Blue Heaven 
By C.J. Box 

A northern Idaho community is rapidly  expanding as more people escape to it,  including so many former cops from L.A. that it  has adopted the name of “Blue Heaven.” Many  lives are linked when two kids disappear after  witnessing a murder: the single mother trying  to provide a decent life for the kids, a former  cop who has come to close his only remaining  open murder case, the rancher trying to save  his land from all the change and the former  cops who want to bury it all, including the  kids. The story is told from many perspectives  and shows how we all have to pay for past  decisions, good or bad. It gets off to a slow  start as it sets the stage for the characterdriven  story, though being suspense more than  mystery, it builds nicely to where you won’t be  able to put it down.  – Diane Schneider (RO/PE)  

Perfect Match 
By Jodi Picoult 

Nina, a prosecutor for York County, Maine sees  how imperfect the justice system can be for the  youngest of rape and sexually abused victims.  Then one day it is discovered that Nathaniel,  Nina's 5-year-old son, has become a victim.  Nina and her husband Caleb are put through  a whirlwind of emotions. It is now them who  have to decide how to seek justice for their son  in the imperfect system.  This is the story of parents’ love for their child  and just how far parents really would go to  truly protect them.  – Maria Epperley (PE)  

Rainwater 
By Sandra Brown 

Rainwater is a historical fiction novel set  in 1934 Texas during the dustbowl and  depression. Ella, the owner of a boardinghouse,  must keep her house full of guests in order  to provide for herself and her disabled son  Solly. David Rainwater, a relative of the  town's doctor, rents a vacant room and takes  an interest in Solly. David spends time each  day with him, making Ella realize that Solly  can learn more than she thought. David also  becomes involved in the community, putting  himself in danger which follows him to the  boarding house.  Rainwater is different from the kind of novel  that Sandra Brown usually writes. I thought the  history seemed accurate and the description of  Solly's mental disability was well researched  – Jean Zaleski (PE)

An Offer You Can’t Refuse
By Jill Mansell

Seventeen-year-old Lola is madly in love with upper class Dougie Tennant who has gone on to a university outside of London. Middle class Lola, who works in a fish and chip shop, is definitely not what Mrs. Tennant wants for a daughter-in-law. When Mrs. Tennant unexpectedly picks Lola up after work, she offers her 10,000 pounds if she will agree to never see Doug again. Lola assures her that she really loves Doug and that she can’t be bought off. On her return home, Lola discovers her stepfather Alex in the process of packing up his things and moving out. Alex has amassed a large gambling debt to spare Lola and her mother any unpleasantness, he is going to leave town. Lola accepts the money to save her family and leaves town. Ten years later, Lola returns to London and she meets up with Doug. When Doug finds out that Lola took money from his mother, he refuses to have anything to do with her. This is a great light read for those who enjoy a little romance without all the desperation and drama about finding the perfect man. – Barbara Annen (PI)

A Gate at the Stairs
By Lorrie Moore

Lorrie Moore writes a quiet story sure to resonate with readers. This coming-of-age tale compels the reader first with its poetic prose and then with its complex characters. It’s either a love of lyricism or of strong characters that will suck the readers in or lose them, as this isn’t a plot-driven novel. The story features themes of class, race and the sorrows of people; but, at core, it’s a story about a farm girl and the relationship she finds herself in with a woman intent on adopting a child. Weather conditions and landscapes of the Midwest lend themselves to the emptiness that suits Moore’s sad characters. It may not be the happiest read of the season, but it sure is memorable. – Amanda Myers (PI)

Friend of the Family

By Lauren Grodstein

Pete Dizinoff has led a charmed life as a respected doctor, devoted husband, and friend to many in the affluent community of Round Hill, NJ. So where has he gone wrong when it comes to his son Alec? Pete and his wife Elaine have given Alec the world, and yet he disappoints by dropping out of prestigious Hampshire College. An artist, 20-year-old Alec wants to travel Europe and see great works for himself rather than study them from afar. To make matters worse, the daughter of Pete’s closest friends comes back to town after years of a hippie existence. Laura, who is 10 years Alec’s senior, originally left Round Hill to escape the notoriety that has followed her since high school, when she committed an unspeakable act. Pete is horrified by this young woman and what she represents, especially when she sets her sights on his son. Grodstein’s descriptive prose and intelligent turns of phrase will keep the reader immersed as Pete’s privileged world of family and reputation begin to dissolve around him. – Paula Gallagher (PI)

Lethal Legacy
By Linda Fairstein, narrated by Barbara Rosenblat

This legal thriller takes listeners into the behind the- scenes world of the New York Public Library – eccentric benefactors, secret underground stacks, the last resident family, forgeries and, of course, murder. The story opens with the investigation of an assault and later murder of a young conservator. ADA Alexandra Cooper and her partner NYPD detective Mike Chapman follow the leads to some of Manhattan’s grandest homes and seediest neighborhoods. Their team includes a map librarian whose knowledge of the history of the city helps them to uncover family secrets crucial to the case. Read by the talented Barbara Rosenblat, this audiobook is the perfect distraction from beltway traffic jams! – Teresa Frost (PI)

Jazz

I used to get a little nervous at the mention of jazz any more “contemporary” than about 1969. It’s not that there’s been a falling off of musical talent in the world since the heyday of jazz – whenever you consider that to have been. It’s more a question of the artists’ ability to tread a fine line between tradition and originality, meaning not trying too hard to be either easy-listening or hip (-hop). But having investigated the recommendations of some recent surveys published online by DownBeat magazine, I discovered that there is plenty of excellent stuff coming out these days to alleviate anyone’s fears that America’s greatest art form came “free” of its moorings and died a “smooth” death. Start with Ben Allison and Man Size Safe, Little Things Run the World (2007), a solid collection of dark-trending compositions whose groove and instrumentation suggest the fingerprints of Quincy Jones. Then, just try to resist getting pulled right in by the funky “Little Walter Rides Again,” leading off Medeski/ Scofield/Martin & Wood’s Out Louder (2006). This disc, along with Mistico from the Charlie Hunter Trio (2007), provides some outstanding guitar work along with a wealth of distinctive keyboard stylings which bring life to mostly original tunes, but also a few covers. Sweden’s Esbjörn Svensson Trio demonstrates with their ’06 release Tuesday Wonderland that the status of “popular in Europe” – which they are – doesn’t automatically mean you’re a weenie. What Allmusic calls a “gloriously schizophrenic experience” features the robust piano and keyboards of EST’s namesake leading the way through 11 unself-conscious, fun fusion tunes. Also not to miss: John Zorn, The Dreamers (2007) and a disc recorded live at the Village Vanguard, Follow the Red Line, by Chris Potter Underground. Among the catalogs of all these artists is a wealth of more good stuff, and as has always been true with jazz, there is a lot of overlap among styles, groups and players. This small sampling of recordings should provide all the entrée you need to the vibrant world of contemporary jazz.. – Allan McWilliams (PI)

Stitches: A Memoir

By David Small

David Small, an award-winning author and illustrator, has written an excellent, haunting memoir of his life growing up in Detroit in the 1950s with a dysfunctional and oppressive family. Stitches, written as an adult graphic novel/biography, presents the sad and often terrifying story of David’s life, portrayed in pictures that make you feel as though you are watching a film. David begins his memoir as a small boy of 6, living with an abusive, controlling and psychologically disturbed mother, a clueless, uncaring father and an older brother. His mother instills dread, fear and despair into everyone in the family. As it becomes more clear to us that the mother suffers from demons from her own dysfunctional family, little David tries to survive and make sense out of what goes on in his family, even though he can’t begin to understand how disturbed everyone actually is. Around the time that David is 11, a lump is discovered in his neck by one of his mother’s friends. Because his parents are so criminally uncaring, they let the lump go unchecked until he is 14 years old before they finally have it diagnosed. The lump is found to be cancer, and David has resulting surgeries which leave him unable to talk. The worst part of all is that his parents never told him the lump he had was cancer. We also learn that his father, a doctor, had given him massive doses of radiation therapy as a young child for his sinus infections, and most likely had given him the cancer in the first place. David’s story will stay with you long after you finish reading it. It is truly amazing that he overcame his horrible upbringing, and went on to become a successful and well adjusted adult.– Michelle Stack (RE)

Jacob’s Cane

By Eliza New

Experience the triumphs and tragedies with Eliza’s family as they adjust to the new world. Despite the loss of many family members, both Bernhard Baron and Jacob Levy attain success in the manufacturing business. Bernhard establishes Carrera’s Black Cat cigarette manufacturing company in Mornington Crescent, England, and Jacob establishes Levy’s International Shrinking company in Baltimore, MD. The family attains success after many hardships and Eliza explains how. The author successfully develop s a wellrounded portrayal of each family member. She also provides interesting and accurate historical references supported with examples of prominent people and socio-economic data for each time period. The story follows a logical sequence of events during five generations of the family. Eliza’s family sage is interesting from beginning to end.  If you enjoy reading family sagas, then read this book.– Terry Moran (RA)

We Shall Remain

PBS DVD series

This is an amazing DVD aired on PBS through April and May. The three discs include “After the Mayflower” (Wampanoag), “Tecumseh’s Vision” (Shawnee), “Trail of Tears” (Cherokee), “Geronimo” (Apache) and “Wounded Knee” (Lakota).

 Very unique, it is told from the perspective of American Indians. It doesn’t try to provide a definitive record or revel in an epic tragedy. Instead, it attempts to create intimate portraits of individuals.

The series begins in the 1600s with the Wampanoag of New England, to show early contact with Europeans, and to end in the 1970s with American Indian activists’ occupation of Wounded Knee. In between, the series plays out stories of Native icons Geronimo, Tecumseh and the Cherokees’ Trail of Tears. The intent is to take viewers on a journey across the continent and 300 years. What connects the five films is the tenacity of their characters. This is not a solely indigenous concept. This country is founded on people striving, being tenacious and moving forward. This is a look at that, through Native eyes. I enjoyed the series as both sides of my family were represented – the Wampanoag and Lakota – although I felt that the second siege of Wounded Knee was biased.– Toi Costley (RA)

Red Hot & Blue - Restaurant

Laurel, MD

Where to be for great, finger licking BBQ food – from catfish to ribs and chicken. My all time favorite dish is the Pulled Pork Platter with ribs, a dinner roll, potato salad and beans. They also have dummies, which are chicken wing appetizers, or either ribs for yourself or a slab to share. Desserts are good as well. The service is excellent and prompt. – Shenika Sewell (RA)

Al Capone Shines My Shoes

By Gennifer Choldenko

This is the lively and entertaining sequel to the Newbery Honor Book Al Capone Does My Shirts. The setting is 1935 Alcatraz Island and it follows the lives of the families who live there along with the prisoners. Narrator, Moose Flanagan’s father, works as a prison guard and Moose manages to get himself involved with the notorious gangster Al Capone. When Capone asks Moose for a favor in return for helping get Moose’s autistic sister Natalie into a good school, Moose doesn’t know what to do. The story is suspenseful, with lively characters, colorful gangsters and lots of perfectly paced action. The close relationships between the families who live on the island and the prisoners make for interesting reading. An easy sell when children ask for historical fiction, it is recommended for ages 9-12. – Nancy Feierstein (RA)

Creature ABC

By Andrew Zuckerman

We all know the plot of this book. After all, there are very few surprises in an alphabet book – straight through from A-Z, right? Zuckerman shows us just how incorrect that thinking is. He has taken us on a dazzling journey through the alphabet. The artwork which consists of photographs and pen and ink drawings is stunning. The layout is captivating and will be sure to keep a young audience’s attention. The animals are shown in dramatic poses that are truly remarkable. Please consider spending some time with this wonderful book. You may never look at animals the same way again. – Barb Salit-Mischel (RA)

Into the Wild

By Erin Hunter

Rusty is a pet cat who dreams of more. When a trip into the forest behind his fence brings him into contact with wild cats, he is offered the chance to join their clan which is short of warriors. He joins ThunderClan as “Firepaw” going into warrior training, learning clan ways as well as of the other three clans. When he helps Yellowfang, the outcast healer from the rival ShadowClan, his loyalties are questioned, especially by the ambitious Tigerclaw who watches his every move. The book is the first of a series, recommended to me by a young girl who swore everyone she knew read these books. It has lessons on friendship, betrayal and growing up, simply set in the world of cats. It is targeted to juveniles (though I would mention it does have a lot violence and death) it works for adults as well. – Diane Schneider (RO)

Underground Classics: The Transformation of Comics into Comix

By Denis Kitchen and James Danky

Underground comix, those subversive, wildly imaginative cousins of the traditional comic book, were a creative byproduct of the 60s. Comic books had been around long before then, but were initially aimed at a younger audience and followed conventional storylines. That changed in the 60s though, as old boundaries melted away and a new zaniness sprang forth. Unfettered by past convention, comix artists dared to tackle previously forbidden topics like drugs, sex and defiance of authority. Underground Classics examines the rollicking countercultural history of the comix phenomenon. The first part of the book contains essays on the history and artists involved in the movement, while the second, more interesting half of the book surveys the artists’ work. And what a survey it is, containing samples from more than 50 artists, including such well-known figures as Robert Crumb and Art Spiegelman. The art is carefully chosen and faithfully reproduced; there are even copies of works-in-progress that give insight into the artists’ methods. What comes through is the artists’ willingness to explore the horizons and stretch the scope of graphic storytelling into something wonderfully new. – Tim Hendricks (WH)

The Book Thief

By Markus Zusak
Audiobook narrated by Allan Corduner

While listening to this gripping tale, I was drawn in by Corduner’s emotional narration. The Book Thief tells the story of Liesel, a girl living in Nazi Germany, through the eyes and ears of Death. Death follows Liesel through her transition into adolescence, a new family, loss and coping with her disagreement with the Nazi mindset. I highly suggest this book to everyone YA to adult, if not for the alternate view on Death’s occupation, then for a view of non-Nazi Germans during WWII. – Stephanie Kapadia (AO-M&D)

G & M Restaurant and Lounge
Restaurant Review 
804 Hammonds Ferry Road
Linthicum Heights 21090
 

If you love a good crab cake, then G&M’s is the place to go! They use very little filler and the crab cakes are almost as big as a baseball. If you get the two crab cake platter, it is almost a guarantee that you will be taking the second one home for later; with portions this size, it is nearly impossible to eat both in one sitting. G&M’s has just completed an extensive renovation and expansion on the restaurant and bar. The parking lot could also use some expansion, but walking a small distance to get to the crab cakes is definitely worth it. Can’t sit down to enjoy a meal? They have a carryout, so you can call ahead to order and then just pop in to pick it up. If you can’t get to G&M’s, they also have a mail order service where they will mail your crab cakes so that you can cook them at your convenience (or pass them off as your own at home!). G&M’s is Zagat rated and has been voted “Baltimore’s Best Crab Cakes” by Baltimore Magazine in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. – Elizabeth Nestor (WH)

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
By Alan Bradley

It is the summer of 1950, and 11-year-old scientist Flavia de Luce spends her time carefully plotting the torment of her older sisters. Then peculiar things begin to happen in her home, the decaying English mansion of Buckshaw. A dead bird is discovered outside the kitchen door, its beak skewering a postage stamp. Next, Flavia discovers a dead body in the cucumber patch. Her response? “I wish I could say I was afraid, but I wasn’t. Quite the contrary. This was by far the most interesting thing that had ever happened to me in my entire life.”

The modern crime links to a long ago suicide and the theft of two of the rarest stamps ever known. Author Alan Bradley’s choice of heroine and narrator is key in this not-quite-traditional British mystery. Flavia’s detective work rivals the official inspector’s, and her knowledge of the villager’s secrets is both interesting to readers and useful to her investigation. I particularly enjoyed listening to the story on CD, which is read by Jayne Entwistle. She perfectly captures the precocious narration of Flavia, while giving other characters each their own unique voice. – Melissa Gotsch (RE)

Sworn to Silence
By Linda Castillo

Kate Burkholder is chief of police in a town called Painters Mill, a small town with a prominent Amish population. Kate’s family is Amish, but she left the fold as a teenager after surviving an encounter with the Slaughterhouse Killer. Now, violent murders are being committed again with the same M.O. as the Slaughterhouse Killer from 16 years ago: Roman numerals are carved into the victim’s abdomen. As chief of police, Kate is called to help solve the crimes, but must try to keep the family secret that she’s been hiding for years. Characters are developed and suspense is created in this quick reading book that attempts to illuminate the divide between the Amish and the English. – Sharon Proakis (RE)

VegBaltimore.Com
Web Site

Once upon a time, finding a vegetarian dining establishment was very difficult. When my husband and I went off meat 35 years ago, the options in this area were pretty much grilled cheese or spaghetti with tomato sauce. No more! Today’s vegetarian and vegan eaters can find a wealth of information for dining out at vegbaltimore.com. There are restaurants galore listed by city and town in Baltimore and the surrounding counties, as well as links to vegetarian/vegan restaurants around the country and around the world! But don’t stop at here. There are also links to grocery stores, bakeries, and catering, all with the vegetarian eater in mind. There is also a link to resources which include starter kits on becoming a vegetarian, vegan health and other related subjects. So whether you’re a vegetarian, entertaining a vegetarian for the weekend, or are simply looking for some healthy eating options, check out vegbaltimore.com. – Debbie Klink (RE

Catching Fire
By Suzanne Collins

The dramatic and heart stopping sequel to Hunger Games, Catching Fire immediately picks up from where we last left Katness Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the winners of the 74th Hunger Games. As winners of the Hunger Games, Katness and Peeta should expect a life of luxury and adoration after fighting for their lives, but their biggest fight may yet to come. Furious that Katness and Peeta have defied the Capitol’s strict rule, the malicious President Snow has conjured up a plan to force them back into the arena. With her every move and word being monitored by the government, Katness must decide who she can trust and where she stands on the rebellion that is growing throughout the land. A terrific continuation of the series, this second novel does not disappoint. – Kate Crider (RE)

The Battle for America
by Dan Balz & Haynes Johnson

Reading the Battle for America brought back many memories and many new insights into the most exhilarating and exciting election the nation has experienced. Balz and Johnson manage to condense two years of campaigning and rivalry into a gripping insightful book. The book provides not only a great analysis and summary of the primaries and election, but it also includes excellent interviews with top campaign aides and new revealing campaign memos. While we all know the outcome of the election and primaries, the book gives new insight into Obama’s doubts, McCain’s internal blunders, and the final decision that made Sarah Palin a household name. It’s a great read and one that will help you relive every moment of that exciting 2008 presidential campaign from start to finish. – Joe Crock (WH)

The Devil’s Eye
by Jack McDevitt

The interstellar antiquities dealer Alex Benedict and his partner Chase Kolpath are reunited on an adventure when they receive a cryptic message for help (and a huge sum of money) from famed horror writer Vicki Greene. When they attempt to contact Ms. Greene they learn that she has received a “mind wipe” and now has no memory of her past life. Alex and Chase decide to retrace Ms. Greene’s last whereabouts and activities, which leads them to the far away planet of Salud Afar, known for its ghastly legends. There, they uncover a chilling secret and coverup of unparalleled proportions. – Dave LaPenotierre (WH)

Still Alice
by Lisa Genova

At the age of 50, Alice Howland appears to have it all: a successful career as a nationally respected Harvard professor, a loving husband, and three grown children finding their paths in the world. After a series of increasingly alarming memory lapses, Alice is stunned to learn that she is a victim of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. What follows is a heartbreaking, terrifying journey into the life and mind of a brilliant woman who refuses to give in to her cruel fate without a fight. Told from Alice’s point of view, the author succeeds in crafting a memorable story about the devastating effects of Alzheimer’s on the victim as well as on her family. First-time novelist Lisa Genova is a neuroscientist intimately familiar with her topic. The result is a beautifully written, medically accurate tale that often reads like a true account. Highly recommended! – Yvette May (WH)

Womenomics
by Claire Shipman and Katty Kay

Womenomics is an excellent book about writing your own rules for success. It begins with a discussion on the importance of women in companies, as well as the benefits of having women in top managerial and executive positions. According to the authors, companies that employ a larger percentage of women are more profitable. Women in leadership positions are more nurturing of subordinates, preferring consensus to confrontation and empathy over ego. In addition, women’s natural social skills translate well in the business environment. The authors point out that today’s women achieve their career goals by working smarter without putting in longer hours. Maintaining a flexible schedule can also help them perform more effectively. These suggestions are already taken to heart by the younger generations, who realize that they can achieve more balance in their lives without sacrificing their work ethic. The book offers helpful suggestions for women who need to say goodbye to guilt and fear to negotiate more time for themselves. – Pari Gadhia (WH)

Almost Home
by Pam Jenoff

Get ready for a suspenseful book with several twists and turns. American diplomat Jordan Weiss returns to England where she spent part of her college years at the beckoning of a school friend who is ill. She has not been back since an accident that took the life of her college boyfriend. Weiss simultaneously investigates organized crime as part of her job, reconnects with and supports college pals, and tries to seek answers to her boyfriend’s death. Things are not as they seem in the alleys of London or the back roads of Cambridge. In the end, Weiss finds “home” in her in searching. – Kathleen MacCubbin (RO)

Nero Wolfe Is Back!

With the very-able help of the people in BCPL’s ILS department (thank you!), and the reissue of many of his books in paperback and on CD that BCPL are purchasing, Nero Wolfe has made a triumphant return in my reading-life. I had forgotten how well Rex Stout writes; his descriptions of characters, settings and situations, as well as his very-exciting mysteries that have given me many hours of sheer pleasure, whether I’m listening while riding to work or cleaning my house.

 Rex Stout began writing the Nero Wolfe mysteries in 1934, with the publishing of Fer-De-Lance, and continued until 1975 with the publication of A Family Affair (Death Times Three was published posthumously in 1985). During these years, his novels reflected happenings in the world such as World War II, the “Red Scare,” and the Vietnam War, as well as the rise of television (an invention that Wolfe hates and takes great pleasure in turning off!). Wolfe’s trusty sidekick, Archie Goodwin, provides both complete narration and hilarious commentary on the happenings in the New York City brownstone, ably aided by Fritz Brenner, Saul Panzer and the other detectives who Wolfe employs.

If you choose to listen to these books on either tape or CD, you are in for a real treat. Michael Pritchard is a fantastic narrator and draws the listener into the action every time. Run, don’t walk, to your nearest book or CD shelf and start your Wolfe-adventure! – Susan Maranto (RO)

Dog on It
by Spencer Quinn

Did you ever wish that your dog could tell the story of your life instead of you? Chet, a K-9 police school dropout, lives with Bernie, a somewhat unsuccessful, divorced private-eye. At the beginning of Dog on It, Bernie is approached by a prospective client whose teenaged daughter Madison has “disappeared,” only to reappear a short time later. When Madison REALLY disappears, Chet and Bernie are on the trail, and before the case ends, they will encounter kidnappers and really BAD guys in their quest to find Madison. This is the first of a series with Chet and Bernie. Stay tuned for more exciting adventures! – Susan Maranto (RO)

Little Bee: A Novel
by Chris Cleave

A 16-year-old Nigerian orphan who calls herself Little Bee suffers brutality on a beach in her homeland. Resourceful and intelligent, she insinuates herself into the lives of a well-off British couple who are dealing with their own demons. Lest you think you’ll be overwhelmed by the harrowing events of Little Bee’s trials and the sad state of Sarah and Andrew’s lives, never fear. Little Bee’s narration, which puts us in her head, sweeps you along and even uplifts. A remarkable lead character and fine language and writing make this a memorable read. – Susan Bath (RO)

Bicycle Diaries
by David Byrne

Artist, Talking Heads co-founder, and recreational cyclist David Byrne travels the world, offering insights, impressions, anecdotes and passing whimsy from atop the seat of his folding bicycle. Few topics are left unexplored by Byrne, as he shares reflections on everything from decaying urban landscapes to cultural isolation. Along the way, readers are introduced to contemporary artists, accompanying musicians, and historical figures that add a layer of eccentricity to Byrne's travels. The light conversational handling of such complex and varied topics reminds one of a late night conversation with a curious, well-read friend. – Brad Keene (RO) 

Blue Collar, Blue Scrubs: The Making of a Surgeon
By Dr. Michael Collins Blue Collar,

Blue Scrubs is a memoir written by Dr. Michael Collins, an orthopedic surgeon. Collins, the eldest of eight Irish-Catholic boys being raised in Chicago in the 1960s, was living at home, working for a construction company breaking up concrete and frequenting the local bars after graduating from Notre Dame. He writes candidly and with a dry humor about his decision to become a doctor despite his lack of a pre-med background, his difficulties in both getting into medical school and then finding the tuition as well as romancing the girl whom he eventually marries. Collins’ voice comes through as a gifted storyteller in this sometimes poignant and often hilarious accounting. – L.H. (TO)

Short Girls
By Bich Minh Nguyen

The title refers to Van and Linny Luong, first generation Vietnamese-American sisters who grew up in Michigan. Nerdy Van is a hot shot immigration lawyer with the “perfect” marriage to a Chinese-American. Linny is single, a fashion plate, and has never finished college. She works for a business like “Let’s Dish” in Chicago while having an affair with a client’s husband. Their father has always been an embarrassment because of his inventions for “short” people and his refusal to become a naturalized citizen. However, as the book opens he announces he is becoming a citizen and the girls must show up for the ceremony and the party he is throwing afterward. This proves to be the catalyst that helps them each to reconnect and move forward. Nguyen makes the struggles and experiences of each of these characters very real and understandable and you want them to succeed. – R.H. (TO)

Julie & Julia (Movie)

I never watched Julia Child when she was on television, but the friend I went to the movie with said that Meryl Streep caught her perfectly. This is a laugh-out-loud and two-Kleenex movie which flips back and forth between the 1940s/50s, as Julia Child finds her passions in life (eating, cooking and writing cook books), and 2002/03, as Julie Powell blogs and cooks her way through every recipe in Julia Child’s The Art of French Cooking in one year and ultimately reaches her life’s desire of becoming a published author. Be sure you’ve eaten before you go or you’ll be ravenous when you come out. – R.H. (TO)

The Magicians
By Lev Grossman

Quentin Coldwater is no Harry Potter. He's older when he gets an invitation to wizard school (wizard college in Quentin's case), for one thing, and that age difference creates some of the charm of The Magicians as well as some of the problems with it.

Quentin arrives at Brakebills, his parallel to Hogwarts, by a seeming accident and is immediately thrust into an incomprehensible entrance exam. He flies through the calculus portion of the test, but is surprised when a rabbit he has to draw begins to hop about the page until he can draw the fences to restrain it. Details about Quentin's classes are relatively sparse; instead, the book concentrates more on Quentin's relationships. Imagine all the teenage angst of college, combined with the difficulties of magic. No "swish-and-flick" here: working magic depends on memorizing and applying endless rules, conditions and exceptions. Quentin eventually learns that Fillory, a Narnia parallel, is real, but adventuring there can be deadly.

While I can see how The Magicians is billed as Harry Potter for an older audience – there's drinking, sex, and angst – I fail to see why reviewers have praised it so much. Quentin Coldwater is not an engaging character, and Grossman does not enliven his book with the sense of wonder Rowling brought to her books. – D.R.F. (TO)

Pandora.com or the Music Genome Project (Web site)

I came across Pandora radio by chance one day. After I explored the Web site, I realized it is worth passing along to others. In a nutshell, you tell the Web site what kind of music you like, or a particular artist or group you prefer. Then it will personalize a radio station for you that only plays the type of music you have chosen. You can actually create up to 100 unique "stations." When you select an artist, group or music genre, Pandora analyzes your selection for its musical qualities and pulls together a “radio station” that plays similar types of music. You also have a wide choice of genres to choose, such as “alternative,” “blues,” “rock,” “country,” “oldies” and many more. Or you can just type in your favorite artist.

This Web site started out in 2000 as the Music Genome Project. A team of musical analysts listened to all types of music, one song at a time, and captured the musical details, such as melody, harmony, rhythm, vocals and lyrics, of each song. It is an ongoing project which keeps up with new music coming out every day. Pandora provides access to a vast storehouse of music.

There are a few downsides to Pandora radio. The biggest is that you only get to play 40 hours of free music per month, and then the music will stop. Of course, you have the option to pay for unlimited listening hours. Periodically, the music will stop and Pandora will ask if you want to continue. This is annoying, but it’s also a good reminder. And then there is the pesky advertising, but that’s what allows the site to be free. So, if you have a few minutes, give Pandora a try and see what you think. – K.B. (TO)

The Big Green Book of Recycled Crafts
By Leisure Arts

This is a great book for crafters, anyone looking for a great activity for kids (think birthday parties or scout/4-H groups) or holiday presents. The directions are clear, the photos are wonderful and the items used are things you can find around your house. There is nothing worse than a craft using recycled materials that you can only find at a salvage yard. The supplies are the things you are putting in your curbside recycle bin – plastic, paper, glass, cans – and there is even a chapter on recycling parts of clothing to make into something “new.” – A.L. (TO)

Snitch

by Alison van Diepen

Julia and her friends had a deal – no gangs! Ever since seventh grade, they have sworn to each other that they would not allow the gang culture of their New York high school ruin their futures. But then Julia meets and falls in love with Eric, a new student. No one seems to know much about him and he is quite cryptic about his past.

They break up when she uncovers that Eric was a Crip in the past, and he has succumbed to the pressure to join the Crips at their school. Eventually, her feelings for him overshadow her repugnance of the gang lifestyle and she joins Eric. She feels protected by the gang, but drugs, sex and violence are rampant, and when Eric begins to lie to her, Julia has grave misgivings. But getting out is not easy. It usually happens only when you die.

Van Diepen realistically depicts the world of the gangbanger and the insidious nature of lifelong protection, with no escape. Julia and Eric are authentic characters in a real-life tragedy. Their stories offer hope, but their friends are not always so lucky. Plot twists and a surprise ending keep things intense. Snitch presents an important object lesson for today’s teens. It should resonate with Baltimore area youth, in particular, because of the intimidation of the “Don’t Snitch!” campaign of the past few years. – L.S. (WO)

The Help

by Kathryn Stockett

To read Stockett’s first novel is a very powerful experience, sometimes tragic, but also uplifting. In it, she eloquently transports us back to Jackson, MS in the early 1960s, a time of racial unrest. In the words of Aibileen and Minny, we are introduced to two maids who are forced to tolerate the prejudices of their white employers. Along comes Eugenia Skeeter Phelan, a young white woman, back from college, who finds herself being drawn into the plight of these and other black maids. During the process, she begins to question the values of her peers, her family and herself. Sometimes heartbreaking, there are also some very tender moments, especially Aibileen's relationship with Mae Mobley, the child of her employer. Who will ever be able to forget the Green Martian Luther King? – M.B. (WO)

Trouble

by Gary D. Schmidt

If you build your house far enough away from Trouble, then Trouble will never find you.” And so begins the latest of Mr. Schmidt’s novels. But trouble has a way of finding two families, one proud of its Boston heritage and the other Cambodian which has a terrible past that haunts them, as well as the reader. The lives of both are laced together, but the knot is finally broken in the conclusion. Mr. Schmidt stays fast to his New England roots and with wonderful lyrical language he weaves a tale about these simple, yet complex, characters and the coastal landscape in which they live. With flashes of humor and an intriguing plot, this is a fast and fun read. I promise you’ll want to read his other books. – N.C. (WO)

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

by Rebecca Miller

Here’s the tale of a woman with a wild history in search of a little security. The story picks up, following the titular character after Herb, the husband 30 years her senior, instigates the first major lifestyle change since their marriage: Fiftyyear- old Pippa has moved with her husband into “Wrinkle Village,” a retirement community. Despite evidence to the otherwise, Pippa tries to convince herself that she can handle this premature step forward in life, but the comfort that she worked so hard to obtain when she was young begins to come crashing down around her. Pippa is accompanied by a cast of generally amiable characters and the book really sinks its hooks into you through the way each intertwines with the unraveling of Pippa’s status quo.

The book may be the topic of some upcoming hype as a movie has been filmed, though I’ve seen no publicized American release planned. The film, featuring a cast that includes Robin Wright Penn, Alan Arkin, Keanu Reeves, and Winona Ryder, has been screened at several film festivals and begins its theatrical release July 10, in the UK. – B.M. (WO)

The Teahouse Fire

by Ellis Avery

 Left alone in late-19th-century Japan following a fire, 9-year-old Aurelia Bernard has the good fortune to be adopted by the Shin family, masters of temae, or tea ceremony, for hundreds of years. Because on the voyage to Japan she had begun to grasp the language, the family convinced themselves she was not a foreigner, just a slow child. Taken under wing by 16-year-old Shin Yukako, daughter of the house, for the next 25 years Urako, as she is renamed, and Yukako embark on a journey of growth and intimacy that first unites then drives them apart. The beauty and discipline of the Japanese tea ceremony is contrasted with the change and chaos that marks the beginning of westernization in Japan. Elegantly written and immensely informative about not only tea ceremony but of Japanese life at the time, this is, as one reviewer wrote, “a story as alluring as it is powerful.” – Lisa Wanzie-Armstrong (WO) Closing Time by Joe Queenan Joe Queenan, known for his smart and cynical essays and books on movies, music, television and all aspects of popular culture, here presents the story of his coming-of-age in Philadelphia. Raised by an alcoholic and physically abusive father and an oblivious mother, Queenan and his three sisters are moved from one poor and depressing neighborhood to another. They are left to rely on the kindness of relatives and their own inner resources to make their way in the world and break out of the family cycle of poverty and abuse. Joe seeks solace and escape at various jobs and schools, and describes his relationships with an assortment of mentors and surrogate fathers he meets along the way. The story is written with Queenan’s usual flair for language, sense of humor and appreciation of the absurd, and the result is an inspirational story of transcending a challenging childhood to achieve success and happiness. – J.K. (WO)

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate

by Jacqueline Kelly

In this charming story that takes place in 1899, we find 11-year-old Calpurnia Tate (Callie Vee to her family) becoming an avid naturalist under her grandfather's tutelage. She would rather spend hours with her grandfather collecting Texas animal and plant life and recording it in her journal than learn how to knit socks under her mother's eye. She and her grandfather discover a plant never before documented; while waiting for word from The Smithsonian, she takes cooking lessons from her family's cook, learns to play the piano, is instructed in the proper ways of a young woman, and begins to think about what her life would be like if she were to go to the university. This is a unique story about growing up at the turn of the century, well written with a wry wit. Quite possibly a Caldecott winner. – D.N. (WO)

Beach Trip
by Cathy Holton

Join four women as they meet in the Outer Banks of North Carolina 30 years after graduating from college. Lola, Mel, Sarah and Annie were best friends and roommates at a small, southern liberal arts college in the 1980s, despite their different backgrounds and personalities. While they have kept in touch and a few have met up over the years, as a foursome, the roommates have gone their separate ways and drifted apart; they have not all been together since college graduation. The author moves the reader back and forth between the college years and the present. As the stories unfold, the complicated history between these women comes to light. There are issues the women must face as individuals and as a group. During the trip, some longstanding sore points are resolved, but an unexpected ending really brings the story full circle. If you like to read about women’s friendships, southern literature or – as the title implies – beach trips, you’ll enjoy this book. The reunion of these four strong women will stay with you long after you read the last page.— H.G.(AO-M&D)

Drood
by Dan Simmons

Charles Dickens' final novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, was a whodunit that was never completed due to his untimely death.  That's a tough enigma for mystery lovers with a hankering for sleuthing but especially vexing since the work was curiously dark and sinister beyond even Dickens' normal propensity for the grimy underside of Victorian London. Opium dens, psychotic villains, and a lime pit grave all figure predominantly in The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Simmons' Drood is an inspired novel that twists the storylines of Dickens' life, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and a pinch of Peter Shaffer's Amadeus into a single narrative conceit: namely that Dickens' real life friend,  literary rival Wilkie Collins, is a Salieri style poser who is observing  the  gothic obsessions that seem start to haunt Dickens' life and his writings after the horrific Staplehurst rail crash that nearly killed him.  The real fun comes from trying to sort out if Dickens is truly entering some haunted obsession or if Collin's opium addiction from laudanum is projecting jealous and drug-addled illusions onto his friendship with the great writer.

Occasionally Simmons overindulges his need to utilize the prodigious research that he no doubt undertook for the novel but this thick but fast paced novel will have you googling Dickens, Drood, and Collins to see what is true and what is Simmons' creation. Riveting for history and literature fans Drood stands on its own as a unique and unusual fiction creation. -Michael Stevens (Information Services)

A Little Bit Wicked
by Kristin Chenoweth

Kristin Chenoweth, the pixie star of stage (You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Wicked), and screen (Pushing Daisies, West Wing) writes a fluffy but fun tale of life in the spotlight.  While she might be just a tad young at age forty to be penning her memoirs, it is fun -particularly for theatre fans- to read how a true country girl acted, danced, dated, but mostly sung her way to a notable place in the Broadway community.

Her narrative voice is funny and good hearted but this theatre fan and his restless legs will avoid the front row at any Kristin Chenoweth show henceforth.  A breezy read and good beach fare but mostly only interesting if you're already a fan. -Michael Stevens (Information Services)

     Web Watch: www.tnid.org

Chris Brunner's Telephone Number IDentification site, www.tnid.org (formerly Tirs.us, the Telephone Investigator's Research System) is a speedy, free service for geolocating phone numbers, including mobile numbers. This is one of the few sites I find personally useful, beyond its application in the workplace.

The Caller ID Lookup doesn't always work, but I've consistently noticed that if you try again the next day, Caller ID is working. Of course, Caller ID for mobile numbers typically displays little more than the subscriber's state. Some results lists are extremely long, necessitating the use of your browser's "find on this page" tool.

Test www.tnid.org by looking up mobile and land-line numbers you know. An additional useful feature is discovering the mobile service provider (for example, T-Mobile). Phone numbers that were previously looked-up are flagged, displaying the number of times accessed and the last date.

For those of us who recall adult life before the mid-1990s, this is a service you wished you had in the days when the telephone was the most important communication device in the home and workplace.  — J.D. Information Services

Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip-Confessions of a Cynical Waiter
By The Waiter

What Anthony Bourdain did for the kitchen, Waiter Rant does for the “front of the house.” Here is an inside look at the world of restaurant wait staff, from the irate customer to the celebrity diner to the feuds between the chef, the waiters and the waitresses. “The Waiter” (his name and the true name of the restaurant are well guarded secrets) started out as a seminarian, quickly changed his mind, graduated college and worked as a health care marketer. Adrift when he lost his job, his best friend and his girlfriend, he drifted into the restaurant business. And he didn’t leave. But he had a desire to write and the brilliant idea of starting a blog called Waiter Rant (www.waiterrant.net ), which segued into an absolutely hysterical book. It will forever change the way you look at the men and women who take your order whenever you eat out. A peek at some chapter headings will give you a heads up: Paupery, The Tip’s the Thing, Filth, I Hate Mother’s Day, Vengeance Is Mine, Russell Crowe and Me, Throw in the Apron! Optioned by Hollywood, we can only hope to see this amusing expose on the big screen soon! – G. R. (AR)

The Believers
By Zoe Heller

Many of us admire Zoe Heller's brilliant English novel and subsequent movie called What Was She Thinking?/Notes on a Scandal. Her new book The Believers is set in the U.S. and gives us a memorable and compelling read, despite the fact that none of us would choose any of the cast of characters for our personal friends or relatives. For 40 years, the Litvinoff family maintained a seemingly stable philanthropic life. When Joel, the father, becomes comatose after suffering a massive stroke, the family's life unravels. Having felt trapped in their circumstances, the family members begin to change. Audrey, the wife, by far the most nasty and unlikable character, discovers a shocking secret. Zoe Heller mercilessly dissects the family's hypocrisy and thus becomes the new darling author of witty satire and social criticism. – R. B. (AR)

Supreme Courtship
by Christopher Buckley

President of the United States Donald Vanderdamp is having a heck of a time getting his nominees appointed to the Supreme Court. After one nominee is rejected for calling parts of To Kill a Mockingbird boring in an elementary school book report, the president chooses someone so beloved by voters that the Senate won't have the guts to reject her. Bring in Judge Pepper Cartwright, a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader looking, gun toting, pickup truck driving star of TV’s Courtroom Six. Cartwright is elevated to the bench. You’ll just have to read it to find out all the juicy details. – S.Y. (AR)

Iron Man: The Invincible Iron Man, Vol. 1 The Five Nightmares
by Warren Ellis

Tony Stark is now the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. and faces his biggest challenge. Ezekiel Stane, son of Obadiah Stane, wants revenge against Tony for killing his father. Ezekial is using Iron Man technology to destroy Stark Industries. If you liked Iron Man the movie, you’ll love this graphic novel. It’s quick to read and completely engrossing. – E.O. (AR)

      Web Watch:   www.unshelved.com

During your next lunch break (or better yet, at home), check out Unshelved.com , the world's only daily comic strip that is set in a public library. Written by Gene Ambaum along with co-writer and artist Bill Barnes, it began in February 2002 and has been expanding ever since. With comics based on fantasy, real life events or true stories sent in from fans, they also provide a daily blog, booklist suggestions, merchandise and more. With characters like – Dewey, a young adult librarian; beleaguered branch manager Mel; child's librarian Tamara; Colleen, an old-fashioned computer-illiterate reference librarian; and Buddy the Book Beaver, the former library mascot turned library page – where can you go wrong for a little laughter in your day? – K.M. (Graphics) 

Baltimore Plot: The First Conspiracy to Assassinate Lincoln

By Michael J. Kline

It is February 1861. Abraham Lincoln has just been elected president of the United States in a very volatile and controversial election. He has received only 40 percent of the popular vote. In the State of Maryland he has received only 2 percent of the vote. In at least seven southern states his name did not appear on the ballot.

Before Lincoln can become president, he must be inaugurated. To be inaugurated he must make a long, arduous and meandering railroad journey across at least six states and speak to tens of thousands of people in very public appearances. Southern sympathizers watch his every move. They report his movements to a small and secretive group of people whose chief desire is to prevent the president-elect from reaching Washington alive. A group of ultra-secretive and very militant pro-slavery conspirators are gathered in the heart of the city of Baltimore. Their goal is to intercept the Lincoln Special inauguration train as it makes a whistle stop at the Calvert St. station of the Northern Central Railroad. There is only ONE railway track that leads north from Washington, DC, and it must pass through Baltimore.  

Detective Allan Pinkerton and a group of specially trained detectives will work with great energy to prevent this rendezvous. One of Pinkerton’s operatives is Kate Warne, the first woman hired as a private investigator in the United States. Ms. Warne’s task is to work with the other Pinkerton agents to infiltrate to the heart of the Lincoln Assassination conspiracy in Baltimore. She has her work cut out for her.

As the Lincoln Special passes through New York, the train will make a whistle stop in Albany. There is a special theater event listed in the New York papers that February 18. A new play entitled The Apostate has opened there with a thrilling Shakespearean actor named John Wilkes Booth in the lead role. This is the first time in history that the names of Lincoln and Booth will appear in the same newspaper together on the same page. It will not be the last.

If you wish to find out what happens next, you must read this book. -M.P. (CA)

Beverly Hills Chihuahua (DVD)  

Chloe the Chihuahua is a spoiled fashionista, whose owner has made her fortune in cosmetics and pampers her constantly. Chloe’s paws hardly ever touch the ground. When Chloe is left in the care of the owner’s niece, she ends up being kidnapped in Mexico and is shocked into the real world of dog fighting and dirt. Many talented dogs play roles in this movie. Delgado, the ex-K9 German shepherd helps Chloe escape from the evil dog killer, Diablo the Doberman. Papi, the love struck Chihuahua, rushes to Mexico to rescue his true love. Computer animation makes this film a realistic and graphically fun adventure. The voices of George Lopez, Edward James Olmos and others add authenticity to the sounds and culture of Mexico. Scenes in an ancient ruin give a glimpse into the history of the mighty Chihuahua. Chloe learns how to fend for herself, the true meaning of friendship, loyalty and most of all, how to judge a dog by his real worth, especially Papi. She even learns a little Spanish. The commentary is a fascinating discussion of how the trainers and dogs worked together on the sets and used many individual stunts which were graphically combined to produce each scene. This light-hearted family film is a dog lover’s delight.

 Humane Society supervised this film. No dogs were harmed in the making of this film. -S. F. (CA)  

The Graveyard Book
By Neil Gaiman

Included in this year’s Great Books discussion, and winner of this year’s Newbery Award, The Graveyard Book is not unfamiliar to Baltimore County Public Library librarians. Patterned in a general way on Kipling’s immortal Jungle Book stories, Neil Gaiman’s work is similarly the story of a human child raised by nonhumans – but instead of the animals of the Indian rainforest, young Bod is raised by the ghostly inhabitants of a small and ancient cemetery. Each chapter begins roughly a year after the previous one ended and are neatly self-contained (helping make this a wonderful read-aloud experience). In this way we watch Bod grow from infancy through his mid-teen years, as his contentedness with his living arrangement diminishes. A movie version is planned, with Neil Jordan set to direct. The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire, and Michael Collins are his bestknown films.   -B.R. (CA)

The Longest Trip Home: A Memoir
By John Grogan

Grogan chronicles his life in the same jaunty, conversational style as his best-selling book Marley & Me and it’s just as much fun to read. His hometown outside Detroit is a small, close-knit community whose center was Our Lady of Refuge Catholic church and school, and where parents tattled to other parents about their children. The mischievous little Johnny Grogan and his pals, Tommy, Rock and Sack, were often at the center of many shenanigans as he circumvented the close watch and demanding expectations of parents, priests and nuns. Take, for example, the time he learned, as a new altar boy, how to sneak the last of the communion wine before rinsing out the chalice and wobbling home from church. Despite his antics, there is no doubt he loves his parents and eventually grows to respect their faith and life choices, even as he chooses another path. After more turbulent and rebellious years as a teen, he eventually graduates from college, becomes a respectable newspaper reporter, gets married and has three children of his own. (He did not say how they’ve turned out!) As his parents grow older and ill, his tempestuous relationship with them eases, and he becomes their loving caretaker. As you read this book perhaps you’ll be reminded of your own misadventures as a youngster, and maybe some you thought about but never dared try. This book is both laugh-aloud funny and startlingly poignant: a great nonfiction recommendation.  -M.P.(CA)

Sweet Potato Queens Book of Love
By Jill Conner Browne

You’ll laugh so hard, you’ll cry. I was first introduced to this series through American Thighs, and I simply could not get enough. In it, Jill shares the promise women can use to get any man to do your bidding, the five men you must have in your life at all times, men who may need killing and what to eat when tragedy strikes. She gives serious advice to real women through shameless stories and naughty humor. “Life is too short – and too long – to spend it being miserable.”    -A.S. (CA)  

The Prince Charming List
by Kathryn Springer

I normally choose books by their cover: this was cute and had a title that just screamed fun. About a chapter into the book, I was surprised when I realized it was just as spiritually uplifting as it was adorably romantic.

Every man Heather meets always comes up lacking. When two completely different men come into her life one summer, she suddenly has to figure out if what she truly wants is included in her list or is completely different. Will Heather’s happily-ever-after include handyman Ian or rebel artist Jared?

This book is third in a series following Front Porch Princess and Picket Fence Promises but it was great as a single read. It reminds you of what it’s like to be young and searching for the love of your life while figuring out who you are and where “God” will take you. – M.R. (HE)

Ines of My Soul
by Isabel Allende

Using the format of a memoir written by 70 year old Ines Suarez (a real person born around 1507), Allende weaves a tale of tremendous hardship, fierce battles, brutality against native peoples, and romance as Ines moves from her life as a seamstress in Spain to Peru and on to Chile where she and her lover, Pedro de Valdivia, are instrumental in building the new city of Santiago and the nation of Chile. On top of this sweeping epic covering the Spanish conquest of Peru and Chile, Allende shows Ines as a woman of desire for one man, passion for a second and finally love for a third. Choose this story for good reading and a history lesson. – P.P. (CO and HE)

The Likeness
by Tana French

In The Likeness, by Tana French, Cassie Maddox, 20-something detective with the Irish police, is recovering from the emotionally devastating Operation Vestal, recounted in In the Woods. Her world tumbles over when she is called to a murder scene in the countryside, where the murdered woman is Cassie’s double and is carrying the identification of Lexie Madison, Cassie’s identity in a former undercover case – Lexie Madison, who did not exist. To find the killer, Cassie takes the professional chance of a lifetime and becomes Lexie (the public was told that she survived – barely – the knife attack).

She returns “home” to Whitethorn House, a community of five graduate students who have rejected much of contemporary Dublin society and are living an almost Victorian domestic idyll. Time progresses, and even as the case to find Lexie’s assailant/murderer progresses, the emotional boundaries between Cassie/Lexie begin to blur. Who, actually, was Lexie? What part of her assumed life does Cassie crave for herself?

Truth, identity, love, murder – paranoia, you name it – all are entangled in an intense and complex plot. French’s incredible, lyrical prose adds a masterful touch of reality/unreality to this richly rewarding book, and Heather O’Neill is pitchperfect as the Talking Book reader. – D.S. (HE)

Gran Torino (movie)
Directed by and starring Clint Eastwood

Gran Torino is full of twists and turns. Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a cranky widower who can’t accept the cultural diversity in his ever-changing neighborhood. He is forced to face his prejudices when a series of violent incidents place him in the unexpected role of guardian angel to the Hmong-American family that has moved in next door. Initially, Walt is offensive, but as he gains a fresh perspective on his new neighbors, your impression of him will change. By the time the film reaches its surprising and emotional climax, you will be glad to have spent some time with this complex man. – C.Y. (HE) Note:  This title is due out in June 2009 but was not on order at the time of the March 2009 Unique Critiques.

Outliers: The Story of Success
by Malcolm Gladwell

This is yet another thought provoking offering from Malcolm Gladwell, the author of the best sellers The Tipping Point and Blink. In this book, Gladwell explodes the myth of the “outlier” or “self-made man,” the dearly loved image Americans hold of individual success by dint of hard work and true grit. He believes, instead, that context is the true predictor for success.

Gladwell shows what a junior championship hockey league, Bill Gates’ meteoric rise to wealth, and the deadly feuds of the Appalachian Mountains all have in common. In each case, a glance back at the history of the situation provides meaningful clues that explain “how”: how the registration deadline for young hockey players skews favorably toward those born right after it; how a teenaged Bill Gates received unique opportunities to practice and perfect his computer skills; how the “culture of honor” of the Scottish Highlands was transferred intact to isolated mountain communities.

Other chapters examine such seemingly unrelated topics as the rash of fatal air crashes that nearly ruined Korea’s airline, the Hamburg years of The Beatles, and the usually healthy residents of a small town in rural Pennsylvania.

The book will make you question everything you thought you knew about “nature versus nurture,” the existence of genius, the equality of our educational system, and the roles we play in each other’s lives. Each study is more fascinating than the last, and regardless of whether you agree with his premise, you’ll be thinking about what really fosters success long after you’ve finished reading the book. – M.B. (CO)

Flygirl
by Sherri Smith

Ida Mae Jones is a light skinned African-American woman working as a maid every day in New Orleans in 1939. Her father had one of the first crop dusting planes in the state. He lets her study all of his old books and teaches her to fly. More importantly, he teaches Ida the passion for flying.

After Ida’s father dies, her mother lets her continue to fly the crop dusting plane only to bring desperately needed money for the family.

When the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, everything changes. The oldest son, Thomas, drops out of college to fight in the war. Ida wants to do more to help her brother than just save bacon grease. Ida becomes Jonesy, and joins WASP, the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots. WASP was a whites only group of women pilots, and at the time did not even have official military status. She finds two friends, Patsy a carnival daredevil, and Lily a rich Jewish girl. They become the Three Muskateers and help each other through the intense trials. Even her close friends do not really know her.

Her incredible struggle to be Jonesy with an unbearable desire to fly, or Ida who does not have to hide, makes this historical fiction an excellent read for both young adults and adults. – K.M. (TO) 

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes That Rule
 by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero

The recipes in Moskowitz and Romero’s cupcake cookbook deserve the title they received; they rule. Although I haven’t tried every recipe, I have tried a fair few, and they are delish! During a vegan phase I checked out this book to satisfy my sweet tooth, and even though I’m no longer vegan, I turn to these pages time and again for delectable cupcakes. My favorite, and the favorite of many a dairy lover, is the Carrot Cake Cupcakes. Eating one of these, with “cream cheese” frosting, is an experience and cannot be limited to just one. Other cupcake recipes include the basic chocolate and vanilla varieties, Brooklyn vs. Boston Cream Pie, Pineapple Right-Side Up, Chai Latte, Tiramisu, Mexican Hot Chocolate and 30 more plus many frosting recipes. Even if you’re not crossing yourself at the sight of dairy and eggs, these recipes are worth a try. – S. K. (Marketing and Development)

Spain: A Culinary Road Trip...

Spain: On the Road Again

Spain: A Culinary Road Trip
by Mario Batali

Spain:  On the Road Again (DVD)

 As a devotee of the PBS show Spain … On the Road Again, I eagerly awaited this companion book’s arrival. Full of gorgeous pictures, interviews and anecdotes from the show, and dishes (I haven’t made any yet, but I have sure drooled over the book), it complements the historic, artistic, cultural and gastronomic road trip of Spain taken by Batali with Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Bittman and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols. This foursome visited most of Spain’s well-known tourist sites and multistar restaurants, but they also went off the beaten path to visit fishermen and clam diggers, family farms raising pigs and sheep, tried their hands at making cheese, wine, sausages and ensaimadas (a type of pastry), as well as cooking and eating lots of great food. Enjoy a great trip to Spain without leaving your armchair as you watch the DVD and read the book. – S. F. (Essex)

Heretic Queen
 by Michelle Moran

 This is the story of Queen Nefertari, great royal wife to the pharaoh Ramses II. Her aunt was Queen Nefertiti, wife to the heretic pharaoh Ahkenaten. During her early life, she was considered a heretic also, because of her blood line. But Ramses fell in love with her, and in the face of opposition from within his own family, and prominent members of the court and priesthood, he married her and made her his chief royal wife. This popularly written novel gives us somewhat of an insight into the daily intrigues which always surrounded the royal pharaohs. Nefertari proved herself to be an excellent mate for the great Ramses, and soon became beloved by the people for her beauty and grace. She had superior intelligence and used it to become an asset to her husband in conducting the affairs of the country. A good read for anyone with an interest in ancient Egypt. – B. C. (North Point)

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain
 by Peter Sis

 Imagine yourself as a young boy whose earliest memories are of loving to draw. Then imagine yourself as this young boy destined to grow up in post-World War II Czechoslovakia. Your country had been liberated from the Germans by Allied forces, only to be re-occupied by former Allied partner Russia, whose idea of “liberation” for Eastern Europe did not include the same freedoms represented in the Western Bloc.

Peter Sis uses the graphic format in a superbly moving and sublimely informative retelling of his growing up in Prague under Soviet rule and repression from the late 1940s through the turbulent 60s, and into the celebrations of the falling of the Iron Curtain in the late 80s. As with his previous foray into the graphic format in 1999 (the Caldecott Honor Book Tibet: Through the Red Box), Sis uses his signature detailed drawing style, coupled with spare yet insightful prose (some from his personal diaries from the time) and exacting use of color and photographs to convey emotional states, to create the perfect vehicle to recount both the pleasures and the horrors of growing up in a society that sought to repress individualism at all costs. He makes us feel with startling clarity both the pain of artistic contraint under the Communist system and the giddy pleasure of hearing smuggled Beatles and Beach Boys records, set against the daily realities of bread lines and espousing the correct party propaganda.

As a very personal case study of what the yearning for true freedom feels like, The Wall invites us into the world behind the Iron Curtain few Westerners knew existed and makes us capable of appreciating on a fundamental level the basic human impulse to be free to live our lives as we choose. It is also a marvelous example of just how uplifting and engaging the graphic format can be when in the hands of a master of the form, and Sis has never been better than in this autobiography. It’s no surprise that The Wall was also selected as a Caldecott Honor Book in 2008. – S. H. (North Point)

Dewey
by Vicki Myron

Even if you don’t like cats you will fall in love with Dewey. Dewey was found in a library book drop in Spencer, IA. The staff took care of him and he lived in the library for 19 years. Patrons would travel for miles just to visit with Dewey. Dewey’s favorite section was Westerns and he took rides on the book trucks every day. His full name was Deweyreadmorebooks. You will be entertained by Dewey and his experiences at the library. You will laugh and cry. So, take some time and enjoy a really good book and be enthralled by Dewey. – B. F. (Pikesville)