Memphis Reads Archive

Nonfiction

Sarah Frierson reviews THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING by Joan Didion (Knopf, 2005)

Life changes fast.
Life changes in the instant.
You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends.

Joan Didion lost her husband of forty years, writer John Gregory Dunne, on December 30, 2003, at a time when her only daughter was in a coma. This book is her raw account of the year that followed. The reader travels through the stages of Didion's grief with her--from the necessary, intense, distracting focus on her daughter's life-threatening condition to the moments filled by incapacitating memories.

But most of all, Didion wants to understand what happened, what could have been corrected. Ultimately, she wants to understand what it will take to reverse time and bring her husband back. In her search for explanation, Didion methodically approaches this new experience as she has any other--she goes to the literature. She uses existing literature, both popular and clinical, to help her rationalize that which is not rational--the death of her partner.

This is not a guide for people experiencing grief. Neither is it a sentimental journey through the lives of these two authors. But it is very poignant account of one woman's journey through loss. And it is a love story. The little things shared by two who are so inseparable, the way their lives are so entwined...these little bits tell the story of two lives before that horrible day.


Sarah Frierson, Business & Sciences Department

Labels: Nonfiction, Reviews by Sarah Frierson

Who are the greatest fictional travelers?

World Hum offers its list of "...characters new and old whose travels are central to who they are, and whose journeys have helped shape and enlighten the world we live in." Their list is an eclectic mix of characters from books and TV.

via Blog of a Bookslut

More:

List of Travel Fiction compiled by LibraryThing users

Who's your favorite fictional traveler? Share in the comments below.

Nonfiction/Humor

Beth reviews WAY OFF THE ROAD: DISCOVERING THE PECULIAR CHARMS OF SMALL-TOWN AMERICA by Bill Geist (Broadway Books, 2007)

Maybe it is nostalgia for the small towns I grew up near, as my parent’s farm is in what I kindly refer to as “the middle of nowhere, make a left,” but this book found a special place in my heart. Every city or town has something that is special to it and Bill Geist shares some of the more bizarre sides.

--Huntsville, Texas.
(This one is most understandable to us Memphians...) The Church of the Holy BBQ-- OK, actually it is named “The New Zion Missionary Baptist Church Bar-becue” but the locals renamed it—thanks to Annie Mae and her husband Howard.

-- Nederland, Colorado
Need something to celebrate? How about a dead guy that has been kept on ice in the backyard? You can attend “Frozen Dead Guy Days” where you can participate in the coffin decorating, coffin races with pallbearers competing on a course complete with moguls, and much more!

-- Monowi, Nebraska
Think you are in a league all by yourself? How about being a town all by yourself? Monowi is a town made up of just Elsie Eiler. She does it all—mayor, librarian, bartender, police chief....

-- Bithlo, Florida
Looking for something like the X Games? Here is just what you need in Figure 8 school bus racing! Buses line up and race at 60 mph—aiming for each other.

--Cortex, Colorado
How do you get rid of prairie dogs without hurting them? Why with a giant vacuum cleaner, of course!

Want to visit a one of these towns right here in Tennessee? Check out the Museum of Towing in Chattanooga! There is even a Hall of Fame for the “greats” of this profession, along with early tow trucks. (I admit it, after living in Chattanooga for four years I never did make it to the towing museum. But I did know it was there! Next time....next time....)

Wishing you all the best vacation spots you can find—from the largest ball of twine to the cow carved out of butter. Enjoy!


Beth, Highland Branch Library

Labels: Humor, Reviews by Beth

Fiction/Mainstream

Akiba Shabazz reviews A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Books, 2007)

Three decades of middle-eastern history are rolled out in gripping, flowing word work: "...watching the bulbul bird darting from tree to tree, stories of the two-headed snake, the watermelon seeds...spelling out 'Allah'." In places raw sewage flows in the river. Beheaded bodies lie about in public.

It is not often a pretty picture, yet is an extraordinary presentation of life in the palm of our hands. Everyday actions as simple as plucking fruit, folding paper toys, going fishing or giving birth are played out against a backdrop of bombs bursting and punitive amputations. The author fleshes out the culture and pumps it with blood so that the reader shares the daily lives of Afghan women, men and children as they deal with war, warlords, and conquerors from both in country and from here overseas.

Ever wonder what is must be like to be one of several wives in a plural marriage? What does the husband feel? Get some answers; read A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.


Akiba Shabazz, Cornelia Crenshaw Branch Library

Labels: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews by Akiba Shabazz

We won't soon forget the heat wave of 2007. To help cope with the steamy, hot days yet to come, check out one or more of the following chilly titles. You can place a hold through our online catalog or by visiting or calling any library location.





Chilly Refreshment

Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book by Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield.

Icebox Pies: 100 Scrumptious Recipes for No-Bake, No-Fail Pies by Lauren Chattman.

Iced Tea: 50 Recipes for Refreshing Tisanes, Infusions, Coolers, and Spiked Teas by Fred Thompson

Summer Smoothies: Over 130 Cool and Refreshing Recipes by Donna Rodnitzky.

The Ultimate Ice Cream Book: Over 500 Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, Drinks, and More by Bruce Weinstein


Chilling Tales


Dry Ice by Stephen White

The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition by Caroline Alexander. "Terrifying and inspiring adventure. It's almost impossible for a modern person to imagine being completely stranded, thousand of miles from the nearest human with no way summon help. Gorgeous photographs."--Pamela McFarland, Raleigh Branch Library

Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer. "A world so dangerous that any mistake could equal death."--Pamela McFarland


Keeping Cool

The Haynes Automotive Heating & Air Conditioning Systems Manual by Mike Stubblefield.

Spook Country, William Gibson's latest novel, was published last week. I noticed there was a lot of buzz on the Internet and on book blogs about the release. Curious about the excitement, I read reviews and e-mailed co-workers.

Nisi Shawl, writing for the Seattle Times, sums up Gibson's reputation nicely, he "was one of the founders of the 'cyberpunk' movement, the '80s literature of romanticized hackers and virtual reality that heralded today's wired world. Now more an impresario than a prognosticator, Gibson, a Vancouver, B.C. resident, continues to offer the thrill found in his earlier science fiction, that of learning what's around the next corner."

The "thrill of learning what's around the next corner"? Gibson is surely not unique among science fiction writers is presenting glimpses into the future. I wondered what distinguishes his writing. (Another question might be why do some writers of genre fiction have a larger appeal, beyond their usual "category"?)

Here's what Jesse Pool, Memphis Reads co-moderator and science fiction reader, thinks of Gibson's work: "As I understand it, Gibson has departed a little from his earlier work which was set about 40-60 years distant from the 1980's and his newer books are more 'day-after-tomorrow, although they are still very high tech in nature.

"As far as recommending him, I think he's a great author for people who like action-oriented [science fiction]. Gibson himself admits he knows little about computers, which is interesting in and of itself since he imagined virtual reality before we had it by watching kids play video games at the arcade. I find his characters are sometimes a little one dimensional, although several of them are very memorable. His books tend to be very dark and gritty, and also usually feature a world of difference between the haves and the have nots.

"I love the tone, the settings, especially the ideas, and wonder about the multicultural elements (most of his books I've read included some foreign culture, such as Rastafarians in space or Japanese teenie boppers)."

I cannot wait to try Gibson's latest for myself.

More:

LA Times review
Salon interview
Seattle Times interview
Vancouver Sun feature story/interview: "Like a magpie that plucks bright, shiny things off the road, [Gibson] picks up unusual words -- 'knurled' and 'spalled' and 'breakbulk' -- and invites the reader to enjoy their sparkle."


Several links used in this post via Gavin J. Grant's post for the Bookslut blog.

Labels: Reviews by Jesse Pool, Science Fiction

Fiction/Suspense

Beth reviews THE QUICKIE by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (Little, Brown, 2007)

Author James Patterson has mastered the art of story-telling--and with co-authors we get to read even more of his work each year! James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge come together again (authors of Step on a Crack) to bring us a murder mystery—with an ending you will never see coming!

NYPD cop Lauren Stillwell cannot believe it when she sees her husband with another woman--a thin, blonde woman. She thought their marriage was perfect...but now she wants revenge--his way.

Their night together was just supposed to be a quickie, a way to level the field, but when Lauren witnesses her lover’s death, her world goes into a tailspin. The secret she now holds threatens to destroy her world to its very core. What will survive--her marriage, her job, her life? If others find out her secret, will they still respect her?

This book was amazing! The two books that Patterson and Ledwidge co-wrote are thrillers to the core. I was left with my eyes wide open thinking, "Did I miss something? How did I not see this coming?" Patterson fans will not want to miss this thriller!


Beth, Highland Branch Library

Labels: Reviews by Beth, Suspense

Who Reads What?

Each year retired librarian Glenna Nowell asks a group of celebrities what they are reading. This year's list, the 19th such compilation, features novelists Robert Crais, Carolyn Hart and Ursula Le Guin as well as chef Wolfgang Puck.

In 1991 the Washington Post published an article about Ms. Nowell's then four-year old service: " 'I was looking for a hook that would get people to read a book, ' " Nowell said, adding that she also wanted to steer readers toward books other than bestsellers. After looking at news and fashion magazines and listening to suggestions from readers, Nowell put together her first list of VIPs to be contacted. She got their addresses from celebrity references at the Gardiner [Maine] Public Library."

You can access the article for free from any library location using our online database America's Newspapers.

Submitted by Sarah Frierson, Business/Science Department

Labels: Resources

The Librarian of Congress has announced that Charles Simic will be the next U.S. poet laureate. Simic, who immigrated to the United States at age 16, shares his advice on how to become a poetry lover with the Washington Post:

Find a poetry anthology, any one will do, at the library. Open it at random. Read aloud one stanza. You won't like most of what you read. But whatever you like, read that.

Don't worry about reading the English-teachery stuff at first, since most people's taste will organically mature. There's only one potential warning sign relating to poetry preferences, says Simic, 69: 'If greeting-card verse brings you to tears at the age of 70, well, what can I say. You might be beyond help.'

Continue Reading Article
Check our catalog for Charles Simic
Learn more about the poet at Biography Resource Center (BRC), where we found the neat picture above. BRC is one of the Library's online databases.

Labels: News