Starred Reviews: July 2009
Jessica Roy and Heather McCormack -- Library Journal, 6/30/2009 1:17:00 PM
It's officially summer, and a lot of publishing folk have been talking about what to read while vacationing in the woods or at the beach. Besides some excellent memoirs, YA crossover, and staycation guides, we'd like to point you to the 44 outstanding works being starred in our July 15 print issue. Read on for a sneak peak of hot summer fiction from Philip Caputo, Pat Conroy, and Jeannette Walls. See also Martha Cornog's review of David Small's graphic novel Stitches, which many people consider the book of BookExpo America 2009.—Heather McCormack
ARTS | AUDIO | FICTION | GRAPHIC NOVELS | MYSTERY | REFERENCE |
SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY | SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | SOCIAL SCIENCES | SPIRITUAL LIVING
ARTS
Kiberd, Declan. Ulysses and Us: The Art of Everyday Life in Joyce’s Masterpiece. Norton. Sept. 2009. c.416p. index. ISBN 978-0-393-07099-6. $28.95. LIT
Highly recommended for academic libraries catering to literature scholars for its widely referenced, close reading of the text, this should be considered an invaluable companion volume to Joyce’s novel.
Maillet, Arnaud. The Claude Glass: Use and Meaning of the Black Mirror in Western Art. Zone, dist. by MIT. 2009. 295p. tr. from French by Jeff Fort. photogs. index. ISBN 978-1-890951-48-1. pap. $21.95. FINE ARTS
This is essential reading for painters and artists; strongly recommended for academics, specialists, and students for its original, fully documented scholarship and contribution to art history on a rarely covered subject.
Moeller, Hans-Georg. The Moral Fool: A Case for Amorality. Columbia Univ. 2009. c.160p. illus. ISBN 978-0-231-14508-4. $79.50; pap. ISBN 978-0-231-14509-1. $24.50. PHIL
The author’s amoral slant on these subjects is difficult to contest; this is a landmark study that anyone who champions ethics and morality must confront. Very
AUDIO
Drury, Bob & Tom Clavin. The Last Stand of Fox Company. 10 CDs. library ed. unabridged. 12 hrs. Tantor Media. 2009. ISBN 978-1-4001-4016-9. $69.99; 10 CDs. retail ed.; 1 MP3-CD. retail ed.; Playaway digital; digital download. MILITARY HIST
Drury and Clavin provide a gripping, firsthand account of one U.S. Marine company’s dramatic, bloody combat during the Korean War, taking listeners on a journey through the harrowing, life-and-death struggle that defined the battle.
Emley, Dianne. The Deepest Cut. 11 CDs. library ed. unabridged. 13½ hrs. Books on Tape. 2009. ISBN 978-1-4159-6452-1. $120; digital download. F
Detective Vining confronts growing gang activity in Pasadena, CA, in Emley’s fast-paced final entry in her Nan Vining trilogy.
Hack, Henry. Danny Boy. 8 CDs. library/retail eds. unabridged. 8¼ hrs. Books in Motion. 2009. ISBN 978-1-60548-339-9. $47.95/$28.99; 1 MP3-CD. retail ed.; digital download. F
Hack’s captivating debut novel, which deftly combines suspense, mystery, romance, and intrigue, centers on Det. Daniel Boyland, whose first big murder investigation for the Long Island Nassau County homicide squad takes an unusual turn when the prime suspect frames him for the murder.
Morgan, C.E. All the Living. 6 CDs. library ed. unabridged. 7½ hrs. Recorded Bks. 2009. ISBN 978-1-4361-7854-9. $72.75; Playaway digital. F
Aloma, an aspiring concert pianist, her happenstance lover, Orren, and the local preacher with whom Aloma strikes up a relationship one summer all struggle to balance desire and reality in Morgan’s engrossing debut, set in 1984 rural Kentucky.
FICTION
Caputo, Philp. Crossers. Knopf. Oct. 2009. c.480p. ISBN 978-0-375-41167-0. $27.95. F
Readers of Caputo’s Acts of Faith will be hoping for the same measured, masterly storytelling, informed by sociopolitical concerns, and they won’t be disappointed.
Carter, Betsy. The Puzzle King. Algonquin. Aug. 2009. c.352p. ISBN 978-1-56512-594-0. $23.95. F
Drawing on family legends (no one could invent a story line like this one), Carter deftly paints a panoramic portrait of life during the turbulent 1930s.
Conroy, Pat. South of Broad. Nan A. Talese: Doubleday. Aug. 2009. c.512p. ISBN 978-0-385-41305-3. $29.95. F
Filled with the lyrical, funny, poignant language that is Conroy’s birthright, this is a work Conroy fans will love.
Dolan, Harry. Bad Things Happen. Einhorn: Putnam. Jul. 2009. c.352p. ISBN 978-0-399-15563-5. $24.95. F
Dolan's humor shows not only in the fiction-vs.-reality theme but also in the twists and turns of plot and language that keep the characters and the reader guessing—and engrossed.
Dunant, Sarah. Sacred Hearts. Random. Jul. 2009. c.432p. ISBN 978-1-4000-6382-6. $25. F
Dunant brilliantly depicts the daily rhythms of convent life and offers an intriguing glimpse into 16th-century church politics.
Grenville, Kate. The Lieutenant. Atlantic Monthly. Sept. 2009. c.320p. ISBN 978-0-8021-1916-2. $24. F
Rooke is a genuine, sensitive protagonist, and this new novel offers a more intimate and optimistic perspective of Australian history than Grenville’s award-winning epic, The Secret River.
Lasdun, James. It’s Beginning To Hurt: Stories. Farrar. Aug. 2009. c.240p. ISBN 978-0-374-29902-6. $23. F
Affecting, yes; sentimental, no. Hard-edged truths about our predicament poke through this work, which is highly recommended.
Nguyen, Bich Minh. Short Girls. Viking. Jul. 2009. c.303p. ISBN 978-0-670-02081-2. $25.95. F
Fans of Nguyen’s acclaimed memoir, Stealing Buddha’s Dinner, will want to read her fiction debut. This should also appeal to readers of Asian American fiction.
Slaughter, Karin. Undone. Delacorte. Aug. 2009. c.448p. ISBN 978-0-385-34196-7. $26. F
This is a fast-paced read with a complex plot that contains enough twists to keep even the most veteran mystery reader guessing the identity of the culprit until the very end.
Sohn, Amy. Prospect Park West. S. & S. Sept. 2009. c.400p. ISBN 978-1-4165-7763-8. $25. F
Sure to appeal to fans of sophisticated chick and mommy lit, this is just too much fun, and the pages turn like the wind.
Strong, Anthony. Chemistry for Beginners. Touchstone: S. & S. Sept. 2009. c.304p. ISBN 978-1-4391-0847-5. pap. $14. F
Strong offers a delightful takeoff on the sort of clinical study that combines Schrödinger’s cat, Gödel’s undesirability theorem, fuzzy logic, quantum incompleteness physics, and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle to create a Unified Theory of Bafflement.
Taylor, Sam. The Island at the End of the World. Penguin. Sept. 2009. c.224p. ISBN 978-0-14-311625-7. pap. $14. F
Taylor turns the postapocalyptic genre on its head with this absorbing story of a modern-day Noah.
Walls, Jeannette. Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Story. Scribner. Oct. 2009. c.288p. ISBN 978-1-4165-8628-9. $25. F
Told in a natural, offhand voice that is utterly enthralling, this is essential reading for anyone who loves good fiction—or any work about the American West.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Doxiadis, Apostolos & Christos H. Papdimitriou & Alecos Papadatos. Logicomix: An Epic Search for Truth. Bloomsbury, dist. by Macmillan. 2009. c.352p. bibliog. ISBN 978-1-59691-452-0. pap. $22.95. BIOG
This brilliant graphic novel wraps academia’s big ideas of Truth and Meaning into a story about the thinkers and their passions, by turns fascinating and charming, with deft color art.
Small, David. Stitches: A Memoir. Norton. Oct. 2009. c.344p. ISBN 978-0-393-06857-3. $23.95. MEMOIR
In no way the latest ho-hum episode of Dysfunctional Family Funnies, Stitches is compelling, disturbing, yet surprisingly easy to read and more than meets the high standard set by the widely praised Fun Home.
Urasawa, Naoki. Monster. Vol. 18. Viz Media. 2008. c.256p. ISBN 978-1-4215-1840-4. pap. $9.99. F
Urasawa’s brilliant thriller pits character against character in nasty and complex cascades of violence, yet we understand and sympathize with every individual.
MYSTERY
Abel, Kenneth. Down in the Flood. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Aug. 2009. c.346p. ISBN 978-0-312-37719-9. $24.95. M
Abel’s latest is both a gripping crime thriller about human greed and a tribute to the people of New Orleans.
Alfieri, Annamaria. City of Silver. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Aug. 2009. c.317p. ISBN 978-0-312-38386-2. $24.95. M
In this nail-biting debut thriller set in 1650 in a little-known Peruvian city where no one is exempt from the wrath of the king and the cruel hand of the Church, an intriguing era in Latin American history comes alive under Alfieri’s sure hand.
Alleyn, Susanne. The Cavalier of the Apocalypse. Minotaur: St. Martin’s. Jul. 2009. c.290p. ISBN 978-0-312-37988-9. $24.95. M
Known for her impeccable plotting and fully defined characters, Alleyn maintains her high standards here.
Fossum, Karin. The Water’s Edge: An Inspector Sejer Mystery. Houghton Harcourt. Aug. 2009. c.267p. tr. from Norwegian by Charlotte Barslund. ISBN 978-0-15-101421-7. $25. M
Producing convoluted plots peopled with complex characters, Fossum is a leading author in the current Scandinavian crime fiction wave.
Nadel, Barbara. Arabesk: The 3rd Inspector Ikmen Mystery. Felony & Mayhem. Jul. 2009. c.324p. ISBN 978-1-934609-35-4. pap. $14.95. M
Often called the Donna Leon of Istanbul, Nadel offers us a look inside modern Turkey, often overshadowed by the mystique of the Ottoman Empire and overrun with poverty and stifled by political and religious conflicts.
Todd, Charles. A Duty to the Dead: A Bess Crawford Mystery. Morrow. Sept. 2009. c.336p. ISBN 978-0-06-179176-5. $24.99. M
Todd employs all the elements of a satisfying cozy mystery, with an absorbing plot and a charismatic heroine that will leave the reader wanting more.
REFERENCE
Adolph, Anthony. Tracing Your Irish Family History. Firefly. 2009. 224p. ISBN 978-1-55407-458-7. $29.95. REF
With an eye to increasing an understanding of the Irish experience, sidebars give specific genealogical case studies, fascinating historical tidbits, and neighborhood sketches by artists like William Thackeray. Filled with stunning photographs and document reproductions, this book is a vital addition to any genealogical collection.
Wilson, Richard L. Historical Encyclopedia of American Business. 3 vols. Salem. 2009. 1056p. illus. index. ISBN 978-1-58765-519-7. $364; Online: Salem History REF
Organized cleanly and clearly within a user-friendly framework, this three-volume set covers the full scope of American business history, from the earliest trade with the Native Americans to the most recent economic downturn.
SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY
Herbert, Brian & Kevin J. Anderson. The Winds of Dune. Tor. Aug. 2009. c.448p. ISBN 978-0-7653-2272-2. $27.99. SF
This sequel to Paul of Dune is an important addition to the Dune chronology and will be in demand by Herbert fans.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Ackerman, Diane. Dawn Light: Dancing with Cranes and Other Ways To Start the Day. Norton. Sept. 2009. c.208p. illus. ISBN 978-0-393-06173-4. $24.95. NAT HIST
These pieces are accessible and lyrically written, and they flow well, one after another, making reading the book a true pleasure. Ackerman’s fans and readers who appreciate nature writing at its finest will love this.
Cooper, Gwen. Homer’s Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale; or How I Learned About Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat. Delacorte. Sept. 2009. c.256p. illus. ISBN 978-0-385-34385-5. $20. PETS
With Homer as a messenger for those special-needs cats waiting to be adopted, this lovely human-feline memoir is sure to warm the hearts of all pet lovers.
Pryor, Karen. Reaching the Animal Mind: Clicker Training and What It Teaches Us About All Animals. Scribner. 2009. c.320p. ISBN 978-0-7432-9776-9. $25. PETS
Backed by the author’s impressive credentials and readable style, this is highly recommended for both pet lovers looking for training advice and students of animal behavior.
Sheehan, Jason. Cooking Dirty: A Story of Life, Sex, Love, and Death in the Kitchen. Farrar. Jul. 2009. c.336p. ISBN 978-0-374-28921-8. $25. COOKERY
Sheehan distills nearly 20 years spent working in a variety of kitchens around the United States into a rough, tough, and riveting culinary biography that not only details the scars the author has earned in his journey through life but also gives readers a true taste of a real cook’s working world.
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Goulston, Mark. Just Listen: Discover the Secret to Getting Through to Absolutely Anyone. AMACOM: American Management Assn. Sept. 2009. c.256p. ISBN 978-0-8144-1403-3. $24.95. SELF-HELP
Drawing on his experience as a psychiatrist, business consultant, and FBI hostage-negotiation trainer, Goulston provides brilliant yet doable techniques for getting through to others.
Price, R. Kevin. The Successful Retirement Guide: Hundreds of Suggestions on How To Stay Intellectually, Socially, and Physically Engaged for the Best Years of Your Life. Rainbow. Oct. 2009. c.344p. ISBN 978-1-56825-115-8. pap. $19.95. SELF-HELP
The beauty of retiree Price’s book is its simplicity—one can pick a chapter and find a latent interest that could be developed, from building a bird house to quitting smoking.
SPIRITUAL LIVING
Benson, Robert. A Good Neighbor: Benedict’s Guide to Community. Paraclete. Aug. 2009. 96p. ISBN 978-1-55725-582-2. pap. $14.99.
Sweeney, Jon M. Cloister Talks: Learning from My Friends the Monks. Brazos. 2009. 160p. ISBN 978-1-58743-268-2. pap. $12.99.
Reaching well beyond Catholic readership, these will be valuable to the thoughtful reader, Christian and non-Christian.
Jinkins, Michael. Called To Be Human: Letters to My Children on Living a Christian Life. Eerdmans. 2009. 150p. ISBN 978-0-8028-6300-3. pap. $15.
The innovative format of this work will appeal to Christians, scholarly and otherwise. Highly recommended.
The Restored New Testament: A New Translation with Commentary, Including the Gnostic Gospels, Thomas, Mary, and Judas. Norton. Oct. 2009. 1152p. trans. from Greek by Willis Barnstone. index. ISBN 978-0-393-06493-3. $49.95.
In an achievement remarkable by almost any standard, and surely one of the events of the year in publishing, renowned poet and scholar Barnstone has created a new and lavish translation—almost transformation—of the canonical and noncanonical books associated with the New Testament.
Spong, John Shelby. Eternal Life: A New Vision; Beyond Religion, Beyond Theism, Beyond Heaven and Hell. HarperOne: HarperCollins. Sept. 2009. 288p. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-06-076206-3. $24.
Spong’s thought and theology are crucial stimulants for every thinking Christian; an important book.
Wolfson, Ron. The Seven Questions You’re Asked in Heaven: Reviewing and Renewing Your Life on Earth. Jewish Lights. Jul. 2009. 160p. ISBN 978-1-58023-407-8. pap. $16.99.
The ethical strengths of this book should appeal to most readers with spiritual or religious interests. Highly recommended.
