Defending Jacob

DEFENDING JACOB, by William Landay, is the new Barnes & Noble recommend. What a thriller! Will keep you page-turning deep into the night.

Landay is a former district attorney with plenty of legal experience. He’s already won awards for earlier crime novels. This one will put him right up in the big leagues.

I don’t want to give anything away. You will not be able to figure it out even as you are galloping toward the end.

This one is well-written, exciting, and full of twists and turns. Lee Child calls it a sophisticated and stunning!

The Lost Wife

Publisher: Penguin Group   Trade paper    340 pages/ Dec. 2011

Just take a look at this cover! I was immediately drawn to open this book.

Alyson Richman has outdone herself with this deeply emotional novel of the holocaust. Beginning in Prague just before the war broke out and continuing through ww11 and after, I was kept raptly at attention with this heart rending story of love and devotion, heart break and family, lost and found.

This is the story of Lenka and Joseph. But it is also the story of their families and  it is the story of countless others who survived the holocaust. And of those many others who did not survive. There are times when I ask myself why I am fascinated with the holocaust. After all, it’s certainly not a time I lived through. I don’t even know anyone who was part of it. But it haunts me even so. I don’t remember how it first came in to my consciousness. I just know that it has become important to me. I read almost everything that I can get my hands on about it. So, having said all that, I can say with all honesty that this new novel by Alyson Richman is one of the top three novels of the holocaust that I have read.

Lenka and Joseph are young Jewish students who fall in love and marry just before the boots of the Nazi’s tear about their lovely worlds.  Lenka is a gifted art student and Joseph studies medicine in the footsteps of his father. They have lived in fine homes with good bone china and their mothers have worn dresses made with the finest materials. They have been pampered.

Richman begins the book with the end. At first, this was disconcerting to me. I even put the book aside. But when a friend of mine whose judgement I trust told me she loved it, well, I picked it back up. So happy I did. Not only is the writing superb; the story is contagious, the characters unforgettable.  I love this book.

It is amazing how many countries were invaded during the holocaust. How many thousands of people perished. How many cities were destroyed. And how much artwork was lost. Art plays an important part in this novel. And I love that their is a character in the book who is taken from a real artist from that time.  The camps were full of talented artists. Some, very bravely, put their lives on the line to smuggle out sketches of the atrocities they experienced first hand.

I know of many of the famous camps. But I had never heard of Terezin. At Terezin, the Jews were kept in squalor but they were at least allowed some special treatment. It was a community of sorts. Awful, but not as awful as the big camps.

You’ll find yourself quickly turning the pages to find out more about the worlds of Lenka and Joseph. What happened to them? How do you go on when your world has been stolen from you? This explosive novel will open up your mind to  the possibility of miracles.

I am still thinking about this story. I finished reading it days ago. But it will stay alive in my mind forever. Let’s hope history never repeats itself  in this way.

I received my copy of THE LOST WIFE by Alyson Richman as a Christmas gift.

Fav teapot and cup

I bought this amazing tea for one set on sale last year. I enjoy brewing a nice hot cuppa and sipping it while I’m working at my desk or just relaxing with a book.

Today, finally, I am about to get a chance to read. My chores are as done as they will get and I’ve finished a future post I was working on. Visited mom earlier today and took her a new calendar. It was one with really well done photos of baby animals with kittens. She really loved it. Mom is the reason I am such an animal lover. We always had kitties and doggies when I was little, and it has carried over to me and my children.

You will notice a book tucked under my teapot. It is an arc of the upcoming Ron Rash book. It’s not out until April so I have it in the wings to read as the pub date nears. But it looks amazing.

I have begun perusing the publisher’s spring and summer catalogs. They are stuff full of great looking reads. It is both overwhelming and exciting to watch some of our most celebrated authors appear with new upcoming titles. I have some already arriving, daily. It is such a gift to receive these unpublished books before they hit the shelves.

The House I Loved

One of the advance books I received this week is the upcoming Tatiana De Rosnay. THE HOUSE I LOVED will be out on Valentine’s Day. I am praying it will be another  page-turner like her SARAH’S KEY. I am not a fan of her last novel, A SECRET KEPT. I have high expectations for this one. I also found a finished hard cover of Vince Flynn’s KILL SHOT arriving on the scene on February 7th. This one is especially important as Flynn has not been well. Everyone is very excited about this new thriller. The cover is awesome with a large picture of the Eiffel Tower bigger than life itself.

Cats are squirrel watching

Kill Shot

Couldn’t resist putting this picture of Syeed and Siena watching as Mr. Squirrel approaches his bowl.

My review of THE LOST WIFE will be up on Friday. I can tell you that it is one of the best novels of the holocaust ever!

Faith

I have read all three of Jennifer Haigh’s novels. They are very good, different, edgy. But with this one, well, I think she has broken out. She has honed her craft and stepped up into the big leagues.

The story is told in the voice of a woman named Sheila McGann. Sheila has two brothers: Art and Mike. Art being the older brother, a Catholic priest living and practicing in Boston.

It’s springtime, 2002; Boston. The archdiocese is being strained past its limits. Innocent priests are being falsely accused of unbelievable atrocities against the very charges in their company. Art McGann, unfortunately, is one of these priests. He has been a highly esteemed priest all of his life. Now in his 50′s Art has settled into the priesthood for life.

Haigh pulls off this extremely complicated and exciting story with seamless prose and keen observation. She goes on to make this familiar topic oh-so-personal and unique.

The McGann family is headed by a devout Catholic mother  who considers her son, Art, the priest, her favorite child. Her husband is now living his life in what appears to be a “trance-like” stupor in his old age. He literally drank himself into this state. Even though the man does not touch the drink anymore, his brain is pretty cooked. Mike, the other brother, has already convinced himself that his brother is guilty.

Jennifer Haigh

Haigh interjects complicated situations that give the reader pause, keep you guessing, and make you think.

How shaken would your faith be if your loved one was charged with a crime? Would you unflinchingly stand beside and behind them? Most people would probably say they would. But I don’t think any of us can say for sure until confronted personally. Let’s hope we never are.

I do remember this time in our history. I remember hearing about the accusations being tossed at the priests in Boston.  l really had no conception of what was really going on. I seem to remember thinking that surely they were guilty. I’m sure I am not the only person who felt this way. After all, how could so many priests be put on the chopping block without facts. So, reading this book truly opened my eyes to this event in history.

Haigh’s deeply drawn characters deal with doubt and guilt, finding themselves second-guessing each thought.

This unputdownable path to find the truth, is told in the unflinching  solo voice of Sheila McGann.  Dealing with disgrace, wavering devotion and utter despair, Haigh gives us this exciting tale with all of its senses on fire.

FAITH by Jennifer Haigh is now available in a trade paperback form. I received my arc from Jennifer’s agent last year before it came out in Hard Cover.

How It All Began

Viking Publishing  229pages 1/2/2012 Hardcover

HOW IT ALL BEGAN by Penelope Lively, begins when Charlotte is mugged by a teenage thug, on the side streets of London. Being mugged is horrific enough, let alone ending up with a broken hip when you’re in your late 70′s.

Charlotte has lived  independently since her husband died, fifteen years ago. Now she finds herself having to depend on her daughter Rose and her son in law, Gerry. Taking care of a parent is just something you do under these kinds of circumstances. And Rose takes it in stride, never missing a beat. She tucks her mother into a spare room in her home and begins rearranging her life.

So many people become affected because of Charlotte’s situation.  It becomes like a snowball, gaining momentum. Rose is in danger of losing the carefully constructed life she’s been living all her life, and all because she becomes involved with Anton, one of my favorite characters in this novel. Anton is being tutored in English by Charlotte who taught English all her life.  Will Rose leave her boring husband?

Lord Henry is Rose’s employer. When Rose isn’t able to go on assignment with him, his niece, Marion, goes along. Marion sends a text message to her lover Jeremy. and his wife receives it instead.  And Marion makes an extremely costly business decision because of her trip.

I love the setting of the book. We spent a week tramping the quaint streets of London several years ago. I fell in love with the city and the people. We were lucky enough to hitch a ride on the London Eye. It gave us a giddy panoramic view of the city and beyond.

London Eye

Penelope Lively has just been made a dame. She is well known and loved in her country and throughout the literary world. She has penned yet another winner with this novel that deals with aging, family woes, and how a chance encounter of any kind can throw so many lives out of kilter.

I read my copy through the lending benefit from work. Looking forward to Lively’s next novel.

The Odds

Hardcover, 192 pages Penguin Group  1/19/2012

THE ODDS is a gem of a little novel that takes place mostly on the Canadian side of Niagra Falls.

One of the things I love most about O’Nan’s writing is his voice. You will read this book in his voice.  And he is writing as a woman. In his last book the protagonist was also a woman. I don’t know how he does it, but it works.

Art and Marion Fowler thought they’d done everything right. They were upstanding people in their community. They worked hard all their lives. That is, up and until Marion  lost her job. And then the company Art worked for most of his life, just let him go. Marion and Art did nothing untoward. They were simply victims of the state of affairs of our dear country. So, after going through all of their savings, and then plowing through their retirement funds,  at the brink of losing their home, they have come to a most unconventional decision. And this is where this story gains momentum.

This novel is small in size, but large in life lessons, learned. O’nan is the master of concise. Marion isn’t even sure she still loves Art when the story begins. They’ve been married so long, and been though so much together. It’s hard to know what to call the feelings she has for Art anymore. And Art, well, he’s just plugging along, trying to keep his head above water, but he thinks he’s figured out a way to save their lives and possibly their future.

Niagra Falls

The setting is Niagra Falls. The time of year is winter. The crystalline  scenes and sounds of the Falls leap off the pages, giving you a keen sense of place. I’ve visited the Falls a couple of times. They are lovely and encompassing. To build a story like this, with them as a backdrop, is pretty special.

O’Nan keeps the suspense mounting as he gallops through the final chapters. I found myself flying through the story anxious to find out the outcome. And he didn’t disappoint.

I read an advance e-edtion of THE ODDS on my Nook through Netgalley. Thanks guys!

A Walk Across The Sun

A WALK ACROSS THE SUN comes with a stellar recommendation from none other than John Grisham. He will be the first to tell you that  he doesn’t endorse other writers but,  felt compelled to do it for this book.

As you have already seen from the informative video above, Corban Addison has exposed us to a world where we learn the unthinkable. Two worlds brought together in modern slavery. How can this happen in this day and age? It almost reads like a non fiction title.

Addison traveled to Mumbai, India; witnessed this slavery, and spoke with young girls who had been sold into slavery and worked in brothels.  He has made it up close and personal by doing just this.

Two young women are orphaned and left homeless after experiencing a tsunami in their coastal community in India. They are kidnapped as they fled the devastation,  and sold through human trafficking to a brothel in the city.

On the other side of the world in the Washington D.C. area of our country, a young lawyer is reeling from the death of his baby daughter and the possible demise of his marriage. When his company offers to send him to India, he takes the offer.  His wife is in India staying with her parents. And the magic begins.

I was a bit hesitant to read this novel. This type of story can get seedy quickly, and you can find yourself bogged down in atrocity after atrocity. Many times I’ve found authors delving too deeply into the acts and deeds. But Addison has done a fine job of keeping it going without bringing it down.

I like reading about India. In fact, Abraham Verghese just emailed me from India.  I think he’s working on some research for his new novel. I sure hope so.

Restoration

Look at this awesome cover! Review coming soon. Book pubs in February. The more I think about this story, the more I am falling in love with it. A great novel to look forward to and it is coming out in trade paper.

The Winter Palace

THE WINTER PALACE by Eva Stachniak couldn’t have come along at a better time. It’s a novel of Catherine The Great. I have been seeking more information about Catherine The Great for years. There really is not much out there. Until now.

I was thrilled to find this remarkable book trailer. I think it does a fine job of setting the tone for the story.

This novel of Catherine the Great is told through the keen observation of her loyal servant, Varvara (Barbara in Polish). Varvara arrives at the Russian court as a young girl. Her mother dead, her father’s life waning, she was to be taken under the wing of the Empress Elizabeth. But instead of becoming part of the court, Elizabeth made her a servant. Someone else has their eye on this intelligent newcomer. Enter the Chancellor of Russia who teaches Varvara everything he knows about spying. She becomes his eyes and ears. He reports to Elizabeth.

When 14-year-old Princess Sophie of Anhalt-Zerbst, Germany, is brought to the Russian court by her mother, Varvara becomes her closest confidante. Elizabeth has encouraged this. Elizabeth has decided that her nephew should become her heir. And Sophie is being groomed to be his wife. The empress has never married and is childless. Unfortunately, her nephew Peter is a dolt. And he isn’t happy about this arrangement.

Varvara and Catherine become fast friends.  And their friendship deepens with trust and age. Their relationship continues far into the future and is the basis for Catherine’s rise. The story of how these two women  were able to take such control is mesmerizing.

Catherine’s name was changed from Sophie to Catherine during the ceremony to convert her faith to the Orthodox faith. The Empress had chosen to name her after her own mother. The next day Catherine and Peter were married and the saga began.

I read this prodigious novel in tandem with parts of Peter Massie’s , CATHERINE THE GREAT. His is a biography that is worthy of a Pulitzer.  Put the two together and you have an astonishing read that will fill your senses with the scents and scenes of  history and your mind with the sparkling attention to detail.

Stachniack shows us a side of Russia and Catherine the Great that we haven’t seen or heard of before. She keeps the drama tense and ongoing, encouraging swift page-turning as we near the crescendo. And what a knock out coup. This epic novel shows and tells the story of a 14 -year-old girl before her reign began. It is a pointed look at the road Catherine took to the throne. I have just discovered a second novel is in the works. This, taking up where WINTER PALACE leaves off. So, we look forward to reading Stachniack’s version of Catherine on the throne. This novel is a must read for the Russian history aficionado!

I want to thank the publishers at Bantam Books for this advance reading copy.

Going Home

Jon Katz has written many books about animals, both fiction and non fiction. His writing comes from deep within his heart. And I love his writing. GOING HOME is his newest book. Katz delves deeply into a sensitive subject. And he does it as he does all things; with simplicity and love.

Orson, a much beloved but  troubled border collie, had to be put down after biting three people one a child. A horrible decision to make. This is how Katz begins his sensitive new book.

I am so grateful for Jon Katz for writing this amazing book. I picked it up last week after hearing of the death of Jon’s beloved dog Rose. After reading about Rose for years, I felt as if I knew her. I certainly knew how Jon felt about her. And I knew immediately that he would be devastated. I actually broke down sobbing at my desk as I read his moving post about Rose.

I can’t tell you how many times customers have approached me asking for a book about dealing with grieving for a pet, both for adults and children. Katz takes both these issues under his wing with a delicate sense of balance. I believe every pet owner should have a copy of GOING HOME in their library. At first, reading it will break your heart, but, you will come through on the other end with a better understanding about death and animals.

Katz bares his soul in this amazing book as he shares unselfishly how and why he has had to put animals down in the past. No easy decision. Ever. But there are times when you have to think of your loving pet, and stop being selfish. When a pet is in pain and their quality of life is suffering, it is time to help them through. Thank God I have not had to do this. But my sweet Maurice is 20 now. He is arthritic, deaf as a stone, and has tummy troubles. But Maurice is mostly good. I pray when it is his time, he goes in his sleep.

Katz has managed to give us pet lovers exactly what we need in this thought provoking and heartrending book.

I fell  in love with another boarder collie, Izzy, in the book Izzy and Lenore, written a few years ago. The story of how Izzy became a hospice dog, going with Jon to visit dying patients, touched my heart.

Jon Katz lives on Bedlam Farm with his wife Maria and their menagerie of dogs, cats, chickens, donkey’s and various other animals. You can follow Jon at http://www.bedlamfarm.com

The book is riddled with insightful chapters full of useful information that can be read quickly and easily. One chapter deals specifically on helping children get through the death of a pet and actually preparing for this in a very special way.

I loved hearing Jon’s plan for preparation. He recommends planning a day with your pet doing all the special things they love. Little did he know as he wrote this lovely book that he would be dealing with the death of his sweet Rose soon.

This book is a must if you are a pet owner. Oddly, it is uplifting even as it is sad.