NonFiction – Big-Box Swindle: The True Cost of Mega-Retailers and the Fight for America’s Independent Business by Stacy Mitchell

This is a very interesting in depth look at the impact of large chain stores with in the United States. Mitchell, head of the American Independent Business Alliance, is very convincing and illustrates many of the negatives that can come about when a large chain retail store opens in a community. Many of the arguments against the expansion of large chains are quite obvious while others are more subtle but still convincing. For example, she spends a good deal of time discussing job loss and creation. Often a community or local government will embrace a large chain by stating how many jobs it will bring to the community. However, as large chain stores open and grow local small businesses, lacking the resource to compete, close over time. Therefore, a community experiences more job loss than job gain over a period of a few years, but since this is subtle it goes unnoticed. One issue I did have with the book was that the author did not discuss any benefits a chain store brings to a community as I am sure there are some. Mitchell concludes with the argument that it is time for governments and communities to step in and level the playing field so that small business can compete against large retail chains. Only time will tell if this will happen.

Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn

I was completely misled in thinking this novel by Deanna Raybourn was a typical historical romance offering simply because I knew that the publisher, Mira, is an imprint of Harlequin. But I was completely enthralled in this mystery debut. At their own dinner party, Lady Julia Grey’s husband, Edward, dies a sudden and not so unexpected death. A weakening heart condition had Lady Grey prepared for the eventuality of his death but not for the doubts of a private inquiry agent, Nicholas Brisbane. It is only after a year’s worth of accumulating suspicion that Lady Grey engages the services of Mr. Brisbane into the possible murder of her husband. The year has given Julia time to emerge from her repressive marriage and slowly grow stronger in self sense of self and she is determined to assist Nicholas. They are at constant odds with each other leading to a tremendous amount of romantic tension. But, instead of romance being the focus of the story, the search for Edward’s killer takes center stage leading Julia into a sordid and dark world. The historical detail, strong characters and at times, the almost gothic overtones proved to make for a strong storyline. I shall definitely put Deanna Raybourn on my author watch list!

NonFiction - Cold Burial By Clive Powell-Williams

The story of Jack Hornby, Canadian frontiersman, and his young cousin Edgar Christian and friend Harold Adlard is a tale of inspiration. The author, Clive Powell-Williams, tells the story relying upon the diary and letters from the party as they travel across Canada to their winter home on the Thelon River in 1926. We soon discover that Jack, though notorious for exploits on the Canadian frontier, is not an accomplished frontiersman. His decisions as he leads the two young greenhorns into the tundra end up costing the lives of all three men (due to starvation). Most of the story is told from the diary that Edgar (only 18 at the time) kept. Edgar’s diary reflects how all three stayed positive and fought to the very end before succumbing to death. In fact, during World War II the Nazi party printed this story in German as an mandatory read for young recruits illustrating the importance of duty and a never give up attitude. Overall this is well written as Clive often includes excerpts from Edgar’s diary to give an insight to what all three were experiencing as they tried to survive on the Thelon.

The Nanny Diaries

I recently finished The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus in an easy two days. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and enjoyed it all the way through. The good and the bad are well presented in this novel, and I think the two authors’ experience as nannies helped make this book funny, but also tender hearted in the end. A conveniently named Nan, is a young college student who nannies part time. She seems experienced in her stories of interviewing for jobs, getting jobs and keeping jobs. But this story is focused on one four year old Grayer. He is sometimes sweet, sometimes rotten, but completely cute and in need of his parents. Nan goes through school as well as finding a new boyfriend while working for the Xs. They ask her to do the impossible, she misses important events, and she is talked down to. The things that Nan and other Nannies go through are almost unbelievable. She is frustrated with her position, yet she finds the time to become emotionally attached to Grayer, and has a hard time telling the Xs “no.” I picked it up because I heard about the movie coming out (in April) and wanted to read it before seeing it. I hope it is as great as the book!

Edgar Award Nominees 2007

Due to some shuffling around of positions at work, I haven’t had a chance to read much of anything or find the time to report on the novels I have had a chance finish but all that aside…the Edgar Award nominations have been announced for all those mystery lovers out there. The awards for books published in 2006 will be given out April 26, 2007 in NYC. So, out of the nominees for hardback books, I have read four. For the Best Novel Nominees … you can read back to my post on The Virgin of the Small Plains by Nancy Pickard. Gentlemen and Players by Joanne Harris dealt with life in an uppercrust Brit prep school and the child of the school’s caretaker, flash forward to about 20 years later (if I remember right) and we revisit the school as someone with a vendetta takes on the school and its faculty one by one, in a mystery way, not a horror way and very good with an ending to which I never saw coming (but then again, I’m one of those reader’s that do NOT try to figure out who-done-it, I just go along for the ride!) I also have to mention that The Janissary Tree by Kevin Goodwin is sitting, right this moment, on my bookshelf and I keep looking at it knowing I have to read that (and a million other things) soon. Out of the Best First Novel by an American Author… Sharp Objects was very psychologically intriguing and I normally don’t go reading about people with the afflictions this young reporter had but by the time I realized what was going on, I was already sucked into the story and it was too late to stop, also loaded with tons of dysfunctional family life. And I have commented on another post about Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith but let me reiterate, if you want a super fun Holmesian western mystery out with the cowboys, this is definitely the book for you. I eagerly await the second installment of the adventures of the Amlingmeyer brothers in their second book, On the Wrong Track, due out March 6th. And of course, A Faithful Spy by Alex Berenson and A Field of Darkness by Cornelia Read are sitting on that same bookshelf by The Jannisary Tree (need to get to those soon!) Anyway, check the partial list and see you see anything to put on your “to read” list and for more categories (like the Best Motion Picture Screen Play category to go on your “to watch” list…go to the Mystery Writers of America complete nominees list)

Best Novel Nominees

• The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard (HarperCollins)
• The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
• Gentleman and Players by Joanne Harris (HarperCollins - William Morrow)
• The Dead Hour by Denise Mina (Hachette Book Group - Little, Brown and Company)
• The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard (Random House - Ballantine Books)
• The Liberation Movements by Olen Steinhauer (St. Martin's Minotaur)

Best First Novel By An American Author

• The Faithful Spy by Alex Berenson (Random House)
• Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn (Crown - Shaye Areheart Books)
• King of Lies by John Hart (St. Martin's Minotaur - Thomas Dunne Books)
• Holmes on the Range by Steve Hockensmith (St. Martin's Minotaur)
• A Field of Darkness by Cornelia Read (Warner Books - Mysterious Press)

Not-So-Grown-Up January Book

This month's book club read is A Long Way Down By Nick Hornby.
Here is a brief summary from the book jacket:

"In his eagerly awaited fourth novel, New York Times-bestselling author Nick Hornby mines the hearts and psyches of four lost souls who connect just when they've reached the end of the line. Meet Martin, JJ, Jess, and Maureen. Four people who come together on New Year's Eve: a former TV talk show host, a musician, a teenage girl, and a mother. Three are British, one is American. They encounter one another on the roof of Topper's House, a London destination famous as the last stop for those ready to end their lives. In four distinct and riveting first-person voices, Nick Hornby tells a story of four individuals confronting the limits of choice, circumstance, and their own mortality. This is a tale of connections made and missed, punishing regrets, and the grace of second chances. Intense, hilarious, provocative, and moving, A Long Way Down is a novel about suicide that is, surprisingly, full of life."

We will discuss this book at the next meeting. It will be held on February 1st, 2007 @ 6:00pm

If you're interested in joining the Not-So-Grown-Up Book Club please visit the James I. Gibson Library or contact us at 564-9261.

1635: The Cannon Law by Eric Flint and Andrew Dennis

It is always difficult to pigeon hole the genre of these types of works. Is it fiction, science fiction or an alternate history? Since the opening volume, 1632, I would say the answer to the question is all three. How is that for a definitive answer?

1635: The Cannon Law continues the saga of the Grantsville Americans thrown back in time by the Ring of Fire. For those who are students of history, this series and this book in particular are entertaining reads. Just imagine trying to overlay a modern American value system across Europe during the Spanish Inquisition. As one might assume, there are a variety of conflicts as our 20th/ 21st century heroes try to enact reforms several centuries before their time. While Pope Urban VIII sees value in some of the American's views, the nemesis, Spanish inquisitor, Cardinal Borja views the Pope as weak and unfit in light of Spain's supremacy in the world.

The Cardinal begins to ferment trouble throughout Rome with a number of paid malcontents sent out to create discontent in the Roman populace through a variety of rabble rousing endeavors. Of course the American embassy in Rome is a target of the Cardinal's plots as is the fledgling Committee of Correspondence run by Frank Stone and his Italian wife Giovanna. As the ambassador to Rome from the United States of Europe, Sharon Nichols must make some difficult decisions and play a few political games of her own to try and offset the Cardinal's plans. Her fiance, the strong, humorous and often deadly Castilian Ruy Sanchez supports the entire American entourage in Rome with his political and military savvy.

Ultimately Cardinal Borja attempts the military conquest of Rome, providing considerable concern for his Spanish monarch but endless possibilities for the political realist among the King's men. The work builds to an interesting end and to an intriguing continuation of the series as the "uptime" Americans continue in their efforts to thwart the Spanish Inquisition.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Neverwhere is not a book I expected to enjoy. However, it was the selection for December for the Not So Grown Up Bookclub, and because Neil Gaiman's name pops frequently, I decided to read it.

The premise is this: Richard Mayhew, an ordinary man with a good job and an overbearing, beautiful fiancee, lives in London. One day, on the brink of yet another screw-up with his fiancee, he rescues a girl who appears from nowhere and is hurt. The girl, Door, returns from whence she came, but Richard wakes up the next day to find that he has essentially ceased to exist in London Above. He makes his way unknowingly to London Below, which exists in the subways and sewers of London and is populated by those who have fallen through the cracks of society.

London Below is a land where rats are revered and is filled with murderers, Hunters, and angel, a Beast, people with magical powers, and a various assortment of other characters. The story details Richard's efforts to return in full to London Above and regain his life, and his conclusions when he does get his life back, even better than before.

Unlike other fantasy worlds which are close enough to our own but with no relation to anything that actually exists in the world we know now, Neverwhere exists half in our known world, and half below. There are frequent references to things we're all familiar with: the Thames, the Underground and it's various stations, St. Paul's Cathedral. The references to things known makes references to things unknown infinitely more possible.

The book is at times funny, and at times repulsive (vegetarians beware of the diet of Mr. Vandemar!), but always engaging. I feel the urge to re-read it to get all the allusions more clearly the second time around...and that's always a sign of a worthy read for me. Plus, I'll be looking out when I next ride the London Underground.

NonFiction - Strapped: Why America's 20 and 30 somethings can't get ahead

Strapped by Tamara Draut is a very interesting examination of the financial situation of young adults from their early 20s to their mid 30s. The author has done extensive research in comparing the situations currently faced by young adults with those of the baby boomers. Her research is supported by real life experiences of young adults who have struggled as they have tried to attain the same success in society as past generations. I initially thought that many of the young folks who have struggled to become adults were based largely upon poor decisions, lack of effort, etc. But I was surprised to find that was not the entire case. Draut focuses much of her blame on, rising college costs, student loan debt, unaffordable housing, lack of support of child rearing (including time away from work and child care), credit card debt, and paycheck paralysis. She spends a substantial amount of time on each of these topics making her arguments for each. However, it should be noted that while making her case she does dive into politics (which is probably unavoidable). Whether you agree with her arguments will ultimately depend upon your political point of view. The last two chapters are solutions that she thinks will help the situation. Her ideas are solidly researched and well thought out but call for a less capitalistic approach. Do these solutions have the ability to take root in this country? Maybe, but it will be a difficult sell to the American people.

New Books for December 2006

A little late this month…due to that fact that I’ve got so many holiday projects going, I completely forgot!! Here are the new books coming in for December so take a break (like I plan to do) and read until the stress melts away…

December 5
The Bolelyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory
From the "New York Times" bestselling author of "The Queen's Fool, The Virgin's Lover, The Constant Princess" and "The Other Boleyn Girl" comes a tempestuous Tudor tale about two queens, Anne of Cleves and Catherine Parr, and the woman who destroys them both.
Hannibal Rising by Thomas Harris
HE IS ONE OF THE MOST HAUNTING CHARACTERS IN ALL OF LITERATURE. AT LAST THE EVOLUTION OF HIS EVIL IS REVEALED. Hannibal Lecter emerges from the nightmare of the Eastern Front, a boy in the snow, mute, with a chain around his neck.He seems utterly alone, but he has brought his demons with him. Hannibal’s uncle, a noted painter, finds him in a Soviet orphanage and brings him to France, where Hannibal will live with his uncle and his uncle’s beautiful and exotic wife, Lady Murasaki. Lady Murasaki helps Hannibal to heal. With her help he flourishes, becoming the youngest person ever admitted to medical school in France. But Hannibal’s demons visit him and torment him. When he is old enough, he visits them in turn. He discovers he has gifts beyond the academic, and in that epiphany, Hannibal Lecter becomes death’s prodigy.

December 12
Mistral’s Kiss by Laurell K. Hamilton
Time for Meredith Gentry to give up detective work and conceive an heir to the Faerie world's Unseelie Court. Too bad her magic is off, even as dark curses are starting to do their stuff.
True Evil by Greg Iles
"New York Times" bestselling author Greg Iles returns with this smart and atmospheric work. Dr. Chris Shepard, a busy young doctor in Natchez, Mississippi, has never seen his new patient Alex Morse before. But the attractive young woman with the scarred face has come to Dr. Shepard's office on a mission to rip his idyllic life inside out.

December 26
Stalemate by Iris Johansen
Atlanta-based forensic sculptor Eve Duncan is lured to the Colombian compound of a notorious criminal to identify a skull he has found. Eve has agreed to a devil's bargain to save an innocent family, but also for another reason. The man in the jungle has promised to give Eve the key to unlocking the darkest and most painful mystery of her past in this latest thriller by "New York Times" bestselling author Johansen.
The Ravenscar Dynasty by Barbara Bradford
The first novel in a sweeping new epic series from Barbara Taylor Bradford, set in the early 20th century, features a powerful family whose lives are filled with drama, intrigue, and revenge.
More Twisted by Jeffrey Deaver
Diverse, provocative, eerie, and twisted, this collection of Jeffery Deaver's best stories exhibits amazing range and the signature plot twists that have made him a perennial bestseller.

December 28
The Perfect Fake by Barbara Parker
In "New York Times" bestselling author Barbara Parker's brilliant new stand-alone novel, the forgery of a rare 500-year-old map sparks a thrilling chase from Miami to London and the Italian Alps in a remarkable tale of international intrigue.
Find Me by Carol O’Connell
From one of the most acclaimed crime writers in America comes her most astonishing novel: a story of love, loss, death, and discovery. Kathy Mallory will find herself hunting a killer like none she has ever known, and will undergo a series of revelations not only of stunning intensity, but stunning effect.
Annotations from Baker & Taylor , Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.

Measure of a Lady

The Measure of a Lady by Deanne Gist was just as great as her first novel. The combination of a clean read, with the same romantic implications as a romance novel, makes it very enjoyable. The story is based on Rachel Van Buren’s trials in a very rowdy San Francisco. The historical part of the story is based on the difficulties in being one of the very few women in an undeveloped gold rush town. Rachel has a younger brother and sister to take care of; beginning with a place to stay, income and the basic necessities. The stress that goes into this is apparent immediately as she finds no proper hotels, and no proper church to ask for assistance. The story of course includes a romantic interest for Rachel, in the form of a gambling hall owner. She struggles with his choice of profession, and her love for him. It all is combined very well in the storytelling, and you really feel for Rachel throughout her struggles and accomplishments. Great, quick, inspirational read!

In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming

I love when I come across a series that is new to me and I get to play catch up on all the rest of the books. Our mystery bookclub chose to read Julia Spencer-Fleming’s In a Bleak Midwinter for December. The first in a series, this award-winning novel is set near to the New York Adirondacks in the little town of Miller’s Kill. A “kill” is actually the Dutch word for creek and isn’t it clever to use that as a town name for a setting of a mystery novel. In this small town on a bitter winter night, the newly hired Episcopalian priest, Clare Fergusson finds an abandoned baby at the doorway to her church. Promptly involving the proper authorities, Clare is now committed to the well-being of this infant. Despite the note left with the baby, asking it be given to a couple in the parish, Police chief Russ Van Alstyne is charged with the task of finding the true parents. The need quickly escalates as the body of a young female college freshman and possible mother to the infant is discovered murdered by the river just outside of town. As the leads keep pointing in different members of the community Clare and Russ must work together to find the killer. As they work together, their attraction for one another grows beyond friendship, slightly problematic since Russ is married. The quick pace, the remote setting and the intricate plot compliments each other very well. I only jumped ahead once to make everyone would be okay and it was towards the end of the book (I know, very bad habit of mine but I can’t stand the suspense). I look forward to discussing the novel at our next meeting and reading the rest of the series. Her fifth one in this series, All Mortal Flesh, just came out just this past October.

Vegas: One Cop's Journey by Kim Thomas

The November selection for our Mystery Bookclub was by a local author, Las Vegas Metro police detective Kim Thomas. Vegas: One Cop's Journey is set in current day Vegas with a new recruit, Cam Madden, dealing with the pressures of his job the police department. As Cam advances through the department, he must find the right balance of work and home life. The novel reads almost like a true crime novel as we go through Cam’s daily work life and the addition of his home life, dating paramedic Karrie Mae, seemed to be a bit thin. To me, being a Las Vegas native, I was visualizing almost all the locations (like I do on the television show CSI) and I would find myself thinking “…oh, I know where that street corner is with that panhandler!” Definitely made the novel more fun to read and I thought it was an alright novel and looked forward to listening to his talk.

Let me tell you, I was very impressed by Detective Thomas. He did not go up there and limit his talk to cop stories. He spoke of the writing process and how he came to write this novel. I was even more impressed by the fact that in addition to working a full time job with Metro, he got an MFA in creative writing with UNLV and this novel was his MFA project, which got published! After hearing this, I could forgive the small discrepancies, especially since he knows his own weaker writing aspects. And what a great speaker…sometimes, authors are not the best speakers (they must be saving themselves for the written page) but he spoke for a good hour and fifteen minutes. And we did get a couple of additional cop stories out of it as well! We had to stop him for the book signing portion but I believe he could have gone on. For more info on Detective Thomas and his book, check his website (which includes an interview he did with KNPR) at http://www.vegasonecopsjourney.com/index.html

New Books for November 2006

November 1
Ines of My Soul by Isabel Allende From the "New York Times" bestselling author of "Portrait in Sepia" comes a captivating new novel that chronicles the brave deeds and passionate loves of Ins Surez, a spirited woman who journeys to the New World and helps establish the nation of Chile.
The Shape Shifter by Tony Hillerman
Legendary Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn is back in this latest tale of murder and mystery from "New York Times" bestselling author Tony Hillerman. With Jim Chee and Bernie Manuelito on their honeymoon, Joe's left on his own to pick up the threads of a crime he thought impossible to solve.

November 6
Wild Fire by Nelson DeMille
From #1 "New York Times" bestselling author Nelson DeMille comes a suspenseful new novel featuring Detective John Corey and an all-too-plausible conspiracy to detonate a nuclear bomb in two major cities.

November 7
Born in Death by J.D. Robb
Lt. Eve Dallas struggles with the end-and the beginning-of life, in the #1 New York Times-bestselling series set in 2060 New York City.
A Christmas Secret by Anne Perry
With this brand-new volume, "New York Times" bestselling author Anne Perry continues what is now her annual tradition--a seasonal stand-alone mystery that reunites readers with Dominic and Clarice Corde, who are charged with solving the brutal murder of the local vicar.
The Gods of Newport by John Jakes
Jakes, "the godfather of the historical novel" ("Los Angeles Times"), leaves the South to travel north for an epic tale of scandalous doings in one of the world's most famous resorts.
The Godfather’s Revenge by Mark Winegardner
The third and final installment in Puzo's epic chronicle of the Corleone crime family achieves a stunning crescendo with a story that imagines the role of the Mafia in the assassination of a young, charismatic president.
The Handmaid and the Carpenter by Elizabeth Berg In this wonderful novel about love and trust, hope and belief, Berg, the bestselling author of "We Are All Welcome Here" and "The Year of Pleasures," transports readers to Nazareth in biblical times to reimagine the events of the classic Christmas story.
The Rising Tide: A Novel of World War II by Jeff Shaara The "New York Times" bestselling author of "Gods and Generals" embarks on his most ambitious undertaking to date with this first novel in a staggering trilogy that portrays the momentous and increasingly dramatic events that pulled America into the vortex of World War II.
The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog by Dave Barry
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning humorist and bestselling author comes a delightful Christmas story for all ages that will touch the heart and make readers laugh out loud.

November 13
Cross by James Patterson
The bestselling author returns with the pinnacle of all Alex Cross thrillers: the chance at last to capture the psychopath who murdered Alex's wife, Maria. Patterson also goes back in time to answer the questions fans have been asking since the first Alex Cross appearance in "Along Came A Spider."

November 14
The Long Night of Winchell Dear by Robert James Waller The beloved storyteller and author of the international bestseller "The Bridges of Madison County" returns with a classic tale of greed, corruption, and redemption in the American West.
Santa Cruise by Mary Higgins Clark
America's queen of suspense, Mary Higgins Clark, joins forces with her daughter, Carol, bestselling author off the Regan Reilly mysteries, for this fast-paced novel set on a holiday mystery cruise.

November 21
John’s Story: The Last Eyewitness by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins
The first in a series, John's Story: The Last Eyewitness is a remarkable and thrilling account of the life of the Man who came to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament and to save all of mankind. To bring deeper understanding to the story, each of the four books include the text of the corresponding gospel as an appendix. John's Story illuminates the times of Jesus, His life, and His messages like never before. Using cutting-edge historical and academic research, as well as biblically based themes, they are first and foremost page-turning novels that could come only from the pens of Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.

November 28
Brother Odd by Dean Koontz
Koontz's beloved hero, who triumphed in two "New York Times" bestsellers, leaves the small desert town of Pico Mundo for the solitude and peace of an isolated monastery as he tries to find a way to live fully again. But Odd Thomas has a knack for finding trouble and must confront an enemy who eclipses any he has yet encountered.
Empire by Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card is a master storyteller who has earned millions of fans for his science fiction and fantasy novels. Now he steps a little closer to the present day with this chilling look at a near-future scenario of a new American Civil War.
Next by Michael Crichton
In his brilliant new blockbuster, Michael Crichton takes the reader into the realm of genetics: fast, furious and out of control. Prepare to enter a world where nothing is as it seems and a new set of possibilities is opening up at every turn. NEXT challenges your sense of what is happening, what is true and what is ethical. NEXT will overturn your assumptions of what you thought you knew. Provocative yet playful, dark and disturbing, NEXT is Michael Crichton as you've never seen him before.
Temperatures Rising by Sandra Brown
From the blockbuster "New York Times" bestselling author of "A Whole New Light" comes a sizzling tale of a love that bridges two different worlds.
Treasure of Khan by Clive Cussler and Dirk CusslerA mysterious Mongolian mogul is conducting covert deals for supplying oil to the Chinese while wreaking havoc on global oil markets. The Mongolian harbors a dream of restoring the conquests of his ancestors, and holds a dark secret about Genghis Khan that just might give him the wealth and power to make that dream come true.
Annotations from Baker & Taylor , Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million.

Candles Burning and The Virgin of Small Plains

I read two growing-up-in-a-dysfunctional family books this past summer and as the leaves are falling, am finally getting around to writing about them. The first was the suspense, The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard. Imagine a small town in the middle of nothing Kansas where a gruesome body is found by the younger son of the sheriff while out in a blizzard. No one “knows” who she is but of course certain people know. Mitch Newquist, son of the town judge, witnesses the destruction of the frozen body by the doctor and the sheriff putting him in a very precarious situation, one calling for him to leave town and his favorite girl Abby (the aforementioned doctor’s daughter) immediately. Mitch’s sudden departure and the discovery of the dead girl leave’s all in the tiny town to wonder, especially Mitch’s closest friends, Abby and Ray. Much time passes and the prodigal son returns only his return creates all the dust to be stirred and the true past uncovered. Coming from the perspective of living in a big town all my life, life in a small town seems a bit alien to me. The family dynamics and how the families dealt with each other seem so dependent on social status and while the children of the three families are from almost equal footing, there is definite undercurrents of major power struggles. Also, there is a bit of the gothic strange happenings towards the end which seemed a bit contrived but all in all, the plot definitely held my attention.
The second book was a paranormal Southern gothic experience… Candles Burning by Tabitha King and Michael McDowell. Calley Dakin’s comes from an extreme split in the old social status divide. Her mother comes from a prominent wealthy established Alabama family and she never lets anyone forget it. Calley’s father has more humble beginnings and had to scrape and work his way up the automobile industry until he finally made his wealth only to be cut short by his gruesome murder. Calley and her mother end up in Pensacola Beach where Calley explores her second sight and she does all she can to find out who killed her father all those years ago. Now I assumed it was going to be a horror since I saw Tabitha King... wrong. It was more like a becoming of age type novel of Calley’s childhood experiences and her encounters with paranormal happenings. Side note: Tabitha King completed an unfinished manuscript Michael McDowell left after his death in 1999. I hadn’t heard of this author (famous for his gothic horrors) but he has worked on some very noticeable scripts such as Thinner, Beetlejuice and Nightmare Before Christmas. Tabitha gives an interview about completing the manuscript on her website www.tabithaking.net

The Quill Awards 2006

The Quill Awards were announced a couple of days ago. It will be televised October 28th on NBC. And the winners are…..

Book of the Year
Don’t Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea’s Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life by Tyler Perry

Debut Author of the Year
Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell

Audio Book
Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog by John Grogan

Children’s Illustrated Book
If You Give a Pig a Party by Laura Joffe Numerofff

Children’s Chapter Book/Middle Grade
The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket

Young Adult/Teen
Eldest by Christopher Paolini

General Fiction
A Dirty Job: A Novel by Christopher Moore

Graphic Novel
Naruto, Volume 7 by Masashi Kishimoto

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich

Poetry
Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem by Maya Angelou

Romance
Blue Smoke by Nora Roberts

Science Fiction/Fantasy/Horror
A Breath of Snow and Ashes of Diane Gabaldon

Religion/Spirituality
Mama Made the Difference by T.D. Jakes

Biography/Memoir
Marley and Me: Life and Love with the Word’s Worst Dog by Josh Grogan

Business
The Girl’s Guide to Being a Boss (Without Being a Bitch): Valuable Lessons, Smart Suggestions, and True Stories for Succeeding as the Chick-in-Charge by Caitlin Friedman

Cooking
Rachael Ray 365: No Repeats: A Year of Deliciously Different Dinners by Rachael Ray

Health/Self Improvement
It’s Not Easy Being Green: And Other Things to Consider by Jim Henson

History/Current Events/Politics
An Inconvenient Truth by Al Gore

Humor
Don’t Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea’s Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life by Tyler Perry

Sports
Get Your Own Damn Beer, I’m Watching the Game!: A Woman’s Guide to Loving Pro Football by Holly Robinson

For more information on the Quills Awards, take a look at their website http://www.thequills.org/

Book Number Two

"Not long after I moved with my family to a small town in New Hampshire, I happened upon a path that vanished into a wood on the edge of town"-A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson


Henderson Libraries is starting October's book from the Not-So-Grown-Up Book Club. You may pick up a copy of the book at Gibson Library's Reference desk. We will be meeting on November 2nd @ 6:00pm. Here is a brief summary of the book we are currently reading:

A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail By Bill Bryson

"Follwing his return to America after twenty years in Britain, Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine. The AT, as it's affectionately known to thousands of hikers, offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes-and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to test his own powers of ineptitude to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings.

For a start there's the gloriously out-of-shape Stephen Katz, a buddy from Iowa who accompanies the similarly unfit Bryson on the trail. Katz's modus operandi is a simple one: jettison everything from his backpack and head for the nearest town, where there are cozy restaurants filled with waitresses called Rayette. But eventually Bryson and Katz settle into their stride, and it's not long before they come across the fabulously annoying Mary Ellen, whose disappearance ruins a perfectly good slice of pie; a gang of Ralph Lauren-attired yuppies from whom Katz appropriates a key piece of equipment; and a security guard in Pennsylvania who, for no ascertainable reason, impounds Bryson's car. Mile by arduous mile these latter-day pioneers walk America, along the way surviving the threat of bear attacks, the loss of key provisions, and everything else this awe-inspiring country can throw at them.

But A Walk in the Woods is more than just a laugh-out-loud hike. Bryson's acute eye is a wise witness to this fragile and beautiful trail, and as he tells its fascinating history, he makes a moving plea for the conservation of America's last great wilderness. An adventure, a comedy, a lament, and a celebration, A walk in the Woods is destined to become a modern classic of travel literature." -BOOK JACKET

To discuss this book, come to the Gibson Library on Thursday November 2nd @ 6:00pm. For more information contact Elizabeth at 564-9261 or Nicole at 564-9287.

Awards given at Bouchercon 2006

Bouchercon World Mystery Convention was this past weekend and with that came the winners of the Anthony, Shamus, Barry and Macavity awards.

Anthony Award Winners

Best Mystery Novel: Mercy Falls by William Kent Krueger
Best First Mystery: Tilt-a-Whirl by Christopher Grabenstein
Best Critical/Nonfiction: Heirs of Anthony Boucher by Marv Lachman
Best Paperback Original: The James Deans by Reed Farrel Coleman
Best Short Story: “Misdirection” by Barbara Seranella in Greatest Hits: Original Stories of Assassins, Hitmen, and Hired Guns

Barry Award Winners given out by Deadly Pleasures magazine

Best Novel: Red Leaves by Thomas Cook
Best First Novel: Cold Granite by Stuart MacBride
Best Thriller: Company Man by Joseph Finder
Best British Mystery Award: The Field of Blood by Denise Mina
Best Paperback Original: The James Deans by Reed Farrel Coleman
Best Short Story: “There is No Crime on Easter Island” by Nancy Pickard in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Sept/Oct 2005 issue

Shamus Awards given by Private Eye Writers of America

Best Hardcover: The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
Best First Novel: Forcing Amaryllis by Louise Ure
Best Paperback Novel: The James Deans by Reed Farrel Coleman
Best Short Story: “A Death in Ueno” by Michael Wiecek in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine Mar 2005 edition

Macavity Awards given by Mystery Readers International

Best Novel: The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
Best First Novel: Immoral by Brian Freeman
Best Nonfiction: Girl Sleuth: Nancy Drew and the Women Who Created Her by Melanie Rehak
Best Short Story: “There is No Crime on Easter Island” by Nancy Pickard in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Sept/Oct 2005 issue
Sue Feder Historical Mystery Award: Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear

Stephen King - Master of Horror

The premise of Stephen King’s Cell is pure horror, with a vindictive streak and a great storyline. What comes to be known as the Pulse is broadcast to all cell phones on October 1. Anyone who answers their cell phone, or who is speaking on their cell phone, undergoes a disturbing transformation. The “Phoners”, as they come to be known, attack anyone in their path, often with grisly results. The closest thing they resemble would be zombies. It’s up to the “Normies” to not only survive, but to find their way to a place which has no cell phone reception. No one is sure when it will be safe to answer their telephones. The “Phoners” also start to display flocking symptoms and their pseudo-leader, tagged “Raggedy Man” by the protagonist, is able to control the actions of the “Normies”. Clay Riddell, the protagonist, is desperate to make it home to Maine to find his son. Clay’s son had been begging for a cell phone, typical behavior for any youngster in today’s world. Clay does not know whether he will find his son has turned into a “Phoner”, or if he is even alive.
Stephen King is the epitome of horror; the story ends with a lingering sense of doubt. Is everything going to be okay? Will the “Normies” prevail? Is there anything left to hope for? I admit I do not like reading stories where everything isn’t “solved” or rectified by the novel’s end. I admit that I have never been a horror fan – I scare easily – and the last Stephen King novel I read (It) had me peering in rain gutters for months afterwards. However, Stephen King is one of the best writers of this century and he proves with this novel that he has not slowed down. As for the vindictive streak, who hasn’t been upset with a rude cell phone user? Stephen King does not own a cell phone.

The Night Journal

The Night Journal by Elizabeth Crook was packed full of historical stories, facts, and events, while being told from journal entries, and the journal writer’s great granddaughter. Meg is a likable character, who tells her side of the story as someone who is not interested in the history of her family. Her grandmother Bassie on the other hand, is almost obsessed with the past. Bassie published journals written by her mother Hannah, and from this has gained some fame in New Mexico. The story is based off of Meg’s struggle with the difficult Bassie, and there present lives, as well as a strange mystery that is uncovered in their families’ lives. The journal entries all tell a story of their own and are just as enjoyable as the present storyline. Crook did a great job of using history to draw the reader in, while providing incredibly accurate facts. I even went online to check out some events that happened because they were so attention-grabbing. Especially information about the famous hotels in New Mexico, the ruins, and the railroad in Pecos and Las Vegas, NM. And the mystery that culminates through an archeological dig is not only unexpected but also intriguing. Eventually Meg is able to appreciate her family and Bassie while assisting in solving the sudden secrets that come up. The Night Journal was a stirring read that had a little mystery, history and even romance. Definitely one of the best books I have read all year.