New Books of September
07 Sep 2011 Leave a Comment
in New Books Tags: books, fiction, historical fiction, Holocaust, list, mystery, new, stillborn, WJMC
Come find out what’s new this month!
Good Graces
By Lesley Kagen
Sequel to Whistlin’ in the Dark
Eleven-year-old Sally, still traumatized by the sudden death of her father and her own narrow escape from a murderer and molester, no longer has confidence in her own judgment, but when she suspects her sister Troo of being involved in a series of crimes in their Milwaukee neighborhood, she knows she must somehow find a way to honor the deathbed promise she made to her dad to keep Troo safe.
The Art of Fielding
By Chad Harbach
At Westish College, a small school on the shore of Lake Michigan, baseball star Henry Skrimshander seems destined for big league stardom. But when a routine throw goes disastrously off course, the fates of five people are upended. Henry’s fight against self-doubt threatens to ruin his future. College president Guert Affenlight, Owen Dunne, Henry’s gay roommate and teammate, Mike Schwartz, and Pella Affenlight, Guert’s daughter, returns to Westish after escaping an ill-fated marriage, determined to start a new life. As the season counts down to its climactic final game, these five are forced to confront their deepest hopes, anxieties, and secrets. In the process they forge new bonds, and help one another find their true paths.
The Grief of Others
By Leah Hager Cohen
The Ryries have suffered a loss: the death of a baby just fifty-seven hours after his birth. Without words to express their grief, the parents, John and Ricky, try to return to their previous lives. Yet in the aftermath of the baby’s death, long-suppressed uncertainties about their relationship come roiling to the surface. But as the four family members scatter into private, isolating grief, an unexpected visitor arrives, and they all find themselves growing more alert to the sadness and burdens of others-to the grief that is part of every human life but that also carries within it the power to draw us together.
There But for The
By Ali Smith
At a dinner party in the posh London suburb of Greenwich, Miles Garth suddenly leaves the table midway through the meal, locks himself in an upstairs room, and refuses to leave. An eclectic group of neighbors and friends slowly gathers around the house, and Miles’s story is told from the points of view of four of them: Anna, a woman in her forties; Mark, a man in his sixties; May, a woman in her eighties; and a ten-year-old named Brooke. The thing is, none of these people knows Miles more than slightly. How much is it possible for us to know about a stranger? And what are the consequences of even the most casual, fleeting moments we share every day with one another?
The Emperor of Lies
By Steve Sem-Sandberg
A fictionalized account of the second-largest Jewish ghetto established by the Nazis in the Polish city of Lodz in 1940, chronicling the daily life of its inhabitants under the authoritarian rule of Mordechai Chaim Rumkowski, the ambitious sixty-three-year-old Jewish businessman who sought to transform the ghetto into a productive industrial complex. Sem-Sandberg risks courting controversy by revisiting this complicity with evil, as he does by allowing the possibility that Rumkowski may have honestly believed that he was saving his fellow Jews by his acts–a possibility that historians have lately been wrestling with.
New Books in June
01 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in New Books Tags: historical fiction, list, new, WJMC
I met with Sally B at 1240 WJMC on Wednesday, June 1, to discuss what’s going on at the library and the new books coming out in June. Read on to find out what to read next.
Silver Girl
By Elin Hilderbrand
Meredith Martin Delinn just lost everything: her friends, her homes, her social standing – because her husband Freddy cheated rich investors out of billions of dollars. Desperate and facing homelessness, Meredith receives a call from her old best friend, Constance Flute. Connie’s had recent worries of her own, and the two depart for a summer on Nantucket in an attempt to heal. But the island can’t offer complete escape, and they’re plagued by new and old troubles alike. When Connie’s brother Toby – Meredith’s high school boyfriend – arrives, Meredith must reconcile the differences between the life she is leading and the life she could have had.
State of Wonder
By Ann Patchett
Dr. Marina Singh, a research scientist with a Minnesota pharmaceutical company, is sent to Brazil to track down her former mentor, Dr. Annick Swenson, who seems to have all but disappeared in the Amazon while working on what is destined to be an extremely valuable new drug, the development of which has already cost the company a fortune. Once found, Dr. Swenson, now in her seventies, is as ruthless and uncompromising as she ever was back in the days of Grand Rounds at Johns Hopkins. But while she is as threatening as anything the jungle has to offer, the greatest sacrifices to be made are the ones Dr. Swenson asks of herself, and will ultimately ask of Marina, who finds she may still be unable to live up to her teacher’s expectations.
What Alice Forgot
By Liane Moriarty
Alice Love, having woken up on the gym floor and been rushed to the hospital with a head injury, believes she is twenty-nine, expecting her first baby, and madly in love with her husband, but, after realizing she has forgotten ten years of her life and is actually thirty-nine, she is forced to try and piece together what occurred over the past decade to result in her marriage and life not being as she had hoped it would be. As younger Alice adjusts to her older life and body, she finds much to be surprised at: a wealthy lifestyle she never dreamed of, a rejuvenated mother with a surprising love interest, and a sister whose life has turned out unexpectedly disappointing.
To Be Sung Underwater
By Tom McNeal
Forty-something Judith Whitman, having built a life in Los Angeles as a film editor, mother, and wife of a banker, finds her relationship with her husband in trouble and considers contacting Willy Blunt, a carpenter with whom she fell in love and considered marrying when she was seventeen, but is not sure if it is too late for them. One phone call to him is all it takes for her to ditch her work and her life and head back to Nebraska. There she comes face to face with the full ramifications of her earlier decision to leave home for Stanford and lose touch with the boy with whom she had been so deeply in love. Their easy familiarity with each other, their special humor, and their physical connection instantly resurface.
By Lars Kepler
In the frigid clime of Tumba, Sweden, a gruesome triple homicide attracts the interest of Detective Inspector Joona Linna, who demands to investigate the murders. The killer is still at large, and there’s only one surviving witness—the boy whose family was killed before his eyes. Whoever committed the crimes wanted this boy to die: he’s suffered more than one hundred knife wounds and lapsed into a state of shock. Desperate for information, Linna sees only one option: hypnotism. He enlists Dr. Erik Maria Bark to mesmerize the boy, hoping to discover the killer through his eyes. When he hypnotizes the victim, a long and terrifying chain of events begins to unfurl.
New Books of October
06 Oct 2010 Leave a Comment
in New Books Tags: fiction, list, new, WJMC
Are you wondering what to read next? The following five books are published this month.
These books were discussed on WJMC 1240 AM with Sally B. on Wednesday, October 6 at 8:30 am.
Rose in a Storm
by Jon Katz
Rose is a loyal and determined farm dog. She is also the narrator of the new novel by columnist and avowed dog lover, Jon Katz. While staying true to the perspective and limitations of a dog, the story follows Rose and her owner, Sam’s, preparation for a major snow storm. When an epic blizzard hits the region, it will take all of Rose’s resolve, resourcefulness, and courage to help Sam save the farm and the creatures who live there. But when Sam is injured and must be airlifted to a hospital, Rose stays behind at the farm. How Rose deals with problems and solves them completes the rest of this intriguing novel.
Great House
by Nicole Krauss
This novel revolves around a massive writing desk and the role it plays in the lives of the diverse characters who house it for brief times. The major themes of the story are loss and recovery. The characters include a poet who tragically disappeared in Pinochet-era Chile, a lonely novelist, an old man faced with the prospect of his wife, of 51 years, dying, and an antique dealer trying to recreate his father’s study before all its contents were stolen by Nazis.
Driving on the Rim
by Thomas McGuane
Berl Pickett is a small town doctor who makes a very poor decision. After his clinic privileges are revoked, and facing criminal negligence charges, he goes back to his former profession of house painting. This job allows him plenty of time to contemplate his life and contend with a couple of women. This eccentric character struggles to figure out his life while acknowledging that he has a “gruesome immaturity” that keeps him from connecting with his community.
The Distant Hours
by Kate Morton
This gothic mystery is just right for Halloween time! Edie Burchill receives a long lost letter in the mail. The letter prompts her to visit the moldering old house, Milderhurst Castle, where her mother had stayed during WWII. The Blythe sisters live at Milderhurst Castle and look after their younger sister, Juniper, who never recovered after her fiancé jilted her in 1941. Secrets are uncovered and Edie may learn more than she anticipated as she unravels her mother’s past.
Our Kind of Traitor
by John le Carre
Perry Makepiece and his lawyer girlfriend, Gail Perkins, are on vacation in Antigua when they become friends with an older Russian businessman. At the Russian businessman’s request, Perry carries the message to the MI6 that the businessman would like to defect to England. However, like all le Carre novels, there’s a twist! It turns out that the Russian is also one of the world’s biggest money launderers. Perry and Gail become hapless pawns in a political battle over the secrets the businessman knows.
New Books in August
25 Aug 2010 1 Comment
in New Books Tags: fiction, list, new, WJMC
Wondering what to read next? These five new books were published in August and might interest you. These books were discussed on the morning radio show with Sally B. on WJMC 1240 AM on Wednesday, August 11.
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Juliet by Anne Fortier An American woman, Julie Jacobs, travels to Siena, Italy, in search of her heritage, and discovers that she is descended from 14th century Giulietta Tomei, whose love story inspired Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Julie’s search leads her to her distant relatives who are still feuding and still struggling under the curse of the friar who wished a plague on both their houses. Julie fights to understand the families’ animosity in the past and present. |
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Fragile by Lisa Unger When psychologist Maggie Cooper and her husband, Detective Jones Cooper, find out that their son’s girlfriend has disappeared, they wonder if she ran off to live in New York City. However, her disappearance dredges up old memories in this small town and remind people of a girl’s disappearance and death 20 years prior. Maggie and Jones find themselves forced to revisit the past as suspicion falls on their son Rick. |
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Garden of Betrayal by Lee Vance This tense thriller mixes current event concerns with family drama. Mark Wallace is an independent energy analyst who is offered secret research that appears to predict just how much crude the Saudis expect to pump before the depletion of their oil reserves. In the course of authenticating this data, Mark finds himself increasingly entangled in an ever-widening mystery that becomes personal as several of his friends are murdered and may even have answers about the fate of his missing son. |
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The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory Gregory now details the life of Margaret Beaufort, Henry VIII’s grandmother. Divine visions give her an unwavering conviction about her future greatness. She pours her ambition into her son Henry. Constantly separated from her beloved child after her second marriage to a pacifist knight, her frustrations are palpably felt. While England seethes with discord during the turbulent Wars of the Roses, Margaret’s transformation from powerless innocent to political mastermind progresses believably as rival heirs to England’s throne are killed in battle, executed, or deliberately eliminated. |
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I’d Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman Eliza was kidnapped and held hostage when she was 15 by a serial murder who was ultimately sentenced to Death Row. She survived the experience and eventually became a full-time housewife with a successful husband and a daughter and a son. This book explores her response when her former tormenter contacts her weeks before his execution. It is a powerful story about fear, manipulation, and survival. |
New Books in July
28 Jul 2010 Leave a Comment
in New Books Tags: fiction, list, new, WJMC
Wondering what to read next? Here are five new books published in July that might interest you. These books were discussed on the morning radio show with Sally B. on WJMC 1240 AM on Wednesday, July 14.
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As Husbands Go – Susan Isaacs Susan Gerston thought she had it all: an adoring husband, three gorgeous children, and a big house. However, her world is shattered when her husband is discovered dead in a hooker’s house. Unconvinced by the situation, Susan fights back against the rumors and gossip and tries to find out what really happened with the help of her fearless Grandma. |
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The Rembrandt Affair – Daniel Silva Gabriel Allon, secret agent extraordinaire, is lured out of retirement by an old friend. An art restorer has been murdered, and her death is linked to a stolen painting by Rembrandt. Allon discovers that there are many secrets tied to this lost painting, and evil men who will stop at nothing for money. |
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Star Island – Carl Hiaasen Set in the wilds of Florida, this novel features a former teen starlet with the unlikely name of Cherry Pye. When Cherry is too indisposed, a look alike named Ann will step into her place. Unfortunately, this works too well when Ann is kidnapped mistakenly. Now Cherry’s handlers must figure out how to rescue Ann without letting Cherry or her fans know about Ann’s existence! |
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Fly Away Home – Jennifer Weiner The wife of a distinguished US senator and her two daughters reel in the aftermath of a scandal that rocks their family and the nation. Each woman takes a hard look at her life and reconsiders what she wants her life to be. |
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Think of a Numb3r — John Verdon This debut thriller follows a recently retired NYPD detective, Dave Gurney, who snaps at the chance for one more investigation. An old friend receives a series of threatening notes that accuse him of crimes he can’t remember committing. Nor is the detective’s friend the only victim of this serial killer. Gurney races to make these numbers add up. |
New Books in June
23 Jun 2010 Leave a Comment
in New Books Tags: fiction, list, new, WJMC
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Beachcombers by Nancy ThayerBy the Author of the Hot Flash Club series. The three Fox sisters reunite on Nantucket at their father’s house and try to regroup from separate work and relationship wounds. They start up an odd jobs business as they try to move on. Even their father is finding new love with a divorcee renting a cottage from their family. |
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The Burning Wire by Jeffery DeaverQuadriplegic forensic criminologist Lincoln Rhyme is back in Deaver’s ninth book in the Rhyme series. He’s assembled his usual team of scientists and police to find and stop a terrorist using electricity to kill people. Rhyme is also consulting on another investigation in Mexico to find a dangerous assassin. The two cases take a shocking twist before the end! |
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Backseat Saints by Joshilyn JacksonRose Mae leaves her abusive husband after a fortune teller at the airport foretells that he will kill her if she returns home. Taking only a gun and her dog, she runs away to her home town and her abusive father. While on the run, she confronts family secrets and reclaims the girl she used to be. |
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Broken by Karen SlaughterWhen a mentally disabled suspect kills himself in a jail cell, police misconduct is suspected. At the same time, a woman is murdered in the community. The two cases come together as the misconduct investigation reveals how the poorest and hardest working people in the area are the most likely to be exploited. |
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My Names is Memory by Ann BrasharesBy the Author of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. This is a romance that crosses centuries; it follows the fate of a man, Daniel, as he tries repeatedly to reunite with his love, now known as Lucy. This may appeal to fans of The Time Traveler’s Wife and those who enjoy Nicholas Sparks. |
