Amazon.com review:
There are vampires, a Lovecraft homage, enchanted birds and animals, shapeshifters, adult fairy tales, ghosts, and even a hunted muse. The best are Byatt's sensuous, enchanting "Cold"--about an ice princess who marries a glass-blowing desert prince--and Straub's novella, "Mr. Clubb and Mr. Cuff", a black comedy of revenge gone awry. The reference material includes each editor's review of the year's best novels, collections and anthologies, magazines, related nonfiction, children's books, and art.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Wild Berries / Yevgeny Yevtushenko
Written by the famous Russian poet, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, The Wild Berries is essentially a series of vignettes.
The kulaks (rich peasants) are being persecuted in the Soviet Union. A cynical look at the 'worker's paradise' in which your fate can depend on denouncement by a casual enemy.
The kulaks (rich peasants) are being persecuted in the Soviet Union. A cynical look at the 'worker's paradise' in which your fate can depend on denouncement by a casual enemy.
What's Bred in the Bone / Robert Davies
From Library Journal:
In this extraordinary fictional biography, the highly gifted Davies makes use of guardian angels to tell his remarkable tale. Francis Cornish endures a secretive childhood in a remote town, fascinating encounters with its embalmer, and time in prewar Oxford where he studied art and philosophy. He eventually discovers his superior artistic talents and the problem of finding his own unique style. Author Davies has produced a gripping story of artistic triumph and heroic deceit, told with deep insight into the worlds of art and international espionage.
In this extraordinary fictional biography, the highly gifted Davies makes use of guardian angels to tell his remarkable tale. Francis Cornish endures a secretive childhood in a remote town, fascinating encounters with its embalmer, and time in prewar Oxford where he studied art and philosophy. He eventually discovers his superior artistic talents and the problem of finding his own unique style. Author Davies has produced a gripping story of artistic triumph and heroic deceit, told with deep insight into the worlds of art and international espionage.
The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts / Louis De Bernieres
Amazon.com review:
Louis de Bernières's sardonic pen has concocted a spicy olla podrida of a novel, set in a fictitious Latin American country, with all the tragedy, ribaldry, and humor Bernières can muster from a debauched military, a clueless oligarchy, and an unconventional band of guerrillas. There's a plague of laughing, a flood of magical cats, and a torture-happy colonel. The cities, villages, politics, and discourse are an inspired amalgam of Latin Americana, but the comedy, horror, adventure, and vibrant individuals are pure de Bernières.
Louis de Bernières's sardonic pen has concocted a spicy olla podrida of a novel, set in a fictitious Latin American country, with all the tragedy, ribaldry, and humor Bernières can muster from a debauched military, a clueless oligarchy, and an unconventional band of guerrillas. There's a plague of laughing, a flood of magical cats, and a torture-happy colonel. The cities, villages, politics, and discourse are an inspired amalgam of Latin Americana, but the comedy, horror, adventure, and vibrant individuals are pure de Bernières.
The Unabridged Edgar Allen Poe
Under-appreciated in his own time, Poe's unique genius for exploring the darker corridors of the human imagination raised nightmares to the level of art. This collection includes poetry and prose, including "The Conqueror Worm", "The Fall of the House of Usher", "The Murders in the Rue Morgue", and "The Pit and the Pendulum".
A Thousand Days in Venice / Marlena De Blasi
From Library Journal:
Venice is almost synonymous with romance, and in this charming account de Blasi spares no detail in telling us how she fell under its spell. A journalist, restaurant critic, and food consultant, de Blasi left her home, her grown children, and her job as a chef in St. Louis to marry Fernando, a Venetian she barely knew. In defiance of the cynics who think true love in middle age is crazy, her marriage flourished, as these two strangers made a life together. Food comforted the newlyweds when their conflicting cultures almost divided them, and in the end marital harmony reigns. Is this book a romance, a food guide, or an exhortation for us to come to Venice and experience the magic? Ultimately, it is all three, and there is even an appendix that includes recipes for dishes described in the text.
Venice is almost synonymous with romance, and in this charming account de Blasi spares no detail in telling us how she fell under its spell. A journalist, restaurant critic, and food consultant, de Blasi left her home, her grown children, and her job as a chef in St. Louis to marry Fernando, a Venetian she barely knew. In defiance of the cynics who think true love in middle age is crazy, her marriage flourished, as these two strangers made a life together. Food comforted the newlyweds when their conflicting cultures almost divided them, and in the end marital harmony reigns. Is this book a romance, a food guide, or an exhortation for us to come to Venice and experience the magic? Ultimately, it is all three, and there is even an appendix that includes recipes for dishes described in the text.
The Sleeping Dragon / Joel Rosenberg
A group of gamers are transported into the alternate fantasy world they play in, becoming the actual characters they had been pretending to be. The only way they can see Earth again is to find the legendary Gate between Worlds - a place guarded by a terrifying dragon.
Service of all the Dead / Colin Dexter
From amazon.com review:
In the Service for All Dead Morse walks the dark pathways of the mind. He almost backs into the lives of seven people entwined with St. Frideswide's parish in Oxford. With a keen understanding of human nature, much akin to that of Reinhold Niebuhr, he begins to untangle a series of crimes that began two years before. With a chain of deductions and intuition Morse takes you to a breathless and satisfying conclusion to five and perhaps six murders.
In the Service for All Dead Morse walks the dark pathways of the mind. He almost backs into the lives of seven people entwined with St. Frideswide's parish in Oxford. With a keen understanding of human nature, much akin to that of Reinhold Niebuhr, he begins to untangle a series of crimes that began two years before. With a chain of deductions and intuition Morse takes you to a breathless and satisfying conclusion to five and perhaps six murders.
Scraps of Heaven / Arnold Zable
From The Age review:
Scraps of Heaven works over much the same ground as Arnold Zable's wildly successful novel Cafe Scheherazade, in which he shares the stories of migrants who congregate in a St Kilda cafe. But in Scraps of Heaven it is as if Zable follows these characters home from the cafe - from the stories of survival they tell each other, to the stories of horror they can't stop telling themselves.
Scraps of Heaven works over much the same ground as Arnold Zable's wildly successful novel Cafe Scheherazade, in which he shares the stories of migrants who congregate in a St Kilda cafe. But in Scraps of Heaven it is as if Zable follows these characters home from the cafe - from the stories of survival they tell each other, to the stories of horror they can't stop telling themselves.
The Ravishing of Lol Stein / Marguerite Duras
From the book:
Lol Stein is a beautiful young woman, securely married, settled in a comfortable life - and a voyeur. Returning with her husband and children to the town where, years before, her fiance had abandoned her for another woman, she is drawn inexorably to recreate that long-past tragedy. She arranges a rendezvous for her friend Tatiana and Tatiana's lover. She arranges to spy on them. And the, she goes one step further ...
Lol Stein is a beautiful young woman, securely married, settled in a comfortable life - and a voyeur. Returning with her husband and children to the town where, years before, her fiance had abandoned her for another woman, she is drawn inexorably to recreate that long-past tragedy. She arranges a rendezvous for her friend Tatiana and Tatiana's lover. She arranges to spy on them. And the, she goes one step further ...
Barbara Kingsolver / The Poisonwood Bible
The book follows an evangelical Baptist minister's family to the Congo in the late 1950s, entwining their fate with that of the country during three turbulent decades. Nathan Price's determination to convert the natives of the Congo to Christianity is, we gradually discover, both foolhardy and dangerous, unsanctioned by the church administration and doomed from the start by Nathan's self-righteousness.
Philip Roth / The Plot Against America
From amazon.com review:
The Plot Against America explores a wholly imagined thesis and sees it through to the end: Charles A. Lindbergh defeats FDR for the Presidency in 1940. Lindbergh, the "Lone Eagle," captured the country's imagination by his solo Atlantic crossing in 1927 in the monoplane, Spirit of St. Louis, then had the country's sympathy upon the kidnapping and murder of his young son. He was a true American hero: brave, modest, handsome, a patriot. According to some reliable sources, he was also a rabid isolationist, Nazi sympathizer, and a crypto-fascist. It is these latter attributes of Lindbergh that inform the novel.
The Plot Against America explores a wholly imagined thesis and sees it through to the end: Charles A. Lindbergh defeats FDR for the Presidency in 1940. Lindbergh, the "Lone Eagle," captured the country's imagination by his solo Atlantic crossing in 1927 in the monoplane, Spirit of St. Louis, then had the country's sympathy upon the kidnapping and murder of his young son. He was a true American hero: brave, modest, handsome, a patriot. According to some reliable sources, he was also a rabid isolationist, Nazi sympathizer, and a crypto-fascist. It is these latter attributes of Lindbergh that inform the novel.
The Pengium Book of Horror Stories
From AudioFile:
J.A. Cuddon has selected some of the best classic short stories of all time. Each story adds its own plot, pace or auditory spice to the mix. And Cuddon has seasoned his soup perfectly. Nigel Davenport, Rula Lenska, Andrew Sachs and David Rintoul bring out the best in each piece. Some use classic "dark and stormy night" voices. Others add chilling horror through their very lighthearted lack of concern. The evil spirits in these tales will send delicious chills up the spine.
J.A. Cuddon has selected some of the best classic short stories of all time. Each story adds its own plot, pace or auditory spice to the mix. And Cuddon has seasoned his soup perfectly. Nigel Davenport, Rula Lenska, Andrew Sachs and David Rintoul bring out the best in each piece. Some use classic "dark and stormy night" voices. Others add chilling horror through their very lighthearted lack of concern. The evil spirits in these tales will send delicious chills up the spine.
Outsider in Amsterdam / Janwillem van de Wetering
From amazon.com review:
Van De Wetering's descriptions of the city are crisp and well defined and his characters are intriguing and convincingly written. It was a good mystery as well. The motivations of all the characters seemed true enough, and for this, the novel could just as well be classified as literature. The translation maintains European syntax, so the Dutch character of work is not lost. It was a fun little novel, and great mind candy. The next day I bought two more of the series. If you need something, quick, light and exotic to read this is a good one. It's always nice to read about someone else's city.
Van De Wetering's descriptions of the city are crisp and well defined and his characters are intriguing and convincingly written. It was a good mystery as well. The motivations of all the characters seemed true enough, and for this, the novel could just as well be classified as literature. The translation maintains European syntax, so the Dutch character of work is not lost. It was a fun little novel, and great mind candy. The next day I bought two more of the series. If you need something, quick, light and exotic to read this is a good one. It's always nice to read about someone else's city.
Oscar and Lucinda / Peter Carey
From amazon.com review:
This book is pure characterization. Carey's characters are dense and human and live before the book begins and after it ends. It's a love story, but not a conventional one. The love between Oscar and Lucinda builds and builds with every written word, up to an ending which even the most astute and well-read reader will never expect.
This book is pure characterization. Carey's characters are dense and human and live before the book begins and after it ends. It's a love story, but not a conventional one. The love between Oscar and Lucinda builds and builds with every written word, up to an ending which even the most astute and well-read reader will never expect.
The Nightmare of Reason: A Life of Franz Kafka / Ernst Pawel
A comprehensive and interpretative biography of Franz Kafka that is both a monumental work of scholarship and a vivid, lively evocation of Kafka's world.
Mistress of Mistresses / E.R. Eddison
From amazon.com review:
It is set in a fantasy world similar to 16th Century Europe. The book demands concentration, a knowledge of philosophy and poetry. But beware. It will send you off on a lifelong hunt into these fields. You may end up learning Ancient Greek or Latin. You will fall in love with the women and follow the heroes blindly. Read, enjoy and return to. Like a good wine it matures well.
It is set in a fantasy world similar to 16th Century Europe. The book demands concentration, a knowledge of philosophy and poetry. But beware. It will send you off on a lifelong hunt into these fields. You may end up learning Ancient Greek or Latin. You will fall in love with the women and follow the heroes blindly. Read, enjoy and return to. Like a good wine it matures well.
The Mezentian Gate / E.R. Eddison
From wikipedia:
The Mezentian Gate is the third novel in the Zimiamvian Trilogy by Eric Rücker Eddison. It is primarily a history of the rule of the fictional King Mezentius (the Tyrant of Fingiswold), and his methods of gaining and holding the Three Kingdoms of Fingiswold, Meszria and Rerek in sway.
Published posthumously, The Mezentian Gate is only partially completed as prose. In many of the central chapters, only the plot outline is presented.
The Mezentian Gate is the third novel in the Zimiamvian Trilogy by Eric Rücker Eddison. It is primarily a history of the rule of the fictional King Mezentius (the Tyrant of Fingiswold), and his methods of gaining and holding the Three Kingdoms of Fingiswold, Meszria and Rerek in sway.
Published posthumously, The Mezentian Gate is only partially completed as prose. In many of the central chapters, only the plot outline is presented.
Literary Murder / Batya Gur
From amazon.com review:
As always, Batya Gur has crafted an excellent story, and an ambiance which makes us feel we are in Israel. Detective Michael Ohayon is, as usual, brilliant. Gur writes well above the usual "mystery" genre, and her books are worth reading for their literary merit by anyone who enjoys good fiction.
As always, Batya Gur has crafted an excellent story, and an ambiance which makes us feel we are in Israel. Detective Michael Ohayon is, as usual, brilliant. Gur writes well above the usual "mystery" genre, and her books are worth reading for their literary merit by anyone who enjoys good fiction.
Love in the Time of Cholera / Gabriel Garcia Marquez
From Publishers Weekly:
In this chronicle of a unique love triangle, the Nobel laureate's trademark "ironic vision and luminous evocation of South America" persist. "It is a fully mature novel in scope and perspective, flawlessly translated, as rich in ideas as in humanity," praised PW . 250,000 first printing.
In this chronicle of a unique love triangle, the Nobel laureate's trademark "ironic vision and luminous evocation of South America" persist. "It is a fully mature novel in scope and perspective, flawlessly translated, as rich in ideas as in humanity," praised PW . 250,000 first printing.
The Lost Symbol / Dan Brown
From Daphne Durham:
Nothing is as it seems in a Robert Langdon novel, and The Lost Symbol itself is no exception--a page-turner to be sure, but Brown also challenges his fans to open their minds to new information. Skeptical? Imagine how many other thrillers would spawn millions of Google searches for noetic science, superstring theory, and Apotheosis of Washington. The Lost Symbol is brain candy of the best sort--just make sure to set aside time to enjoy your meal.
Nothing is as it seems in a Robert Langdon novel, and The Lost Symbol itself is no exception--a page-turner to be sure, but Brown also challenges his fans to open their minds to new information. Skeptical? Imagine how many other thrillers would spawn millions of Google searches for noetic science, superstring theory, and Apotheosis of Washington. The Lost Symbol is brain candy of the best sort--just make sure to set aside time to enjoy your meal.
In Cold Blood / Truman Capote
Amazon.com review:
Author Truman Capote contributed to a style of writing in which the reporter gets so far inside the subject, becomes so familiar, that he projects events and conversations as if he were really there. The style has probably never been accomplished better than in this book. Capote combined painstaking research with a narrative feel to produce one of the most spellbinding stories ever put on the page. Two two-time losers living in a lonely house in western Kansas are out to make the heist of their life, but when things don't go as planned, the robbery turns ugly. From there, the book is a real-life look into murder, prison, and the criminal mind.
Author Truman Capote contributed to a style of writing in which the reporter gets so far inside the subject, becomes so familiar, that he projects events and conversations as if he were really there. The style has probably never been accomplished better than in this book. Capote combined painstaking research with a narrative feel to produce one of the most spellbinding stories ever put on the page. Two two-time losers living in a lonely house in western Kansas are out to make the heist of their life, but when things don't go as planned, the robbery turns ugly. From there, the book is a real-life look into murder, prison, and the criminal mind.
Hotel Du Lac / Brookner
From Amazon.com review:
In the beginning of this novel, we know only that Edith Hope, "a writer of romantic fiction under a more thrusting name" has been banished to the Hotel du Lac, a "quiet hotel ... in which she could be counted upon to retrieve her serious and hard-working personality and to forget the unfortunate lapse which had led to this brief exile." Penelope, the friend and neighbor responsible for sending Edith away for her as-yet-unexplained act is prepared to forgive only when Edith becomes "properly apologetic." She ponders accepting the proposal of a man she doesn't love: "I shall settle down now. I shall have to, for I doubt if I have anything more to look forward to." But can she? Or will she, as she fears, "turn to stone" if she settles for less than her kind of love?
In the beginning of this novel, we know only that Edith Hope, "a writer of romantic fiction under a more thrusting name" has been banished to the Hotel du Lac, a "quiet hotel ... in which she could be counted upon to retrieve her serious and hard-working personality and to forget the unfortunate lapse which had led to this brief exile." Penelope, the friend and neighbor responsible for sending Edith away for her as-yet-unexplained act is prepared to forgive only when Edith becomes "properly apologetic." She ponders accepting the proposal of a man she doesn't love: "I shall settle down now. I shall have to, for I doubt if I have anything more to look forward to." But can she? Or will she, as she fears, "turn to stone" if she settles for less than her kind of love?
Thursday, December 2, 2010
The Hard Life / Flann O'Brien
From Library Journal
Critics have placed O'Brien in the upper echelon of Irish novelsts. This 1961 comic novel relates the lives of two orphaned Dublin brothers sent to live with their fiery uncle. "The conversation is a delight," said LJ 's reviewer, "it seems no Irishman can be dull when talking--and the atmosphere of a lower-middle-class family, with its cheerless, shabby, restricted way of life, is well done."
Critics have placed O'Brien in the upper echelon of Irish novelsts. This 1961 comic novel relates the lives of two orphaned Dublin brothers sent to live with their fiery uncle. "The conversation is a delight," said LJ 's reviewer, "it seems no Irishman can be dull when talking--and the atmosphere of a lower-middle-class family, with its cheerless, shabby, restricted way of life, is well done."
H is for Homicide
From Publishers Weekly
This eighth in an alphabetically titled mystery series-- the book finds sleuth Kinsey Millhone undercover in a Los Angeles barrio. Some 178,000 hardcover copies of this Literary and Mystery Guild selection have been sold.
This eighth in an alphabetically titled mystery series-- the book finds sleuth Kinsey Millhone undercover in a Los Angeles barrio. Some 178,000 hardcover copies of this Literary and Mystery Guild selection have been sold.
A Fish Dinner in Memison / E.R. Eddison
From wikipeida
The second novel in the Zimiamvian Trilogy by Eric Rücker Eddison.
A Fish Dinner in Memison is a novel centering on the characters of King Mezentius and Fiorinda; much is revealed about the links between principal characters and the separate worlds of the novel, not fully resolved in the other novels in the trilogy. The character of Lessingham is also resolved to its greatest extent in all the novels of the trilogy.
A Fish Dinner in Memison overlaps chronologically with The Mezentian Gate, but since the action starts later than in that work, it can be considered chronologically as the second novel in the series.
The second novel in the Zimiamvian Trilogy by Eric Rücker Eddison.
A Fish Dinner in Memison is a novel centering on the characters of King Mezentius and Fiorinda; much is revealed about the links between principal characters and the separate worlds of the novel, not fully resolved in the other novels in the trilogy. The character of Lessingham is also resolved to its greatest extent in all the novels of the trilogy.
A Fish Dinner in Memison overlaps chronologically with The Mezentian Gate, but since the action starts later than in that work, it can be considered chronologically as the second novel in the series.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands / Jorge Amado
It surprises no one that the charming but wayward Vadinho dos Guimaraes–a gambler notorious for never winning—dies during Carnival. His long suffering widow Dona Flor devotes herself to her cooking school and her friends, who urge her to remarry. She is soon drawn to a kind pharmacist who is everything Vadinho was not, and is altogether happy to marry him. But after her wedding she finds herself dreaming about her first husband’s amorous attentions; and one evening Vadinho himself appears by her bed, as lusty as ever, to claim his marital rights.
The Deptford Trilogy / Robertson Davies
Amazon.com Review
A series of three novels by Robertson Davies, consisting of Fifth Business (1970), The Manticore (1972), and World of Wonders (1975). Throughout the trilogy, Davies interweaves moral concerns and bits of arcane lore. The novels trace the lives of three men from the small town of Deptford, Ont., connected and transformed by a single childhood event. Much of the book describes the course of Jungian analysis undertaken by Boy's son David. World of Wonders tells the story of Paul Dempster. Kidnapped as a boy by a magician, he learns the trade and eventually becomes Magnus Eisengrim, one of the most successful acts on the European continent.
A series of three novels by Robertson Davies, consisting of Fifth Business (1970), The Manticore (1972), and World of Wonders (1975). Throughout the trilogy, Davies interweaves moral concerns and bits of arcane lore. The novels trace the lives of three men from the small town of Deptford, Ont., connected and transformed by a single childhood event. Much of the book describes the course of Jungian analysis undertaken by Boy's son David. World of Wonders tells the story of Paul Dempster. Kidnapped as a boy by a magician, he learns the trade and eventually becomes Magnus Eisengrim, one of the most successful acts on the European continent.
Death of An Expert Witness / PD James
An evil-tempered forensic scientist is put to death, putting many of his colleagues out of misery. Commander Adam Dalgliesh must exhume the secrets of Dr. Lorrimer's laboratory in order to lay bare the murderous motive hidden in one human heart.
'C' is for Corpse / Sue Grafton
From Publishers Weekly
The corpse in private eye Kinsey Millhone's third adventure ("A" Is for Alibi and "B" Is for Burglar is that of Bobby Callahan, a young man she first meets while both are working out in a local gym. Bobby is convinced the car crash he'd been injured in was really an attempt on his life and, fearful of another assault, persuades Kinsey to investigate. A few days later, Bobby is indeed killed, and Kinsey stays on the case. She is befriended by Bobby's wealthy mother, his opportunistic stepfather and druggie, anoretic stepsister. She learns Bobby was having an affair with a friend of his mother's whose first husband had been killed in a suspicious burglary, and whose second is county pathologist. While the almost hard-boiled Kinsey ferrets out the ugly secrets behind Bobby's death, she's also trying to save her elderly landlord from the schemes of the scam-operating senior lady he's smitten with. Kinsey Millhone is nobody's fool; she's also sensitive, funny and very likable. Writing with a light, sure touch, Grafton has produced a fast-moving California story about quirky, believable people.
The corpse in private eye Kinsey Millhone's third adventure ("A" Is for Alibi and "B" Is for Burglar is that of Bobby Callahan, a young man she first meets while both are working out in a local gym. Bobby is convinced the car crash he'd been injured in was really an attempt on his life and, fearful of another assault, persuades Kinsey to investigate. A few days later, Bobby is indeed killed, and Kinsey stays on the case. She is befriended by Bobby's wealthy mother, his opportunistic stepfather and druggie, anoretic stepsister. She learns Bobby was having an affair with a friend of his mother's whose first husband had been killed in a suspicious burglary, and whose second is county pathologist. While the almost hard-boiled Kinsey ferrets out the ugly secrets behind Bobby's death, she's also trying to save her elderly landlord from the schemes of the scam-operating senior lady he's smitten with. Kinsey Millhone is nobody's fool; she's also sensitive, funny and very likable. Writing with a light, sure touch, Grafton has produced a fast-moving California story about quirky, believable people.
A Confederacy of Dunces / John Kennedy Toole
Review
Narrator Barrett Whitener renders Toole's cast of caricatures with verve enough to satisfy admirers. Toole wrote this novel in Puerto Rico during a hitch in the U.S. Army. In 1966 it was rejected by Simon & Schuster. In 1969 Toole committed suicide. Toole's mother then tried to get it published. After seven years of rejection she showed it to novelist Walker Percy, under whose encouragement it was published by Louisiana State University Press. Many critics praised it as a comic masterpiece that memorably evokes the city of New Orleans and whose robust protagonist is a modern-day Falstaff, Don Quixote, or Gargantua. Toole's prose is energetic, and his talent, had it matured, may have produced a masterpiece. However, listeners who do not feel charmed or amused by a fat, flatulent, gluttonous, loud, lying, hypocritical, self-deceiving, self-centered blowhard who masturbates to memories of a dog and pretends to profundity when he is only full of beans are not likely to survive the first cassette.
Narrator Barrett Whitener renders Toole's cast of caricatures with verve enough to satisfy admirers. Toole wrote this novel in Puerto Rico during a hitch in the U.S. Army. In 1966 it was rejected by Simon & Schuster. In 1969 Toole committed suicide. Toole's mother then tried to get it published. After seven years of rejection she showed it to novelist Walker Percy, under whose encouragement it was published by Louisiana State University Press. Many critics praised it as a comic masterpiece that memorably evokes the city of New Orleans and whose robust protagonist is a modern-day Falstaff, Don Quixote, or Gargantua. Toole's prose is energetic, and his talent, had it matured, may have produced a masterpiece. However, listeners who do not feel charmed or amused by a fat, flatulent, gluttonous, loud, lying, hypocritical, self-deceiving, self-centered blowhard who masturbates to memories of a dog and pretends to profundity when he is only full of beans are not likely to survive the first cassette.
A Brother's Blood / Michael C. White
Amazon.com Review
This novel is set in a small Maine village, where, back in 1945, German prisoners worked in a logging camp. When the brother of an ex-prisoner turns up seeking information on the murder of his brother after he escaped from the camp, it rouses old and disturbing memories for Libby Pelletier. Though Libby is reluctant to remember what she knows, much less talk about it, she finds it inevitable when violence returns and her brother is killed. The link between the murders is the mystery that drives this story of passion, cruelty, and ignorance.
This novel is set in a small Maine village, where, back in 1945, German prisoners worked in a logging camp. When the brother of an ex-prisoner turns up seeking information on the murder of his brother after he escaped from the camp, it rouses old and disturbing memories for Libby Pelletier. Though Libby is reluctant to remember what she knows, much less talk about it, she finds it inevitable when violence returns and her brother is killed. The link between the murders is the mystery that drives this story of passion, cruelty, and ignorance.
Brazzaville Beach / William Boyd
From Publishers Weekly
Boyd's adroitly written tale of romantic suspense is told from the point of view of a woman who flees marital difficulties in England to study chimpanzees in Africa.
Boyd's adroitly written tale of romantic suspense is told from the point of view of a woman who flees marital difficulties in England to study chimpanzees in Africa.
The Best Mysteries of Isaac Asimov
From School Library Journal
Although not an author whom average readers would associate with mysteries, Asimov has actually written several good ones. This collection contains 31 short pieces that are among his personal favorites. Two sections contain his series stories, the ``Black Widower'' and the ``Union Club'' mysteries. Brief introductions to each section and story will serve to acquaint readers with the general background of the series. A third section contains miscellaneous mysteries. All are clear and entertaining. This is a book to be read on ``a little here, a little there'' basis. The stories are short, and prolonged reading results in a series of mental stops and starts that are wearying. Also, the stories are written according to a set formula. However, read on the installment plan, the book is worth the effort. If the recent spate of series in juvenile publishing is any guide, this collection should please adolescents, including reluctant readers.
Although not an author whom average readers would associate with mysteries, Asimov has actually written several good ones. This collection contains 31 short pieces that are among his personal favorites. Two sections contain his series stories, the ``Black Widower'' and the ``Union Club'' mysteries. Brief introductions to each section and story will serve to acquaint readers with the general background of the series. A third section contains miscellaneous mysteries. All are clear and entertaining. This is a book to be read on ``a little here, a little there'' basis. The stories are short, and prolonged reading results in a series of mental stops and starts that are wearying. Also, the stories are written according to a set formula. However, read on the installment plan, the book is worth the effort. If the recent spate of series in juvenile publishing is any guide, this collection should please adolescents, including reluctant readers.
Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life / Roald Dahl
From Publishers Weekly:
An antique dealer posing as a clergyman to help his business turn a larger profit is one of the con artists, poachers and thieves who inhabit the rustic community introduced in these seven stories. According to PW , "Dahl shrewdly uses ostensibly simple fables as vehicles for richly mordant examinations of human foibles."
An antique dealer posing as a clergyman to help his business turn a larger profit is one of the con artists, poachers and thieves who inhabit the rustic community introduced in these seven stories. According to PW , "Dahl shrewdly uses ostensibly simple fables as vehicles for richly mordant examinations of human foibles."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)