After reading quite a few glowing reviews of this debut novel, I decided I had to give it a shot.
The general synopsis is: two young immigrants from Russia who are in the same ESL class at school become, well, not ‘unlikely’ friends. More like inevitable friends, once they are thrown together on a play date and go to Coney Island together. Starting at the age of five, Lena becomes a fixture in Vaclav’s house, coming over every day after school and staying for dinner. She is living with her aunt, who is a stripper/prostitute and fails to take basic care of her. Rasia, Vaclav’s mother, takes Lena under wing and becomes her protector.
Then one day, just after Vaclav’s 10th birthday, Lena doesn’t come to school. Lena disappears entirely, actually, for seven years. In this time, Vaclav never forgets his friend and the magic show they had planned to perform together. He says goodnight to her every night without fail, hoping that it will keep her safe, wherever she is.
The two are reunited after seven years and it serves to help them delve into the time before they met, the time they were apart, and any future they might have together.
In an interview last week, Chicago novelist Marcus Sakey said ideas for his books emerge from “sheer panic” and called the challenge of finding an idea to write about every day for a year “daunting.” When he does choose an idea to work with, however, you can be sure it’s a good one, and that his execution will do it justice.
In that same interview, Sakey cites his inspiration for the driving force behind his newest thriller, The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes, as coming from fellow Chicago author Sean Chercover. Apparently Chercover quoted Negro League baseball player Satchel Paige (1906-1982), who once said: “How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?” Sakey explains, “I just took that and I thought, who would you be, if you didn’t know who ‘you’ was? …I really tried to keep that front and center, [that] this guy is literally inventing himself as he goes along.” The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes revolves around a man who finds himself nearly dead with no memory of himself or his life prior to that moment. As he finds clues to his identity, however, and learns more about the circumstances that left him mostly drowned on a beach in Maine, he begins to wonder if he is really capable of the acts others claim he has committed.
Napping is one of the finest pleasures in life. The idea of stopping everything in the middle of the day and crawling into bed, or onto the couch, or perhaps just putting your head down on the steering wheel for a few moments, is intoxicating. So many napping possibilities, so few napping hours in the day. Yes, I am decidedly pro-nap.
Now there is a book to support nap enthusiasts like myself: The Practical Napper (available on Tuesday, June 7th). This volume is a hardcover, but its small, gift-book size ensures that you will not sustain blunt force trauma from dropping it on your face when you doze off in the middle. (Beware the corners, though – those are still sharp and pointy. I added foam padding to mine.)
Each page contains a quotation, fact, illustration, or anecdote, all revolving around the ancient art of napping. Take this one, for instance: “A nap makes a fine Mother’s Day or Father’s Day gift for your weary spouse, the beloved parent of your young children. Because nothing says ‘I love you’ like letting your partner check out for awhile and forget all about the life the two of you have built together.” (120) That’s some sound advice right there.
Much as I love short story anthologies, I tend to find them lying around half-finished, simply because it is so easy to put them down at the end of a story and get sidetracked by some other shiny book. So although I bought this book and started reading it back in September when it was first released, it was only recently that I picked it up again and realized I had a couple stories left to go.
The premise of this anthology is an argument started via blog between YA authors Justine Larbalestier and Holly Black about the relative merits of these mythological creatures. The stories alternate between zombies and unicorns, with a few combining the two. The editors provide introductions to each story, arguing the virtues of Team Zombie (Larbalestier) and Team Unicorn (Black). Many big-name YA authors have contributed, including Meg Cabot, Garth Nix, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, and Scott Westerfeld. The bickering between the editors feels, at times, a bit contrived, but the stories deliver in fun and exciting ways.
Personally, I was firmly on Team Unicorn when I picked this book up. In a revelation that is sure to send shock waves through the book blogosphere, I must admit: I am not a fan of zombie literature. I know it has been very popular of late, with World War Z and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies hitting bestseller lists everywhere. But I just do not see the appeal of shuffling, leaking, previously-dead people trying to eat your brain. Unicorns, on the other hand, have a complex and contradictory mythology. They have healing powers and a sense of purity about them, and yet they can also be deadly. They have an air of mystery about them. They glow. And they don’t leak body fluids.
Normally, I’m not one for books about terrible tragedies or stories that have been unremittingly covered by the press. At the end of a news cycle, most stories have been dissected to death, and I feel little need to learn what tiny details did not make it into the reports. The saga of the 33 miners trapped in a Chilean mine was dramatic and drawn out, a sure recipe for desensitization via media, and yet – I am still utterly fascinated by it.
While reading the coverage of the rescue attempt, my mind kept going back to the 17 days these men spent at the bottom of a mine before the first drill broke through. I get claustrophobic just thinking about it. It’s so hard to imagine being trapped down there, with no way to communicate and the bare minimum of resources. The fact that they were able to ration their food so carefully and keep some semblance of order is astounding. But what were those first days like, down there in the darkest depths of a dangerous mine?
Franklin’s book sheds some light on these previously unpublished details, following the incident from the cave-in through the impressive rescue 69 days later. An American journalist living in Chile for the past two decades, Franklin was granted a Rescue Pass, giving him unprecedented access to the rescue operation and, eventually, the miners themselves. His account follows the action above and below the ground as both sides struggled to prevent a tragic outcome. The book is a testament to the strong survival instinct and solidarity displayed under the greatest pressure, as well as the technical capabilities and dedication of rescuers who arrived from across the globe.
Let’s start with a disclaimer: I read this book many months ago, soon after it came out in hardcover. While my goal here is to mostly review recent reads, I’m making an exception in this case because of its trade paperback release last month and the final Shuttle missions.
If you’ve read Mary Roach before, you know what to expect: easily accessible science, research into unusual but fascinating areas, and a healthy dose of humor. Packing for Mars is true to form, and was one of my favorite books to hand-sell during the last holiday season.
Before reading this book, I thought I knew a lot about the space program. My father is an actual rocket scientist, and NASA has occasionally entrusted him with things like moon rocks. I’ve read The Right Stuff, more than once. We have Shuttle magnets on our refrigerator, and I even played with an astronaut Cabbage Patch doll when I was growing up. Somewhere I have a Lego set of a Shuttle on a launch pad.
Packing for Mars, however, explores space exploration from a very different, but very human, point of view. From the psychological effects of being confined in a small capsule or floating freely out in space to the problems that arise from collecting human excrement without gravity, this book is an in-depth look at the lesser-known engineering marvels that have allowed humans to travel, live, and work in the void of outer space. It is not just a matter of how to propel machines into space that interests Ms. Roach, but the idea of learning what humans need to survive in such and environment and adapting the vehicles accordingly.
Here’s the back story to this YA anthology: Editors Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci were at Comic-Con 2007 and got to talking about how many Jedi and Klingons were present at such conventions. They thought it would be fun to write a story about a Klingon and Jedi who wake up together after a late night partying. Awkward “morning after” meets forbidden geek love. Except, who would publish such a story for them? The obvious answer was to contact other geeky YA authors and create an anthology to be this story’s home. Contributors include Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, John Green, David Levithan, Garth Nix, and Scott Westerfeld.
If the premise of said story sounds hilarious to you, buy/borrow/steal this book today. If you are confused or bored, it’s probably not for you.
The stories and comics in this anthology cover a wide range of geeks: Sci fi / fantasy; theater and band; role playing, video playing, and cosplaying; comics and graphic novels; and my favorite, the literature geeks. I only fall into a few of those categories, but I understood the culture more than enough to enjoy these stories.
I was disappointed to find that a lot of geek stereotypes were upheld, including geeks being less attractive and popular than their non-geek counterparts. Who says someone who is a geek in one area also has to be less athletic and deficient in personal hygiene? Why is there always one token girl geek? I won’t even get into the nomenclature of geek vs. nerd. (I generally identify more as a nerd, but in the end it doesn’t matter.)
First a quick note: John Connolly’s latest book was released yesterday in the UK with the title Hell’s Bells. In the US, it will be released in October under a different title: The Infernals. Who can wait another 5 months, though? I recommend ordering a copy from the UK today, although this should in no way interfere with your plans to buy the US edition in October. You can thank me later.
Connolly is best known for his crime fiction series (starring PI Charlie Parker) and the previously-reviewed The Book of Lost Things. The Samuel Johnson books, however, are more humorous and adventuresome and generally not as dark. Read these with tongue fully in cheek!
Hell’s Bells is a sequel to The Gates, featuring a boy named Samuel Johnson and his trustworthy dachshund, Boswell. In The Gates, the Great Malevolence and his minions tried to invade Earth, but found themselves thwarted by young Samuel, the ever-loyal Boswell, and a very minor demon called Nurd. Hell’s Bells sees Samuel and Boswell lose the home court advantage as they are transported to Hell by a demon who has fallen out of favor after the failed invasion. Along for the ride are a group of notorious dwarfs, a couple of policemen, and an ice cream truck. Throughout, Samuel’s ordinary life problems (divorced parents, unattainable girls, and the like) are superseded by the demons he encounters and the battles he witnesses. His perseverance and continued good humor keep these books light, despite heavy subject matter.
An M16 transformed into a teddy bear. A phone booth that finds new life as a fallout shelter. A typewriter that has a waffle press on its keyboard. A car that has become a working telephone.
These are just a few of the projects pictured in this book covering the artistic vision of Kevin O’Callaghan. O’Callaghan teaches a 3D art course at the School of Visual Arts in New York. Many of his class projects become exhibitions in large New York venues, or even go on tour throughout the country. This is the kind of book you can open at any page or read cover to cover, finding extraordinary creations on every page.
Some of the collections include: “Yugo Next”, where students took one of the least successful cars ever made and gave it new life; “Horsepower”, which reinvents the buggy for use in the modern world; “Disarm”, which pulls the most common and deadly assault rifle into non-violent contexts; and “Off Roading”, where a gas-guzzling pickup truck is dismantled and turned into apartment furnishings.
Lisa Lutz, author of the Spellman Files series (which you should pick up if you haven’t) teams up with an unlikely partner for her latest novel: David Hayward, a poet she dated briefly in the 90s. The resulting book is described by Lutz as “a real crime novel with a dead body and all” – but also eschews as many traditional elements of crime novels as it upholds.
This wacky journey begins when Lacey and Paul, two orphaned siblings in their 20s, find a headless body in their backyard. Except they can’t call the cops to their home due to the marijuana crop growing in the basement. The brother and sister decide to investigate on their own, though these investigations manifest themselves very differently and often lead them in opposite directions.
Having two authors with dueling styles and plot development was a bit frustrating for me at first, but as the book found its rhythm a few chapters in I began to enjoy the ride. Included after each chapter are email exchanges between the authors that shed light on the actions of their characters. By the end of the book, it is virtually a tug of war between Lutz and Hayward, to the point I wasn’t convinced there was any way to salvage what was left of the plot, clues, and suspect list to form a cohesive ending. Luckily, I was proven wrong as the loose ends were tied up expertly for a clean finish.
Recommended for anyone who likes serious crime fiction, but isn’t afraid to have some fun with it!
EDIT: I meant to include this video in my post. It should give you an idea of the back-and-forth that drives this book.
This book was reviewed from an advance copy sent by the author/publisher.
After reading quite a few glowing reviews of this debut novel, I decided I had to give it a shot.
In an interview last week, Chicago novelist Marcus Sakey said ideas for his books emerge from “sheer panic” and called the challenge of finding an idea to write about every day for a year “daunting.” When he does choose an idea to work with, however, you can be sure it’s a good one, and that his execution will do it justice.
Normally, I’m not one for books about terrible tragedies or stories that have been unremittingly covered by the press. At the end of a news cycle, most stories have been dissected to death, and I feel little need to learn what tiny details did not make it into the reports. The saga of the 33 miners trapped in a Chilean mine was dramatic and drawn out, a sure recipe for desensitization via media, and yet – I am still utterly fascinated by it.
Let’s start with a disclaimer: I read this book many months ago, soon after it came out in hardcover. While my goal here is to mostly review recent reads, I’m making an exception in this case because of its trade paperback release last month and the final Shuttle missions.
First a quick note: John Connolly’s latest book was released yesterday in the UK with the title Hell’s Bells. In the US, it will be released in October under a different title: The Infernals. Who can wait another 5 months, though? I recommend ordering a copy from the UK today, although this should in no way interfere with your plans to buy the US edition in October. You can thank me later.
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