Mailbox Monday

I had a few books come in this week and they are sitting happily on my shelves waiting to be read!

****************************************************
The Silver Swan by Benjamin Black
I received this from the publisher (Picador) through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program.

"In this stunning follow-up to 2007's Christine Falls, Black (pseudonym of Booker Prize–winner John Banville) spins a complex tale of murder and deception in 1950s Ireland. Pathologist Garret Quirke, surprised by a visit from a college acquaintance, Billy Hunt, is even more surprised when Billy begs Quirke not to perform an autopsy on his wife, Deirdre, whose naked body was recently retrieved from Dublin Bay. Though everything points to suicide, Quirke knows something's amiss and begins to retrace Deirdre's steps. Black expertly balances Quirke's investigation with chapters detailing Deidre's past, from her marriage to Billy to her shady business deal with Leslie White, an enigmatic Englishman who knew Deidre as Laura Swan, the proprietress of their joint venture, a beauty salon called the Silver Swan. As Quirke digs deeper, he discovers a web of lies and blackmail that threatens to envelop even his own estranged daughter, Phoebe. Laconic, stubborn Quirke makes an appealing hero as the pieces of this unsettling crime come together in a shocking conclusion." from Publishers Weekly

I have a question for anyone who may know the answer. I didn't realize this was a sequel to Christine Falls. Do I need to read Christine Falls first?

The Facts in the Case of the Departure of Miss Finch by Neil Gaiman
I have never been a big fan of graphic novels, but this adaption of a Gaiman short story intrigued me.

"Gaiman reenlists the remarkable artist who made Creatures of the Night (2004) so staggeringly beautiful. Here Michael Zulli visualizes a much better story from Smoke and Mirrors (1998), which was excluded from its American edition. In it, a fantasy writer much like Gaiman recalls a strange night in London. Prodded out by an old pal and his wife, he meets their biogeologist acquaintance, Miss Finch, at dinner and goes with them to an odd, animal-free circus performing in the cellars underneath the train tracks near Southwark Cathedral. The audience is ambulatory, passing from one chamber to another to see various ostensibly spooky acts; scientifically skeptical Miss Finch is not amused. In the next-to-last room, Miss Finch is pulled away, stoutly protesting, by a performer who says her most ardent wish will be granted in the ninth room. It is. In his characteristic crisp pen-and-ink and watercolor, Zulli has a field day with the garish, freakish, ultimately animal (after all) circus denizens, and he renders regular London interiors and exteriors as gorgeously fore and aft of the circus sequence. --Ray Olson" from Booklist

***************************************************
Join Marcia at The Printed Page each Monday for Mailbox Monday!

Sunday Salon: My First Salon!

I've been reading Sunday Salon posts for awhile now and thought I'd join in on the fun. I spend a lot of time reading books, thinking about books, writing about books, talking about books and organizing my behemoth book collection. I also try to keep my husband's collection of books somewhat organized so that I can answer that question, "Honey, have you seen [fill in the book title here]?" So it seemed natural that I should join in on Sundays. I'm sure this additional outlet for my book mania will be a relief to family and friends that don't share this 24/7 passion.

Reading has always been an important part of my life. I've still got some of my earliest picture books -- books about farm animals, numbers, letters, elves and shoemakers, and Christmas. They are in such pristine condition that I wondered if I "read" them. My mother has assured me that I did indeed "read" them often. I just happened to be one of those kids that you could take into a china shop and not worry about the safety of the merchandise. To this day I'm pretty easy on my books.

I was first introduced to the library-as-place during elementary school. The books in that library were organized by grade level. It didn't take me long to work through many of the books in my own level and then begin exploring the shelves for the "older" kids. The summer between third and fourth grade I participated in the summer reading program. I had already determined that there were books in the sixth through eighth grade section that I was interested in reading, so I picked up a few of those books, including Dickens' David Copperfield, and headed to the check out desk. The very nice librarian took one look at my book stack and then tried shepherding me back to more "age appropriate" books. "Let me show you where you can find the books for third and fourth grade," she said smilingly. "Oh, I know where they are ... but I want to read THESE books," I replied very confidently. She looked worried. Very wisely she chose not to contest my stubborn little self and, instead, checked them out to me ... along with a note to my mother. My mom didn't seem concerned by the note, but she did check in with me several times as I worked my way through David Copperfield. "So how's the book?" she would ask. "It's VERY good," I replied. And so it was. I still have my certificate of completion for that summer reading program.

How I wish I could be a kid again and spend my summers reading! Joining in reading challenges seems to fill that desire to participate in some kind of reading program though. The latest challenge is Carl V.'s Once Upon a Time Challenge. I love reading fantasy/folklore/myth, so this challenge is right up my alley. I've created a possible list of reads for my Once Upon a Time journey. If you are interested, it is here. I need to add to that list since I forgot to include: The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle and Chernevog by C.J. Cherryh. Eeek! How could I have forgotten those two titles?? A fantasy classic (Beagle) and a story based in Russian folklore (Cherryh) should definitely be on my list.

In current reading news, I just finished a gorgeously written book by Sheila Ortego titled The Road from La Cueva. Based on some of my other reading preferences, the author contacted me about reading and reviewing her book. The book setting is New Mexico and, since I have a love for this region of the U.S., I immediately agreed. I didn't want this book to end. I want to start over at the beginning and read it again. I think I will read parts of it again before reviewing it, but look for a review of this book soon. I hope my words will do it justice.

Well, I could ramble on some more, but I want to visit some other Sunday Salon-ers and then get back to my current read, for the Once Upon a Time challenge, of course! Dreams Underfoot by Charles de Lint. It's VERY good.

Friday Fill-Ins

This week Janet took the first sentence in 6 of her favorite books and gave us the option to either complete the quotes or fill them in with our own words. I've chosen to fill them in with my own.

1. In a hole in the ground there lived Digger. (Yes, we watch NASCAR at our house.)

2. I've got too many books but that ain't no matter.

3. After dark the rain began to fall again, and the sound put me gently to sleep.

4. Gold from the hold of the Spanish galleon.

5. There was a hand in the darkness, and I wondered if there was a body to go with it.

6. Accidents ambush the unsuspecting, so I will be vigilant.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to recovering from my horrid 4.5 hour commute home tonight, tomorrow my plans include a massage and Sunday, I want to attempt my first Sunday Salon post!

Join in the fun at Friday Fill-Ins.

Once Upon A Time III

I was so excited to hear that Carl V. of Stainless Steel Droppings is hosting the third annual Once Upon a Time Challenge! According to Carl:

"Once Upon a Time is the celebration of the transformative power of literature, specifically those books which can be categorized under the headings of fantasy, fairy tale, folklore, and mythology."

One of the things I like about this challenge is that Carl makes it possible for readers to participate at whatever level works for them. The reader can commit to varying numbers and types of books within the stated genre(s), or can choose to go along for the "journey" which only commits the reader to one book. I like Carl's focus on the reader's enjoyment and sharing the experience:

"It has always been of utmost importance to me that the challenges that I host be all about experiencing enjoyable literature and sharing it with others."

I will be taking The Journey. It is better for me not to overcommit and The Journey will take the pressure off. I will probably end up reading more than the requisite "one book" since I love fantasy, fairy tales, folklore, and mythology. I would also like to join in and either read, or watch, Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream" in June. I'm not sure what June will look like for me yet, so I'll see what happens.

I spent an evening pulling books off of shelves and out of stacks and surrounding myself with reading possibilities. Here are some possible choices:

Widdershins by Charles de Lint
Moonheart by Charles de Lint
The Little Country by Charles de Lint
Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
Un Lun Dun by China Mieville
The Once and Future King by T.H. White
Tam Lin by Pamela Dean
The Secret Country by Pamela Dean

This challenge begins Saturday, March 21st and ends Friday, June 2oth. There is still time to join in the fun!

BOOK REVIEW: Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh

The Ibis is a two masted schooner that was used as a slave transport ship to run the coasts of Africa. The slave trade is no longer legal under British law in 1838, and this particular ship is unable to outrun the law ... so she must be repurposed. Purchasd by an Englishman with a lucrative business in the opium trade, Ibis is renovated. Her hold is cleared of those elements used to restrain human cargo and she is instead made ready to carry opium. It should not be lost on the reader that the Ibis, despite renovation, is still in service to slavery. She no longer carries saleable human cargo, but her new cargo is just as enslaving. The opium trade is very lucrative and those in charge of this business hold mastery over both the producers and consumers of this product.

Before her turn at transporting opium to China, Ibis is to take a trip across the Indian Ocean to the island of Mauritius. She carries indentured migrants who can hardly be discerned from slaves. It is the prelude to and first part of this voyage that is the setting for Sea of Poppies.

Along the journey, the reader is privy to some very interesting conversations on freedom and just war. The arrogance of the British trade barons is such that freedom, to them, applies to their right to freely trade in whatever lucrative business is at hand.

'D'you mean to use [the Ibis] as a slaver, sir? But have not your English laws outlawed that trade?'
'That is true,' Mr Burnham nodded. 'Yes indeed they have, Reid. It's sad but true that there are many who'll stop at nothing to halt the march of human freedom.'
'Freedom, sir?' said Zachary, wondering if he had misheard.
His doubts were quickly put at rest. 'Freedom, yes, exactly,' said Mr. Burnham. 'Isn't that what the mastery of the white man means for the lesser races? As I see it, Reid, the Africa trade was the greatest exercise in freedom since God led the children of Israel out of Egypt. Consider, Reid, the situation of a so-called slave in the Carolinas - is he not more free than his brethren in Africa, groaning under the rule of some dark tyrant?'

A just war is one that will force China to legalize opium ... for the good of free trade, of course.

'...No one dislikes war more than I do - indeed I abhor it. But it cannot be denied that there are times when war is not merely just and necessary, but also humane. In China that time has come....'
'Quite right, sir!' said Mr. Doughty emphatically. 'There is no other recourse. Indeed, humanity demands it. We need only think of the poor Indian peasant - what will become of him if his opium can't be sold in China? Bloody hurremzads can hardly eat now: they'll perish by the crore.'

These British businessmen can not see that they are the source of poverty and starvation among the "Indian peasants." There are no fields with which to grow nourishing grains and vegetables due to the mandate to exclusively plant and harvest poppies, and the money collected by the peasants for their crops is not adequate to feed their families. The peasants get no help from their countrymen because of a caste system that declares them "unclean" and less than human.

Sea of Poppies is not just a sad tale that portrays the ugly history of British traders and a restrictive Indian caste system. The story is character driven and is, at heart, a story of transformation and changeability. Some of those who find themselves on the Ibis learn the veracity of the saying that they "are all on the same ship." They are, as one character claims, "ship siblings." Neither caste, nor skin color, nor gender really matters. These are worldly complexities that can be overcome.

Sea of Poppies is the first in a proposed trilogy. Though the author does not leave the reader with a cliffhanger ending, the journey is incomplete and at a point of transition and transformation. It is gorgeously written and promises to be an epic tale indeed.

Rating: 4 of 5

***********************************
Note to other reviewers: If you've written a review for this book, please let me know by posting the permanent URL for your review in the comments. I'll be happy to add a link to your review with my post.

Also reviewed by:
Jackie at Farm Lane Books
Eva at A Striped Armchair

It's Tuesday, Where Are You?

I haven't moved far from where I was last week. It is the 1800s and I am in the Indian Ocean on a ship named Ibis. Despite the caste system, the saying is true that "we're all in the same boat." (Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh)

I will soon be embarking on a trip to the Southwest United States. (The Road from La Cueva by Sheila Ortego)

Join raidergirl3 at An Adventure in Reading and let her know where your reading is taking you this Tuesday.

Mailbox Monday

This is my first Mailbox Monday. I thought it would be a great day to join in the fun as I'm very excited about the books that came to live with me this week!

******************************************************

Lonely Werewolf Girl by Martin Millar. I had to get this book since: a) I enjoyed The Good Fairies of New York so much, and b) Nymeth thinks I'll really like it.

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. I can't believe I didn't pick this book up last year when I found it used at Bookman's in Flagstaff. What was I thinking?

Sunshine by Robin McKinley. One can't have enough vampire books, can one? I was also highly amused by the title of a rather dark book about vampires being Sunshine.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. It just sounded soooo good.

The Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith. This series is one of my "go to's" when I need a comfort read. I always read these books with a pot of red bush tea (aka rooibos) at hand. When I read the first book in this series, I was astonished at how much tea the characters drank during the course of a day! Then I found out it was rooibos, which has no caffeine.

The Road from La Cueva by Sheila Ortego. The author suggested this book and it sounded like something I would enjoy.

Two books came in for Mr. Distortion. Since his reading tastes are similar to mine, I'll be reading these as well:

Grave Peril (Dresden Files #3) by Jim Butcher
Grave Goods (Mistress of the Art of Death #4) by Ariana Franklin

Join Marcia at The Printed Page each Monday for Mailbox Monday!

Friday Fill-Ins

1. Why do we have to sleep? (I could read more if I didn't need sleep.)

2. Taking a daily walk and drinking plenty of water are now habits.

3. I have a wry sense of humor.

4. I had never heard the phrase "putting on the dog" and it made me run to the nearest book of quotations to satisfy my curiosity.

5. Don't stay up too late on Sunday night the way I always do.

6. How was I to know I wouldn't mind getting older.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching the series finale of Battlestar Galactica, tomorrow my plans include having a leisurely breakfast out with my husband and Sunday, I want to go to church and then come home and READ!

Join in the fun at Friday Fill-Ins.

Questions, questions ...

One way to strike fear into the heart of this librarian is to ask me to interpret the APA style manual (Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association). Can even the APA interpret this?? I am convinced that the manual is intentionally complex so as to require users to need counseling. I'm an MLA style guide kinda gal.

I also get FANTASTIC questions like:

Can you research this topic and give me the 10 most relevant scholarly articles? (Yes, I've actually been asked to do this by a student. Guess what the answer was???)

I'm looking for a book that ... like ... explains words? (Oh, you mean a dictionary? Last time I looked, the school had the word "university" in its name.)

There are these articles, that the library doesn't have, that I need by tomorrow? (Yes, it is quite appropriate to turn that statement into an interrogative because, no, we can't get it for you by tomorrow.)

I love my job. It's like being part of a comedy troupe some days.

It's Tuesday, Where Are You?

Today I am in 1880s India and the Ibis has just docked in Calcutta. The Ibis is a former slaver (slave ship) that is to be refurbished as a transport for opium to China. I've just had to walk through an opium manufacturing facility and was sickened by much of what I saw. I don't know what the future holds, but I suspect it will have something to do with a vision I had of a large two-masted schooner. (Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh)

Join raidergirl3 at An Adventure in Reading and let her know where your reading is taking you this Tuesday.

BOOK REVIEW: Empress of Asia by Adam Lewis Schroeder

The Empress of Asia opens as Harry Winslow's dying wife tells him that Michel Ney, a WWII buddy, is still alive and that Harry must go to Thailand and see him. This begins Harry's quest to a remote area of Thailand to reconnect with his past ... or so he thinks.

Harry Winslow is a wild youth with a love for Fats Waller music and an itch to see the world. Harry joins the merchant marine and finds himself on a ship called the Empress of Asia. The Empress is sunk by the Japanese, near Singapore, and Harry is transported to the island where he wanders, unsure what to do next. During his brief time in Singapore, Harry meets and marries Lily. Married for only one night, the couple is separated and find themselves in POW camps on different islands. Neither Harry nor Lily know whether the other is alive until, years later, Harry is brought back to Singapore and placed in a POW camp just a few short miles from Lily. The POWs are liberated by Allied troops and Harry and Lily are reunited. What Harry doesn't know, is that Lily carries a painful secret during the length of their married life. It is upon her deathbed that she gives her husband the cryptic message that he must go to Thailand to see Michel.

I thought I was reading a love story when I began this book and was quite surprised to find myself reading an adventure story instead. Harry Winslow survives jailbreaks, horrendous conditions in POW camps, and dangerous sea crossings. What is missing from the majority of the book is a sense of Harry himself. Harry seems oddly removed from his horrendous circumstances and shows little ambition to try and change them. Instead, he is malleable to the whims and plans of others. Michel Ney is a loyal friend and Harry owes much of his survival to this man; yet when Harry discovers just how much Michel has done for him, he is as reflective and emotional as a doorknob. Because of this, I found it hard to connect with either Harry or his plight.

The last section of the novel brings resolution to the mystery at the beginning. Though I felt that the "payoff" at the end was too little, the author did bring some symmetry and beauty to that ending. Perhaps the point of the book is simply about the human will to survive. Schroeder provides a moving metaphor for this when, toward the end of the story, Harry comes across bowls of live snakes and turtles for sale at a Thai market:

"... the snakes just slither around in the bottom but ... the turtles are stacked one on top of the other and in the fifteen seconds that I'm watching one of them drags himself to the top and flips onto the pavement! ... Gumboot plunks him back in. ... [T]he next turtle takes his turn over the side. And if they're all going to end up in the soup anyway, why should the ones on the bottom give two shakes if the ones on top have a little more ambition? In the meantime the snakes just lay there wondering which minute is going to be their last, so which bowl would you rather have been in?"

Harry realized in that instant that he had lived his life as one of the snakes. He looks forward to discussing this with Michel over beer.

Harry's challenge is to move beyond mere survival and go forward with the life he has rather than the life he imagined was his. He has lived a shuttered existence since his liberation and neither traveled great distances nor resolved his distrust of the Japanese. The beautiful ending of the Empress of Asia opens Harry to the greater world and to the love of others.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Note: Foreign terms are used throughout the book and, while the book doesn't contain a glossary, Schroeder has provided one at his website.

******************************************
Note to other reviewers: If you've written a review for this book, please let me know by posting the permanent URL for your review in the comments. I'll be happy to add a link to your review with my post.

BOOK REVIEW: The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar

First line: "Dinnie, an overweight enemy of humanity, was the worst violinist in New York, but was practicing gamely when two cute little fairies stumbled through his fourth-floor window and vomited on the carpet."

With a first line like that, a recommend from Nymeth, and an introduction by Neil Gaiman ... well ... I just had to read this book!

The Good Fairies of New York is an urban fantasy of a different sort. It is a comedic look at the gritty urban landscape. The typical urban overload is present, but is overlaid by a hilarious fairy romp and an unlikely human romance.

Heather and Morag, two Scottish thistle fairies, have been run out of Scotland for desecrating clan icons. They are hard drinking, argumentative, vain and jealous and can always take a good situation and turn it bad. They also want to start a punk rock band. Not your typical Disney fairies.

"Dinnie stared glumly at the wall. If he had believed in fairies, he wouldn't have expected them to spend all their time bitching about each others' hairstyles."

These two contentious fairies bring an unlikely couple of humans together. Dinnie is an overweight and rude man who is "the worst violinist in New York." Kerry is a sweet natured, poor artist with blue hair and Crohn's disease. While Dinnie is aimless, Kerry has two goals: to win a community art contest with her ancient Celtic flower alphabet, and learn to play the entire repertoire of the New York Dolls on her guitar. Heather and Morag leave mayhem in their wake as they try to join these two humans, including a massive ethnic war between the Italian, Chinese, and Ghanian fairies.

Meanwhile, a crazed homeless woman stalks the streets of NYC thinking she is the ancient Greek general Xenophon, the ghost of New York Dolls' Johnny Thunders searches the city for his stolen Gibson guitar, and rehearsals take place for an avant-garde version of "A Midsummer Nights Dream."

Those who are from or have ever lived in a big city will recognize the insanity presented by Millar in this tongue-in-cheek look at life amidst the urban chaos. Morag sums it up well when she notes:

"Being human did seem to involve some very unpleasant things."

Rating: 4 out of 5

*********************************
Note to other reviewers: If you've written a review for this book, please let me know by posting the permanent URL for your review in the comments. I'll be happy to add a link to your review with my post.

Decorating

Organizing. Decorating. It must be nearly Spring! Next I'll be cleaning out my closets and washing all the curtains.

The decorating is in reference to my blog, of course. I've added a new background and a friendly "Welcome" blinkie courtesy of The Cutest Blog on the Block. How do you like it?

Organizing

I've been organizing the blog. My list of reviewed books has grown large enough that I thought it would be nice of me to provide an author list and a title list to make it easier for anyone searching for a particular review. I've replaced the previous "Book Reviews" link in my header with Book Reviews by Author and Book Reviews by Title. These links are also on the sidebar.

I had a little trouble getting the alphabetic anchors at the top of the list to jump to the proper places in the list, but I think I figured out what I did wrong and they should now work. If anyone notices that these links are not working properly, please let me know.

It felt great to get this little task done!

BOOK REVIEW: Nighthorse Series by C. J. Cherryh

C.J. Cherryh is well known for her ability to develop wonderful ecosystems for the worlds she creates. Even though her worlds are fantastical, they always speak to what is most human. In Rider at the Gate and its sequel Cloud's Rider, Cherryh does not disappoint. We get a mostly recognizable landscape inhabited by previously starfaring humans and the native telepathic fauna. Among the native fauna of this unnamed planet is the fierce and intelligent nighthorse. Nighthorses are curious and addicted to the thoughts and emotions of the human mind and often choose a particular human to be a "rider."The symbiotic relationship that develops between nighthorse and rider is a strong connection meant to be mutually beneficial but sometimes results in a pairing of devastating proportions. Within this alien system Cherryh builds a beautiful coming of age story that captures the often painful and baffling aspects that accompany the human journey to adulthood -- desparate feelings of longing, loneliness and a desire to be independent yet "fit in."

Cherryh is known to take quite a bit of time developing her story and I suggest patience when starting this set. I didn't feel completely drawn into the story until about page 150 of the first book, but after that point couldn't put the books down.

Rating: 4 out of 5

****************************
Note to other reviewers: If you've written a review for either of these books, please let me know by posting the permanent URL(s) for your review(s) in the comments. I'll be happy to add a link to your review(s) with my post.

Book Reviews by Title

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A
After Dark by Haruki Murakami
The Arthurian Omen by G. G. Vandagriff
Asleep by Banana Yoshimoto
Austenland by Shannon Hale

B
Beautiful Maria of My Soul by Oscar Hijuelos
Black by Ted Dekker
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

C
California Girl by T. Jefferson Parker
Cloud's Rider by C. J. Cherryh
Codex by Lev Grossman
Coraline by Neil Gaiman

D
Desert Noir by Betty Webb
Down to a Sunless Sea by Mathia B. Freese
Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell

E
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Empress of Asia by Adam Lewis Schroeder
The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie

F
Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin
Fire and Hemlock by Diana Wynne Jones
Firmin by Sam Savage

G
The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson
The Gates by John Connolly
The Ghost Writer by John Harwood
Gil's All Fright Diner by A. Lee Martinez
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel
Girl with Skirt of Stars by Jennifer Kitchell
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
The Glassblower of Murano by Marina Fiorato
The Good Fairies of New York by Martin Millar
The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Grandville by Bryan Talbot
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
Gregor the Overlander Series (vol. 1-5) by Suzanne Collins

H
The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
The House at Riverton by Kate Morton
How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff

I
I Am a Cat by Soseki Natsume
In the Company of Ogres by A. Lee Martinez
Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
It's a Mod, Mod, Mod, Mod Murder by Rosemary Martin

J
Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier
The Janissary Tree by Jason Goodwin
A Jolly Good Fellow by Stephen V. Masse

K
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

L
The Little Lady Agency by Hester Browne
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

M
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Oscar Hijuelos
Mr. Darcy, Vampyre by Amanda Grange
Murder on the Eiffel Tower by Claude Izner

N
A Nameless Witch by A. Lee Martinez
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

O
"The Old Nurse's Story" in Tales of Mystery & the Macabre by Elizabeth Gaskell
Out by Natsuo Kirino

P
Perfumes: The Guide by Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez
Pride and Prescience by Carrie Bebris

Q

R
Real World by Natsuo Kirino
Rider at the Gate by C. J. Cherryh
The Road from La Cueva by Sheila Ortego
Rusalka by C. J. Cherryh

S
Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh
The Seance by John Harwood
Seldom Disappointed: A Memoir by Tony Hillerman
Silk by Alessandro Baricco
The Silver Swan by Benjamin Black (aka John Banville)
Sky Burial by Xinran
Still Life by Louise Penny

T
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
Tales of Mystery & the Macabre by Elizabeth Gaskell ("The Old Nurse's Story")
Tamsin by Peter S. Beagle
Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

U
Un Lun Dun by China Mieville
The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

V
The Vintner's Luck by Elizabeth Knox

W
What is the What by Dave Eggers
White Nights by Ann Cleeves
Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey
The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

X

Y
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

Z

Book Reviews by Author

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A
Anaya, Rudolfo
Bless Me, Ultima

B
Banville, John
The Silver Swan (as Benjamin Black)

Baricco, Alessandro
Silk

Beah, Ishmael
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier

Beagle, Peter S.
Tamsin

Bebris, Carrie
Pride and Prescience

Bennett, Alan
The Uncommon Reader

Black, Benjamin (aka John Banville)
The Silver Swan

Browne, Hester
The Little Lady Agency

C
Cherryh, C. J.
Cloud's Rider
Rider at the Gate
Rusalka

Cleeves, Ann
White Nights

Collins, Suzanne
Gregor the Overlander Series (vol. 1-5)

Collins, Wilkie
The Woman in White

Connolly, John
The Gates

D
Davidson, Andrew
The Gargoyle

Dekker, Ted
Black

Didion, Joan
The Year of Magical Thinking

du Maurier, Daphne
Jamaica Inn

E
Eggers, Dave
What is the What

Ellison, Ralph
Invisible Man

F
Fiorato, Marina
The Glassblower of Murano

Freese, Mathias B.
Down to a Sunless Sea

G
Gaiman, Neil
Coraline
The Graveyard Book

Elizabeth Gaskell
"The Old Nurse's Story" in Tales of Mystery & the Macabre by Elizabeth Gaskell

Ghosh, Amitav
Sea of Poppies

Goodwin, Jason
The Janissary Tree

Grange, Amanda
Mr. Darcy, Vampyre

Grossman, Lev
Codex

H
Hale, Shannon
Austenland
The Goose Girl

Harwood, John
The Ghost Writer
The Seance

Hijuelos, Oscar
Beautiful Maria of My Soul
The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love

Hillerman, Tony
Seldom Disappointed: A Memoir

I
Izner, Claude
Murder on the Eiffel Tower

J
Jones, Diana Wynne
Fire and Hemlock

K
Kimmel, Haven
A Girl Named Zippy

Kirino, Natsuo
Out
Real World

Kitchell, Jennifer
Girl with Skirt of Stars

Knox, Elizabeth
The Vintner's Luck

Kostova, Elizabeth
The Historian

L

M
Martin, George R. R.
Fevre Dream

Martin, Rosemary
It's a Mod, Mod, Mod, Mod Murder

Martinez, A. Lee
Gil's All Fright Diner
In the Company of Ogres
A Nameless Witch

Masse, Stephen V.
A Jolly Good Fellow

du Maurier, Daphne
Jamaica Inn

Meyer, Stephenie
Twilight
New Moon
Eclipse

Mieville, China
Un Lun Dun

Millar, Martin
The Good Fairies of New York

Morton, Kate
The House at Riverton

Murakami, Haruki
After Dark
Kafka on the Shore

N
Natsume, Soseki
I Am a Cat

O
Ortego, Sheila
The Road from La Cueva

P
Parker, T. Jefferson
California Girl

Pearce, Philippa
Tom's Midnight Garden

Penny, Louise
Still Life

Q
Quartey, Kwei
Wife of the Gods

R
Robinson, Marilynne
Gilead

Rosoff, Meg
How I Live Now

Rowling, J.K.
The Tales of Beedle the Bard

Rushdie, Salman
The Enchantress of Florence

Russell, Mary Doria
Dreamers of the Day

S
Sanchez, Tania (with Luca Turin)
Perfumes: The Guide

Savage, Sam
Firmin

Schroeder, Adam Lewis
Empress of Asia

T
Talbot, Bryan
Grandville

Turin, Luca (with Tania Sanchez)
Perfumes: The Guide

U

V
Vandagriff, G. G.
The Arthurian Omen

W
Walls, Jeannette
The Glass Castle

Waters, Sarah
The Little Stranger

Webb, Betty
Desert Noir

X
Xinran
Sky Burial

Y
Yoshimoto, Banana
Asleep

Z

BOOK REVIEW: Firmin by Sam Savage

"...twice someone asked Jerry if I was tame, and he answered the same both times, 'No, man, he's not tame--he's civilized.'"

Firmin is born in the basement of a Boston bookshop to a drunken, carousing mother. He is the runt of the rat litter, which means that he eats only after his larger and stronger siblings have satiated themselves. Firmin finds that he can fill the void in his stomach by chewing the pages of books that lay about his abode so abundantly. He literally devours books.

As he realizes that the very books he has been chewing contain words that tell stories, the little rat with an oversized head becomes a book devourer of a different sort. He reads voraciously. He thinks deeply. He is a philosopher. Yes, Firmin is a civilized rat.

Firmin spends his days living vicariously through literature. The stories he reads become his reality, providing a sense of adventure and meaning into which he can escape his desperate isolation. Over time, Firmin realizes that he doesn't really fit into the worlds of his reading and, though surrounded by words, he is unable to express himself using them. Firmin's "otherness" and difficulty using language is, perhaps, an echo of the sometimes thoughts of a writer.

It is through such human emotions that the author draws us to his rather uncomely character and makes us think about our own illusions, both literary and other.

I had not heard of this book until seeing it laying on a table at my local bookstore. I was drawn immediately by the charming cover, "gnawed" edge, and inside illustrations. A quick glance at the cover might lead you to think that this is a book for children. Do not be deceived. Firmin is a book for the adult booklover and philosopher.

Rating: 4 out of 5

*********************************
Note to other reviewers: If you've written a review for this book, please let me know by posting the permanent URL for your review in the comments. I'll be happy to add a link to your review with my post.

Also reviewed at:
NoBSBookReviews