Biography

A Curious Man: the Strange & Brilliant Life of Robert “Believe It or Not” Ripley

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

As a child, I adored Ripley’s “Believe It or Not” publications – comic books, paperbacks, a wax museum in Niagara Falls NY…anything that had the Ripley name on it, I was there. For me, Ripley’s cartoons began a lifelong fascination with and respect for the odd and unusual. When I stumbled upon A Curious Man, I was intrigued as I’d never really given much thought to the man behind the myth. Unfortunately, as is usually the case, the man fails to live up to the myth.

Neal Thompson has produced a detailed if unimaginative biography of LeRoy Robert Ripley – cartoonist, world-traveler, athlete, and all around dog who made his fortune and reputation by collecting and drawing oddities from around the world. We first meet Roy Ripley, the awkward child traumatized by a pronounced overbite and a mouth too small for all his teeth. Despite Thompson’s constant reminders about Ripleys’ teeth, an early photo of Ripley depicts a mischievous, impish urchin sporting a wide grin. This picture made me think of Tom Sawyer and the type of mischief-making boys so well-described in Twain’s work. Thompson, however, was working with a real boy rather than a fictional one, and described the young Ripley warts and all.

As Thompson follows Ripley through his life, I began to really dislike the man. What came through was a picture of a selfish, chauvinistic, narcissistic, but extremely insecure, man who held women in very low esteem, and who, despite his love for travel and exploration, was the definition of, if not the inspiration for, the phrase “Ugly American.” His lack of respect for other cultures was startling, as evidenced in this passage:

“He considered it too much work to learn even a few phrases of his host country’s language, unabashedly speaking English at all times. As he’d done in Europe years earlier, when someone didn’t understand him, he spoke louder.”

However, despite my own dislike of Ripley, Thompson has done a decent job of describing the man and his life, including almost too much detail, which adds to the length of the book. At times, the writing was juvenile and nondescript; the author’s use of modern colloquialism was also distracting – for example, describing Ripley’s soon-to-be-divorced wife as “pissed off.”

Despite Ripley’s hound-dog lifestyle, Thompson does manage to convey Ripley’s concern for the people he met during his world travels. The hunger and poverty he witnessed in Asia “haunted” him. In his own way, Ripley used his cartooning as a way to bring awareness of other cultures and countries to Americans. Ripley was a complicated man, and writing about his crazy life was surely a monumental task. I really wanted to like this biography of a man whose work has played such a role in my life as a reader, but I found my attention wandering constantly, and getting through the book was a chore. The author could have easily edited out several chapters and had a better, more compact biography; however, shortening the content probably wouldn’t make me like Ripley any better.

Magical, Mystery

Jackaby

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

JackabyDiscovering Sherlock Holmes was a watershed moment in my reading life, and I have remained enamored of the great detective for years. Many authors have attempted to improve upon Sir Arthur’s stories, some with success, some without. I always find myself drawn to these treatments of Holmes and Watson, even when it’s not those specific characters in play, but characters drawn in the Holmesian style. So it was with relish that I cracked Jackaby by William Ritter, which features a detective-scientist in the manner of Holmes who operates in New Fiddleham, a growing town located somewhere on the east coast of the United States (could be a young Boston, or New York).

Two things interested me here: the replacement of the dour John Watson character with Miss Abigail Rook, dinosaur hunter, recently of England, and the inclusion of a supernatural element. We enter the story with Miss Rook’s arrival in New Fiddleham from a sea voyage that took her anywhere but home. We come to understand that Abigail, daughter of a famed archaeologist, had grown tired of always being left at home when her father went on digs and so took the money designated to pay her tuition at a young ladies school and scarpered off to dig for dinosaurs in Eastern Europe. When that adventure ended, she got on a boat and ended up in New Fiddleham, still looking for adventure and not a little afraid to go home. She encounters Jackaby in a tavern, where he does the typical Sherlockian assessment and recitation of where she has been, only in this version, he bases his assessment on the fairies and pixies hiding among Abigail clothes, clinging to her in passage to the new world.

Abigail encounters Jackaby again when she answers an advertisement for an assistant, and finds herself among the oddities in his home, including a frog that dispenses a noxious gas out of its eyes, a neat ghost, and a duck who turns out to be a former assistant to the detective. Abigail and Jackaby are immediately plunged into a grisly murder scene in an apartment house also inhabited by a banshee. There is the usual tension and disrespect between the “amateur” detective and the “real” detective who scoffs at Jackaby’s methods (he can “feel” supernatural auras and trails left in the air when these beings pass by). Jackaby immediately discerns that an ancient evil is at work, and predicts more deaths, which, naturally occur until the evil is finally defeated.

I quite liked the characters here. Abigail is a spunky, smart young woman who is not intimidated by the oftentimes overbearing Jackaby. The great man himself is somewhat endearing and very entertaining. The supporting characters, especially the young policeman Charlie Cain and Jackaby’s live-in ghost Jenny, are interesting and deserve more attention in any future entries in this series. The supernatural elements were not the usual withes, vampires, or werewolves, but unusual creatures drawn from British and world folklore. The identity and origin of the “ancient evil” is a clever and unusual bit of British/Scottish lore that I cannot recall being used anywhere else. The writing is crisp, and the plot moves along very nicely. I sincerely hope we will see more of Jackaby and Abigail Rook in the future. Highly recommended.

Magical

Wisp of a Thing by Alex Bledsoe

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Wisp of a Thing: A Novel of the TufaI have loved fairy tales since I was a young child devouring Grimm, Andersen, and Lang. Those tales led me to the work of Kevin Crossley-Holland, Joanna Cole, and Katharine Briggs, and fed a lifelong interest in Celtic folktales and mythology. Which is why I am in love with the Tufa.

The Tufa feature prominently in Alex Bledsoe’s books The Hum and the Shiver and in this newest offering, Wisp of a Thing. The Tufa are modern day faeries, part of a race of creatures who fled land to the east and settled in the mountains of East Tennessee. They have distinctive features that include straight, lustrous black hair, a dusky complexion, and perfect teeth. They use faerie glamour to appear as ordinary humans, but in reality are powerful creatures who use hidden wings to ride the night winds. The Tufa are split into two factions, the First Daughters led by Mandalay, an ancient soul reborn into a child’s body whose “regent” is Bliss Overbay who will protect her until she’s grown. These Tufa do no harm, and communicate love, grief, life, and death through haunting music. The second faction, led by the irascible and sneaky Rockhouse Hicks, are not as nice. These are the dark fae who resent humans and want to use their powers to dominate, control, and destroy.

Bledsoe began the story of the Tufa in The Hum and the Shiver, where he told the story of Bronwyn Hyatt, a First Daughter of the Tufa, who defied the restriction that the Tufa can never leave the hills in which they make their home. She enlisted in the Army and went to Iraq, where she was wounded, returning home a hero. He continues the Tufa’s tale in Wisp of a Thing that reveals the darker side of the Tufa through the story of Curnen, a young woman cursed to live her life out in the woods until she finally becomes a “wisp of a thing” and fades away completely. The night winds which guide the Tufa step in and orchestrate the arrival of a bereaved young man who looks like a Tufa but is not one of the “true.” His arrival in Cloud County stirs up all sorts of trouble that leads to a final showdown between the light and the dark Tufa.

Giving an adequate synopsis of Bledsoe’s work is very difficult because these books are like none I’ve read before. The writing is lovely, the stories full of mythology, legend, and fairy tale as well as plain old human emotion, all revolving around a people we all want to believe in. Recommended for lovers of fairy tales and fantasy.

Mystery

Clara Benson Mysteries

Patricia McDonald Uttaro


I have always had a soft spot for English country house mysteries, and when these classics by Clara Benson became available in ebook form, I happily immersed myself. Benson, born in 1890, never published during her lifetime, but considered writing a hobby. Her family discovered her stories years after her death in 1965 and decided it was time to introduce the work to readers. Benson’s mysteries, set in the 1920s, feature amateur detective Angela Marchmont, an American visiting friends in England. Mrs. Marchmont is much more than she appears, having served as a spy in The Great War, and possessing a quick wit and well-developed intellect.

Several books in the Marchmont series have been released, with these being the first two. In both, Mrs. Marchmont is called on by an old friend to investigate dastardly murders. In the first, Murder at Sissingham Hall, Mrs. Marchmont is on hand during a country house weekend when her host, Sir Neville Strickland, is found murdered. The obvious suspect is Charles Knox, recently returned, former fiancé to the current Mrs. Strickland. Mrs. Marchmont untangles multiple threads of deception to finally reveal a most unexpected culprit.

In The Mystery at Underwood House, Mrs. Marchmont is called upon by an old friend, Louisa Haynes, who brother-in-law and two sisters-in-law have died in consecutive years during an annual family reunion required under the terms of the patriarch, Phillip Haynes, will. The “accidents” which claimed the lives of the Haynes siblings have begun to arouse suspicion, and Louisa asks her old friend to investigate. Multiple wills, a devious family attorney, and an illegitimate grandchild all contribute to Mrs. Marchmont’s task to uncover the truth before another Haynes is murdered.

The writing here isn’t bad but it isn’t great either. Given the fact that Benson considered herself an amateur and did not have the advantage of an editor at a publishing house, I expected these to be pleasant country house murder mysteries and I was not disappointed. Mrs. Marchmont strikes me as Nancy Drew all grown up and full of ladylike cleverness, which works here. These are comfortable, well-constructed, if predictable, mysteries that will appeal to fans of Maisie Dobbs and, at a stretch, Phryne Fisher. Recommended for people looking for an easy, pleasant mystery.

General

Most Anticipated Books in 2014

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

When I was assembling my “Best of 2013” lists, I also asked friends, family and colleagues what books they were most anticipating in 2014. Quite a variety!

January 2014

Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen – Patricia Uttaro – From the author of New York Times bestseller Garden Spells comes a beautiful, haunting story of old loves and new, and the power of the connections that bind us forever…

Still Life with Breadcrumbs by Anna Quindlen – Patricia Uttaro – Still Life with Bread Crumbs begins with an imagined gunshot and ends with a new tin roof. Between the two is a wry and knowing portrait of Rebecca Winter, a photographer whose work made her an unlikely heroine for many women. Her career is now descendent, her bank balance shaky, and she has fled the city for the middle of nowhere. There she discovers, in a tree stand with a roofer named Jim Bates, that what she sees through a camera lens is not all there is to life.

Hollow City by Ransom Riggs – Patricia Uttaro – This sequel to Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, begins in 1940, immediately after the first book ended. Having escaped Miss Peregrine’s island by the skin of their teeth, Jacob and his new friends must journey to London, the peculiar capital of the world. Along the way, they encounter new allies, a menagerie of peculiar animals, and other unexpected surprises.

Pandemic by Scott Sigler – John Scalzo (Irondequoit Library) – The entire human race balances on the razor’s edge of annihilation, beset by an enemy that turns our own bodies against us, that changes normal people into psychopaths or transforms them into nightmares.

February 2014

Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffamn – Patricia Uttaro -With its colorful crowds of bootleggers, heiresses, thugs, and idealists, New York itself becomes a riveting character as Hoffman weaves her trademark magic, romance, and masterful storytelling to unite Coralie and Eddie in a sizzling, tender, and moving story of young love in tumultuous times. The Museum of Extraordinary Things is Alice Hoffman at her most spellbinding.

One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band by Alan Paul – Patricia Uttaro – One Way Out is the powerful biography of The Allman Brothers Band, an oral history written with the band’s participation and filled with original, never-before-published interviews as well as personal letters and correspondence. This is the most in-depth look at a legendary American rock band that has meant so much to so many for so long.

March 2014

To Dwell in Darkness by Deborah Crombie – Patricia Uttaro – A favorite series! In the tradition of Elizabeth George, Louise Penny, and P. D. James, New York Times bestselling author Deborah Crombie delivers a powerful tale of intrigue, betrayal, and lies that will plunge married London detectives Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James into the unspeakable darkness that lies at the heart of murder.

Not Cool: The Hipster Elite and Their War on You by Greg Gutfield – Patricia Uttaro – From politics to the personal, from fashion to food, from the campus to the locker room, the desire to be cool has infected  all aspects of our lives. At its most harmless, it is annoying. At its worst, it is deadly, on a massive scale.  The Cool are the termites of life, infiltrating every nook and cranny and destroying it from within. The Cool report the news, write the scripts, teach our children, run our government—and each day they pass judgment on those who don’t worship their coolness.  The cool fawn over terrorists, mock the military, and denigrate employers. They are, in short, awful people.

The Wicked by Douglas Nicholas – Patricia Uttaro – Something evil has come to reside in a castle by the chill waters of the North Sea: men disappear and are found as horribly wizened corpses, knights ride out and return under an enchantment that dulls their minds. Both the townspeople and the court under Sir Odinell’s protection live in fear, terrorized by forces beyond human understanding. But rumors of a wise woman blessed with mysterious powers also swirl about the land. The call goes forth, and so it comes to be that young apprentice Hob and his adopted family—exiled Irish queen Molly, her granddaughter Nemain, and warrior Jack Brown—are pitted against a malevolent nobleman and his beautiful, wicked wife.

April 2014

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige – Patricia Uttaro – The other girl from Kansas must travel to Oz to deal with a power-hungry, corrupt Dorothy.

Pigeon Needs a Bath by Mo Willems – Tonia Burton (Central Library) – The Pigeon needs a bath! Except, the Pigeon’s not so sure about that. Besides, he took a bath last month! Maybe. It’s going to take some serious convincing to get the Pigeon to take the plunge.

June 2014

Written in My Own Heart’s Blood by Diana Gabaldon – Sally Snow (Monroe County Library System) – In her now classic novel Outlander, Diana Gabaldon told the story of Claire Randall, an English ex-combat nurse who walks through a stone circle in the Scottish Highlands in 1946, and disappears . . . into 1743. The story unfolded from there in seven bestselling novels, and CNN has called it “a grand adventure written on a canvas that probes the heart, weighs the soul and measures the human spirit across [centuries].” Now the story continues in Written in My Own Heart’s Blood.

July 2014

The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness – Patricia Uttaro – After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception.

August 2014

Lock In by John Scalzi – John Scalzo (Irondequoit Library) – Fifteen years from now, a new virus sweeps the globe. 95% of those afflicted experience nothing worse than fever and headaches. Four percent suffer acute meningitis, creating the largest medical crisis in history. And one percent find themselves “locked in”—fully awake and aware, but unable to move or respond to stimulus.

Disclaimer: all links go to Amazon, and annotations have been borrowed from there as well.

 

Children's

Best of 2013 for Children

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

The third and last of my Best Of 2013 posts includes a variety of selections for children.

Hold Fast by Blue Bailliet – Tonia Burton (Central Library) – From NYT bestselling author Blue Balliett, the story of a girl who falls into Chicago’s shelter system, and from there must solve the mystery of her father’s strange disappearance.

Building Our House by Jonathan Bean – Adrienne Furness (Henrietta Library) – In this unique construction book for kids who love tools and trucks, readers join a girl and her family as they pack up their old house in town and set out to build a new one in the country.

Journey by Aaron Becker – Adrienne Furness (Henrietta Library) & Tonia Burton (Central Library) – Follow a girl on an elaborate flight of fancy in a wondrously illustrated, wordless picture book about self-determination — and unexpected friendship.

How to Train a Train by Jason Carter Eaton – Adrienne Furness (Henrietta Library) – Everything you need to know about finding, keeping, and training your very own pet train.

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers – Kathy Wolf (Central Library) – Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough! They quit! Beige Crayon is tired of playing second fiddle to Brown Crayon. Black wants to be used for more than just outlining. Blue needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. And Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking—each believes he is the true color of the sun. What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best?

Flora and the Flamingo by Molly Idle – Adrienne Furness (Henrietta Library) – In this innovative wordless picture book with interactive flaps, Flora and her graceful flamingo friend explore the trials and joys of friendship through an elaborate synchronized dance.

Toilet: How It Works by David Macaulay and Sheila Keenan – Adrienne Furness (Henrietta Library) – Everyone knows what a toilet is for, right? But what exactly happens after you flush? Where does our waste go, and how is it made safe? With his unique blend of informative text and illustration, David Macaulay takes readers on a tour of the bathroom and the sewer system, from the familiar family toilet to the mysterious municipal water treatment plant.

If You Decide to Go to the Moon by Faith McNulty & Stephen Kellogg – Kathy Wolf (Central Library) – “If you decide to go to the moon,” writes Faith McNulty, “read this book first. It will tell you how to get there and what to do after you land. The most important part tells you how to get home.

Sophie’s Squash by Pat Zietlow Miller and Anne Wilsdorf – Kathy Wolf (Central Library) – On a trip to the farmers’ market with her parents, Sophie chooses a squash, but instead of letting her mom cook it, she names it Bernice. From then on, Sophie brings Bernice everywhere, despite her parents’ gentle warnings that Bernice will begin to rot. As winter nears, Sophie does start to notice changes…. What’s a girl to do when the squash she loves is in trouble?

Niño Wrestles the World by Yuyi Morales – Adrienne Furness (Henrietta Library) – No opponent is too big a challenge for the cunning skills of Niño—popsicle eater, toy lover, somersault expert, and world champion lucha libre competitor!

Battle Bunny by Jon Scieszka, Mac Barnett, and Matthew Myers – Adrienne Furness (Henrietta Library) – When Alex gets a silly, sappy picture book called Birthday Bunny, he picks up a pencil and turns it into something he’d like to read: Battle Bunny. An adorable rabbit’s journey through the forest becomes a secret mission to unleash an evil plan–a plan that only Alex can stop.

The Dark by Lemony Snicket and Jon Klassen – Adrienne Furness (Henrietta Library) – Laszlo is afraid of the dark. The dark lives in the same house as Laszlo. Mostly, though, the dark stays in the basement and doesn’t come into Lazslo’s room. But one night, it does.

Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool – Kathy Wolf (Central Library) – New York Times Best Seller Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool, Newbery Medalist for Moon Over Manifest, is an odyssey-like adventure of two boys’ incredible quest on the Appalachian Trail where they deal with pirates, buried secrets, and extraordinary encounters.

Mr. Wuffles by David Wiesner – Kathy Wolf (Central Library) – In a near wordless masterpiece that could only have been devised by David Wiesner, a cat named Mr. Wuffles doesn’t care about toy mice or toy goldfish. He’s much more interested in playing with a little spaceship full of actual aliens—but the ship wasn’t designed for this kind of rough treatment. Between motion sickness and damaged equipment, the aliens are in deep trouble.

Disclaimer: All the links go to Amazon, and the annotations have been borrowed from there as well.

Young Adult

Best of 2013 for Teens

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

The Best of 2013 for teens contains an interesting variety of recommendations from librarians all over Monroe County. Enjoy!

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher – Lauren McCormick (Rochester City Schools) – Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a strange package with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers several cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker – his classmate and crush – who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

All the Truth That’s In Me by Julie Berry Four – Deena Viviani (Brighton Library) & Claire Talbot (Greece Library) – Four years ago, Judith and her best friend disappeared from their small town of Roswell Station. Two years ago, only Judith returned, permanently mutilated, reviled and ignored by those who were once her friends and family.

Lord of Opium by Nancy Farmer – Adrienne Furness (Henrietta Library) – As the teenage ruler of his own country, Matt must cope with clones and cartels in this riveting sequel to the modern classic House of the Scorpion, winner of the National Book Award, a Newbery Honor, and a Printz Honor.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green – Lauren McCormick (Rochester City Schools) & Matt Krueger (Irondequoit Library) – Insightful, bold, irreverent, and raw, The Fault in Our Stars is award-winning-author John Green’s most ambitious and heartbreaking work yet, brilliantly exploring the funny, thrilling, and tragic business of being alive and in love.

Reality Boy by A.S. King – Deena Viviani (Brighton Library) – In this fearless portrayal of a boy on the edge, highly acclaimed Printz Honor author A.S. King explores the desperate reality of a former child “star” struggling to break free of his anger.

The After Girls by Leah Konen – Stephanie Territo (Greece Library) – Ella, Astrid, and Sydney were planning the perfect summer after high school graduation. But when Astrid commits suicide in a lonely cabin, the other girls’ worlds are shattered. How could their best friend have done this–to herself and to them? They knew everything about Astrid. Shouldn’t they have seen this coming? Couldn’t they have saved her?

Every Day by David Levithan – Matt Krueger (Irondequoit Library) – Every day a different body. Every day a different life. Every day in love with the same girl.

Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler – Stephanie Squicciarini (Fairport Library) – When all signs point to heartbreak, can love still be a rule of the road? A poignant and romantic novel from the author of Bittersweet and Twenty Boy Summer.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell – Stephanie Squicciarini (Fairport Library), Claire Talbot (Greece Library), Ashley Armstrong (Lyell Library), Stephanie Territo (Greece Library), and Patricia Uttaro (who was hoping thyis would win the Newbery Award today, but is happy with the selection of Flora & Ulysses) – Set over the course of one school year in 1986, this is the story of two star-crossed misfits—smart enough to know that first love almost never lasts, but brave and desperate enough to try. When Eleanor meets Park, you’ll remember your own first love—and just how hard it pulled you under.

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell – Deena Viviani (Brighton Library) – In Fangirl, quirky introvert, Cath, is safe within the immensely popular Simon Snow (think Harry Potter) fan-fiction blog she writes with her twin sister, but college turns her life upside down, leaving her feeling like an awkward outsider. When she writes, Cath knows exactly what her characters should say to each other, but when it comes to forging real-life friendships, much less a romance, she hasn’t a clue.

Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz – Matt Krueger (Irondequoit Library) & Patricia Uttaro – Aristotle is an angry teen with a brother in prison. Dante is a know-it-all who has an unusual way of looking at the world. When the two meet at the swimming pool, they seem to have nothing in common. But as the loners start spending time together, they discover that they share a special friendship—the kind that changes lives and lasts a lifetime. And it is through this friendship that Ari and Dante will learn the most important truths about themselves and the kind of people they want to be.

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein – Deena Viviani (Brighton Library) – While flying an Allied fighter plane from Paris to England, American ATA pilot and amateur poet, Rose Justice, is captured by the Nazis and sent to Ravensbruck, the notorious women’s concentration camp. Trapped in horrific circumstances, Rose finds hope in the impossible through the loyalty, bravery and friendship of her fellow prisoners. But will that be enough to endure the fate that’s in store for her?

5th Wave by Rick Yancey – Stephanie Territo (Greece Library) – The Passage meets Ender’s Game in an epic new series from award-winning author Rick Yancey.

Poison by Bridget Zinn – Adrienne Furness (Henrietta Library) – Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction-which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend. Disclaimer – all the links go to Amazon, and the annotations have been borrowed from there as well.

Grown Ups

Best of 2013 for Grown Ups

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Everyone has done their Best of lists for the year, so I thought I’d add to the abundance. I polled my family, friends and colleagues in the Monroe County Library system for their favorites of 2013, and I got dozens of replies. So many, in fact, that I have decided to break the list up into three separate posts, and add a fourth for “Most Anticipated of 2014.” Enjoy!

Longbourn by Jo Baker – Claire Talbot (Greece Library) – Jo Baker dares to take us beyond the drawing rooms of Jane Austen’s classic—into the often overlooked domain of the stern housekeeper and the starry-eyed kitchen maid, into the gritty daily particulars faced by the lower classes in Regency England during the Napoleonic Wars—and, in doing so, creates a vivid, fascinating, fully realized world that is wholly her own.

The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin – Claire Talbot (Greece Library) – In the spirit of Loving Frank and The Paris Wife, acclaimed novelist Melanie Benjamin pulls back the curtain on the marriage of one of America’s most extraordinary couples: Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

Light in the Ruins – Chris Bohjalian – Claire Talbot (Greece Library) – Set against an exquisitely rendered Italian countryside, The Light in the Ruins unveils a breathtaking story of moral paradox, human frailty, and the mysterious ways of the heart.

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh – Patricia Uttaro & Adrienne Furness (Henrietta Library) – Touching, absurd, and darkly comic, Allie Brosh’s highly anticipated book Hyperbole and a Half showcases her unique voice, leaping wit, and her ability to capture complex emotions with deceptively simple illustrations.

Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman – Claire Talbot (Greece Library) – A brilliantly imaginative and poignant fairy tale from the modern master of wonder and terror, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is Neil Gaiman’s first new novel for adults since his #1 New York Times bestseller Anansi Boys.

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert – Carol Moldt (Central Library) – In The Signature of All Things, Elizabeth Gilbert returns to fiction, inserting her inimitable voice into an enthralling story of love, adventure and discovery.

I Dreamed I was a Very Clean Tramp by Richard Hell – Ashley Armstrong (Lyell Library) – The sharp, lyrical, and no-holds-barred autobiography of the iconoclastic writer and musician Richard Hell, charting the childhood, coming of age, and misadventures of an artist in an indelible era of rock and roll…

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill – John Scalzo (Irondequoit Library) & Heidi Jung (Gates Library) – NOS4A2 is a spine-tingling novel of supernatural suspense from master of horror Joe Hill, the New York Times bestselling author of Heart-Shaped Box and Horns.

Burial Rites by Hannah Kent – Carol Moldt (Central Library) – Set against Iceland’s stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution.

Trial of Fallen Angels by James Kimmel, Jr. – Mary McDonald Camille (Reader Extraordinaire, Hilton NY) – When young attorney and mother Brek Cuttler finds herself covered in blood and standing on a deserted train platform, she has no memory of how she got there. For one very good reason. She’s dead. But she doesn’t believe it at first. Trapped between worlds, Brek struggles to get back to her husband and daughter until she receives a shocking revelation that makes her death no longer deniable: She’s been chosen to join the elite group of lawyers who prosecute and defend souls at the Final Judgment.

Doctor Sleep by Stephen King – Adrienne Furness (Henrietta Library) & Heidi Jung (Gates Library) – King’s enormously entertaining sequel to The Shining in which we meet Danny Torrance, all grown up.

Attempting Normal by Marc Maron – Adrienne Furness (Henrietta Library) – Attempting Normal is Marc Maron’s journey through the wilderness of his own mind, a collection of explosively, painfully, addictively funny stories that add up to a moving tale of hope and hopelessness, of failing, flailing, and finding a way.

Promise of Blood by Brian McClennan – Nell Ruedin (Central Library) – In a rich, distinctive world that mixes magic with technology, who could stand against mages that control gunpowder and bullets? PROMISE OF BLOOD is the start of a new epic fantasy series from Brian McClellan.

Me Before You by JoJo Moyes – Marjorie Shelley (Pittsford Library) – A Love Story for this generation, Me Before You brings to life two people who couldn’t have less in common—a heartbreakingly romantic novel that asks, What do you do when making the person you love happy also means breaking your own heart?

Something Red by Douglas Nicholas – Patricia Uttaro – An intoxicating blend of fantasy and mythology, Something Red presents an enchanting world full of mysterious and fascinating characters— shapeshifters, sorceresses, warrior monks, and knights—where no one is safe from the terrible being that lurks in the darkness. In this extraordinary, fantastical world, nothing is as it seems, and the journey for survival is as magical as it is perilous.

Lean In: Women, Work & the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg – Matt Krueger (Irondequoit Library) & Patricia Uttaro – Thirty years after women became 50 percent of the college graduates in the United States, men still hold the vast majority of leadership positions in government and industry. This means that women’s voices are still not heard equally in the decisions that most affect our lives. In Lean In, Sheryl Sandberg examines why women’s progress in achieving leadership roles has stalled, explains the root causes, and offers compelling, commonsense solutions that can empower women to achieve their full potential.

Human Division by John Scalzi – John Scalzo – Following the events of The Last Colony, John Scalzi tells the story of the fight to maintain the unity of the human race.

Drinking with Men: a Memoir by Rosie Schaap – Ashley Armstrong (Lyell Library) – Rosie Schaap has always loved bars: the wood and brass and jukeboxes, the knowing bartenders, and especially the sometimes surprising but always comforting company of regulars. Starting with her misspent youth in the bar car of a regional railroad, where at fifteen she told commuters’ fortunes in exchange for beer, and continuing today as she slings cocktails at a neighborhood joint in Brooklyn, Schaap has learned her way around both sides of a bar and come to realize how powerful the fellowship among regular patrons can be.

Midwinter Blood by Marcus Sedgwick – Claire Talbot (Greece Library) – Seven stories of passion and love separated by centuries but mysteriously intertwined—this is a tale of horror and beauty, tenderness and sacrifice.

Where’d You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple – Chris Christopher (Rochester City Hall) – Bernadette Fox is notorious. To her Microsoft-guru husband, she’s a fearlessly opinionated partner; to fellow private-school mothers in Seattle, she’s a disgrace; to design mavens, she’s a revolutionary architect, and to 15-year-old Bee, she is a best friend and, simply, Mom. Then Bernadette disappears.

Out of the Easy by Ruta Sepetys – Claire Talbot (Greece Library) – It’s 1950 and the French Quarter of New Orleans simmers with secrets. Known among locals as the daughter of a brothel prostitute, Josie Moraine wants more out of life than the Big Easy has to offer. She devises a plan get out, but a mysterious death in the Quarter leaves Josie tangled in an investigation that will challenge her allegiance to her mother, her conscience, and Willie Woodley, the brusque madam on Conti Street.

Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton – Clair Talbot (Greece Library) & Patricia Uttaro – Stanton began photographing people on the streets of New York City three years ago, and those portraits have come to represent the diversity, depth, and beauty of the city. His best work appears in this collection.

The Light Between Oceans by ML Stedman – Chris Christopher (Rochester City Hall) & Marjorie Shelley (Pittsford Library) – Tom Sherbourne is a lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, a tiny island a half day’s boat journey from the coast of Western Australia. When a baby washes up in a rowboat, he and his young wife Isabel decide to raise the child as their own.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt – Carol Moldt (Central Library) – Theo Decker, a thirteen-year-old New Yorker, miraculously survives an accident that kills his mother. Abandoned by his father, Theo is taken in by the family of a wealthy friend. Bewildered by his strange new home on Park Avenue, disturbed by schoolmates who don’t know how to talk to him, and tormented above all by his unbearable longing for his mother, he clings to one thing that reminds him of her: a small, mysteriously captivating painting that ultimately draws Theo into the underworld of art.

Disclaimer: All the links go to Amazon.com, and the annotations have been borrowed from Amazon.

Uncategorized

Hyperbole and a Half

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

When my sister and I were kids, she wrote this hilarious story called Mr. Jaws, which was constructed on a type of MadLibs concept, but using song titles. I remember laughing until it hurt as I read it, then feeling totally jealous of her talent for crafting such hilarity.

I had the same feeling as I read the much anticipated Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh. I had already enjoyed some of the material included in the book on Brosh’s website, but Simple Dog and Helper Dog travel well from interweb to book. Of course, God of Cake will always be one of the funniest things I have read. E.V.E.R.

Brosh has an uncanny talent for nailing feelings and emotions using what appear to be childishly crude drawings. She conveys disappointment, rage, and happiness with just a few well placed lines. The accompanying text tells stories that we can all relate to on some level.

The most powerful piece in the book, however, is Brosh’s description of her battle with depression. We are given a glimpse into the very real, very confusing, and wholly debilitating experience of suddenly finding yourself in the middle of a severe depression. Anyone who has grappled with depression can relate to what Brosh endured, and I am sure that pieces of her artwork and text are printed out and taped up on walls all over the world. My favorites are “Not today! I’ve got legs, motherfucker!” and “I wish to rent all these movies and purchase all of these Skittles!” Those two acts of defiance can rally me on my worst days.

I have to wonder if the tremendous attention Brosh has experienced through her website and now the publication of her book has contributed to her owns struggles. Suddenly discovering that there are legions of fans out there who totally get her work has got to be startling. She has been missed on the web, but has returned triumphantly with a new story about the power of a dinosaur costume, another true gem of childhood.

Hyperbole and a Half is an awesome book and everyone should buy it. It has alot of heart. 🙂

Mystery

Mayor of Hollywood

Patricia McDonald Uttaro

Mayor of Hollywood by MB Brophy – Those of you who follow my blog know that I am a diehard mystery reader. What you might not know is that I adore mysteries set in Hollywood, and if they include real celebrities, more the better. I devoured the old Hollywood novels by George Baxt years ago and frequently look for novels in this vein. Mayor of Hollywood certainly fills the bill and definitely does not disappoint.

Right away, we meet Lucy Cassidy, former child star turned university history professor specializing in the history of Hollywood. Brophy starts the action early on when Lucy makes a shocking discovery in her basement following a “coming out” party signaling her return to acting. Even while dealing with an apparent stalker, Lucy is called upon by her boyfriend, a hunky police detective, to consult on a murder case where the victims were staged to echo an old Hollywood murder case. As they dig deeper and deeper into the contemporary murder, Lucy is horrified to discover evidence pointing to old friends from her teenage acting days, and is forced to confront some of her own demons as more is revealed about one of the murder victims, a successful talent agent.

Brophy takes us on a wild ride through the underbelly of teenage Hollywood, the reality of celebrity stalkers, faded child stars, and creepy, predatory agents. The plot is decent and the action well-paced. I can’t say I didn’t finger the murderer about halfway through, but the story was fun enough to keep me reading. The climax was a bit unexpected but satisfying, and certainly tied up all the loose ends. I look forward to more form this author.

Recommended for light, fun summer reading.