Best books of the year? Who cares?

Last year, I posted some of my favorite books of 2009, and I was thinking about making it a tradition.  But, the more I thought about it, the more I rebelled against the idea.  I write regularly about the books I like.  I could bore you by telling you, yet again, that you should read Super Sad True Love Story or Skippy Dies.  I could ask if you've yet discovered Maggie O'Farrell's writing, especially her new book The Hand That First Held Mine and, if not, why.  I could remind you, just in case you forgot, that The Solitude of Prime Numbers and The Story of a Marriage both prompted me to use the phrase "achingly beautiful" and that Room creeped the bejeebers out of me (but in a really good way).  I decided, though, that the repetition could be annoying and, frankly, all of the end of the year activities have me too worn out to make the list. 

Instead, I'm going to admit something to you that we book bloggers sometimes keep close to the vest: there are a lot of books I've not read this year.  A lot.  But, since the point of this little post is to avoid work, it wouldn't really do to list all of the books of the year that I've not read. I'm going to let others do the heavy lifting.  Any person or organization that has a connection to books, however tenuous, feels compelled to put out "Best of" lists (check out the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, or NPR's lists).  This year, in what is perhaps destined to be my new curmudgeonly tradition, here are the top three "Best of the Year" books that I can't bring myself to read. 

Freedom by Jonathan Franzen -- I know, I know.  It's the book of the century.  But I found The Corrections to be an overwrought, overwritten, overhyped tale of family dysfunction and disdain for the Midwest, so I can't quite muster any interest in this title.  Am I wrong?  Is it really as great as the hype? 

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larssen -- I know, I know.  It's the series of the century.  I'm a little apprehensive in part because of how much I've heard it described as very, very dark, and partly because once something is such a part of the social consciousness, I wimp out.  It's easier to be the person who has never read book X, rather than be the person who really hates book X (which is why I've still never seen a full episode of The Simpsons).   

The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman -- I don't know why.  I checked it out.  I picked it up and promptly put it back down without even opening the cover.  No reason, I just wasn't interested.  Is it worth overcoming my apathy and checking out again? 

I'm quite serious when I ask: can you convince me that I'm wrong and that I should give them a try? Or, are there books that are your favorites of the year that I might have missed that you think should've made it to the "Best of" lists?

Lion of Liberty

I recently picked up Lion of Liberty: Patrick Henry and the Call to a New Nation by Harlow Giles Unger.  After reading such biographies on the Founding Fathers like His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph Ellis and John Adams by David McCullough, I decided to give this a try.  Patrick Henry, while best known for his "Give Me Liberty...or Give Me Death" speech just prior to the Revolution, was a far more prominent figure during America's early years than he is often given credit.

This wonderfully written biography gives the reader a better look into this oft-forgotten Founding Father.  Henry worked as an extremely effective lawyer in Virginia prior to the Revolution.  He was far different from many of his fellow revolutionaries in that he came from the backhills of Virginia, rather than a more populated area of the colonies.  Despite his Southern drawl, he received the respect from his contemporaries almost immediately.  Whether it be in the courtroom, the Continental Congress, or the governor's office later on in his life, Henry spoke with such eloquence and passion that fellow politicians listened with awe.

What I found to be most interesting is the Antifederalist stance Henry took after the Revolution.  He refused to take part in the Constitutional Convention because he believed the states should simply edit the Articles of Confederation, not write an entirely new document creating a more powerful national government.  Unger provides insight into Henry's political beliefs and sprinkles in some facts about his personal life to create a full portrait of Patrick Henry.

Win a free Karen Marie Moning book!

Cincinnati-born author Karen Marie Moning has a new book coming out next month.  Shadowfever is the newest installment in the "Fever" series and will be released on January 18, 2011.  To help celebrate this occasion, the author has graciously donated copies of the first book in the series to the library--and you can get your hands on your very own--for free!
Just come to the Adult Services desk at either location and ask for a copy of Darkfever--and it shall be yours. 


Here is a small description from Karen's website:
"MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman.
Or so she thinks... until something extraordinary happens.
When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae..." 
Darkfever at www.karenmoning.com.

The free give-away starts Tuesday, December 21, 2011 and will continue as long as supplies last. One book per person please.

Whether you get a free copy or not please try this great series which the author calls a romance, fantasy, mystery, and even a thriller. And don't forget to put yourself on hold for the newest book Shadowfever.

Darkfever
Bloodfever
Faefever
Dreamfever
Shadowfever

Growing older isn't always easy

I just read a wonderful story by Stacey McGlynn called Keeping Time. I was raised in a multi-generational home.  My grandparents lived with us so initially Dennis in the story drove me crazy.  I wanted to smack him for being clueless and pretty near heartless.   Daisy, his 77 year old widowed mother, has some elderly glitches.  She can no longer mow the lawn, fix things around the house, but she is far from useless.  When she gets stuck on a ladder in her basement, Dennis determines this is the last straw and she must move into an assisted care facility. 

Daisy has spirit and faces life changes with gusto.  She decides rather than sell her home she will go find the man of her dreams.  She met him and corresponded with him when she was a teenager. She doesn't know anything more about him, except he was a concert pianist.  She visits long lost relatives in America and ends up sharing her quest with them.

This story will make you laugh, sigh and at times make you want to smack a few of the characters.  For me Keeping Time was a coming of age story--for Daisy.  McGlynn shows that there is value in all people and that doing the unexpected may bring you answers and inner peace.

The (Greatly Exaggerated?) Death of Chick Lit

I will freely admit that my reading habits are a bit backward from what might be expected.  I often hear about "beach reads" for the summer, followed by a wintry season of more serious, literary works.  Maybe I'm literarily Australian, because I tend to work in reverse of that norm.  In the summer, I can handle the heavier, headier tomes.  In the winter, I like to read cozy, funny, and light...which is all to explain why, on a recent cold day I was desperately looking for some new chick lit.

I was somewhat disheartened when I started searching for new chick lit titles and found almost nothing.  I started panicking, and realized that I'd not seen many new chick lit titles for a while.  I started looking at some of my favorite chick lit blogs and noticed that they hadn't been updated in a while, which made me a little more nervous.  Is chick lit... dead?  A quick Google search assured me that, while many say it is, Chick Lit is not dead (including a fantastically factual and funny defense of the genre at the blog chicklitisnotdead.com). 

The biggest problem is that chick lit, because it's had a bad rap, is often not identified as such.  Authors and publishers try to make it sound more respectable with the label "women's fiction."  And, it is women's fiction, because it's largely by women, for women, and about women.  But, it's not just women's fiction because it's told in a different voice; it's got more humor, and it usually feels far more personal and confiding.  So, if you're a chick lit fan and have despaired about the lack of good titles, never fear: they're there, they're just hiding in serious labels.  If you want some help sorting through those, we're here for you: sign up for the chick lit newsletter -- we'll deliver it to your inbox monthly.  (And, if you don't like chick lit, but are looking for other books, there are other newsletters, too.)

A great holiday read!

Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor is a wonderful feel good novel. It is a light hearted romance. The main plot surrounds Holly a six year old girl, whose mother recently passed away. Her Uncle Mark becomes her legal guardian and knows nothing about being a parent. In her will Holly's mother advises that he should, “love her and everything else will follow.” The story of Uncle Mark becoming Holly's father is tested when the teacher sends home a note that Holly wrote to Santa.  Holly wants a new mom for Christmas. Lisa Kleypas puts a sweet spin on a classic story of boy meets girl. The story is sweet, funny and endearing a wonderful tale to curl up with on a cold night. I’m sure you’ll root for Mark as he realizes he cares for a spritely woman, named Maggie, who helped Holly find her voice. This book just made me smile. The Thanksgiving scene is hillarious and made me quite happy that I know how to cook. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.  It is a quick read that will put you in the perfect mood for the holidays!

In the Queue

The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards

Returning from Japan, Lucy still finds herself haunted by her father's unresolved death a decade ago.  A love affair with an artist leads to discoveries about her family's complex past.

Call Me Irresistible by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

If you need cheering up, you can't go wrong with a romance novel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.  HEr characters travel the rocky road to romance with a huge dose of hilarity.

How I Killed Pluto & Why It Had It Coming by Mike Brown

Pluto was a planet and now it's not a planet!  Read about the geeky astronomer who ruined the lives of everyone who loved the planet with a funny name.

Pimp my bookcart, please!

Who says librarians aren't cool? Just take a look at the winners and runners-up of Unshelved's 2010 Pimp My Bookcart contest. For the unaware (and for those who never thought they'd see the words "pimp" and "bookcart" in the same sentence), "Pimp My Bookcart was an annual contest run by the library-themed comic strip Unshelved, inspired by this comic strip sequence, to see who can best pimp, trick out, or otherwise improve a standard book cart. Libraries and schools often stage kids and/or teen programs to generate entries." Unfortunately, this year's contest will be the last, so if you and your fellow librarians were hoping to get your pimp on, you're out of luck. By the way, The Readbox rules!

And if all this talk of bookcarts doesn't interest you, don't forget to check out Unshelved. They've got a Bookclub where they offer great book reviews, a store, and, of course, a hysterical daily comic strip to brighten your day. Enjoy!

Who knew salt, forks, and bedbugs were this interesting?

Alright, I'm trusting you to keep quiet here: don't let the Fine Print advisory board know, but I'm once again crashing the fiction party with a post about non-fiction.  I promise there's a good reason.  I have a very important question to which I need an answer: is there anything that Bill Bryson can't make interesting?  This is a man who made walking the Appalachian Trail, Iowa in the 1950s, and chemistry, physics, and geology (and a host of other scientific things that typically scare me) not only informative, but downright entertaining. 

In his latest release, At Home: A Short History of Private Life, Bryson turns his attention to the fascinating world that is our everyday lives.  Have you ever wondered why we keep salt and pepper on the table rather than some other spices?  Or why there are four tines on a fork rather than two?  Yeah, I never had, either.  Still, it was fascinating.  When reading any of Bryson's books, there are a lot of etymological nuggets, which is lovely for word geeks like me.  I've been going around giving all sorts of unwanted information to everyone who doesn't ask, like: why we have a "pantry," why we talk about "room and board," and what the difference is between a "rector" and a "vicar."  I also never knew I was interested in things like the materials used for building homes or when and why servants started wearing uniforms until Bryson kindly pointed out to me that I really should be.  I would've been more comfortable if Bryson's focus on his study was on something like the role of books or work in daily living, rather than as the room in which he catches the most mice.  I'm sure that someone finds the prodigious procreation of rats, mice, bedbugs,and other creatures fascinating, but as a warning derived from my own experience: this is definitely not the chapter to read in bed right before attempting to sleep. 

The room-by-room structure felt, at times, a bit forced.  For example, much of the chapter on the bedroom focuses on graveyards and burial practices...I suppose it brings a new light to the term "the big sleep."  It reads as more of a history of British and American culture than specifically the history of the home (and, in an odd way, pairs nicely with the Daily Show's new book, Earth (the book): A Visitor's Guide to the Human Race).  But, once I got over my initial thinking that the chapter about a room would be largely about that room, this examination of how all the facets of our ordinary lives have quite interesting histories is definitely worth a read.  Check it out, get comfortable in your favorite reading spot and learn how that chair came to be in your house in the first place.

Stories to warm your heart

It's the time of year when, after the rush of holiday cooking, shopping, and traveling, it's nice to relax and curl up by the fireplace with a book. Action-adventure, thrillers, horror, and mystery all have their place but, sometimes, we all need a story with a happy ending. A feel-good love story, whether or not it's a "romance," can be the perfect kind of book for this time of year. From the importance of family and the relationships that separate them and tie them together, as in Rosamunde Pilcher's classic, The Shell Seekers, to the modern tale of Eleanor and Abel about love found late in life, the range of love stories is vast. You might be familiar with some, like Kazuro Ishiguro's Remains of the Day, from the movie version, and this is a perfect time of year to read the stories that came first.  If these sound good, or you're interested in what other titles we think will warm your heart, check out the last of our Great Books Great Libraries booklists for the year: Loved Ones : Stories to Warm the Heart.  As with all of the featured genres this year, a paper booklist is available at the Readers' Advisory table at each library, in addition to the expanded list available online.


What's your favorite story about loved ones?  What books touch your heart?  We'd love to hear -- leave a comment below!

Thanksgiving!

The holidays are my favorite time of year. For me the Holidays  start off with Thanksgiving and roll right into winter, snow, sleighbells and before you know it the new year has begun.  So let's take a few minutes amidst all the hub bub to savor the turkey and the fixings.  I, myself, plan to sit down, relax and enjoy a great book. Here are a few books that are about taking whatever we are given and making the most of it.  

 The Perks of Being a Wallflower By Stephen Chosbky

You've Got To Read This Book: 55 People tell the story of the book that changed their life
edited by Jack Canfield

The Last Lecture By Randy Pausch

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff By Richard Carlson

Faith Hope and Love By Llwyd Owen

Heroic Measures By Jill Ciment

Hope Through Heartsongs By Mattie Stepanek

They Almost Always Come Home By Cynthia Ruchti

In the Queue

The Wolves of Andover

by Kathleen Kent

Strong-willed Martha falls in love with mysterious Thomas. Rumor has it that Thomas was connected to the death of King Charles I. After Thomas saves Martha from a wolf, he discovers assassins have arrived from

London to capture Charles I’s executioner.

The Distant Hours
by Kate Morton
A letter sent in 1941 finally reaches its destination in 1992 with powerful repercussions for Edie, a London book editor. The letter is addressed to Edie’s mother, then a young teen evacuated to Milderhurst Castle during WWII. Curious, Edie visits the castle in search of answers. Why was her mother so devastated by a letter sent 51 years earlier?

Atlantic
by Simon Winchester
Winchester returns with his epic “biography” of the Atlantic Ocean, from its origins millions of years ago through the population of its shores by humanity. He examines the early explorations and the perils of the open sea. This saga is necessary reading for those who want to understand the planet better.

An ode to bookstores...and libraries too!

I love libraries. But you know what? I also love bookstores. Yes, I realize this is the age of Amazon.com, where you can search for and purchase just about any book (or anything else, for that matter) you can think of, and have it delivered right to your doorstep without leaving the comfort of your bathrobe or being particularly web savvy. Don’t get me wrong: I’m an avid user of Amazon, but just like browsing the shelves of your local library, there’s something to be said for actually going into a bookstore and taking in the scenery. Getting lost in the aisles and running your fingertips along the book spines, waiting for the moment a title catches your eye and makes your acquaintance. Care to spend a quiet afternoon together? Some of my fondest childhood memories were of trips to the mall and beelines made straight to the bookstore, where I would sit quietly in a corner and get lost in the pages of a new friend. And, if I was lucky, I’d get to take that friend home with me. Of course, I did this wherever books were sold or loaned, because bookstores and libraries were—and still are—sacred places to me, and just being in a room filled with bookcases stuffed to the gills with books makes me giddy. I once overheard a little girl in the library exclaim after breathing in deeply, “Ahhh, now that’s the smell of knowledge.” It was absolutely wonderful. So here’s a suggestion for you: take a field trip. Whether it’s to your local library or bookstore, you decide. Hopefully you’ll visit both, but regardless, just get out there. Look around and touch and breathe it all in. You never know what you'll find--or what may find you.  

Juliet...and maybe a little Romeo

I don't think I would  normally rush to recommend a book that, when pushed to come up with a pithy description, prompts me to say, "think Dan Brown meets Nora Roberts."  And yet, Anne Fortier's book, Juliet, has managed to jump that hurdle.  There's suspense, intrigue, secret societies, and a mystery that must be decoded in order for the protagonist to discover who she really is, coupled with a questionable romantic attachment.  It's got the intrigue of a Dan Brown (although better written) coupled with the romance of a Nora Roberts.

When 25-year-old Julie Jacob's great-aunt Rose died, Julie expected a windfall inheritance from the wealthy woman who had raised her; what she got was a letter.  The letter instructs Julie to go to Italy and find the treasure left for her by her mother in a secret safe deposit box.  The note also includes a further surprise -- Julie's real name is Giulietta Tolomei.  Giulietta... as in Juliet... as in the real Juliet whose life inspired Shakespeare a few hundred years later.  The book then transitions back and forth between Julie/Giulietta's adventures in Italy today and the original Giulietta Tolomei and her quest to be with her true love (named Romeo, of course). 

While some of the twists and turns of the plot are questionable at best and require a bit of a logical leap (think of the kindly old caretaker in any given Scooby Doo episode), if you can suspend your disbelief it is an original book that is perfect for a cool, gray, fall day.

Crossover Literature It's Ok to read them

Crossover literature is composed of stories that appeal as much to adults as they do to children or young adults. I didn't realize that I was part of the phenomenon or trends of the past decade, when I began reading the stories my children were reading and enjoying them. Authors who write crossover titles include, but are not limited to: JK Rowling, JRR Tolkien, Suzanne Collins, Robert Jordan, RA Salvatore, Brian Sanderson, Stephanie Meyers, Philip Pullman, Mark Haddon, Tamora Pierce and Christopher Paolini. Some of these author's books have been published with different covers and sell well in both markets.

Crossover fiction usually has protagonists who are tweens. They are just on the edge of turning into adults. They are faced with tough life choices and most must grow up quickly. Many, although not all, feature some use of magic. Susanne Collins does not use magic, but technology abounds in her Hunger Games Series. This technology adds a feeling that big brother is watching you and knows everything. This in itself can be a form of magic.

Rowling's Harry Potter series is set in a magical world where anything can happen. As with most children's stories good usually triumphs over evil and true to the form of a crossover novel, a somewhat ordinary 11 year old boy is thrust into deadly situations that he almost assuredly will not survive. This is truly a coming of age story, one where the love and devotion of friends sees him through.

If you enjoy fantasy, Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time Series is an excellent crossover adventure. It also has 13 books in the series with the final story to be released possibly in 2012. It's a story packed with adventure, intrigue, magic and of course the good vs. evil controversy. Jordan's series begins with story lines and insight into each character's point of view. Most of his characters are children who are just on the cusp of adulthood and grow older as the series continues. The insight into each character captures the reader’s attention and holds it from one book to the next. The latest novel, Towers of Midnight,  is primarily Mat's and Perrin's storyline and lasts an amazing 861 pages. In comparing this novel to Tolkien's series, the latest novel is similar to the Two Towers. The 13th novel in the series is the gathering action. The battle against the dark forces begins in ernest and the struggle to survive is intense.

Of course, in most stories nowadays sex is everywhere, including young adult literature. Fortunately, this is done with more care in crossover literature. In crossover books adults are reminded of the innocence and purity of their first love and how life can change in a moment. Stephenie Meyer's novel, Twilight series is an excellent example of young love with consequences and choices.  The crossover novel shows children hard choices, pain and possible heartache depending on their choice. It gives them a look at consequences based on the decisions they make.

Most crossover stories have a mixture of light and dark. Crossover books can be dark like Pullman's The Golden Compass, JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings or light hearted and not quite so dark as in Harry Potter. Graceling and its sequel Fire are a blend of childhood lightness and growing up which becomes filled with dark choices. The choices are necessary but each has its own impact on the world and what happens next. The characters can only hope that their choice makes the world a better place.

The primary power of a crossover novel is the story-telling quality. The reader, be they adult or child is hooked by the characters, the settings and fantastic plot lines. The crossover novel is by definition good children's literature. It requires the writer to stay true to the story line and entertain the reader. There is of course violence and emotional conflicts abound but there is a much broader sense of friendship that ties the story together. This is evident  in Shifter  and Blue Fire by Janice Hardy.

So don't hide the cover of your book. Chances are that someone sitting next to you has already read the book or it is on hold for them. You might  also be surprised to learn that the adult title you just read was also read by a teen. This has happened to me and often leads to wonderful and insightful discussions. So pick up a good book any style (juvenile, young adult or adult fiction) and read.

You never know when you'll find someone with similar interests reading the same book, even if you might be generations apart.  

PEN (Poets, Essayists, Novelists) Awards 2010

PEN American Center, the largest branch of the oldest literary and human rights organization, has announced the winners of the 2010 PEN Literary Awards.  Each year PEN confers over $100,000 to writers, editors, and translators.  The following winners and runners-up were honored on October 13th in New York City:

Don DeLillo--Achievement in American Fiction
Susan Choi--Fiction Writer in Mid-Career
Marilyn Hacker--Poetry

Tinkers by Paul Harding
In the Valley of the Kings by Terrence Holt
Daughters of the Stone by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa

Soul of the Age: A Biography of the Mind of William Shakespeare
by Jonathan Bate
Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac, Mystic of the Atom
by Graham Farmelo
Sweet Thunder: The Life and Times of Sugar Ray Robinson
by Wil Haygood
Outcasts United: A Refugee Soccer Team, an American Town
by Warren St. John

On the opposite coast, PEN USA (West Coast), unveiled the winners of its 2010 Literary Awards competition.  The winners and finalists will be honored at the Beverly Hills Hotel on November 17, 2010.  Past winners include: Ray Bradbury, Barbara Kingsolver, Ursula K. LeGuin, Gore Vidal, and Alice Walker.

Mathilda Savitch by Victor Lodato
The Heydey of the Insensitive Bastards by Robert Boswell
Last Night I Sang to the Monster by Benjamin Alire Saenz

Some of the Dead Are Still Breathing by Charles Bowden
The Adderall Diaries by Stephen Elliott
Nine Lives: Death and Life in New Orleans by Dan Baum
Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original
by Robin Kelley

International PEN, PEN USA, and PEN American Center all strive to protect the rights of writers around the world and to stimulate interest in the written word.

For further information:

International PEN--http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/--was founded in London in 1921 after World War I. Today they are composed of 145 centers in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, the Middle East, and the Americas.

PEN American Center--http://www.pen.org/--was founded in 1922 and is the largest of the centers in 101 countries.

PEN Center USA--http://www.penusa.org/--is one of the two centers in the United States and the third largest in the world.  It was founded in 1943 and has a membership of more than 800 writers.

World Cup Reading--Spain

Here is the fourth and final installment of World Cup reading.  This time I am featuring Spanish authors.  When I was a junior in high school I visited Spain for 17 wonderful days!  During our stay in Madrid, the national football (soccer) team made it into the World Cup.  The streets were full of flag waving, horn honking, extremely happy fans.  It was a sight to behold and it made me aware that Spaniards really love their soccer!  Sport in Spain has been dominated by soccer since the early 20th century.  The national team won the European Championship in 1964 and 2008 and they won the FIFA World Cup championship earlier this year.  Not only is Spain a major world sports power but it is known for its culturally diverse heritage.  It has been influenced by many nations and peoples throughout history.  You can see this influence in architecture, food, art, history, and literature.  Let me introduce you to some champions of Spanish poetry and writing.

"In Spain, the dead are more alive than the dead of any other country in the world." 
Federico Garcia Lorca

Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936) is possibly the most important Spanish poet and playwright of the 20th century.  He achieved international recognition as a member of the "Generation of '27", an influential group of poets between 1923 and 1927.  They created experimental art and poetry particularly with respect to culture and politics.  In 1936, Garcia Lorca was staying at his country home, at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War.  He was arrested and, on the 17th or 18th of August, after a few days in jail, Nationalist soldiers took him to a cemetery and forced him from the car.  They beat him and shot him to death.  He was 38 years old.  His books were burned in the Granada square, then banned from Franco's Spain.  To this day, no one knows where the body of Federico Garcia Lorca rests.

"As I have not worried to be born, I do not worry to die." Federico Garcia Lorca

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547-1616) was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright.  His greatest work, Don Quixote, is a classic of Western literature. After being wounded in war, captured by pirates, and working odd jobs, he married Catalina de Salazar y Palacios in 1584.  Her uncle Alonso is said to have inspired the character of Don Quixote.  The author stayed poor until the first part of Don Quixote was published and, although it did not make Cervantes rich, it brought him international fame and recognition. He died in Madrid in 1616 at the age of 69.

Rosa Chacel (1898-1994) was a sometimes controversial writer from Spain, championing feminism for modern women.  She won various prestigious awards and in 1987, she received the "National Award of Letters", an award reserved for the very best writers of Spain.  The national airline Iberia honored Chacel by naming a jetliner after her--"Rosa Chacel Airbus A340".  She died in 1994. 

Now here are a few more recent Spanish authors to try:

Javier Cercas (1962- ) is a writer and professor of Spanish literature at the University of Girona, Spain. Read his 2007 novel The Speed of Light.

Alicia Gimenez Bartlett (1951- ) is one of Spain's most popular and best-loved crime writers.  Her "Petra Delicado" series was made into a TV series in 1999. Try her mysteries Dog Day and Death Rites.

Juan Gomez-Jurado (1977- ) is an award-winning journalist and bestselling author.  Published in 42 countries, Gomez-Jurado is one of the most successful young Spanish writers of all time.  Try his newest book The Moses Expedition.

Luis Leante (1963- ) is a writer of short stories, novels, poetry, plays, and screenplays.  His works have been translated into 21 languages. His 2009 novel is See How Much I Love You.

Javier Marias (1951- ) is a novelist, translator, and columnist. Read his three part "Your Face Tomorrow" series: 1--Fever and Fear, 2--Dance and Dream, and 3--Poison, Shadow and Farewell.

Quim Monzo (1952- ) is a Catalan writer of novels, short stories, and prose.  In the early 1970s, Monzo was a newspaper reporter.  His fiction is characterized by an awareness of pop culture and irony. Try his 2010 title Gasoline.

Now for all of you lovers of historical fiction, thrillers, ancient mysteries and Dan Brown read-alikes--try one of the following exciting Spanish authors:

Ildefonso Falcones writes Medieval historic thrillers set in Barcelona. Cathedral of the Sea and The Hand of Fatima. 

Martin Estaban wrote The Gaudi Key which is a historic thriller also set in Barcelona.

Arturo Perez-Reverte writes the "Captain Alstriste" historic adventure series and many other stand-alone thrillers such as The Dumas Club.

Carlos Ruiz Zafon wrote the literary thrillers The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game which have sold millions of copies and won many international awards.

Javier Sierra wrote the best-selling novels of intrigue The Secret Supper and The Lady in Blue. He has been published in 42 countries.

For more great international books try our Ethnic Authors list on the library's website.

If you want us to feature books written by authors from your favorite World Cup country in a future blog--just send us a comment!

Skippy Dies... (how's that for a spoiler?)

Let's be clear about one thing: I'm not really giving away anything when I tell you that in Paul Murray's latest book, Skippy Dies, Skippy does, in fact, die.  He dies in the first chapter of the book.  He dies eating donuts (not a bad way to go, I suppose) with his roommate, a modern-day, Irish Piggy.  The question for the rest of the book is, why did he die?  And, what did he have in mind when he wrote "tell Lori" on the floor in donut jelly as he was dying?

Let me be clear about one more thing: Ignore the inane reviews of this book that feel compelled to compare it to, "another popular series featuring an adolescent protagonist who, along with his friends, gets into all kinds of mischief at a haunted boarding school" (from Publisher's Weekly's review although, to be fair, Kirkus also made the comparison).  To compare this book to Harry Potter based on them both being in a boarding school is like comparing Wuthering Heights with the Catillac Cats because they both have characters named Heathcliff. 

Skippy's role as the central character in the book, in fact, seems to fades into the background after his rather dramatic passing.  I focused instead of the frustrated teacher whose life simply isn't living up to his expectations, the school bullies selling Ritalin as a diet aid to girls from the local schools, and the boys in the school whose interests vary from trying to have a dating life to trying to build a machine that will build a bridge between the different dimensions, thus enabling the living to communicate with the dead.  The titular character's interests and troubles go largely under the radar in this book, which seems somewhat odd until the end, when you realize that it is precisely his ability to blend in that has exacerbated many of his troubles. 

I wasn't sure I was going to make it to the end of this book; my attention started to wane for much of the middle matter.  I am glad I hung on, though, because the denouement really was thought-provoking, and capitvating.  It clarified Skippy's role in the lives of those around him and the role they played in his untimely death.

Room

I'll be frank: I'm not the most patient person in the world.  There are a lot of literary devices that grind on my nerves (to all those authors who've jumped on the epistolary fiction bandwagon in the past few years: I'm looking at you).  I'm usually quite annoyed by the contrivance of having children serve as the narrators of adult novels, particularly those with difficult topics.  Their voices tend to read as either overly precious and precocious, or as attempts for the author to distance him/herself from difficult subject matter ("yes, I'm writing about something gruesome and awful...but with cute words and misunderstandings, so don't find the subject too off-putting!").  Am I too easily annoyed?  Probably.  I can, though, on rare occasions, overcome that.  

 

Ever since the Man Booker long list was announced in July, I have been waiting (sometimes even patiently) to read Emma Donoghue's new book Room. While Room did not win the Man Booker Prize this year (the honor went to Howard Jacobson for his book, The Finkler Question), it is a gripping story that is definitely worth a read.  Given my tendency to disregard books written from a child's vantage point, my recommendation should be taken as a testament to Donoghue's ability to write with a child's perspective and the skill with which she does it.    Room is the story of five-year-old Jack, who serves as the book's narrator, and his mother, named only as "Ma." 

In this book, rather than having the horror mitigated by a child's voice, Jack's lack of understanding and knowledge about the tenuous setting of the only life he's ever known serves to heighten the danger and terror that Ma feels.  About halfway through the book, there is a major change in their  lives and the book changes in tone.  While the second half of the book is not as suspenseful or compelling as the first, seeing the world through Jack's eyes continues to be interesting and engaging.  Overall, it's a book worth checking out.

Going Hollywood

"The book was so much better than the movie!" "No, no, the movie was better." How many times have you heard this conversation? We hear it all the time and, often, are joining right in on the conversation. If you'd like to join in on the conversation and check out some books that have been made into movies, we have you covered! This month's Great Books Great Libraries featured list is "Going Hollywood."

Check out such timeless classics as the Godfather by Mario Puzo, The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Or try a contemporary title such as Forrest Gump by Winston Groom, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne, The Pianist by Wladyslaw Szpilman, and The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje.

Leave us a comment comparing your favorite book/movie combination!

You just gotta laugh

Lately it seems life is just too serious, too hard and the news lists many horror stories. It's just depressing and I would like a little good news. I don't think that's too much to ask. Recently, I saw a book that just looking at the cover made me laugh. I picked it up, glanced at a few pages and laughed some more.  Then of course I wanted to check it out, but...no someone else was taking it home (sigh). Guess she wanted to laugh, too.   I decided then and there the world must laugh.

In my effort to make the world a brighter place, I  put together a list of humorous books (at least I think they are humorous). Just so you know, the first book on my list is the one I saw today. It's titled Cake Wrecks : When Professional Cakes Go Hilariously Wrong. This book is everything the front cover led me to believe it would be. I picked it up glanced at a few pages and laughed uproariously. When I got it home of course there were errands to run so I left it on the table.  I returned home and the book was opened.  I figured it was my children, but I knew that wasn't the case when my husband said, "Nappy, blob, blob". I, being the resourceful person that I am, realized the page he left the book open to was a birthday cake mishap that was captioned, "Nappy BLOB BLOB TO YOU". Needless to say we cracked up all over again. My whole family loved this book. It's funny, witty and at times a little gross, but we laughed together, we laughed apart and we just plain laughed. This book definitley made my top list of funny books.  Here are a few others including some that won the Thurber award:

Letters from a Nut by Ted Nancy
With a forward by Jerry Seinfeld how could this book go wrong?  This is a collection of ridiculous prank letters sent to companies and includes their responses. A perfect table top book. 

I Love You Beth Cooper by Larry Doyle (2008 Thurber Award Winner)

This book is about a nerdy guy who falls for the head High School cheerleader. Through the use of comics and cleverly written script it is a story that will bring you to tears. 

Ant Farm by Simon Rich (2008 Thurber Award Finalist)
This is a hilarious collection of short stories. Ever wonder what it's like when a child realizes their teacher tricked them with the quiet game?...well Simon gives us insight into ordinary situations from a child, teen and crazy adult point of view. It's definitely a must have!

The Other Shulman by Alan Zweibel (2006 Thurber Award Winner)
A terrific feel good novel that will make you laugh and give you insight into human nature! It's a win-win!

Lamentations of the Father by Ian Frazier (2009 Thurber Award Winner)\
Ian Frazier takes ordinary everyday occurrences and turns them into comedic prose that leaves the best comedy headliners wishing they were as witty!

How I became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely (2010 Thurber Award Winner)
Steve Hely in his first novel writes a comedic parody of the top fiction novels of our time. If you find yourself often at the bookstore looking at the new arrivals or anxiously awaiting the NY Times Book Review this book is destined to be in your collection.  It is wonderfully funny and will make you think twice about the books you love and why.

The final book on my list is more of a pictorial homage to cats and laughter. Bad Cat is a collection of cat pictures with funny captions. If you love or hate cats this book is for you. 

Lessons in Psychological Fiction

Lately, I seem to be reading a lot of books that build suspense while placing the protagonists in very uncomfortable positions.  These are the books that make one wonder, "What would I do if I were in that situation?"  The overarching theme of the next three books are people who are trying to survive those situations and then, more importantly, to move on.

I just finished Emma Donoghue's newest novel, Room.  This is not a happy-go-lucky story by any stretch of the imagination.  Five year-old Jack and his mother, who is referred to as Ma throughout, live their entire lives confined within Room.  Their supplies come from "Old Nick" who stops by a few evenings a week.  Both Jack and Ma are scared of Nick and they try to keep him happy by asking for very little in the way of supplies each week.  Ma won't even let him look at Jack.  This book builds the suspense to such an uncomfortable level.  Just when you begin to put the pieces together, you wonder if you actually want to put it all together.

There are a lot of similarities between Room and Still Missing by Chevy Stevens.  Annie O'Sullivan has escaped from her captor, whom she dubs "The Freak."  She recounts the whole harrowing experience to her therapist and, even though we know she has managed to escape, the reader's heart breaks as Annie tells of all the horrible things that happened during her captivity.  The main character is very believable as she we go through her conversations with the doctor as sometimes she wants to discuss certain matters at other times does not.  As psychological suspense goes, this one was hard to put down.

I mentioned Fragile by Lisa Unger in a previous post and it definitely works in this genre as well.  Another of Unger's works, Black Out, is another good candidate.  Annie Powers has put her previous life behind her and lives happily with her family in Florida.  Of course, Annie isn't her real name.  Her real name is Ophelia.  And Ophelia has many dark secrets that Annie has tried to hide.  A dangerous figure from her past seems to have returned and Annie does not know how best to deal with the situation.  To make matters worse, she finds that other people may know about her past.  Some of whom are very close to her.

The Next Great Crime Series!

There is no doubt that crime fiction is hot! Just look at Stieg Larrson's Millennium trilogy that most libraries can't keep on their shelves. Here is 
the next great crime series by Zoe Ferraris. Her first book Finding Nouf led off the series. However, when I picked up City of Veils I didn't realize it was a sequel. Fortunately this novel is so well written it stood alone and is creating A HUGE SENSATION! Now I have to go back and read the first one in the series.

Ferraris creates a realistic murder mystery set in Jeddah. Her story is multi-faceted and weaves a tale that shows us a social mosaic of Saudi Arabian culture and the role of Islam in their world.  She combines this cultural education with an intriguing murder mystery/who done it, that made me 
want to know....what HAPPENS NEXT! Just when I thought I knew who did it and why,...she presented another angle and I had to reevaluate my thoughts.


The tale begins as a young woman's mutilated body is found on the beach. In this country where women must wear a burqa in public and are not meant to be seen or heard (by men outside of their immediate family) investigating a crime surrounding her death can be difficult. Most women's faces are never seen and in fact the viewing of a woman's face and hair can lead to their imprisonment by the regular or even the religious police.


As the story unfolds we learn more about Islamic culture and women's rights through Katya and Miriam. Katya is a forensic scientist who works in a crime lab (quite unusual for most women in Saudi Arabia) and Miriam is an American woman whose husband is a bodyguard working in Saudi Arabia. Her husband disappears and she is left bereft in a foreign culture where women have no voice and should not be seen. She unwittingly becomes acquainted with a devout Muslim, Nayir, who breaks conventions to help her.


Ferraris shows us the male perspective of this culture through the eyes of Nayir Sharqi. He struggles throughout the book to understand the changes in his own culture/religious beliefs and his own concerns about the changes. He doesn't understand his motivation to help Miriam or understand his attraction to Katya. Katya after all is an 'infidel' who shrugs off convention by working outside her home and she speaks to men who are not from her family.

City of Veils is so much more than a criminal fiction story it opens your eyes to cultural differences around the world, gives you a straight look at gender segregation and asks how you are going to cope with the changes when they come.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a riveting mystery that has a rich background.