Nothing like a good story, one that keeps you away from everything you should be doing, especially during a busy holiday season. To that end, here are two opportunities for rich reading and great escapes. One takes place in 19th century Iceland, the other before and during The Battle of the Somme.
“Ich bin ein Berliner”
These four German words, translated "I am a Berliner," concluded President John F. Kennedy's Berlin speech Wednesday, June 26, 1963, and went down in history. Hamburg photographer Ulrich Mack was among the press corps capturing the event, as well as the prior days Kennedy spent in other German cities. "Kennedy in Berlin" is Mack's collection of unpublished black-and-white photographs. Here's a peek.
Where business is war
"The Navigator" is a financial thriller that takes place on Wall Street and in Washington D.C. At its heart is a trillion-dollar, private business deal that's got the attention of a U.S. senator, a former communist spy and conniving entrepreneurs. An expertly plotted debut.
Translating the natural world
This is one of those books I fall for, not because of story, but because of the way it informs about the world, in this case, the natural world. Also for the way it's illustrated. "Field Notes on Science & Nature" may be a far cry from the literary novels I read voraciously, but it nevertheless caught my interest.
A book written for one reader? Priceless
Writing a novel becomes high-stakes drama in this clever, entertaining story about a mega-selling author and a wealthy book collector.
What books do you reread?
I know someone who rereads Conan Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles." I know someone who rereads the books of Charles Dickens. Me? I don't reread. But that doesn't mean I don't want to reread. Here's my wish list, and why the books are on it.
You run the race you run
Mark Slouka's new novel takes place in the late Sixties, in a small town. Here two teenagers form a bond that becomes their salvation. Seductive, nostalgic prose, vivid, likable characters and a masterful story. It's all here.
The Cold War, Ernest Shackleton and Tartt
Three new novels caught my attention this week. I thought I'd share them here because they just might catch your attention, too.
Justice for the disappeared
Europa Editions publishes some of the best world literature, and that includes Caryl Férey’s "Mapuche." It's absorbing crime fiction that draws from Argentina's dark time of "the disappeared." Intense and gratifying.
The art of motorcycle speed
Rachel Kushner's "The Flamethrowers" is one of those novels that has all the qualities of an award-winner with its complex narrative, bold characters and creative theme. It's a uniquely written story narrated by a young girl who's an artist and motorcycle rider during the 1970s. Here's what "The Flamethrowers" is all about.
By the stars, sun, wind and ocean swells
How's your sense of direction? Can you find your way without the GPS on your Smartphone? "The Lost Art of Finding Our Way" is about how we can orient ourselves, and find our way, by natural direction indicators. Without that knowledge, you could find yourself in a situation similar to two girls kayaking off the coast of Cape Cod. The book is dedicated to the memories of those two girls.
A world of crime on Martha’s Vineyard
A. X. Ahmad has created an intriguing protagonist in his first novel, “The Caretaker.” Add to that India’s nuclear capability, an American hostage in North Korea, a nervous U.S. Senator and a bunch of thugs, and you've got an exciting literary thriller.
The Longlist: What you can read now
It's that time of year -- Britain's Man Booker longlist is out. And so begins the anticipation for which books will make the shortlist, and then which one of them will win the prestigious annual prize for best novel. Being the prize is for novels by British, Irish and Commonwealth authors, including Zimbabwe, the books may or may not have been published in the U.S. So here's the longlist, with short summaries and links to their Man Booker pages, plus identification of the novels we Americans can get our hands on.
When there were monsters
Neil Gaiman is the author of more than twenty books and the recipient of numerous literary honors. His newest novel is "The Ocean at the End of the Lane."
The question of his life
I read an essay in "The New York Review of Books" about author James Baldwin in which Darryl Pinckney wrote, "I fell under the spell of Baldwin's voice." Pinckney's story about reading Baldwin connected me to "Giovanni's Room," Baldwin's bold second novel, a classic I'd skipped in my reading journey. Now I can say it's one of the most moving books I've ever read.
The Longest Chapter 