Here are the latest book reviews
from our staff, and up-to-the -minute information on books from local authors
and illustrators. Our active staff read books hot off the press. Check out their
latest adult and children's picks as well as seasonal favorites. Read our
quarterly newsletter, and keep up to date on local authors and illustrators.
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Avril's
(Bookshelf
at Hooligan Rocks) top
four books: |
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Fay by
Larry Brown
This book has everything—a
gripping plot, elegantly straightforward writing, and complex
fully-rounded characters. Fay walks
out of her abusive home and keeps on walking. She changes the lives of
the men she meets along the way, bringing them both happiness and
tragedy in her search for love and a home. The
characters make some very bad decisions, but their motivations are
always believable. Larry Brown makes us understand why they do these
things, even if we don’t agree with their actions. This
is a haunting trip through small town Mississippi, and a story you won’t
easily forget. |
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True History of the Kelly Gang
by Peter Carey
Vintage, $25.00
Ned Kelly was an infamous 19th century Australian outlaw, best known
for his homemade metal armor and bloody shoot-outs with police. This book is his
(fictional) autobiography, written to his newborn daughter while on the run from
police. Ned Kelly’s voice seems real and
immediate as he recounts his difficult life. In his version of history, the
lawmen are wicked villains, and the Kelly family are honest people forced to
break the unjust laws of a system which beats them down and helps perpetuate the
grinding poverty of their circumstances. Ned is a loving son and loyal to his
family and friends to the end. The story is,
of course, one sided, but that makes it seem all the more real. This "True
History" is a gripping read, full of adventure, tragedy, and fully
fleshed-out characters living their lives as best they can. It also offers a
fascinating glimpse into Australian colonial life.
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Primate’s Memoir by
Robert Sapolsky
Sapolsky has spent many years in Africa studying baboons. The book begins
with his first trip as a 21-year-old graduate student, when he finds
himself alone in a remote part of Kenya with Masai warriors for neighbors
and nothing to eat but cans of Taiwanese mackerel. As the years pass, he
becomes more comfortable with his surroundings, has some amazing
adventures, and grows to love the baboons he studies; but he never really
gets used to the sadder facts of African life. His book is informative,
entertaining, hilarious, and tragic. (Simon & Schuster,
$25.00/$22.50) Reviewed by Avril.
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Deanna
(Bookshelf at Hooligan Rocks) enjoys
hiking, painting, animals, and, of course, reading! Check out her
artwork at Ice House Furnishings across from the lumberyard in Tahoe City.
Her favorite books are: |
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The Cape Ann
by Faith Sullivan
Penguin $12.95
This is a great novel about a girl growing up during the depression in a
small town in Minnesota. A very well written story that will stay with
you for a long time. |
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A Dangerous Woman
by Mary McGarry Morris
Berkley, $13.95 or $6.99
This is a well written book about a woman who is teetering on the edge
of becoming completely out of control. Very well crafted, this story
escalates into a suspenseful read that you just can’t put down. |
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The Divine Secrets of the
Ya Ya Sisterhood
by Rebecca Wells
HarperCollins $14.00
This story has it all – laughter, tears, and complete craziness. It is
about family, friendship, and support among women. A very worthwhile
read. |
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Hoopi Shoopi Donna by
Suzanne Strempek Shea
Simon & Schuster, $14.00
This novel is about a Polish-American family and how misunderstandings
can change the course of peoples lives. A very entertaining read. |
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The Starlite Drive In
by Marjorie Reynolds
This is a great coming-of- age story that takes place during 1956. This
story is so well written, you feel like you are there. This is also a
favorite of Debbie and Lydia, so don’t miss it. |
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Dana
(Bookshelf at the Boatworks)
chose the following as her current top picks:
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The Buddha of Suburbia
by Hanif Kureishi
Penguin, $12.95
This book is about the challenge of moving to the multi-cultural,
sexually-intense lifestyle of inner-city London from dull suburbia.
Kureishi’s characters are wild and off-beat, and his narrative is both
funny and intimate. |
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The Hotel New Hampshire
by John Irving
Bantam, $14.00 or $6.99
This novel is all about characters. The Berry family makes their own
rules and then breaks them all. They travel from New England to Vienna
befriending terrorists, circus bears and prostitutes while trying to
make a living running hotels. This is one of my favorite books ever –
pure entertainment with a touch of class. |
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Once Were Warriors
by Alan Duff
Vintage, $11.00
This novel betrays the harsh life of modern day Maoris in inner-city
Auckland. Struggling with poverty, racism, and abundant violence, this
book reveals the ugly truths of a culture forced to urbanize. A
disturbing yet touching book that shows a part of New Zealand far
removed from the scenic beauty and friendly locals for which the country
is typically known. |
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Sophie’s World
by Jostein Gaardner
Berkley, $7.99 or $14.95
A novel about the make-believe world a father creates in order to teach
his daughter about the history of philosophy. Gaardner uses simple,
straight-forward dialogue to entertain and educate. A great way to learn
the basics of philosophy!
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Michiko
(Bookshelf at Hooligan Rocks) lists these four reads as her current tops: |
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Ice Bound by Dr. Jerri Nielsen
Hyperion, $23.95
This is one woman’s remarkable story
of her discovery of a lump in her breast while stationed at the South Pole.
Assigned as the only medical doctor she quickly learns the toll on "Polies".
The physical and mental challenges of life in a land where temperatures drop to
–100 degrees F, months without the sun, and frostbite-as-a-way-of-life are
unimaginable for most of us. Dr. Nielsen adapts to her new life only to discover
she has breast cancer. Working with a team of doctors via e-mail in the U.S.,
she diagnoses her condition and begins self-treating. An inspirational tribute
to inner strength and a beautiful tale of friendships, I highly recommend this
book. |
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Ladies With Options
by Cynthia Hartwick
Berkley, $12.95
Take a group of middle-age women who gather once a week to eat and chat.
Add a few moments of reality in which they realize that their retirement
funds look bleak. In no time flat you have inspired women who are
willing to try anything to bolster their financial future. This is
a hilarious ride down the road to wealth and the bumps along the way.
Filled with great one liners, this book inspired me to do
something; anything! |
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Flight
by Jan Burke
Simon & Schuster $24.00
This was my first Jan Burke novel, and she immediately jumped to my list of top five favorite suspense novelists. A well thought out and extensively
researched story line keeps you engrossed and on the edge until the climactic
finale. For those of you familiar with Burke, this story follows Irene Kelly’s
husband, Frank Harriman, as he investigates a ten-year-old murder that framed a
fellow cop, posthumously. Frank faces department retaliation and cover-ups as
well as nagging suspicions that the killer might have been a cop...just not the
dead one. If you read any suspense this year, read this one. I’m waiting for
her next book.
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Cadillac Desert by
Marc Reisner
Penguin, $15.95
A hard-hitting, in-your-face
look at the West and our dwindling water supply. Water is our most
precious resource, and Reisner brings its scarcity and its misuse to
light in a fact-filled and historical manner. Serving as a staff writer
for the Natural Resource Defense Council in the ''70s, he states the
facts and his opinion firmly yet in an easy-to-comprehend fashion. From
political corruption to environmental impacts of damming rivers, this
book is as applicable now as it was when it was first written. With the
renewed attention to our power crisis, this book is a must read. Since
reading Cadillac Desert, I have become consciously aware of my
water use and the desperate need for conservation on the part of all of
us.
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Jesse
(Bookshelf at the Boatworks)
chose the following as his current top picks:
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The Business by Iain Bank
Simon & Schuster, $23.00
Iain Bank's The Wasp Factory, named in Britain as one of
the top 100 books of the century, outright blew my mind. Since that read,
I'd definitely have to name him as one of my favorite contemporary authors.
His newest outing, The Business, is no less juicy. The
story opens up on Kate Telman, groomed from a young age to be a partner in a
cabal-like organization - known cryptically only as "The Business" -
whose origins predate the Christian church. For her allotted sabbatical, Kate
choses to navigate the elusive nature of the organization. But the true nature of "The Business" is vague to the
point of invisibility. Even to Kate, who begins to uncover some curious
facts about her enigmatic employer. Wickedly satirical, The Business is a
commentary on corporate takeovers, the rise of the Internet, and other post-Cold
War struggles for economic and political domination. |
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David Boring by David Clowes
Pantheon Press,$24.95
When French poet Charles Baudelaire shifted the focus of poetry in the late
1800s to describe modern urban experience and ennui, he may or may not have
predicted David Boring. But writer/illustrator Clowes has; and his vision of the
experience of an apathetic Generation Xer is brilliant, funny, and entertaining.
Going from job to job,
Boring will become obsessed with a woman who nearly gets him killed, search for
an enigmatic clue in the scraps of a comic book his father wrote and illustrated
in the sixties, endure the paranoid apocalyptic expectations of his friends and
family with perfect indifference, and accomplish nothing of any real
significance. But in the end, Boring is still, "...thankful for every
second." And so was I. |
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Shopgirl by Steve Martin
Hyperion Books, $17.95
Is it any surprise that comedian and film maker Steve Martin has turned out to
be a fantastic writer? Martin turns to what he
knows best - Los Angeles life and culture - to tell the tender and ironic tale of Mirabelle,
the "shopgirl" at the glove counter of a Neiman-Marcus store. Mirabelle is a shy
young woman who lives with two cats, and is hardly ever invited to social
functions by her few friends, who view her as an "oddnik." But
there is something irresistible about her nonetheless. Enter Ray Porter, a
middle-aged wealthy businessman who, upon meeting her, initiates a relationship
that seeks to land beyond the comic and heartbreaking consequences the two
lovers encounter along the way. A very pleasant surprise from a great artist. |
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Why I will Never Ever Ever Ever Have
Enough Time to Read This Book by Remy Charlip
Tricycle Press, $14.95
How do we find time to read with all the things that need to be done in a day?
This very cute book takes us through the day of a young girl trying to read this
book. It starts out, "I dreamed I had time to read this book. (But if
tomorrow goes like it did today, I will never.ever ever ever.have time.to read
this book.") Reading while the shower warms up might be a good time as long
as you don't get the book wet. After that, there's breakfast,
getting dressed, going to school, getting out of school, and calling friends,
"to say I was worried that I would never.ever, ever. ever have enough time
to
read this book)" After that a list of chores longer than most books,
dinner, and then bedtime. Author Remy Charlip began writing children's
books with pioneer Margaret Wise Brown, among others. He's written an
adorable story with great illustrations by John J. Muth. |
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Kathie's
(Bookshelf at the Boatworks)
current favorite reads include the following: |
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The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks
Warner Books, $22.95
Driving through a raging storm, Denise and her 4-year-old son Kyle, who is
severely leaning disabled, skid off the road. Denise is rescued by Taylor
McFadden, a local Fire Department volunteer, and when she comes to they learn
that Kyle has disappeared. Thus begins a modern-day love story with all the
passion and complexity of today's relationships. A woman whose life has
been dedicated to her handicapped son; and a man who has a history of meeting
women who need to be rescued and then deserting them when the crisis is over.
Can Taylor break this pattern? The characters Nicholas Sparks develops
feel like friends you care about. This is a masterful story. |
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Susan
(Bookshelf at the Boatworks)
numbers the following among her favorite reads: |
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Wooden Sea
by Jonathon Carroll
St. Martins, $23.95
Imagine meeting yourself when you were young. Next, imagine you and your younger
self being transported back and forth between the future, present, and past with
a mission to save the world. This story, filled with a cast of zany characters,
will keep you laughing and endlessly surprised. Jonathan Carroll is a master of
surrealism. Once you get hooked you’ll keep coming back for more.
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Kelly
(Bookshelf in Quincy) has the following
on her list of favorites: |
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Timeline by Michael Crichton
Ballantine Books, $7.99
I could not put it down! This book kept me up late at night and kept me from
studying when there was homework to be done. Michael Crichton has produced a
brilliant story, rich with action, suspense, and vivid imagery. As in his previous books, the story’s
premise is new technology; this time it’s time travel. The main characters - graduate students of
history - are transported to Medieval Europe to find and
bring back their professor, who has disappeared in an experiment gone wrong.
What started as a somewhat simple task quickly dissolves into a suspense-filled
struggle to survive. I highly recommend Timeline to anyone looking for a good
read. A wonderful book! |
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Heidi
(Bookshelf in Quincy) recently
read the following: |
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Switch on the Night
by Ray Bradbury
Random House, $14.95
The perfect book for any child who is afraid of the dark. Using
illustrations similar to those by M.C. Escher, Bradbury tells the story of
a young boy who won't turn off the lights. Fortunately he meets a girl
named "Dark" who introduces him to "Night" by switching
"light" off and "night" on. Reviewed by Heidi.
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