Thursday, October 23, 2008

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

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

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.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

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