New Nonfiction for December

• Ascent of Money: a financial history of the world by Niall Feguson
• Buyology: truth and lies about why we buy by Martin Lindstrom
• Daily Coyote: a story of love, survival and trust in the wilds of Wyoming by Shreve Stockton
• Decline and Fall of the British Empire 1781-1997 by Piers Brendon
• Green Beauty Guide by Julie Gabriel
• My Word is My Bond by Roger Moore
• Outliers: the story of success by Malcolm Gladwell

To these books in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

It's all in the Journey

If you enjoyed Peace Like a River you will not be disappointed in Leif Enger’s most recent book So Brave, Young and Handsome. It’s 1915 and Monte Becker, a one time author, befriends an old outlaw, Glendon Hale, as he is building boats just down the river from his home in Minnesota.

Frustrated with trying to write another “great” novel, Monte agrees to accompany Glendon in search of “Blue”, Glendon’s love from long ago. As they traverse the United States, Glendon’s colorful past is revealed and Monte’s search for sense of purpose is discovered.

On their journey, they are pursued by Charles Siringo, an ex-Pinkerton who has been hunting Hale for years. On their way they experience a fire, a flood, a gun battle and meet up with characters from Charlie’s past. This story explores the depths of loyalties and the breadth of morality as Monte struggles with what is right and what is wrong.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Denise

Missing person or finally free

Paper Towns by John Green

Under the laws of probability, Q figures that, although no single miracle is likely to happen to any one of us, one of those many miracles is likely to happen to each of us. His miracle could have been the dead man he and his next door neighbor Margo Roth Spiegelman find in their park when they’re nine. No, Q’s comet is Margo herself.

Skip to Senior year: Margo is the sun around which their high school revolves. Q’s one of those revolving particles in the band crowd. About a month before graduation, Margo slips into his second-floor room in the middle of the night, a shadow in black face paint. She’s got a stellar carpe diem (make that noctem) planned for them of prankish escapades. Then she disappears, AGAIN, leaving behind complicated & elaborate clues that launch Q and his old friends, along with some new ones, onto an adventurous hunt to find Margo in between their proms, finals, parties, and graduation.

This is a stellar 3rd novel for Printz award winning, Young Adult author John Green. His characters are real, his plot is clever, exciting, insightful, and laugh-out-loud funny each in it's own turn. With fascinating tidbits of unexpected information and cleverly woven clues, Green offers a novel of adventure & fun with a gravity of realizations & personal growth. And don't forget to bask in the shining eloquence of Green's words, wit, and language which I've come to admire & adore in his work. Enjoy!

To find these and other materials in the Library, go to our website at http://www.newberglibrary.org/

Reviewed by K'Lyn

History, murder, and wives galore!

The 19th Wife is a rather creative fictionalization of Mormon history, specifically concerning polygamy. But author David Ebershoff takes special care not to draw conclusions or make judgments.

The novel interweaves two stories, that of Ann Eliza Young (an actual historical figure) and also that of Jordan Scott, a modern day ex-communicated fundamentalist Mormon.

We first meet Jordan. At 14 he was kicked out of the “Firsts”, a secular fundamentalist off-shoot of the Latter-Day-Saints who still practices polygamy as divine direction. After making his way on his own for several years Jordan is suddenly called back to his old life when his father is murdered and implicates Jordan’s mother, his “19th wife”, in his last words.

Then we meet Ann Eliza. She was the “19th wife” of the infamous Brigham Young. After fleeing this life, she wrote a book, Wife No. 19, denouncing polygamy and had some influence on the Mormons' moving away from this practice. Ebershoff fictionalizes Ann Eliza’s story but also weaves in actual history, including some indications that her story may not have been entirely accurate.

Through both of these stories we see the ways polygamy might be horrible for the people who practice it, but also how it might be an important, albeit challenging, aspect of religious practice for those who believe it is their salvation.

Though it seemed to run a little long, and often got bogged down in detail, I found this book very interesting. I learned a great deal about Mormon history and some of the quite amazing things these people did in shaping American history. If you like your history with a good dose of fiction (or vice-versa) check out The 19th Wife!

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Lori M.

Multitasking at its best!

When my son was born recently I found I needed two things in my reading materials: The book had to be light enough to hold with one hand while nursing, and the plot had to be easy to follow in the middle of the night. Anne Lamott's Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year fit the bill. Lamott's frankness about parenthood is tender, funny and reassuring. Her conversational writing style is both charming and witty. This was the perfect book to read in the first few weeks of my son's life, and a book that will strike a chord with many parents.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at http://www.newberglibrary.org/

Reviewed by Korie B.

A Local Mystery

If you like a fun mystery, Shanghai Tunnel by Sharan Newman might be right up your alley. It takes place in early Portland and has many references to streets, people and historic events that are specific to PDX. It gives a good picture of the lifestyle, politically and personally, in the early days of Portland. I enjoyed it!

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Rea

A Sunny Read for a Rainy Day

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows was great fun to read. Written in the form of letters, it's packed with interesting characters who are surprisingly easy to keep track of (considering how many there are).

Set immediately after World War II, the plot revolves around the German occupation of the British Channel Islands, a historical event that I wasn't aware of before. I liked the characters a lot and found myself thinking about them and their stories off and on during the days that I read this fast moving book.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Jean S.

A Fractured American Dream

America, America by Ethan Canin is narrated by Corey Sifter and intertwines 3 stories into one. Though he is the son of a working class family, Corey is “adopted” into the rich Metarey’s family as a worker.

We then follow the story of a local politician’s journey to almost capture the 1972 Democratic Party’s nomination for President. We get the story from the present tense as Corey is a teen and being exposed to the big political machine at work, and then in the past tense when Corey is the editor of the local newspaper many years later.

The third story line runs through the entire book as we know “something” has gone wrong. The reader follows the rise and fall of the local candidate described against actual historical events of the 1970s.

If you enjoy historical fiction, pick up this book for a good read.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org/

Reviewed by Denise

A Boy and his Dog

Now that I’ve finished The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski, I’m not quite sure how to describe it. Certainly there are unmistakable elements of Hamlet: a father killed by an uncle who then immerses himself in the mother’s affections; a son driven mad by his father’s murder and the knowledge of who did it. But it is also a dog story, a family story, a “midwestern” and a very American saga.

Edgar is a sensitive boy born to loving parents on an idyllic farm where they raise a fictional and very special breed of dog called the Sawtelle dogs. Though he can hear perfectly, the new family quickly finds that their child cannot speak or even make any sound. Edgar and his parents develop a sign language that they use to communicate, but this disability soon becomes the least of their problems.

Edgar’s uncle, the black-sheep Claude, shows up after years of self-imposed exile. A short time later, Edgar discovers his father dead of an apparent stroke. But Edgar is sure that Claude has murdered his father and sets out to prove this, with unexpectedly horrific results. Edgar flees into the wild with only a pack of young dogs and his grief. In his journey, he finds both answers and more questions and must ultimately return to the farm to make things right. This being a saga, of course, you may not find a happy ending. Yet I found this brilliantly written novel satisfying, mesmerizing, and very affecting.

Oprah just chose this novel as her latest “Oprah’s Book club” pick. It’s quite a thick tome but perfect for those soon-to-come rainy afternoons of fall.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Lori M.

The Secret to a Long Life

In The Alchemyst: Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, the title character has found the secret to immortality, but now his wife, Pernell, and the book that holds his secret have been kidnapped by the evil Dr. John Dee. Every day without the book brings Nicholas and Pernell one year closer to mortality. Their only hope may be 15 year-old twins who are just beginning to understand their magical potential. Surreptitiously dumped into a dangerous world, twins Sophie and Josh have entered a world of immortals, werewolves, vampires, gods, goddesses, and creatures they can't even begin to fathom.

I was hooked from the start of this fast-paced read. Michael Scott's writing is brisk and highly entertaining. Myths are articulately woven together to create a web you won't want to escape from!

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Korie B.

An American Family with a Few Issues

The Condition by Jennifer Haigh

The “condition” of this title is, ostensibly, Turner Syndrome, a gene deficiency that causes the McKoch family’s daughter Gwen not to go through puberty, basically leaving her with the body of a little girl into adulthood. But as we read further, we find that each member of this family has their own condition that leaves all of them deficient; prim mother Paulette, driven detached father Frank, closeted gay golden boy son Billy, loser blacksheep son Scotty and, of course, the physically and emotionally stunted Gwen.

We meet the family in the summer of 1978, glossy on the outside, but ready to disintegrate on the inside. Twenty years later, we revisit their lives, all grown up and still falling apart. Though they aren’t all totally healed of their condition by the end of the novel, I found a certain amount of satisfaction in their journey. Haigh is an insightful and graceful writer who goes deep into each character extracting the ways people can become so involved in their own conditions that they cannot connect with others. I wasn’t sure I was going to like this book, I’m not normally one for family drama type novels, but I found this one was different and I enjoyed it very much.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Lori M.

The Joy of a Good Listen

I love listening to stories. Some audio books are just so well read they beg to be listened to again and again. Stephen Briggs' reading of The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett is one such story.
This is the tale of Tiffany Aching, a young girl with keen observation skills who becomes entwined in the magical world. With a firm grasp on reality, and her frying pan, Tiffany finds herself in league with the Nac Mac Feegle (also known as the Wee Free Men). While best known for their fightin', stealin' and drinkin', the little blue men also become fiercely protective of Tiffany when she must rescue her sticky little brother Wentworth from the Queen of the Elves.

Although a delightful fantasy, this story is ultimately about common sense, standing up for "them as can't" and the magic of truly seeing what is around you.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Korie B.

Book Club Selection for September

In Out Stealing Horses, Norwegian writer Per Petterson delivers the simple story of a man reviewing his past. But he does so in such an ethereal and intriguing way that it is by no means a simple novel.

Trond, an aging widower, has set out to live in quiet isolation as, he declares, he always wanted to do. But a chance encounter with a boyhood acquaintance brings back a flood of memories of one summer that shaped his future. The story weaves in and out of this fateful summer and the present like the prominent river that flows through it. Filled with both relationships with people and with nature, Petterson describes even the most mundane tasks with beautiful prose.

This will be our first book group read for September. We’ll meet to discuss it on September 16th at 7:00 p.m in the Library. I encourage you to read this wonderful novel and join us for further discussion!

To find this book in the Library go to our catalog at www.newberglibrary.org or stop in and we’ll supply you with a book group copy.

Reviewed by Lori M.

No spoilers here, just read it!

OK, so the last few Twilight Saga books by Stephenie Meyer were a bit formulaic, but they still sucked me in. I've been anxiously awaiting Breaking Dawn since I devoured the last book, and I was not disappointed. In fact, I was completely surprised. Meyer breaks the mold in this thrilling conclusion to the saga taking main characters to new depths. Should I say more? I think I would rather let you be surprised by the twists and turns. Just read it, it won't disappoint.

Written for young adults but a great read for adults too!

Reviewed (sort of) by Korie B.

A Satisfying Mystery with More

Although there's a mystery at the center of the novel, What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn doesn't feel primarily like a mystery. The first section follows 10-year-old detective Kate as she navigates her Birmingham, U.K. neighborhood in a world where almost no one notices her. Her whole life has a somewhat sinister feel to it, including her teacher Mrs. Finnegan who is "criminally unsuited to teaching small children."

The second section of the book takes place twenty years later and centers around Lisa, a young woman who works in a music store in the Green Oaks shopping mall in the same neighborhood. The strongest parts of the book are the painful, true and funny descriptions of the tedium and humiliation of working in customer service while serving a sadistic and ambitious boss. According to the author's bio, she was drawing on her experience working in record stores.

The two sections of the book tie together and overlap in many directions for an interesting and satisfying conclusion.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Jean

Books as History

Imagine a rare religious book is discovered in the aftermath of the Bosnian war in Sarajevo. This is how People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks begins. Dr. Hanna Heath is asked to assess the condition of the Sarajevo Haggadah and try to re-create its historical journey. The book holds religious connections for Jews, Christians and Muslims and therefore is an important find.

Brooks leads the reader back and forth from the present day research and Hanna’s personal story to the past where we enter into the historical episodes of each clue found from the book. The rose colored stains, insect wing, missing clasps, drop of salt and the white hair each hold their own historical story and the reader is transported backwards as each clue unfolds with this book ending at the beginning of the books journey in 1480 Seville.

This is a good read, especially for those who enjoy historical fiction.

To find this book in the Library go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Denise

Searching for Light in a Dark World

Imagine living in a city where the only light is provided by electricity. Then imagine that electricity is starting to fail. Every time the lights go out, you are plunged into total and utter darkness! That is the scenario of this captivating book, The City of Ember by Jeanne Duprau.

Lina and Doon are two twelve year olds living in Ember. They have both just finished school and have become workers in the stringently regulated system that keeps everything flowing in the city. But soon they realize something is wrong. Supplies such as food and clothing are running out, the mayor has a terrible secret, and people are beginning to panic whenever the lights go out (which is more and more often!). Together Lina and Doon must solve the age-old mystery of Ember and find out what is beyond the “unknown regions” surrounding the city.

This is a wonderful and captivating read. It’s geared primarily to middle school readers but I enjoyed it thoroughly. Both the characters and the action are well written and plausible, despite the slightly science fiction quality of this futuristic/apocalyptic world.

This book is part of a series which continues with the People of the Spark and the Prophet of Yonwood, which I definitely have on my list to read next (a fourth and final book is scheduled to come out in the Fall). The City of Ember is also being made into a movie coming out in October.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Lori M.

Historical Fiction conjures up Elizabeth I

The Lady Elizabeth by Alison Weir (2008)

Elizabeth Tudor's early life is vividly imagined in this entertaining novel. Perhaps one of the most fascinating women of history, Elizabeth would grow up to be one of the most powerful monarchs of England. Even before she came to power her early life was full of uncertainty, manipulation, political intrigue, and plots against her life. From the time of her mother Anne Boleyn's beheading, through her tumultuous young adult years, Elizabeth set her self apart with her dignity and matched wits with the most brilliant men in England.

Alison Weir's story explores Elizabeth's transformation from a seductive flirt to the Virgin Queen, and while she takes fictional license, she crafts her story with attention to historical detail fashioning a captivating story.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Korie B.

Not Jane's Best

After just finishing Jane Kirkpatrick’s newest series Change and Cherish, I have to say that I was disappointed in the quality of writing and storyline in this series. As an avid Jane Kirkpatrick fan, I expected a smoother storyline. The author was too wordy with the thoughts of Emma, the main character. However, as far as historical research, Jane does an excellent job. I am ready to go explore Aurora Oregon, which is where most of the story takes place.

If you enjoy historical fiction, I would still suggest this novel as Jane Kirkpatrick researches her material well. If, however, you are looking for another great read by her, this is not it.

Kirkpatrick is writing a new non-fiction book Aurora: An American Experience in Quilt and Craft, about the quilts that are mentioned in this book. It is due out in the fall of 2008.

To find Jane Kirkpatrick’s books in the Library, go to our website at http://www.newberglibrary.org/

Reviewed by Denise

Skeletons out of the closet

Do I need to talk you into reading the latest David Sedaris book? If you are already a fan, probably not. Like me, you anxiously await his next collection of essays every time you finish one.

You won’t be disappointed with When You Are Engulfed in Flames. As always, Sedaris offers funny insights on both the absurd and the mundane. Sure, he’s a little older and more content, and it certainly shows; most of the essays in this collection have to do with domestic life with his partner Hugh. But he is still just as funny and you will still laugh out loud while reading this book!

If you haven’t ready David Sedaris yet, I would recommend starting with one of his older collections like Holidays on Ice or Naked and working you way through to this latest one. Listening to him is great fun too so you might try one of his audio book versions.

You can find all of Sedaris’ books by going to our catalog at www.newberglibrary.org

Reviewed by Lori M

War and Hope

The Translator: A Tribesman’s Memoir of Darfur by Daoud Hari

The terrible situations in this book can make it hard to read. Yet it is also somehow warming to the heart. Though this true story of the genocide in Darfur is appalling, Daoud brings hope and freshness by sharing stories about the people, their customs and way of life.

The story begins as Daoud’s village is destroyed by warring factions. We follow him through 2005 as he fights the rebels and the government. As an educated man, his father encourages Daoud to fight the rebels with words instead of guns. We experience near misses, humbling scenes of war and Daoud’s own hopeful insight as he challenges his enemies in his own unique way. Along this journey the reader learns about village life, the countryside and the history of an ancient land. Though tough to read in some spots, the book is well worth the effort.

If you enjoy audio books, the audio book is read by Mirron Willis. The delightful African accent is like listening to Daoud himself tell his story.

To find this book in the Library, go to our website at www.ci.newberg.or.us/library

Reviewed by Denise

City of Bones

Clary's night starts out innocently enough at a club, but in just a few hours, events twist. Her eyes are opened to the world of vampires, faeries, werewolves and the Shadowhunters, the powerful fighters that keep the demons under control. When she tries to ignore the dawning truth, her mother is kidnapped, forcing Clary to join the world of the Shadowhunter to free her mother. Leading the young Shadowhunters is Jace, a sarcastic teenager with a deadly aim and killer looks. As Clary and Jace battle to discover the whereabouts of her mother, the world teeters perilously close to an all out war.

The first in The Mortal Instruments trilogy, City of Bones is a thrilling adventure full of danger, wit and love.

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments: Book 1) by Cassandra Clare
Young Adult: Grades 7-13

If you like this story, check out:
City of Ashes (The Mortal Instruments: Book 2) by Cassandra Clare
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
A Great and Terrible Beauty (Gemma Doyle Trilogy) by Libba Bray

To find these books in the Library go to our website at www.ci.newberg.or.us/library

reviewed by Korie

Back in the USSR

Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith is set in the Soviet Union in the 1950s. Leo Stephanovich Demidov works for state security and the author does a great job of conveying how restrictive the society is; it seems everyone is kept in line by fear.

When Leo becomes convinced that a serial killer has been targeting children, he’s considered a dissident since, officially, there's no murder or crime in the USSR. After Leo and his wife Raisa are forced to run from the government and throw themselves on the mercy of strangers, it becomes clear that many people are not ruled by fear and are willing to risk their own lives to do what's right. The middle of the book is a little slow, but the last quarter of the book is fast paced and the ending is exciting. Smith seems to have done a lot of research (this is his first book) and does a great job of conveying life in the Soviet Union in the 50s.

To find this book in the Library, go to our catalog at www.ci.newberg.or.us/library

Reviewed by Jean

Living la vodka loca

This irreverent collection of essays, Are You There Vodka, It’s me Chelsea, depicts the wild life of Chelsea Handler and it will either shock you or make you laugh out loud (or maybe both!). Handler is a stand up comic/talk show host who usually spears pop culture with an acid wit.

In this book, Handler mostly makes fun of herself, her friends and her family and the strange situations she seems to find herself in. In one story for example, she finds that she has to pretend to be honeymooning with her father when he lies to the airline to get them upgraded. In another, she goes to extremes to convince her third grade class that she’ll we starring in the sequel to “Private Benjamin”.

If you like your comedy a bit risqué, you may like Handler’s bawdy look at life.

To find this book in the Library go to our website at www.ci.newberg.or.us/library

Reviewed by Lori M

Magical Car Rides

Our family just finished a suspenseful car ride with our ears tuned to the audio rendition of The Dragon of Doom, the first title in Bruce Coville's Moongobble and Me series. This tale of magic and adventure begins magician-in-training Moongobble's quest to complete three tasks and join the Society of Magicians. Young Edward is bored in his village of Pigbone and jumps feet first into a friendship with Moongobble and a talking toad named Urk. The full cast of voices, performed by eight actors, made us laugh and want to stay in the car even after we had arrived at our destination. Background music introduces each chapter and sound effects add to the story's suspense. Young readers will love this light-hearted fantasy that's not truly scary - just full of action and fun.

To find this and other Moongobble and Me series audio books in the library, go to our catalog at www.ci.newberg.or.us/library

Reviewed by Amanda

Sci-fi for middle schoolers

From the author of the popular Sci-Fi series, Shadow Children, comes a new adventure: Found (The Missing: Book 1). Jonah has always known he was adopted, but when strange messages begin appearing in the mail, Jonah begins to ask questions about his origins. When he discovers his friend Chip, also adopted, has received the same messages, they begin to investigate, discovering just how many kids are part of an FBI cover-up of a catastrophic event transcending time and space. Jonah, Chip and Jonah's sister, Katherine, begin a race for their lives through time to make things right.

Found, by Margaret Peterson Haddix (2008) (grades 4-7)

If you like this book check-out: Among the Hidden (Shadow Children: Book 1) by Margaret Peterson Haddix, The Book of Time by Guillaume Prevost and Larklight by Philip Reeve.

To find these books in the Library go to our catalog at www.ci.newberg.or.us/library

Reviewed by Korie

Bee-bim Bop by Linda Sue Park

Inspire your preschooler and/or early reader to step into the kitchen with this playful dinner-time tale. A young girl narrates the preparation of her favorite family dish, bee-bim bop, a popular Korean meal meaning 'mix-mix rice.' The rhyming cadence is great practice for pre-readers and captures the fun each member of the family seems to have shopping, frying, flipping, boiling, chopping and eating together. A recipe is included at the the end with instructions for both kids and their grown-ups. Bee-bim bop was a huge hit at our house and inspired my preschooler to eat cabbage using chopsticks! A testament to a great picture book.

To find this book in the library go to our catalog at www.ci.newberg.or.us/library

Reviewed by Amanda L.

Dads gone wild

I am mesmerized by Augusten Burroughs. This guy has had quite a life and knows how to tell his story in a hilariously acerbic fashion. You may know him from his first memoir Running with Scissors. But he’s also written several other books chronicling his battle with alcoholism and other aspects of his life (Dry, Magical Thinking, Possible Side Effects).

In his latest memoir Wolf at the Table, Burroughs gets a little darker (ok, a whole lot darker) in describing his father; a distant, unaffectionate, alcoholic, perhaps even psychotic man. This was a man who played cruel head games with his son including (possibly) killing and tortuing some of his pets. Burroughs was a sensitive, loving, artistic child and only wanted his father’s love. He writes in anguished detail about how far his father went to withhold that love, even on his deathbed.

If you’ve enjoyed Burrough's other books, I would recommend this one to get more of his story, but be prepared: you won’t be laughing much.

To find this book in the Library go to our catalog at www.ci.newberg.or.us/library

Reviewed by Lori M.

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Fans of Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series can sink their teeth into something different while they await the next adventure of Bella, Edward and Jacob (place your hold now for Breaking Dawn).

Meyer's newest novel, the Host, is told from the view of the Wanderer, an alien soul whose race has taken over human bodies. Both Science Fiction and Romance, this story focuses on one alien whose human host won't fade away. Although Melanie's body is no longer her own, her consciousness won't leave the Wanderer in peace. As both struggle for control and understanding, Melanie tempts her with memories of the life and love she had with Jared, a survivor of the alien invasion. As they set out to find him, their lives intertwine binding them together. Can they continue to exist together?

To find this book in the Library go to our website at www.ci.newberg.or.us/library

reviewed by Korie

Let's Celebrate!

We are celebrating 100 years of service here at the Newberg Public Library during the week of May 27th - May 31st. The first public library in Newberg opened on May 26th, 1908 (we're closed that Monday for Memorial Day so we're starting the celbrations on Tuesday). The Library will be having fun activities throughout the week and a big party on Saturday, May 31st with food, fun and festivities. Come on down and help us celebrate!

Sumptuous Reading

The Last Chinese Chef
After an American food writer’s husband dies, she returns to China to “clear up some family business” and to write a story on traditional Chinese food. To get her story, Maggie follows a Chinese-American-Jewish chef as he prepares to enter a cooking contest and she learns about the history and meaning of food and family in the Chinese culture. Intertwined is the story of Maggie’s grief, her relationship with the chef and his family, and how food can be healing. If you like stories about relationships, food, and culture, you might like The Last Chinese Chef by Nicole Mones.

To find this book in the library go to our catalog at www.ci.newberg.or.us/library
Reviewed by Denise

Book Club Selection

Our book club selection this month is Plainsong by Kent Haruf. And like the song style the title alludes to, this lovely little novel is truly lyrical. Weaving together the lives of several residents of a small Colorado town, Haruf describes life, relationships and the landscape in similar ways: starkly, darkly but with tinges of hope and good humor.

Guthrie is a lonely man, unhappy in his job as a schoolteacher and on the brink of loosing his severely depressed wife. Ike and Bobby are his two little boys who suddenly find that they must more or less make their own way when their mother abandons them physically and their father emotionally. Victoria is an introspective quiet girl who finds herself pregnant and out on the streets when her mother kicks her out and the father of her baby is nowhere to be found. The McPherons are two old brothers who keep to themselves and their curmudgeonly ways until their quiet solitude is disturbed, or perhaps filled, with the arrival of the pregnant teenager. Maggie Jones is the kind, take-care-of-business woman who brings them all together.

Though somewhat slow-paced, I enjoyed this novel and the array of characters Haruf presents. The descriptions of the landscapes and the wonderful old coot McPheron brothers are particularly enjoyable assets to this colorful novel.

To find this book in the library go to our catalog at http://www.ci.newberg.or.us/library

Reviewed by Lori M

Sex and Religion in America

Tom Perotta is known for writing about trouble in suburbia. Election and Little Children have been his most popular novels so far and both deal with characters bored with the humdrum and looking for something else, usually to both hilarious and disastrous results. Perotta continues this theme in his latest novel, The Abstinence Teacher but takes a slightly different track. While he says it’s “all about sex education and the culture wars” I found it went a bit deeper than that examining human frailties and how they manifest themselves in enclosed cultures such as suburban America.

In this novel, Ruth is a sex education teacher whose teaching methods come under fire from a local church. Against her own ideals, she is forced to teach only abstinence after the situation blows up. Tim is an ex-junkie who has lost everything but has found Jesus and belongs to the Evangelical church that challenged Ruth’s sex-ed curriculum. Though he is committed to his new religion and grateful for the strength it gives him, Tim struggles with the things he learns in his new church, particularly from the charismatic pastor Dave.

When the lives of Ruth and Tim intertwine, a microcosm of an American rift between conservative and liberal is examined in Perotta’s own dark and humorous style. But I found it interesting that neither of the lives of these two characters are stereotypical and their actions are rarely predictable. If you enjoy realistic books that look at society’s foibles, I would highly recommend this book.

Find this and other Tom Perotta books on the library catalog at www.ci.newberg.or.us/library

Reviewed by Lori M

The Search for Love

Somehow, and without conscious effort, I keep reading novels about Jewish people in the Arctic. The novel I reviewed earlier, The Yiddish Policemen’s Union, and this one: Away by Amy Bloom. The two novels couldn’t be more different though.

Away is the devestating but delicately written tale of Lillian Leyb, a woman who has lost everything by the time she is 22. After a Russian pogrom wipes out her entire family including her young daughter, Lillian emmigrates to New York in 1924. There she finds herself part of the Yiddish Theater as a seamstress and soon winds up the mistress of the star actor and his powerful father. But Lillian discovers that her daughter may be alive and living in Siberia and, without much to go on, is compelled to find her.

Traveling across the North America, Lillian ends up in a number of seamy situations including taking up with an African-American prostitute in Seattle, being tossed in a Vancouver women’s prison “for her own good” and wandering alone through the bitter Yukon. There are many characters along Lillian’s journey and a number of surprises both for her and for the reader. Love was never examined from so many angles. If you like a good story about a tough woman, try this terrific novel.

To check the availability of this item, go the library website at www.ci.newberg.or.us/library

Reviewed by Lori Moore

Sailing off to Sleep

Settle in for winter with this cozy bedtime read. Sailing off to Sleep speaks to children's love for adventure, independence and a comforting conclusion. This rhyming picture book tells the tale of a young girl's reluctance to go to bed and her imaginary journey across the Arctic sea. Throughout, the girl's mother asks concerned questions about her daughter's well-being, for which the young adventurer always has a confident answer. She sails with a whale, floats with a walrus, cuddles with polar bears and frolics with all manner of polar animals not often found in children's books. Cool Arctic landscape and warm animal illustrations contrast beautifully. The text's rhyming cadence can also help pre-readers learn to hear that words are made up of smaller parts. The little girl's return to home offers a soothing route to sleep for the little one in your life. Find Sailing off to Sleep at your library under  E Ashman.

Ashman, Linda. Sailing off to Sleep. 2001.
New York: Simon & Schuster books for Young Readers .
Reviewed by Amanda Lamb