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RECOMMENDED BOOKS TO GIVE AND GET 2011
Georgia's Top Twelve Books of
2011
Nonfiction:
Townie: a Memoir by Andre Dubus III: The namesake of the prominent
author has written a moving and inspirational account of life in
an impoverished mill town after his father deserts the family. The younger Dubus
transcends a life of drugs and violence to become an empathetic, successful
author. “In this gritty and gripping memoir, Dubus bares his soul in stunning
and page-turning prose.” – Publishers Weekly
The Man in the Rockefeller Suit: the Astonishing Rise and Spectacular Fall of a Serial Imposter by Mark Seal: Truth is stranger than fiction in this biography of a career con man who traveled in high circles and passed himself off as Clark Rockefeller for thirty years. “In striking detail, and at a rapid clip, the writer unravels the complex and fantastically bizarre tale of a man aspiring to the American Dream by any means necessary.” – NPR Org
Lost in Shangri La: a True Story of Survival, Adventure and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of WWII by Mitchell Zuckoff: After a WWII army plane crashes in the rainforest of New Guinea, three injured survivors face a harsh jungle environment and the threat of hostile tribesmen. Stunning and heroic plans for their rescue kick into high gear. “Yes, there are still a few good WWII stories left to tell. And yes, this one meets all the requirements of a ripping good yarn.” – Hampton Sides, Outside Magazine
Bossypants by
Tina Fey: The talented and beloved Fey takes the reader on a joy ride from her
school days as a “vicious nerd” to realizing her dream of becoming a television
comedian. The star of Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock offers a
priceless and irreverent account of a hectic and funny life and career. “… it’s
a spiky blend of humor, introspection, critical thinking and Nora Ephronisms for
a new generation.” – NY Times
In the Garden of
Beasts
by Erick Larson: A portrait of Berlin in the early
1930’s and the initial years of Hitler’s rise to power, it is also the
compelling story of William E. Dodd, who served as United States ambassador to
Germany at the time. “…a vivid, atmospheric panorama of the third Reich and its
leaders…” – Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
Blood, Bones and Butter: the Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef
by Gabrielle Hamilton. This memoir follows the journey of Gabrielle Hamilton
from the kitchens of her childhood to ownership of her own acclaimed New York
restaurant, Prune. “Magnificent. Simply the best memoir by a chef ever. …
Blood, Bones and Butter is the work of an uncompromising chef and a
prodigiously talented writer. I am choked with envy.” – Anthony Bourdain
Fiction:
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka: Japanese “picture brides” speak
in a collective voice about their immigration to the western United
States in the early 1900’s. “Otsuka combines the tragic power of a Greek chorus
with the intimacy of a confession. She conjures up the lost voices of a
generation of Japanese women without losing site of the distinct experience of
each…” – Jane Ciabattari, San Francisco Chronicle
Turn
of Mind by Alice LaPlante: A murder mystery with an unusual twist: an
Alzheimer’s victim is the prime suspect in the murder of her friend, but cannot
remember if she did it. “… the plotting is masterful.” – Author Donna Leon
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain: The poignant story of the marriage of
Hadley Richardson and Ernest Hemingway during the young author’s Paris years. “A
deeply evocative story of ambition and betrayal, The Paris Wife captures
a remarkable period of time and a love affair between two unforgettable people…”
- Indiebound
The
Sojourn
by Andrew Krivak: A young teen-ager comes of age as a
sharpshooter for the Austrian army in this unforgettable WWI story. “(The
Sojourn) can be read as a classic of war. It is beautifully plotted, as rapt
and understated as a hymn.” - Cleveland Plain Dealer
The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian: A young family’s life will never
be the same after moving into an old New England house in a very strange town.
“Bohjalian has crafted a genre-defying novel, both a compelling story of a
family in trauma and a psychological thriller that is truly frightening.” –
Library Journal
The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh: An emotionally scarred
young woman who has spent her life in foster care finds hope and the ability to
love through the meaning of flowers. “(Diffenbaugh) uses green growing things to
say something fresh and special about human life.” – Chicago Tribune
Fall 2011
Turn of Mind by Alice LaPlante
Reviewed by Georgia Edwards
Jennifer White and Amanda O’Toole were
longtime best friends, but their relationship was complex and often contentious.
When Amanda is found bludgeoned to death, with the fingers of one hand removed,
Jennifer becomes the prime suspect. She is a 64-year-old retired orthopedic
surgeon and hand specialist. The doctor has no idea whether she killed Amanda,
as she suffers from Alzheimer’s disease and cannot remember what she did an hour
ago.
This is the premise of Alice LaPlante’s literary debut, Turn of Mind. It
is a unique murder mystery told with a twist. The unreliable narrator is in the
grip of dementia and forgets more than she remembers. Once a brilliant surgeon,
Jennifer is now a fast deteriorating patient in a facility surrounded by cold
green walls and robotic caregivers. In brief moments of clarity, she is aware
that she is gradually losing her mind, living in “This half state. Life in the
shadows . . . an unanesthetized patient.”
Although Jennifer appears to be the obvious killer, the author has planted
enough seeds of doubt to implicate others. The victim was not without enemies. A
notorious busybody and obnoxious moral arbitrator, her confrontations created
foes. Jennifer’s adult children might also be suspects. Fiona, godchild to the
childless Amanda and Mark, a manipulative substance abuser, may have had their
own reasons to see her dead. It will require the relentless and creative work of
a dedicated female detective to help Jennifer remember what really happened and
to uncover the truth. It is a formidable task, for the true answer lies within
an unreliable mind.
Turn of Mind is a much more than a “who done it.” It is a skillfully written
suspense story as well as an empathetic treatment of a serious disease. La
Plante teaches creative writing at Stanford University and it is evident that
she infuses her literary skills into the book. Her own mother’s struggle with
Alzheimer’s was her inspiration for the book and she writes about her subject
from personal experience. An NPR review describes the author’s writing as
“ingenious” because readers “agree to be entrapped inside Dr. White’s crumbling
mind for the duration.” Turn of Mind is an unexpected page-turner that
will leave the reader grateful for the daily gift of memory.
Summer 2011
In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror and an American
Family in Hitler’s Berlin by Erik
Larson
Reviewed by Georgia Edwards
Erik Larson’s
latest work, In the
Garden of Beasts,
is yet another success from the best-selling author of
The
Devil in the White City
and
Thunderstruck.
Known for his “fictional nonfiction” writing style, Larson’s latest book is the
true story of William Dodd, ambassador to Germany during Hitler’s first year in
power.
In 1933,
newly elected president Franklin Roosevelt nominated Dodd, a university
professor, diplomatic neophyte and frugal conservative, to the position of
German ambassador. Obtaining his position by default, Dodd had no experience in
negotiation or foreign social circles when he and his family arrived in Berlin.
He assumed his post with the naive conviction that he could be a moderating
influence on Hitler. His flighty 25 year old daughter, Martha, also plays a
large part in the book. She took the opposite position from her father and
became infatuated with the decadence of Berlin, its controversial men and the
extremist Nazi government of Germany.
Towards the
end of his first year as ambassador, Dodd became aware of increasing Jewish
civil rights violations and the rising consolidation of Nazi power in one man,
Adolph Hitler. His observations and concerns were communicated several times to
the Roosevelt administration, which remained uninvolved. Unfortunately, as
history demonstrated, Dodd’s warnings would become tragically accurate.
Larson’s work
is a carefully researched account of human forces that led to dire consequences
following Hitler’s first year as Chancellor of Germany. The book provides
suspense equal to any fictional thriller as the story moves to its culmination.
The author skillfully handles the politics and diplomacy of the time, always
keeping the content palatable for the reader. He has thoroughly and
thoughtfully studied his subjects. Dodd is depicted as a tepid, naive and
perhaps weak man, but also well-meaning one. Martha’s journey from selfish
socialite to socially conscious woman is also ably explored.
In the Garden of Beasts
is not only a
compelling read, but a historically important one. While it is the story of
William Dodd’s tenure as ambassador to Germany, it is also the story of humanity
turning a blind eye while a psychopath took over a country.
Spring/Summer 2010
The Solitude of Prime Numbers
By Paolo Giordano
I have to admit I was biased and skeptical when I picked up this novel and examined the jacket cover. How would this first-time author, a 27 year old doctoral candidate in Particle Physics, render a “stunning meditation on…love?”
I found that The Solitude of Prime Numbers is so much more
than a love story. Paolo Giordano has taken his background in science and
mathematics and applied it sensitively and poetically to a simply beautiful
story.
Alice and Mattea are two lonely, damaged and isolated
societal misfits: two “prime numbers.” As Giordano writes, “Prime numbers are
only divisible by themselves…they are suspicious, solitary numbers. They would
prefer to be ordinary numbers, but can’t do it.” The author writes with pathos
and perception as he explores whether these two kindred souls will ever find a
way to be together.
This international bestseller has earned Italy’s prestigious literary award, the Premio Strega. Try not to be deterred by reviews which describe the book as “melancholy” or “dark.” Giordano has created a poignant, compelling and absolutely beautifully written work and is a unique and exceptional new writer.
The Things They Carried
by Tim O’Brien
When my children attended CVU in the Late ‘90’s, required reading for American History was Tim O’Brien’s Vietnam War novel, The Things They Carried. I also read it and could not put it down.
2010 is the 20th anniversary of its publication. O’Brien’s book is just as relevant now as the era it portrays. Writing critics and our own patrons have described this Pulitzer Prize nominee as the most powerful account of the Vietnam War that they have ever read.
The Things They Carried is a moving and visceral collection of related stories about a platoon of American soldiers stationed in Vietnam. Using the writing technique of verisimilitude, O’Brien blends fiction and fact. His uses his own experience as an infantry foot soldier in Vietnam to author what he calls “Story Truth.” O’Brien states “… a good war story is a story that strikes you as important, not for war content, but for its heart content.”
The Things They Carried recreates the Vietnam War not only for those who lived it, but for future generations to come.
Other excellent books at the Charlotte Library by Tim O’Brien:
In the Lake of the Woods
A Vietnam vet fails
in his run for U.S. Senate and retreats with his wife to a remote area of
Minnesota, where she goes missing
July,
July
The 30th
reunion of Darton Hall College class of ’69 brings together troubled to
laughable alumnae.
Tomcat
in Love
A comedic narrative
by a chauvinistic, narcissistic and womanizing linguistics professor.
January 2010
Book Review by Georgia Edwards, Circulation Librarian
The Lacuna, Barbara Kingsolver
In her latest novel, Barbara Kingsolver has produced an intricate and ambitious work. The Lacuna is the eloquent story of Harrison William Shepherd told through personal journals and letters.
Son of a divorced Mexican beauty and American bureaucrat, Shepherd grows up in Mexico and the United States between the years 1929-1951. In Mexico, the sensitive and lonely teenager, finds work with and is befriended by the flamboyant artists, Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Through them, he comes to know Leon Trotsky, the Russian political refugee who finds asylum with the artists.
As an adult, Shepherd returns to the US just as the country moves from the Depression to World War II. Always a quiet and introspective man, Shepherd fulfills his dream of becoming a successful author. But because of his communist associations during his Mexican youth, his books are blacklisted and his politics questioned during the Red Scare. The story is absorbing and suspenseful when Shepherd takes on the government’s Un-American Activities Committee.
This is a multi-level novel. Kingsolver thoughtfully and artfully covers a huge canvas with her prose. Her descriptions of tropical Mexico to the filthy protest camps outside of Washington, D.D. read like poetry. Her grasp of politics is through. In Shepherd, she has created a vulnerable and empathetic main character. And she has built upon events and characters to successfully culminate her story.
Do not let the book’s size intimidate you. The beginning may seen slow to some, but stay with it. The Lacuna is well worth the read.
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