Bibliofiles
Gibson, William. Distrust That Particular Flavor
Gibson, known for thoughtful science fiction exploring the ways in which technology changes human culture in impossible-to-anticipate ways, here brings his considerable talents to bear on the undiscovered country—non-fiction. Gibson’s first collection of non-fiction draws from the last several decades of his writing career, with essays and articles featuring all the usual Gibsonian subjects—the rise of the Internet; the technology and culture of Japan; Gibson’s own past in small-town Virginia and early discovery of science fiction; and all the ways, both small and large, that human culture has already been irrevocably altered by technologies as commonplace as radio and as pervasive as cyberspace. Many, if not all, of the articles, are grounded in Gibson’s own life and experiences, adding a personal touch to a topic which could otherwise seem dry. A sly wit and a lively intelligence shine through the writing, and every article, regardless of whether its predictions have been borne out by reality, is fascinating without fail.
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Tags: Non-Fiction
Fallon, Siobhan. You Know When the Men are Gone
This series of interconnected short stories explores the lives of those men and women who make sacrifices for the sake of the U.S. Army—both the soldiers in Iraq and those they leave behind. Centered around the Army base of Ft. Hood in Texas, each story explores the all-too-common issues faced by Army families—from the death of a loved one to infidelity, from loneliness to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. While some increased variation in the story’s themes might be wished—perhaps the story of a husband left behind when his wife went to war?—these short stories are sure to be fascinating to both those families who have experienced this lifestyle and those who wish to better understand the sacrifices made by our armed forces everyday.
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Just a Thought -- New Additions to the Book Club Collection
Our ever-popular Book Club Collection has gotten a makeover! A few less relevant titles have been cycled back out into our general fiction and non-fiction collections, and we have added four new titles for your consideration. These books, as always, are challenging, literary, and fascinating, chosen with an eye toward "discussability" as well as leisure reading pleasure. We hope you'll check them out! (Pun intended, by the way.)
Brown, Eleanor. The Weird Sisters
Fallon, Siobhan. You Know When the Men are Gone
Jordan, Hillary. When She Woke
Smith, Patti. Just Kids (782.42166 Sm65)
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Schulman, Helen. This Beautiful Life.
When the Bergamots' fifteen-year-old son, Jake, forwards a sexually explicit video from a thirteen-year-old schoolmate on to his best friend without thinking, he ignites a firestorm that threatens to consume his family and the life they have built for themselves among the socially elite in New York City.
Already in fragile territory, the scandal reveals the true problems in Jake's family such as his father's overactive ego and his mother's ridiculous attempts to cope as a stay-at-home mom with a PhD. When the video goes viral, Jake is suspended from school, prompting his family to hire a lawyer and start a battle that even Jake does not want to be a part of. Schulman's poignant portrait of a family in crisis is not to be missed for lovers of literary fiction.
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Just a Thought -- New (and Notable) Nonfiction Audiobooks
Thinking the Twentieth Century by Tony Judt
An ambitious intellectual history of the Twentieth Century in which Judt examines the many currents that shaped the innovations, conflicts, economics and politics of our recent past.
"... this marvelous précis, vibrantly alive, rich, and piquant, is one last gift from an exceptional public intellectual. Not only academics and fans of Judt, but also those who enjoy the New York Review of Books and The New Yorker will flock to read it." (Library Journal)
Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo
A Pulitzer Prize winning author profiles the lives of everyday people living in the slums of Mumbai, illustrating the struggle to change their circumstances.
"Boo brilliantly brings to life the residents of Annawadi, allowing the reader to know them and admire the fierce intelligence that allows them to survive in a world not made for them. The best book yet written on India in the throes of a brutal transition." (Kirkus)
Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable
A National Book Award finalist, this new definitive biography explores the life of one of the most influential figures of social change in America.
"Combing through FBI and NYPD files, gathering Nation of Islam interviews, and fleshing out Malcolm's post-NOI activities abroad, Marable succeeds spectacularly in painting a broader and more complex portrait of a man constantly in search of himself and his place in America." (Publishers Weekly)
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Bronsky, Alina. The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine.
If you’re a fan of international novels that feature wholly original main characters, then you will love The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine. Rosa Achmetowna , the narrator of this story, is unlike any character I have ever encountered before. She is outrageous and nasty and one of the worst mothers of all time but, even so, I couldn’t help liking her. Set in the Soviet Union and then in Germany, this novel focuses on the relationships between Rosa, her daughter, and her granddaughter. The depiction of the Soviet Union is as fascinating as the depiction of the narrator. I highly recommend this dark comedy—the characters, especially Rosa, are so memorable and real, you will feel as though you know them.
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Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games.
Set in the near future, the twelve districts surrounding the powerful capital, Panem, must pay for a failed rebellion by sacrificing two of their teens every year to compete in a violent gauntlet where they must fight to the death: the Hunger Games. In District Twelve, the poorest of the districts, Katniss, a skilled hunter and provider for her struggling family, chooses to take the place of her younger sister who was chosen to represent their district in the games as Tribute. She, along with her male counterpart, Peeta, experience the shock of leaving their hunger-stricken home for the luxury of Panem, the stress of wondering whether or not they can match the skills of the other twenty two competitors and finally, facing off with them in the arena.
After Katniss and Peeta enter the game, the action is non-stop and they must face the terrifying reality of being hunted by other competitors, many of them bloodthirsty. Almost driven to death by thirst, fire balls, and poisonous tracker jackers, Katniss must also be strategic, playing the audience's desire to see her and Peeta develop a romantic relationship...perhaps not a top priority considering the circumstances. Readers will be on the edge of their seats rooting for Katniss and Peeta and be fascinated by the broader message of survival and rebellion.
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Bretton, Barbara. Casting Spells
Chloe Hobbs is a knitter of almost supernatural powers, and her shop, Sticks and Strings, has been named the number one knitting shop in New England two years in a row. But she’s the only inhabitant of small-town Sugar Maple, Vermont who invites any outside interest. Sugar Maple, the ultimate cozy New England small town, was founded by Chloe’s sorceress ancestor as a haven for all the witches, warlocks, vampires, werewolves, pixies, fairies, and other supernatural beasties under attack by New England’s more mundane residents in places like Salem. A spell woven by that ancestor is maintained by the presence of a Hobbs woma in town, and Chloe is the last. But she is only half-sorceress—her father was human—and the spell is weakening. So the town has been throwing an assortment of hunky supernatural fellows her way, hoping for sparks. Those sparks don’t fly, however, until human police officer Luke McKenzie comes to Sugar Maple to investigate the suspicious death of a human tourist. He’s exactly the wrong man for Chloe, but it’s love at first sight for them both and Chloe’s powers blossom just in time to help protect the town from her greatest rival—a faery queen of terrifying power.
Sweet, cozy, and charming, “Casting Spells” is a quietly pleasant read even for non-knitters.
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O'Malley, Daniel. The Rook
"The body you are wearing used to be mine." So begins the letter that Myfanwy Thomas finds after opening her eyes in the middle of a public park surrounded by dead bodies and with no memory of who she is or what has just happened. Her former self, it turns out, knew the amnesia was coming and prepared carefully, giving her future amnesiac personality two choices: To begin a brand-new life, far from England, under an assumed identity; or to take up the life and persona of Myfanwy Thomas and figure out who betrayed her and caused the amnesia. Myfanwy (it rhymes with “Tiffany”) chooses the latter, and, via reams of letters and notes left for her by her former self, discovers that she is a Rook, a high-ranking executive in the Checquy Group, a secret supernatural agency policing the British empire and keeping it safe from super- and paranormal threats. She also discovers that, despite her job and her own paranormal abilities, the former Myfanwy Thomas was actually a pretty boring person with a pretty boring life. Keeping her amnesia secret proves to be difficult when she realizes that she’s a much more forceful personality than the one which formerly inhabited her body. Meanwhile, at least one other member of the Checquy’s ruling body knows about her altered circumstances because Myfanwy was betrayed from within the organization, making it impossible for her to trust any of her compatriots—and whoever attacked Myfanwy won’t stop there. The safety and security of all of Britain is under threat and only the new Myfanwy can stop it.
Debut author O’Malley takes the concept of a secret supernatural government agency and makes it entirely his own, with a witty and unique spin on the superhumans among us. An appealing main character and liberal doses of genuine humor further enliven this already thrilling supernatural suspense story. Sequels are to be hoped for!
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Sanderson, Brandon. The Alloy of Law
Sanderson’s sequel to his popular “Mistborn” series is set three hundred years after the events of “The Hero of Ages” and society and technology have advanced accordingly, bringing his fantasy world up to a level roughly equivalent to our own Victorian/Wild West era. Waxillium Ladrian, or Wax, is a Twinborn gifted with both Allomantic and Feruchemical powers. Born into a noble family, Wax fled the glittering capitol city of Elendel as a young man to become a lawkeeper out in the wild Roughs. Now older, perhaps wiser, and certainly more jaded, he has returned to take up his role as the head of the Ladrian family following the death of his uncle. He has resolved to give up the coarse lifestyle of a backwoods lawman and marry for the good of his family, but soon finds that the city can be just as dangerous as the Roughs. A band of outlaws known as the Vanishers have been mysteriously robbing train cars and kidnapping noble women, then vanishing without a trace. When Wax’s own intended becomes one of those captives, he, his wise-cracking parter Wayne, and his intended’s bright cousin Marasi are honor-bound to solve the mystery and save the Vanishers’ victims—a task that will strain both their intellects and their Allomantic powers to their utmost.
A well-developed and unique setting paired with sparkling, sympathetic characters, witty dialogue, and a rollicking adventure make this title far from a stale rehash of the original series, but a fascinating outing in its own right. We can only hope for further adventures with Wax and his crew!