Friday, December 14, 2007
[Book Review] MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA by James McBride
Fiction/African-AmericanHeather Lawson reviews MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA by James McBride (Riverhead Books, 2002)
This is the moving story of four African Americans who are members of the 92nd Infantry Division of the Army, also known as the Buffalo Soldiers, and how they became caught behind enemy lines in a small Italian town during World War II. Each soldier deals differently with racism, fear, courage, cruelty, and hate. A series of miracles occurs beginning with Pvt. Sam Train recovering a Florentine statue's head and saving a young Italian boy traumatized by the war. Things become more complicated when Italian partisans, led by the Black Butterfly, enter the village seeking revenge.
Miracle at St. Anna is an emotionally painful, but ultimately uplifting story. Strong character development is a significant aspect of the book. Interesting facts about Italy and the African-American experience during World War II are an added bonus.
Heather Lawson, Public Services
Labels: African-American Fiction, Reviews by Heather Lawson
Thursday, July 26, 2007
[Book Review] BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE by Kate DiCamillo
Fiction/Children'sHeather Lawson reviews BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE by Kate DiCamillo (Candlewick Press, 2000)
In a television episode of As Time Goes By, the character played by Dame Judi Dench is perturbed because her husband Lionel is reading a children’s book, The Wind in the Willows. After she takes the book away from him, she reads a section out loud, smiles and realizes that an adult can and should read children’s books.
Like Lionel, I also appreciate the joy of a good story written for children which can be appreciated by readers of any age. For instance, I loved the fractured fairy tale The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, and decided to try one of her other books. Because of Winn-Dixie was not a disappointment. I could list the countless awards it has won and let this review go at that, but that would not explain why all of those groups chose this book to honor.
Adult readers of Because of Winn-Dixie might compare it with other titles. With the popularity of Marley and Me, one could say that it is another wonderful story honoring a special dog. For those that loved To Kill A Mockingbird, there are similar themes woven around the neighbor who is thought to be a witch, like the frightening “Boo” Radley. Another parallel is that the main character is also a young girl who is being raised in a motherless household.
But whatever comparisons you want to make with other books, Because of Winn-Dixie has its own charm, which a simple recount of the storyline does not fully convey. Basically, ten-year-old India Opal Buloni is very lonely when she moves to a small town in Florida with her father. India's father is a minister. They have never gotten over the loss of her mother who just left them one day. Maybe the charm of Winn-Dixie rests in the resounding question: what makes up a family? One great answer according to DiCamillo is a dog, good friends and a father.
Have you ever read a book where the theme of family was central to the story and it moved you to laugh and cry at the same time?
Heather Lawson, Public Services
Labels: Reviews by Heather Lawson
Thursday, February 22, 2007
[Book Review] MAYOR CRUMP DON'T LIKE IT: MACHINE POLITICS IN MEMPHIS by G. Wayne Dowdy
Nonfiction/Memphis
Heather Lawson reviews MAYOR CRUMP DON'T LIKE IT: MACHINE POLITICS IN MEMPHIS by G. Wayne Dowdy (University Press of Mississippi, 2006)
Heather Lawson reviews MAYOR CRUMP DON'T LIKE IT: MACHINE POLITICS IN MEMPHIS by G. Wayne Dowdy (University Press of Mississippi, 2006)
There is little that can top sitting down and reading a well-thought-out biography on a extraordinary individual. For those that agree with this statement, check out G. Wayne Dowdy’s Mayor Crump Don't Like It: Machine Politics in Memphis.
Based on Crump’s personal papers located in the Memphis Room of the Memphis Public Library, Dowdy provides the reader with fascinating information on Crump’s creation of a coalition between African American voters and whites, and his eventual move from the Democratic Party to the States Rights Party. With a clear writing style, Dowdy also focuses on the many details surrounding the transformation of Memphis during the Crump years.
G. Wayne Dowdy is a senior librarian and archivist at the Memphis Public Library and Information Center. His work has appeared in the Arkansas Review: A Journal of Delta Studies, CrossRoads: A Southern Culture Annual, Journal of Negro History, Tennessee Historical Quarterly, and other publications.
Based on Crump’s personal papers located in the Memphis Room of the Memphis Public Library, Dowdy provides the reader with fascinating information on Crump’s creation of a coalition between African American voters and whites, and his eventual move from the Democratic Party to the States Rights Party. With a clear writing style, Dowdy also focuses on the many details surrounding the transformation of Memphis during the Crump years.
G. Wayne Dowdy is a senior librarian and archivist at the Memphis Public Library and Information Center. His work has appeared in the Arkansas Review: A Journal of Delta Studies, CrossRoads: A Southern Culture Annual, Journal of Negro History, Tennessee Historical Quarterly, and other publications.
Heather Lawson, Public Services
Labels: Memphis, Reviews by Heather Lawson
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
[Book Review] BUFFALO GIRLS by Larry McMurtry
Fiction/Westerns
Heather Lawson reviews BUFFALO GIRLS by Larry McMurtry (Simon & Schuster, 1990)
For all of you women who would not dream of reading a western, here is one I think you might enjoy. One of the reasons you might like this particular western is that part of the story is told through letters, penned by Calamity Jane to her daughter. The other part of the book, written in narrative form, movingly describes the dying Old West. As the beaver and buffalo disappear, several of the major characters join Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show, while still others turn from whorehouses to hotels.
This humorous and touching story is filled with delightful characters, like the ancient Indian Scout, No Ears, who buys a dozen pair of wax ears from a London wax museum only to have them stolen by other Indians. Fictional characters intermingle with true characters of the Old West, such as Annie Oakley, Sitting Bull and Edward, Prince of Wales. Certainly not a romanticized view of the old West, this book won the 1991 Western Heritage Awards.
Heather Lawson, Public Services
Heather Lawson reviews BUFFALO GIRLS by Larry McMurtry (Simon & Schuster, 1990)
For all of you women who would not dream of reading a western, here is one I think you might enjoy. One of the reasons you might like this particular western is that part of the story is told through letters, penned by Calamity Jane to her daughter. The other part of the book, written in narrative form, movingly describes the dying Old West. As the beaver and buffalo disappear, several of the major characters join Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show, while still others turn from whorehouses to hotels.
This humorous and touching story is filled with delightful characters, like the ancient Indian Scout, No Ears, who buys a dozen pair of wax ears from a London wax museum only to have them stolen by other Indians. Fictional characters intermingle with true characters of the Old West, such as Annie Oakley, Sitting Bull and Edward, Prince of Wales. Certainly not a romanticized view of the old West, this book won the 1991 Western Heritage Awards.
Heather Lawson, Public Services
Labels: Reviews by Heather Lawson, Westerns
Friday, January 26, 2007
[Book Review] SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson
Fiction/Coming of AgeHeather Lawson reviews SPEAK by Laurie Halse Anderson (Farrar Straus Giroux, 1999)
This is one of the funniest books I have ever read about high school. It is also one of the saddest. For anyone who enjoys writers who can intertwine humor and heartbreak in an astonishing manner, this book is for you.
Ninth grader Melinda Sordino is ostracized by classmates after calling the police at a summer party. Faced with cruel classmates and parents who are too busy with their jobs and themselves to recognize their daughter's spiral into despair, Melinda finds sanctuary in an unused maintenance closet and in art class. Her art teacher, Mr. Freeman, who recognizes her intelligence and worsening pain, is the one person who reaches out to help her. Fearing her best friend may be placed in a similar situation, she finally speaks out. Of course, you will have to read the book to learn more.
The author views teachers, as well as school in general, in an intelligent and sensitive manner. There are hilarious descriptions of teachers, such as the Spanish teacher miming lessons because of her determination not to speak English in class. Also, History classes that never make it to the present are satirized. "We got to World War I in the seventh grade - who knew there had been a war with the whole world?" Not surprising, this book was a finalist for the National Book Award.
Heather Lawson, Public Services
Labels: Coming of Age, Reviews by Heather Lawson, Young Adult
Saturday, December 16, 2006
[Book Review] A COMPANY OF SWANS by Eva Ibbotson
Fiction/Gentle
Heather Lawson reviews A COMPANY OF SWANS by Eva Ibbotson (St. Martin's Press, 1985)
Certainly, one has to accept coincidences to enjoy this warm and graceful novel, but getting past that is not too difficult. This is a slow-paced, gentle romance novel with a great deal of interesting details regarding the flora and fauna of the Amazon. At the same time, details on various ballets and life as a ballerina are a major part of the novel and may be appreciated by those who love this form of dance. So for those interested, here is the basic plot.
Harriet Jane Morton is ready to take any road that leads away from her father, a self-absorbed professor at Cambridge, when she agrees to tour with a ballet company destined to Manaus, Amazonia in 1912. Although her father and aunt care little for her, they are worried about how her departure will be perceived by society. So they enlist the zoologist who they hoped would marry Harriet to follow her and return her to Cambridge.
An important part of the story is what happens before Harriet runs away from her family. In the garden of a beautiful estate, a young boy asks her to find his uncle and send him back to the estate, his former home. He speaks of his uncle, "the boy," relates the courageous and daring stories he has heard about him over the years, and explains how his uncle can save the estate and his troubled mother. Harriet does in fact meet "the boy," a wealthy and celebrated rubber tree plantation owner in South America. Yes, coincidences aside, this novel has been chosen by Joyce Saricks as a "sure bet" for gentle fiction fans in The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction.
Heather Lawson, Adult Services
Heather Lawson reviews A COMPANY OF SWANS by Eva Ibbotson (St. Martin's Press, 1985)
Certainly, one has to accept coincidences to enjoy this warm and graceful novel, but getting past that is not too difficult. This is a slow-paced, gentle romance novel with a great deal of interesting details regarding the flora and fauna of the Amazon. At the same time, details on various ballets and life as a ballerina are a major part of the novel and may be appreciated by those who love this form of dance. So for those interested, here is the basic plot.
Harriet Jane Morton is ready to take any road that leads away from her father, a self-absorbed professor at Cambridge, when she agrees to tour with a ballet company destined to Manaus, Amazonia in 1912. Although her father and aunt care little for her, they are worried about how her departure will be perceived by society. So they enlist the zoologist who they hoped would marry Harriet to follow her and return her to Cambridge.
An important part of the story is what happens before Harriet runs away from her family. In the garden of a beautiful estate, a young boy asks her to find his uncle and send him back to the estate, his former home. He speaks of his uncle, "the boy," relates the courageous and daring stories he has heard about him over the years, and explains how his uncle can save the estate and his troubled mother. Harriet does in fact meet "the boy," a wealthy and celebrated rubber tree plantation owner in South America. Yes, coincidences aside, this novel has been chosen by Joyce Saricks as a "sure bet" for gentle fiction fans in The Readers’ Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction.
Heather Lawson, Adult Services
Labels: Gentle Fiction, Reviews by Heather Lawson
Monday, December 04, 2006
[Book Review] PRESUMPTION by Julia Barrett
Fiction/HistoricalHeather Lawson reviews PRESUMPTION: An Entertainment by Julia Barrett (M. Evans, 1993):
For anyone who has wondered what happened to Elizabeth Bennet Darcy after the closing of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, there is a sequel. In Presumption, we find that Elizabeth must deal with Darcy’s neighbors and relatives who are not willing to accept someone from a lower position in society. Georgiana Darcy, the main focus of the book, is now seventeen and still has not recovered from her experiences with Lieutenant George Wickham. She finds herself drawn to Captain Thomas Heywood, but is James Leigh-Cooper, a brilliant architect, a more honorable man?
Overall, this is not a bad attempt to recreate Jane Austen’s novels with their light irony, humor, and depictions of contemporary English country life, but readers need to realize that few copies are as good as the original.
Heather Lawson, Adult Services
More information:
Did you know that you can search the Library Catalog for books featuring your favorite fictional characters? For example, a SUBJECT search for "Bennet Elizabeth" will reveal other "sequels" to Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
Labels: Historical Fiction, Reviews by Heather Lawson
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
[Book Review] THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES by Sue Monk Kidd
Fiction/Coming of Age HistoricalHeather Lawson reviews THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES by Sue Monk Kidd (Viking, 2002):
Ok, everyone and their dog has read The Secret Life of Bees, but for those rare few that haven’t, here is a little synopsis. For those that have read this extraordinary book, here are some questions to consider.
Sometimes running away is the best solution. In this engaging novel set in 1964 South Carolina, 14-year-old Lily shows courage and determination as she runs away from an abusive father and saves her beloved black caretaker, Rosaleen, from the violent, racist local police. After a long journey, Lily and Rosaleen find safety with three eccentric sisters who produce Black Madonna Honey. August, the serene, strong “queen bee” is able to help Lily and others understand profound truths about themselves and life. This is a wonderfully moving and inspiring story that focuses on the strength of women.
Heather Lawson, Adult ServicesFemale support and friendship is a continual theme throughout the book. Which character in The Secret Life of Bees would you like to have as a friend and why?
We can all relate to coming-of-age stories. Is there one you would
recommend to others, and why?
Labels: Coming of Age, Historical Fiction, Reviews by Heather Lawson
Thursday, October 19, 2006
[Book Review] THE GREAT INFLUENZA by John Barry
NonfictionHeather Lawson reviews THE GREAT INFLUENZA: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History by John Barry (Viking, 2004):
This book is an amazing example of historical research with its study of the 1918 influenza pandemic, which began during World War I and quickly killed the young and strong. Barry describes many factors that helped spiral a death rate that some estimate as high as 100 million worldwide: the desire to preserve morale during the war; failure to close public buildings and stop drives such as the Liberty Loan campaign; the continual lies or absence of any information provided by the media and the government; corrupt local and state governments; and inexperienced political appointees chosen for the Board of Health and other government agencies.
This all-encompassing book begins with the history of medicine and important medical breakthroughs in the United States. Barry clearly draws the personalities and quirks of the researchers who spent their lives attempting to understand and cure this strain of influenza. Countless personal stories are included, both horrific and heroic: the doctor near the Mexican border who worked nonstop to help the thousands that came to his isolated ranch for help; and the man who stepped on a trolley only to see almost all passengers, the conductor and the driver die as he traveled to his home.
The Great Influenza is one of those books with fascinating detail after detail which make it impossible to put down. Reviewers have described the many levels of appeal, as the book reads at times like a morality tale, a biography, a detective story, and a science fiction novel.
If you like this book, you might also like Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America and Isaac’s Storm: A Man, A Time and the Deadliest Hurricane in History for their breadth of coverage regarding an historical event and for more stories of massive devastation with interesting central characters.
Heather Lawson, Adult Services
Labels: Reviews by Heather Lawson
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
LIGHT ON SNOW by Anita Shreve
This selection was recently a Popular Library ("7-day") book. The reviewer wanted to make sure you did not miss this noteworthy title. You can now check it out for 21 days!Heather Lawson reviews LIGHT ON SNOW by Anita Shreve (Little, Brown and Co., 2004).
Twelve-year-old, Nicky Dillon has lost her mother and baby sister in a tragic car accident. Overwhelmed by his grief, Nicky’s father moves them to an isolated farmhouse in a small New England town and cuts off almost all communication with the outside world. They are pulled back into the world when they save a newborn deserted in the snow. Their role as heroes, witnesses in the investigation, and finally, their experiences with the mother accused of desertion lead them on a journey where Nicky’s courage and insight into other’s sorrows is powerfully depicted.
This moving story is largely descriptive with a plot that slowly evolves and includes flashbacks. While thought provoking, and at times heart wrenching, the story possesses a hopeful ending, many likable characters and is not short of humor.
Anyone enjoying Elizabeth Berg’s coming of age stories, such as Durable Goods, will enjoy this story focusing on another resourceful young girl.
Heather Lawson, Adult Services
Links:
Anita Shreve
"My father waves the flashlight back and forth. I'm wondering if we shouldn't turn around and head back to the house. It's dangerous in the woods at night; it's too easy to get lost. My father makes another pass with the flashlight, and then another, and it seems he has to make twenty passes before he catches again the patch of blue plaid. There's a sleeping bag in the snow, a corner of flannel turned over at its opening." Excerpt, Light on Snow
Labels: Mainstream Fiction, Reviews by Heather Lawson
