pretty well. But it is new, so we will have to wait and see. Check it out.

-Paul

Iron House

John Hart's Iron House is an amazing, cleverly written novel. As soon as I finished the first paragraph I knew that it was a winner.

The plot centers around two orphaned brothers who live at the decrepit Iron House, a home for boys in the mountains of North Carolina. Michael, who is the oldest, is the tough one. He protects his younger brother Julian from bullying. After a tragedy the boys are separated. and do not reunite until later in life. To reveal much more than this would spoil the plot. Suffice it to say that this is a story of fierce family loyalty and buried secrets. Be prepared -- this is a page-turner.

-Anne

If you enjoy this book you may also like Hart's other novels:
The King of Lies
Down River


You might also enjoy the works of Pat Conroy.

Stoner

John Williams's 1965 novel, Stoner, is the most moving work of fiction I have read in a very long time, and I am afraid that I will not be able to adequately explain why I feel that way. But I will try.

On its surface, the plot of Stoner is very spare: William Stoner grows up in straightened circumstances on a midwest farm, gets a break, goes to agricultural college, falls surprisingly in love with English literature, gets s PhD, a teaching job, a wife, a daughter, a long career. Then he dies. The beauty of the story is how brilliantly Williams describes Stoner's hopes, passions, heartbreaks and his dogged pursuit of an academic accomplishment he can be proud of -- one that will, perhaps, adequately honor his deep love for literature. It is left to the reader to decide whether he achieves this (or whether it matters if he does). Along the way, we witness Stoner's bleak family life, juxtaposed with a brief, happy interlude and the life he might have lived had he chosen differently.

Williams's prose is perfect for the task: simple and clear, with no misplaced words.

Reviews of this work that I have read often contain comments such as "I can't believe this book is not more famous." I agree.

-Paul

The Talk-Funny Girl: A Novel

Roland Merullo's amazing novel, The Talk-Funny Girl offers a look at a side of life not many of us have seen. The main character in the novel, Marjorie, was raised in northern New Hampshire near the Vermont border by abusive parents who deliberately isolated their family. Marjorie's isolation from society and abuse from her parents, together with her odd manner of speaking, make her a target for bullying at school.

With nearly super-human determination and the help of a loving aunt, she overcomes unbelievable obstacles and breaks free to grow into a capable, loving woman.

The twists and turns in this compelling novel are sure to keep the reader riveted.

-Anne

Corduroy Mansions

Corduroy Mansions is the first novel in a new series by popular British author Alexander McCall Smith. It was a delight to read.

Full of quirky characters, the story is built around an apartment building in the Pimlico area of London fondly known as Corduroy Mansion. Beginning with widower William French, wine merchant and aggravated father of a twenty-something son who refuses to move out of the flat, the reader is drawn into the lives and relationships of several of the tenants. There’s Caroline, who wants to be THE women to change her friend James’ point of view regarding his sexual preference; Jenny, who works for a Member of Parliament with the odious name of Oedipus Snark; and Dee, who works in a health-food shop. Their lives are intertwined with other relationships. We meet Snark’s girlfriend, Barbara, and Snark’s mother who absolutely hates her own son, William’s friend Marcia who really wants to be more than just a friend and Freddie de la Hay, the Pimlico terrier who was let go from his job as sniffer dog at Heathrow Airport by accident of birth.

The story is about relationships, friends, lovers, co-workers and family, that weave in and out of our lives.  At the end of the book, I was ready for the next installment. I have to see if I’m right about  what happened to Oedipus Snark at boarding school!

-Michele

Summer Reading Lists

Magazines love to publish summer reading lists. Here is one from O magazine. Here is one from USA Today. Enjoy!

-Paul

100 Best Non-Fiction Books

The Guardian has just published its list of the best 100 works of non-fiction. It is (understandably) biased towards British titles, but worth a look regardless.

I am embarrassed to admit that I have read only one of the books on the list. Time to get cracking I guess.

-Paul

Vintage Affair

I picked up Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff based on a review of the author’s current title – just to see what her writing was like. It turned out to be a delightful contemporary story, packed with references to vintage fashions, vivid characters and a nice romance (or two) as well. It was one of those books that suddenly you are at the end, and you are surprised to discover that you are because you have been enjoying the read so much.

-Alison

The Silence of the Grave

The Silence of the Grave is the second mystery by Arnaldur Indridason. (For a review of Jar City, the first book in this series, click here.) Police detective Erlendur is back, along with his subordinates in the department, Sigurdur Oli and Elinborg. Once again, the crime is murder. This time, however, the crime is some seventy years old and the victims have been reduced to skeletons. Using testimony from former residents of the crime site, as well as crime scene evidence, archival research and a bit of luck, the team gradually uncovers the identities of the bodies and the events that led to their deaths.

What I like most about these books is the personalities of the detectives: they seem believably real. I also like that the author makes it easy for the reader to feel he has guessed the likely suspect and outcome, only to have the details of the resolution twist off in unexpected directions. Iceland -- cold, snowy, and isolated -- contributes an essential bleakness to these novels.

-Paul

Claire Dewitt and the City of the Dead

It is always exciting to find a new author. When I happened upon Sara Gran's newest novel, Claire Dewitt and the City of the Dead, I knew I would add to my list of favorite authors.

The detail in this provocative mystery is griping. Set in post-Katrina New Orleans, the author gives her protagonist a memorable role in solving an unsettling crime amidst the ravages of the hurricane damaged city. This is a fast paced novel and one not to be missed.

-Anne

History of a Suicide: My Sister’s Unfinished Life

Jill Bialosky writes a probing memoir about her younger sister’s short life and tragic suicide at the age of twenty-one. The loss of her sister took a profound toll on Bialosky and she felt the need to understand more about both her sister’s life and the mystery of suicide. Her sister Kim was abandoned by her father (Bialosky’s stepfather for a time), influenced by her mother’s bouts of depression, and involved in a relationship with an abusive boyfriend. Bialosky, also a poet, has a gift for words and makes this book, despite its heavy subject matter, easy to read. She infuses her book with ruminations from notable literary figures from Melville to Plath. History of a Suicide: My Sister’s Unfinished Life should appeal to fans of memoirs, particularly those involving the process of grief, such as Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking.

-Elizabeth

Love You More

I just finished reading  Love You More by Lisa Gardner.

The police are called to the home of State Trooper Tessa Leoni where they find her severely beaten, her husband shot dead, and her 6 year old daughter missing. She claims self defense from an abusive husband, and won't give any information as to where her daughter might be.

This book has alot of twists and turns, and some surprises. Some situations are a little graphic and disturbing, but overall a good, suspenseful read.

-Cindy

Jar City

"I don't read enough mysteries. I should read more." I say this to myself each time I read a good mystery. Then I go looking for more but cannot find any that live up to what I just read. Months later I stumble upon another good one and the process repeats itself. Fortunately, I think I have overcome this tedious cycle of reader's disappointment -- at least temporarily -- for I just read Arnaldur Indridason's first novel, Jar City. He has written many more in addition to this, and if they are only half as good as Jar City, I should have mysteries to keep me busy for some time.

Set in bleak, rainy Reykjavik, Iceland, Jar City follows police detective Erlendur as he and his team investigate the murder of a man found bludgeoned in his apartment. A cryptic note left on dead man's chest is initially all they have to work with. The trail leads eventually to the victim's violent past, his crimes and their repercussions for the living. Indridason's prose is elegant in its economy and is perfectly paired with the novel's quick pace and dark foreboding.

Fans of Stieg Larsson and Jo Nesbo will enjoy Arnaldur Indridason.

-Paul

A Secret Gift: How One Man's Kindness -- and a Trove of Letters -- Reveal the Hidden History of the Great Depression

Ted Gup's A Secret Gift is a fascinating glimpse into depression era America. The author was given a suitcase that belonged to his grandfather. Inside he found letters written in response to an December 1933 newspaper advertisement promising a $5 cash gift to 75 families who wrote to describe their hardships. The letters were all addressed to a Mr. B. Verdot, a name unknown to Gup.

At first Gup, who is an investigative journalist, cannot imagine why his grandfather had these letters. He soon learns that B. Virdot was a pseudonym used by his grandfather (whose real name was Sam Stone). Gup tracks down the families of some of the letter writers and solves the biggest mystery -- just who was his grandfather and what prompted him to undertake this act of kindness?

Some of the letters are reprinted in the book. Because the ad promised anonymity, the letters are poignantly candid descriptions of economic despair.

-Natalie

Non-Fiction DVDs

Nothing worth watching on television tonight? Why not learn something while also being entertained?! Borrow some of the Kelley Library's many non-fiction DVDs and enjoy them with your family.

I recommend the History Channel series, How the Earth Was Made. (The series is comprised of twelve episodes on four disks.) Who knew Geology could be so fascinating?!

Improvements in technology and research over the past few decades have greatly advanced our understanding of how the Earth was formed, and how it continues to move and change today.  Many geological wonders are explained -- both here in the United States (the Great Lakes, San Andreas fault line, Hawaiian Islands) and around the world (the Swiss Alps, Loch Ness, Krakatoa).

Did you know that beneath Yellowstone National Park is a super volcano that feeds the many hot pools and geysers there?!

Other non-fiction DVD topics include history, travel, documentary, animals, music, comedy, sports; and for the more ambitious: exercise, dance, yoga, home-improvement, etc. Enjoy one tonight!

-Jennifer

The Red Garden

I loved The Red Garden. Once again, Alice Hoffman weaves a tale of small town existence and the deep ties among the people who live there as they struggle with their lives and loves.

As in her other novels, Hoffman gives the reader great consolation and inspiration and shows that we all carry our own powers of restraint and forgiveness -- as well as recklessness.

This is a compelling novel written in Hoffman's magical and sensual prose.

Not to be missed.

-Anne

If you enjoy books by Alice Hoffman, you may wish to consider these authors as well:

Laura Esquivel
Alice McDermott
Sandra Dallas

Irish Thunder: the Hard Life and Times of Micky Ward

I was curious about this biography by Bob Halloran when I discoverd  it was the basis of the movie "The Fighter" (with Mark Walberg).

These sentences toward the end of Irish Thunder perfectly sum up the career of boxer Micky Ward: "It was an uncommon success story. At one point, the kid from Lowell was being promoted by a guy who couldn't promote fights in his home state, managed by a novice manager, and trained by his brother, a former crack addict. Meanwhile, any one of his seven sisters could barge into his locker room drunk at any time. Yet, inside this maelstrom was a calm but violent fighter."

I knew nothing of the boxing world. Learning the ins and outs of how matches are arranged and promoted was  fascinating. The vivid descriptions of the boxing matches, punches thrown and damage done made me feel as though I were there.The relationship between the brothers Dickie and Micky was also interesting. I just wish that the book delved more into Micky's personal life.

 -Natalie

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating

The author of The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating finds unlikely companionship in the form of a snail while she is bedridden with a chronic illness.  Her friend brings her the snail in a pot of violets, and soon Bailey is intrigued by its habits and endeavors to learn more about it.  Bailey is in the right situation to observe a snail, an activity that takes much time and patience.  Being cut off from the rest of the world, the author appreciates connecting with nature in this way, and having the snail around has a calming effect and keeps her spirits from sinking too low.  She even thinks about similarities between her condition and that of the snail.  Bailey learns about everything snail-related and enlightens the reader.  Hers is a well-written reflection on these quite fascinating little creatures.  The book provides inspiration not only for those whose worlds have become much smaller due to physical ailments but also for the rest of us to be able to appreciate the smallest wonders of nature.

-Elizabeth

Reading in 2011

If you are like most people, you probably read within a narrow subject or genre range. If you made a New Year's resolution to get to those books you never managed to open last year, here is a list of "reading challenges" that will help to broaden your reading tastes.