The Known World

The Known World, by Edward P. Jones; Amistead Publishing, 2002

Reviewed by John Wrobleski

This 2004 Pulitzer Prize winning book is set in Virginia, 20 years before the beginning of the Civil War. The Known World has painful descriptions of a sordid time of our history, detailing life under slavery. Despite the despairing conditions, some endearing relationships emerged, and hope for a better future persisted. Meg Mullins' The Rug Merchant is an outstanding story of an immigrant from Iran who opens a Persian rug company in New York City. The story evolves through the end of his marriage, and a love affair with a college student. The author presents an interesting portrait of the life of an elderly customer. To lighten things up, try Barrel Fever, by David Sedaris. This book has personal essays and stories from the author's life, which are often hilarious. You are guaranteed a whole lot of laughter while reading the wild descriptions of eccentric family members and friends.

Fat Girl: A True Story

Fat Girl: A True Story, by Judith Moore; Plume Publishing, 2006

Reviewed by Cheryl Maglosky

Judith Moore's Fat Girl: A True Story is a searingly honest account of what it is like to grow up fat, feeling unloved, unpopular and lonely. Ms. Moore cuts to the chase, with intelligence, insight, and humor...and without apologies, excuses or pretext. She won this reader's respect and admiration. Honest. Humorous. Heartbreaking. Those three words define Anne Lamott's storytelling in Imperfect Birds. This novel examines the challenges of parenting, growing up, and being a family. Fortunately, this book moves beyond the middle class-middle aged angst that Lamott is well known for in its narrative of a family dealing with a teenaged daughter's drug abuse. Inside of a Dog, by Alexandra Horowitz, is a fine combination of the author's scientific expertise and love of dogs. She brings us in to the world of canines, while making us aware of our human biases, and deconstructing the popular myths about these delightful creatures. The book was informative and revealing, and it enhanced my understanding and appreciation of dogs.

A Friend of the Earth

A Friend of the Earth, by T. C. Boyle; Penguin Books, 2001

Reviewed by David Sachi

A bad time is had by all in this imaginative look into the near future of 2025. The world is ravaged by the effects of global warming, and haunted by the futility of environmental activism. In A Friend of the Earth, author T.C. Boyle spins his yarn around his favorite themes: obsessive hygiene, compulsive consumerism, uneasiness in the natural world, and fear of technology--all with a healthy dose of humor. I also recommend Ian McEwan's The Innocent, an intriguing story of an ordinary Englishman who gets caught up in post-war intelligence mania, and discovers how exhilarating and tragic life can be. For a real closer-to-home change of pace, try Olympic National Park--A Natural History, by Tim McNulty. This author traces the geologic history of the Olympic mountains, and explores present day flora and fauna within the park boundaries.

The Lacuna

The Lacuna, by Barbara Kingsolver; Harper Publishing, 2009

Reviewed by Barb Sachi

Kingsolver's eloquent novel--The Lacuna, transports us to Mexico and the era of Diego Riviera and his wife, Frida Kahlo, as they house revolutionary Leon Trotsky, and try to prevent his assassination. The story is seen through the eyes of a young writer, narrated in the form of letters, diary entries and newspaper clippings. Amazing book! In a different direction, I read The Last Dickens, by Matthew Pearl. This story centers on Charles Dicken's tour of the U.S. during a time of rampant opium trade in China and Britain. There is also a murder to solve. The writing is in period style, and I found it to be somewhat uninteresting. For a real change of pace, I read Tracy Kidder's Strength in What Remains, which explores the reasons of ethnic violence in Rwanda and Birundi. Kidder's main character 'Deo' has fled the genocide, lands in New York City, and makes his way from living in Central Park, to Columbia University, through the kindness of caring people. His goal is to return to Africa in peacetime and build clinics.

The Unbearable Lightness of Scones

The Unbearable Lightness of Scones: A 44 Scotland Street Novel, by Alexander McCall Smith; Anchor Publishing, 2010

Reviewed by Deborah Daline

I started out Alexander McCall Smith's series with this one--his fifth book, but found it to be no less enjoyable, and was able to play "catch up" with "Scones" enjoyable characters, including Bertie, the overprotective mother, Bruce the Egotist, and Matthew--who was rescued from drowning by a dolphin.The neatly interwoven storylines include the ups and downs of a young, newly married couple and an artist who finds himself saddled with too many dogs. Wallace Stegner's Angle of Repose consisted of two stories--past and present--that are woven together with a satisfying tie-together at the end. The story centered around a retired, disabled professor who delved into the life story of a pioneering grandmother. I was intrigued by the title, and the fact that it won the Pulitzer Prize. Information, by Martin Amis, told the story of a "literary" author who's jealousy rears its ugly head toward another author who reaches the 'bestseller' list. I've heard Amis has a cliche phobia and a 'quirky' style.

Born To Run

Born To Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, by Christopher McDougall; Vintage Publishing, 2011

Reviewed by Joy Wentzel

This is the world of the ultramarathoners--a tribe of the world’s greatest distance runners. I enjoyed the McDougall's perspective and knowledge of ultrarunning, how running has evolved over the years (not all in a positive direction), and how inspirational it is to know that we are Born To Run. For centuries, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico have practiced techniques that have allowed them to run hundreds of miles without rest, or chase down game. This superhuman talent is matched by remarkable health and serenity, with a much higher immunity from disease. I also enjoyed The Read-Aloud Handbook, by Jim Trelease. This book reinstilled the fact that literacy and the love of reading opens the world to us. I also appreciated its list of recommended books. And now, for a wildly popular novel of murder, mystery and mayhem, there is The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, by Steig Larsson. I wasn't overly impressed by the writing quality of this book, but I trudged through it.

Intrusions

Intrusions, by Ursula Hegi; Touchstone Publishing, 1997

Reviewed by Anne Holman

I highly recommend this humorous and original novel-within-a-novel that offers fascinating parallel stories between the author's novel and her own life. Ursula Hegi's Intrusions is an innovative exploration of doubts, choices and ambiguities between her book's characters, and her own existence. Reality and fiction merge in her writing and living. If you're looking for a great read that is 'deep as a too dark night sky', try Ahab's Wife, by Sena Jeter Naslund. This is a gripping depiction of life in Kentucky, Nantucket, and aboard a whaling vessel during the early 1800's. The book is written from the viewpoint of an independent-minded and curious young woman. I also enjoyed The Secret Papers of Madame Olivetti, a warm, fragrant and languorous 'escape' to a coastal village in southern France. This book is perfect for a too long winter.

Remarkable Creatures

Remarkable Creatures, by Tracy Chevalier; Plume Publishing, 2010

Reviewed by Angela Tuuri

Remarkable Creatures recreates the true story of two women in the 1800's in Lyme Regis, England who make remarkable scientific finds. These two women--Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot, struggle to make inroads in the very male-dominated field of paleontology. Their fossil finds open the scientific minds to the world of the dinosaurs and the extinction of species, and establish the women's (eventually) esteemed position in that scientific field. If you are looking for a very enjoyable read that is set much closer to home, try the classic book The Egg and I. Set here on the Olympic Peninsula, author Betty McDonald tells the very funny, touching tale of 1920's newlyweds who persevere with hard work and a survivalist mentality. Sandra Dallas' book Whiter Than Snow shines because of the author's wonderful abilities as a storyteller with folktale qualities. I especially liked "Prayers For Sale".

Remember Me?

Remember Me?, by Sophie Kinsella; Dell Publishing, 2009

Reviewed by Tina Lakenes

Sophie Kinsella's heroine Lexie wakes up in a hospital bed and soon realizes that she has lost the past three years of her life in Remember Me?. Amnesia has robbed her of recent memories, but the 'new' things she discovers about herself--shiny new hair, pearly white teeth, ultra-toned body and fine manicure helps to soften the blow. She doesn't recognize herself, and her new life...including her handsome husband, or her posh loft apartment. Will she find her 'way back'? I stayed in the Kinsella mode with The Undomestic Goddess, the story of an overworked lawyer who makes an expensive error and loses her job. This former lawyer becomes a maid for a family, and decides she is happier not being overworked (in the legal profession) after all. I was intrigued by Kevin O'Brien's novel Last Victim. Twenty years after a group of teenagers caused the disappearance of a classmate, the ill-fated group is killed by hit men who make the murders look like suicide.

The History of White People

The History of White People, by Nell Irvin Painter; W.W. Norton & Company Publishing, 2011

Reviewed by Renee Bush

I love it when the study of history shows that a so-called universal truth that has been around forever turns out to really be quite new. Painter's latest book The History of White People examines the history of “whiteness” as a racial category and rhetorical weapon: who is considered to be “white,” who is not, what such distinctions mean, and how notions of whiteness have morphed over time in response to shifting demographics, aesthetic tastes, and political exigencies. The author focuses primarily on the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and how the concept of race based on skin color is largely an invention of the Victorian era. For a change of pace, try The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery, about Renee--the concierge of a "snooty-type" Parisian apartment building, who hides her brilliance under a frumpy exterior. My Stroke of Insight, by Jill Taylor, really "hits home" with me. I read this book right after my own mother suffered a stroke. When the author's analytical left brain is damaged, she learns that her here-and-now right brain has a lot to teach her.

The Knitting Circle

The Knitting Circle, by Ann Hood; W.W. Norton & Co. Publishing, 2008

Reviewed by Anne Ficarra

Here is one novel where I wasn't crazy about the chapter-by-chapter character format at first, but eventually appreciated it. Ficarra's The Knitting Circle is a book centered on coping with loss, friendship and yes, knitting. While mourning the death of her young daughter, Mary Baxter--the main character--learns to knit, and discovers that knitting soothes without distracting. The story is well-written and hangs together throughout, but I wish the author would have given more complete details of the knitting patterns. Another enjoyable read is After the Workshop, by John McNally. This funny story reminded me of John Irving's The Water-Method Man in the way the character describes what happened to him. The book includes cool quotations about and by writers on the art of writing. Now, I'm saving the best for last here--Birdology, by Sy Montgomery. I loved this book! Sy really kindled my interest and appreciation of birds. Her essays are engaging...I feel like I really know her. I was completely blown away by the intricacies of bird life, how smart they are, and how important they are to our environment.

The Greatest Game Ever Played

The Greatest Game Ever Played, by Mark Frost; Hyperion Publishers, 2005

Reviewed by Vivian Chapin

The Greatest Game Ever Played is a highly recommended story of Francis Ouimet, a former caddy who rose to become the first amateur to win the U.S. Open golf tournament--at age 20. Ouiment grew up poor, across the street from the "blue-blooded" country club in Brookline, Massachusetts. Despite his father's disapproval, Ouiment taught himself to play golf. Author Frost jumps between the story of Ouiment and British golf champion Harry Vardon, who came from a similar background, yet also rose to become a golfing great. Ouiment's and Vardon's golfing duel at the 1913 U.S. Open provides this book an exciting climax. Nancy Marie Brown's The Far Traveller is an intriguing story about Gudrid, a Viking woman who sailed from her homeland (Norway) to the far reaches of the West and the Middle East, hundreds of years before Columbus and other European voyagers did. Recent archaeological findings support this fascinating book. Also, try the Devil's Brood, by Sharon Kay Penman. This is a well-written novel of the last days of Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and their dysfunctional family.

Cutting for Stone

Cutting for Stone, by Abraham Verghese; Vintage Publishing, 2010

Reviewed by Macy Mullarky

I highly recommend Cutting for Stone, a complicated story of twin boys who live very different lives, but share a common heritage. This is a far-sweeping novel that moves from India to Ethiopia to an inner-city hospital in New York City over decades and generations. Sister Mary Joseph Praise, a devout young nun, leaves the south Indian state of Kerala in 1947 for a missionary post in Yemen. During the arduous sea voyage, she saves the life of an English doctor bound for Ethiopia, who becomes a key player in her destiny when they meet up again at Missing Hospital in Addis Ababa. Seven years later, Sister Praise dies giving birth to twin boys: Shiva and Marion, the latter narrating his own and his brothers story. I also recommend Hilary Spurling's nonfiction book Pearl Buck in China: Journey to the Good Earth, which is a fascinating accounting of Pearl Buck's life, with an emphasis on her early years. Buck had a harsh childhood which affected her future writings. Another great read is Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, by Helen Simonson. This is a charming story of a cross-cultural relationship between a middle-aged Englishman and a Pakistani woman.

Sanctuary

Sanctuary, by Beverly and David Lewis; Bethany House Publishers, 2007

Reviewed by Stephanie Boyles

Sanctuary is an exciting mystery/romance about the problem of keeping secrets, and how they can catch up to you. The Lewis' heroine, Melissa James, seeks sanctuary (rest and safety) in Amish country, dreading the secret that defines her life. Author Beverly Lewis (co-writing with her husband David) has tweaked her trademark style with a refreshing edge of suspense, plot twists, and has carefully sidestepped the 'fairy tale ending'. I recommend the book. Nicholas Sparks' True Believer, and his sequel At First Sight--are quite interesting, and in my opinion--should be read together. The story and main character reminded me of the lead character (Patrick Jane) on the TV show The Mentalist, using science and logic to disprove amazing claims. It tells of the journey of New York Jeremy, discovering love and what to believe in a small North Carolina town. Here's another recommendation in the "Sparks Mode"--Dear John is the story revolving around the young love between a girl and a soldier. Will their love survive (or not) the separation caused by 9/11, and his deployment during the Iraq War? Will she wait for him?

House As A Mirror of Self

House As A Mirror of Self, by Clare Cooper Marcus; Nicolas-Hays, Inc. Publishing, 2006

Reviewed by Jim Buckham

I recommend this enlightening examination of self through insights of our housing choices. Author Marcus presents an eye-opening study of peoples emotional ties to their houses, apartments, cottages, trailers and other types of dwellings. What, exactly, makes a house a home? House As A Mirror of Self includes many interviews of people in their domestic settings over a 10 year period. They show how their dwellings generally reflects their emotional ties with other people, and may even be substitutes for close or strained relationships--even unresolved issues from childhood. I will never look at a house in the same way! On the other hand, I found Anita Amirrezyani's Blood of Flowers was unfortunately disappointing. The time frame of the story was fascinating, but the story itself was otherwise lacking. If you are looking for fascinating insights to the past, present and future, try Wisdomkeepters: Meeting with Native Spritual Elders, by Steve Wall and Harvey Arden. It demonstrates how we mourn lost opportunities while retaining hope as we move forward.

Saltwater Taffy

Saltwater Taffy, by Eric Delabarre; Seven Publishing, 2011

Reviewed by Bob Gray

When I heard that the recently released book Saltwater Taffy by Eric Delabarre is about the adventures of young teenagers and takes place in Port Townsend, I quickly ordered four copies for our teenage grandchildren.

Much to my surprise, when I started reading the book to make sure that it was suitable for our grandchildren, I couldn’t put it down. It was terrific! It’s about teenage friends on a treasury hunt encountering unusual characters and fun locations in and around Port Townsend.

While the book is also described as containing poignant life lessons for the five young friends, I found that the lessons were wonderful reminders for readers of all ages.

I highly recommend this book for the young readers in our lives and if you can borrow it before they pass it around to all of their friends, you will also very much enjoy this treasure hunting adventure.

One last note, we are very fortunate that this book takes place in our wonderful hometown and that a film of the book will be made here in 2012. This should help attract many visitors to Port Townsend with great economic benefits. This book and film should add to Port Townsend’s wonderful literary as well as film history. It’s very exciting.

Family Album

Family Album, by Penelope Lively; Viking Adult Publishing, 2009

Reviewed by Sarah Fairbank

Penelope Lively's Family Album features a large, lively family with some secrets. The main character wants a blissful childhood for her six children--a real "old fashioned" family life. But there are cracks in the facade. The father is distant, and the mother has inexplicable emotional outbursts. All is not well. The now-grown children have tried their best to maintain the ''blissful" illusion--each at a cost--with lingering effects on their adult lives. I found this novel less convincing/compelling than many others the author has written. But the book's family was definitely amusing; with dysfunctional, interesting characters. The Sunday Philosophy Club, by Alexander McCall Smith, features Isabel Dalhousie, an editor for a philosophical magazine. Isabel writes long passages about ethics, death and suicide. There are four other fun characters, including a housekeeper, fox, a girlfriend/niece and a young man she has the hots for. I found the nonfiction book Derek Jarmen's Garden to be very beautiful and moving. This is the story of a young filmmaker/artist with AIDS who purchases a fisherman's cottage in Dungeness, Kent, in England--a location that has the least rainfall and the longest growing season in Britain. This journal is full of plant choices, garden images, and moving stories. It is a joy to read and learn from.

Worst Case

Worst Case, by James Patterson; Grand Central Publishing, 2010

Reviewed by Tina Lakenes

Author Patterson chooses an unlikely character as his serial killer in Worst Case: Francis X. Mooney, a 'do-gooder' lawyer who believes in changing the world for the better. He believes in rescuing people from poverty, donating to humanitarian causes, and increasing social equality. Mooney kidnaps wealthy young adults, then kills them when they are not socially aware. Detective Bennet teams up with FBI agent Emily Parker--an 'abduction specialist' to catch the killer. Jen Lancaster, author of Such a Pretty Face, her personal experiences in weight loss in with a fictional character. Jen's main character has tried many different directions--Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, surgery and hiring personal trainers. Does she finally find a comfortable 'success'? Yes. At what cost? This book covers a plethora of weight loss and health issues, and is not for the faint of heart. The Search by Nora Roberts is an intriguing yarn about a woman ("Fiona") who is the 'escaped' near-victim of a serial killer. That situation may be harrowing enough, but Fiona is now targeted by another serial killer who is taking revenge for the capture of the original killer.

Night Fall

Night Fall, by Nelson DeMille; Grand Central Publishing, 2007

Reviewed by H. Payson

Now here is a book that's well worth reading. In my opinion, Night Fall is DeMille's best, from beginning to end--and what a satisfying ending it has. Conspiracy theorists will love it. The book's premise is controversial, concerning an investigation of the July 1996 crash of flight TWA 800, a Boeing 747 bound for Paris which exploded off the Atlantic coast of Long Island, killing all 230 passengers and crew members. There are 200 eyewitnesses who swear they saw a missile lift into the clear night sky and bring down the airplane, a charge dismissed by the CIA as an optical illusion. DeMille's fictional detective tracks down the facts and the witnesses, culminating in a climax that is truly thought provoking. For a change of pace, try Dear Money, by Martha McPhee. Every author or wannabe writer needs to read this book. It's not often you can get a dual perspective from a single character. Juli Zeh's murky In Free Fall, is a wonderful, scientific murder yarn, set in Eastern Europe is a very different detective story. Highly recommended.