New Arrivals - December 21 2009

ADULT FICTION

"Last Night in Twisted River" by John Irving - "In a story spanning five decades, "Last Night in Twisted River" depicts the recent half-century in the United States as "a replica of Coos County, where lethal hatreds were generally permitted to run their course." From the novel's taut opening sentence to its elegiac final chapter, "Last Night in Twisted River" is written with the historical authenticity and emotional authority of "The Cider House Rules" and "A Prayer for Owen Meany." - back cover

"U is for Undertow" by Sue Grafton - "..Set in the 1980s, when old-fashioned footwork, telephones, and typewriters still ruled the lives of PIs, this entry picks up the character as she investigates a kidnapping and presumed death of a child, brought to her attention by a young man two decades after the fact. Although Michael Sutton is an unreliable narrator, and the only fact that's provable now is the child's disappearance, Kinsey's stubborn curiosity keeps her on the case. Then Michael turns up dead, and some weird coincidences begin to make sense. Grafton uses her characters' childhood memories (including Kinsey's own) to lead the reader smoothly across the years, at the same time exploring how long-held feelings of resentment, self-hatred, and fear add up to murder, both in the past and the present. Worth the wait for Grafton fans; Margaret Maron devotees will like this one, too."--Stephanie Zvirin, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2009.

"The Vintage Caper" by Peter Mayle - "Never was a novel more aptly titled than this latest effort by Englishman Mayle...The vintage part of this title refers to rare and expensive wine. The caper part adds the element of stolen rare and expensive wine. Danny Roth is a Hollywood lawyer whose wine collection is his pride and joy. One day a major portion of that collection turns up missing, and his insurance company--before handing over the $3 million Roth feels the bottles are worth--hires an investigator to look into the matter. The California setting soon gives way to Mayle's trademark south of France, and the trail to resolving the case provides a richly atmospheric ride for the reader. Mayle delivers what is almost a French version of Robert B. Parker's Spenser novels: good, clean writing; a sophisticated and mouthwatering use of food and wine as the story's upholstery; and a quick yet captivating plot, well sprinkled with humor. This novel is a special invitation for newbies to begin appreciating Mayle's talent as a writer."--Brad Hooper, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2009.

BIOGRAPHY

"Mennonite in a Little Black Dress: A Memoir of Going Home" by Rhoda Janzen - "Janzen was raised in a strict Mennonite society, and while she upheld the values as a child and maintained her faith even as an adult, she couldn't help but rebel. However, after marrying an emotionally abusive atheist who leaves her for a man he met on Gay.com, and then barely surviving a terrible car accident, Janzen finds herself back home reliving her Mennonite childhood as an adult. In her compelling memoir, Janzen explores her past and her present with honesty and self- deprecation, and the result is both hilarious and touching. She delves into her relationships with her mother, sister, and ex-husband without holding back, and she explores some of the Mennonite traditions that helped shape her life. No prior knowledge of Mennonite culture is necessary for enjoying and learning from this lively chronicle of the patience and strong sense of humor one needs to go home again."--Claire Orphan, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2009.

"The Fourth Star: Four Generals and the Epic Struggle for the Future of the United States Army" by David Cloud and Greg Jaffe - "Two seasoned defense journalists impressively profile four generals who have earned the fourth star..in Iraq. John Abrazaid possesses insight afforded by family ties to the Middle East. George Casey's father was a general killed in Vietnam, and he is filled with the determination not to let Iraq collapse as Vietnam did. Peter Chiarelli may remind some of George Patton, but he pushes himself as well as his men and his superiors to the limit. David Petraeus, the best known of the four, simply pushes the rethinking of methods wherever he finds that it isn't being done. The careers of the four suggest that the modern army is far more capable of rewarding innovation than it was in the Vietnam era, which is good news for national security. The book also deals a blow to any monolithic conception of the 'military mind,' a balloon that cannot be deflated too often."--Roland Green, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2009.

"Going Rogue: An American Way of Life" by Sarah Palin - "No good deed goes unpunished. Just ask Steve Schmidt, John McCain's campaign manager and the guy who pushed Sarah Palin as McCain's running mate. Now, in Palin's much-hyped book, he's just a fat, smoking bullet- head who told her to 'stick to the script.' The feeling running through Going Rogue is that Palin has been bursting to take a whack at those she believes didn't do right by her during the campaign...Before readers get to that, however, there's personal biography. We're introduced to Sarah the reader--loved to read- -the basketball player, hunter, wife, mother. Then lots and lots of Alaska politics..Once Palin gets into the 2008 campaign, the tone is folksy, but the knives are out. Much has been made of her criticisms of Schmidt and another McCain staffer, Nicolle Wallace. But less has been said about Palin's comments about Barack Obama. For instance, she notes that when she and husband Todd first heard Obama speak, they saw the wow factor but worried that his 'smooth' talk would hide his radical ideas. She also implies that Obama wanted to shield only his own children from the press, though, in fact, in September 2008, he told CNN that Palin's children must be off limits as well. Ronald Reagan's name is mentioned by page 3 and invoked regularly throughout. There's no doubt Palin sees herself as heir to his legacy. But many readers will see the Sarah Palin revealed in these pages as much closer to George Bush, someone you'd like to have a beer with. Or perhaps dinner: 'I always remind people from outside our state that there's plenty of room for all Alaska's animals--right next to the mashed potatoes."-- Ilene Cooper, Online Review. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2009.

NON-FICTION

"Too Big to Fail: The Inside Story of How Wall Street and Washington Fought to Save the Financial System--and Themselves" by Andrew Ross Sorkin - This blow-by-blow narrative centers on the near implosion of Wall Street in September 2008. Sorkin, ...concentrates his story on Lehman Brothers, AIG, and Merrill Lynch. With these and other financial firms at risk, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, other government officials, and hundreds of bankers scrambled to avoid what they thought could be financial Armageddon...Sorkin constructs a detailed account of the meetings, phone calls, and even the thoughts of the participants, depicting scenes of bankers and government officials under extreme stress as Lehman went bankrupt, Merrill merged with Bank of America, and AIG became essentially a ward of the government. Sorkin's analysis ends with Paulson's forcing Troubled Asset Relief Program funds on the nine largest banks in October 2008...The level of detail and the multiple typos in the published edition will test many readers' patience. General readers may not find this the introduction and explanation that they were looking for, but Sorkin's historical account of this critical time is highly recommended for motivated readers already in the know. “- Lawrence Maxted, LJ Express Online Review. LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2009.

JUVENILE FICTION

"Closed for the Season" by Mary Downing Hahn - "Gr 5-8--Another well-done, action-packed mystery from Hahn."--Terrie Dorio, SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL, c2009.

"Raiders' Ransom" by Emily Diamand - "Gr. 4-8 Much of twenty-second-century England has been flooded by the sea and is in danger of attacks by piratical Raiders. Lilly Melkun lives in the Last Ten Counties of England and is the last in a line of fishermen trying to get by when her village is attacked by Raiders, and the prime minister's daughter is kidnapped. Hoping to spare her village from the prime minister's retribution, Lilly steals a mysterious jewel and sets off in her boat in a daring attempt to free the young child. She inadvertently makes friends with the Chief Raider's son, Zeph, and the two try to unravel the plot behind the kidnapping and the scheme to find the jewel that Lilly wields. Diamand, winner of the first London Times/Chicken House Children's Fiction Competition, tells her tale in alternating perspectives and delivers a fast-paced adventure with something for everyone. Pirates, fishing, and life on the seas give the novel a historical bent, while talking computers disguised inside jewels show readers a future world where technology and infrastructure have collapsed."--Shauna Yusko, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2009.

"Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" by Judy Blume - "For anyone who has ever been 'burdened' by pesky younger brother, there's fast and funny reading in store." --Children's Digest

"Zoobreak" by Gordon Korman - Gr. 4-7 'The Man with the Plan' Griffin, animal expert Savannah and her Great Dane Luthor, and Everykid Ben join forces to solve a mystery. This time, they're out to rescue Savannah's pet monkey Cleo from an unethical zoo owner. When Cleo disappears from Savannah's backyard and is later spotted on a school field trip to a decrepit floating zoo, madcap plans and adventures ensue: getting to and from the zoo in the middle of the night; distracting Klaus, the overzealous security guard; springing Cleo from her cage; and ultimately stashing more than 40 freed zoo animals in classmates' houses without any parents noticing. Although often implausible, the action is fast and entertaining, with just the right amount of realistic drama to ring true. Korman knows his audience well, and readers will clamor for a third installment featuring these intrepid young crime solvers. Diane Foote, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2009.

"Shadow of the Leopard" by Henning Mankell - Gr. 10-12 Mankell, the acclaimed mystery writer for both youth and adults, once again draws on true events in Mozambique in this haunting, contemporary story of violence and courage...Mankell writes without sentimentality in a clear, matter-of-fact style, and it is the frank, vivid details of Sofia's struggle that will stay with readers ...the drama of betrayal is riveting and will draw many of Mankell's high- school and adult fans. Hazel Rochman, AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2009.

"Return to the Hundred Acre Wood" by David Benedictus - Gr. 2-4. It's been 80 years since A. A. Milne hinted that Christopher Robin had to grow up and leave the Hundred Acre Wood, but Benedictus does away with the decades with a nifty bit of magic: 'Let's call it eighty seconds,' says Pooh in an introduction, 'and then it'll be as though no time has passed at all.' Indeed, readers moving on from The House at Pooh Corner (1928) will not notice the interruption. That said, Christopher Robin is not exactly the same. He's 'quite tall these days,' and goes on about boarding school and playing cricket. The woods are a place, it seems, that he needs less now than in the past--but that doesn't diminish the imaginary three months he spends adventuring with his kindhearted but daft friends (including new addition Lottie, an egotistical otter). Ten chapters, copiously illustrated by Burgess in the miniature manner of Ernest H. Shepard, detail unthreatening events ranging from spelling bees to tea parties. Though the tales can underwhelm when isolated (aside from the near-perfect chapter in which Tigger fantasizes about Africa), the cumulative effect is a warm jumble of happy memories. It's both surprising and comforting that tales of such soft tenderness are still relevant. -- Daniel Kraus, Online Review. AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION, c2009.



EASY READERS


"Froggy Plays T-Ball" by Jonathan London

"Grumpy Bird" by Jeremy Tankard

"This is Olivia"

"I Heard a Little Baa" by Elizabeth MacLeod

AUDIO BOOKS

"Rough Country" by John Sanford - Investigating the shooting murder of a kayaker at a women-only Minnesota resort, investigator Virgil Flowers finds more suspects than anticipated including the victim's fellow patrons and a talented local country singer, a case that is further complicated by the discovery of other murders. Read by Eric Conger. Simultaneous. --Baker and Taylor