Review of the Month
by Ibram X. Kendi
By chance I was listening to an NPR interview with this author recently, and his comments on racism were so striking that I had to read his book. Kendi, who won the 2016 National Book Award for Nonfiction with this book, turns our comfortable theories about race upside down. He takes the reader through a breathtakingly expansive, academic, and intense history of racism, particularly in the United States. His thesis is that racism does not originate because of ignorance, which, if true, can be resolved, but because of economic and institutional priorities that put forth racism, often cleverly disguised, to further their own interests. Some of the most famous, brilliant, and influential people of our past worked effectively to promote racist ideas that are so entrenched that we simply don’t even think about it. Kendi does an excellent job of challenging our greatest myths.
The Washington Post review of this book is titled “The Racism of Good Intentions” – and that sums up much of the work, although Kendi covers outright racism, as well. So many of us think we are not racist but we still work from a mindset that has racism so deeply embedded that it seems invisible to us. Kendi states his thesis early: “My definition of a racist idea is a simple one: it is any concept that regards one racial group as inferior or superior to another racial group in any way. I define anti-Black racist ideas—the subject of this book—as any idea suggesting that Black people, or any group of Black people, are inferior in any way to another racial group.”
This is not an easy read, by any means, but pick it up and start reading. You will be shocked, dismayed, and probably shaken to your core. Kendi’s research is impeccable; his conclusions are heartbreaking. But until we truly understand racism and its history, we’ll never be able to overcome it. He is a prolific writer, winner of many awards, grants, and fellowships, and is currently professor of history and international relations at American University in Washington, D.C. , where he is also Founding Director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center.
Review of the Month
by James Kugel
Scholarly, spiritual, and integrative, this densely researched and deeply thoughtful book uncovers many Biblical historical gems unknown to most of us and synthesizes it all into a rich, analytical perspective. Covering the spiritual history of the Hebrew people, Kugel brings all of his years of research into this sensitive and probing work. He is professor emeritus at Harvard (Hebrew Literature) and professor emeritus at Bar Ilan University (Bible), and in 2016, won Israel’s highest award – the Rothschild Prize – in Jewish studies. The fortunate reader certainly benefits from all of his years of deep study and teaching in this new book. It is brilliant.
Kugel flexes his impressive multidisciplinary muscles here, bringing in anthropological and cognitive sciences, as well as his expert scholarly skills in Biblical history and texts, into a consideration of how the people of the Bible perceived God throughout the historical period of the Bible. When Kugel includes non-canonical texts, such as the Dead Sea Scrolls and those of neighboring cultures of the times, alongside the Bible itself, the result is a brilliant analysis that leaves the reader both dazzled and thoughtful. At the end of the book, Kugel ponders on the writer Flannery O’Connor’s words about God — truly a fitting ending to such a stunning book.
This is one of my best books of the year. It’s not an easy book, but well worth the effort.
Review of the Month
by Doris Weatherford, Rosalind Reisner, and Valerie Tomaselli
This is an amazing, groundbreaking work, bringing together the historic work of women professionals in the book community and women who led, and continue to lead, in the larger sphere of reading, teaching, publishing, and literacy.
There are some fascinating stories here, of women working in the book industry, librarians trekking on mules to reach the mountains of East Tennessee, and the organizing power of women around the country. This organization, Women’s National Book Association, celebrates its 100th year, something very few organizations have achieved. The story of its birth is simply fascinating! Not surprisingly, the organization had its roots in the suffrage movement in New York City, as 100 years ago this year, women still did not have the vote.
Well researched with absolutely fascinating stories from around the US, this is a must-read for anyone in the book industry or library profession, a must-have for all libraries, and essential for scholars. Highly recommended!
Review of the Month
The Comfort Food Diaries: My quest for the perfect dish to mend a broken heart
By Emily Nunn
This is a beautifully told story of both delicious food memories (and recipes!) and a heartbreakingly broken life. Nunn brings vulnerability and wide-open truthfulness about her emotionally bereft childhood and fraught adulthood, while acknowledging her bountiful heritage of excellent Southern food. The story opens with Emily in despair over her abruptly finished relationship in Chicago and her quick spiral into full blown alcoholism. One of her brothers had recently committed suicide, which contributed to her fragile state, as well. After a stint at the Betty Ford Center, she is coldly and confusingly turned out by her older sister, and she decides to go on a cross-country comfort food quest – back to her roots in Virginia and with friends, funding her travels with retirement funds. Nunn writes beautifully about the food of her past, those that created those food memories and, at the same time, gradually reveals, with some bewilderment and with great pain, the roots of her family’s alienation and her own dysfunctionality. Nunn grew up with a narcissistic mother and a remote father, all of which generated very destructive habits and ideas that obviously contributed to the estrangement of family members and her own inability to choose a stable and supporting partner. To all outside viewers, Nunn’s family was perfect – beautiful, well behaved children, high achievers, and financially stable. However, the inner life of the family was extremely dysfunctional. I can’t imagine the level of her mother’s cruelty, and yet, the extreme narcissism is well documented and, unfortunately, passed along to Nunn’s older sister. I know of families where the siblings (and sometimes the parent) are caught up in a roller coaster of acceptance and rejection over and over again, to the utter bewilderment of the rest of the family.
I can’t think of a better book that combines truly delicious food writing with the pathos of family pain. Nunn provides an excellent view into truly great comfort food cooking, from pickles to pimento cheese. As a Southerner myself, I can state that these recipes are truly authentic – not necessarily healthy, but decadently real. I love her insistence on simplicity over complexity – which is a hallmark of comfort food. Grab this book for the recipes, for the history lesson on regional cooking, and contemplate the damage a family can do to its members. My heart really breaks for Emily and her family, but she gets stronger and wiser as she moves through this period. What a unique book! Highly recommended.
Review of the Month
A Rising Man
By Abir Mukherjee
You know you’ve found a soulmate of a book when you simply cannot put it down, and when you do put it down, your mind goes immediately to the scenes and people in the book, as you cannot get the story out of your head! Muherjee’s A Rising Man is like that. What a glorious find! Perhaps the best book I’ve read all year, and certainly the best new book. I enjoy historical fiction (and nonfiction) set in the outposts of British and French empires. Adding in a mystery or police procedural is even better. This story is astonishingly good, with the best ear for Indian dialogue I’ve come across. Mukherjee gives us Sam Wyndham, a former Scotland Yard detective whose WWI experience left him deeply cynical, at odds with life, especially after losing his brother and friends in the war, hauntingly widowed after his young wife died of influenza. Wyndham is also addicted to opium, after taking it for his war injuries and finding it a good escape from his new, empty life. A summon from a former superior in Military Intelligence, now the Commissioner of the Imperial Police Force in Bengal, has brought him to Calcutta to serve as a chief detective. He has nothing to lose and not much to live for, so he answers the call.
Mukherjee also provides the reader with another splendid character, the fledging native policeman called Surrender-not Banerjee, posted under Wyndham. The yin and yang of the two provide much of the intense color, culture, and testy politics of colonial India.
Mukherjee expertly sets the stage for the increasing struggle of an awakening India striving for Home Rule against the increasingly corrupt hundred-year rule of the British. I’m in awe of Mukherjee’s effortless prose, his perfectly described settings, and his ability to portray the conflicts and turmoil of both the British and the Indian. There’s plenty of action, intrigue, and danger. Absolutely riveting work. There’s plenty to build on for future stories. I cannot wait for more!
Review of the Month
Grief is a journey
By Kenneth Doka
This book is a helpful guide to the latest thought on grieving. We’ve heard about the Kubler-Ross stages of grieving, but the study of grief and its therapies have moved along since the ground-breaking Kubler-Ross theory from 1969.Doka provides a thoughtful and helpful handbook to work through grief of all types. He stresses that grief is not a series of stages to ‘get through’ in order to be made whole again. He acknowledges that we are never truly whole after grief strikes and that there is really no end place for grief. It is a journey, and an uneven one at that.
Doka’s book is also very helpful in supporting grief that society doesn’t acknowledge and , such as the death of an ex-spouse, a secret or closeted lover, a long-forgotten but meaningful childhood friend, a pet.
While this book will not take the place of a therapist, it is an excellent starting point for anyone dealing with grief of any kind. There is also a helpful resource directory at the end of it.
Review of the Month
Sons and Soldiers: The untold story of the Jews who escaped the Nazis and returned with the U.S. Army to fight Hitler
By Bruce Henderson
Bruce Henderson has delivered a powerful, unforgettable account of the almost unknown “Ritchie Boys” – German Jewish soldiers who were naturalized as US citizens during wartime and sent over as soldiers, interrogators, intelligence officers, and intepreters.We need to be reminded of the almost unbelievable stories and sacrifices made by this honorable group of soldiers. Here, in Bruce Henderson’s very capable hands, we have the most detailed history yet. Henderson is well known for his in-depth, comprehensive research, and this book is a sterling example. But Henderson has a true writer’s ability to get to the human element often missing in historical accounts. He had access to the diaries, journals, correspondence, and the actual Ritchie Boys and their families to put together this awesome account.
This is a truly stunning book. It caught me up in its story immediately, and, now, days later, I’m unable to get these heroes out of my head. Rightfully so. I’m such an avid reader so I read many books all the time, and most leave only a slight trace in my consciousness. Not this one. You won’t be the same person after reading this. Bravo!
Review of the Month
A William Monk Novel
Whenever an Anne Perry book is released, I drop everything; I stop whatever I’m reading at the time; I pick up that book with delicious anticipation, and I’m never disappointed. This new William and Hester Monk story is another excellent read, keeping to the exceptionally high quality of writing and story that Perry always delivers.
Fans know that they are going to discover fascinating, and, yes, gory, details of mid-19th century medicine because of Hester’s nursing background. This is no exception, as Hester must relive gruesome memories of the devastating Crimean War in which she served under the groundbreaking nurse Clara Barton. Perry explores PSTD in an historical setting, while setting up a series of horrific murders in the Hungarian immigrant community of London. Perry also explores the all too relevant dilemma of immigrants — the distrust and hatred of the native population, as well as the uncertainty and troubles of settling in a new country by the immigrants. As always, Perry brings relevancy to these historical stories.
Review of the Month
Seven Days in May by Kim Izzo
This story of the Lusitania is deeply engaging. Izzo expertly manages to give the reader accurate background into this WWI tragedy while satisfying the essential personal element of those whose lives were affected by the Lusitania.There are two perspectives driving the narrative. The main story is from the perspective of a young American heiress who is involved in women’s issues, to the horror of her sister, who is engaged to be married to a British nobleman, a calculated union based on an exchange of money and title. The other point of view is also from a young woman, this time a British servant woman who manages to secure a clerical job at a code breaking facility in war time London.The American sisters board the Lusitania, along with the British fiancé. The sisters are complete opposites, and conflicts, both in personalities and romance, rise sharply. Meanwhile, the clerk in London becomes more and more worried, based on the intercepted German codes, that the ship may be in grave danger, although no one seems to care. She, too, has her own problems, as her past threatens to end her budding career.The author has deeply researched the entire event, and real life participants, and it drives the narrative authentically and gracefully. What a great read! It satisfies on so many levels. We know the event, of course, but it becomes engagingly real here. And it is so refreshing to read about the Lusitania from the female perspective.
Other great reads
For Agatha Christie Fans
The Woman on the Orient Express by Lindsay Jayne Ashford
Oh, what a treat for a fan of Agatha Christie! This is a story of Agatha traveling to Baghdad a couple of, years after her devastating divorce and heralded ‘disappearance.’ Agatha is still uncertain of her direction and is still avoiding the public. She travels on the Orient Express and becomes friends with two women. The author weaves Agatha’s real life story into pieces from her mysteries, so fans will delight in the references. However, this is a strong story, well told, and not just of Agatha, but of her companions. The author has done her research — the settings, situations, and milieu are all expertly in place. I love Ashford’s writing. The story moves along rapidly but with great thoughtfulness and perception.
This book is highly recommended to all Christie fans, and will be engaging to those interested in Mesopotamia between the world wars and that interesting time period.
Series recommendations
Death on Nantucket by Francine Mathews
The Merry Folger series is excellent for mystery lovers and those who also enjoy books about Nantucket or island life. The newest entry, the fourth one, again captures the essence of Nantucket, the intricacies of family life, environmental concerns, and, as always island conflicts between the long time residents and the rich newcomers. This time Matthews explores all of this with a twist on how our heroes and our recorded history can be suspect, in this case, a Vietnam-era journalist who became famous for his reporting on that war. Fascinating and complex stories interwoven into the life of Merry Folger, police detective.
I highly recommend this series. It is complex, literate and a true pleasure. Be sure to start with the first one, as one of the great benefits of series is the rich development of characters along the way.
Conviction by Julia Dahl
This is the third in Dahl’s stunning contemporary series of a journalist trying to break into ‘real’ journalism while finding herself caught up in the her maternal connections to the Hasidic communities in and around New York City.Her first book, Invisible City, was a fascinating, gritty tale of Rebeka Roberts investigating a murder in the Hasidic community of New York, while finding out about her mother, a Hassdic Jew, who gave her up at birth. This novel broke new ground in bringing forth a perspective on Hassdic communities that is both compassionate and shocking. Also, Dahl gives us a portrait of journalism on the decline, as Rebeka fights for decent assignments for a subpar newspaper. This debut novel won many awards.
Dahl’s second book, Run You Down, delves deeper in Hasidic life, this time outside of the city in upstate New York, after being asked to look into the murder of a young mother in that community. Again, Rebeka’s ambivalent relationship with her mother is explored deeper. Rebeka’s investigation brings her into a sordid and dangerous world of white supremacists in the area.
This series is very rewarding reading. The third book breaks new ground in investigating a black murderer in prison who writes to Rebeka to investigate his case. This is a 20-year old case which happened during the race riots in Brooklyn between the Hassdic and black communities. Again, Dahl brings the reader into the reality of corruption, prejudice, and crime inside racial and religious enclaves, government, and societal tensions. All of this is faced with the reality of reporting in a large city and in a profession that is beaten down to a few hungry reporters who barely make a living. Dahl has the background – she was a freelance reporter herself for the New York Post, as well as for a variety of magazines. Dahl is currently a crime reporter for CBS News.
Dahl’s books present an evocative and gritty glimpse of New York City’s religious and racial tensions, bringing the reader into dark parts of society that most know nothing about, all the while driving a narrative that keeps the pages turning. Dahl writes with style and drive in the manner of the very best of Dennis Lehane and Laura Lippman. Highly recommended.
Stalking Ground, a Timber Creek K-9 Mystery, by Margaret Mizushima
This is a very well executed, thoughtful police procedural set in a small Colorado town, with the added interest of a K-9 police dog, Robo, handled by Deputy Mattie Cobb. Actually, this is the second in the series, but the first I’ve read. I’m glad to know I can work backwards to pick up the first one, Hunting Hour, and go on to the third and newest one, Hunting Hour.Author Mizushima gives us a deeply conflicted but honorable main character, Mattie, who gives her all for her job but uses it as a shield against harsh members of her abusive childhood. She, and others around her, have to deal with current murders and also their own troubled pasts.The landscape is beautifully described here, and life is rugged but rewarding. Mizushima’s background is cattle ranching which is evident in the authentic details of the book. The author also brings in an intriguing character, a local vet, who allows us to get an understanding of both Robo, the police dog, and the other critters, including horses, that are part of this western scene. The veterinary advice is expert, as Mizushima acknowledges her husband, a vet, as the advisor on all parts medical. This background develops with a rich amount of detail and interest. And to add to this element, Mizushima has fully enhanced the vet into the storyline, with his struggles in raising two daughters after his wife abandons them.I highly recommend this book and series to those who enjoy western settings, concise writing, and rich back stories.
A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear
One of the most outstanding series I’ve read in recent years is the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear. It was the first (to my knowledge) series set during WWI and featuring a female protagonist. What is truly stunning is the level of authenticity, as well as the intense, descriptive, and illustrative stories. Winspear writes beautifully and draws you into Maisie Dobbs’ world immediately. With the psychological training Winspear gives Maisie, and with Winspear’s exemplary prose, the reader is able to understand and emotionally connect with the characters and stories every time. It’s an amazing feat. Each story gives the reader incredible information about the times and the events, as well as insight into the human story. Isn’t that what every fiction book strives for?Here is the newest entry in the series, number 13. Readers have followed the story of Maisie Dobbs from her early days starting out investigative work, through WWI, post war, and now, this story, follows Maisie entering into the second world war. It’s 1939, and Maisie has returned to England to pick up her investigative work. This time, she is working on a murder involving a Belgium refugee. As always, Winspear gives us a deep and rewarding experience in the daily lives and current events of the time. This series is immensely rewarding, a rich drink of history seen through the life of a remarkable woman, Maisie Dobbs.
Secret pleasures
I have some books that I call the ‘bubblegum’ books. These are mostly series that really have nothing to offer in the way of learning new information but are just fun reads. I’ll start listing some of these in this column.First on the list are the M.C. Beaton mysteries – two long-running series that are absurdly entertaining – Agatha Raisin and Hamish MacBeth.Agatha Raisin is a character with a capital “C” – she starts out in the first of the series as a recently retired, 50-ish single woman who had a very successful career in PR and is stunted in her emotional development. In other words, she is a closet romantic and would love nothing more than to live the English dream of a cottage in the Cotswolds and find a handsome man to marry. Her adventures, both in romance and in detecting, are absurd and poignant at the same time. She is coarse, exasperating and yet appealing. The series is now a TV show in the UK.Start with the first – The Quiche of Death.
The newest book is #28 (!), The Witches Tree, due to be released on October 3rd. I’ve read it, and here’s my review: Beaton continues to charm with the irascable, predictable, entertaining Agatha Raisin. Beaton’s style is brisk, with most characters thinly drawn and mostly unlikeable, but that is the charm, oddly enough. This new entry doesn’t break new ground, and the ending is rather abrupt, but what’s not to love? Agatha can do no wrong for her fans, and I’m one of them. For newbies, start at or near the beginning of this prolific series. Agatha is an acquired taste, and for those who have acquired the taste, we are insatiable.
A few Goodreads reviews from the past
Friedrich by Hans Peter Richter
My rating: 5 of 5 starsStunning, unsettling book on the Holocaust. This was the first book written specifically from a child’s perspective on the Holocaust, and by a German author. Two boys who are very best friends, one Christian and one Jewish, experience the gradual takeover of mind and society by the Nazi government. The implacable pull of culture and society on the personalities and actions of children during this time is evident here.
The author’s matter-of-fact writing was controversial when the book was first published in 1961. Even today, some critics don’t think a children’s book should be as morally neutral as this one. However, I think the author’s purpose in doing so is very effective. Hindsight is missing, as it rightly should be in recreating an episode from history. Actionable morality is a gradual process in children, so the lack of it should not be a shock in this account.
As a result, this book is extremely thought-provoking for the reader, whether young or old. Highly recommended as one of the very best fiction works on the Holocaust for the middle reader to adult.
An Accidental Death by Peter Grainger
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Well done series starter — DC Smith is a jaded but witty police sergeant, demoted from Inspector for reasons that are not exactly clear, widowed, and nearing retirement. He has a reputation as a trouble maker because of his dogged disregard for internal politics but is also nearly a legend for solving a particularly spectacular and nasty case.Here he is beautifully matched with a new police intern, the son of a former partner, giving the reader spacious and thoughtful views into his past and present. But the writing is quick and precise, with a welcome dose of humor. In this first book, the case given to Smith was thought to be a simple but tragic drowning death of a young student. He was given the case to ‘tidy up’ but found much more to investigate, putting him at odds with a variety of interests. There’s much to look forward to in this series.
The Secrets of Wishtide by Kate Saunders
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Vigorous, charming historical mystery
We have a new Mrs. Marple on hand, set in Victorian England! Laetitia Rodd, a penurious vicar’s widow, is our heroine – perfectly proper, pious, and practical, but not above unexpected, sometimes humorous, and often dangerous escapades solving problems for her brother, a top criminal barrister. As a vicar’s wife, she has known true love and companionship, as well as the seamier and heartbreaking stories of life. She’s at home with death, bodies, secrets, and gossip. A perfectly rendered portrait of a new sleuth, this series is an absolute delight.
Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
A book like this doesn’t come along too often. It is that mystery lovers will savour! This is a classic mystery wrapped around another mystery. Such a clever story — a mystery author dies and his latest (and final) mystery story is written into the first part of the book. It is a superb and a classic whodunit. But then the story shifts to real life – the real life of the dead author and his publishers. We find that the last couple of chapters are missing from the manuscript (after reading the entire book within a book, we are left hanging) and his supposed suicide now seems suspicious. Enter the second story — of his publisher searching for the missing chapters of the story and investigating his death. Both stories converge in the most ingenious, seamless manner. And all is resolved brilliantly. Bravo! Read it slowly and deliciously. Wonderful!
The White Magic Five and Dime by Steve Hockensmith
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This series was a surprising hit for me. I’m not interested in Tarot cards but I picked up this book anyway, as it sounded intriguing as I can’t resist a story about a con or con people. Wow! What a charmer of a book, both in its easy, fun writing and in the complicated back story of the protagonist. The setting is a quirky Arizona small town, perfectly described, in which arrives Alanis, a jaded, damaged refugee from the con world in which she was raised, who unexpectedly inherits her deceased mom’s store. Alanis is a great character, both sympathetic and funny. I highly recommend this series.
Bebe’s Goodreads Shelf
