Xpress Reviews—First Look at New Books, February 11, 2011
Feb 10, 2011Week ending February 11, 2011
Fiction | Nonfiction | Graphic Novels
FICTION
Allen, Sarah Addison. The Peach Keeper. Bantam. Mar. 2011. c.288p. ISBN 9780553807226. $25. F
The Jacksons were among the most influential families in Walls of Water, NC, until the mountain forests were declared a national park and the Jackson Logging Company went under. Georgie Jackson was 17 and pregnant when her family left town, but she stayed and became a maid in the house of her best friend, Agatha Osgood. Seventy-five years later, Georgie's granddaughter, Willa, watches while Paxton and Colin Osgood, Agatha's grandchildren, restore the old Jackson family home, the Blue Ridge Madam. Colin has always found Willa intriguing—her outward predictability covering an inner prankster—and working on the Madam gives him a way into Willa's life. But the Madam has been keeping secrets of her own. Will skeletons unearthed from the past ruin the present?
Verdict Peppered with Allen's (Garden Spells; The Sugar Queen; The Girl Who Chased the Moon) trademark Southern charm and magical foretelling, this novel will keep readers turning the pages to see what happens. This author is sure to find a place in the hearts of most popular fiction readers; her latest is a must read for fans of Alice Hoffman. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/1/10; five-city tour; library marketing.]—Stacey Hayman, Rocky River P.L., OH
Anonymous. O: A Presidential Novel. S. & S. 2011. 368p. ISBN 9781451625967. $25.99. F
In the footsteps of the anonymously written political novel Primary Colors, this book imagines the approaching 2012 presidential race. Anonymity here shields the author (for a time), adds to the marketing buzz, and unleashes a swirl of whodunit and who's in it political parlor games. The jacket flap describes the author as having "been in the room with Barack Obama," which, given this President's accessibility, leaves out almost no one. The smart money has already pegged Mark Salter, John McCain's campaign aide and speechwriter as the author, but he's not talking...yet. Instructively, journalist Joe Klein took several months to accept responsibility for authoring Primary Colors. What's certain is this writer knows how to tell a good story, is a political player who understands swashbuckling campaigns, and, despite trying to appear impartial, is no fan of Obama. More amusing still is figuring out what real-life muses inspired the various characters. Who is the pugilistic, folksy female leader beloved by the Tea Partiers? How could the politically changeable immigrant Bianca Stefani, founder/editor of a leftist web news site, not owe something to Ariana Huffington? Ultimately, the book does a good job of depicting a campaign's pressures and strategies as well as the personal compromises and sacrifices made in the attempt to win this country's highest office.
Verdict A political junkie's rollicking read delivered by a knowledgeable, if subjective, insider.—Sheila Riley, Smithsonian Inst. Libs., Washington, DC
Brave New Worlds. Night Shade. Feb. 2011. c.496p. ed. by John Joseph Adams. ISBN 9781597802215. pap. $15.99. F
Is Big Brother really watching? Readers will find themselves looking over their shoulders and questioning their assumptions after reading this anthology from noted editor Adams (Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse; The Living Dead, Vol. 1). This new collection includes selections that explore societies where personal freedoms such as fertility rights, gender equality, and even personal space are limited by government or religion. The volume blends classics, including Shirley Jackson's quintessential "The Lottery" and Neal Gaiman's graphic short "From Homogenous to Honey," with a wide range of new material from visionary newcomers.
Verdict This well-rounded collection emphasizes the breadth of interpretations of dystopian fiction. Some selections may be disturbing, including one story featuring a graphic prison rape. However, the few questionable inclusions do not greatly diminish the worth of this anthology. A great choice for dystopian fiction fans as well as larger public and academic libraries.—Jennifer Beach, Rice, VA
On Dangerous Ground: Stories of Western Noir. Cemetery Dance. Mar. 2011. c.404p. ed. by Ed Gorman & others. ISBN 9781587671920. $30. F
Masters of the macabre Gorman (Dead and Alive), Dave Zeltersman (The Caretaker of Lorne Field), and Martin H. Greenberg (The Dean Koontz Companion; Women of the Night) present this anthology of 21 Western-themed stories designed to leave readers screaming for more. Twists of fate and wisps of pure evil subtly wind throughout these chilling tales contributed by a variety of crime fiction and Western authors (Ken Bruen, Harry Shannon, Jeremiah Healy, Bill Crider, James Reasoner, and Robert Randisi). Unexpectedly, they spring forth as the reader (immersed in the virtues of right causes championed by rugged Western heroes) becomes aware of the fetid nature immersing them all. This is classic noir fiction at its very best.
Verdict This skillfully crafted anthology will have great appeal to fans of noir fiction, pulp fiction, and Westerns. The escapism provided through journeying into the bleak shadow-side of human nature allows readers to be guided into a more hopeful reality.—Melody Ballard, Pima Cty. P.L. Tucson, AZ
Webber, Heather. Absolutely, Positively: A Lucy Valentine Novel. St. Martin's Paperbacks. Feb. 2011. c.320p. ISBN 9780312946159. pap. $7.99. F
Webber's latest funny and quirky romantic mystery (following Truly, Madly and Deeply, Desperately) continues the exploits of Lucy Valentine. Lucy was once capable like her father and half-brother of reading people's "auras" in order to make perfect matches, but following an electric shock, she can now only locate missing items though personal contact with a previous owner. She's incorporated her new skill into Lost Loves, the enterprise she runs with her boyfriend, former firefighter Sean Donahue. On today's agenda: Lucy's grandmother asks Sean to investigate the disappearance of a neighbor, Meaghan Archibald hires Lucy to locate the fellow foster child she was in love with when they were 15, and everyone wants to discover the identity of the Lone Ranger, a masked man who runs through Boston Common dispensing $20 bills. Looming largest on Lucy's mind? Should she ask Sean to move in with her?
Verdict Webber makes it easy to follow the exploits of this zany crew as she delivers plenty of backstory. As always, love is definitely in the air, but so is art theft, dognapping, nefarious deeds, lots of woo-woo, and FBI guys straight out of central casting. A sweet tale of a gal just trying to make a living while psychic forces get in the way. Recommended for most libraries.—Bette-Lee Fox, Library Journal
NONFICTION
Crow, Sheryl & Chuck White. If It Makes You Healthy: More Than 100 Delicious Recipes Inspired by the Seasons. St. Martin's. Apr. 2011. c.272p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780312658953. $29.99. COOKING
Rock/country star Crow teams up with chef White in this readable cookbook filled with friendly asides, photos, and insights into the life of a popular musician in the studio and on the road. Most of the main dish recipes feature meat, with some tofu options, and many side dishes are vegetarian or vegan. Frequent side notes along with comments between and within recipes guide novice cooks and demonstrate an easygoing attitude toward substituting ingredients and tailoring recipes to individual tastes. The healthy focus is largely in response to Crow's breast cancer, and some readers may be surprised that the recipes do not include calorie counts or a nutritional breakdown. Many of the comments tout the anticancer properties of certain foods and encourage readers to shop locally and buy products from farms using humane animal methods and organic farming techniques.
Verdict An enjoyable cookbook for browsers of many tastes. Readers will feel they have shared a bit of Crow's life along with the recipes from her table. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 11/15/10.]—Margaret Knapp, Trinity Valley Sch. Lib., Fort Worth, TX
Jewell, Geri with Ted Nichelson. I'm Walking as Straight as I Can: Transcending Disability in Hollywood and Beyond. ECW, dist. by IPG. Apr. 2011. c.264p. ISBN 9781550228830. pap. $19.95. TV
Jewell is best known for her roles on television's The Facts of Life (1979–88) and Deadwood (2004–06). In this memoir, titled with nods to both her cerebral palsy and her sexuality, she chronicles with Nichelson (coauthor, Love To Love You Bradys) some of the most daunting obstacles and trying times of her life. The writing suffers from short, choppy sentences and sometimes overly verbose reflections that prolong what would otherwise be simple anecdotes. Clichés pepper the book (e.g., "Whenever a door closes, a window is opened"). Occasional moving and relatable moments can be found, from Jewell's struggles with addiction to coping with her mother's terminal illness and death. Still, many passages feel oddly aimless or repetitive. Jewell takes time to recount when her apartment was robbed twice but skims quickly over her stint on Deadwood.
Verdict Though the prose is unremarkable, Jewell's book fits a niche in both LGBT and disabled celebrity autobiographies. Only diehard fans of The Facts of Life or avid readers of disability-related memoirs might overlook the book's shortcomings.—Adam Waldowski, Missouri State Univ. Lib., Springfield
Josyph, Peter. Adventures in Reading Cormac McCarthy. Scarecrow. 2010. 256p. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780810877078. pap. $35. LIT
Josyph (Liberty Street: Encounters at Ground Zero) is an author, artist, and filmmaker with a clear fondness for the far-ranging works of Cormac McCarthy. In this book, Josyph does not attempt to present a complete overview of McCarthy's diverse work but breaks his book into parts, each part focusing on a particular work: McCarthy's semiautobiographical novel, Suttree (1979); his stark Western novel, Blood Meridian (1985); his play, The Stone Mason (1995); his screenplay about an 1876 murder, The Gardener's Son (1976); and arguably McCarthy's best-known novel, All The Pretty Horses (1992). Most of the essays and interviews here are not new but are reprinted from other literary publications or from conferences. While most pieces are well written, as a whole, the book lacks an overall focus other than McCarthy himself.
Verdict Those new to the author or those interested in exploring McCarthy's works in depth might do better starting with the works themselves, as this collection does not offer one coherent introduction; advanced readers and McCarthy devotees may appreciate this most. An optional purchase.—Felicity D. Walsh, Emory Univ., Decatur, GA
Lit from Within: Contemporary Masters on the Art and Craft of Writing. Ohio Univ. Mar. 2011. c.200p. ed. by Kevin Haworth & Dinty W. Moore. ISBN 9780821419489. pap. $19.95. COMM
Moore (nonfiction writing, Ohio Univ.; Crafting the Personal Essay) and novelist and executive editor of Ohio University Press Haworth (writing, Ohio Univ.; The Discontinuity of Small Things) have gathered 15 essays, most never published, from past guests of the Ohio University Spring Literary Festival. The collection includes writings by contemporary masters of the short story (e.g., Ron Carlson), of poetry (e.g., Billy Collins), and of the novel (e.g., Francine Prose). United mostly by their conversational style, the essays treat varied subjects. The informal tone works well in some pieces, especially those with humor, but in submissions focusing on narrow literary topics, it can feel rambling. The contributors discuss such concepts as theme, gesture, persona, questions, stillness, and the value of a good editor primarily in the context of short story or poetry writing.
Verdict Because of its concentration on craft over advice or issues of the writing life, this book will likely appeal most to individuals formally studying or teaching creative writing.—Stacey Rae Brownlie, Lititz P.L., PA
Paltrow, Gwyneth. My Father's Daughter: Delicious, Easy Recipes Celebrating Family & Togetherness. Grand Central Life & Style. Apr. 2011. c.272p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780446557313. $30. COOKING
This beautiful book offers intriguing insight into Academy Award–winning actress Paltrow. More than just a cookbook, this feast is part memoir and part tribute and, most important, a celebration of food and family. Paltrow recounts her youth in California and shopping the fresh farmer's markets with her father, the late producer/director Bruce Paltrow. Indeed, cooking with fresh ingredients is still her passion. Her soups all begin with homemade stock, and she includes salads galore and offers suggestions for preparing ahead as well as vegetarian and vegan versions of many recipes. Paltrow's internationally inspired palate is evident in pasta recipes from Sweet Potato Ravioli to a more traditional Penne Puttanesca. The Seafood Paella Mama Style is a dish she learned to prepare while living with a Spanish family as a foreign exchange student. Sumptuous photographs bring the dishes to life.
Verdict Paltrow's prose flows with a passion and gratitude for all things food and family. Her book is as warm and enticing as her Blythe's Savory Bread Pudding. [See Prepub Exploded, BookSmack! 10/7/10.]—Graciela Monday, Johnson City Lib., TX
Swiss, Deborah J. The Tin Ticket: The Heroic Journey of Australia's Convict Women. Berkley: Penguin Group (USA). 2010. 333p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 9780425236727. $24.95. HIST
Australia's early years as a prison colony to which British convicts were transported are well known, but less noted is that among those convicts were 25,000 women from England and Ireland sent there in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Mostly desperate petty thieves, these women suffered from abuse, poor living conditions inside and out of prison, and a world offering few options to their gender. Swiss (The Male Mind at Work) tells the story of the convict women through the experiences of several, e.g., Agnes McMillan of Glasgow—convicted of shoplifting—whom Swiss presents as typifying the experience. Swiss vividly relates McMillan's rough life in Glasgow, her difficult passage halfway around the world, and brutal imprisonment in what is now Tasmania, before earning her freedom. Swiss certainly succeeds as a storyteller, weaving a tale from her research, but she is less successful in placing McMillan and the other women into a larger sociological or historical context, or in going on to define their significance to Australia's beginnings.
Verdict While Swiss does well as a raconteur, advanced students may be disappointed in her work as history.—Elizabeth Goldman, Perth & Union Dist. P.L., Ont.
GRAPHIC NOVELS
Carroll, Lewis (text) & Mahendra Singh (illus.). The Hunting of the Snark: An Agony in Eight Fits. Melville House. 2010. 96p. ISBN 9781935554240. pap. $14.95. GRAPHIC NOVELS
"The Hunting of the Snark" is the longest of Carroll's nonsense poems, and readers of his other works will recognize his adeptness in creating story and meaning through his wordplay, rhyme, and portmanteaus. This adaptation by illustrator Singh (a member of the Lewis Carroll Society of North America and an editor for their journal, The Knight Letter) leaves Carroll's original text intact, although broken up for paneling and illustration. What really adds to the experience is the additional information provided at the beginning and end, which gives clues and insights into an otherwise puzzling story and the controversies surrounding its meaning. Singh's black-and-white surrealistic treatment of Carroll's classic poem is perfect; his illustrations are reminiscent of Henry Holiday's original spot artwork for the text, but it takes the ideology of Carroll's nonsense to new visual levels. Far beyond a simplistic, literal depiction of the poem, each panel is thoughtfully created, filled with puzzles, jokes, and allusions. The Annotated Hunting of the Snark would be an ideal companion to this text for further revelation.
Verdict This graphic novel is perfect for readers who enjoy wordplay, jokes, nonsense, and mathematics. The content is suitable for all ages, though the language might be difficult for beginning readers.—Joanna Schmidt, George Fox Univ., Newberg, OR
Chankhamma, Shari (text & illus.). The Sisters' Luck. SLG Pub. 2010. 144p. ISBN 9781593621902. pap. $12.95. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Artist Chankhamma has displayed her expansive talent in the online comic Pavlov's Dream, Fehed Said's The Clarence Principle, and venues like Liquid City. Here, she employs her skill for a great premise that lacks a fully composed story. Twin sisters Umbra and Antumbra ("Ane") bear the unexplained powers of luck and bad luck, respectively. Living together as youngsters, the girls mature with their curious gifts hidden, a harmonious cancellation. Circumstances separate the sisters in the present, the successful Umbra unwilling to see her fortunes, and Ane's misfortunes, as shaped by something larger than free will. Two young men with similar complementary roles enter the sibling drama: David, who rescues Ane via motorcycle, and Sergio, with whom Umbra is acquainted. In short order, the unearthly men reveal the mechanics of the universe, its string-like positive/negative properties, a conflict between good and evil, and the ways in which the sisters complete a puzzle.
Verdict Ending on an unresolved note, Chankhamma's work incorporates manga elements familiar to teen readers. Yet the parts do not make a satisfying whole. Pass.—John Gehner, Urbana Free Lib., IL
Davis, Vanessa. Make Me a Woman. Drawn & Quarterly. 2010. 176p. ISBN 9781770460218. $24.95. GRAPHIC NOVELS
A collection of cartoons and drawings that Davis drew from 2004 to 2010, Make Me a Woman works as a collection of diary entries rather than as a cohesive memoir. Somewhat recalling Jeffrey Brown and Julia Wertz, Davis draws short vignettes, some as brief as a single panel, about her life as a young Jewish woman. Despite similarities to other sketch diaries and graphic memoirs, Davis's autobiographical collection manages to stand apart as something honest and real but also sweet and mundane in the best sense. Her stories of family squabbles, relationships, work, and friends are all elevated by their authenticity and humor. From her simple diary sketches to her more lengthy color pieces, Davis's work is something to smile about.
Verdict Not a masterwork but certainly worthwhile reading for fans of women's memoir and diaries, this collection shows the beauty and potential of Davis as a woman to watch in the comics world. Recommended.—Beth Nerbonne, Rochester P.L., NH
Glass, Bryan J.L. & Michael Avon Oeming (text) & Victor Santos (illus.). The Mice Templar: Destiny Part 2. Vol. 2.2. Image Comics. 2010. 206p. ISBN 9781607062899. $29.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Continuing his quest from the first two installments of this series by Glass, joined again by Oeming, our young mouse hero, Karic, finds himself battling snakes, demons, and King Icarus. Those who have come to love the story's weighty dialog and nonstop drama will be happy to encounter more of those same elements. The high point comes when Karic dives into battle against the Snake god; our hero accepts his destiny, and both the artwork and text fuse for a moment of epic awesomeness. Santos manages to mix a commercial feel with something a little dark and violent. A perfect example is his rendering of the Zombie Cat, which is one part rotting flesh, the other ready to be made into a children's toy, cute and disgusting at the same time.
Verdict Casual fantasy fans will find much to enjoy in Karic's latest adventure, but diehards will see through the cookie-cutter story line despite the winning imagery and characters. If your library owns the previous volumes in the series, carry on. If not, you're safe to pass.—Justin Hoenke, Portland P.L., ME
Straub, Peter & Michael Easton (text) & John Bolton (illus.). The Green Woman. Vertigo. 2010. 160p. ISBN 9781401211004. $24.99. GRAPHIC NOVELS
Seasoned horror writer Straub here pens his first graphic novel with actor Easton. An extension of Straub's 1988–93 "Blue Rose" trilogy, the story revolves around enigmatic serial killer Fielding "Fee" Bandolier—who has gone by many names over the years, always with the initials F.B.—who viciously murders and mutilates young women; Bob Steele is a detective who risks his career, and ultimately his life, to bring him to justice. Steele's hunt will take him to dark places, both physical and emotional. His own personal demons pale in comparison with the forces he encounters. Bolton's evocative and disturbing artwork completes the macabre package. With a surprising, unsettling ending, the theme of The Green Woman is simple yet chilling: there is great evil out there, relentless and ancient, and it cannot be stopped.
Verdict Fans of Straub's prose works will find this a familiar introduction to comics and graphic novels, while fans of other artists who play with reality (Dave McKean pops to mind) or supernatural murder mysteries will enjoy this work.—M. Brandon Robbins, Wayne Cty. P.L., Goldsboro, NC
