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.