Booklists for Bookworms

The New Zombies

2012-01-16T11:26:00.001-06:00

For the last few years, it’s been sparkly, sullen vampires who’ve ruled page and screen. But slowly, steadily creeping up on the bloodsuckers, is a new version of an old favorite: the zombie. Films like Shaun of the Dead and Zombieland, plus Max Brooks’ and Seth Graham-Smith’s tongue-in-cheek books The Zombie Survival Guide and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, lead the charge with a sarcastic, wholly unique 21st century brand of humor. Other novelists have contributed a new intensity and complexity that comment on modern society and politics—or make some very intriguing changes to the traditional zombie genre. Zombie books are hitting the bestseller lists hard, and readers cannot wait to devour them.

The Walking Dead, Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore, 2004, Image Comics (Horror/ Graphic Novel).

When small-town sheriff Rick Grimes wakes up from a gunshot-induced coma, the concerned faces of his family and friends do not surround him. Instead, the dead have become the undead, moaning and groaning and eating brains. For all intents and purposes, life as Rick knows it is over. There are few explanations here, and the story is better for it—Rick and the reader are flung headfirst into a ruined world and forced to battle hoards of reeking zombies for a very slim chance at survival. As Rick desperately searches for his missing wife and son in this, the first volume of the graphic novel series that inspired AMC’s hit TV show of the same name, authors Kirkman and Moore craft a compelling, character-driven story supported by black-and-white artwork that is finely detailed (and very often violent, zombies not being for the faint of heart). It’s human relationships that are at the heart of The Walking Dead, and the twists and turns that this new life throws at Rick and the other survivors are consistently thrilling and surprisingly thoughtful. The Walking Dead, Vol. 15: We Find Ourselves came out in December 2011—just in time for a very gory Christmas.

The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman and Tony Moore

Vol. 1: Days Gone Bye

Vol. 2: Miles Behind Us

Vol. 3: Safety Behind Bars

Vol. 4: The Heart’s Desire

Vol. 5: The Best Defense

Vol. 6: This Sorrowful Life

Vol. 7: The Calm Before

Vol. 8: Made to Suffer

Vol. 9: Here We Remain

Vol. 10: What We Become

Vol. 11: Fear the Hunters

Vol. 12: Life Among Them

Vol. 13: Too Far Gone

Vol. 14: No Way Out

Vol. 15: We Find Ourselves

Zombies vs. Unicorns edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier, 2010, Margaret K. McElderry Books (Short Story Collections/ Young Adult Fantasy).

This wildly inventive short story collection pits the undead against an unlikely foe: unicorns. Yep, unicorns with their pointy horns and ability to sniff out virgins go head-to-head with the moaning, groaning zombie. Though the unicorns are entertaining (Meg Cabot’s unicorns literally fart rainbows in “Princess Prettypants” and the mythical beasts prove surprisingly unnerving in stories like Margo Lanagan’s “Thousand Flowers” and Diana Peterfreund’s “The Care and Feeding of Your Baby Killer Unicorn”), it is zombies—in this blogger’s opinion, at least—that get the last laugh. Carrie Ryan continues to build on the worldwide zombie apocalypse she began in The Forest of Hands and Teeth with her story, “Bougainvillea.” Libba Bray’s “Prom Night” and Scott Westerfeld’s “Inoculata” both feature teens in a world that’s short on living adults but overflowing with undead ones. And tales like Alaya Dawn Johnson’s haunting “Love Will Tear Us Apart” and Maureen Johnson’s satirical “Children of the Revolution” stand the zombie tradition on its head. Editors Holly Black (Team Unicorn) and Justine Larbalestier (Team Zombie) debate the finer points of rotting flesh-eater vs. magical horse in witty asides between stories (the controversy began one day during the comments section of Justine's blog). Much more than just a clever gimmick, Zombies vs. Unicorns is full of strange, suspenseful, captivating stories.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan, 2009, Delacorte Press (Young Adult Fantasy/ Horror).

In Mary’s world, there are two kind of people: her fellow villagers who dwell under the protection of the religious Sisterhood, and the hoards of the Unconsecrated undead who claw at the village’s fences. Despite the zombies—many of who bear the faces of former loved ones—Mary’s life is simple. The Sisterhood is preparing her for a preordained marriage and Mary will go live with her new husband. She’s in love with another young man, but the Sisterhood’s rules are what keep the village safe. But Mary’s love triangle takes a new turn when the zombies breach the fence and overrun the village. Now Mary and a few others—including her fiancé and the boy she loves—are on their own. A few gated paths wind through the forest, but no one knows where they lead. And the Unconsecrated are always nearby, lurking just on the other side of that deceptively secure chain-link fence. The combination of horror and an old-fashioned way of life is unique, and the suspense runs high. Author Carrie Ryan crafts a detailed new world, with causes and consequences that propel the story forward into two sequels that together create an intense new zombie mythology.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth Trilogy by Carrie Ryan

1. The Forest of Hands and Teeth (2009)

2. The Dead-Tossed Waves (2010)

3. The Dark and Hollow Places (2011)

Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, 2009, Tor Books (Fantasy/ Science Fiction/ Steampunk/ Horror).

1863. The Alaskan Gold Rush is in full swing, and inventor Leviticus Blue is commissioned to build an immense steam-powered ice-drilling machine. But then Dr. Blue’s Incredible Bone-Shaking Drill Engine comes bursting out of his Seattle basement and destroys the city. Worse, the machine opens a vein of toxic subterranean gas (dubbed “the Blight”) that turns everyone who breathes it into zombies. Sixteen years later, Seattle is an abandoned wreck surrounded by a wall that keeps the Blight’s rotting victims contained. Outside the wall, Blue’s widow Briar Wilkes lives with her son Zeke. When Briar won’t answer Zeke’s questions about his father, the boy sneaks into the city. Briar goes after him, and soon they meet a rag-tag crew of survivors who have eked out a life for themselves. Some of these survivors help mother and son, and some hinder (including mad scientist Dr. Minnericht, who bears an eerie resemblance to the infamous Levi Blue), but all of them add to the action-packed adventure of Boneshaker. Author Cherie Priest paints a vivid portrait of an alternate Seattle, gives readers a delightful pair of heroes with wiseass Zeke and tough-as-nails Briar, and throws in lots of good and gory zombie action.

Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel, 2011, Del Ray/ Ballantine Books (Young Adult Science Fiction/ Steampunk/ Fantasy).

Romance with a zombie? That’s hard to swallow! In the year 2195, a new civilization modeled after the prim-and-proper Victorian Era rises from the ashes of natural disasters and war. Nora Dearly is a New Victorian who should be focused on social calls and marriage rather than on politics and history. But then Nora is kidnapped by a band of zombies—zombies who don’t want to eat her up. The so-called Lazarus Virus reanimates the infected, but a lucky few manage to keep their bodies whole and their minds clear. Bram Griswold is a solider in this unique zombie army, and it’s up to him to convince Nora that they’re actually allies. Soon, Nora is loosening her corset to make room for a holster and gun, growing close to the handsome and helpful Bram, and blowing open a massive conspiracy involving her recently-deceased scientist father, the anti-Victorian counter-culture known as the Punks, and a mysterious undead army that is considerably less friendly and more hungry than Bram’s group. This is not your traditional “eat-your-brains” zombie story—it’s an imaginative adventure with dashes of dark humor and steamy romance. And like any good young adult sci-fi novel, there’s a sequel (Dearly, Beloved) already in the works.

Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament by S.G. Browne, 2009, Broadway Books (Fantasy/ Dark Humor).

Andy Warner died in a car crash. After his preserving treatment at the funeral home but before being buried, Andy woke up as a zombie. This is not incredibly unusual; it just happens sometimes. But zombies are not exactly welcomed back into polite society. Instead they’re considered less-than-human and policed by Animal Control. Andy’s too dazed to mind at first (he can’t even talk because his lips are stitched together) but he finds time to attend Undead Anonymous meetings. There he meets a sexy suicide named Rita and undead stoner Jerry. When fellow zombie Ray introduces the trio to the joys of the afterlife, Andy finds himself refusing to sit in the back of the bus and picketing for zombie civil rights. With pretty Rita at his side, Andy might get used to life-after-death—unless the human “breathers” have anything to say about it. Feeling sympathy for a zombie is new for most readers, but that’s what makes Breathers such a unique read—it’s gruesome, endearing, and darkly comic all at the same time. Author S.G. Browne describes his debut novel as a zom-rom-com, a zombie romantic comedy. With a genre-bending label like that, what more can you ask for?

Zone One by Colson Whitehead, 2011, Doubleday Books (Science Fiction).

The zombie apocalypse has come and (mostly) gone. Mark Spitz survived, and so did lots of other people. Okay, maybe not “lots,” but enough for the reformed government to set up a few refugee camps and attempt to rebuild. Manhattan has been cleared of all but the “stragglers”—zombies that, for whatever reason, are stuck repeating some mundane former behavior instead of chasing after the living. Part of a three-person sweeper crew, Mark Spitz tags and bags the leftover undead and tries to cope with his—and everyone else’s—PASD (Post-Apocalyptic Stress Disorder). As his team frees the city of its dead, he reflects on life before “Last Night,” other survivors he hunkered down with, and his new life among the slogans, sponsors, and theme songs of the new era (“Stop! Can You Hear the Eagle Roar?” [theme from Reconstruction]). The future is a tentative thing, and Mark Spitz is both lulled by its promise and wary of it—and with good reason, because it’s only when you let your guard down that the zombies get close enough to bite. Satirical and darkly clever, Zone One is a fresh, intelligent examination of the zombie genre, a probing examination of what it means to be a survivor, and a searing look at what it means to be human.

Video Game Books

2011-12-13T11:55:00.000-06:00

Video games: They began as dinky pixelated images where the goal was to eat fruit and run from ghosts (poor old Pac-Man). Now they’re complex, visually stunning stories in which you can fight wars, search for treasure, and build cities. Books that incorporate this changing, challenging technology toy with reality, critique modern society—and afford readers a chance to really, truly, geek-out like crazy.

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, 2011, Crown Publishers (Science Fiction).

In the year 2044, the environment and the economy have gone to shit. People are poor, sick, and miserable—except when they’re in the OASIS, a completely immersive online video game where they can be fabulous beauty queens or dragon-slaying wizards. The OASIS provides education, jobs, and alternate lives that are ten times more fulfilling than anything the beat-up, worn-down real world can offer. For teenager Wade Watts, the OASIS is his ultimate escape—because it’s creator, eccentric techno-genius James Halliday, left a treasure hunt embedded in the game that leads to a billion dollar real-world fortune and complete control over the OASIS. Halliday was obsessed with the 1980s, the decade of his youth, and Wade (and the rest of the world) have followed in his footsteps, studying John Hughes movies and Atari video games for clues to Halliday’s “Easter egg.” And when Wade gets to the first clue before anyone else—even the soulless minions from the evil IOI corporation—the world (online and offline) will never be the same. Sweet, funny, clever, and quirky, with a cast of badass (ok, geeky) gamers, ‘80s trivia galore, and a Hollywood movie adaptation already in the works, Ready Player One is, quite simply, a winner.

For the Win by Cory Doctorow, 2010, Tor Books (Young Adult Science Fiction).

The future’s not all fun and games—not for everyone. Sure, people around the world are engrossed in complex, online video games, but the system has been corrupted. Kids work as slave labor for big bosses, farming virtual gold and prizes from the games that are then sold—for a big profit—to rich gamers who can afford to cut corners. Matthew Fong works his virtual magic in poor conditions for small wages so Boss Wing can reap the rewards. Leonard, aka Wei-Dong, stays up all night in L.A. so he can work online with a ragtag team out of China. Mala, known as General Robotwallah, leads an “army” of kids in India through the games under the watchful eyes of Mr. Banerjee. But when any of these skilled young gamers try to strike out for themselves under their own terms, they’re met with threats and violence. Enter Big Sister Nor, a factory-worker-turned-gamer who’s out to lead a worldwide rebellion—online and off—against the bosses and owners. With an international cast of characters whose stories sweep across the globe, For the Win is authentic and exciting. There’s plenty of social commentary here, but this is one thrilling call to action.

The Unidentified by Rae Mariz, 2010, Balzer and Bray (Young Adult Science Fiction).

In the not-too-distant future, education has been taken over by corporations. Malls are converted to Game Centers, and students learn by—you guessed it—shopping. Connected to each other by high-tech digital devices, playing complex video games in a simulated consumer environment, the most popular kids earn the highest Game scores. Katey “Kid” Dade is decidedly not popular; she just wants to make music with her friends and get along with her mother at home. But then Kid’s curiosity is roused when a group calling itself the Unidentified pulls a daring anti-corporate prank. Ironically, Kid’s investigation into this act of rebellion makes her more appealing to the corporations, and soon Kid’s been “branded”—contracted by sponsors as a “trendspotter” who acts as a spokesperson. As Kid longs for her previous anonymity and digs deep into the Unidentified’s secrets, she begins to question the society she belongs to. And as any reader of dystopian fiction knows, shaking up the status quo leads to all kinds of trouble. Compulsively readable and pitch-perfect when it comes to depicting the life of the average high schooler, The Unidentified is a compelling glimpse into a future that’s not so very different from our own technology-dependent lives.

Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card, 2002, Starscape Books, originally published in 1985 (Science Fiction).

Years ago, an alien race invaded earth—twice. By sheer chance, a single commander of the International Fleet managed to defeat the “buggers.” But humans live in fear that they will attack again, and the International Fleet has spent years developing an intense program to train the next generation of all-star commanders. The students at Battle School are children, little boys and girls who nevertheless possess razor-sharp intellect and an instinct for strategy. The top student is Ender Wiggin, just six years old when he leaves his family. Ender is different, and special. Video games, battle simulations, and a fantasy game with a twisted psychological component—plus isolation, bullying, the knowledge that his failure means the end of life of earth, and an uncanny ability to survive and thrive—turn Ender into the ultimate fighting machine. And though Ender may be the earth’s last and best hope, he’s never been predictable—and the buggers are still out there. Despite Ender’s fierce determination, he’s a sympathetic character who’s never allowed to make any plans for his future or stray from the destiny he’s been chosen for. Smart, suspenseful, and thoughtful, Ender’s Game has become a classic of the science fiction genre.

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang, art by Thien Pham, 2011, First Second Books (Graphic Novels/ Fantasy).

It was a Pac-Man arcade game in a Chinese restaurant and for six-year-old Dennis Ouyang, it was love at first sight. But Dennis’ parents have different ideas: good grades, college, med school. So young Dennis never plays a video game until he’s in college. Then—the day after his father dies of liver cancer—Dennis finally gets his hands on a video game system. He’s a natural, and gaming becomes his life even when he flunks out of school. But when Dennis is visited by a quartet of quirky cartoon angels straight off the front of a greeting card, he’s quickly back on track, video game-free and on his way toward the future his father always envisioned for him: a successful career as a gastroenterologist. As Dennis tries to ignore the visions of pixelated video game characters that dance in his head, artist Thien Pham inks cartoon panels in subtle shades filled with energetic characters and the wry humor of author Gene Luen Yang. Level Up is a smart, savvy meditation on what can happen when you try to juggle what you want and what’s expected of you with the twists and turns that life can take all on its own.

JPod by Douglas Coupland, 2006, Bloomsbury Books (Fiction/ Humor).

Ethan Jarlewski is a video game designer at a big Vancouver company. Dream job? Not when his most recent assignment is to add a cuddly turtle character to the nearly-complete skateboarding game that’s already been in production for months. As Ethan and the quirky coworkers in his cubicle group—they’re the jPod, because all their last names begin with J—find as many ways as possible to not do their work (reminiscing about the ‘90s, surfing the internet, playing video games, writing letters to Ronald McDonald), Ethan’s life takes a series of very strange turns. His mother grows and sells marijuana. His struggling-actor father needs constant pep talks. His real estate agent brother is into human trafficking. Kaitlin, the pretty new jPodder, is taking her sweet time in warming up to the jPod in general and Ethan in particular—though she shows a pleasing penchant for rearranging the keys on Ethan’s keyboard. And the other jPodders just get weirder and weirder. As the insanity of Ethan’s life builds and builds, and the wordplay and wit of JPod never let up—and author Douglas Coupland writes himself into the story. Chock-full of pop culture references and brimming with 21st century sarcasm and irony, JPod is a strange, silly, satirical look at the strange, silly, satirical modern world that we live in.

Reamde by Neal Stephenson, 2011, William Morrow Books (Science Fiction).

I’m still on the library waiting list for this one, so as soon as the 312 people ahead of me finish the book, you’ll be able to read all about it here!

Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Grows Up

2011-10-20T10:40:00.002-05:00

Remember reading those old “Choose-Your-Own-Adventure” stories when you were a kid? With opening sentences like “You are a deep sea explorer searching for the famed lost city of Atlantis” or “You stand on the deck of the RMS Titanic, the brand new White Star ocean liner,” you knew immediately that there was adventure in store. And then there’s the added thrill of getting to decide what happens next: “If you choose to return to the island, go to page 12. If you decide to follow Jenny into the abyss, go to page 38.” The adventures were straightforward, the choices were good or bad—ah, how simple life was. But now that you’re an adult, choosing your own storybook adventure is more complex, sassier, sexier, gorier, and helluva lot more interesting.

Pretty Little Mistakes: A Do-Over Novel by Heather McElhatton, 2007, Harper Books (Interactive Books/ Fiction).

Ah, high school graduation, that time when “the real world” seems to contain every and any possibility. This hopeful moment is where Pretty Little Mistakes begins. A few key life choices can result in your shacking up with a handsome Italian, blown to bits by a pipe bomb when you’re working as a doctor in Africa, running away to join the circus, or pecked to deaths by ducks when you become a meth addict after flunking out of college. The choices here will lead you all over the world and into a variety of professionals ranging from sex-phone operator to scholar. You’ll get married, impregnated, and divorced (not always in that order). You’ll be a rousing success and a miserable failure. The possibilities are endless. And if you don’t like where life leads you, you can always go back and start over. After all, everyone deserves a do-over.

You Are a Miserable Excuse for a Hero! by Bob Powers, 2008, St. Martin’s Griffin Press (Interactive Books/ Humorous Fiction).

You’re a loser. You’re a thirtysomething wannabe actor, working as waiter, and the girl you went out with last night has been kidnapped. Her kidnappers call you in the morning, waking you up and demanding fifty thousand dollars for her safe return. You don’t have fifty thousand dollars. You don’t even know if you like this girl all that much. But you could be a hero…or you could get drunk and go back to sleep. There are happy endings here, where you got to grad school and raise a family and make a life for yourself surrounded by loved ones. There are also really sucky endings, with torture and murder and unwanted pregnancy. But most of all, there’s plenty of sarcasm, dark humor, and utter nonsense. It’s everything your average childhood “Choose-Your-Own-Adventure” story is not, and that’s what makes You Are a Miserable Excuse for a Hero! so addictively entertaining.

Lost in Austen: Create Your Own Jane Austen Adventure by Emma Campbell Webster, 2007, Riverhead Books (Interactive Books/ Historical Fiction).

If you love Jane Austen, if you’ve read all her novels, watched the BBC Pride and Prejudice until you know it by heart, if you long to go to Lyme to see the spot where Louisa Musgrove fell, then Lost in Austen is the book for you. As Elizabeth Bennett, you have intelligence and wit and some portion of beauty, but not a lick of money. You wish to marry for love; your meddling mother wants you to marry for money. As you make choices that may lead to dashing Mr. Darcy or to drippy Mr. Collins (and every other Austen hero from steadfast Captain Wentworth to caddish Willoughby) you gain or lose points for Accomplishments, Connections, and Fortune that will attract or repel possible suitors. There’s a delightfully wicked sense of humor at play as well, with plenty of sass and tongue-in-cheek criticism. Austen fans will happily get lost over and over again.

Can You Survive the Zombie Apocalypse? by Max Brallier, 2011, Gallery Books (Interactive Books/ Horror).

How many times have you found yourself hollering at the idiot characters in horror movies as they insist on finding the source of that creepy noise when they should be running for their lives? Well, here’s your chance to set things right. You’re a young businessman in the city when all hell breaks loose and zombies take over Manhattan. You’re first choice: get to your apartment, catch the next taxi, or take the subway out of town. These three paths lead to such life-and-death decisions like: Ax or shotgun? Run or stand your ground? Save the girl or save your ass? Sometimes you end up just another zombie, stumbling around and moaning for brains. Sometimes you’re the big hero, guns blazing as you lead crowds of grateful schoolchildren to safety. It’s action-packed, gory as all get out, and every bit as much fun as the best zombie horror flicks on the big screen.

The Raging Tide, or The Black Doll’s Imbroglio by Edward Gorey, 1987, Beaufort Books (Interactive Books/ Picture Books/ Humorous Fiction).

Edward Gorey is well-known for his grown-up picture books and his macabre sense of humor. In The Gashlycrumb Tinies, an entire alphabet of small children meets their makers in all manner of devilishly entertaining ways. In The Doubtful Guest, an surprise visitor makes himself quite content in the midst of a household that’s too polite to tell him to go away. And in The Raging Tide, Skrump, Naeelah, Figbash, and Hooglyboo engage in nonsense, guided by your very own expertise. If you think it is clever when Hooglyboo crams Figbash into a vase, turn to page 11. If all this seems “too terrible to contemplate,” turn to page 29. You may also, on another page, choose to visit the Dogear Wryde Topiary Gardens (page 26) or tour the Villa Amnesia (page 23). Nonsense indeed, but in the grand tradition of Edward Gorey, it’s nonsense that you can’t get enough of.

Meanwhile: Pick Any Path—3,856 Story Possibilities by Jason Shiga, 2010, Amulet Books (Interactive Books/ Graphic Novels/ Children’s Science Fiction).

On the first page of this intricate, creative comic book, you’re a little cartoon boy in an ice cream shop deciding between chocolate and vanilla. If you choose chocolate, you follow a brown tube-like line that leads up and around to a tab on a different page. The vanilla line leads you straight off one page and onto another. You continue to follow these lines up, down, right, left, backwards, and forwards as you jump from page to page and wind your way through panels that feature a mad scientist, parallel universes, quantum mechanics, and a giant squid. Sometimes, you save the world. Sometimes, you destroy all life on the planet. Either way, you learn about math and science and—believe it or not—have a whale of a time doing it. Ostensibly for children, Meanwhile will captivate readers of every age with its mind-bending tricks, wily ways, and unexpected endings.

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

2011-09-27T19:06:00.003-05:00

It’s been 146 years since John Wilkes Booth walked into a theater and shot Abraham Lincoln in the head. But our collective interest in that event has not dimmed. Consider a few details from that fateful night—Booth had only a few hours to plan the assassination; Lincoln had recurring dreams and premonitions about his death; Booth knew the play so well that he could anticipate the crowds’ laughter to cover the sound of the shot. And then there’s the remarkable cast of supporting characters—Mary Surratt (the first woman in American history to be executed by the federal government), Secretary of State William Seward (who survived a near-fatal assault by another assassin at the exact moment Booth was killing Lincoln), and Robert Lincoln (Abe’s son who would be at hand to witness two more presidential shootings). It’s no wonder we’re still fascinated by the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln Shot: A President Remembered by Barry Denenberg, illustrated by Christopher H. Bing, 2008, Feiwel and Friends Books (Nonfiction/ Children’s Picture Book/ Biography).

Purporting to be a commemorative edition of the (fictional) 1866 National News, published on the one-year anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s death, this striking (and large—it’s nearly two feet tall) picture book combines history with the art of book design to present an object that is both a pleasure to read and a wealth of information. Faux-contemporary articles narrate the events at Ford’s Theater; cover the hunt for Booth and the conspirators’ trial; and provide biographies of Lincoln, his family, and his generals. Photographs, posters, maps, and original artwork by Christopher H. Bing—combined with yellowed pages, old-fashioned type, and advertisements from the era—complete the illusion that we’re reading an antique 19th century newspaper documenting the crime that changed the nation. And it’s an illusion readers are more than willing to buy into, given that its creators have gone to such lengths to make it so authentic and so engrossing.

Lincoln’s Assassins: Their Trial and Execution—An Illustrated History by James L. Swanson and Daniel R. Weinberg, 2006, William Morrow Books (Nonfiction/ Civil War History).

The assassination is not just the story of John Wilkes Booth and Abraham Lincoln. Sure, we know dramatic details like Booth’s theatrical leap to the stage after the shooting, but this illustrated history gathers all the lesser-known but no less compelling facts of the case—Booth’s numerous schemes and failed plans before his final successful murder attempt, the extensive network of Confederate spies and sympathizers that Booth relied on, Booth’s dramatic escape and capture, and the trial and execution of the men (and woman) who aided him. The story is conveyed through detailed summaries written by two men who are assassination experts. Reproductions of newspapers articles and illustrations cover nearly every page, and the haunting faces of Booth’s accomplices stare out from their post-capture portraits. It’s a bit morbidly fascinating, but this astonishing collection of images provides one of the most accurate, intelligent, and comprehensive looks at the Lincoln assassination.

Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson, 2006, William Morrow Books (Nonfiction/ Civil War History).

James L. Swanson, co-author of Lincoln’s Assassins, here focuses on the events immediately after Lincoln’s murder. An angry, bitter, South-sympathizing Booth stumbles across an unforeseen opportunity, acts on it, and flees into the night. The next twelve days will shock a nation still reeling from the barely-ended Civil War. Manhunt becomes a gripping page-turner as Booth literally breaks a leg during his dramatic leap to the stage, cons his way across the bridge to Maryland, hides in the woods for days with his naïve accomplice David Herold, and makes a desperate bid for safety in the Deep South. Booth’s obsessions and hatreds, his deep-seated desire for fame and notoriety, his immense ego—not to mention his ill-luck and miserable mistakes—take center stage here, and the results are compelling. Swanson picks up where Manhunt leaves off with Bloody Crimes: The Chase for Jefferson Davis and the Death Pageant for Lincoln’s Corpse.

The Assassin’s Accomplice: Mary Surratt and the Plot to Kill Abraham Lincoln by Kate Clifford Larson, 2008, Basic Books (Nonfiction/ Biography/ Civil War History).

One of the most compelling characters in the story of the Lincoln assassination is Mary Surratt, the only female conspirator and the first woman executed by the federal government. Mary was the mother of John Surratt, one of Booth’s most infamous accomplices. Booth was a constant visitor at the Surratt boarding house in Washington, D.C.—he even visited Mary the day of the murder. In short, the Surratt home was the center of operations for the assassination conspiracy. When Mary was inevitably arrested (her Southern sympathies were no secret), the public was shocked that a gentlewoman could be involved so directly in such a deplorable plot. When Mary was sentenced to death, the nation was outraged that their government could be so harsh to a mere woman. The Assassin’s Accomplice reveals Mary Surratt as a strong-willed woman who made no qualms about what she believed—and who paid for those beliefs with her life.

The Murder of Abraham Lincoln: A Chronicle of 62 Days in the Life of the American Republic, March 4-May 4, 1865 written and illustrated by Rick Geary, 2005, NBM ComicsLit (Comics/ Nonfiction Graphic Novel).

What better way to learn about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln than through the artistic stylings of a comic book from a series called A Treasury of Victorian Murder? Author and illustrator Rick Geary begins on March 4th, 1865 (the date of Lincoln’s second inauguration) and doesn’t let up until the President’s body is laid to rest on May 4th. Geary’s dialogue adds flare to the already-inherent drama of the events, his maps of places and buildings are immensely helpful in getting a sense of the action, and the particulars of the time period are rendered with a carefulness that speaks of thorough research and attention to detail. The story unfolds seamlessly as page after page of Geary’s rich black-and-white illustrations (reminiscent of 19th century newspaper engravings) flow by. Plus it’s just fun to see Honest Abe and the villainous Booth done up as cartoons, complete with stovepipe hat and twirling mustache.

Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell, 2005, Simon and Schuster Books (History Writing/ Travel Writing).

Sarah Vowell loves a good assassination—so much so that she goes on a cross-country vacation to visit the sights associated with three presidential murders: James A. Garfield, shot by deluded Charles Guiteau in 1881; William McKinley, shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in 1901; and of course good old honest Abe Lincoln, shot by John Wilkes Booth back in 1865. Vowell’s obsession with the Lincoln assassination takes up quite a bit of this delightfully oddball book. It is here that we find out about Robert Lincoln (aka “Jinxy McDeath”) and his penchant for being nearby when presidents were killed. We also learn where Lincoln’s brain ended up and that Vowel has a crush on the actor who played John Wilkes Booth in the off-Broadway musical Assassins. Quirky, witty, and endlessly enjoyable, Assassination Vacation supplies everything you ever wanted to know about the Lincoln assassination but didn’t even know you wanted to ask.

ARCs @ ALA

2011-07-16T14:14:00.004-05:00

There’s nothing like a half-mile long convention center exhibit hall full of publishers throwing books at you to get you back in the mood for book-blogging. The American Library Association (ALA) Annual Conference was in New Orleans last month, and the exhibit hall was a librarian’s heaven on earth. You’d walk past a table and a book would appear in your hands—an ARC, or Advanced Reading Copy. Many of those ARCs were new graphic novels and illustrated books that represent an especially exciting trend in publishing right now. Here are some new and up-coming titles, fresh from the forty-pound bag of books that this librarian lugged across that exhibit hall, through the convention center, and down the streets of New Orleans.

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick, Sep. 11, 2011, Scholastic Books (Children’s Illustrated Novel)

Brian Selznick’s debut novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, won the Caldecott Medal. Selznick’s second book, Wonderstruck, continues to push the boundaries of the illustrated novel format. Just as Hugo Cabret told a good portion of its story through full-page black-and-white drawings, Wonderstruck is also full of Selznick’s trademark illustrations. But this time, half the novel is told through pictures alone—the story of Rose, a girl in the 1920s who becomes enchanted with a beautiful actress. Ben’s story, set in 1977 as he runs away from home, is told in words. Combined, the stories of Rose and Ben offer tales of mystery and intrigue that wind and weld through a union of art and prose. Selznick has become an expert at mixing elements of the novel, graphic novel, picture book, and film, and Wonderstruck continues to cement his reputation as a visionary in his field.

Trickster: Native American Tales—A Graphic Collection edited by Matt Dembicki, 2010, Fulcrum Books (Graphic Novel Anthology)

Native American stories are often overlooked in literature; even more so in the graphic novel boom that has swept book publishing the last few years. But Trickster: Native American Tales remedies all that—and does so in an intelligent, artistic, and truly delightful way. Collecting various interpretations of the Trickster character and myth just as it collects different artists and authors to tell the tales, Trickster is a unique and authentic anthology. The artwork ranges in style from bubbly cartoon rabbits to realistic raccoons to black-and-white inked coyotes and ravens; the tales are drawn from many cultures to emphasis the distinct differences between North America’s tribal groups. But it’s not only educational information about a too-often-ignored history; Trickster is as genuinely funny as it is thought-provoking. Whether he’s a coyote creating stars in the sky or a rabbit out-witting bison, there’s something for everyone in the tales of the Trickster.

Around the World: Three Remarkable Journeys by Matt Phelan, Oct. 11, 2011, Candlewick Press (Children’s Graphic Nonfiction)

Picture book illustrator Matt Phelan won critical acclaim for his 2009 historical graphic novel The Storm in the Barn, a Depression-era story tinged with fantasy. His new book, Around the World, is no less enchanting for being based on fact. In 1873, Jules Verne published Around the World in Eighty Days, his famous adventure story about a high-stakes race around the world. The novel captured the public imagination, and a few intrepid real-life adventures determined to embark on their own worldwide round-trips. Phelan’s beautifully illustrated book follows ex-miner Thomas Stevens on his bicycle (the old-fashioned kind with the giant front wheel), sea captain Joshua Slocum all alone on his thirty-six-foot ship, and sassy reporter Nellie Bly as she charges around the globe to beat Jules Verne’s fictional eighty-day challenge. The adventures are thrilling enough in black and white; the final book will be published in glorious full color.

The Wikkeling by Steve Arntson, illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazinni, 2011, Running Press Kids Books (Children’s Illustrated Novel)

Henrietta’s life is controlled by rigid rules that “protect” her from deadly things like house cats (dangerous wild animals) and old books (which can make you sick). But one night Henrietta finds an injured cat in a secret attic. From the tip-top windows, she can see her neighborhood the way it used to look in the idyllic way-back-when days. Good things rarely last, however, and soon a mysterious, long-fingered yellow creature called the Wikkeling is haunting Henrietta. Its mere touch can give you a headache, and it wants to know where you’ve been and what you’ve seen. As Henrietta investigates this menacing apparition and the world she lives in, readers are delightfully creeped out by illustrator Daniela J. Terrazinni’s stark and wild drawings. The dystopian world of The Wikkeling is eerily similar to our own, and that is of course where its real appeal lies.

The Chronicles of Harris Burdick: Fourteen Amazing Authors Tell the Tales by Chris Van Allsburg, Sherman Alexie, M.T. Anderson, Kate DiCamillo, Cory Doctorow, Jules Feiffer, Stephen King, Tabitha King, Lois Lowry, Gregory Maguire, Walter Dean Myers, Linda Sue Park, Louis Sachar, and Jon Scieszka with an introduction by Lemony Snicket, Oct. 25, 2011, Houghton Mifflin Books (Children’s Picture Book/ Short Story Collection)

Since it was first published in 1984, The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg has been inspiring people to write stories. The original introduction tells of Harris Burdick, a man who left his artwork with a publisher and walked out the door—never to return again. The fourteen fascinating illustrations and their even-more fascinating captions remain to motivate writers all around the world. Now, twenty-seven years later, the best and brightest of children’s and young adult literature contribute their stories to the Harris Burdick oeuvre. In October, readers young and old can experience Lois Lowry’s story about the nun flying through the cathedral whilst seated primly in a wooden chair, Stephen King’s tale about the blast-off house, and Chris Van Allsburg’s own version of the girl and her caterpillars. By turns creepy, cute, and comical, this new batch of stories will inspire Harris Burdick fans all over again.

Moby-Dick in Pictures: One Drawing for Every Page by Matt Kish, Oct. 11, 2011, Tin House Books (Illustrated Novel)

One day in 2009, Matt Kish, a librarian and artist in Ohio, was inspired by his “undying love” for a big book about a man and a whale. Kish decided to draw an illustration for every page of the Signet Classics edition of—you guessed it—Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick. Two years and 552 pages later, Kish’s project is complete. Using common materials and found pages, Kish deliberately employed a low-tech style in response to the increasing amount of digitally produced book art. A quote or passage from each page of Moby-Dick is Kish’s inspiration, and the result—seen in a few promotional postcards and a simple BLAD (Book Layout and Design, a sort of six-to-twelve-page mini-ARC)—is beautiful, fun, and inspiring. Kish began his Moby-Dick drawings as an art project for his modest blog; in a few months his artistic interpretation of Melville’s masterpiece will be available to one and all.

Spring Break Used Books

2011-04-15T19:51:00.001-05:00

Booklists for Bookworms is on spring break for a few weeks. In the meantime, check out these wonderful sellers of used books:

AbeBooks.com is your online source for used, new, rare, out-of-print books, classic collectibles, signed editions, textbooks, and pretty much any other book you can think of. Their motto is "passion for books," and it shows.

ThriftBooks.com. "Spend less. Read more." Who can argue with that? Plus there's bestsellers for under $4, free shipping, and over five million cheap used books up for grabs.

Magers and Quinn Booksellers, located in Minneapolis, MN, is the Twin Cities' largest independent bookstore. With everything from discounted new books to near-priceless rare books, M&Q is "a bounty of the world's best books assembled by biblioholic booksellers."

Half Price Books claims to be "America's favorite new and used bookstore chain." With stores in sixteen states and a new website to boot, plus hundreds of thousands of new books, used books, magazines, music, movies, and games to choose from, they're probably right.

BetterWorldBooks.com promotes more than just used books at low prices. They also promote education by funding literacy projects across the country and around the world.

Strand Books in New York City is an institution: Eighteen miles of books wrapped around 55,000 square feet and it still has the cozy, old-world feel of a bookstore that's been around since 1927. If you're not up to browsing all that shelf space, you can shop online from the comfort of your home.

Why We Love Jane

2011-03-29T07:58:00.002-05:00

Jane Austen (1775-1817) is more popular today than she ever was in her all-too brief life. Arguably the best-known female writer in literary history, Jane wrote only six books—Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion—before she died at the age of forty-two. Some think of her as the ultimate romantic, the founding mother of the chick lit genre. Some admire her keen wit and observant eye, seeing in Jane an uncanny ability to critique society. Not merely content to read Jane’s books, we’ve created an entire industry around her legacy—sequels, prequels, spin-offs, modern adaptations, and a unique body of work that analyzes why exactly we’re so fond of dear old Jane.

Jane Austen: A Life by Claire Tomalin, 1997, Alfred A. Knopf Books (Biography/ 19th Century English Novelists)

The first biography of Jane Austen was published a few years after her death by a nephew; it was meant to be the final word on “Aunt Jane” and her quiet, humble existence. To her later biographers, Jane proved exceptionally elusive—despite leading such a supposedly ordinary existence, there are very few records, notes, letters, or other papers that reveal what Jane was really like. Guesswork is a must for an Austen biographer, especially since sister Cassandra destroyed many of Jane’s letters, which hints at a private life that was more dramatic than historical fact leads us to believe. Jane Austen: A Life, the 1997 biography by Claire Tomalin, is one of the best. Tomalin reveals details about the lives of family and friends to throw light on how Jane lived and worked and thought and felt; Jane’s life is placed firmly in its context of 18th and 19th century religion, politics, and war. Most importantly, the evolution of Jane’s writing is thoughtfully traced. The reader is left with a vivid sense of Jane, her work, and her life. And that, given the difficulty of truly explaining Jane, is the best Austen fans can wish for.

Becoming Jane Austen: A Life by Jon Spence, 2007, Hambledon Continuum Books (Biography/ 19th Century English Novelists)

The only other writing Jane left behind (besides her novels, a few half-finished works-in-progress, and a handful of childhood scribblings) is her letters. Jane’s elegant literary style is not on show in these missives; these are everyday thoughts put down on the spur of the moment, gossip, news, and family jokes. But there is one tantalizing incident—a flirtation with one “Tom Lefroy.” Tom and Jane met, danced, chatted, and parted forever. Schoolgirl crush or doomed love affair? We’ll never know, but that doesn’t stop biographer Jon Spence from speculating that this relationship was a turning point in Jane’s life that directly inspired the love stories she later wrote. Spence also highlights the possible influence of Jane’s fashionable, glamorous cousin Eliza de Feuillide, whose first husband was guillotined during the French Revolution. By making connections between historical fact and literary fiction, Spence infuses Jane’s life with the romance and drama that Austen fans long to know she experienced. Becoming Jane Austen was the inspiration for the 2007 Hollywood movie Becoming Jane, which firmly casts Jane Austen as the heroine in her very own romantic comedy.

“The Janeites” in Collected Stories by Rudyard Kipling, 1999, Everyman’s Library/ Alfred A. Knopf Books, originally published 1922 (Fiction/ Short Story Collections)

Rudyard Kipling’s 1922 “The Janeites” is one of the first stories to mention Jane Austen as a member of the literary canon, as an author one is expected to know and love. In the story, a simple-minded ex-soldier recounts how, thanks to Jane, he survived World War I. Humberstall is wounded and reassigned to the position of assistant mess waiter. While he’s working, he notices the senior mess waiter conversing on equal terms with military officers. The subject, of course, is Jane Austen. Humberstall has never heard of this “Jane woman,” but he can tell that a passion for her is something akin to being a member of a secret society. Soon Humberstall is escaping the horrors of war by learning the meaning of “Tilney,” learning how to spell “Catherine De Bugg,” naming artillery after other characters, and gossiping about whether Jane ever got married. Humberstall tells his own story so Kipling writes in a lower-class British dialect; it’s charming (once you get used to it) and Austen fans will get a kick out of Humberstall’s crash-course in all things Austen.

“Jane Austen Faints” in Virginia Woolf’s Nose: Essays on Biography by Hermione Lee, 2005, Princeton University Press (Nonfiction/ Literary History and Analysis/ Biography)

How does a biographer handle the ambiguities, contradictions, missing years, mythmaking, facts, and fictions? When British writer Hermione Lee gets to the case of Jane Austen, she has plenty to talk about. Given the piddling amount of factual information that exists from Jane’s forty-two years on earth, Austen is a notoriously tough subject. Any incident that is known—no matter how trivial—is ripe for debate. Once, according to family legend, Jane Austen fainted. The cause was the unexpected news that Mr. Austen had decided to move the family to Bath; the result has been intense biographical speculation. This is Jane exhibiting extreme emotion; it must be important. Lee examines various Austen bios see what different writers have made of the incident. Is Jane shocked by how sudden the news is? Terrified of city life, away from the familiar green countryside? Afraid a secret love affair has been uncovered and she is being forcibly separated from her suitor? The real cause is unknown, and so every biographer’s point of view colors our vision of Austen—and forces us to question whether we can ever really know Jane as well as we think we do.

Jane’s Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World by Claire Harman, 2009, Henry Holt and Co. (Nonfiction/ Literary History and Analysis/ 19th Century English Novelists)

Even if you’ve never read any of Austen’s books, you’re familiar with their titles and plots. Note the success of the BBC’s TV Pride and Prejudice miniseries starring Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy, or the chick lit bestseller Bridget Jones’s Diary (a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice, complete with its own Mr. Darcy), or the Hollywood movie Clueless (a modern retelling of Emma), or the recent book mash-up Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Today, Jane is everywhere, and author Claire Harmon shows us how she got there. This is a biography not of Jane’s life but of her fame—her quiet life followed by a few brief decades where no one knew her name, and then a century-long revival that has yet to end. Harman shows us Jane as a feminist and as an anti-feminist, Jane as a prickly old maid and Jane as a token for “girl power,” Jane as a Hollywood heroine and as a Bollywood starlet. We meet Jane’s detractors (Charlotte Brontë, Mark Twain) and Jane’s fans (Rudyard Kipling, Virginia Woolf). We figure out our own personal reasons for loving Jane. However she is viewed and analyzed and adapted, one thing becomes very clear in this fascinating exploration—Jane Austen is here to stay.

Sanditon and Other Stories by Jane Austen, 1996, Everyman’s Library, originally published 1870-1871 (Fiction Classics)

Forget all the sequels, prequels, and spin-offs. Never mind the sexual innuendos in Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife and the cartoon violence in Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. Throw out the mystery series starring Mr. and Mrs. Darcy (by Carrie Bebris) and the mystery series starring Jane herself (by Stephanie Barron). You don’t need the next best thing; there IS more Jane. When she died, Jane left several unpublished works. Two of these we know as Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, but the fragmentary Sanditon, the few chapters of The Watsons, and the novella Lady Susan showcase Jane at her finest. Sanditon begins with an overturned carriage, several gossipy chapters about the characters’ lives, and ends just when the heroine becomes entangled in a romantic mystery. The Watsons features a young lady brought up by wealthy relations and shipped back to her poor family in the country—rather the opposite of Mansfield Park’s Fanny Price. Lady Susan is a sassy little tale about a man-hunting widow who wants her daughter to marry well—and herself to remarry even better. These fragments, believe it or not, are every bit as good as the real thing.

Judge A Book By Its Cover

2011-03-15T13:52:00.002-05:00

We’ve all heard the old adage “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” But of course we do, and publishers spend money and time galore on book design and cover art. Who loses when the shelves are full of beautiful books? The classics, of course. A dusty leather-bound tome with Moby-Dick stamped on the cover doesn’t stand much of a chance next to bright colors and bold images. So for the past few years, Penguin Classics has been releasing “Graphic Classic” and “Couture Classic” Deluxe Editions with some of the best and most intriguing cover art out there. Modern and artistic, these covers make you stop dead and cry out loud, “What is this book about?” The classics have stood the test of time for a reason: They are damn fine stories, and they deserve to shine.

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, cover art by Ruben Toledo, 2009, Penguin Books, originally published 1850 (Fiction Classics/ Historical Fiction)

You’d think a tale of sin and betrayal in colonial New England would never go out of style, and you’re right—The Scarlet Letter is Hawthorne’s masterpiece. The new cover is stunning—a surly woman with flaming hair strikes a pose behind a large, bright red letter A. Glittery threads across her arm and there’s a big-eyed babe clinging to her shoulder. This is Hester Prynne, a lively young woman who, in the year 1642, has a baby. What’s shocking is that Hester’s much-older husband is not the father—he’s not even in America. Adultery is a major sin to the local Puritan folk and Hester is forced to live publicly with her shame, a red letter A buttoned to her clothing. Years pass, and Hester never reveals the name of her lover, not to her daughter, not even to her husband who has returned and is living apart from Hester under the guise of the town doctor. But as daughter Pearl grows up, she senses a connection between her mother and Dr. Chillingworth—and between her mother and the eloquent but tortured minister Dimmesdale. Hawthorne, exploring the morals of 17th century from a distance of two hundred years, writes strikingly about the enduring conflicts between nature and culture, desire and law, right and wrong. Descriptive, symbolic, and thought provoking, The Scarlet Letter is an American classic of the finest caliber.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, cover art by Daniel Clowes, 2007, Penguin Books, originally published 1818 (Fiction Classics/ Horror)

No cover is more appropriate for Frankenstein—a story that has been turned into cheesy horror movies and campy Halloween costumes—than the one artist Daniel Clowes designed for Penguin: an eye-catching comic strip in which Frankenstein meets his monster on a windswept hillside. Victor Frankenstein is a dashing young man, educated, intelligent, with a passion for science. Inspired by his work in chemistry, Victor creates life by reanimating dead matter. But the result—after an obsessive frenzy of experiments—is horrible. The new creature is not the height of human perfection that Victor dreamed of; it’s a hideous, freakish ogre. Repulsed, Victor retreats into a “normal life,” leaving his monster to make its own confused way in the world. Naturally, things do not go well for either Victor (wracked by guilt) or monster (lonely and angry) and creator and creation are destined to meet again and again. Eighteen-year-old Mary Shelley started writing her masterpiece on a dare, when she and boyfriend Percy Shelley were staying with Lord Byron. It was a dark and stormy night, and Byron challenged himself and each of his guests to pen a supernatural tale of suspense and horror. Considering the classic status of Frankenstein and its never-ending influence on modern culture, it’s pretty safe to say that Mary won.

Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton, cover art by Jeffrey Brown, 2009, Penguin Books, originally published 1911 (Fiction Classics)

One of the most intriguing covers, Ethan Frome depicts a big tree with a dent in the bark and a pair of intertwined legs flailing on the ground as they trail off the cover’s edge. One leg is bent at an odd angle, and are those flecks of blood on the white snow? The branches of the tree weave through the bright red letters of the title and the whole thing inspires one reaction: “What on earth is this book about?” Ethan Frome is about a man named Ethan Frome, of course, as well as his sickly wife Zeena and her cousin Mattie, who helps around the house. Ethan is in the habit of walking Mattie home from the church dance on her nights off; Zeena is (rightly so) suspicious of Ethan’s attentions. Still, Zeena goes away overnight to visit a doctor, leaving her husband and cousin on their own. Romance is in the air, but then the cat breaks Zeena’s favorite pickle dish. It may seem a trivial incident, but it’s all downhill from there for this love triangle. Author Edith Wharton is a master of literary symbolism, and the setting (winter in the fictional Massachusetts town of Starkfield) only adds to the desperate mood as Ethan dreams of a life different than the one he has—a theme so universal and timeless that Ethan Frome was destined to become a classic.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, cover art by Ruben Toledo, 2009, Penguin Books, originally published 1847 (Fiction Classics/ Romance)

Wuthering Heights is the story of the foundling Heathcliff and headstrong Catherine Earnshaw. The Penguin “Couture Edition” depicts these two characters in all their gothic, romantic glory. Catherine graces the front wrapped in shawls and beads, wide-eyed and willowy like a spooky version of Betty Boop. Heathcliff is the tall dark figure on the reverse side, eyes glowering under furrowed brows and a wild mane of hair as the dark outline of the Wuthering Heights farmhouse rises behind him. Heathcliff is an orphan adopted by the Earnshaw family; little Catherine takes an instant liking to him but brother Hindley is bitterly jealous. When Hindley grows up and takes control of the Earnshaw estate, Heathcliff is regulated to servant-status. Catherine is still Heathcliff’s ally—until they meet the neighboring Linton family. When Catherine chooses gentlemanly Edgar Linton over wild-child Heathcliff, the stage is set for a multi-generational drama of passion, jealousy, and revenge to be played out amongst the Earnshaw, Linton, and Heathcliff families against the backdrop of the wild and windy Yorkshire moors. Wuthering Heights was Emily Brontë’s first and last novel; she died only a year after its publication at the tender age of thirty. She left behind quite a legacy—Heathcliff and Catherine’s love is not only stronger than life or death, it has endured for over a century as one of the most intense love affairs in English literature.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson, cover art by Thomas Ott, 2006, Penguin Books, originally published 1962 (Fiction Classics/ Mystery)

Two thin faces stare out at us from the cover of We Have Always Lived in the Castle—three if you count the cat, a few more if you consider the lurking townsfolk in the background. Their wide fearful eyes, drawn in stark black-and-white, are more than enough to convey the haunting atmosphere within the pages. The two grim faces belong to Constance and Mary Katherine “Merricat” Blackwood, and six years ago the rest of their family (save Uncle Julian) was killed, poisoned when the sugar sprinkled on the blueberries was laced with arsenic. Uncle Julian survived; Merricat had been sent to bed without dessert; Constance—who did not put sugar on her berries—was arrested and acquitted. Since then, the trio has lived in seclusion, shunned by the neighbors. Constance has retreated even farther into solitude, becoming something of an agoraphobe. Only teenage Merricat maintains contact with the outside world, fetching home groceries and library books while schoolchildren mock her. But Merricat is happy surrounding their home with her own superstitious brand of magic, nailing charms to trees and the like. Then cousin Charles comes to visit. He’s got his eye on the Blackwood family fortune, but he little knows the depths to which Merricat will go to protect what remains of her family. Dark, quirky, with a deceptively light touch and a gothic flare, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a compelling modern classic.

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas, cover art by Tom Gauld, 2007, Penguin Books, originally published 1844 (Fiction Classics/ Adventure/ Historical Fiction)

The Three Musketeers is an intimidating book: over 600 pages long. But every page is packed with danger, adventure, and humor, and the Penguin cover reflects that in the simplest way—with cute little stick figures. On a pale pink background, a dapper fellow with big boots and a feather in his hat waits for the man he challenged to a duel to show up for the big fight. He’s hungry, he wishes he’d had lunch before he came, and he can’t actually remember what his opponent looked like. This is brash young D’Artagnan, whose only goal in life is to join the ranks of the Musketeers who serve as the King Louis XIII’s personal bodyguards. Soon, not one but three men show up with swords drawn—D’Artagnon is a hotheaded youngster who really challenges a lot of fellows to fights. But the four gentlemen unite forces when agents of the vile and corrupt Cardinal Richelieu attempt to arrest them. And so D’Artagnon has three new friends—Athos, Porthos, and Aramis (the dashing three Musketeers of the title) and the quartet cry “All for one and one for all!” and are off on the adventure of a lifetime. Seductresses, spies, assassins all make appearances; there are love affairs and political intrigue galore, quips aplenty, and lots of swordplay. In fact, 600 pages flies by in this action-packed swashbuckler. The new cover pokes a bit of fun at author Dumas too, on the back cover, where those dashing little cartoon figures make a comical reappearance.

The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, cover art by Ruben Toledo, 2011, Penguin Books, originally published 1891 (Fiction Classics/ Fantasy)

Best known for his sparkling wit in plays like The Importance of Being Earnest and Lady Windemere’s Fan, Oscar Wilde had a dark side. The Picture of Dorian Gray is his only novel, and it’s a doozy. Lord Henry is watching his friend Basil Hallward paint a striking portrait. Soon the subject himself arrives—handsome young Dorian Gray. Lord Henry takes a liking to Dorian and extols the joys of a life devoted to pleasure. Dorian’s all for it, and is soon carousing with the best scoundrels of his day. In a grimy theater, Dorian spies the lovely actress Sibyl Vane—and breaks her heart. Dorian continues to rabble and rouse. He even becomes disdainful of good old Basil, whose portrait of Dorian has begun to take on some unusual characteristics of its own. As the years go by and Dorian revels in vice, he retains his youthful good looks. And when a conscience rears its ugly head, the picture of Dorian Gray has a one last surprise in store. Much more than a cautionary tale, Wilde’s novel is fraught with atmosphere of the deliciously creepy-crawly variety. The Penguin cover has a bit of fun with Dorian, featuring a stage and curtain and a fainting lady whose hand is clutched by a golden picture frame with tuxedo-clad arms and legs. Just a trace of the painting inside is visible, and that’s more than enough to pique the curiosity of any reader.

Whales and Their Friends

2011-03-01T22:13:00.001-06:00

We know more about the surface of the moon than we do about the ocean’s depths, but we have figured out that there’s some remarkable creatures swimming around down there—whales not the least of them (because whales are really, really big). From the near-mythical giant squid to the quirky little seahorse, the creatures of the deep are extraordinary and they’re about to become your new best friends.

The Whale: In Search for the Giants of the Sea by Philip Hoare, 2010, Ecco Books (Nature Writing/ Marine Biology/ Whales)

Spellbound by the model of the blue whale at the Natural History Museum and inspired by the elusive white whale in Herman Melville’s classic novel Moby-Dick, biographer Philip Hoare turns his attention to his favorite subject: whales. Combining science, nature, history, literature, and personal experience, Hoare waxes poetic about all things whale. From the creation of that infamous whale model to the arctic narwhal’s horn to the exotic uses of ambergris (not to mention explaining what exactly ambergris is), The Whale is an eloquent exploration of our enthrallment with the giant beasts of the deep. Hoare delights in little known facts, curious anecdotes, historical photographs, and elegant illustrations to round out his portrait of the ages-long relationship between man and the original sea monster. Winner of the 2009 BBC Samuel Johnson Prize for nonfiction, you’ll have a whale of a time reading The Whale (sorry; couldn’t resist!).

Grayson by Lynne Cox, 2006, Alfred A. Knopf Books (Nature Writing/ Wildlife Rescue/ Memoir)

When Lynne Cox was seventeen years old and finishing her morning swim off the California coast, she suddenly found herself surrounded by a swirling school of anchovies, grunion, and tuna. But Lynne could sense another, larger presence in the water with her. After another mile or so, Lynne got her answer—an eighteen-foot-long baby gray whale was following her. Lynne knew that this “little” whale was migrating with its mother to the Bering Strait. But there was no mother whale—and at forty feet in length, Lynne would know if she were nearby. Soon a network of fishermen and lifeguards were on the lookout while the youngster—dubbed Grayson—swam with Lynne. And Lynne had to stay in the water, because if Grayson tried to follow her to shore, he’d die. This true adventure is fraught with danger, emotion, suspense, and an overwhelming sense of awe at the beauties of the ocean and its creatures.

The Secret Life of Lobsters: How Fishermen and Scientists are Unraveling the Mystery of Our Favorite Crustacean by Trevor Corson, 2004, HarperCollins (Nature Writing/ Natural History/ Marine Biology/ Lobsters)

Ah, the lobster—big, red, juicy, delicious. Of course, a lobster’s goal is not to end up on your dinner plate, but to eat and mate and thrive in the deep blue sea. The fishermen who harvest this tasty seafood would agree, believe it or not, since their livelihood depends on there being enough lobster to meet demand. Journalist Trevor Corson traces the circle of life that is Maine’s lobster industry. Now, lobsters are not cute. But what they lack in the grace of a leaping dolphin or the majesty of a diving whale, lobsters make up for in sheer tenacity. Having survived overfishing, artificial insemination at the hands of scientists, and ferocious claw-to-claw battles, lobsters are thriving. With a cast of dashing fishermen, witty marine biologists, and the bold brash crustacean itself, there’s a lot to be said for The Secret Life of Lobsters indeed.

Poseidon’s Steed: The Story of Seahorses, From Myth to Reality by Helen Scales, 2009, Gotham Books (Nature Writing/ Natural History/ Marine Biology/ Seahorses)

Greek mythology casts the seahorse as the “hippocamp,” a magical part-horse, part-fish beast that pulls the chariot of Poseidon, god of the sea. To modern sea-gazers, the seahorse is simply adorable. It has a charming little silhouette (long snout, round belly, curly tail) and a whimsical love life (a heart-shaped mating dance that leads to papa seahorse bearing babies in a kangaroo-like pouch). The dainty seahorse is also a rare delicacy sold on the streets of Hong Kong’s black market, a supposed cure for everything from baldness to impotency, and a collector’s treasure in aquariums around the world. The delicately balanced undersea ecosystem of the seahorse is at risk, a fact which marine biologist Helen Scales (who learned to scuba dive just so she could someday observe the wild seahorse) is careful to point out. But mostly, Poseidon’s Steed is a love letter to the seahorse, and the author’s passion for the dazzling little critters shows on every page.

The Search for the Giant Squid: The Biology and Mythology of the World’s Most Elusive Sea Creature by Richard Ellis, 1998, Lyons Press (Nature Writing/ Natural History/ Marine Biology/ Giant Squids)

Meet Architeuthis (arki-TOOTH-iss), otherwise known the elusive, mysterious, very rare giant squid. Until 1997, no one had ever observed a living, healthy giant squid. Dead squid—often more than fifty feet long—had been washing up on beaches or getting tangled in fishermen’s nets for decades, but it took a fully-funded voyage manned by experts and equipped with deep-sea cameras (attached to the backs of whales) to actually capture the first images of giant squid in action. As marine biologist Ellis recounts the details of the National Geographic-sponsored expedition, he tells us everything we ever wanted to know about the giant squid—and really, it’s all completely absorbing and utterly fascinating. From the facts of the squids’ biology to the tenuous theories about its behavior, from myths and legends to historical tall-tales and classic literature, one thing about The Search for the Giant Squid rings true: Architeuthis is irresistible.

The Deep: The Extraordinary Creatures of the Abyss edited by Claire Nouvian, 2007, University of Chicago Press (Science/ Marine Biology/ Deep Sea Photography)

Okay, so maybe whales never meet the sea monsters that swell in The Deep. Thousands of meters below the ocean’s surface, far from the sun-kissed waves, down where light cannot reach and where the water pressure is thousands of pounds per inch, there is life—weird, bizarre, uncanny life. Translucent jellyfish abound in seas across the globe. Every other fish lights up the dark water with bioluminescent headlight-eyes. Anglerfish prowl the deep with dangling glow-in-the-dark tentacles to lure prey straight into their big-toothed jaws. And everything has a fantastic name, as if the scientists who discovered these creatures just couldn’t resist the strangeness of it all. So get ready to meet googly-eyed glass squid, fanfin seadevils, elephant fish chimaeras, and naked sea butterflies in all their glory as you pour over the amazing colored photographs that make up The Deep.

I Now Pronounce You Husband and Sleuth

2011-02-15T07:36:00.003-06:00

Every great Sherlock has a Watson, a partner who tags along, occasionally finding a clue or two, but existing mainly so the genius detective can show off his astounding deductions and observations. That sort of relationship gets old pretty quick, so mystery writers spice things up by teaming husbands and wives together to solve crime. These duos often star in series; they meet in the first book, fall in love and tie the knot, and then spend the next dozen or so mysteries working together—collaborating, cooperating, and occasionally bickering like the old married couples they’ve become. Being the third wheel to these cunning couples is every bit as much fun as catching the crook.

The Beekeeper’s Apprentice, or, The Segregation of the Queen: A Novel of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes, Book 1 by Laurie R. King, 2007, Picador Press, originally 1994 (Mystery/ Historical Fiction)

Sherlock Holmes is the original, ultimate bachelor-detective, complete with the genuine Dr. Watson to fawn over his masterly leaps of insight. But author Laurie R. King re-imagines Holmes in his later years as a beekeeper in the English countryside—until one day he trips over a gangly young girl with her nose in a book. The girl is orphan Mary Russell, and Sherlock has just met his match in wit and intelligence. First master and apprentice in the art of detection, then equal partners in investigation, Holmes’ and Russell’s relationship slowly grows into something more important and much more intimate. Their first real challenge comes during Russell’s college years at Oxford after World War I. A master criminal, as devious as the infamous Moriarty, is playing a deadly game with the pair’s very lives. This is all accompanied by King’s fine literary style, with Russell as an intimately honest narrator revealing a detailed sense of historical time and place. The other books in the series continue to develop both the Holmes mythology and the Mary Russell casebook with insightful adventures that draw on literature and history—and just a bit of romance.

Novels of Suspense Featuring Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes by Laurie R. King:

1. The Beekeeper’s Apprentice

2. A Monstrous Regiment of Women

3. A Letter of Mary

4. The Moor

5. O Jerusalem

6. Justice Hall

7. The Game

8. Locked Rooms

9. The Language of Bees

10. The God of the Hive

The Secret Adversary: A Tommy and Tuppence Mystery by Agatha Christie, 2004, Signet Books, originally published 1922 (Mystery)

Thomas Beresford and Prudence “Tuppence” Cowley are typical bright young things of the 1920s—unemployed, broke, and bored. So, having tea one day, complaining about the lack of adventure (and jobs), Tommy and Tuppence get an idea. They’ll form the “Young Adventures, Ltd.” and advertise that they’re willing to do…well, anything. A Mr. Whittingham has overheard the duo at the teahouse, and he contacts them to offer the young lady a job. On a whim, Tuppence gives her name as “Jane Finn,” an odd moniker that Tommy heard somewhere. Whittingham fires Tuppence, accuses her of blackmail…and gives her a bit of cash. Tommy and Tuppence are inspired. Apparently, they “know” something! Actual blackmail is risky, but soon they’re head-over-heels in political intrigue, missing heroines, and top-secret documents. Life? Boring? Not when the Young Adventurerers are around. Much of the fun comes from the bumbling teamwork of Tummy and Tuppence, who, of course, come to realize there’s more to their relationship than friendship. Agatha Christie is the Queen of Crime, and this delightful duo of is a refreshing respite from her usual detectives (know-it-all Poirot and little-old-lady Miss Marple). Tommy and Tuppence return for four more thrilling adventures.

Tommy and Tuppence Mysteries by Agatha Christie

1. The Secret Adversary

2. Partners in Crime

3. N or M?

4. By the Pricking of My Thumbs

5. Postern of Fate

Crocodile on the Sandbank: Amelia Peabody Mysteries, Book 1 by Elizabeth Peters, 1988, Mysterious Press, originally published 1975 (Mystery/ Historical Fiction)

The first thing Amelia Peabody does when she gets her independence after the death of her father is run off to Egypt. Not your typical Victorian spinster, Amelia is destined for adventure. So when she collects an elegant damsel in distress, the handsome archeologist Emerson brothers, and a walking, talking (well, moaning) two-thousand-year-old mummy along the way, it should come as no surprise that the iron-willed, umbrella-wielding Englishwoman knows how to deal with supposed curses and fainting ladies. But in the hot-tempered personality of dashing Radcliffe Emerson, Amelia appears to have met her match. It is hardly spoiling the story to reveal that the comically tempestuous relationship between Amelia and Emerson is the force that drives not just Crocodile on the Sandbank, but the other eighteen books in the series. The real appeal lies not so much in the mysteries (though crime does indeed abound among the ruins of the ancient pharaohs) but in author Elizabeth Peters’ dynamic cast of characters and impeccable re-creation of the sights and sounds of Victorian-era Egypt—not to mention the myriad ways in which Amelia and Emerson outdo, outwit, and rescue each other again and again.

Amelia Peabody Mysteries by Elizabeth Peters

1. Crocodile on the Sandbank

2. Curse of the Pharaohs

3. The Mummy Case

4. Lion in the Valley

5. The Deeds of the Disturber

6. The Last Camel Died at Noon

7. The Snake, the Crocodile, and the Dog

8. The Hippopotamus Pool

9. Seeing a Large Cat

10. The Ape Who Guards the Balance

11. The Falcon at the Portal

12. He Shall Thunder in the Sky

13. Lord of the Silent

14. The Golden One

15. Children of the Storm

16. Guardian of the Horizon

17. The Serpent on the Crown

18. Tomb of the Golden Bird

19. A River in the Sky

Pride and Prescience, or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged: A Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mystery, Book 1 by Carrie Bebris, 2008, Forge Books (Mystery/ Historical Fiction)

Few literary couples are as beloved as Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice. Author Carrie Bebris resurrects this witty, dashing pair and sets them up as amateur sleuths. Their first case comes quick on the heels of their wedding, a double-ceremony with Elizabeth’s sister Jane and Darcy’s BFF Mr. Bingley. Bingley’s sister Caroline (who spent years trying to catch Darcy before Elizabeth beat her to it) chooses this romantic occasion to announce her own engagement to a wealthy American plantation owner. Mr. and Mrs. Darcy must postpone their own honeymoon until this new wedding can take place, but they are delayed even longer when the newest bride Caroline begins to, well, go a bit mad. A visit to Bingley’s manor is complicated by a houseguest who collects mystical artifacts, a bitter family feud—and a murder. Though Darcy and Elizabeth have long been loved for their willful and contrary natures, their two heads are better than one when there’s a houseful of suspects on the loose. Awash in comic dialogue, Regency era details, and even a Gothic flare here and there, Pride and Prescience is an atmospheric, highly enjoyable read.

Mr. and Mrs. Darcy Mysteries by Carrie Bebris

1. Pride and Prescience, or, A Truth Universally Acknowledged

2. Suspense and Sensibility, or, First Impressions Revisited

3. North by Northanger, or, The Shades of Pemberley

4. The Matters at Mansfield, or, The Crawford Affair

5. The Intrigue at Highbury, or, Emma’s Match

The Cater Street Hangman: A Thomas and Charlotte Pitt Mystery, Book 1 by Ann Perry, 2008, Ballantine Books, originally published 1979 (Mystery/ Historical Fiction)

The Ellisons are a well-to-do Victorian family in a proper London neighborhood. Papa Ellison has a stiff upper lip and Mama is the all the right stuff Victorian ladies are made of; daughters Sarah, Emily, and especially Charlotte have a bit more spunk. But these are soon minor issues—women are being brutally strangled right outside the front door. Enter Inspector Thomas Pitt, an upstart who is far too scruffy, demanding, and familiar (especially with Charlotte) to tolerate, even if he is in charge of the case. But it cannot be denied (especially by Charlotte) that Pitt is intelligent, insightful, and even sensitive. Romance has little time to flourish here, for the Cater Street Hangman is at large and the lives of the neighborhood’s fine young ladies—including the Ellison sisters—are very much in danger. Author Ann Perry pens a serious, atmospheric group of mysteries that are rooted in historical details of Victorian London, foggy nights and narrow alleys included. Perry’s characters (especially Pitt and Charlotte) challenge notions of class and gender which inspires the drama, action, and suspense that makes this mystery series one of the longest running and best loved of its kind.

Thomas and Charlotte Pitt Mysteries by Ann Perry

1. The Cater Street Hangman

2. Callander Square

3. Paragon Walk

4. Resurrection Row

5. Rutland Place

6. Bluegate Fields

7. Death in the Devil's Acre

8. Cardington Crescent

9. Silence in Hanover Close

10. Bethlehem Road

11. Highgate Rise

12. Belgrave Square

13. Farriers’ Lane

14. The Hyde Park Headsman

15. Traitor’s Gate

16. Pentecost Alley

17. Ashworth Hall

18. Brunswick Hall

19. Bedford Square

20. Half Moon Street

21. The Whitechapel Conspiracy

22. Southhampton Row

23. Seven Dials

24. Long Spoon Lane

25. Buckingham Palace Garden

26. Treason at Lisson Grove

The Thin Man by Dashiell Hammet, 1992, Vintage Classics, originally published 1932 (Mystery/ Fiction Classics)

Nick Charles, his lovely young wife Nora, and their dog Asta are spending Christmas in a glitzy Manhattan hotel—days in bed, nights in speakeasies, room service at all hours. Nick used to be a detective, but people find it hard to ignore those words “used to.” So when a sweet young thing spots Nick, remembers him working a case for her father, and asks him to find that very same father (the thin man of the title, now missing), Nick takes it all in stride. But then the thin man’s mistress is murdered. Soon cops, lawyers, and the thin man’s eccentric family are invading the Charles’ hotel room, forcing Nick and Nora to quit their lounging and solve the case. Nick would rather drink martinis, but Nora’s game (Asta too) and soon the couple is getting down to the sordid truth. Wealthy and glamorous, sarcastic and wisecracking, Nick and Nora should be annoying—but they are utterly captivating because they completely adore each other. The Thin Man movies of the 1930s and 40s (starring William Powell and Myrna Loy) have withstood the test of time with as much charm and wit as Hammett’s original crime caper.

Roses and Red, Graphic Novels are Blue: Graphic Novel Love Stories

2011-02-01T17:10:00.002-06:00

Everyone loves a love story. The romance, the heartbreak, the lovers overcoming the odds to be together, and a gloriously happy ever after. The only thing better than a love story, in fact, is a love story told in rich, romantic colors and dramatic blacks and whites. Graphic novels retell classic romances and begin fresh with boy meets girl. When it comes to professing true love, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Blankets: An Illustrated Novel by Craig Thompson, 2003, Top Shelf Productions (Graphic Novel/ Memoir)

Craig’s parents are conservative Christians who believe that their son’s penchant for art will lead them down the road to hell. Brought up to fear God and to feel guilt over the smallest and most common of boyish sins, Craig is the designated high school outcast. Lucky fellow, he gets to maintain that role at church camp too. But then he meets Raina, beautiful, spiritual, kind, and complicated. The two strike up a relationship, a romance for the ages that has clearly haunted the artist Craig Thompson well into his adult life. Thompson relives his first love in poignant and painful detail accompanied by crisp, clear black-and-white drawings that are wonderfully expressive and dramatic, but never overly sentimental. The clash between what you’re brought up to believe and what you come to believe on your own through your own experiences, is dealt with sensitively, realistically, and with the kind of emotion that every reader can relate to.

Scott Pilgrim, Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life by Bryan Lee O’Malley, 2004, Oni Press (Graphic Novel/ Adventure/ Fantasy)

Scott Pilgrim: Twenty-three years old. Canadian. Drummer in a sucky band. Dating a high school girl (but they don’t even hold hands). Status: Awesome. Scott Pilgrim’s life is pretty damn great—not an expectation in sight. But then a beautiful Amazon.com delivery girl starts rollerblading through Scott’s dreams, and he’s head-over-heels in sweet, awkward, slacker love—especially when the dream girl turns out to be a real girl, Ramona Flowers, who kind of likes Scott too. The catch? Okay, Scott has to break up with the high school girl. And the band finally has a gig. But more important are Ramona’s seven evil ex-boyfriends, whom Scott must fight—and defeat—if he wants to date Ramona. First up is Matthew Patel, attacking at the club where Scott’s band is playing, and it’s a kung-fu showdown of epic proportions. With lots of action, sarcastic hipster humor, and a manga-influenced comic style, the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels are witty, charming, and unabashedly silly.

Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O’Malley

Vol. 1: Scott Pilgrim’s Precious Little Life

Vol. 2: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Vol. 3: Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness

Vol. 4: Scott Pilgrim Gets It Together

Vol. 5: Scott Pilgrim vs. the Universe

Vol. 6: Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour

The Professor’s Daughter by Joann Sfar and Emmanuel Guibert, 2007, First Second Books (Graphic Novel/ Historical Fantasy)

Lillian (pert and pretty) and Imhotep (dashing and dapper) are in love, and the duo makes quite a splash as they gad about Victorian-era London. Of course, many obstacles stand in their way—Lillian is the daughter of an eminent archeology professor, and Imhotep is a bandage-wrapped mummy from Ancient Egypt. Lillian’s father is unlikely to approve the match (“You are the property of the British Museum. You are dead. Stay out of this!” the Professor cries when he discovers his daughter in Imhotep’s arms). More mummified parental figures, the British police force, and Queen Victoria herself get tangled up in this whimsical comedy. As the sprightly forms of Lillian and Imhotep dart across the pages, readers become enchanted by the pair’s hijinks and adventures. Author and artist Joann Sfar and Emmanuel Guibert are in fine form here—cheeky humor and expressive illustrations combine for a delightfully romantic romp.

Thessaly: Witch for Hire by Bill Willingham and Shawn McManus, 2005, DC Comics (Graphic Novel/ Teen Fantasy)

Thessaly is a witch. A smart, sassy, bookish witch living quietly (or trying to, anyway) in Positano, Italy. But her would-be idyllic existence keeps getting interrupted by various monsters. Thessaly has to yank her nose out of her books and destroy those monsters. It’s exhausting, and it gets really annoying when Thess learns that a lovesick ghost named Fetch (whom Thess first met back in Neil Gaiman’s Sandman universe) is responsible for sending all those nasty demons her way. Fetch wants to shack up with Thess and run a monster-slaying business together. And Fetch has got some especially ferocious, dangerous, world-ending beasts all lined up for their first case. Thess, to say the least, is not enchanted. But the reader will be—the witty banter between witch and ghost is catchy and the artwork is cartoonish without being cutesy. Top it off with lots of ass-kicking action and tons of ooey-gooey evil creatures, and you’ve got yourself one quirky little romantic comedy.

Twilight: The Graphic Novel, Vol. 1 by Stephenie Meyer, adapted by Young Kim, 2010, Yen Press (Graphic Novel Adaptation/ Teen Fantasy/ Paranormal Romance)

Bella Swan moves to gloomy Forks, Washington. At school she meets the mysterious, alluring, irresistible Edward Cullen—and of course he has a deep, dark secret (he’s a moody, dreamy, blood-thirsty vampire). Covering roughly the first half of author Stephenie Meyer’s hit teen novel Twilight, this graphic novel adaptation ups the ante on the glamor, the drama, the suspense, and the interspecies paranormal romance. Artist Young Kim’s illustrations are sleek, strong black-and-white drawings with glimmers of red and brown when the blood flows or the fangs bite. Bella and Edward are depicted in anime-style beauty, all big eyes and pouty lips—ideal for gazing across the page at each other, sighing with longing as they yearn to be together. Whether you’re Team Edward or Team Jacob, whether you read the book ten times or saw the movie twenty times, the graphic novel still holds twists and surprises to delight and thrill. Ah, there’s nothing like a good vampire romance.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: The Graphic Novel by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith, adapted by Tony Lee, 2010, Del Rey/ Ballantine Books (Graphic Novel Adaptation/ Horror/ Humor/ Classics)

The illustrations were the one of the key features of Seth Grahame-Smith’s 2009 smash-hit mash-up combining Jane Austen’s masterpiece Pride and Prejudice with his own scenes of “ultraviolent zombie mayhem.” Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was a remarkably clever and downright funny little book; the next step on the road to success, obviously, is a graphic novel adaptation. In elegant black-and-white drawings, Elizabeth Bennett and her sisters attend country dances, decapitate the undead, flirt with distinguished gentleman, and master both the deadly and the feminine arts. Elizabeth spars with Mr. Darcy; Mr. Darcy spars with zombies; the reader is rewarded with lots of guts and gore. And those guts and gore are illustrated in as much loving detail as the 18th century-period frocks and top hats. Elizabeth is clever and lovely, Mr. Darcy is dark and dashing, and the zombies are practically eating their way through panels and pages. All in all, the graphic Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is every bit as much fun as its premise would lead you to believe.

Early Detectives and First Forensics

2011-01-18T08:33:00.002-06:00

Crime scene investigation has come a long way. Modern technology means that a microscopic bit of trace evidence is enough to catch a criminal. But way back when, before ballistics, before fingerprints, even before mug shots, detective work was an entirely different matter. Early forensic techniques were untried controversial theories, not proof—not yet. Luckily, history can supply plenty of examples of murderers and the men and women who tracked them down. Whether authors are recreating fact or spinning historical fiction, solving crime has never been more fascinating.

The Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin, 2007, Putnam Books (Historical Fiction/ Mystery)

Dr. Adelia Aguilar is an oddity. She’s an independent woman, a highly-educated doctor, and the primary specialist in her field of study. Today, Adelia would simply be a coroner, examining bodies for evidence of how they met their end. But in her day and age—the year 1171, in Medieval Europe—Adelia is a “mistress of the art of death,” and most of her contemporaries would not hesitate to label her a witch and burn her at the stake. But Adelia is on a mission. Sent from Salerno, Italy, where women are allowed to study and practice medicine, to Cambridge, England, where women are expected to stay firmly in the home, Adelia and a few intelligent, enlightened companions are charged with solving the grisly murders of four children. Adelia’s examination of the bodies hints that the culprit may be among the pilgrims recently arrived at Cambridge. As Adelia narrows down the list of suspects, author Ariana Franklin introduces the readers to life in the Middle Ages—dirty, grim, ugly, but also populated by men and women not so different from you and me. The Mistress of the Art of Death is a sophisticated historical mystery.

The Alienist by Caleb Carr, 2006, Random House, originally published 1994 (Historical Fiction/ Mystery)

In 1896, psychology is as much in its infancy as forensic science. Dr. Laszlo Kreizler is an “alienist” in the parlance of the day, and he’s just been commissioned to lead an amateur team of sleuths and solve a series of gruesome murders that are plaguing Manhattan’s Lower East Side. A brutal killer is leaving the bodies of young male prostitutes strewn across the city, and so crime reporter John Moore, brothers Marcus and Lucius and their progressive forensic techniques, and first female detective Sarah Howard join Kreizler’s investigation. This motley crew works together seamlessly—looking into the lives of the victims, testing new forensics like fingerprinting, and building a profile of the criminal. The insights of Dr. Kreizler are brilliant, but will the team get a breakthrough before the killer strikes again? Chock-full of historical details about New York City at the end of the 19th century, from the delectable oysters at Delmonico’s to the immense class difference between rich and poor to the cameo appearances by top men of the time (like Teddy Roosevelt, J.P. Morgan, and Jacob Riis), The Alienist is both a gripping murder mystery and a distinct portrait of a historical time and place.

The Poisoner’s Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York by Deborah Blum, 2010, Penguin Books (Nonfiction/ 20th Century American History/ True Crime)

Modern forensics begins in Prohibition-era New York City, when Charles Norris is appointed Manhattan’s chief medical examiner in 1918. Norris is the first medical examiner trained in medicine, and he is determined that every medical examiner who comes after him will be a doctor and a scientist. He’s got his work cut out for him—poison is the weapon of choice among murderers, and very few poisons are traceable. Luckily, the city has just hired toxicologist Alexander Gettler, a man with a passion for chemistry who will go to any lengths to track down arsenic, cyanide, mercury, and their noxious friends carbon monoxide, thallium, and chloroform. As Prohibition marches on, bootleggers produce cheap whiskeys laced with more chemicals than alcohol. Americans, expecting a night of undercover fun, are drinking poison and dying. Gettler has to work harder to find the evidence that poison leaves behind, and Norris has to convince the nation to take forensic science seriously. Along the way, author and scientific journalist Deborah Blum treats readers to the scandalous death-by-poison cases of the time. The Poisoner’s Handbook is chock-full of murder and mayhem, packed with real heroes and true villains, and overflowing with fascinating ways to die.

The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher: A Shocking Murder and the Undoing of a Great Victorian Detective by Kate Summerscale, 2008, Walker and Company (Nonfiction/ 19th Century British History/ True Crime)

One summer morning in 1860, the body of a little boy is found on the grounds of Road Hill House, a fine estate in the English countryside. This murder rocked Victorian England to its core. Everyone wanted to play detective. The art of detection was very new—detectives had existed in an official capacity for only a few years—but the public was fascinated by the new police work. Luminaries like Charles Dickens and Wilkie Collins immortalized the detective in their novels Bleak House (1853) and The Moonstone (1868). The inspiration for both books was Jack Whicher. It is this man who investigates the murder at Road Hill House, and it is this case that proves Whicher’s undoing. Because Whicher is up against more than just a murderer—he’s up against a Victorian society that is too shocked by his suspicions to accept his solution. The public’s awe of the new detective is fading fast, and there’s no guarantee that Whicher can prove his case in time. Author Kate Summerscale spins this tidbit of history with the drama and suspense usually reserved for a mystery novel. The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher is a captivating chapter in the modern development of the detective.

The Big Policeman: The Rise and Fall of America’s First, Most Ruthless, and Greatest Detective by J. North Conway, 2010, Lyons Press (Nonfiction/ 19th Century American History/ True Crime)

New York City has always been a tough town. But when you’re an Irish immigrant who escaped the notorious Five Points neighborhood to fight in the Civil War, join the city’s burgeoning police force, and rise to power through a combination of ruthless cunning and innovative detective work, things are tougher and more complicated than you could ever imagine. Such is the life story of Thomas Byrne, New York City’s premiere police chief during the 19th century. This biography by historical writer J. North Conway traces the career of the man who implemented now-standard crime-fighting techniques like mug shots and police line-ups and who got his best results when he “gave ’em the third degree,” a phrase he coined and which meant beating confessions out of suspects. Byrne solved the major crimes of his day—the case of “America’s Jack the Ripper,” the ballsy robbery of the impenetrable Manhattan Savings Bank, the theft and ransom of a millionaire’s dead body—but got caught up in the corrupt Tammany Hall-dominated politics of the day. Byrne was a complicated man with his own set of morals, and the story of his rise and inevitable fall is sensational, compelling history.

The Science of Sherlock Holmes: From Baskerville Hall to the Valley of Fear, the Real Forensics Behind the Great Detective’s Greatest Cases by E.J. Wagner, 2006, Wiley Books (Nonfiction/ 19th Century British History/ True Crime)

How accurate were Sherlock Holmes’ methods, really? He’s a fictional character, after all, working in the dark ages of the Victorian era before the invention of electricity, antibiotics, or automobiles. But by solving cases on the basis of tire marks, tobacco ash, and—yes—thumbprints and bullet trajectories, Holmes proves himself an important forerunner in the ever-important field of forensic science. Author, crime historian, and Holmes fanatic E.J. Wagner makes a magical match when she uses the works of Arthur Conan Doyle to explore early crime scene investigation methods. From the “real” hound of the Baskervilles to Holmes’ use of fingerprinting to Conan Doyle’s real-life contemporaries like the Bow Street Runners and brilliant-but-bigheaded pathologist Sir Bernard Spilsbury, The Science of Sherlock Holmes guides us through the science’s early experiments and into the accepted practices. There are also old-fashioned legends and bizarre myths, vampires, Jack the Ripper, Lizzie Borden, and lots of blood and guts. By combining the popularity of two forever-trendy subjects—Sherlock Holmes and forensic science—Wagner succeeds in shedding light on both, pleasing fans of both, and educating and entertaining absolutely everyone.

Holiday Break: Spotlight on Public Libraries

2010-12-21T11:18:00.014-06:00

Booklists for Bookworms will be taking a brief break from books during the holiday season. Get your book fix by browsing the suggestions from readers and librarians alike on these public library readers' pages.

Resources for Readers, King County Public Library, Washington

Readers' Page, Multnomah County Public Library, Oregon

Bookspace, Hennepin County Public Library, Minnesota

The What to Read Page, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Ohio

Reader's Cafe, Salt Lake County Public Library, Utah

Books, Movies, and Music, The Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio

The Readers' Corner, Morton Grove Public Library, Illinois

Real People Make the Best Book Detectives

2010-12-07T12:36:00.005-06:00

Imaging the private lives of historical figures is good fun. No matter how detailed the record of someone’s life is, there’s still room to pretend. Turning real-life royals, artists, and especially authors into book detectives seems to be a particularly favorite pastime of mystery writers. In addition to their busy fact-based lives and the demands of their time (which range from the 15th century to the 1930s), these characters now have a wealth of crimes and clues to sort through. If you can’t get enough of a favorite old-fashioned celeb, all you have to do is turn these pages and play Watson to their Sherlock.

Wicked Will: A Mystery of Young William Shakespeare by Bailey MacDonald, 2009, Aladdin Books (Historical Mystery/ Children’s Fiction)

Thomas Pryne is a young actor traveling in a players’ troupe through jolly old 16th century England. Except that Tom is not what he appears—he is actually Viola, a girl in disguise under the protection of her actor-uncle. When they arrive in the little village of Stratford-upon-Avon, Viola’s secret is threatened by an all-too-observant, overly-inquisitive, and rather annoying boy—who just happens to be named Will Shakespeare. Will is quick to drag Viola into his schemes and adventures, but when the town curmudgeon is found murdered, Will quickly turns from mischief-making to investigating. Viola, though skeptical of Will’s skill, is more than willing to play along—because her dear uncle is accused of the crime, and the brash young playwright-to-be just might be their best chance at uncovering the truth. Author Bailey MacDonald sprinkles her clever mystery with snippets from familiar plays and stays true to the lively spirit of the real William Shakespeare (1564-1616). As irresistible as the boy Shakespeare super-sleuth is, MacDonald has no current plans for a sequel. She does, however, have plans for a young Benjamin Franklin, who stars in his own rousing mystery debut, The Secret of the Sealed Room.

Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor: Being the First Jane Austen Mystery by Stephanie Barron, 2008, Bantam Books, originally published 1996 (Historical Mystery)

Author Stephanie Barron sets her fictionalized Jane Austen in the seemingly mild-mannered world of 18th century polite society, with manor houses, horse-drawn carriages, and formal visits galore—and then gives her heroine lots of adventures and mysteries to solve. In the series opener, Jane has just caused a scandal by accepting a marriage proposal only to change her mind the next morning. Seeking refuge from wagging tongues, Jane goes to visit an old friend, Isobel Payne, who has just married the wealthy—and much older—Earl of Scargrave. When the Earl suddenly dies and anonymous notes accuse his young bride of murder, Jane determines to stay on and help her dear friend through this dark hour. There’s a tangle of suspects and motives to unravel—greedy nephews, airhead aunts, scoundrels, and ne’er-do-wells—not to mention a dashing Lord with a decided interest in Jane the detective. Janeites will recognize names and characters from the author’s life and novels and will surely get a kick out of seeing the prim-and-proper Miss Austen (1775-1817) turn snoop. It will come as no surprise that with her reputed wit and critical eye, Jane makes a formidable detective indeed.

Jane Austen Mysteries by Stephanie Barron

1. Jane and the Unpleasantness at Scargrave Manor

2. Jane and the Man of Cloth

3. Jane and the Wandering Eye

4. Jane and the Genius of the Place

5. Jane and the Stillroom Maid

6. Jane and the Prisoner of Wool House

7. Jane and the Ghosts of Netley

8. Jane and His Lordship’s Legacy

9. Jane and the Barque of Frailty

10. Jane and the Madness of Lord Byron

The Tale of Hill Top Farm: The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter, Book 1 by Susan Wittig Albert, 2004, Berkley Prime Crime (Historical Mystery)

The village of Near Sawrey is like many English villages—seemingly sleepy, but ready to jump to life at the slightest hint of scandal. When a resident dies unexpectedly, the rumor mill kicks into high gear. Into this frenzy of speculation comes Miss Beatrix Potter. It’s 1905, and the author is beginning to make a name for herself with her tales of Peter Rabbit and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle. But she’s chafing under the protection of her snobbish parents and mourning the death of her fiancé. Seeking solace, Beatrix arrives in Near Sawrey (pet rabbits in tow) as the new owner of Hill Top Farm. Locals add her to their mix of gossip but Beatrix fits in quickly, especially when her quick eye and growing self confidence land her smack in the middle of a puzzle involving a trio of important missing items. It’s a cozy little mystery made even sweeter by the addition of village animals, who have as much to say as their human counterparts do. Author Susan Wittig Albert includes a biography that is sure to make readers as keen to explore the real life of Beatrix Potter (1866-1943) as they will be to solve mysteries with her.

The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter by Susan Wittig Albert

1. The Tale of Hill Top Farm

2. The Tale of Holly How

3. The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood

4. The Tale of Hawthorn House

5. The Tale of Briar Bank

6. The Tale of Applebeck Orchard

7. The Tale of Oat Cake Crag

An Expert in Murder: A New Mystery Featuring Josephine Tey, Book 1 by Nicola Upson, 2008, Harper Books (Historical Mystery)

Josephine Tey, acclaimed mystery writer on par with the likes of Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie, is on her way to London to celebrate the triumphant run of her play, Richard of Bordeaux. On the train she meets an avid fan, a young haberdasher named Elspeth whose enthusiasm and optimism make an impression on Josephine despite their brief acquaintance. So when Josephine learns that Elspeth was murdered shortly after they parted company, the shock hits hard. Detective Inspector Archie Penrose is a friend of Josephine’s, and the author of fictional mysteries is swiftly drawn deep into the dangers of a true crime that strikes far too close to home. Author Nicola Upson conveys the atmosphere of 1930s England to a tee. The mystery, too, is smart and genuine—Upson even went so far as to interview Richard of Bordeaux’s real-life players, though their names have been changed for the book. The real Josephine Tey (a pseudonym for Elizabeth MacKintosh, aka Gordon Daviot, 1896-1952) was one of the Queens of Crime back in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, and mystery lovers unfamiliar with her novels will be flocking to the shelves for the likes of The Man in the Queue (1929) and The Daughter of Time (1951).

Josephine Tey Mysteries by Nicola Upson

1. An Expert in Murder

2. Angel with Two Faces

Groucho Marx, Master Detective, Book 1 by Ron Goulart, 1998, St. Martin’s Press (Historical Mystery/ Humor)

Hollywood, 1937. Groucho Marx (1890-1977), the cigar-smoking, wise-cracking, fake-mustache-wearing brother of Harpo, Chico, Gummo, and Zeppo, is about to star in a farcical radio show called Groucho Marx, Master Detective. It’s supposed to be an ironic title, but Groucho does in fact have quite the nose for mystery. When young starlet Peg McMorrow is reported to have killed herself, the comedian’s interest is immediately piqued. He didn’t know Peg well or for long, but he knew her well enough to rule out suicide. And sure enough, Peg’s death is being covered up quick—no news story, no police report, no funeral. Groucho enlists crime-beat-reporter-turned-script-writer Frank Denby to assist in his amateur investigation. Frank’s just fallen head-over-heels for a pretty young thing of his own, but like Groucho, his sense of right demands that justice prevail. Nothing, however, not murdered actresses nor gun-toting assassins nor corrupt policemen, can drown Groucho’s rapid-fire wit and comedic word play. Familiar with the Marx Brothers or not, author Ron Goulart’s cunning mystery series is sure to make readers chuckle and puzzle as they follow Groucho through the behind-the-scenes intrigues, passions, and crimes of glamorous old-world Hollywood.

Groucho Marx Mysteries by Ron Goulart

1. Groucho Marx, Master Detective

2. Groucho Marx, Private Eye

3. Elementary, My Dear Groucho

4. Groucho Marx and the Broadway Murders

5. Groucho Marx, Secret Agent

6. Groucho Marx, King of the Jungle

Going Underground

2010-11-23T19:08:00.003-06:00

There’s something irresistible about underground. Tunnels become mazes with adventures around every bend. Caves are home to strange, wild creatures. Archeological tombs hold the treasures of the ages. Even a basement or cellar can contain mysteries and surprises that can thrill us to the bone or set our hair on end. There’s no knowing what lurks in the deep dark underground, but finding out is sure to be an adventure.

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, 2003, Harper Perennial Books, originally published 1996 (Fantasy)

Richard Mayhew lives in London. He has a job, an apartment, and a fiancé. He has a regular everyday sort of life. All that is about to change. Late to dinner, Richard stops to help a dirty young woman bleeding on the sidewalk. The waiflike girl is named Door and there’s something very odd about her, but Richard brings her home and cleans her up. When Door leaves, it seems the adventure is over. But then Richard begins to change. His friends don’t recognize him, his fiancé barely notices him, and strangers can’t even see he’s there. Knowing Door has the answers, Richard plunges into London Below, a weird and wild world inhabited by those who “fell between the cracks”—people who live in the sewers and subway tunnels, people who talk to rats, people who are magic. Soon Richard is one of Door’s companions on a dangerous quest through this strange land. If Richard wants to get back to his blissfully humdrum life, he’s got to prove his worth against all manner of assassins, monsters, and mayhem. Author Neil Gaiman is at his best here as he skillfully weaves myths and legends together with the familiar to create a magical world that is entirely new. Witty and wickedly inventive, Neverwhere is fantasy at its finest.

Tunnels, Book 1 by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams, 2008, Chicken House/ Scholastic Press (Fantasy/ Adventure/ Teen Fiction)

Londoner Will Burrows has always been a loner. His pale skin and white hair make him an outcast at school. His family life is complicated by a television-obsessed mother and a kid sister who’s taken over the management of the household. Will does have a connection with his dad—a shared love for archeological excavation. Still, father and son keep secrets from each other. When, at separate dig sites, they each uncover impressive underground structures that don’t show up on any of London’s schematics, Will and his dad know they’re onto something big. But then Mr. Burrows disappears. Will enlists the help of his only friend, Chester, and keeps digging. What the boys finally find is astonishing—an immense Victorian-style city carved into the living rock. This is “the Colony,” a secret civilization hidden beneath the earth. Will seems to have an odd connection with this subterranean society, and while Chester is locked in jail, Will is taken in by a Colonist family. He is fascinated by the cavernous Colony and its citizens, but Will never forgets Chester—or his missing father. Tunnels only sets up the adventure; final gripping chapters and a cliff-hanger ending ensure that more danger, excitement, and mystery wait in the even-deeper reaches of this extraordinary fantasy world.

Tunnels Series by Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams

1. Tunnels

2. Deeper

3. Freefall

Gregor the Overlander: The Underland Chronicles, Book 1 by Suzanne Collins, 2003, Scholastic Press (Fantasy/ Children’s Fiction)

Gregor’s mother works hard to make ends meet. His father vanished three years ago, and Gregor is responsible for babysitting his little sister. It’s a pretty dreary life for an eleven-year-old kid. But then baby sister Boots disappears down a vent in the laundry room one afternoon and Gregor dives in after her. They fall into the Underland, a fantastic world deep underground that’s populated by pale-skinned humans and giant talking animals. The subterranean dwellers suspect that Gregor is the subject of a prophecy that promises an “Overlander” warrior will lead them to victory against an army of rat invaders. Gregor has no desire to embrace his destiny—until he learns about another Overlander held captive by the rats. Gregor thinks of his father and accepts the adventure that lies ahead. He’s accompanied by quite the motley crew—Underland royalty, flying bats, a creepy rat, a big old spider, and a couple of giant cockroaches who take quite a fancy to precocious little Boots. Gregor’s reluctance to stay in the Underland does not extend to readers, who will be thrilled with the amount of detail that author Suzanne Collins lavishes on the world she imagines below ours—a wealth of magical creatures living a mythology of their own in a fantastic series of adventures.

The Underland Chronicles by Suzanne Collins

1. Gregor the Overlander

2. Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane

3. Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods

4. Gregor and the Marks of Secret

5. Gregor and the Code of Claw

The City of Ember: The First Book of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau, 2003, Random House Books (Fantasy/ Children’s Fiction)

The city of Ember is the only light in a world of darkness. But now, more than two-hundred years after apocalyptic events destroyed the rest of the world, Ember is beginning to fail. Supplies are running low and power outages that plaque the city are becoming more frequent. Still, life goes on. On Assignment Day, the city’s twelve-year-olds leave school and accept their lifelong work assignments. For curious-as-a-cat Lina Mayfleet, this means becoming a Messenger, delivering notes and gaining access to every area of Ember. For stoic handyman Doon Harrow, this means keeping the centuries-old generator patched together in the Pipeworks far below the city. But Lina and Doon soon stumble across long-buried secrets. The city’s founding fathers never meant for their people to dwell in darkness forever. The instructions for escape have been lost by corrupt city officials, and now, with resources fading fast and the citizens’ anxiety rising high, it’s up to Lina and Doon to find the pieces of the puzzle and save their city—even if it means venturing into the pitch-dark void that stretches beyond the dimming streetlights. Author Jeanne DuPrau invents mechanics, politics, and mysteries for the city of Ember and readers will breathlessly go along for the ride as Lina and Doon bring surprising new truths to light.

The Books of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

1. The City of Ember

2. The People of Sparks

3. The Prophet of Yonwood

4. The Diamond of Darkhold

The Great Stink by Clare Clark, 2005, Harcourt Books (Historical Fiction/ Mystery)

William May is a veteran of the terrors of the Crimean War. It is the 1850s, but modern readers will have no difficulty recognizing the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder—poor William is fragile, damaged, and unable to relate to his former life. He finds some measure of solace underground as a surveyor for a massive engineering project to revamp London’s outdated, unstable, and very stinky sewer system. Also patrolling the sewers is Long Arm Tom, a “tosher” who searches for valuables and catches rats for dogfight bait. Then William witnesses a brutal murder in the tunnels and, due to his slipping hold on reality, is fingered as the culprit and locked away. While William languishes in prison, it’s up to Long Arm Tom to prowl the dark underground in search of the truth. Though the ending may come a trifle too neatly for some readers, most will be swept away by author Clare Clark’s attention to historical detail. Victorian London is richly evoked in all its triumphs and tragedies, from the engineering feats that created London’s sewers to the horrors of the Crimean War to the harsh differences between the lives of the city’s social classes. The Great Stink is a fine mystery and an even finer portrait of a unique historical time and place.

The Water Room: A Bryant and May Mystery by Christopher Fowler, 2005, Bantam Books (Mystery)

The Peculiar Crimes Unit is a controversial branch of the London Police Department that takes on cases that are just a bit too “off” for the regular police to cope with. Arthur Bryant and John May, the grumpy old men of criminal investigation, have been with the PCU since its inception. May is down-to-earth; Bryant is a cantankerous loner whose acquaintances tend to be mystics, psychics, and Wiccans. Still, they get things done. But with budgets stretched thin, the PCU is looking like less of a necessity. And Bryant and May aren’t helping matters by investigating cases brought to them by friends—May pokes around in the affairs of a disgraced academic and Bryant looks into the death of a little old lady. But the old lady was found drowned in her bone-dry basement. And May’s down-on-his-luck scholar is being paid big money to explore London’s ancient underground river system. With dogged determination, curmudgeonly charm, and good old-fashioned detecting, the duo finds a compelling mystery with a solution that lies deep underground. The Water Room is author Christopher Fowler’s second PCU novel and he is in fine form. There’s plenty of mystery, intrigue, and dark humor, but the real heart of the story is the spirited relationship between the indomitable Bryant and May.

Bryant and May Mysteries by Christopher Fowler

1. Full Dark House

2. The Water Room

3. Seventy-Seven Clocks

4. Ten Second Staircase

5. White Corridor

6. The Victoria Vanishes

7. Bryant and May on the Loose

The Seventh Sinner: A Jacqueline Kirby Mystery, Book 1 by Elizabeth Peters, 2005, Avon Books, originally published 1972 (Mystery)

Pretty young Jean Suttman is thrilled to death to be studying archeology in Rome. It’s a city seeped in ancient history and artifacts. She’s found a group of friends who are fellow scholars and artists. And she’s just met visiting librarian Jacqueline Kirby, who, despite her middle-aged no-nonsense appearance, is an unconquerable spitfire with powers of observation that are only matched by her sharp tongue. So when Jean stumbles across the dead body of a universally disliked fellow scholar during a tour of the ancient underground Temple of Mithra, no one is better equipped to solve the mystery than Jacqueline Kirby. There are, however, plenty of suspects—because Jean keeps meeting with unfortunate accidents, and only her seven dearest friends had the means and opportunity to cause so much trouble. Besides creating a nifty little mystery, author Elizabeth Peters crafts a delightful cast of sinister, sweet, and highly suspicious characters. But it is Jacqueline Kirby, librarian extraordinaire, who takes the cake—and this is merely her first appearance in a very delightful series of mysteries.

Jacqueline Kirby Mysteries by Elizabeth Peters

1. The Seventh Sinner

2. The Murder of Richard III

3. Die for Love

4. Naked Once More

Pitch Black: Don’t Be Skerd by Youme Landowne and Anthony Horton, 2008, Cinco Puntos Press (Graphic Novel/ Nonfiction/ Biography)

Pitch Black is a graphic novel collaboration between artist Youme Landowne and Anthony Horton, a homeless young man living in the subway tunnels of New York City. The two struck up a conversation one day while Landowne was waiting for a train, and after an exchange of art and stories, the unlikely duo decided to document Horton’s unique biography. Given up for adoption as a baby and then passed from foster home to foster home, Horton’s childhood was grim and violent. A harsh life on the city streets followed, every day a battle for survival. Then one day Horton flees from pursuing cops into a subway tunnel. Underground, Horton finally finds a place of refuge. Though a life in the dark and damp, surrounded by rats and garbage, may not sound ideal, Horton finally has the mentors and friends that he lacked growing up. He shares his story with Landowne—and with the reader—with an unflinching eye. The stark, black-and-white artwork shows life on the streets in all its gritty reality. But despite it all, readers will come away with a sense of hope and inspiration and a new respect for those who—whether by choice or by necessity—live their lives differently.

Book-a-Saurus Rex

2010-11-09T07:27:00.001-06:00

Brontosaurus. Triceratops. Tyrannosaurus Rex. We all had a dinosaur obsession in childhood, way back when words like bilkanasaurus and thecodontosaurus simply rolled off our tongues. We’re expected to outgrow the dino phase, but no one ever really stops being completely fascinated by the extinct giants, as the myriad of museum exhibits, dinosaur encyclopedias, and nature channel TV specials well attest to. And when it comes to books about prehistoric reptiles, the sky’s the limit. Far and away beyond mere encyclopedic entries, the dinosaur books included here are true to their subject: wild, wonderful, and larger than life.

The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 2008, Penguin Classics, originally published 1912 (Fiction Classics/ Fantasy/ Adventure)

Daily Gazette reporter Ed Malone is in love with a girl. But the girl isn’t very keen on lowly newsboys; she wants the romance and heart-pounding bravery of an adventurous explorer like Richard Francis Burton or Henry Morton Stanley. Lucky for Malone, there’s an explorer right in town—although cantankerous Professor Challenger’s reputation has taken a hefty blow due to his claims of prehistoric creatures alive and well in the Amazonian basin. But even a discredited adventurer is good enough for Malone and before he knows it, he’s on his way back to South America with Challenger, skeptical scientist Professor Summerlee, and experienced explorer Lord John Roxton. The motley crew is instantly plunged into a whole mess of action and excitement—meeting with secretive Amazonian tribesmen, fighting with primitive ape-people, and (of course!) fleeing from roaring dinosaurs. It’s true that there’s more than a touch of early 19th century racism and classism, but if you can grit your teeth and bear it through the political incorrect bits, you’ll be rewarded with a fantastic, witty, true-blue tale of derring-do.

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton, 1990, Random House (Science Fiction/ Thriller)

You know and love the 1993 Steven Spielberg blockbuster movie Jurassic Park, but that thrill-ride is based first and foremost on author Michael Crichton’s bestselling book of the same name. After decades of research, genetic engineering firm InGen, headed by dapper little old gentleman John Hammond, has successfully cloned the ancient DNA of fifteen species of dinosaur. To show off this astounding breakthrough, Hammond creates Jurassic Park, a dinosaur-themed amusement park and nature conserve on a remote island off the coast of Costa Rica. He invites some very exclusive guests to give the park their stamp of approval before the grand opening—awestruck paleontologists Alan Grant and Ellie Sattler, sarcastic chaos theorist Ian Malcolm, and his own precocious grandchildren Tim and Lex. It comes as no surprise that all the high-tech science and high-end security cannot stop nature from taking its course, and soon the guests are running for their lives from escaped tyrannosauruses and hungry velociraptors. This sounds a lot like the movie, but the expertly-crafted novel is perfectly paced with fresh plot twists, complex character relationships, fascinating scientific theory, and even more action-packed scenes of nail-biting suspense and heart-pounding adventure.

Tyrannosaur Canyon by Douglas Preston, 2005, Forge Books (Science Fiction/ Thriller)

Mild-mannered do-gooder Tom Broadbent is riding his horse home across the New Mexican desert when he stumbles upon a man dying from gunshot wounds. The man thrusts a tattered notebook into Tom’s hands and, with his final breath, begs Tom to “bring this to my daughter.” Of course, it’s not just any old everyday notebook. It contains a coded map leading to an unprecedented scientific discovery: The perfectly preserved remains of a tyrannosaurus rex. This is a secret worth killing for, and soon Tom and his pretty wife Sally are in danger from a jailbird assassin, a ruthless British paleontologist, and a deadly squad of undercover army operatives. This colorful cast of characters also includes an ex-CIA agent turned monk-in-training and a talented lab assistant languishing in the forgotten depths of the American Museum of Natural History. Over-the-top? You bet, and it’s a ton of fun. Author Douglas Preston has a fine grip on what makes a good thriller—good guys, bad guys, cliffhanger chapter endings, a pinch of astounding scientific theory, and intrigue and suspense up the wazoo.

Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards: A Tale of Edward Drinker Cope, Othniel Charles Marsh, and the Gilded Age of Paleontology by Jim Ottaviani and Big Time Attic, 2005, G.T. Labs (Nonfiction/ 19th Century History/ Graphic Novel)

Once upon a time in the late 1800s, there were two fossil hunters named Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh. Cope and Marsh are the granddaddies of modern paleontology. They were scholars and scientists at the top of their field. They discovered the creatures we know today as stegosaurus, allosaurus, diplodocus, and triceratops. Cope and Marsh also absolutely, completely, and bitterly hated each other. In the late 19th century, dino discoveries were making headlines and capturing the public’s imagination, but even the entire American West was not big enough to contain the egos and ambitions of these two men. Cope and March stole from each other’s dig sites and mocked each other’s research. Their public squabbles grew so intense that the period of their study is now simply called the “Bone Wars.” And in Bone Sharps, Cowboys, and Thunder Lizards, graphic novelist Jim Ottaviani and the artists of the Big Time Attic collective gleefully bring Cope and Marsh’s feud to vivid life. Famous characters like P.T. Barnum, Buffalo Bill, and artist Charles R. Knight pepper the narrative, but Cope and Marsh’s story steals the show and makes for a fast, funny, and truly delightful read.

Lulu and the Brontosaurus by Judith Viorst, illustrated by Lane Smith, 2010, Atheneum Books for Young Readers (Children’s Fiction)

Little Lulu always gets her way. If her parents dare to say “No,” Lulu simply changes their minds by employing her trademark ear-shattering shriek. For her birthday this year, Lulu demands a pet brontosaurus. Her parents refuse, Lulu screeches until light bulbs shatter, and then the precocious tot heads into the forest—suitcase containing pickle sandwiches in hand—to find a dinosaur all by herself. After lions, tigers, and bears (oh my), the brontosaurus of Lulu’s dreams rears his giant head. But there’s a problem—the dinosaur thinks that Lulu is going to become his pet. As Lulu and the brontosaurus meet their match in each other, the reader will find more than enough charm in author Judith Viorst’s tongue-in-cheek cautionary tale. Artist Lane Smith lends a hand with adorably droll illustrations, and the result is a lively, lovely tale for children of all ages.

Dinotopia: A Land Apart From Time by James Gurney, 1992, Turner Publishing (Science Fiction/ Fantasy/ Picture Books/ Illustrated Novels)

In 1862, Professor Arthur Denison and his son Will are shipwrecked on a tropical island. Almost immediately, they encounter strange signs of life—enormous footprints, mysterious noises, and bizarre animals. To Denison and Will’s immense surprise, the inhabitants of this island are dinosaurs who live in unity and harmony with humans. Dinotopia—the name is the island—is a peaceful, innovative, cooperative society. Denison and Will are expected to contribute their skills as well and journey across the island to register at Waterfall City. Along the way, they befriend Dinotopia’s human and dinosaur citizens and observe first-hand the extraordinary workings of this unique—but still mysterious and even dangerous—world. Author James Gurney presents this sophisticated picture book as Arthur Denison’s journal. As such, it is filled with scientific observations and beautiful, realistic illustrations of the people, creatures, and places of Dinotopia—including the dinosaurs, who are portrayed in all their glory as they work, play, and learn side-by-side with humans. Dinotopia: A Land Apart From Time is whimsical, fantastic, and worthy of being read again and again by dinosaur enthusiasts of all ages.

Dinotopia by James Gurney

1. A Land Apart From Time

2. First Flight (Prequel)

3. The World Beneath

4. Journey to Chandara

Anonymous Rex by Eric Garcia, 2000, Villard Books (Mystery/ Fantasy/ Humor)

Dinosaurs are not extinct. Really, they’re not. They’ve simply learned to evolve and coexist. They live among us in secret, wearing latex human disguises, carefully governed by watchful Councils, and recognizing each other by their distinct dino-scents. The hero of Anonymous Rex is Vincent Rubio, a Los Angeles private detective and a velociraptor. Rubio is a dino in disgrace. He disobeyed the Council’s strict rules while investigating the suspicious death of his partner. He’s broke, addicted to basil, and has a single chance at redemption when he is assigned a case of arson at a dinosaur-owned nightclub. Rubio’s sleuthing uncovers police evidence gathered by a brontosaur sergeant, plots hatched by scheming dinosaur widows and mistresses, and a triceratops geneticist’s evil plot. Author Eric Garcia gleefully works his premise, spilling the dirt on the dinosaurs’ secrets to survival and blowing the cover on many supposedly-human luminaries. Complete with interspecies fighting, lying, spying, and loving, Anonymous Rex is a riotous, ridiculous romp.

Vincent Rubio Mysteries by Eric Garcia

1. Anonymous Rex

2. Casual Rex

3. Hot and Sweaty Rex