Book Awards and Controversy
Posted: April 19, 2012 Filed under: Book Awards, Booklists 1 Comment »Pulitzer Prizes were awarded this week, but no award was given for fiction, for the first time since 1977. No explanation was offered beyond the statement, “The three books were fully considered, but in the end, none mustered the mandatory majority for granting a prize, so no prize was awarded.”
The lack of award has generated a lot of controversy, especially as many people will assume the Pulitzer board decided that none of the books deserved the prize, rather than that they were deadlocked. A three member jury, headed this year by Susan Larson, read 300 novels and presented the board with three finalists. On National Public Radio, Susan said “We were all shocked. We were angry, and we were very disappointed. This is a lot of work.” She also stated that “I think we all would have been happy if any one of these books had been selected.”
Read one or more of the finalists, and decide for yourself if the judges were stumped or disappointed. The three finalists are:
Pale King, by David Foster Wallace
Swamplandia!, by Karen Russell
Train Dreams, by Denis Johnson
The 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction was awarded to: A Visit from the Goon Squad, by Jennifer Egan.
Other 2012 Pulitzer Awards:
History - Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention, by Manning Marable
Biography - George F. Kennan: An American Life, by John Lewis Gaddis
Poetry - Life on Mars, by Tracy K. Smith
General Nonfiction - The Swerve: How the World Became Modern, by Stephen Greenblatt
In other award news, finalists for two other prizes have been announced. The Orange Prize, which started in 1996, is dedicated to excellence in fiction written in English by women. The 2011 Orange prize was awarded to
The Tiger’s Wife, by Tea Obrecht.
The 2012 Orange Prize short list is:
Half Blood Blues, by Esi Edugyan.
The Forgotten Waltz, by Anne Enright.
Painter of Silence, by Georgina Harding. This book will be published in the United States in September, 2012.
The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller.
Foreign Bodies, by Cynthia Ozick.
State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett.
Nominees for the Hugo awards for excellence in the field of science fiction and fantasy are:
Best Novel
Among Others by Jo Walton
A Dance With Dragons by George R. R. Martin
Deadline by Mira Grant
Embassytown by China Miéville
Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey
Best Novella
“Countdown” by Mira Grant (Orbit)
“The Ice Owl” by Carolyn Ives Gilman (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction November/December 2011)
“Kiss Me Twice” by Mary Robinette Kowal (Asimov’s June 2011)
“The Man Who Bridged the Mist” by Kij Johnson (Asimov’s September/October 2011)
“The Man Who Ended History: A Documentary” by Ken Liu (Panverse 3)
“Silently and Very Fast” by Catherynne M. Valente (WSFA)
Best Novelette
“The Copenhagen Interpretation” by Paul Cornell (Asimov’s July 2011)
“Fields of Gold” by Rachel Swirsky (Eclipse Four)
“Ray of Light” by Brad R. Torgersen (Analog December 2011)
“Six Months, Three Days” by Charlie Jane Anders (Tor.com)
“What We Found” by Geoff Ryman (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction March/April 2011)
Best Short Story
“The Cartographer Wasps and the Anarchist Bees” by E. Lily Yu (Clarkesworld April 2011)
“The Homecoming” by Mike Resnick (Asimov’s April/May 2011)
“Movement” by Nancy Fulda (Asimov’s March 2011)
“The Paper Menagerie” by Ken Liu (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction March/April 2011)
“Shadow War of the Night Dragons: Book One: The Dead City: Prologue” by John Scalzi (Tor.com)
Brenda
The Big Cat Nap
Posted: April 17, 2012 Filed under: Book Reviews | Tags: cozy, farming, mystery, pets Leave a comment »
The Big Cat Nap, by Rita Mae Brown & Sneaky Pie Brown
It’s been 20 years since Harry (Mary Minor) Harristeen and her pets started solving mysteries in Crozet, Virginia. If you haven’t discovered this cozy mystery series, you’re in for a treat, especially if you like small town mysteries where two cats and a dog help solve crimes. The first book is Wish You Were Here, where Harry and Miranda run the local post office. In The Big Cat Nap, Harry is concentrating on farming, and is considering selling her sunflower crop to the local grocer ahead of harvest to help finance tractor repairs. Due to a minor accident and a mechanical problem, two of Harry’s friends are referred to the ReNu collision repair shops run by Victor Gatzembizi. ReNu is known for its low cost repairs, and is recommended by the local insurance agency. When Harry drives a friend there to pick up his truck, she finds a dead mechanic instead. After another ReNu worker is killed, Harry is hot on the trail, which may lead to a local racetrack. While Harry’s cat Pewter is being quarrelsome, she still helps fellow cat Mrs. Murphy and corgi Tee Tucker protect Harry and do their own detecting. The small town Virginia setting and Harry’s circle of friends (including veterinarian husband Fair) add greatly to the appeal of these books. The cats, dogs, horses and even an owl talk amongst themselves and add to the charm.
Brenda
The Street Sweeper
Posted: April 11, 2012 Filed under: Book Reviews | Tags: historical fiction, Holocaust Leave a comment »
The Street Sweeper, by Elliot Perlman
“Tell everyone what happened here. Tell everyone what happened here.” This refrain echoes throughout this harrowing novel by Elliot Perlman. There are many plot threads in this book , but the main one tells the story of the Sonderkommando revolt at Auschwitz/ Birkenau in October 1944. Auschwitz was the most notorious of the Nazi Death Camps. The Sonderkommando or Special command units, were Jewish prisoners who were forced to work at the grisly task of burning corpses of those already murdered by the Nazis in the Gas Chambers.
When the unfortunate Jews are first transported to Auschwitz they are separated into two groups by Nazi Doctors. The healthy ones go to the right and are put to work until they die. The unhealthy ones are directed to the left and are immediately sent to the Gas Chambers.
The story is told through two of the main characters. Lamont Williams is a black ex-convict hospital intern who befriends Henryk Mandelbrot, a Jewish Holocaust Survivor who tells him of his role in the Sonderkommando Revolt before he dies of cancer at Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Mr. Mandelbrot has never told anyone about the events of October 1944.
Adam Zignelik is a failing history professor at Columbia University. He needs a research project for his work but also to help him get over the break-up of his marriage. He finds such a project in the discarded recordings and writings of Henry Border a polish immigrant Psychologist who discovers a unique way to record people’s experiences. Border hears of the events surrounding the war against the Jews by the Nazis, and decides to go over to Europe and record the memories of Holocaust survivors who have survived in the Displaced Persons Camps after the war. It is here that Henry discovers the story of the Revolt which is later corroborated by the statements of Mr Mandelbrot.
Both of these main characters are people living in the present who are touched by the ghosts of the past. The book recounts the heroic struggle of the Jewish prisoners to fight back against the demonic SS guards, who could kill them and replace them at any time. “This book has some grand themes and deals with memory, love, guilt, heroism, the extremes of racism and unexpected kindness, spans the twentieth century to the present, and spans the globe from New York to Chicago to Auschwitz.” (excerpted from the book jacket)
This is a novel to read with reverence and respect.
Joel
Ghost Story
Posted: April 9, 2012 Filed under: Book Reviews | Tags: Audiobook, Chicago, fantasy, urban fantasy 2 Comments »
Ghost Story, by Jim Butcher
Harry was dead, to begin with. Like Jacob Marley in The Christmas Carol, Harry is sent back to earth as a ghost, to solve his own murder, and because his friends are in danger. Six months ago, Harry was last seen near an island in Lake Michigan, but his body and murderer were never found. Harry, a wizard, protected Chicago, and things have gone downhill since his death. Karrin Murphy, former police officer, is even working with gangster Marcone. Harry’s apprentice Molly may be the vengeful Rag Lady, and it’s still snowing in May. Something is very wrong. While trying to learn the rules and tricks of being a ghost, Harry befriends Sir Stuart, the ghost of an 18th century marine, and Fitz, a young gang member who can hear his voice. Harry’s cat, Mister, ectomancer Mortimer, Bob the skull, and Molly can see Harry’s ghost, but everyone else is reluctant to believe it’s really him. We learn the power of memories to a ghost, retrace part of Harry’s childhood, and relive his anguish at the death of Susan, the mother of his daughter Maggie. Molly, Mortimer, and Dr. Butters have hidden depths, his fairy godmother and an archangel have unexpected advice, and the adventure has plenty of twists and turns. There’s even some humor. This is an excellent entry in the urban fantasy series that starts with Storm Front. If you enjoy audiobooks, John Glover narrates this book very well.
Brenda
April Book Discussions
Posted: April 5, 2012 Filed under: Book Discussions | Tags: Amazon rainforest, fiction, mystery Leave a comment »
In April, the book discussion groups at the library are reading two very different fiction titles. On Tuesday, April 17 at 10:00 am, the morning discussion group will meet to talk about Bootlegger’s Daughter, by Margaret Maron. This is the first book in an ongoing mystery series featuring Deborah Knott, first a lawyer and later a judge in rural North Carolina. This 1992 book won four mystery awards, which is a record. Deborah is the youngest child and only daughter of Keziah Knott, a tobacco farmer and former bootlegger. She’s also an amateur detective, often aided by her large family’s connections and local knowledge.
On Tuesday, April 24 at 7:00 pm, the evening group will discuss State of Wonder, by Ann Patchett. This contemporary novel is set in Minnesota, and in Brazil. Dr. Annick Swenson has been working in the Amazon rainforest with the Lakashi tribe, doing research on fertility treatments. Dr. Swenson has stopped communicating with the Minnesota company funding her pharmaceutical research, and Dr. Anders Eckman is sent to make contact. When he dies of a fever, Dr. Marina Singh travels to Manaus, Brazil to meet with Dr. Swenson and find out what happened to her friend Anders. Marina loses her luggage, has a bad reaction to anti-malarial pills, and reaches Dr. Swenson and the Lakashi only after great difficulty. The rainforest is frightening and amazing, and Marina is stunned to find out that the Lakashi women continue to have babies well into old age.
On April 19 at 7:00 pm, the Crime Readers will meet at Shanahan’s in Woodridge to discuss Coffin for Dimitrios, by Eric Ambler. This book group is co-sponsored by the Indian Prairie Public Library.
Copies of the books are available now at the Reference Desk in the Adult/Young Adult Department.
Brenda
Echoes of Betrayal
Posted: April 2, 2012 Filed under: Book Reviews | Tags: Audiobook, fantasy Leave a comment »
Echoes of Betrayal: Paladin’s Legacy, by Elizabeth Moon
Elizabeth Moon is an award-winning, bestselling author of fantasy and science fiction, but I find that many readers are unfamiliar with her work. I’ve read all of her books, and really enjoy her memorable fantasy novels. Echoes of Betrayal is her third in a new series of books set in Tsaia and Lyonya. They follow an older book, The Deed of Paksenarrion, originally published as a trilogy beginning with Sheepfarmer’s Daughter. Magic, politics, betrayal, adventure, romance, and military strategy are all major themes in her work. Since she writes in the Tolkien epic fantasy tradition, her world may seem familiar, with elves, gnomes, thieves, heroes, and rarely, dragons. Her current series begins with Oath of Fealty, followed by Kings of the North. Paladin Paksenarrion’s main quest was to find the rightful king of half-elven Lyonya. When it turned out to be her former commander, Duke Kieri Phelan, everyone was astonished. Two of his former captains became Count Arcolin and Duke Verrakai.
King Kieri co-rules Lyonya with his elf grandmother, the Lady of the forest. She keeps disappearing at inconvenient times, and is holding back vital information. As Kieri asks his squire Arian to marry him and they prepare for their engagement and wedding ceremonies, his human ancestors begin speaking to both of them, predicting trouble. Estil and Aliam Halveric, old friends of Kieri, play welcome larger roles in this book and in Kings of the North, especially when a poisoner is suspected.
Dorrin, Duke Verrakai, is Constable of the neighboring kingdom of Tsaia, which is unusual because she is a female duke, a mage lord, and one of the otherwise disgraced Verrakaien. When two of her squires run into danger, her reputation suffers. Squire Beclan, cousin of the young king of Tsaia, unwisely leads his squad into a trap and falls under grave suspicion when he is the only survivor.
Two of Arcolin’s captains, Selfer and Burek, wintering in the south, have trouble with a new captain, and are unexpectedly aided by Arvid Semminson, a member of the Thieves’ Guild. Arvid’s life is being slowly changed after contact with Paksenarrion and with a gnome who owes him a debt. Blind Sergeant Stammel has a choice to make, and a dragon comes into play.
Clearly another book or two will follow, which will be welcomed by her many readers. I think readers of Tamora Pierce, Tanya Huff, and David Weber will enjoy her books; I certainly do. They’re also very good as audiobooks.
Brenda
Restless in the Grave
Posted: March 30, 2012 Filed under: Book Reviews | Tags: Alaska, Audiobook, mystery Leave a comment »
Restless in the Grave, by Dana Stabenow
Alaskan P.I. Kate Shugak is happy to step down as chair of the Niniltna Native Association. At loose ends, she agrees to help out Alaskan State Trooper Liam Campbell investigate the suspicious plane crash that killed entrepreneur Finn Grant. Kate and Mutt (only half wolf) go undercover in Newenham and work at Bill’s Bar and Grill as waitress and bouncer. When they’re shoved in a chest freezer stored in Kate’s apartment, she knows their suspicions are correct. Have you met Kate and Mutt before? Kate, a short, indomitable Aleut, is amazing, but Mutt’s even cooler. You could start with the first book, the award-winning A Cold Day for Murder; the darkly funny Breakup; or jump right in with Restless in the Grave. If you are looking for a clever mystery series with plenty of adventure, great Alaskan settings, and quirky, memorable characters, Dana Stabenow’s Kate Shugak mysteries are just the ticket.
They’re also great on audio. For more about Kate and Alaska, visit the author’s entertaining website.
Brenda
A History of the World in 100 Objects
Posted: March 28, 2012 Filed under: Book Reviews | Tags: archaeology, art, history, photography Leave a comment »
A History of the World in 100 Objects, by Neil MacGregor
If you’ve ever wanted to visit the British Museum but couldn’t afford the airfare, now you don’t have too. Neil Macgregor, Director of the British Museum brings it to you in his new book.
Here are 100 carefully selected objects that represent the sum total of the progress of Humanity. All the major civilizations of the world are represented here, including Meso America (Olmec, Maya, Aztec) ; South America (Paracas, Moshe, Inca); Europe (Celts, Minoans, Athenians, Romans, Byzantium, Ottoman-Turks); the Tigris-Euphrates river valley(Sumerians, Assyrians, Lydians, Persians); Egypt and Nile delta (Ancient Egyptians); Africa (Kushites, Oba, Kilwa, Ife); Indus Valley (Gupta, Orissan, Mughal); and China (Zhou, Confucian, Han, Tang, and Ming Dynasties, Mongolia, Timurid Empire, Quig Dynasty). All of the objects are either works of art or tools that look like works of art. Some are very well known like the Rosetta Stone, Ming Vases, Beowulf’s Helmet, and The Easter Island Statues. All the world’s great religions are profiled including Buddhism, Confucianism, Judaism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism, and Christianity.
In each of 100 short chapters, MacGregor writes a brief description and history of each object, which keeps the book from getting long and boring. Photographs of the objects are beautifully rendered against mostly black backgrounds. Also included is a brief paragraph from experts in their various fields such as Archaeology, Linguistics, Ancient Literature, etc.
Here is an example of one of the interesting things one could learn from this book. This passage refers to Marco Polo and his first encounter with now world famous Chinese Ceramics:
“One of the Startling things he had seen was Porcelain; indeed, the very word ‘porcelain’ comes to us from Marco Polo’s description of his travels in Qubilai Khan China. The Italian porcellana, little piglet, is a slang word for cowry shells, which do indeed look a little like curled-up piglets. And the only thing that Marco Polo could think of to give his readers an idea of the shell-like sheen of the hard, fine ceramics that he saw in China was a cowry shell, a porcellana. And so we’ve called it ‘little piglets’ porcelain, ever since –this is if we’re not just calling it ‘china’.
A book that is very worth your while.
Joel
Intruder
Posted: March 22, 2012 Filed under: Book Reviews | Tags: science fiction Leave a comment »
Intruder, by C.J. Cherryh
Intruder is the 13th book in the Foreigner universe. C.J. Cherryh is an award-winning author of many science fiction and fantasy books. This is a good place to jump into the series, which began with Foreigner. Humans landed 150 years ago on an occupied world, and now live on the island continent of Mospheira, while the native Atevi occupy the mainland. Atevi are very tall, traditional, and concerned with numbers, manners, and alliances. Bren Cameron is the paidhi-aiji, or human interpreter and ambassador, gradually releasing to the native Atevi advanced human technology. He is allied with the Atevi ruler, the aiji Tabini. Tabini’s powerful grandmother Ilisidi sends Bren on a diplomatic mission to the new lord of the Marid, young Machigi. The Marid, a rural, conservative group, are offered alliances, new communications technology, and the possibility of trade, especially in their fine porcelain. But knowing who to trust can be very difficult with the Atevi. Ilisidi once tried to poison Bren, for example.
Meanwhile, from a different perspective, Tabini’s young son Cajeiri is feeling restricted in a high-security apartment with no windows in his rooms. When his father gives permission for Cajeiri to visit the family storerooms and decorate his suite, he opts for tapestries with animals, lots of green plants, and a large brass cage that could house a monkey-like pet called a parid’ja. Unfortunately, he doesn’t ask his pregnant mother before acquiring the pet he names Boji. Cajeiri enjoys spending time with Bren, his great-grandmother, and getting into mischief.
This book is mostly about politics and diplomacy, and about Cajeiri’s gradual coming of age. Other books in the series have more action and danger, on the planet and in space, but all are excellent reading. The Atevi are just alien enough to be fascinating and the reader never knows just what will happen next.
Brenda
The Lady in Gold
Posted: March 20, 2012 Filed under: Book Reviews | Tags: art, history, modern art, World War II Leave a comment »
The Lady in Gold, by Anne-Marie O’Connor
In June 2006, The Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer was sold at auction at Christie’s in New York for a record 135 million dollars. The buyer of the painting was Ron Lauder, who had coveted the gold portrait of Adele for years. He needed a destination painting for his new museum in New York City called the Neue Galerie. This painting had a lot of history behind it. He was willing to pay a lot of money for it. How this gorgeous painting was created, and how it came to the United States is the subject of a fascinating book by Anne-Marie O’ Connor.
The painter was Gustav Klimt, part of a new generation of artists in the early 1900s who refused to conform to convention and were instead in the vanguard of the nascent “Art for Art’s sake” movement. The subject of the painting was Adele Bloch-Bauer, a wealthy Jewish socialite, who was also ahead of her time, being an avid suffragist, chain smoker, and salon intellectual. There were also rumors that she and Gustav were lovers although nothing has been proven. Klimt produced several portraits of Adele and often used real gold leaf which added to the allure of his work. However at the time most everyone was disgusted by the overt eroticism of Klimt’s pieces and thus they did not enjoy wide popularity.
The painting resided happily on the walls of the Bloch-Bauer family’s Belvedere Estate in Vienna, until the Anschluss (March 1938) when Hitler insisted that Germany and Austria be united under the Third Reich. Jews and Jewish property were fair game for the Nazis. They stole vast art collections from all the countries of Europe, but Klimt’s works were spared because “Der Fuhrer” considered modern art to be degenerate and unwholesome. However the painting was expropriated by Viennese nationals, who were not Nazis but had no love for the Jews. The name of the painting was changed to “The Lady in Gold” so as to eradicate any connection to its Jewish owners. It survived the war and ended up in a national museum.
During the last decades of the twentieth century, modern art gained in popularity and value. Most of the Viennese Jews had perished in the holocaust, but some claimants came forward and demanded restitution for their stolen property. Litigation went on for years but finally the painting was restored to its rightful owners, the heirs of Adele and her family.
“in Vienna, the impact of the Bloch-Bauer restitution rippled out of ministries and courtrooms and into cafes and dinner parties. “It was our Austrian ‘Mona Lisa’ ” lamented Werner Furnsinn, the director of the Austrian Culture Ministry’s Commission for Provenance Research.
If you like modern art and history, then this book will be perfect for you.
Joel
