The Other Susan

Summer reading lists-the bane of many students’ existence! While they enjoy their break from scholastic pursuits, there is always the specter of the assigned reading they need to complete before returning to classes. In a bookstore, we see many school reading lists, and often I can understand the students’ lack of enthusiasm. Why are these lists so uninspiring? Are teachers keeping up with current teen fiction, or are they just using the same titles year after year because they don’t want to write up new lesson plans? There are lots of titles out there that get teens excited about reading; why not put them on the lists? And parents, if you really want your child to read, why not read one or two of their assigned books and discuss them together? Following are some suggestions for summer reading that will interest both teens and their parents and could easily be included on a school’s summer reading list.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky, was an optional choice on a school list in the Boston area several years ago in a class for remedial students studying for state tests. Controversy erupted when a parent, flipping through her son’s book, noticed profanity and sexual situations. Without actually reading the book, she wrote a letter to the school and complained about its inclusion on the list; her son, she was certain, was too young to be subjected to such material. In fact, this novel, written as letters from the protagonist to a nameless friend, chronicles the life of a sensitive high school boy who lives his life on the fringes of society, wanting to fit in and yet fearful of embracing an independent life. Neither the profanity nor the sex is gratuitous, and the growth of Charlie’s self-confidence propels the story until he finally faces the trauma that marked him years ago. And the controversy in Boston? My store posted the mother’s letter and our defense of the book next to a stack of copies; we sold well over 100 books to curious parents. 

Ender’s Game, by Orson Scott Card, is a classic fantasy novel about children who are chosen to attend Battle School in order to fight an alien race whose goal is to wipe out humanity. Stated like that, it doesn’t sound like much, but in Card’s hands, the story becomes much more. Ender, small for his age and extraordinarily brilliant, is sent to Battle School when his aptitude tests score off the charts. Once there, his excellence threatens the status quo, and he finds himself the target of bullies. To survive, Ender must learn the system, make friends, and develop his fighting skills; that he manages to succeed is a testament to his determination and leadership abilities. This is a cult classic; even if you think you don’t enjoy science fiction, give it a try.

The Power of One, by Bryce Courtenay, is another classic coming of age novel. Set in South Africa starting at the beginning of World War 2, our protagonist is Peekay, a young boy of English descent living in a Boer dominated society in which the white minority rules the black majority. Early in his life, Peekay forms his lifelong ambition: to become the welterweight boxing champion of the world. From that point on, every influence in his life, from his scientific mentor Doc to his boxing coach Geel Piet, contributes his part towards helping Peekay reach his goal.  As Peekay matures, he begins to understand the tragedy that will inevitably engulf his homeland, even as he fights for racial equality.

Finally, Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow, published last year, is an updated version of George Orwell’s 1984. When terrorists strike San Francisco and the Department of Homeland Security arrives to ensure the safety of its citizens, who will preserve their freedom? When 17-year old Marcus decides to fight back, the roller coaster ride begins. Cory Doctorow’s mastery of technology and his knowledge of how it can be used for both good and evil make this a cautionary tale well worth reading.

It was hard to choose what to review this month out of the many wonderful books being published.  Pretty in Plaid, the newest memoir by Jen Lancaster, and The Last Child, John Hart’s third mystery, won out over Gone Tomorrow, Lee Child new Jack Reacher thriller, and Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, a delightful mystery by Alan Bradley that introduces 11-year old sleuth Flavia de Luce.  Next month looks to be just as good, so start planning your summer reading now!

Jen Lancaster is a smart-mouthed, bossy, arrogant, and hysterically funny writer. She is Everywoman, only with better shoes, a cuter handbag, and brash attitude to spare. Her first three books (Bitter is the New Black; Bright Lights, Big Ass; Such a Pretty Fat) were originally published in trade paperback format; Pretty in Plaid makes the jump to hardcover, which in publishing terms means she’s moved to the grownups’ table. Her newest book will not disappoint her fans, and should bring her some new converts. In it, she goes back to her childhood, where we discover-let the subtitle tell us-A Life, a Witch, and a Wardrobe, or the Wonder Years Before the Condescending, Egomaniacal, Self-Centered, Smart-Ass Phase.  Jen’s childhood in New Jersey, her family’s move to Indiana (where she struggles to modify her city-slicker persona to fit into the rural environment), her preppy makeover, her sorority years, and her move to Chicago to work in the big city are covered with Jen’s characteristic wit in her conversational style. Pop culture references abound, and her quest to emulate the ladies from Sex and the City in her working life makes for an entertaining read. One of my best friends turned me on to Jen Lancaster’s books, and I am sure that when you finish reading this one, you’ll pass it on to your best friend. She is too good not to share!

The Last Child by John Hart is his third novel, following Down River and The King of Lies. Down River popped onto the Indiebound bestseller list, and that was the first I heard of this author, so when the advance copy of this book appeared, I snapped it up. It isn’t often that mystery/thriller writers are lauded for their literary skill, and when I get a chance to read a well-written mystery, I jump on it. Suffice to say, The Last Child did not disappoint!  Set in rural North Carolina, the story centers on Johnny Merrimon, a 13-year old whose twin sister disappeared on her way home from the library a year ago. Shortly afterward, his father walked out on him and his mother, unable to bear his wife’s blame. Since then, things have gotten even worse. He and his mother have moved to a rental house owned by the town’s most powerful man, whose genial exterior hides his abusive, drug-fueled rages; Katherine Merrimon never recovered from losing her daughter and husband, and she is now inextricably involved with her landlord, who supplies cheap housing, money, and the drugs and alcohol which smother her pain and make her acquiescent to his desires. Johnny is made of stronger stuff, and his determination to find out what happened to his sister is unstoppable. Detective Clyde Hunt is also obsessed with the unsolved case, His unswerving focus has cost him his marriage and is alienating his only son, but he can’t let go, and when another girl disappears in the same way, his only goal is to nail the perpetrator, no matter what the cost.  Johnny and Detective Hunt’s parallel investigations uncover different threads of the story, but even when the reader thinks she’s got it figured out, Hart has another surprise up his sleeve. If you enjoy smart, literary mysteries, look no further-this is your book.

April showers bring May flowers, and this April brings so many good books, I had trouble trying to pick my favorites to review. Two are new works from established authors (one is short stories, one a sequel) and the third is a nonfiction book that has been a long time coming. Enjoy!

Back in 2001, when I had just started working at the Wellesley Booksmith, I was poking around for something good to read, and I stumbled upon a new hardcover entitled Good in Bed, by Jennifer Weiner. I ask you, how can you resist a title like that? Plus, the dust jacket blurb made it sound kind of funny and sarcastic, and I like that. In any case, it was a delightful read, and now she is a bestselling author of five books.  Her sixth book is out this month, and it continues the story of Cannie Shapiro, the protagonist of Good in Bed. It is set thirteen years later; the chapters are narrated alternately by Cannie and her almost thirteen year old daughter, Joy. Joy is preparing for her bat mitzvah and starting to yearn for more freedom than her mother allows. Cannie is holding her daughter tighter, trying to keep her the little girl she no longer is.  While Cannie and Joy are arguing about everything (bat mitzvah, curfews, clothing), Cannie and her husband are discussing having another child.  It all adds up to another fun read by Jennifer Weiner

Here is the book women of a certain age have been waiting for! Sure, there have been a million books on the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison. Recent autobiographies of Eric Clapton and Ronnie Wood have sold well. But there is a glaring lack of books by and about the women of rock, unless they happened to be groupies or muses. Now female Baby Boomers have a book to call their own: “Girls Like Us: Carole King, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon-and the Journey of a Generation” by Sheila Weller. Weller tells the story of each artist in alternating chapters, from childhood to the present.

Seeing how differently each woman reacted to the similar circumstances of their lives is a fascinating look at the possible choices women in the 1960’s and 1970’s had to make. Carole King, the oldest of the trio, got pregnant in 1959 by her boyfriend and song-writing partner when she was 18 and got married right away. Joni Mitchell got pregnant when she was a single, poverty-stricken folksinger in provincial Canada; she gave her baby up for adoption in 1965. Carly Simon, the youngest of the three, brought up in a wealthy, sophisticated family in which sexual intrigue was accepted, managed to avoid an unplanned pregnancy, despite her many lovers; she had two children with husband James Taylor. By using the details of their personal lives to illuminate their music, Weller makes the point that these particular women were icons because their journeys paralleled those of their fans. While she refers to albums and song lyrics in the text, this is by no means an exhaustive look at the artists’ careers; it concentrates on the chronology of each life with a heavy emphasis on their romantic/sexual relationships.  Yes, it was fascinating reading (in a gossip magazine sort of way), but I couldn’t help wishing that the music had been presented more seriously and the lovers with a little less schoolgirl gushing. That is a minor quibble with a book I thoroughly enjoyed. Pull out your old albums and settle down for a trip through your past. 

Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri is an amazing collection of short stories by the author of Interpreter of Maladies and The Namesake.  The first five stories stand alone; the last three are linked, like a novella in three parts.  All deal, in one way or another, with the relocation of a family, an individual, a culture, or a relationship to somewhere it has never been before. Her characters, Bengali immigrants and their American offspring, take root in the reader’s mind as they do in their unaccustomed surroundings, learning to settle where they are planted and blooming there. Jhumpa Lahiri is a master of her craft; it is difficult to believe this is only her third book. If you have read her before, you’ll rush out to read this collection; if you’ve never read her before, do yourself a favor and do so.

February bring us a couple of fun novels, perfect for  your February vacation read, whether you are spending it on the slopes, at the beach, or snuggled under a blanket drinking hot cocoa at home.

After reading The Art of Racing in the Rain, I had to admit that my prejudice against books narrated by animals was irrational. And yet, running into another good one so soon was still a shock. Dog On It, by Spencer Quinn, is a hard-boiled mystery told from the point of view of Chet, a dog who flunked out of police K-9 school for reasons he can no longer recall. Chet’s memory isn’t very good and he is often distracted from his detective work by interesting smells or tantalizing squirrels, but his devotion to his owner Bernie, a private investigator who’s fallen on hard times, is absolute. Due to his divorce, Bernie is having cash flow problems, so when a beautiful woman shows up and asks him to find her missing fifteen year old daughter, he and Chet take the case immediately.  What makes this book special is not the plot, which is your basic detective story, but Chet’s immediate, sensory, almost ADD-esque narration. This is a laugh out loud funny, hard-boiled detective story, and you can’t do any better than that.  The book cover calls this “A Chet and Bernie Mystery”; let’s hope that means there are many more to come.

Addition, by Toni Jordan, is reminiscient of Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night. Both novels feature protagonists who have mental issues the everyday world deems unacceptable, and both present their stories in such a way that their abnormalities seem perfectly normal, just another personality quirk. Grace, the narrator of

Addition, is Australian, a currently unemployed teacher, and an obsessive-compulsive counter. Her life is ruled by numbers: the number of steps she takes during her morning routine, how long it takes to order her morning coffee at her local café, the number and types of products she allows herself to buy in the grocery store. For example, the number of bites she takes from her morning muffin is determined by the number of poppyseeds it is topped with.  Although Grace’s life seems circumscribed to the casual observer, she is content with her numbers and her hero-worship of Nikola Tesla, in her opinion the greatest genius the world has ever known. Her family, familiar with her oddities, is her sole social outlet; although she finds most of her relatives banal, she bonds with her niece

Larry (Grace’s nickname for Hilary), who doesn’t quite behave the way her conventional mother would prefer. One day, out of the blue, Grace’s carefully ordered world is tilted on its axis when she meets Seamus, who asks her out to dinner. Despite herself, she accepts, knowing that she will have to keep her obsession with numbers hidden. For a time, they are happy enough, until Grace, with Seamus’s encouragement, decides to try therapy to overcome her OCD. Gradually, Grace becomes someone other than herself, gaining weight, spending all her free time in front of the television, and forgetting why numbers were so important. Addition raises important questions about identity: what makes us who we are? Who defines normal? Is conformity the only way to achieve happiness? As Grace works through the answers for herself, she discovers her innate strength and courage and finds her own way to happiness. This is a wonderful, life-affirming novel, with plenty of wit and humor. May this debut be followed by many more.

Just one brief mention of another new book: the fifth book in Lauren Willig’s Pink Carnation series is out this month. The Temptation of the Night Jasmine is just as charming, funny, and light as its predecessors; fans are in for a treat!          

Happy New Year!  With the post-holiday glow rapidly fading, it is back to life as usual, with our uncertain economic climate overshadowing the future.  Reading is an excellent (and inexpensive!) way to improve your mood; this month I have one non-fiction and one novel sure to perk you up.  

My favorite recent book by far is Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life by Jenna Woginrich. Given today’s economy, becoming more self-sufficient and less dependent on imported manufactured goods makes a lot of sense. That said, I am the least likely person I know to move to a farm and become a survivalist; city life suits me just fine! And yet, Jenna Woginrich makes her homesteading life sound almost doable, even for a committed urbanite as I am. While living in a city and working in an office, Jenna dreamed of leaving consumer culture behind and making a more sustainable life for herself.  Before moving out to a farmhouse, her only homesteading skills were basic knitting and soapmaking, but when she met her mentor Diana at her new office job in Idaho, her do-it-yourself horizons widened considerably. The book is divided into homesteading topics: raising chickens, practical beekeeping, gardening, cooking, buying secondhand goods, livestock, and, for fun, making music. Each chapter includes the story of how Jenna decided to start on that particular adventure, with lots of details on her successes and failures (it turns out baby chicks are not only fragile; they are a tasty snack for your average domesticated dog) and her philosophy of living a more self-sufficient life woven in. Brief how-to sections conclude each section, with helpful hints on how to get started for the beginner, whether you are a city slicker or a rural denizen. Made from Scratch concludes with a useful compendium of further resources for readers interested in delving deeper into specific skills.  Whether or not you want to live off the grid, this book is an entertaining and inspirational introduction to how anyone, no matter where he or she lives, can become more self-reliant and less a tool of corporate consumerism.  Jenna Woginrich will be visiting the Capital Region on January 24^th; check http://www.bhny.com for details. 

Colleen McCullough, bestselling author of The Thorn Birds, is back this month with a new novel, another in the ever-growing throng of Jane Austen continuations. The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet starts roughly twenty years after the end of Pride and Prejudice; Elizabeth and Darcy are unhappily married (a travesty! and one of the quibbles I have with this book), and Mrs. Bennet has just died after eighteen years of living quietly in the country with her unmarried daughter Mary as her companion. Darcy, as her wealthiest brother-in-law, takes charge of Mary’s future. He decrees that Mary will have a small income from soundly invested principle and that she will live with either his or Bingley’s family for the rest of her life. Fortunately for us and the novel, Mary has other ideas. Mary Bennet, younger sister of two beauties and older sister to two flibbertigibbets, has spent the past eighteen years caring for her mother, educating herself, and yearning for a larger purpose. After her mother’s death, she decides to write a book about the social ills of England. Her inspiration is Argus, a muckraking pseudonymous newspaper reporter whose letters to the Westminster Chronicle thrill her soul. Exposing injustice against the weak and lobbying for reform are her new concerns, and her first step is to convert her investments into a lump sum so she can travel England searching for subjects to write about. Of course, in the interests of plotline, this endeavour cannot go smoothly. Maiden ladies, aged thirty-eight, traveling alone through England in the early nineteenth century, were an uncommon sight, and bound to be the target of robbers and worse, as Mary is. When she disappears, her family, together with Argus, whom she met in his real-life identity as the publisher of the Westminster Chronicle, set themselves to tracking her down. Many plot twists ensue, some more believable than others, and all eventually ends well. Evil suffers, families reconcile, and, naturally, there is a romance with a happy ending.  McCullough’s writing style evokes Austen fairly well, and by taking a minor character from Pride and Prejudice, she leaves herself room to change her protagonist’s appearance and character without provoking an outcry from readers. While Mary’s story is entertaining, I wasn’t thrilled by the paths assigned to Jane and Elizabeth; McCullough took too many liberties with their characters and those of their husbands to suit my taste. That is a minor quibble though. Those who enjoy Austen’s novels will relish this tale of a woman’s emancipation in a time when such a thing was almost unheard of. A great winter read! 

It is the holiday season once again! Instead of reviewing a few new titles (who has time to read in December?), I’ll write about recent books that would make wonderful gifts for  someone on your list. Perhaps after your shopping is done you’ll be able to settle yourself down with your own good book—good luck.

Don Rittner has been a very busy man this year. 2007 not only saw the release of his “Schenectady Than and Now” in June; in October his newest book of local photographs, “Troy Then and Now”, was released. Either of these books would make a great gift for the local history maven in your life. They feature old photographs from Schenectady and Troy paired with current photographs taken from the same perspective, so that you can compare the views and see what has changed in the intervening years.  They provide a fascinating overview of each city for both long-term residents and newcomers alike.

Last year a big holiday hit was “Bird Songs: 250 North American Birds in Song” by Les Beletsky, featuring audio enhancement from the Cornell Lab of Orinthology.  Each entry  features a different bird, including a beautiful drawing,  descriptions of its habits, habitation and call, plus the actual audio of its songl. Bird lovers will salivate this year over the team’s next project, “Bird Songs from Around the World.” It has the same format, but it features 200 birds from all over the world. The well-traveled (or would-be well-traveled!) bird watcher will spend hours reading and listening to this book, and it is a great way to introduce kids to the delights of bird watching.

To continue the sequel theme, last year’s Rejection Collection, edited by Matt Diffie, spawned this year’s The Rejection Collection, Volume 2: The Cream of the Crap. Once again,  we are presented with a collection of cartoons rejected by the New Yorker, penned by some of the magazines most familiar contributors, Sam Gross, Roz Chast, David Sipress and Gahan Wilson, to name a few. Why didn’t these  (mostly) very funny cartoons make it? Various reasons—too salacious, too scatological, too weird, too disturbing, and the odd case of just not funny. Perfect for New Yorker fans who flip through the cartoons first every week.

Last year’s candidate in the Letters of Famous People That We’d Love to Read category was Decca: The Letters of Jessica Mitford edited by Peter Sussman. This year brings us  The Mitfords: Letters Between Six Sisters, edited by Charlotte Mosley, the daughter-in-law of Diana Mosley, the third eldest Mitford sister. If you are a woman with a sister or someone with an interest in twentieth century English history, or someone who enjoys Nancy Mitford’s novels, or maybe you just enjoy reading the correspondence of others, this is the book for you. Charlotte Mosley selected these letters from the twelve thousand extant between the sisters; they span from 1925 to 2002, and mention as intimates many of the political and literary icons of the twentieth century. While they are primary source material for historians, they are also an amazing view of sororal relationships in a large family. Nicknames, family jokes and gossip abound, making this collection a joy to read. The connecting essays give the details of the sisters’ lives that the letters don’t necessarily provide so that they may be read without undue confusion; they are clear and well-written.  This book isn’t for everyone, but if you have a literary woman on your gift list, this might be just the ticket.    

A really cool little book is Transit Maps of the World by Mark Ovenden. Subtitled The World’s First Collection of Every Urban Train Map of Earth, it is a quirky collection of public transportation maps from around the world. Some rail systems, like those of New York City, Paris, and London, are older and have some historic maps included so the reader can compare both styles and scope. Some are newer, with sleek production values and modern graphics. The last chapter gives an overview of smaller/newer/future systems from around the world. Anyone who travels, takes public transportation, or has an interest in design will find this volume intriguing; even non-map lovers will enjoy broadening their horizons.  

Technology is coming to a book near you—the bird song books mentioned above are not the only ones with sophisticated sound effects. Obsessed with Baseball: Test Your Knowledge of America’s Pastime by The Baseball Guys and Obsessed with Hollywood: Test Your Knowledge of the Silver Screen by Andrew J. Rausch are quiz games in a  book.  Each book has 2500 questions, so they will keep you busy for a good long time. Trivia buffs obsessed by movies or baseball will be kept busy for hours, and the game keeps score if two people want to compete.

I hope this list helps you with your shopping. Thanks for reading, and may you and yours have a happy and safe holiday season.

Happy November! It is the perfect month to give thanks for the bounty of wonderful books coming out. This month we have a new mystery, a book of humorous essays by a successful cartoonist, and a biography of a beautiful American woman who married into the British aristocracy and became the mother of arguably the greatest English statesman of the twentieth century.

Die With Me by Elena Forbes is a debut mystery that takes place in present-day London. Our protagonist is Mark Tartaglia, a homicide detective whose newest case involves a series of presumed suicides (including suicide notes) that are actually meticulously planned murders. Complicating the investigation are the appointment of a new inexperienced supervisor eager to assert her authority, the addition of a supremely confident crime profiler whose interpretation of the crimes is diametrically opposed to Tartaglia’s, and the recent dissolution of his affair with Fiona Blake, the forensic pathologist assigned to the case. Tartaglia’s partner in crime-fighting is Sergeant Sam (short for Samantha) Donovan, an appealing character whose slight crush on her partner is kept firmly in check. When a young girl is found dead after a fall from a church balcony, the death is ruled a suicide until a witness who saw the girl with an older man

Shortly before her body was discovered comes forward with her information. Acting on a hunch, Tartaglia investigates recent suicides to see if any others fir the profile and finds out that they have a diabolically clever serial killer on their hands. Scenes of painstaking police work are interspersed with scenes of the murderer meeting up with his next victims and reflecting on his past kills. As Tartaglia and Donovan get closer to their quarry, tension mounts, and the climactic scene is thrilling. The politics of the homicide squad and the criminal investigation are deftly handled; the characters are interesting and multi-dimensional. Fans of police procedurals will enjoy Die With and will be happy to know that Elena Forbes is currently working on a sequel.

Is there anyone who works in an office that doesn’t have at least one Dilbert comic strip posted on their cubicle wall? Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert and author of several management books, has just published a collections of his short essays entitled Stick to Drawing Comics, Monkey Brain!: Cartoonist Ignores Helpful Advice. You should be very happy he ignored that helpful advice because this is a laugh out loud funny book. Not every essay is a winner, but enough hit the mark to make this a fun book. Some standouts include Winning, a moving piece about the comeback of tennis player James Blake; What Would Trump Do?, in which Adams wonders how wealthy Christioans rationalize have so much while other people are struggling to survise; and Small Pleasures, in which the cartoonist expounds upon the simples joys of life after recovering from the flu. Other topics he touches upon are Dilbert cartoons that never made it into the newspaper and why, his preparations for his wedding, and why the choice of some cirizens not to vote is not the worst thing in the world. If you do not suffer fools gladly, posses a geeky/nerdy side, and can handle a certain amount of vulgarity, this is your book. And even if it isn’t your cup of tea, I bet you know someone who would love to have this book in his bathroom library.  It will appeal to cubicle dwellers and non-cubicle dwellers alike.

During the second half of the nineteenth century, the British aristocracy was beginning its financial downslide. Keeping up the ancestral estates was an expensive proposition and revenues were falling. Enter the “dollar princesses”—young American heiresses eager to marry titled husbands. One such woman was Jennie Jerome, whose story is chronicled in American Jennie: The Remarkable Life of Lady Randolph Churchill by Anne Sebba. This is not a dry, scholarly biography; it includes excerpts from Jennie’s letters and gives a broad picture of the society in which this independent American woman found herself after her whirlwind courtship and marriage to Randolph Churchill. At first her marriage is a happy one, but when her husband’s political fortunes fall and their finances become strained, Jenny focuses her energy on her son, Winston, and encourages him in his military and political endeavors. After her husband’s death, Jennie’s career became more colorful; she was rumored to have several lovers, remarried, started a magazine, became a nurse during the Boer war, and continued to be a controversial figure in London society. Her championing of the special British-American relationship influenced her son’s views, and thus the course of World War II. Jennie Churchill was a woman ahead of her time and this biography gives her her due.

And just a brief mention: If you are looking for something to read now that Jan Karon’s Mitford series is concluded, I highly recommend Gail Fraser’s Lumby series. She is not only local, she is a terrific writer of  small town drama and humor. The first two titles are The Lumby Lines and Stealing Lumby, and the third one,  Lumby’s Bounty, will be out in January. Happy reading!

Although I haven’t been involved in “back-to-school” season for over 25 years, September always feels like the beginning of a new year. Time to settle in and get some reading done!

American Wife, by Curtis Sittenfeld, is the author’s third novel. It is a departure from her first two, both of which chronicled the trials and tribulations of rather morose young women whose lives were difficult, mostly because they couldn’t get out of their own way.  In contrast, Alice Lindgren is a quiet, Midwestern girl, raised to be self-supporting, socially-conscious, and to vote the Democratic ticket. At the age of 31, she meets Charlie Blackwell, scion of a prominent Wisconsin political family who is joining in the family business.  Alice has resigned herself to being a spinster; she has a good job as a school librarian and she is considering buying a house.  When Charlie’s exuberant presence enters her life, she is introduced to a less cautious approach to life; after a six week courtship, they are engaged, and she needs  to learn how to be a political wife—of a Republican.  Alice’s strength of character makes this an absorbing story, but what will make this a bestseller is that the novel appears to be based, at least superficially, on the life of Laura Bush.  (It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize that.)  No matter your political persusasion, this novel is worth a read for its take on how to balance individuality and duty.

Another novel for the upcoming political season is American Savior, by Roland Merullo.

Merullo has had success with a couple of novels that feature spirituality—Golfing with God and Breakfast with Buddha being the most recent. American Savior overtly joins spirituality to politics with its over-the-top plot point: What would happen if Jesus returned and announced himself as a candidate for the presidency of the United States? Narrated by cynical TV reporter Russ Thomas, this is a thought-provoking look at our current political climate, in which claims of faith and religion on the part of politicians  usually trump humanitarian action. When Russ reports on two “miracles,” he is skeptical of their validity until he is invited to lunch with someone named Jesus who claimed to  perform the miracles. He also announces that he is going to run for President of the United States and he’d like Russ to help with his campaign.  Russ’s skepticism  recedes when his girlfriend has a dream that Jesus chose her to help him and by the end of their conversation, they are engaged  and have agreed to  quit their jobs and work for Jesus. Merullo’s writing flows and his style is engaging. Some of his character names are overly cute (Lenny Queen=Larry King, Hurry Linneament=Rush Limbaugh, Anne Canter=Anne Coulter), but the story keeps you riveted despite these distractions.  Jesus’s rise in the polls, Russ’s internal war between cynicism and belief, and the American public’s reaction to the third-party candidate make this novel perfect for book groups that are spiritually- or politically-inclined. It may not answer the question “What Would Jesus Do?,”  but it poses some interesting questions about our political process and what we talk about when we talk about faith. Politicians of all persuasions (are you listening, Obama and McCain?) would benefit from reading this book.

This June brings another installment of local author Tom Schreck’s Duff Dombrowski mystery series. TKO: Round Two is the sparkling sequel to last year’s On the Ropes: Round One. Once again, Duffy Dombrowski, social worker extraordinaire, is doing his best to help the weak and downtrodden while avoiding as much paperwork as possible. In his newest caper, Duff is assigned the case of Howard Reinhart, a man recently released from prison; he was convicted of murdering 4 of his high school classmates who had taunted him once too often. When Howard misses an appointment and a high school cheerleader is murdered, he is the obvious suspect to everyone but Duff, who is determined to see that Howard is treated fairly. In addition to trying to find Howard, Duff has also managed to saddle himself with the responsibility of a teen boy who has named Duff his sensei, a teen boy whose tormented high school career is eerily similar to Howard’s. Allah-King, Duff’s Muslim basset hound, once again provides canine comic relief, and Duff’s fellow regulars at AJ’s, the bar he frequents, continue their endless, inane barfly conversations  which add a certain color to the story. Duff is a man of honor, kind of like Robert Parker’s Spencer, and this sequel is worthy of Schreck’s first book. If you are looking for a fun, fast summer read, look no further.

Apparently, June is mystery month, because I have another new one to review. Fans of Julia Spencer-Fleming will be thrilled to hear that the long-awaited newest book in the Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series is out. I Shall Not Want is the sixth and last book in the series, and it concludes on a high note. The series is set in a small town in the Adirondacks. Clare Fergusson is an Episcopal priest who attracts trouble like magnets attract iron; Russ Van Alstyne is the chief of police in Millers Kill-native son, Vietnam vet, and very married. In the Bleak Midwinter introduces the pair as Clare starts her new job at St. Alban’s parish and immediately finds a baby on the rectory doorstep and Russ is called in to deal with the case. Thus begins one of the best mystery series I’ve ever read. The setting makes it interesting to Capital region residents, the plots keep mystery fans coming back, but the relationship between the two main characters gives the series heart and soul enough to expand its audience to the general public. The latest mystery involves illegal migrant workers, drug dealing, and the possibility of a serial killer. Two other characters share center stage with Clare and Russ in this installment-Officer Flynn, a rookie introduced in previous books, and Hadley Knox, a new recruit to the Millers Kill police department. Keep your fingers crossed that Spencer-Fleming will continue her Millers Kill saga featuring these two in the future.

Chuck Palahniuk has a new book out. Palahniuk, author of Fight Club (made into a movie starring Brad Pitt) plus seven other novels and two non-fiction works, is a cult favorite whom I’ve never read before, so when I saw the galley of  Snuff, his newest novel, I figured I should give him a try. The premise of the book is certainly provocative.

Famous porn start Cassie Wright is making the movie of her career; she intends to break a world record and have sex with six hundred men in succession on camera. There are four narrators: Mr. 72, Mr. 137, Mr. 600, and Sheila, a woman on the set crew. Through their distinct voices, we find out how a porn movie is made, what started Cassie on her storied rise to fame, and how one of the current participants intends to turn the movie into a snuff film so that his name will live in infamy.  Snuff is fascinating in a gritty, bodily-secretion soaked sort of way, but readers with tender sensibilities and/or intolerance for vulgar language should not pick up this book. Sex is portrayed as a mechanical act, divorced from emotion, imagination and even pleasure; perhaps this depiction is appealing to Palahniuk’s fans, but it struck me as depressing, not titillating. Perhaps I am too old to appreciate the author’s cutting edge sensibility and hipster ethos, but  this book wasn’t my cup of tea. Reader, you have been warned!

One last book, which I haven’t yet read, but because I loved her first two books, I need to mention this-Jen Lancaster, author of Bitter is the New Black and Bright Lights, Big Ass, has a new book out: Such a Pretty Fat. She is so funny, so real, so sarcastic-if your funnybone needs to be tickled, this is a great bet. Enjoy!

I have two great fiction reads for you this month. One is a novel that was released in February which I just got around to reading, and the other is the concluding volume in a series of five books that is perfect for anyone who enjoys snarkiness a la Jennifer Weiner.

First, the more serious fiction. Little Bee by Chris Cleave is a beautifully written, humorous, unflinching novel about man’s inhumanity to man, or in this case, woman. Little Bee is a 16-year old Nigerian girl who stowed away on a British ship only to end up in a detention center in England for two years while she is questioned by the authorities who have the power of life and death over her. If she stays in England—life. If she is judged not to require asylum, she will be repatriated to Nigeria—death. Thus she learns to speak the Queen’s English, for girls who are pretty and girls who are well-spoken are more likely to be allowed to stay. Little Bee’s comparison of the beauty of her mother tongue with the dull, dry Queen’s English adds much to the humor of the book; it reminded me of the mangled English of the narrator of Jonathan Safron Foer’s Everything is Illuminated. Slowly, Little Bee’s backstory is revealed, and we are introduced to Sarah, widow of the recently deceased Andrew, whose past intersected with Little Bee’s several years ago when she and her husband were on vacation in Nigeria. Despite the violence of their first encounter, Sarah and Little Bee build a bond, based on their love for Sarah’s 4-year old son, Charlie (who prefers to be called Batman.)  There are horrific scenes and huge sacrifices, but the ultimate message of this novel is the power of person-to-person relationships to produce change, that the personal is political. I foresee many book groups reading this provocative novel.

Megan McCafferty  is a wonderful author who has been unfairly shoved into the “young adult” ghetto,  where most adult readers disdain to tread. Readers, by not reading young adult novels, you are depriving yourself of some really great books! Case in point: McCafferty’s Jessica Darling series, whose fifth and final installment comes out this month. Perfect Fifths continues the story of Jessica Darling, a smart-mouthed young woman whose story began when she was a junior in high school, as chronicled in Sloppy Firsts. When her best friend moves halfway across the country, Jessica writes her letters to keep her up to date on what is happening in their hometown high school. The first four books in the series (Second Helpings, Charmed Thirds and Fourth Comings are the other titles) take Jessica from the age of sixteen to twenty-three, when she is out of college and taking her first steps towards independence. She is also trying to figure out her relationship with Marcus Flutie, whose on-again, off-again presence in her life makes being in love with him difficult. Perfect Fifths begins three years after Fourth Comings ends. Jessica has a job with a salary that allows her to both eat and pay her student loans, a far cry from her earlier financial struggles. Her post-college adult life is finally taking shape, when she literally runs into Marcus at the airport on her way to a wedding. Their reunion, like their love affair, is clever, snarky, off-beat, and romantic. Jessica’s bad attitude,  discerning eye, and witty wordplay make this series a pleasure from beginning to end. Maybe when you are done with it, you can lend it to your favorite young adult!