Fiction

Claiming a patch of Boris Akunin's literary territory, prerevolutionary Russia, British novelist Bennett (The Catastrophist) imagines a psychoanalyst in St. Petersburg whose vigorous efforts on behalf of his patients lead to startling results. In fact, a visit from the police just days after the murder of a St. Petersburg journalist is just the first hint that Dr. Otto Spethmann will be drawn into terrible intrigue. The title is a chess term meaning a state of utter helplessness in which any action can only make things worse. And so it is for the characters, an array of plotters and naïfs whose yearning for love, justice, or power results in the deaths of many—but not of the tsar. Bennett, whose previous works have been shortlisted and longlisted for the Whitbread Award and the Booker Prize, respectively, plays out a real chess game complete with board illustrations in an intricate choreography of revolutionists, lovers, and turncoats who keep one another and us guessing until the very end. An unusual book that will find its ardent readers in most large public libraries.—Barbara Conaty, Falls Church, VA

With blunt and sometimes uncomfortable descriptions of abuse and squalor, this debut novel addresses the harrowing issue of this country's runaway children. Set in the sex-charged city of Las Vegas, the spellbinding plot centers on missing 12-year-old Newell Ewing, covering both the hours surrounding his disappearance and the situation's devastating effect on his parents. Complex characters playing a role in Newell's disappearance occasion a stark look into the grimy world of hustling, strip clubs, and a porn industry drawing transient and desperate teens. Among these characters are the spoiled Newell; Kenny, whose low self-esteem makes him hook up with a younger boy; Cheri, a high-class stripper involved with a skuzzy predator named Ponyboy; a pitiful comic-book artist named Bing; and a host of homeless teenagers like Danger-Prone Daphney—pregnant, doped up, and from an upper-middle-class family. This powerful indictment of a culture of "people hurting people for no reason" promises to shake up the moral conscience of every reader. A comprehensive drama; highly recommended for every collection. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/07.]—David A. Beronä, Plymouth State Univ., NH

An out-of-control pig starts the spirited plot rolling in this sixth novel from Caldwell. After several failed love affairs, Aaron McCloud leaves New York for Ireland to feel sorry for himself in the comfort of his Aunt Kitty's house. His bus ride to her village halts abruptly when an overturned truck tips out a load of pigs. His self-indulgent suffering will have to wait. One of the pigs follows him to her house, gets loose, and digs up her garden. What Aaron takes for a scarecrow in the dirt is a dead body, which Kitty recognizes as Declan Tovey, an itinerant handyman. She accuses her neighbor, Lolly McKeever, of murdering him. Then Lolly accuses friend Kieran Sweeney of killing Declan out of jealousy. No, says Sweeney. Kitty did it. Aaron is confused; with a renegade pig, an unearthed corpse, and a secret priest's tunnel in evidence, his suffering will have to be postponed yet again. In the lilting style of an Irish storyteller, Caldwell (Uncle from Rome) offers a hilarious ramble through a small Irish village with dart games, flowing Guinness, and a true Irish wake. Highly recommended for all public libraries.—Donna Bettencourt, Mesa Cty. P.L., Grand Junction, CO

Señor C, an aging and ailing writer in Australia, has been asked by his publisher to contribute political essays to a book called Strong Opinions. Having become infatuated with Anya, a beautiful young woman who lives in his apartment building, he hires her to type his manuscript. While Señor C is writing his essays on politics and morality, a morality tale of a different sort is playing out in his apartment, as the young woman's boyfriend tries to tap into the old writer's online bank account. The result reads like a literary hybrid of fiction and nonfiction, with each page alternating between Señor C's observations for Strong Opinions and dialog among him, Anya, and her boyfriend, Alan. As Anya remarks, we've all got opinions, but if you tell a story at least people will shut up and listen to you. Nobel prize winner Coetzee's thought-provoking and cerebral novel is recommended for academic and larger public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 9/15/07.]—Leslie Patterson, Brown Univ. Lib., Providence, RI

Peter Russell, an up-and-coming financial trader, is a romantic at heart. As he boards a transcontinental flight to Los Angeles, he is eager to see who will sit next to him, fully expecting—if it's a female—to find his true love. When the captivating Holly takes the seat, Peter is convinced he was right. Imagine his dismay after parting when he loses her phone number and realizes that he doesn't know her last name. So begins this tale of star-crossed lovers and their circle of family and friends. Peter and Holly will each travel a perilous path over the years to come. Treacherous office politics, adulterous liaisons, and a host of fascinating characters round out the story. Despite the contemporary setting, Collins's fiction debut has all the traits of a 19th-century romance—an omniscient and sometimes playful narrator, elegant prose that meanders through the lush terrain of disparate lives, an occasionally arch but always dulcet tone, frequent flashbacks, characters whose minds are plumbed (the females are especially well sounded), sophisticated dialog, and a much-delayed but delightful resolution. Jane Austen fans will feel right at home. Recommended for public libraries.—Ron Terpening, Univ. of Arizona, Tucson

This literary thriller, the first of prize-winning Dutch novelist de Winter's books to be translated into English, is set in late 1980s Prague. Reminiscent of the novels of Graham Greene, the book centers on a Dutch diplomat's tormented search for the truth. Haunted by the deaths of his twin daughters and the loss of his parents in the Holocaust, Hoffman seeks solace in late-night eating and drinking binges during which he immerses himself in the writings of Dutch philosopher Baruch de Spinoza. The overly descriptive passages of the diplomat's bulimic episodes and various bodily functions can be off-putting, but fortunately they are interspersed with his Spinoza-fueled metaphysical musings, which attest to Hoffman's yearning for transcendence. Less engaging are the chapters about a morbidly overweight tourist and a CIA analyst, who are key players in the intrigue woven throughout the novel. A dark secret about one of Hoffman's deceased daughters is revealed toward the end, and Hoffman's desperate attempts to preserve the memory of her childhood innocence are some of the most moving portions of the novel. This book will prove a satisfying read for anyone who has an appetite for Spinoza with their spy thrillers. Recommended for most fiction collections.—Emily Benson, New York

Life's two great challenges are how to live and how to die. At 68, author/professor Meyer Ostrower is obsessed with both, particularly as they relate to sex (make that "SEX! SEX! SEX!"), health, and writing. Having suffered recent declines in all three areas, he reexamines his life for ideas and does enough wool gathering to knit a dozen sweaters but can't weave a single thread of a story. Then he had sex with his wife twice in a day. No he didn't. Then he was convinced that Thursday was Wednesday for a whole day. What happened to Wednesday? Then a minor dispute with a much younger neighbor led to torrid sex. No it didn't. But would any of these make a good story? In Meyer's faltering hands, no, but in the hands of one of America's finest storytellers, yes, definitely. Dixon has created yet another quirky, irascible, deeply flawed, self-absorbed putz who is difficult to love but for whom we can't help feeling compassion in the end. Highly recommended for both public and academic libraries.—Jim Dwyer, California State Univ. Lib., Chico

Following his 2004 short story collection, A Short Journey by Car, Durcan's outstanding debut novel walks a taut line between skillful thriller and philosophical novel of ideas. Though he has yet to develop fully his authorial powers and talent, he already writes with an ease reminiscent of Graham Greene. Durcan crafts a character whose background in neurology and medicine—Durcan is himself a neurologist—deftly informs the action. Drawn from Montreal to the Hague to witness the war crimes trial of former mentor Hernan García, Patrick Lazerenko must confront a landslide of moral, political, and personal questions that haunt and confront him at all stages of his association with the Spanish immigrant and his family. As the plot unfolds, the novel takes on a breathtaking immediacy that will awe readers and tune them into probing ethical dilemmas. Suitable for all public and academic libraries.—Christopher Bussmann, Pratt Inst. Libs., Brooklyn

WJF seeks D/WJM: Must love kids. When her younger daughter tells Isabel Ackerman that she wants a daddy for Hanukkah, newly widowed Isabel jumps into the dating pool with the lead weights of high expectations and low self-esteem strapped around each ankle. While keeping her commitment-phobic New Jersey neighbor on the line, Isabel uses JDate, matchmakers, and fix-ups to secure dozens of dates, but never finds her soul mate. As a last resort, she sends out an email offering an all-expenses paid trip for two to anyone who can find her a husband. The national media picks up on Isabel's story, but a personal crisis prevents her from making the most of her 15-minutes of fame. With this autobiographical first novel, Edelman follows in the footsteps of Cecelia Ahern and Lolly Winston. Recommended for public libraries where there is a demand for "suddenly single" mature chick lit.—Karen Kleckner, Deerfield P.L., IL

Physicist-turned-novelist Erdogan debuts in English with a meandering yet heartfelt work set among the favelas ("shantytowns") of Rio de Janeiro. Drawing from her experiences during a two-year stay in Rio in the mid-1990s, Erdogan reinvents herself as the protagonist, Özgür, a young Turkish woman teaching English and writing a half-fictional novel called The City in Crimson Cloak, featuring a main character named Ö. The multilayered disguises employed by the author effectively mirror the nature of Rio, "the city that never removes its mask, not even after carnival." As Özgür wanders aimlessly through the chaotic streets one fateful Sunday, musing on the downward arc of her life and scratching out the final passages of her novel, her melancholy becomes as oppressive as the humidity. Erdogan supplies earthy, seductive description that accentuates the dark side of the tropics, painting Rio as a hellish labyrinth that lures its residents, native and foreigner alike, to their doom. There is a strong sense of social justice present in the finely observed street scenes, but ultimately this is less about the city and more about one woman's failed quest. Recommended for large fiction collections, this work may also appeal to fans of adventurous travel writing.—Forest Turner, Suffolk Cty. House of Correction Lib., Boston

As much about language as story, this experimental novel hangs on a thin thread of plot: when Ismael Kidder's 11-year-old daughter is brutally murdered, the already withdrawn romance writer retreats further from life, divorcing his wife and moving to a New Mexico mountaintop where he may or may not be imprisoning and torturing the man who may or may not have killed his daughter. Despite Everett's questioning of the whole concept of meaning, undermining the novel form doesn't seem to be his only goal. He also uses the separation between words and reality to portray something of the psychic disintegration of his protagonist in the face of tragedy. And a thread of acid political satire runs through the book as well, with Kidder perceiving the current administration's abuse of language as giving him license to behave as he views the administration behaving. Playful in its subversion but dark in its themes, this challenging work is certainly not for all readers. Those who persevere, however, will find rewards. For large public and academic libraries.—Lawrence Rungren, Merrimack Valley Lib. Consortium, Andover, MA

For nearly 18 years, Follett has been receiving pleas for a sequel to his most popular novel, The Pillars of the Earth. Finally, the wait is over. Some 200 years after Pillars, the town of Kingsbridge is still dominated by its magnificent cathedral. But times have changed. War and plague have dramatically affected the infrastructure of the Middle Ages, shifting the base of power from the noble and religious to the rising merchant and artisan classes. Populated with an immense cast of truly remarkable characters—the rich and powerful, the weak and downtrodden, clergy, guildsmen and nobility—this novel explores the lives and fortunes of the ancestors of the original inhabitants of Kingsbridge. At nearly 1000 pages, this is not a book to be devoured in one sitting, tempting though that might be, but one to savor for its drama, depth, and richness. Essential for every public library; in fact, get multiple copies. You'll need them to fill all the requests. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/1/07.]—Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage P.L., AK

A prequel to Gerber's award-winning The Kingdom of Brooklyn (1992), this work explores the lives of Rachel and Rose, immigrant sisters whose unsatisfactory husbands and arduous lives on New York's Lower East Side become a template for the lives of Rachel's three daughters and her granddaughters as well. Individual chapters are narrated from the very different perspectives of the four main women characters. We see thwarted loves, betrayals by relatives, and the poverty that marks their lives. Both Rachel and her daughter Ava marry for security rather than love; Rachel's spoiled daughter Musetta deliberately weds the man her sister Gilda loves. World War II brings catastrophic changes, taking brothers and sons. Gerber's unblinking portrait of immigrant Jewish lives during the first half of the 20th century creates a realistic view of the complexities of families who for better or worse manage to stay connected by swallowing resentments, coming to terms with life, and trying to achieve some measure of contentment. Recommended for large public libraries and those serving Jewish communities.—Andrea Kempf, Johnson Cty. Community Coll. Lib., Overland Park, KS

Martha Lessen is a young woman on the run, taking with her the three horses she loves. It is 1917. Looking for work in the dry-grass country of eastern Oregon, she touts herself as a breaker of horses. Most of the young men are overseas fighting, so Martha is hired on at the Bliss family ranch. Word spreads of her gentle horse-whispering ways. As she rides daily from ranch to ranch to work with various horses, she becomes a sort of one-woman Pony Express, carrying messages and food and learning to act quickly in cases of illness or injury. For the shy Martha, with a less than desirable childhood behind her, the acceptance she earns is transformative. Gloss's fourth novel (after Wild Life) is based on historical accounts of cowgirls in the American West. With obvious appeal for horse lovers, it has a homespun quality, and varies in action between a gentle canter and energetic gallop. Strongly recommended for public libraries.—Keddy Ann Outlaw, Harris Cty. P.L., Houston

Part murder mystery, part legal thriller, part reflection on the Vietnam War in light of current wars, this novel finds Maggie Delaney recovering from the violent death of her husband, Richard, as the young man accused of the crime goes to trial. Richard Delaney, successful lawyer, Vietnam War veteran, father, and husband, was gunned down by Anh "Billy" Nguyen at a drugstore near his office. What at first seemed an unfortunate random act of violence becomes complicated when a prominent attorney who is a veteran of the antiwar movement joins the defense team. Long-buried secrets about covert missions and war crimes become the focus of the investigation, and Maggie searches for Richard's former buddies to try to understand what happened to her husband so long ago. Her own involvement with the antiwar movement in college ties her to parts of a past that unfold during the trial. Very involving, although the secrets can unroll with frustrating deliberateness; recommended for most fiction collections. [The publisher is associated with the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg Cty.—Ed.]—Ann H. Fisher, Redford P.L., VA

Around 1745, young Aminata Diallo is abducted from her West African home and sold into slavery in South Carolina. An observant and highly intelligent child, she quickly learns not only how to speak English but also how to read and write. On a trip to New York City with her master, Aminata escapes during chaotic anti-British demonstrations. She helps the embattled British compile The Book of Negroes, a list of thousands of black Loyalists, and these slaves are transported to Nova Scotia and granted their freedom. Later some of them are sent to Sierra Leone as part of an abolitionist social experiment, and Aminata finally realizes her long-held dream of returning home. By setting the book early in the Revolutionary period, Canadian novelist Hill (Any Known Blood) finds something new in the familiar slave narrative. Unfortunately, his didactic purpose gets the upper hand and overwhelms the story. Aminata is simply too noble to be believable, and other major characters are mainly symbolic. Nevertheless, Hill's fascinating source material makes this a good choice for book clubs and discussion groups. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/07.]—Edward St. John, Loyola Law Sch. Lib., Los Angeles

Hunt (The Seas) delivers a breathtaking novel that is both difficult to classify and impossible to ignore. The year is 1943, and famed inventor Nikola Tesla lives quietly in a New York hotel with his memories and his pigeons. However, when an inquisitive chambermaid discovers Tesla's personal papers, she and Tesla form an unlikely bond with far-reaching consequences. The narrative, which relies heavily on interior monolog, alternates between Tesla's personal history and the secret longings of others who were strongly influenced by the great man's inventions. Hunt's deft blend of sf elements and romantic subplots may remind readers of Audrey Niffenegger's The Time Traveler's Wife, while her prose style and attention to historical detail are on a par with Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. Hunt's greatest triumph, however, lies in her depiction of Tesla, who wavers between genius and madness with carefully controlled charm. Peppered with literary quotations, historical figures, and subtle eroticism, this book will please readers who enjoy experimentation and uncertainty in both their fiction choices and their worldview. Recommended for medium to large fiction collections.—Leigh Anne Vrabel, Carnegie Lib. of Pittsburgh

Having been married for 18 years, Bostonians Sarah and Michael have learned to adapt to each others' imperfections—namely, Sarah's persistent insecurities and Michael's secretive business trips. Hints of an immediate post-9/11 world—e.g., hotel evacuations, emptied restaurants, circling helicopters—brilliantly frame Sarah and Michael's world, which is tested when the beautiful young Camila lands amid their fragility, claiming to be Michael's daughter, conceived during his youthful Peace Corps days. Michael goes in search of Camila's mother, who may be able to help unravel the disappearance of Michael's old Peace Corps buddy, while Sarah dances along the edges of adultery with a man she meets on a train even as she begins her own search for Michael's long-lost friend. It's a lot to juggle, but Ireland (Ana Imagined), who keeps readers engaged even while making clear that not every question has an answer, is more than up to the task. Strongly recommended.—Beth E. Andersen, Ann Arbor Dist. Lib., MI

Kaufman, cocreator of Mr. Magoo and two-time Oscar-nominated screenwriter for Take the High Ground! (1954) and Bad Day at Black Rock (1956) has, at the age of 90, published his first novel. Judd Breslau is a child prodigy who leaves Yale at the age of 14 at his doctoral adviser's urging, only to fall in with Phillip Chatterton, a retired Egyptologist with poor hygiene who is working on his opus in a dilapidated mansion. Soon, Judd falls in love with Chatterton's daughter, develops a deep hatred for her boyfriend, befriends an international student, and eventually ends up arrested in Iraq, awaiting his own execution. These events, however unrelated they seem, are tied together by Kaufman's narration following no set time line, with the narrative alternating between the jail cell and the events leading Judd there. Reminiscent of Christopher Moore's fantastic fiction, this work includes quite a cast of quirky characters and unbelievable sequence of strange events that keep the story intriguing and perhaps also illustrates the turbulence of growing up. Recommended for larger public libraries.—Stephen Morrow, Athens, OH

This novel is comparable to Imre Kertész's Liquidation as well as several of Krüger's earlier novels (The Man in the Tower, Himmelfarb)—it's short, it's a mystery, and it's essentially about the creative process. As in the earlier works, Krüger links art to violence or death and has conceived a narrator who aspires to be, but realizes that he is not, part of the intellectual elite. Although he treats literary theory, a topic unlikely to inspire most American readers, like any good mystery writer Krüger is skilled at revealing the right information at the right time. In addition, the cast of interesting characters—including a menagerie of unusual domesticated animals; the extremely average narrator, M; three Furies, his late friend's widow, lover, and secretary, who guide the narrator's actions; and the friend himself, a novelist who, despite being dead by suicide before the novel begins is in many ways the protagonist—keep the reader interested until the conclusion. Ultimately, the novel feels like a long joke. Recommended for academic and public libraries that collect contemporary German fiction.—K.H. Cumiskey, North Carolina State Univ., Durham

A London-bound funeral train passing through the rain-soaked English countryside is quietly observed by throngs of silent mourners. This sorrowfully muted opening scene sets the tone for Lee's (The Hidden Life of Otto Frank) debut novel, which takes place in World War I's mud-soaked trenches and during the war's immediate aftermath. At war's end, decorated war correspondent Alex Dyer finds a sympathetic ear when speaking with a gardener working with a small team to restore battlefields turned into cemeteries. Over the course of several days, Alex reveals the story of his doomed wartime romance with his closest friend's wife. Although this may be familiar territory for many readers, Lee's description of the fate of the maimed veterans and the search for and burial of the Unknown Soldier lends fresh poignancy. A fine selection for most public libraries.—Barbara Love, Kingston Frontenac P.L., Ont.

This lovely tale depicts the surprises and changes that come about with aging. Upon the unexpected death of her husband, Sarah finds strength and a capacity for caring that she never thought she would know without him. Amid bittersweet memories of her beloved Charles, Sarah becomes the unlikely den mother to an ever-growing bunch of lost souls. Surprising her wary family and even herself, she discovers a will to go on and share her home and thus her heart again. She likens the way her house fills with boarders to the way in which a cuckoo inserts itself into the nest of another bird and make its home there. Maloy (A Stone Bridge North) has created a truly engrossing novel, with situations at times both joyful and horribly sad and an entirely likable protagonist surrounded by an eclectic cast of friends and family. An excellent book club selection; highly recommended for public libraries.—Leann Restaino, Girard, OH

Nagai's Udekurabe, translated as Rivalry: A Geisha's Tale, may not be as famous in the West as Snow Country or Memoirs of a Geisha, but it is just as powerful as Yasunari Kawabata's story and far superior to Arthur Golden's. Set in the entertainment district of Shimbashi, Tokyo, during Taisho-era Japan, this work, originally serialized in 1918, follows the varying fortunes of Komayo, a talented geisha who must navigate the complex world of rival geisha houses and their patrons. Nagai writes with surprising frankness and an impeccable eye for detail, drawing outsiders into the ritualized and esoteric world of the geisha while simultaneously showing the degradation the women must suffer for their profession. This new translation by Snyder (Japanese, Middlebury Coll.) successfully transforms Nagai's Taisho-era Japanese into flowing modern English. Based on an unexpurgated version of the Japanese text published in the 1950s, this version contains passages and scenes not previously available in English. Unfortunately, general readers will have some trouble because the book lacks a glossary defining specific Japanese terms that Snyder does not translate. Nonetheless, this is a good choice for literature in translation or Asia collections at larger public and academic libraries.—Andrew Weiss, LIS student, Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu

If you loved the author's Suite Française—and how could you not?—you'll likewise take to this recently discovered treasure by Némirovsky, who perished in Auschwitz. "Fire in the blood" is the passion that propels all kinds of human triumphs and follies in the lives of otherwise undistinguished French paysans, citizens of the countryside in the early part of the last century, "a region that has something restrained yet savage about it, something affluent and yet distrustful that is reminiscent of another time, long past." Love, intrigue, mystery, death, and murder all figure in this exquisitely wrought tale, as related by the reclusive Silvio, who reconstructs an ultimately shocking family history that links the generations in unexpected ways. So great is Némirovsky's reading of the human heart that her tale has the power of myth. And so true does it ring to reality that one could call it not so much a love but a life story. If anyone has taken an accurate reading of the pulse of the French, it is surely Némirovsky. Beautifully translated, this work is enthusiastically recommended for all collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 5/1/07.]—Edward Cone, New York

We have an abundance of novels and memoirs about high-powered attorneys who find themselves questioning the life choices they've made. This new novel from Nussbaum (Blue Road to Atlantis) is a particularly heartfelt, contemplative contribution to this genre. As a young attorney working at a powerful New York law firm, protagonist J.J. Spencer seems to have it all. He finds himself questioning the value of his work, however, when he participates in a foreclosure transaction that devastates a married couple. The remainder of the novel follows the development and resolution of what becomes for J.J. an existential crisis. Though there are some problems with plotting and character development, J.J. is a skillfully drawn protagonist whose interest in martial arts and Eastern philosophy uniquely equip him to handle this crisis. Most important, Nussbaum engages the complex moral questions this crisis precipitates with courage and integrity. A lawyer himself, Nussbaum also handles the novel's legal matters skillfully. Recommended for libraries with large fiction collections.—Patrick Sullivan, Manchester Community Coll., CT

As Henry Ward Beecher lies dying in 1887, his estranged sister, Isabella Hooker, comes to Brooklyn Heights for a final attempt at reconciliation. Among those who oppose her visit is her sister, Harriet Beecher Stowe. The rich and powerful Beecher family has never recovered from the trial 12 years earlier in which Henry, a charismatic preacher, stood accused of committing adultery with Elizabeth Tilton. Rather than supporting Henry unquestioningly, Isabella stood by Victoria Woodhull, the outspoken suffragette who made the charges public to advance her own causes. O'Brien (The Glory Cloak) skillfully carries readers back and forth through time and place in brief chapters that elucidate Isabella's involvement in the suffrage movement and Harriet's literary triumphs. Mrs. Tilton's contradictory accounts of events and Henry's ambiguous explanations contribute to the jury's inability to reach a verdict, and the nagging uncertainties influence the dynamics among the Beecher siblings as well. This intriguing novel illuminates the era's political and social struggles as well as the stresses within a celebrity family. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction, the book should also attract a broader public library readership.—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State Univ. Lib., Mankato

O'Nan's tenth novel (after The Good Wife) demonstrates once again why the author is known as the "bard of the working class." It's December 20, closing day for the New Britain, CT, Red Lobster restaurant, abandoned by headquarters owing to mediocre sales. Manager Manny De Leo had to let most of his employees go—only five can transfer with him to the Olive Garden—and is counting on the good will of a few to run the place. As he opens, we hear in intimate detail about routine tasks (changing the oil in the Frialator) and tacky decorations (the shellacked marlin on the wall). Manny will miss it; it's his shop, and he takes pride in it. He'll also miss Jacquie, the waitress with whom he had a brief, intense affair. As snow falls, Manny handles the regulars, Christmas parties, the mall crowd, and his small crew with aplomb, constantly aware of his losses. This slice-of-life novel is funny, poignant, and exquisitely rendered. Strongly recommended for all fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/07.]—Nancy Fontaine, Dartmouth Coll., Hanover, NH

Having it all—motherhood, a career, a loving husband, and good friends—is a goal for many women. That is certainly the case for Jane Levitsky. Working toward her Ph.D. in the field of 19th-century Russian literature, Jane is especially passionate about the novels of Grigory Karkov and the diaries of his wife, Masha. Even after giving birth to a daughter, Maisie, she can't imagine leaving the world of the Karkovs. But then Jane and her husband relocate to Madison, WI, for her first academic post, and her dream world begins to crumble. Jane uncovers information about Masha that she believes could change how the world views Grigory's work. As she hunts down the literary clues to verify her hunch, her home life is torn asunder. Pastan (This Side of Married) has crafted an interesting take on modern life and women who try to have it all. She intersperses her narrative with excerpts detailing the lives of women in 19th-century Russia, creating a juxtaposition of cultural mores between the past and the present. Recommended for most public libraries.—Robin Nesbitt, Columbus Metropolitan Lib., OH

Italian native Giancarlo Rosa, a professor of music at Rhode Island College, has been living in self-imposed exile for 30 years. A bachelor weighed down by his past, he can no longer write music or perform in public. When a college grad approaches him for summer Italian lessons, the reluctant professor recognizes and is won over by the student's motive: lovestruck Carter Quinn wants to learn the language to track down an Italian girl he met briefly. Carter proves to be an excellent student and by summer's end finds himself in Italy, where, as part of his quest, he has agreed to do a favor for his teacher. What follows, however, will turn both his and the professor's world upside down. Novelist Pezzelli (Francesca's Kitchen; Home to Italy) tells an engaging story that is as leisurely paced and satisfying as a fine Italian meal. Readers will enjoy the relationship that develops between student and teacher and savor the transformations of dreams and disappointments. Recommended for all popular fiction collections.—Ron Terpening, Univ. of Arizona, Tucson

The Olympian gods have fallen on hard times. Their power is fading, and as a result they have been living in a house in London for the past 300 years, working at menial jobs and squabbling among themselves. Artemis hires a mortal woman named Alice to clean the house. Apollo falls in love with Alice, and when she rejects his advances, he tricks Zeus into killing her. Artemis takes Alice's boyfriend, Neil, through the portal to the underworld. First they have to get past Charon, conveyor of the dead, and Cerberus, the three-headed dog. This accomplished, they confront Hades, who gives Neil a choice—save the world or save the woman he loves. Phillips imagines a hilarious world that explains all that is inexplicable in our own. She invokes the power of legal precedence, human and godly love, and the power of faith to bring this story to its conclusion. Well written and entertaining, this book is recommended for most libraries.—Joanna M. Burkhardt, Univ. of Rhode Island Coll. of Continuing Education Lib., Providence

Is there inherent meaning in language, or, in assigning names to places and things, are we merely groping blindly for meaning that might not exist? Ricardou seems to advocate the latter in his latest deconstructionist work, a novel-cum-metafictional guidebook, which owes much to the tradition of the New Novel in its refusal to adhere to any conventional notions of storytelling. A notoriously difficult writer, Ricardou leavens his latest work with a much-needed playfulness as he describes villagers' attempts to construct historical significance based on the implications of the names of the places where they reside. His sentences, freed from the mundane task of propelling the plot forward, shimmer on the page like pearls dug out of the muck of ordinary language. His powers of observation are truly daunting, and his microscopic attention to detail, including the description of a single ant struggling for its life on a diminishing dry spot of rock, make one feel less content to accept meaning and names at face value and more interested in the kind of ruthless examination of the world at which Ricardou excels. Recommended for literary fiction collections.—Emily Benson, New York

Conspiracy aficionados are going to love Australian author Rollins's thriller, his third novel but the first to be released in the United States. It's a real page-turner pitting OSI investigator Maj. Vincent (Vin) Cooper against shadowy forces that kill anyone who gets in the way. Investigating the accidental death of Gen. Abraham Scott, the son-in-law of the Vice President of the United States, leads Vin to a bloody ambush in Baghdad, a sex club in Riga, Latvia, and ultimately the Vice President's parlor in Washington, DC. Sure, the book is a white-knuckle read on a par with anything that James Patterson or Nelson DeMille might offer, but the insights into what drives world politics (for example, the war in Iraq) are so plausible and well thought out that the reader may come away with a feeling that it's all real—only the names have been changed to protect the guilty. Highly recommended for popular fiction collections. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 6/1/07.]—Ken St. Andre, Phoenix P.L.

A Parisian museum tour guide descends into madness and murder, guided by the works of the philosopher Blaise Pascal, in this distinctive novel published in France in 1995. Salvayre (The Company of Ghosts) has constructed a bleak character study through which she examines the nature of criminality and the way the past conspires to consume our souls. The narrator, held for the murder of an unnamed victim, reveals his story in conversations with the judge, a psychiatrist, and a guard in the jail's infirmary. Through anecdotes about his workplace (the abbey at Port-Royal des Champs, associated with Pascal and the Jansenist movement) and his failing marriage and his memories of a dismal childhood, we see a man struggling "to gain a foothold in the void." Ruminations on the futility of existence place this squarely in the tradition of the French existentialists: in a nod to Camus, the narrator's cellmate is in jail for "killing an Arab." There are also echoes of Don Quixote in the flashes of absurd humor and the theme of a man led to his destruction by overzealous reading. Throughout, Salvayre handles this ambitious framework with great sangfroid. Recommended for literary fiction collections.—Forest Turner, Suffolk Cty. House of Correction Lib., Boston

In her debut novel, Sellers-Garcia draws from her own experience as a transnational whose cultural identity springs from both the United States and Central America. This beautiful and only partly fictional account features Nitido Aman, an American born in Guatemala. His parents were always kind, but it was clear that discussions about the past were forbidden. A twist of fate leads Nitido to a remote village in Guatemala's highlands, where he is mistaken for a visiting priest. Having lived through years of horrific guerilla warfare, the villagers each have a cache of unspoken terror. Familiar with his parents' conspiracy of silence, Nitido is not confounded by what he encounters among the villagers of Rio Roto; their silence staves off what they cannot bear. Sellers-Garcia succeeds in evoking the scent of the mud and the sound of the sugar cane swaying in the wind. Likewise, she reveals the details of the past ever so slowly, so that we gradually come to understand the paralyzing fear the people had to endure. Unsettling, evocative, and fascinating, this is a well-drawn portrait of a time and place very, very different from our own. Highly recommended for collections of literary fiction, especially those with an interest in Central America. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 8/07]—Susanne Wells, P.L. of Cincinnati and Hamilton Cty., OH

Novelists who compose stories involving a culture different from their own normally bring to mind the expression "scratching an itch from outside one's boot." Such is not the case with Talarigo (The Pearl Diver), who convincingly tells of a ginseng hunter plying his trade in a border town between China and North Korea. The novel moves from an idyllic to an emotional level as this North Korean loner who emigrated to China refuses to help an illegal alien working as a prostitute and then is forced to turn in a little girl who has just escaped from North Korea. Talarigo's characterization of this antihero, who borders on weak-minded and cowardly, is both sensitive and understanding. His descriptive prose is such that readers virtually see the wrinkles of the ginseng root, hear the sparrows' high-pitched call, and taste the cold, running stream. By subtly relating the struggle of plant life on the forest floor to the human struggle at the border, Talarigo offers us a novel that is ultimately a study of survival under hostile conditions. Highly recommended.—Victor Or, Vancouver P.L./North Vancouver City Lib., B.C.

Hector Kipling is a twit, and a twit in the throes of a mid-life meltdown is never pretty. After meeting a couple of mates and fellow artists at London's Tate Modern—one has been short-listed for the Turner Prize, the other is doing brilliant things with large pictures of cutlery—Hector is torn apart by jealousy. Then his beautiful Greek girlfriend is summoned home to care for a stricken parent, and he falls (and how!) for the multiple charms of a kinky American poetess. When he awakens to find that poetess setting fire to his nipple, it's almost enough to make him question the wisdom of his behavior. This insider's satirical glance into the London art scene clicks when it skewers artist Tracey Emin's infamous unmade bed and depicts Gilbert & George doing something strange with each other's fingers. The rest of the book is good for a few grins. First-time novelist Thewlis's career as an actor—known for his roles in both art films (Naked) and as Professor Lupin in the Harry Potter franchise—ensures interest; recommended for larger public libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/07.]—Bob Lunn, Kansas City P.L., MO

Francesca had a successful career and a satisfactory marriage, but she gave it all up to become the third Mrs. Isambard Channing. Now she finds life as the trophy wife of a highly successful property magnate fraught with family turmoil created by the adult children of her husband's first two marriages. When Francesca and Bard's second child falls ill and the business empire Bard has built starts to falter, his uncommunicative and condescending nature begins to strain their relationship severely. Francesca's vulnerable and trusting nature makes her the prime candidate for use by Bard's eldest son as a means of exacting revenge upon his father. Then, when he is under direct fire from government authorities for fraud, Bard asks Francesca to provide a false alibi, leaving her on an emotional precipice. Fans of contemporary family sagas rich with drama and intrigue will thoroughly enjoy Vincenzi's (Sheer Abandon) fiction debut, first published in Britain and now brought to the American reading public through a concerted effort by Overlook Press to republish Vincenzi's entire backlist of eight novels. Recommended for popular fiction collections.—Joy St. John, Henderson District P.L., NV

Wells (Logan's Storm), a native of the Louisiana bayous, is a writer with a purpose, and although his purpose may be transparent, his message is clear and his story is a gem. When Justin Pitre inherited Crawfish Mountain, a 500-acre tract of beautiful bayou wetland, he vowed to maintain it in its pristine condition. However, Tom Huff, regional vice president of Standard of Texas Oil Company, is determined to run a pipeline through the land, and uses threats, intimidation, and political clout to get his way. As Justin and his wife, Grace, plot a strategy to save their land, which takes an unplanned turn toward revenge, some of Huff's activities—illegal dumping of toxic waste, bribery of state officials, and plans for cutting a shipping channel through the bayous—come to light. What evolves is a battle of good and evil, with the governor, a cadre of state and local officials, environmentalists, and private citizens getting involved. A serious tale told in a rollicking style, with large doses of humor, irony, intrigue, and a wonderful sense of time and place, Well's latest novel is a sure winner. Highly recommended.—Thomas L. Kilpatrick, Southern Illinois Univ. Lib., Carbondale

This is a loosely constructed novel/meditation/rant/recollection framed around events in the life of French-born author and psychoanalyst Frantz Fanon, an early champion of international human rights and African unity. It is narrated by a man whose brother is serving a long prison sentence in Pennsylvania, whose elderly mother is struggling to carry on, and who himself is trying to write a book about Fanon. Occurrences in Fanon's life and the philosophical principles some of his writings espoused serve as a springboard for discursive sections covering a variety of topics and themes frequently related to racial intolerance and artistic integrity. Most convincing and tangible are the sections dealing with the narrator's brother and mother and describing life in Pittsburgh's poorer neighborhoods. Fanon died in 1961 at the age of 36 from leukemia in Bethesda, MD, and Wideman (Philadelphia Fire) writes a long section in which the (fictional) author's mother stays at the same hospital at which Fanon lived out his final days. Wideman's passion and soul infuse the text, which works best as a prose poem in the style of a jazz improvisation; the seriousness of his conviction and commitment will draw readers in. Recommended for larger fiction collections.—Jim Coan, SUNY Coll. at Oneonta Lib.

One of the lesser-known aspects of the Nazi regime was the Lebensborn program, which promoted the expansion of the "master race" by encouraging German women and those who were racially "pure" in its occupied countries to bear as many children as possible. Young explores the experiences of these women in her fictional story of Cyrla, a young Polish/Dutch woman who enters a Lebensborn maternity home in place of her cousin Annika, who died tragically. Unbeknown to the officials, Cyrla is half Jewish and must walk a tightrope as she plots her escape. Despite a few too many far-fetched plot contrivances, the subject matter is of immediate interest and sympathy. At the book's outset, Cyrla is strident, idealistic, and foolishly outspoken, but as she matures she begins to understand the complexity of the world around her and the people she has known. An unexpected development midway through the novel helps make this a real page-turner. Recommended for most public libraries.—Christine DeZelar-Tiedman, Univ. of Minnesota Libs., Minneapolis

Originally published as Koiwasuregusa ("Love Forgetting Flower"), this work makes its English-language debut with this translation by MacDonald, who has also translated Kido Okamoto's The Curious Casebook of Inspector Hanshichi: Detective Stories of Old Edo. Kitahara's work has always been well received in Japan, having won several awards over the years, including the 1969 Shincho Award for best new writer. This 1993 Naoki Prize for Literature winner shows her penchant for historical fiction at its best. In six cleverly intertwined short stories, Kitahara depicts the lives of working Japanese women during the late Edo period, circa 1832. Of interest to lovers of Japanese literature, this book will also appeal to those in women's studies programs as it takes a direct look at the often compromised and marginalized positions of Edo period women, who nevertheless found ways to succeed in various professions. This book was chosen for translation by the Japanese Literature Publishing Project, a group that advocates the promotion of Japanese literature abroad. Suitable for academic and larger public libraries.—Andrew Weiss, LIS student, Univ. of Hawaii at Manoa

In these tantalizing and provocative short stories, Nobel prize-winning South African writer Gordimer (The Pickup) experiments with various unusual points of view. The narrator in "Tape Measure," for example, is a tapeworm. "Dreaming of the Dead," meanwhile, is a dream about a fascinating conversation at a Chinese restaurant among the sleeper and the late Susan Sontag and Edward Said. In "Gregor," a narrator who admits to reading Kafka's diaries night after night sees a roach on the display screen of her electronic typewriter, and, with the help of a neighbor, dismantles the screen and destroys the roach. Gordimer raises the question: "What happens if something from fiction is not interiorised, but materializes? Takes in independent existence?" She can be quite playful, e.g., in "Historian," a parrot continually comments on the patrons of the restaurant where his cage hangs. The last three stories, though they all deal with the issue of adultery, arrive through the senses of sight, sound, and smell at three different outcomes. With Gordimer's exquisite use of language, keen insight into social relationships, and elegant writing style in full form, this work is recommended for all libraries. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 8/07.]—Lisa Rohrbaugh, East Palestine Memorial P.L., OH

Kenyan academic Kamoche, who teaches management in Hong Kong, presents his first book of short stories. A number of the stories are simple slice-of-life vignettes made more exotic by their locales—everywhere from Copenhagen to Kenya to China. Kamoche's protagonists are women and men of all classes and creeds, most on the verge of life-changing moments, be it a first run as a drug mule in "The Dream Went Out" or dealing with an unexpected pregnancy in "A Glimpse of Life." Kamoche tackles issues of poverty, fidelity, the lives of expatriates, and interracial relationships in thoughtful treatments as richly considered as the language he uses to describe his stories' settings. Though his writing is occasionally stilted, his characters and themes will remain in the brain. Recommended for all fiction collections.—Alicia Korenman, Florida State Univ. Lib., Tallahassee

LaSalle (creative writing, Univ. of Texas at Austin) adds another accolade to his career with this winner of the 2006 Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction. The 11 stories he here collects combine humor with beautiful imagery—e.g., "We stood like two members of some distinct leaf-munching separate species above the sea of heads bobbing…"; "The lenses magnified the eyes even larger, so she looked somewhat like a Martian—in a pretty way." Each story's structure is distinct: in one, sentences are interrupted by change-in-time markers, while in another, single sentences meander and twist for a page or longer. Both these examples indicate some of the questions prevalent in the collection; specifically, those pertaining to time—what it is and what happen when it bends. LaSalle has written two other short story collections and one novel, and he regularly contributes short stories, essays, and book reviews to various magazines, newspapers, and anthologies. An enjoyable read; recommended.—Kristin Thiel, Portland, OR