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At BCPL Newsletters | Book Lists | Book Lovers' Corner | Collections | Hot Titles | Unique Critiques |
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Unique Critiques: Staff Reviews for 2009
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul & Aug | Sep & Oct | Nov | Dec | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
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December |
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Rusty is a pet cat who dreams of more. When a trip into the forest behind his fence brings him into contact with wild cats, he is offered the chance to join their clan which is short of warriors. He joins ThunderClan as “Firepaw” going into warrior training, learning clan ways as well as of the other three clans. When he helps Yellowfang, the outcast healer from the rival ShadowClan, his loyalties are questioned, especially by the ambitious Tigerclaw who watches his every move. The book is the first of a series, recommended to me by a young girl who swore everyone she knew read these books. It has lessons on friendship, betrayal and growing up, simply set in the world of cats. It is targeted to juveniles (though I would mention it does have a lot violence and death) it works for adults as well. – Diane (RO)
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Underground comix, those subversive, wildly imaginative cousins of the traditional comic book, were a creative byproduct of the 60s. Comic books had been around long before then, but were initially aimed at a younger audience and followed conventional storylines. That changed in the 60s though, as old boundaries melted away and a new zaniness sprang forth. Unfettered by past convention, comix artists dared to tackle previously forbidden topics like drugs, sex and defiance of authority. Underground Classics examines the rollicking countercultural history of the comix phenomenon. The first part of the book contains essays on the history and artists involved in the movement, while the second, more interesting half of the book surveys the artists’ work. And what a survey it is, containing samples from more than 50 artists, including such well-known figures as Robert Crumb and Art Spiegelman. The art is carefully chosen and faithfully reproduced; there are even copies of works-in-progress that give insight into the artists’ methods. What comes through is the artists’ willingness to explore the horizons and stretch the scope of graphic storytelling into something wonderfully new. – Tim (WH) |
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While listening to this gripping tale, I was drawn in by Corduner’s emotional narration. The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel, a girl living in Nazi Germany, through the eyes and ears of Death. Death follows Liesel through her transition into adolescence, a new family, loss and coping with her disagreement with the Nazi mindset. I highly suggest this book to everyone YA to adult, if not for the alternate view on Death’s occupation, then for a view of non-Nazi Germans during WWII. – Stephanie (AO-M&D) |
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It is the summer of 1950, and 11-year-old scientist Flavia de Luce spends her time carefully plotting the torment of her older sisters. Then peculiar things begin to happen in her home, the decaying English mansion of Buckshaw. A dead bird is discovered outside the kitchen door, its beak skewering a postage stamp. Next, Flavia discovers a dead body in the cucumber patch. Her response? “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.” The modern crime links to a long ago suicide and the theft of two of the rarest stamps ever known. Author Alan Bradley’s choice of heroine and narrator is key in this not-quite-traditional British mystery. Flavia’s detective work rivals the official inspector’s, and her knowledge of the villager’s secrets is both interesting to readers and useful to her investigation. I particularly enjoyed listening to the story on CD, which is read by Jayne Entwistle. She perfectly captures the precocious narration of Flavia, while giving other characters each their own unique voice. – Melissa (RE) |
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Kate Burkholder is chief of police in a town called Painters Mill, a small town with a prominent Amish population. Kate’s family is Amish, but she left the fold as a teenager after surviving an encounter with the Slaughterhouse Killer. Now, violent murders are being committed again with the same M.O. as the Slaughterhouse Killer from 16 years ago: Roman numerals are carved into the victim’s abdomen. As chief of police, Kate is called to help solve the crimes, but must try to keep the family secret that she’s been hiding for years. Characters are developed and suspense is created in this quick reading book that attempts to illuminate the divide between the Amish and the English. – Sharon (RE) |
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The dramatic and heart stopping sequel to Hunger Games, Catching Fire immediately picks up from where we last left Katness Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the winners of the 74th Hunger Games. As winners of the Hunger Games, Katness and Peeta should expect a life of luxury and adoration after fighting for their lives, but their biggest fight may yet to come. Furious that Katness and Peeta have defied the Capitol’s strict rule, the malicious President Snow has conjured up a plan to force them back into the arena. With her every move and word being monitored by the government, Katness must decide who she can trust and where she stands on the rebellion that is growing throughout the land. A terrific continuation of the series, this second novel does not disappoint. – Kate (RE) |
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November |
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Reading the Battle for America brought back many memories and many new insights into the most exhilarating and exciting election the nation has experienced. Balz and Johnson manage to condense two years of campaigning and rivalry into a gripping insightful book. The book provides not only a great analysis and summary of the primaries and election, but it also includes excellent interviews with top campaign aides and new revealing campaign memos. While we all know the outcome of the election and primaries, the book gives new insight into Obama’s doubts, McCain’s internal blunders, and the final decision that made Sarah Palin a household name. It’s a great read and one that will help you relive every moment of that exciting 2008 presidential campaign from start to finish. – Joe (WH) |
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The interstellar antiquities dealer Alex Benedict and his partner Chase Kolpath are reunited on an adventure when they receive a cryptic message for help (and a huge sum of money) from famed horror writer Vicki Greene. When they attempt to contact Ms. Greene they learn that she has received a “mind wipe” and now has no memory of her past life. Alex and Chase decide to retrace Ms. Greene’s last whereabouts and activities, which leads them to the far away planet of Salud Afar, known for its ghastly legends. There, they uncover a chilling secret and coverup of unparalleled proportions. |
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At the age of 50, Alice Howland appears to have it all: a successful career as a nationally respected Harvard professor, a loving husband, and three grown children finding their paths in the world. After a series of increasingly alarming memory lapses, Alice is stunned to learn that she is a victim of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. What follows is a heartbreaking, terrifying journey into the life and mind of a brilliant woman who refuses to give in to her cruel fate without a fight. Told from Alice’s point of view, the author succeeds in crafting a memorable story about the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s on the victim as well as on her family. First-time novelist Lisa Genova is a neuroscientist intimately familiar with her topic. The result is a beautifully written, medically accurate tale that often reads like a true account. Highly recommended! – Yvette (WH) |
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Womenomics is an excellent book about writing your own rules for success. It begins with a discussion on the importance of women in companies, as well as the benefits of having women in top managerial and executive positions. According to the authors, companies that employ a larger percentage of women are more profitable. Women in leadership positions are more nurturing of subordinates, preferring consensus to confrontation and empathy over ego. In addition, women’s natural social skills translate well in the business environment. The authors point out that today’s women achieve their career goals by working smarter without putting in longer hours. Maintaining a flexible schedule can also help them perform more effectively. These suggestions are already taken to heart by the younger generations, who realize that they can achieve more balance in their lives without sacrificing their work ethic. The book offers helpful suggestions for women who need to say goodbye to guilt and fear to negotiate more time for themselves. – Pari (WH) |
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Get ready for a suspenseful book with several twists and turns. American diplomat Jordan Weiss returns to England where she spent part of her college years at the beckoning of a school friend who is ill. She has not been back since an accident that took the life of her college boyfriend. Weiss simultaneously investigates organized crime as part of her job, reconnects with and supports college pals, and tries to seek answers to her boyfriend’s death. Things are not as they seem in the alleys of London or the back roads of Cambridge. In the end, Weiss finds “home” in her in searching. – Kathleen (RO) |
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With the very-able help of the people in BCPL’s ILS department (thank you!), and the reissue of many of his books in paperback and on CD that BCPL are purchasing, Nero Wolfe has made a triumphant return in my reading-life. I had forgotten how well Rex Stout writes; his descriptions of characters, settings and situations, as well as his very-exciting mysteries that have given me many hours of sheer pleasure, whether I’m listening while riding to work or cleaning my house. Rex Stout began writing the Nero Wolfe mysteries in 1934, with the publishing of Fer-De-Lance, and continued until 1975 with the publication of A Family Affair (Death Times Three was published posthumously in 1985). During these years, his novels reflected happenings in the world such as World War II, the “Red Scare,” and the Vietnam War, as well as the rise of television (an invention that Wolfe hates and takes great pleasure in turning off!). Wolfe’s trusty sidekick, Archie Goodwin, provides both complete narration and hilarious commentary on the happenings in the New York City brownstone, ably aided by Fritz Brenner, Saul Panzer and the other detectives who Wolfe employs. If you choose to listen to these books on either tape or CD, you are in for a real treat. Michael Pritchard is a fantastic narrator and draws the listener into the action every time. Run, don’t walk, to your nearest book or CD shelf and start your Wolfe-adventure! – Susan (RO)
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Did you ever wish that your dog could tell the story of your life instead of you? Chet, a K-9 police school dropout, lives with Bernie, a somewhat unsuccessful, divorced private-eye. At the beginning of Dog on It, Bernie is approached by a prospective client whose teenaged daughter Madison has “disappeared,” only to reappear a short time later. When Madison REALLY disappears, Chet and Bernie are on the trail, and before the case ends, they will encounter kidnappers and really BAD guys in their quest to find Madison. This is the first of a series with Chet and Bernie. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures! – Susan (RO) |
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A 16-year-old Nigerian orphan who calls herself Little Bee suffers brutality on a beach in her homeland. Resourceful and intelligent, she insinuates herself into the lives of a well-off British couple who are dealing with their own demons. Lest you think you’ll be overwhelmed by the harrowing events of Little Bee’s trials and the sad state of Sarah and Andrew’s lives, never fear. Little Bee’s narration, which puts us in her head, sweeps you along and even uplifts. A remarkable lead character and fine language and writing make this a memorable read. – Susan (RO) |
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Artist, Talking Heads co-founder, and recreational cyclist David Byrne travels the world, offering insights, impressions, anecdotes and passing whimsy from atop the seat of his folding bicycle. Few topics are left unexplored by Byrne, as he shares reflections on everything from decaying urban landscapes to cultural isolation. Along the way, readers are introduced to contemporary artists, accompanying musicians, and historical figures that add a layer of eccentricity to Byrne's travels. The light conversational handling of such complex and varied topics reminds one of a late night conversation with a curious, well-read friend. – Brad (RO) |
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September & October |
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Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs is a memoir written by Dr. Michael Collins, an orthopedic surgeon. Collins, the eldest of eight Irish-Catholic boys being raised in Chicago in the 1960s, was living at home, working for a construction company breaking up concrete and frequenting the local bars after graduating from Notre Dame. He writes candidly and with a dry humor about his decision to become a doctor despite his lack of a pre-med background, his difficulties in both getting into medical school and then finding the tuition as well as romancing the girl whom he eventually marries. Collins’ voice comes through as a gifted storyteller in this sometimes poignant and often hilarious accounting. – L.H. (TO) |
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The title refers to Van and Linny Luong, first generation Vietnamese-American sisters who grew up in Michigan. Nerdy Van is a hot shot immigration lawyer with the “perfect” marriage to a Chinese-American. Linny is single, a fashion plate, and has never finished college. She works for a business like “Let’s Dish” in Chicago while having an affair with a client’s husband. Their father has always been an embarrassment because of his inventions for “short” people and his refusal to become a naturalized citizen. However, as the book opens he announces he is becoming a citizen and the girls must show up for the ceremony and the party he is throwing afterward. This proves to be the catalyst that helps them each to reconnect and move forward. Nguyen makes the struggles and experiences of each of these characters very real and understandable and you want them to succeed. – R.H. (TO) |
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I never watched Julia Child when she was on television, but the friend I went to the movie with said that Meryl Streep caught her perfectly. This is a laugh-out-loud and two-Kleenex movie which flips back and forth between the 1940s/50s, as Julia Child finds her passions in life (eating, cooking and writing cook books), and 2002/03, as Julie Powell blogs and cooks her way through every recipe in Julia Child’s The Art of French Cooking in one year and ultimately reaches her life’s desire of becoming a published author. Be sure you’ve eaten before you go or you’ll be ravenous when you come out. – R.H. (TO) |
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Quentin Coldwater is no Harry Potter. He's older when he gets an invitation to wizard school (wizard college in Quentin's case), for one thing, and that age difference creates some of the charm of The Magicians as well as some of the problems with it. Quentin arrives at Brakebills, his parallel to Hogwarts, by a seeming accident and is immediately thrust into an incomprehensible entrance exam. He flies through the calculus portion of the test, but is surprised when a rabbit he has to draw begins to hop about the page until he can draw the fences to restrain it. Details about Quentin's classes are relatively sparse; instead, the book concentrates more on Quentin's relationships. Imagine all the teenage angst of college, combined with the difficulties of magic. No "swish-and-flick" here: working magic depends on memorizing and applying endless rules, conditions and exceptions. Quentin eventually learns that Fillory, a Narnia parallel, is real, but adventuring there can be deadly. While I can see how The Magicians is billed as Harry Potter for an older audience – there's drinking, sex, and angst – I fail to see why reviewers have praised it so much. Quentin Coldwater is not an engaging character, and Grossman does not enliven his book with the sense of wonder Rowling brought to her books. – D.R.F. (TO) |
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This is a great book for crafters, anyone looking for a great activity for kids (think birthday parties or scout/4-H groups) or holiday presents. The directions are clear, the photos are wonderful and the items used are things you can find around your house. There is nothing worse than a craft using recycled materials that you can only find at a salvage yard. The supplies are the things you are putting in your curbside recycle bin – plastic, paper, glass, cans – and there is even a chapter on recycling parts of clothing to make into something “new.” – A.L. (TO) |
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July & August |
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Julia and her friends had a deal – no gangs! Ever since seventh grade, they have sworn to each other that they would not allow the gang culture of their New York high school ruin their futures. But then Julia meets and falls in love with Eric, a new student. No one seems to know much about him and he is quite cryptic about his past. They break up when she uncovers that Eric was a Crip in the past, and he has succumbed to the pressure to join the Crips at their school. Eventually, her feelings for him overshadow her repugnance of the gang lifestyle and she joins Eric. She feels protected by the gang, but drugs, sex and violence are rampant, and when Eric begins to lie to her, Julia has grave misgivings. But getting out is not easy. It usually happens only when you die. Van Diepen realistically depicts the world of the gangbanger and the insidious nature of lifelong protection, with no escape. Julia and Eric are authentic characters in a real-life tragedy. Their stories offer hope, but their friends are not always so lucky. Plot twists and a surprise ending keep things intense. Snitch presents an important object lesson for today’s teens. It should resonate with Baltimore area youth, in particular, because of the intimidation of the “Don’t Snitch!” campaign of the past few years. – L.S. (WO) |
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To read Stockett’s first novel is a very powerful experience, sometimes tragic, but also uplifting. In it, she eloquently transports us back to Jackson, MS in the early 1960s, a time of racial unrest. In the words of Aibileen and Minny, we are introduced to two maids who are forced to tolerate the prejudices of their white employers. Along comes Eugenia Skeeter Phelan, a young white woman, back from college, who finds herself being drawn into the plight of these and other black maids. During the process, she begins to question the values of her peers, her family and herself. Sometimes heartbreaking, there are also some very tender moments, especially Aibileen's relationship with Mae Mobley, the child of her employer. Who will ever be able to forget the Green Martian Luther King? – M.B. (WO) |
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If you build your house far enough away from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you.” And so begins the latest of Mr. Schmidt’s novels. But trouble has a way of finding two families, one proud of its Boston heritage and the other Cambodian which has a terrible past that haunts them, as well as the reader. The lives of both are laced together, but the knot is finally broken in the conclusion. Mr. Schmidt stays fast to his New England roots and with wonderful lyrical language he weaves a tale about these simple, yet complex, characters and the coastal landscape in which they live. With flashes of humor and an intriguing plot, this is a fast and fun read. I promise you’ll want to read his other books. – N.C. (WO) |
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Here’s the tale of a woman with a wild history in search of a little security. The story picks up, following the titular character after Herb, the husband 30 years her senior, instigates the first major lifestyle change since their marriage: Fiftyyear- old Pippa has moved with her husband into “Wrinkle Village,” a retirement community. Despite evidence to the otherwise, Pippa tries to convince herself that she can handle this premature step forward in life, but the comfort that she worked so hard to obtain when she was young begins to come crashing down around her. Pippa is accompanied by a cast of generally amiable characters and the book really sinks its hooks into you through the way each intertwines with the unraveling of Pippa’s status quo. The book may be the topic of some upcoming hype as a movie has been filmed, though I’ve seen no publicized American release planned. The film, featuring a cast that includes Robin Wright Penn, Alan Arkin, Keanu Reeves, and Winona Ryder, has been screened at several film festivals and begins its theatrical release July 10, in the UK. – B.M. (WO) |
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Left alone in late-19th-century Japan following a fire, 9-year-old Aurelia Bernard has the good fortune to be adopted by the Shin family, masters of temae, or tea ceremony, for hundreds of years. Because on the voyage to Japan she had begun to grasp the language, the family convinced themselves she was not a foreigner, just a slow child. Taken under wing by 16-year-old Shin Yukako, daughter of the house, for the next 25 years Urako, as she is renamed, and Yukako embark on a journey of growth and intimacy that first unites then drives them apart. The beauty and discipline of the Japanese tea ceremony is contrasted with the change and chaos that marks the beginning of westernization in Japan. Elegantly written and immensely informative about not only tea ceremony but of Japanese life at the time, this is, as one reviewer wrote, “a story as alluring as it is powerful.” – Lisa (WO) |
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Joe Queenan, known for his smart and cynical essays and books on movies, music, television and all aspects of popular culture, here presents the story of his coming-of-age in Philadelphia. Raised by an alcoholic and physically abusive father and an oblivious mother, Queenan and his three sisters are moved from one poor and depressing neighborhood to another. They are left to rely on the kindness of relatives and their own inner resources to make their way in the world and break out of the family cycle of poverty and abuse. Joe seeks solace and escape at various jobs and schools, and describes his relationships with an assortment of mentors and surrogate fathers he meets along the way. The story is written with Queenan’s usual flair for language, sense of humor and appreciation of the absurd, and the result is an inspirational story of transcending a challenging childhood to achieve success and happiness. – J.K. (WO) |
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In this charming story that takes place in 1899, we find 11-year-old Calpurnia Tate (Callie Vee to her family) becoming an avid naturalist under her grandfather's tutelage. She would rather spend hours with her grandfather collecting Texas animal and plant life and recording it in her journal than learn how to knit socks under her mother's eye. She and her grandfather discover a plant never before documented; while waiting for word from The Smithsonian, she takes cooking lessons from her family's cook, learns to play the piano, is instructed in the proper ways of a young woman, and begins to think about what her life would be like if she were to go to the university. This is a unique story about growing up at the turn of the century, well written with a wry wit. Quite possibly a Caldecott winner. – D.N. (WO) |
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June |
Beach Trip
Join four women as they meet in the Outer Banks of North Carolina 30 years after graduating from college. Lola, Mel, Sarah and Annie were best friends and roommates at a small, southern liberal arts college in the 1980s, despite their different backgrounds and personalities. While they have kept in touch and a few have met up over the years, as a foursome, the roommates have gone their separate ways and drifted apart; they have not all been together since college graduation. The author moves the reader back and forth between the college years and the present. As the stories unfold, the complicated history between these women comes to light. There are issues the women must face as individuals and as a group. During the trip, some longstanding sore points are resolved, but an unexpected ending really brings the story full circle. If you like to read about women’s friendships, southern literature or – as the title implies – beach trips, you’ll enjoy this book. The reunion of these four strong women will stay with you long after you read the last page.— H.G.(AO-M&D)
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Drood
Charles Dickens' final novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, was a whodunit that was never completed due to his untimely death. That's a tough enigma for mystery lovers with a hankering for sleuthing but especially vexing since the work was curiously dark and sinister beyond even Dickens' normal propensity for the grimy underside of Victorian London. Opium dens, psychotic villains, and a lime pit grave all figure predominantly in The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Simmons' Drood is an inspired novel that twists the storylines of Dickens' life, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and a pinch of Peter Shaffer's Amadeus into a single narrative conceit: namely that Dickens' real life friend, literary rival Wilkie Collins, is a Salieri style poser who is observing the gothic obsessions that seem start to haunt Dickens' life and his writings after the horrific Staplehurst rail crash that nearly killed him. The real fun comes from trying to sort out if Dickens is truly entering some haunted obsession or if Collin's opium addiction from laudanum is projecting jealous and drug-addled illusions onto his friendship with the great writer. Occasionally Simmons overindulges his need to utilize the prodigious research that he no doubt undertook for the novel but this thick but fast paced novel will have you googling Dickens, Drood, and Collins to see what is true and what is Simmons' creation. Riveting for history and literature fans Drood stands on its own as a unique and unusual fiction creation. -Michael (Info Services)
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A Little Bit Wicked
Kristin Chenoweth, the pixie star of stage (You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Wicked), and screen (Pushing Daisies, West Wing) writes a fluffy but fun tale of life in the spotlight. While she might be just a tad young at age forty to be penning her memoirs, it is fun -particularly for theatre fans- to read how a true country girl acted, danced, dated, but mostly sung her way to a notable place in the Broadway community. Her narrative voice is funny and good hearted but this theatre fan and his restless legs will avoid the front row at any Kristin Chenoweth show henceforth. A breezy read and good beach fare but mostly only interesting if you're already a fan. -Michael (Info Services)
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May |
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What Anthony Bourdain did for the kitchen, Waiter Rant does for the “front of the house.” Here is an inside look at the world of restaurant wait staff, from the irate customer to the celebrity diner to the feuds between the chef, the waiters and the waitresses. “The Waiter” (his name and the true name of the restaurant are well guarded secrets) started out as a seminarian, quickly changed his mind, graduated college and worked as a health care marketer. Adrift when he lost his job, his best friend and his girlfriend, he drifted into the restaurant business. And he didn’t leave. But he had a desire to write and the brilliant idea of starting a blog called Waiter Rant (www.waiterrant.net ), which segued into an absolutely hysterical book. It will forever change the way you look at the men and women who take your order whenever you eat out. A peek at some chapter headings will give you a heads up: Paupery, The Tip’s the Thing, Filth, I Hate Mother’s Day, Vengeance Is Mine, Russell Crowe and Me, Throw in the Apron! Optioned by Hollywood, we can only hope to see this amusing expose on the big screen soon! – G. R. (AR) |
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Many of us admire Zoe Heller's brilliant English novel and subsequent movie called What Was She Thinking?/Notes on a Scandal. Her new book The Believers is set in the U.S. and gives us a memorable and compelling read, despite the fact that none of us would choose any of the cast of characters for our personal friends or relatives. For 40 years, the Litvinoff family maintained a seemingly stable philanthropic life. When Joel, the father, becomes comatose after suffering a massive stroke, the family's life unravels. Having felt trapped in their circumstances, the family members begin to change. Audrey, the wife, by far the most nasty and unlikable character, discovers a shocking secret. Zoe Heller mercilessly dissects the family's hypocrisy and thus becomes the new darling author of witty satire and social criticism. – R. B. (AR)
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Supreme Courtship
President of the United States Donald Vanderdamp is having a heck of a time getting his nominees appointed to the Supreme Court. After one nominee is rejected for calling parts of To Kill a Mockingbird boring in an elementary school book report, the president chooses someone so beloved by voters that the Senate won't have the guts to reject her. Bring in Judge Pepper Cartwright, a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader looking, gun toting, pickup truck driving star of TV’s Courtroom Six. Cartwright is elevated to the bench. You’ll just have to read it to find out all the juicy details. – S.Y. (AR) |
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Tony Stark is now the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and faces his biggest challenge. Ezekiel Stane, son of Obadiah Stane, wants revenge against Tony for killing his father. Ezekial is using Iron Man technology to destroy Stark Industries. If you liked Iron Man the movie, you’ll love this graphic novel. It’s quick to read and completely engrossing. – E.O. (AR) |
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April |
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It is February 1861. Abraham Lincoln has just been elected president of the United States in a very volatile and controversial election. He has received only 40 percent of the popular vote. In the State of Maryland he has received only 2 percent of the vote. In at least seven southern states his name did not appear on the ballot. Before Lincoln can become president, he must be inaugurated. To be inaugurated he must make a long, arduous and meandering railroad journey across at least six states and speak to tens of thousands of people in very public appearances. Southern sympathizers watch his every move. They report his movements to a small and secretive group of people whose chief desire is to prevent the president-elect from reaching Washington alive. A group of ultra-secretive and very militant pro-slavery conspirators are gathered in the heart of the city of Baltimore. Their goal is to intercept the Lincoln Special inauguration train as it makes a whistle stop at the Calvert St. station of the Northern Central Railroad. There is only ONE railway track that leads north from Washington, DC, and it must pass through Baltimore. Detective Allan Pinkerton and a group of specially trained detectives will work with great energy to prevent this rendezvous. One of Pinkerton’s operatives is Kate Warne, the first woman hired as a private investigator in the United States. Ms. Warne’s task is to work with the other Pinkerton agents to infiltrate to the heart of the Lincoln Assassination conspiracy in Baltimore. She has her work cut out for her. As the Lincoln Special passes through New York, the train will make a whistle stop in Albany. There is a special theater event listed in the New York papers that February 18. A new play entitled The Apostate has opened there with a thrilling Shakespearean actor named John Wilkes Booth in the lead role. This is the first time in history that the names of Lincoln and Booth will appear in the same newspaper together on the same page. It will not be the last. If you wish to find out what happens next, you must read this book. -M.P. (CA)
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Chloe the Chihuahua is a spoiled fashionista, whose owner has made her fortune in cosmetics and pampers her constantly. Chloe’s paws hardly ever touch the ground. When Chloe is left in the care of the owner’s niece, she ends up being kidnapped in Mexico and is shocked into the real world of dog fighting and dirt. Many talented dogs play roles in this movie. Delgado, the ex-K9 German shepherd helps Chloe escape from the evil dog killer, Diablo the Doberman. Papi, the love struck Chihuahua, rushes to Mexico to rescue his true love. Computer animation makes this film a realistic and graphically fun adventure. The voices of George Lopez, Edward James Olmos and others add authenticity to the sounds and culture of Mexico. Scenes in an ancient ruin give a glimpse into the history of the mighty Chihuahua. Chloe learns how to fend for herself, the true meaning of friendship, loyalty and most of all, how to judge a dog by his real worth, especially Papi. She even learns a little Spanish. The commentary is a fascinating discussion of how the trainers and dogs worked together on the sets and used many individual stunts which were graphically combined to produce each scene. This light-hearted family film is a dog lover’s delight. Humane Society supervised this film. No dogs were harmed in the making of this film. -S. F. (CA) |
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Included in this year’s Great Books discussion, and winner of this year’s Newbery Award, The Graveyard Book is not unfamiliar to Baltimore County Public Library librarians. Patterned in a general way on Kipling’s immortal Jungle Book stories, Neil Gaiman’s work is similarly the story of a human child raised by nonhumans – but instead of the animals of the Indian rainforest, young Bod is raised by the ghostly inhabitants of a small and ancient cemetery. Each chapter begins roughly a year after the previous one ended and are neatly self-contained (helping make this a wonderful read-aloud experience). In this way we watch Bod grow from infancy through his mid-teen years, as his contentedness with his living arrangement diminishes. A movie version is planned, with Neil Jordan set to direct. The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire, and Michael Collins are his bestknown films. -B.R. (CA)
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The Longest Trip Home: A Memoir
Grogan chronicles his life in the same jaunty, conversational style as his best-selling book Marley & Me and it’s just as much fun to read. His hometown outside Detroit is a small, close-knit community whose center was Our Lady of Refuge Catholic church and school, and where parents tattled to other parents about their children. The mischievous little Johnny Grogan and his pals, Tommy, Rock and Sack, were often at the center of many shenanigans as he circumvented the close watch and demanding expectations of parents, priests and nuns. Take, for example, the time he learned, as a new altar boy, how to sneak the last of the communion wine before rinsing out the chalice and wobbling home from church. Despite his antics, there is no doubt he loves his parents and eventually grows to respect their faith and life choices, even as he chooses another path. After more turbulent and rebellious years as a teen, he eventually graduates from college, becomes a respectable newspaper reporter, gets married and has three children of his own. (He did not say how they’ve turned out!) As his parents grow older and ill, his tempestuous relationship with them eases, and he becomes their loving caretaker. As you read this book perhaps you’ll be reminded of your own misadventures as a youngster, and maybe some you thought about but never dared try. This book is both laugh-aloud funny and startlingly poignant: a great nonfiction recommendation. -M.P.(CA)
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Sweet Potato Queens Book of Love
You’ll laugh so hard, you’ll cry. I was first introduced to this series through American Thighs, and I simply could not get enough. In it, Jill shares the promise women can use to get any man to do your bidding, the five men you must have in your life at all times, men who may need killing and what to eat when tragedy strikes. She gives serious advice to real women through shameless stories and naughty humor. “Life is too short – and too long – to spend it being miserable.” -A.S. (CA) |
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March |
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The Prince Charming List
I normally choose books by their cover: this was cute and had a title that just screamed fun. About a chapter into the book, I was surprised when I realized it was just as spiritually uplifting as it was adorably romantic. Every man Heather meets always comes up lacking. When two completely different men come into her life one summer, she suddenly has to figure out if what she truly wants is included in her list or is completely different. Will Heather’s happily-ever-after include handyman Ian or rebel artist Jared? This book is third in a series following Front Porch Princess and Picket Fence Promises but it was great as a single read. It reminds you of what it’s like to be young and searching for the love of your life while figuring out who you are and where “God” will take you. – M.R. (HE)
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Using the format of a memoir written by 70 year old Ines Suarez (a real person born around 1507), Allende weaves a tale of tremendous hardship, fierce battles, brutality against native peoples, and romance as Ines moves from her life as a seamstress in Spain to Peru and on to Chile where she and her lover, Pedro de Valdivia, are instrumental in building the new city of Santiago and the nation of Chile. On top of this sweeping epic covering the Spanish conquest of Peru and Chile, Allende shows Ines as a woman of desire for one man, passion for a second and finally love for a third. Choose this story for good reading and a history lesson. – P.P. (CO and HE) |
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The Likeness
In The Likeness, by Tana French, Cassie Maddox, 20-something detective with the Irish police, is recovering from the emotionally devastating Operation Vestal, recounted in In the Woods. Her world tumbles over when she is called to a murder scene in the countryside, where the murdered woman is Cassie’s double and is carrying the identification of Lexie Madison, Cassie’s identity in a former undercover case – Lexie Madison, who did not exist. To find the killer, Cassie takes the professional chance of a lifetime and becomes Lexie (the public was told that she survived – barely – the knife attack). She returns “home” to Whitethorn House, a community of five graduate students who have rejected much of contemporary Dublin society and are living an almost Victorian domestic idyll. Time progresses, and even as the case to find Lexie’s assailant/murderer progresses, the emotional boundaries between Cassie/Lexie begin to blur. Who, actually, was Lexie? What part of her assumed life does Cassie crave for herself? Truth, identity, love, murder – paranoia, you name it – all are entangled in an intense and complex plot. French’s incredible, lyrical prose adds a masterful touch of reality/unreality to this richly rewarding book, and Heather O’Neill is pitchperfect as the Talking Book reader. – D.S. (HE)
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Gran Torino (movie)
Gran Torino is full of twists and turns. Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a cranky widower who can’t accept the cultural diversity in his ever-changing neighborhood. He is forced to face his prejudices when a series of violent incidents place him in the unexpected role of guardian angel to the Hmong-American family that has moved in next door. Initially, Walt is offensive, but as he gains a fresh perspective on his new neighbors, your impression of him will change. By the time the film reaches its surprising and emotional climax, you will be glad to have spent some time with this complex man. – C.Y. (HE)
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This is yet another thought provoking offering from Malcolm Gladwell, the author of the best sellers The Tipping Point and Blink. In this book, Gladwell explodes the myth of the “outlier” or “self-made man,” the dearly loved image Americans hold of individual success by dint of hard work and true grit. He believes, instead, that context is the true predictor for success. Gladwell shows what a junior championship hockey league, Bill Gates’ meteoric rise to wealth, and the deadly feuds of the Appalachian Mountains all have in common. In each case, a glance back at the history of the situation provides meaningful clues that explain “how”: how the registration deadline for young hockey players skews favorably toward those born right after it; how a teenaged Bill Gates received unique opportunities to practice and perfect his computer skills; how the “culture of honor” of the Scottish Highlands was transferred intact to isolated mountain communities. Other chapters examine such seemingly unrelated topics as the rash of fatal air crashes that nearly ruined Korea’s airline, the Hamburg years of The Beatles, and the usually healthy residents of a small town in rural Pennsylvania. The book will make you question everything you thought you knew about “nature versus nurture,” the existence of genius, the equality of our educational system, and the roles we play in each other’s lives. Each study is more fascinating than the last, and regardless of whether you agree with his premise, you’ll be thinking about what really fosters success long after you’ve finished reading the book. – M.B. (CO) |
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Ida Mae Jones is a light skinned African-American woman working as a maid every day in New Orleans in 1939. Her father had one of the first crop dusting planes in the state. He lets her study all of his old books and teaches her to fly. More importantly, he teaches Ida the passion for flying. After Ida’s father dies, her mother lets her continue to fly the crop dusting plane only to bring desperately needed money for the family. When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, everything changes. The oldest son, Thomas, drops out of college to fight in the war. Ida wants to do more to help her brother than just save bacon grease. Ida becomes Jonesy, and joins WASP, the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots. WASP was a whites only group of women pilots, and at the time did not even have official military status. She finds two friends, Patsy a carnival daredevil, and Lily a rich Jewish girl. They become the Three Muskateers and help each other through the intense trials. Even her close friends do not really know her. Her incredible struggle to be Jonesy with an unbearable desire to fly, or Ida who does not have to hide, makes this historical fiction an excellent read for both young adults and adults. – K.M. (TO)
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February |
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The recipes in Moskowitz and Romero’s cupcake cookbook deserve the title they received; they rule. Although I haven’t tried every recipe, I have tried a fair few, and they are delish! During a vegan phase I checked out this book to satisfy my sweet tooth, and even though I’m no longer vegan, I turn to these pages time and again for delectable cupcakes. My favorite, and the favorite of many a dairy lover, is the Carrot Cake Cupcakes. Eating one of these, with “cream cheese” frosting, is an experience and cannot be limited to just one. Other cupcake recipes include the basic chocolate and vanilla varieties, Brooklyn vs. Boston Cream Pie, Pineapple Right-Side Up, Chai Latte, Tiramisu, Mexican Hot Chocolate and 30 more plus many frosting recipes. Even if you’re not crossing yourself at the sight of dairy and eggs, these recipes are worth a try. – S. K. (Marketing and Development) |
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As a devotee of the PBS show Spain … On the Road Again, I eagerly awaited this companion book’s arrival. Full of gorgeous pictures, interviews and anecdotes from the show, and dishes (I haven’t made any yet, but I have sure drooled over the book), it complements the historic, artistic, cultural and gastronomic road trip of Spain taken by Batali with Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Bittman and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols. This foursome visited most of Spain’s well-known tourist sites and multistar restaurants, but they also went off the beaten path to visit fishermen and clam diggers, family farms raising pigs and sheep, tried their hands at making cheese, wine, sausages and ensaimadas (a type of pastry), as well as cooking and eating lots of great food. Enjoy a great trip to Spain without leaving your armchair as you watch the DVD and read the book. – S. F. (Essex) |
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This is the story of Queen Nefertari, great royal wife to the pharaoh Ramses II. Her aunt was Queen Nefertiti, wife to the heretic pharaoh Ahkenaten. During her early life, she was considered a heretic also, because of her blood line. But Ramses fell in love with her, and in the face of opposition from within his own family, and prominent members of the court and priesthood, he married her and made her his chief royal wife. This popularly written novel gives us somewhat of an insight into the daily intrigues which always surrounded the royal pharaohs. Nefertari proved herself to be an excellent mate for the great Ramses, and soon became beloved by the people for her beauty and grace. She had superior intelligence and used it to become an asset to her husband in conducting the affairs of the country. A good read for anyone with an interest in ancient Egypt. – B. C. (North Point) |
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain
Imagine yourself as a young boy whose earliest memories are of loving to draw. Then imagine yourself as this young boy destined to grow up in post-World War II Czechoslovakia. Your country had been liberated from the Germans by Allied forces, only to be re-occupied by former Allied partner Russia, whose idea of “liberation” for Eastern Europe did not include the same freedoms represented in the Western Bloc. Peter Sis uses the graphic format in a superbly moving and sublimely informative retelling of his growing up in Prague under Soviet rule and repression from the late 1940s through the turbulent 60s, and into the celebrations of the falling of the Iron Curtain in the late 80s. As with his previous foray into the graphic format in 1999 (the Caldecott Honor Book Tibet: Through the Red Box), Sis uses his signature detailed drawing style, coupled with spare yet insightful prose (some from his personal diaries from the time) and exacting use of color and photographs to convey emotional states, to create the perfect vehicle to recount both the pleasures and the horrors of growing up in a society that sought to repress individualism at all costs. He makes us feel with startling clarity both the pain of artistic contraint under the Communist system and the giddy pleasure of hearing smuggled Beatles and Beach Boys records, set against the daily realities of bread lines and espousing the correct party propaganda. As a very personal case study of what the yearning for true freedom feels like, The Wall invites us into the world behind the Iron Curtain few Westerners knew existed and makes us capable of appreciating on a fundamental level the basic human impulse to be free to live our lives as we choose. It is also a marvelous example of just how uplifting and engaging the graphic format can be when in the hands of a master of the form, and Sis has never been better than in this autobiography. It’s no surprise that The Wall was also selected as a Caldecott Honor Book in 2008. – S. H. (North Point) |
Dewey
Even if you don’t like cats you will fall in love with Dewey. Dewey was found in a library book drop in Spencer, IA. The staff took care of him and he lived in the library for 19 years. Patrons would travel for miles just to visit with Dewey. Dewey’s favorite section was Westerns and he took rides on the book trucks every day. His full name was Deweyreadmorebooks. You will be entertained by Dewey and his experiences at the library. You will laugh and cry. So, take some time and enjoy a really good book and be enthralled by Dewey. – B. F. (Pikesville) |
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At BCPL Newsletters | Book Lists | Book Lovers' Corner | Collections | Hot Titles | Unique Critiques |
Underground Classics: The Transformation of Comics into Comix
The Book Thief 
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie 
Sworn to Silence
The Battle for America 
Ines of My Soul
Outliers: The Story of Success 
Flygirl 
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes That Rule
Heretic Queen
