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continue on into the second part of the summer in hopes
that the weather will brighten up a bit, and we will be
blessed with many more days of beach reading. In that
spirit, we have a number of suggestions of novels and
non-fiction to pack in your excursion bag, and these are
just a few…
Gretchen says:
In describing Trevor Corson’s The Secret
Life of Lobsters (0060555580) ,
author and swordfish boat captain Linda Greenlaw says,
“One source…comprehensive…Lobster
101! …the lobster is a strange and quirky creature.”
Indeed it is! Corson combines colorful tales of laboratory
and undersea research with a salty portrait of lobstermen
from Maine’s Little Cranberry Island to bring
the crustaceans to life for us. Both astonishing and
humorous, this charming book is a perfect way to wile
away a summer day. You’ll never look at lobsters
the same way again!
I sometimes reread old
favorites during the summer. This year, I have returned
to J.L. Carr’s A Month in The Country
(0940322471),
a poetic novel about the after-effects of the Great
War on two young men spending the summer in a remote,
peaceful Yorkshire village. When the main character
uncovers a medieval mural in a local church, he is gradually
restored to a hopeful view of life. A small but powerful
novel, this book will stay with you in a particularly
gentle way. Lastly, do read the introduction by Michael
Holroyd; it is an extremely well-written piece that
will help to set the scene and time.
Dede writes: Who says that
publicity does not make a difference? I just read a
charming interview in Publishers Weekly with
Claire Cook, and now I want to read her novel
Multiple Choice (0670033308).
The author lives in Scituate, Massachusetts, and she
says, “I just like to open my door and look out
and write about the world that’s right there.”
Another warm-hearted
novel, perfect for the last lazy days of summer, is The
Last of the Honky-Tonk Angels (0060081643)
by Marsha Moyer. It is about east Texas
and country music. Susan Vreeland (author of Girl
in Hyacinth Blue) says “the story sings.”
If you want to bring a book to the beach for your mother
or favorite aunt, Adriana Trigiani’s Lucia,
Lucia (0812967798)
is a safe bet. The novel is set in Manhattan in 1950 where
young Lucia Sartori works in the glamorous world of couture
fashion at B. Altman and Company. (Women of a certain
age will remember Altman’s.) Adriana Trigiani is
also the author of the beloved novel Big Stone
Gap (0345438329)
that was published a few years ago. Don’t
forget! Pulitzer prize-winning author Tracy
Kidder will speak in Winchester on Thursday,
October 14, 2004 at 7:30 p.m. at the McCall School auditorium.
Don’t miss his newest book Mountains Beyond
Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, the Man Who
Would Cure The World (0375506160).
The book is Winchester’s town-wide read this summer,
and Judy has discounted the hardcover by 35%.
Alice writes:
I may never have stumbled upon John Shors’
debut novel, Beneath a Marble Sky (0929701712),
if it weren’t written by a friend of a friend.
For those of you who enjoy historical fiction or even
a tale of love, this is a great book. Jahanara, the
eldest daughter of the emperor, paints a picture of
17th C. India during the time her father commissions
the construction of the Taj Mahal. The story is personal—her
love for another man while in an arranged marriage to
her horrible husband—but it is also a fictionalized
snapshot of the work and characters behind one of the
world’s most amazing structures.
What better time to read
about a summer retreat? Justin Cronin’s
The Summer Guest (0385335814)
captures the nostalgia for a landscape where hot days
are spent lazing by a lake and cool nights are spent
slumbering in a rustic cabin. The story is told through
the eyes of each of the characters, people whose loves
and sufferings are the history of this small, forgotten
corner of northern Maine. Harry Wainwright, a millionaire
with only a short time left to live, returns for his
thirtieth stay with a couple of wishes in mind: to go
fishing with his favorite guide, Jordan, and to bequeath
the estate in such a way as to ensure that it will remain
the beautiful and tranquil haven he loves. The weekend’s
events are laced with the memories of old loves and
hopes for new loves, and, throughout, the setting is
the mirror and impetus for the characters’ forays
into courage and ardor as secrets are revealed.
Our fourth selection for
Book Ends’ book group will be the first piece
of non-fiction we’ve read. Lucy Grealy’s
Autobiography of a Face (0060569662)recounts
not as much what it feels to be diagnosed with cancer
at age nine but the feelings of inadequacy and doubt
that came with a disfigured face. She spent much of
her life trying to deal with the loss of a third of
her jaw, searching for love and friendship from others
while trying to love what she thought of as her ugly
self. If you’d like to join us from 7-8 p.m. on
the 10th, please call (781) 721-5933 or come in to sign
up. Again, we do ask that you sign up so that we have
a good idea of how much space to allow for seating.
Judy writes:
Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman by Elizabeth
Buchman (0142003727)
is a thoughtful and funny story of middle-aged Rose
Lloyd who proves that starting over after 25 years of
marriage does not have to be a disaster. This novel
is wise and wonderful, with characters so real that
you want to cheer Rose on as she grows into a new stage
of her life. The “revenge” is not what you
would expect.
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Summer often gives us some
time to read books we never got around to when they
were first published. A must read for anyone that lives
in or near Winchester and Woburn is Jonathan
Harr’s A Civil Action (0679772677).
This real-life legal thriller follows the case where
two of the nation’s largest corporations stand
accused of causing the deaths of several children starting
in the late 1980s. A Woburn mother suspects that their
drinking water is polluted with industrial waste when
several children in the neighborhood develop leukemia,
so she initiates a lawsuit against the companies. Representing
the bereaved, working-class families is the flamboyant,
young lawyer Jan Schlichtmann. During the nine year
battle, he comes close to losing everything. For courtroom
drama and local history, this is one great story.
Jennifer writes:
A good piece of historical fiction is almost as good
as a time machine. Even though you know the author is
inventing a great deal of the story, you feel that you
have been there yourself by the end. Sarah
(1400052726)
by Marek Halter is capable of taking
one to early biblical times with swiftness and ease.
The story is about Sarah, the wife of Abraham, and Halter
weaves the details of Sarah’s role in the Bible
with the color and richness of a true life fully lived.
The novel begins with Sarah’s escape from an arranged
marriage and follows her through her years as a priestess,
her marriage to Abraham and, finally, her old age and
death. As told by Halter, Sarah’s life yields
the passion of a good marriage, the desperate sorrow
of infertility and the great joy and fear that came
with being chosen by God. I highly recommend this book
to any woman or fan of historical fiction.
FROM THE CHILDREN”S ROOM:
Jennifer
writes: Jamela’s Dress (0374437203)by
Niki Daly has every quality a parent
would hope to find in a picture book. The illustrations
are bright
and colorful, with action
and emotion on each page. The story begins with Jamela
promising her mother that she will guard a lovely piece
of fabric drying on the line. Soon Jamela gets romanced
by the beauty of the fabric and drapes herself with
it. She parades up the main street, calling herself
“Kwela Jamela African Queen.” When the fabric
inevitably gets ruined, she is very sad. What will her
mother wear to the upcoming wedding? The story has a
surprise happy ending that will reinforce a reader’s
belief in love, community and kindness.
Pat writes: Summer
is a great time to start a series, and we have fun-to-read
books for all levels. The Ink Drinker
(0440414857) by
Eric Sanvoisin has been popular for
many of our young readers that aren't sure whether reading
is for them. The adventures of a boy who does
not like to read but has to help his father in their
bookstore will capture your interest from the very beginning.
Geronimo Stilton
in The Lost Treasure of the Emerald Eye
(0439559634)
tells the story of his life in New Mouse City, the capital
of Mouse Island. This new series is (as Geronimo
says) full of fun—tastier than Swiss cheese and
tangier than extra-sharp cheddar. Full of colorful
and funny illustrations, this series is great for seven-year-olds
and older.
Anthony Horowitz,
the popular author of the Alex Rider Adventure series
has just released a new action and adventure book for
the fourth, fifth and sixth grade level. The
Falcon’s Malteser (0399241531),
part of the Diamond Brother Mystery series, will be
flying off the shelves as soon as it’s discovered.
The Amulet of Samarkand
(0786852550),
the first in the Bartimaeus Trilogy, by Jonathan
Stroud has just been released in paperback. The second
book is due out in September.
The fifth in D.J.
Machale’s Pendragon series, Black
Water (0689869118),
is out just in time for fans to read before returning
to school. Middle school readers anxiously await each
new installment of this series to arrive.
There are also a great
variety of activity books and games available for taking
along on that end of the summer holiday that you might
be planning: coloring books, puzzle books, even books
with songs families can sing together while in the car.
Come in to see what we have.
Marilyn writes: With Sign of
the Qin (0786819189),
the first volume in the Outlaws of Moonshadow Marsh
trilogy, author L. G. Bass has written
an epic novel of high fantasy. Combining elements of
Chinese myth, legend, martial arts and history with
the Robin Hood archetype, the author has created a unique
and pleasing tale. Although we carry this book in our
high school section, it should appeal to adult readers
of fantasy as well as younger readers.
I, Robot
(0553294385),
Isaac Asimov’s science fiction
classic, has recently been adapted to film, generating
new interest in this gem of a book. Through a series
of interlinked stories, Asimov, a master storyteller,
chronicles the development of the robot, addressing
scientific and social concerns. Sound dry? It isn’t.
These stories are filled with the passion and drama
that comes with the struggle for survival by humans
and robots. If you’ve never read this classic,
or if your edition is dog-eared and lost (like mine),
stop in to up a copy.
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