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March is the month when New Englanders
begin to get restless, when the bitterly cold winds make us
grumpy and a forecast of snow has us calling a travel agent.
We at BookEnds suggest diving into a book. Travel through
time to medieval England, journey into the mind of Bill Belichick,
navigate your way around the policies of our world economy.
Whatever your delight, travel there in a book. Also, come
in from the cold to hear our two great author events this
month: Howie Carr and Nathaniel Fick. Both promise to be interesting
and engaging—albeit in different ways.
Dede writes: Another
“grail” novel is out this month, but Kate Mosse has
written it from a different point of view. In Labyrinth
(0399153446) ,
the author took the age-old story in a feminine direction,
saying, “The Grail legends are usually about men with swords
and women getting rescued. I thought, ‘You know, I want the
women to have the swords...They are the heroes.’” The author
is co-founder and honorary director of the Orange Prize for
Fiction, which honors women writers. Her novel is set in Carcassonne,
past and present: Alais—in the thirteenth century—and Alice—in
the twenty-first century—are the true heroes of the novel.
This is exciting historical fiction.
For a rest from the serious books
your book group has read, treat yourself to a guilty pleasure
with The Little Lady Agency (1416514923)
by British author Hester Browne. Publishers Weekly
says, “Crackling with Brit chick wit...as satisfying as free
champagne.” It is also praised by Sophie Kinsella of Shopaholic
fame. Lots of fun.
Geraldine Brooks is well-known
for her novel about the plague, Year of Wonders (0142001430).
Just out in paperback, her latest novel March
(0143036661)
is set during the Civil War in the United States. The main
character is Mr. March, the father in Louisa May Alcott’s
Little Women (0140380221).
Sue Monk Kidd says, “Filled with the ache of love and marriage
and with the power of war upon the mind and heart of one unforgettable
man.” I feel that this book has been somewhat overlooked,
and now that it is paperback, it is easy to recommend to all.
Billed as “an international
literary sensation,” Frangipani (0316114669)
by Tahitian writer Celestine Vaite came into BookEnds
a week ago in paperback. This is a charming and delightful
escape to Tahiti in the company of the warm, strong and honest
main character Materena Mahi. Tuck this away for your next
business trip or vacation.
Alice writes: Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia (0670034711) by Elizabeth Gilbert is a great new book, its subject delineated
in the title. Gilbert, emotionally distraught after a difficult
divorce, takes a year of her life to travel to Italy, India
and Indonesia. In Italy, she studies the art of pleasure—eating
her fill (to the tune of 23 added pounds), dabbling in language
classes, meeting new friends and waking each day with no agenda.
In India, she explores the art of devotion, concentrating
on her spiritual side. In Indonesia, she combines both of
these arts with the ultimate goal of balance. She wants, as
many of us do, to find the way to have both earthly pleasure
and conscionable existence. I am not in the same place in
life as Gilbert, but she is open and sincere, appealing and
understandable, and I found myself craving this book at the
end of the day. Humorous yet sensible, I loved traveling to
these countries with her, watching her journey of self-discovery
and self-acceptance.
Another
great new book in the world of travel literature is Honeymoon
with My Brother (0312340842)
by Franz Wisner. Left by his fiancée just days
before his wedding, Wisner and his brother take the Costa
Rican honeymoon he had planned, but after those two weeks
are over, they extend this vacation into two years of world
travels. In Asia and Europe, South America and Africa, the
brothers visit 53 countries in this funny but often poignant
memoir.
Next up,
on Tuesday, March 14th from 7-8 p.m., we
will discuss Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s debut novel
Purple Hibiscus (1400076943).
Set in Nigeria, the novel follows 15-year-old Kambili, stuck
between an oppressive father and her country’s vulnerable
political atmosphere. Her father, a wealthy Catholic man,
is admired by the community for his generosity and involvement,
but at home, he is cruel and abusive, his religious fanaticism
oppressive. When a military coup threatens their family, she
and her brother go to live with their widowed aunt, a university
professor, in the impoverished countryside. There, away from
the material comforts of her upbringing, she will begin to
understand love, happiness and independence. The novel, wrought
with emotional fervor, is haunting and memorable, illuminating
a culture and society rarely discussed in literature (or in
the news).
From the
Children’s Room:
Isabel writes: The
Killer’s Tears (0385732937)
mesmerized me from the very first paragraph. Every word of
the novel was well-chosen by Anne-Laure Bondoux. Although
I can’t describe it as a happy book, I encourage high school
readers and adults to pick it up. Following a young boy who
lives in the outer reaches of Chile, the story begins with
a tragedy: Paolo Poloverdos’ parents
are killed, but the murderer, Angel Allegros, decides to spare
the boy. Another man is introduced to their life, and
each competes to serve as a father figure. The
story often focuses on Angel’s awakening conscience. Through
his relationship with the boy, he begins to see the importance
of life and love in a story about crime and redemption.
It’s amazing that it was translated from French—the language
in which it won the French Prix Sorcieres Award. I and my son, Eric, devoured
it.
Kate DiCamillo has won every
possible award, but I think her latest book is the best. The
Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (0763625892)
is original in the same vein as her other books, including
The Tale of Despereaux (0763625892),
which is also great for elementary school readers.
A china rabbit named Edward Tulane lives in a house on Egypt
Street. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for
good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who treated
him with the utmost care and adored him completely. And then,
one day, he was lost. Reminiscent of The Velveteen Rabbit,
this bunny goes on many journeys on his way to find just the
right owner, but the true miracle is the story of love.
There is a stage in every child’s
development when she or he discovers that throwing things
out of the crib is riotously fun. Sarah Weeks has written
a great new picture book for the one to three-year-old who
loves to chuck stuffed animals, blankets and clothing out
of beds and down stairs. With brightly-colored illustrations,
Overboard (0152050469)
is enough to crack up my twin nephews who think the bunny
tossing his crib’s contents overboard is about the best punch
line around (and doesn’t encourage imitation—in case you parents
were worried).
Mouse Paint (0152055339)
was one of my daughter’s favorite books when she was three.
Now Ellen Stoll Walsh’s classic is available in a lap-sized
board book, a great new “invention” by many publishers. Three
white mice get into some primary-colored paint pots in a subtle
but entertaining lesson about color and camouflage. While
they start as white rodents, undetectable by the cat, they
end in a fun display of colors.
Judy H. writes: For
fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder, A Little House Traveler:
Writings from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Journeys Across America
(0060724919)
gives the reader a glimpse of Wilder not seen in her books.
This book is a collection of Wilder’s three diaries. “On the
Way Home” chronicles Wilder’s journey with her husband Alonzo
and daughter Rose from DeSmet, South Dakota to their new home
in Mansfield, Missouri in 1894. “West from Home” is a
collection of Laura’s letters to Alonzo from her 1915 visit
to Rose in San Francisco. The last diary, “The Road Back,”
narrates Laura and Alonzo’s 1931 trip back to DeSmet to visit
their old home and relatives. In the three diaries, Laura
gives vivid descriptions of her journeys and the sights and
wonders of a growing, expanding America. This is a great
companion piece to the Little House on the Prairie
series.
Corydon (037583382X)
by Tobias Druitt, a new novel with characters from
Greek mythology, has just been published. The book has
the usual cast of Greek myths: gods, goddesses, heroes and
monsters. Corydon, the main character, is a shepherd
who has been exiled from his village because he is branded
a monster (his real father, Pan, has one goat leg). Befriended
by two Gorgons, Corydon eventually leads the monsters—including
the Gorgons, Medusa, the Minotaur and others—against the heroes,
headed by Perseus. In a twist of the ordinary Greek myth,
the monsters are the “good guys,” and the heroes are the villains. This
is a great book for the 9- to 12-year-old reader who enjoys
Greek mythology and a good adventure thriller.
Marilyn writes: Liam
W. and Mette H., both 11, agree that Spirit Walker
(0060728280)
by Michelle Paver is a good read. Torak is a boy who
can talk to wolves. In this second book of the Chronicles
of Ancient Darkness, Torak must find the cure to a
deadly sickness spreading through the clans of the forest.
His quest takes him across the sea to the mysterious islands
of the Seal Clan, where he will battle an unseen menace and
discover a betrayal that will change his life. Mette writes,
“This book is full of suspense, adventure and friendship.
I loved this book and truly recommend it.”
The latest installment of Anthony
Horowitz’s Alex Rider’s adventures, Scorpia (0142405787),
has just come out in paperback. Shattered by the revelation
that his father may have worked for Scorpia—one of the most
destructive terrorist organizations in the world—Alex no longer
has the strength to fight against them…until he learns of
Scorpia’s latest plot. Can Alex foil their evil schemes and
prevent the deaths of thousands? Horowitz continues to keep
readers on the edge of their seats with Alex’s thrilling adventures.
Recommended for ages 12 and up.
Stephanie S. reviewed a brief
chapter in my impossible life (0385746989)
by Dana Reinhardt. She writes, “I really loved this
book. Simone, a quirky teen, is dealing with the normal teen
anxieties: boys, school and parties. Well, suddenly everything
changes with one phone call…everything from her past catches
up with her and becomes part of her future.” Author Sarah
Dessen says, “This first novel is about a girl looking for
the meaning of family. On the way she finds herself. The result
is a compelling, well-written story with a message that resonates,
no matter what your age.” Recommended for ages 14 and up.
Pat writes: The
Book of Story Beginnings (0763626090)
by Kristin Kladstrup is a new book about a 14-year-old
boy named Oscar who mysteriously disappears from his Iowa
farmhouse in June 1914. Nearly a century later, a distant
relative, Lucy Martin, discovers a strange and dangerous book
called “Book of Story Beginnings.” Suddenly Oscar reappears,
Lucy’s father disappears, and Oscar and Lucy begin a perilous
journey to save her father. Kladstrup’s debut fantasy novel
features a ship full of orphaned pirate children, a pair of
royals on the warpath and magic throughout the story, making
this a perfect read for girls and boys aged 10 to 13. We
are excited for her visit to the store.
David Shannon, author of the
popular “David” picture books, has a delightful new book,
Good Boy, Fergus (0439490278).
It is about a lively and full-of-personality terrier. Fergus
takes on a perfect doggy day: chasing cats, digging into the
house plants, going for a car ride, eating snacks from the
table. Fergus’s expressions and poses on every page will bring
a smile to every 3 to 6-year-old’s face.
There is a new book in the “Little
Bear” series by Martin Waddell, Sleep Tight,
Little Bear (076362439X).
Little Bear discovers a new cave that’s just the right size
for him. He plays there all day, eats supper there and, with
permission from Big Bear, even goes to spend the night there.
As the night begins, with the moon shining high, he realizes
that Big Bear might be lonely, and perhaps it is time to return
home to the old Bear Cave. The artist’s subtle, soft pictures
make the story even more appealing. Perfect for preschoolers
through kindergarteners.
559 Main Street Winchester, MA
01890 (781) 721-5933
www.bookendswinchester.com M-F 9-8 Sat. 9-6 Sun 12-5
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