A Girl and Her Books

Take Your Shirt Off and Cry

2009-09-03T01:30:00.004-04:00

Nancy Balbirer reflects on her lackluster acting career in NYC and LA, crazed roommates, awful boyfriends, major & minor celebrities, outlawed diet drugs, and bad decisions. Her tales of the 80s and 90s are dated -- many of the celebrities she gossips about are virtually unknown today -- and never rise above a simmering bitterness. Gossip about SNL and Seinfeld is especially boring. She's aiming for "darkly funny" and "searingly honest," but doesn't come close. (And yes, I agree with everyone that "Jane" is Jennifer Aniston.)

When Will There Be Good News?

2009-09-03T01:26:00.001-04:00

The third Jackson Brodie novel is a fairly good read, but not nearly as gripping as its predecessors, Case Histories and One Good Turn. The multiple characters and their stories don't tie together with Ms. Atkinson's customary sharpness -- at least one seems pointless -- and Brodie's own dilemma takes such a ridiculous turn as to lose all credibility. As much as I loved and championed the two previous books, I was disappointed by this one. It felt more like the conclusion of a contract than the latest installment of Scotland's most brilliant mystery series since Rankin & Rebus.

The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society

2009-09-03T01:21:00.002-04:00

While many novels have praised the pluck and resiliency of the British during World War II, this story not only addresses the unique situation of the small island of Guernsey, but touches on topics and situations not covered by most authors. My admiration for residents of the United Kingdom has soared even higher after reading this book.

Emotionally Weird

2009-09-03T01:08:00.001-04:00

Not as good as Case Histories or One Good Turn, but the attuned reader can see Atkinson evolving toward those masterpieces.

Do-Over!

2009-09-03T01:05:00.003-04:00

This is essentially the diary of a middle-aged man in the throes of a mid-life crisis: about to become a father for the fourth time, Robin Hemley copes by repeating difficult childhood and young-adult experiences, hoping for a better outcome the second time around. He attends kindergarten & sixth grade, performs in a Christmas play, re-enrolls in summer camp, renews his honorary membership in a fraternity, revisits the prom, and reconnects with his Japanese exchange-student friend. Although most of the tales are mawkish, the introduction of Emily Jean, a bright and talented orphan under the care of Hemley's former English teacher, provides a touching parallel to his own difficult youth. Unfortunately, her story is the only bright spot in 316 pages of solipsism.

Curse of the Spellmans

2009-09-03T01:03:00.003-04:00

The Spellman schtick is losing its luster. The dysfunctional family that was amusing in the first book and somewhat chucklesome in the second is tiresome in this third volume. The mystery Izzy must solve is overshadowed by Spellman family melodrama, and by story's end, the reader is more apt to slap some sense into every character rather than cheer the resolution of a mildly interesting case. Izzy -- whom I suspect is the alter ego of Lisa Lutz -- needs to grow up and move on.

Comfort Food

2009-09-03T00:58:00.004-04:00

Gus Simpson is TV's premier chef, but at 50, she's reached her sell-by date (at least in the view of her employer). Forced to shake things up by hosting a new program with a young Latina beauty pageant queen, she finds herself not only re-examining her life as a widow and single mother, but embracing change -- fiscal, emotional and career -- in ways she could have never anticipated.

I read this shortly after the death of my boyfriend, and not only did the theme of a fellow widow ring true with me, but I was reminded of the abiding value of what some deride as "chick lit." It may not be Dostoyevsky, but light and sweet is sometimes just the ticket.

Family Affair

2009-09-03T00:56:00.001-04:00

Brett and Layla Foster have been a couple since high school, so Brett’s decision to separate not only shocks everyone, but strains their family – because the Fosters are the only relations the parentless Layla has. What happens when a clan prefers an in-law to blood kin? And what happens to an extended family when its bedrock crumbles? Using alternating narrators, Caprice Crane deftly illustrates a tribe in crisis, and how they handle the hardest problems life dishes out.

Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor

2009-09-03T00:53:00.002-04:00

Brad Gooch has taken the complicated, intense life of the woman who was one of the greatest Southern writers of the 20th century and rendered it accessible and compelling. He demonstrates how O'Connor devised her characters and their motives, as well how her deep Roman Catholic faith shaped her narrative. Most touchingly, Gooch takes readers into the hospital with O'Connor, where, while dying of lupus, she hid short stories she was still working on under her pillow so doctors wouldn't stop her creative flow. Considered at best a minor writer when she died, Gooch demonstrates just why O'Connor is now, rightfully, considered one of the best Southern authors to have walked the earth.

Columbine

2009-09-03T00:49:00.002-04:00

Dave Cullen has crafted a myth-busting exploration of the tragic April 1999 school shooting at Columbine High School. He covered the story from the beginning and has followed the case through prodigious research, exhaustive interviews and an inerrant eye for the truth. Rumors are dispelled, unsung heroes praised, cover-ups exposed and survivors chronicled, all with one clear goal: to strengthen what was shattered on that fateful April day at the broken places.

Beat the Reaper

2009-09-03T00:46:00.002-04:00

Not only is Josh Bazell a doctor who can write, but he puts Michael Crichton & Robin Cook to shame with a fast, gripping tale that, in this post-Soprano age, seems all too realistic. Dr. Peter Brown works in the hospital from hell when he runs into an elderly man from his past, and suddenly Pietra Brwna's WITSEC protection is gone. What follows is one of the fastest-paced books ever written. Readers should prepare themselves for high levels of gore and mutilation -- Chuck Palahniuk's Rant is the best comparison -- but just as Pietra Brwna knows how to jerk out a man's throat with his bare hands, Josh Bazell grabs the reader with Peter Brown's tale and doesn't let go until the blood-splattered end.

Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl

2009-06-18T01:07:00.003-04:00

While McCorkindale's stories of adjusting to rural Virginia life after leaving suburban New Jersey are generally funny, there's a clear strain of bitterness and more than a whiff of disdain for the residents of Fauquier County and its lack of commerce. This doesn't work for me, a suburban Richmond girl who happily moved to the western-central Virginia boonies (and its lack of commerce) when I fell in love with a wild-eyed country boy. McCorkindale lurks in the shadows of feminine humor masters Laurie Notaro and Celia Rivenbark -- take a page from them, Suzy, and get back to us when you learn something.

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea

2009-04-20T22:39:00.002-04:00

Funny, profane, typical Chelsea Handler. Details her drinking, dysfunctional family (who put the "fun" in "dysfunctional"), and various relationships with friends and significant others. I suspect a lot of the tales are exaggerated, or "real-ish," as David Sedaris would say. Still side-splitting if you enjoy no-sacred-cows comedy, starting with the title.

Belle Weather: Mostly Sunny with a Chance of Scattered Hissy Fits

2009-04-20T22:35:00.004-04:00

Typical Celia Rivenbark, which is to say hilarious, rip-roaring, definitely the Southern belle's often skewed point of view. Rivenbark touches on car wrecks & lawyers, Britney Spears (as a decidedly Southern hot mess), birthday parties for young (consumer) girls, food and husbands. The quote about palmetto bugs, alone, is worth the full price of the book. Required reading for all those wishing to laugh their asses off.

(On cockroaches: "Occasionally, we call them 'palmetto bugs,' which sounds downright charming, as if they march about with palm fronds for hair and carry tiny little glasses of sweet tea on a tray.")

The Idiot Girl and the Flaming Tantrum of Death

2009-04-20T22:29:00.003-04:00

The latest Idiot Girl dispatch from Eugene, Oregon -- psychotic family members, buying a house, water in the basement, and helping a dog cross the Rainbow Bridge, then welcoming another. Don't read this book while drinking or eating -- you'll spew from laughing.

Candy Everybody Wants

2009-04-20T22:24:00.002-04:00

Josh Kilmer-Purcell succeeds where many fail: a non-fiction writer trying his hand at fiction. Jayson Blocher is forced from the family home to an escort service for chorus boys in NYC, then on to Hollywood. Marc Acito covers much of the same territory, and he should fear Kilmer-Purcell's poaching.

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

2009-04-20T22:20:00.002-04:00

This book touched me both as a librarian and an animal lover (despite being severely allergic to cats). Dewey was rescued from the book return by library staffers on a freezing January morning, but ended up rescuing not only the library but its patrons, staff and even the town. He is the perfect poster child not only for reading, but for tolerance, love and forgiveness.

My Horizontal Life: a Collection of One-Night Stands

2009-04-20T22:06:00.002-04:00

A hilarious account of Chelsea Handler's sexual adventures -- I suspect a lot of literary exaggeration, but still quite funny and enjoyable. The girl gets around.

My Booky Wook: A Memoir of Sex, Drugs, and Stand-Up

2009-04-20T21:56:00.002-04:00

Both hilarious and harrowing, Russell Brand details his life in sex, drugs and showmanship, from his infancy as the child of divorced & dysfunctional parents, to the talented young man consumed by heroin & cocaine. Just like his stage performances, Brand doesn't hold back anything on the page -- the book starts just after he's entered a sex addiction clinic in Philadelphia -- but instead of appalling readers, his honesty makes his story more compelling and his recovery a triumph.

The Gone-Away World

2009-04-20T09:50:00.007-04:00

In a world where the horror of nuclear war has been superseded by a bomb that literally makes the physical world disappear, Gonzo Lubitsch and his nameless best friend head up the Haulage & HazMat Emergency Freebooting Company, a ragged band of troubleshooters who quell problems in the aftermath of the Gone Away War. Through their lives pass ninjas, mimes, pirates, parents and specters surpassing the most active imagination, leading to revelations that shock the reader and stun the soul -- but permeating all is the unmistakable stamp of love in its many and varied forms. The Gone-Away World is a literary masterpiece, and Nick Harkaway is a genius practitioner.

Literary trivia: Harkaway is the son of British spymaster John le Carré.

This book was selected as a Powell's Daily Dose on February 20, 2009

Wicked Weaves

2008-12-28T20:45:00.001-05:00

Leaden, awful. Badly sketched characters, ridiculous story. Almost as bad as attending an actual Renaissance fair.

Plum Island

2008-12-28T20:43:00.001-05:00

Given that Plum Island is an animal disease testing facility for the US government, I expected a cross between Richard Preston and Michael Crichton. The island's actual purpose, however, proves to be a red herring for recuperating NYPD cop John Corey, who struggles to solve the murder of two government biologists by digging through the island's legends & history. Despite the lack of scientific intrigue, DeMille lays out a very human story and leaves the reader satisfied at novel's end.

Firmin (2008 edition)

2008-12-28T20:39:00.003-05:00

Firmin is a novel very much in the somber -- some would say depressing -- tradition of Thomas Hardy. Born in the basement of a Boston bookstore, the 13th in a litter of rats finds by nibbling on books that, unlike his siblings, he can read, think and write (at least in his mind). Choosing to spend his life in the building where he was born, rather than set out for "up top," Firmin reads widely, scrounges for food, and loves the humans in his building, whether or not they return his affection -- all while the neighborhood, Scollay Square, falls into decline and is slated for demolition. His intelligence is just as much a blessing as a curse, making him aware of his homely appearance, his inability to speak, and frequent reminders that humans view him as a pest, not a sentient being (such as the "goodbye zipper" debacle). Illustrations by Fernando Krahn not only flesh out Firmin for readers, but add a ghoulish note -- the black & white drawings accent the novel's bleak tone. A cover blurb from the Los Angeles Times refers to Firmin as a Dickensian hero, but with its conclusion, I see an inevitable comparison with Hardy's Jude Fawley.

Falwell, Inc.

2008-11-24T19:42:00.001-05:00

Having grown up between the empires of Pat Robertson in Virginia Beach and Jerry Falwell in Lynchburg, I can testify that no Virginian is neutral about either evangelist. However, as an outside observer with a solid background in financial reporting, Dirk Smillie has written a remarkably fair assessment of Falwell's fiscal and religious realm, including a family history that explains many of his motives and actions. All the warts are on display, but so are the merits, resulting in a riveting narrative that will not only interest chroniclers of the Religious Right, but every resident of the Commonwealth who watched the spectacle unfold.

Baby Love: An Affectionate Miscellany

2008-11-16T23:23:00.001-05:00

I've received some great books from Library Thing's Early Reviewer program, but this is the first one I haven't been willing to pass on -- it's just too beautiful to let go. Rachael Hale's lovely portfolio of babies doesn't feature them as creatures or plants like Anne Geddes, but simply captures them in all their chubby, cheerful joy. Included are baby-oriented quotes (my favorites are from Charles Osgood & Teresa Morrison), nursery rhymes, tips (swaddling, bath games, folding a cloth diaper) and worldwide traditions. A wonderful book that will banish gloom & gladden the coldest heart.

Silks

2008-10-26T00:01:00.003-04:00

Since reading my first Dick Francis novel in 1982, he’s been at the top of my favorites list, and I took it badly when his wife, Mary, died in 2000. He’d never hidden how essential she was to his work – she was his primary editor and researcher – and declared that, without her, his writing days were over. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case – he returned with a fourth Sid Halley tale in 2006’s Under Orders – and now son Felix is helping him turn out his classic tales. The latest entry is Silks, where barrister (and amateur jump jockey) Geoffrey Mason finds himself entangled not only as a defense attorney, but in a struggle for his life. The plot follow well-established Francis territory, but what draws me – and fans worldwide – to each novel is the freshness with which this former jockey (and the only three-time winner of the Edgar Award) covers ground that would, in the hands of a lesser writer, prove sterile.

Rachel Johnson: "Our Favourite Thriller Writer Dick Francis is Back in the Saddle"

The River Run Cookbook: Southern Comfort from Vermont

2008-10-20T17:18:00.003-04:00

It soothes my frazzled nerves to know that illustrious Yankees like David Mamet & Howard Norman enjoy Southern cooking as much as those of us who were raised on it. Jimmy Kennedy's recipes are slightly adapted to Northern groceries & palates (Breakfast Pasta, p. 85), but are definitely steeped in his Mississippi roots (Chicken-Fried Hamburger Steak, p. 98). The only category missing is drink recipes, but then again, you can just reserve some liquor from the Whiskey Cake (p. 205). Five-star recipes and terrific stories to go along with them.

Endorsement

2008-10-16T00:45:00.003-04:00

I'm The Banshe, and I approved this blog.

You're Not the Boss of Me

2008-10-16T00:34:00.003-04:00

After sitting on my reading list for two years, I finally bought this book, after all three of my public library systems refused to buy it. Now I know why. From a first-paragraph description of the sexual position used to conceive her first child, Erika Schickel spends 228 pages bemoaning her “pussy belly,” hating her minivan, vacillating between alterna- and trad-moms, playing Grand Theft Auto, and getting lap dances from female strippers.

I enjoy warts-and-all mothering books, because it was the most difficult, demanding and immediate-reward-deficient assignment of my life. But a history of drugs used by stay-at-home moms to medicate their misery (while bitching about how hard it is to quit smoking weed)? Excuses for how much you hate your cat, to the point of returning it to the shelter? (As a mother of three refugee dogs, that one really set me off.) Losing your cookies because foot surgery hurts and renders you temporarily handicapped?

I should have known this book wasn’t for me when I saw Susan Reinhardt’s prominent blurb. She and Schickel peddle the same tone-deaf pseudo-humor (apparently the specialty of their publisher, Kensington), and I’m dedicating the rest of my life to avoiding it.

The Beach House

2008-10-12T13:27:00.000-04:00

An elderly woman rents rooms in her Nantucket home to make ends meet, inadvertently forcing convergence on many disparate lives. A theme visited by many other authors, but Jane Green renews it quite well.

The House on First Street

2008-10-12T13:24:00.004-04:00

I love books about home renovation, New Orleans is one of my favorite settings for a story, and I'm a fan of Julia Reed's writing -- I adored Queen of the Turtle Derby -- so this book arrived on my reading list with a pre-approved stamp. Thankfully, it lived up to the label. Not only did I enjoy the warts-and-all renovation tale, but completely related to Julia's long & complicated journey from uncommitted single life to married domesticity. Add in the intrigue of Hurricane Katrina, along with Julia's irrepressible urge to entertain -- as a friend says, "A fool and her money throw great parties" -- and you've got one hell of a good read. Hilarious appearances by Vogue's Andre Leon Talley, a longtime Reed friend, are icing on the cake.

Any Given Doomsday

2008-10-07T21:02:00.003-04:00

Liz Phoenix has always known she was different, but has no idea just how much separates her from the rest of mankind until she finds her foster mother, Ruthie, in a pool of blood in her kitchen, dying from wounds inflicted by an otherworldly beast. She’s quickly sucked into the battle between good and evil, populated by seers, demon killers, fairies, skinwalkers, dhampirs, berserkers and vampires, amongst many others. Along the way, she discovers the secrets lurking behind many otherwise normal faces, as well as unsavory aspects of her youthful love and fellow foster child, Jimmy Sanducci.

Having never read any paranormal romances, I wasn’t prepared for the energetic & graphic sex featured throughout. Especially disturbing was the bondage theme that emerged in the last quarter of the novel, when the story shifts to a Manhattan high-rise. However, Handeland’s descriptions never reach the explicit levels of Anne Rice’s vampire novels, and genre readers most likely expect a vivid mix of sex and mysticism.

Waltzing at the Piggly Wiggly

2008-10-04T21:27:00.000-04:00

This is one of the sweetest books I've read in years. Not a literary masterpiece, but a funny, charming and heartfelt glimpse of small-town life that reminds me, once again, why I'm so proud to be Southern. I just wish there was a Piggly Wiggly in my town for me to waltz in the aisles.

I Had the Right to Remain Silent...But I Didn't Have the Ability

2008-10-04T21:26:00.000-04:00

This book is rude, crude and lewd. Every page made me laugh. And then I made my boyfriend read it.

One Good Turn: A Novel

2008-10-04T21:24:00.001-04:00

This is, hands-down, the best book I read in 2006, and probably one of my best reads of the decade. It's even better than Case Histories, and I didn't think Ms. Atkinson could top that. I'm in awe of her ability to build an incredibly complex and detailed story -- and make it look so easy.

This review was chosen as a Daily Dose by Powells.com

Paula Deen: It Ain't All about the Cookin'

2008-10-04T21:23:00.000-04:00

Paula tells her inspiring story, warts and all. While she berates herself for smoking, having an affair with a married man, and being an imperfect parent, those very faults make us (her less-than-perfect fans) love her all the more. Well done, Lady!

Death Comes for the Fat Man (Dalziel and Pascoe Mysteries)

2008-10-04T21:21:00.000-04:00

I was so moved by this, the latest in the Dalziel-Pascoe series, that I had a hard time moving on after the story ended. Focusing on the cops rather than the robbers makes this a moving addition to the series.

Boomsday: A Novel

2008-10-04T21:20:00.000-04:00

Quite simply, the funniest book Buckley has ever written. That's a high accolade, given his body of work, but it's the only way to sum up such an outrageous, and accurate, novel.

Hurricane Punch

2008-10-04T21:18:00.000-04:00

I never thought any writer could out-nuttify Carl Hiaasen, but Tim Dorsey proved me wrong. I'll never look at a Coleman cooler the same way again.

The Half-Mammals of Dixie: Stories

2008-10-04T21:17:00.000-04:00

A friend of mine gave this to me as a good-luck gift just before major surgery. It has saved my life many times since then, mostly because George Singleton never fails to demonstrate that even the openly deranged can survive in Southern society. This is a good reminder for me, as I've spent my life teetering on the edge of sanity.

Heart in the Right Place: A Memoir

2008-10-04T21:16:00.000-04:00

I'm not a big fan of memoirs, but checked this out under duress from the local librarian. A few pages in, though, I was hooked. Carolyn Jourdan returns home from a high-powered job in Washington, D.C. after a family crisis to eventually discover that her dream of helping people and fixing the world is best accomplished where she started, in her rural hometown in east Tennessee. Without a doubt, the best book I read in 2007.

Population: 485: Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time

2008-10-04T21:14:00.001-04:00

Perfectly sums up small-town life -- coping with isolation, family, community and figuring out where you belong.

Swine Not?: A Novel Pig Tale

2008-10-04T21:12:00.001-04:00

One of the sweetest books I've ever read. A tale of twins -- both human and porcine -- filled with love and laughter; even the bad guy meets a good end. Jimmy's not a literary genius, but he's fun and generous, and in my opinion, sometimes that counts for more than brilliance.

A False Sense of Well-Being

2008-10-04T21:11:00.002-04:00

A better title would be A False Advertisement of Humor. Although the dust cover described this as darkly funny, I found almost nothing about it laugh-provoking. It was just another tiresome woman searching for meaning in her life after suffering several setbacks, following a predictable path to the typical results. I don't feel like I lost brain cells to this book, but I didn't gain any either.

The Friday Night Knitting Club

2008-10-04T21:09:00.001-04:00

I picked this up mainly because a distasteful fellow patron at my local library declared it "sad." I figured if she disliked it, it couldn't be all bad ... and it's not. A plucky single Manhattan mom runs a cozy knitting shop while coping with her headstrong preteen daughter and the sudden reappearance of the girl's father, while patrons of the shop build an informal support group they brand "The Friday Night Knitting Club." Yes, the story has some sad moments, but what I took away from it was the immense strength offered by a group of friends who become your chosen family.

Little Pink Slips

2008-10-04T21:07:00.001-04:00

Chick lit is dismissed as fluff, but there are times when even the most serious reader needs something sweet to distract from everyday life. This is the perfect choice: light, breezy and funny, with just enough fact-based drama (the author survived the famous Rosie invasion of McCall's) to make it realistic. I thoroughly enjoyed Little Pink Slips -- in fact, was sorry to finish it -- and hope Sally Koslow has another book up her brocaded Mandarin sleeve.

My Heart May Be Broken, But My Hair Still Looks Great

2008-10-04T21:05:00.001-04:00

Fun, frivolous and feisty, Southern chick lit always focuses on scrappy women refusing to sit back and take s**t, getting on with their lives even when -- yes -- their hearts are breaking. That's what Texas hairdressers/sleuths Edwina and Debbie Sue help Paige accomplish in this tale of heiresses, horse-napping and hijinks. Dixie Cash doesn't write serious literature, but the sisters behind the pen name (Pamela Cumbie & Jeffery McClanahan) create fun reads that help feisty ladies, Southern or otherwise, get through the rough patches of life.

Brief Interviews with Hideous Men: Stories

2008-10-04T21:01:00.003-04:00

Having read -- and disliked -- two of this collection's pieces in Esquire and The New Yorker, I should have avoided Brief Interviews with Hideous Men. But I wanted to give David Foster Wallace and his vaunted dry humor one more chance. I found a couple of the briefest stories ("Forever Overhead," the first episode of the two-part "The Devil is a Busy Man") interesting and even laugh-provoking, but the remaining stories bored me. Like Jon Stewart's Naked Pictures of Famous People, this book strives too hard and self-consciously to be funny. Wallace should buy a volume or two of Barry Hannah's work and study the master of the dryly hilarious short story.

The Edge of the Crazies

2008-10-04T21:00:00.001-04:00

For those of us whose every day is off-kilter, Jamie Harrison has created the ideal town with the perfect sheriff: Jules Clement, Ph.D., of Blue Deer, Montana. Home after a decade of archeological exploration, Jules finds that the duties of a small-town sheriff are more dangerous than excavating in Tunisia or Turkey, because in Montana he has to cope with sibling rivalry, nouveau riche newcomers, duck killers, naked men peeing in the town park, and memories of his father's murder twenty years earlier. Walking on the wild side has never been better.

A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman

2008-10-04T20:58:00.001-04:00

From the first page to the last, Joan Anderson reveals herself to be a self-absorbed woman, rather than the self-sacrificing mother and wife she claims to be. Her attempts to "find" herself, such as frolicking with seals, taking a job in a fish shop, and befriending another self-obsessed older woman, are stereotypical "enlightening" activities -- in other words, the so-called talented writer can't rise above the pedantic. This memoir is an insult to hard-working women who "find" themselves in the midst of busy and demanding lives without the convenience of a seaside refuge. Joan Anderson would have done the literary world a service to stay in her cottage and keep her "unfinished" thoughts to herself.

Her

2008-10-04T20:56:00.004-04:00

Unlike Animal Husbandry and Dating Big Bird, Laura Zigman's Her is a waste of precious wood pulp. With a main character, Elise, who isn't fleshed-out or sympathetic, and a story -- she obsessively spies on her fiancé, Donald, and his ex-fianceé, Adrienne -- that's one-dimensional, not to mention awkwardly constructed, the novel belly flops. Other than a detailed list of streets in northwest Washington, D.C. and occasional forays into the coffee shop of Politics and Prose, there is nothing to recommend this novel. Laura Zigman should atone for the trees that died to print this atrocious tale.

Piggs

2008-10-04T20:54:00.002-04:00

The dustcover describes "Piggs" as the Sopranos in overalls and bare feet, but a better comparison is Carl Hiaasen in Texas. Nearly every character in this story is a lowlife, and many are murderous, but good wins out in the end and everybody gets what they deserve. At the heart of the action are Jack, an ex-con who dreams of a better life while washing dishes in a takeout Chinese joint next door to the strip joint of the title, and Gloria, the dancer of every man's fantasies, who lives in her family's abandoned theme park. Along for the ride are Cecil R. Dupree, a redneck mobster who runs the little town of Mexican Wells, and his band of merry pranksters, Grape and Cat, as well as the suave Ricky Chavez, who pines for Gloria with boxed chocolates in his hand and French condoms in his pocket. The story follows a number of conventional lines, but the characters are so memorable that readers can forgive author Neil Barrett, Jr. for treading down a predictable path.

A Gracious Plenty

2008-10-04T20:53:00.002-04:00

Finch Nobles was terribly burned as a child, and as a result she hides from most of human society. But she's welcome in the graveyard she passionately tends, where the dead -- including her beloved parents and an always-squalling baby -- speak to her, telling the tales that will eventually allow them to progress along the path they must take. When a local eccentric is buried in the cemetery, however, everything -- including the dynamics of the town just outside the graveyard gates -- is changed, and Finch finds herself forced to allow living beings into her life -- and let the dead follow their own road.

Girls' Poker Night

2008-10-04T20:50:00.002-04:00

It's obvious Jill Davis was once a writer for David Letterman -- Girls' Poker Night is filled with the sardonic humor he exemplifies. She deftly applies her talent to the subject of love in New York City -- specifically, the love of writer Ruby Capote for her boss, Michael Hobbs, as seen through the weekly poker nights she holds with her four dysfunctional girlfriends. The only problem I had with the novel was the premise of having an affair with the boss -- most workplaces prohibit such a relationship, but Ruby and Michael wash every bit of their laundry in full public view, much to the reader's delight.

Until the Real Thing Comes Along

2008-10-04T20:49:00.002-04:00

Patty is in love with a gay man and wants a child -- dilemmas one might not be able to relate to, but such is Elizabeth Berg's magic that she draws readers into this particular story as strongly as if it were reality. She makes the difficult and complex choices of Patty and the object of her affection, Ethan, seem natural -- the initial decision to conceive a baby, then a move to Minneapolis where Ethan feels he might better simulate heterosexuality, Patty's everyday irritation with the tumults of pregnancy, and finally, welcoming a child against the backdrop of Patty's mother's recent diagnosis of Alzheimer's. One life is ushered in as another is slowly but surely escorted out; the smooth ebb and flow of being continues, and Berg, as always, renders every moment lyric and wonderful.

Lunch at the Piccadilly

2008-10-04T18:59:00.001-04:00

A moving chronicle of life's end, from the perspective of both the elderly and their caretakers. Clyde Edgerton's funny, accurate and sensitive tale of the varied residents of Rosehaven, a skilled nursing facility in Listre, North Carolina, is one of his best works ... ranking, in my opinion, with his masterpiece, Raney.

Tricky Business

2008-10-04T18:55:00.001-04:00

Having been deprived of his weekly column for the last few years, I'd forgotten how Dave Barry makes me belly-laugh. He borrows liberally from his friend and Miami Herald colleague Carl Hiaasen in setting up this story -- one of the heavies is almost identical, even by name, to a thug in Hiaasen's Native Tongue -- but dreams up a tale all his own. Sprinkled with his trademark humor and citing events that could only occur in South Florida, Barry constructs a believable tale of high-sea hijinks and nuttiness where the bad guys get what they deserve, the good guys triumph, and the retirees keep pushing nickels into the slot machines.

Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name

2008-10-04T18:53:00.002-04:00

I have to love any book where the mother has the exact same name as my daughter.

The Man of My Dreams: A Novel

2008-10-04T18:51:00.002-04:00

Why does anyone pay this woman to write? She's a hardbound case of clinical depression. Run for the exits!

Prep: A Novel

2008-10-04T18:50:00.002-04:00

Before reading this book, you should visit your doctor for an antidepressant. This woman is determined to increase the suicide rate in America.

Blasphemy

2008-10-04T18:41:00.002-04:00

With CERN's Large Hadron Collider a reality, this novel's premise is no longer speculation. Douglas Preston isn't a writer for the ages, but he sure knows how to spin a good tale for the here and now.

In The Land of Second Chances

2008-10-04T18:39:00.002-04:00

This would typically be classed as a "feel-good" title, with a bit of Christian and Eastern philosophy tossed into the mix. Soon after B&B owner Wilma Porter asks God to send some help to her little town of Ebb, Nebraska, a well-dressed traveling salesman named Vernon Moore shows up at her door. He ostensibly sells games of chance, but seems more intent on rescuing the town's citizens -- most notably, the owner of an independent (and financially distressed) department store whose daughter is dying of a painful and incurable disease.

Most of the action is predictable, and a lot of cliches are trotted out as the story progresses. Moore's own backstory is never fully revealed -- he seems to have appeared out of thin air -- but he leaves in his wake many people who have been repaired emotionally, fiscally, psychogically and yes, spiritually.

George Shaffner isn't a gifted writer -- he almost never uses contractions, which gives his dialogue a clunky, unrealistic feel. In addition, most of his characters are thinly sketched cliches -- he apparently consulted Midwest Generic Casting to populate his fictional community. His narrator seems too distant to serve as a reliable voice. But the story has definite charm and an upbeat message, which redeems it from what, in other hands, might have been an unbearably saccharine fable.

Rant: An Oral Biography of Buster Casey

2008-10-04T18:38:00.002-04:00

I'm a fan of Chuck Palahniuk, but this "biography" of bio-terrorist Buster Casey was too graphic for my tastes. I didn't even make it to the quarter mark before succumbing to queasiness.

Classic Home Desserts: A Treasury of Heirloom and Contemporary Recipes From Around the World

2008-10-04T18:35:00.004-04:00

A wonderful dessert/baked goods cookbook and the most-used one in my collection. I've successfully modified a lot of the recipes to accomodate my boyfriend's diabetes and renal failure. I just wish Richard Sax were still alive so I could let him know how much his cookbook has helped me.

His NYTimes obituary

Don't Sleep with a Bubba: Unless Your Eggs are in Wheelchairs

2008-10-04T18:33:00.002-04:00

I can't believe Gannett employs this woman as a humor columnist. Haven't they heard of Celia Rivenbark?

A Red State of Mind: How a Catfish Queen Reject Became a Liberty Belle

2008-10-04T18:31:00.001-04:00

Nancy French is one of those right-wing Christian Republicans who thinks she's striking a blow for smart, funny conservatives (yeah, I know, an oxymoron). All she demonstrates is that she's a smug, self-righteous asshat.

Yes, You're Pregnant, But What About Me?

2008-10-04T18:28:00.002-04:00

Not as funny as I expected. Kevin Nealon's revelations about the journey that led him to become a father later in life are interesting, but true to the title, he talks too much about himself and not enough about the little boy who made him a dad.

Waiting for My Cats to Die

2008-10-04T18:25:00.001-04:00

Eloquent, heartfelt, and I'm not even a cat lover. While Stacy Horn's two feline companions are important to this collection of essays, she ruminates on many topics: life, death, relationships, loneliness and why she loves graveyards (an obsession we share). I loved this book & can't recommend it enough.

The Three Miss Margarets: A Novel

2008-10-04T18:23:00.002-04:00

Three strong-willed Southern women unite to keep an awful secret, without considering the young woman it accidentally damages. While I'm glad I read this novel, Ms. Shaffer would have done her tale more justice by creating a less abrupt ending. As it stands, an otherwise excellent story is amputated, rather than concluded.

Three Days to Never: A Novel

2008-10-04T18:22:00.002-04:00

A sci-fi-ish novel I'd have never picked up without reading a positive review, but what a reward! A father and daughter become enmeshed in a government plot, and the father not only sees the future, but has to make an incredibly difficult moral choice. I'll definitely be reading Tim Powers again.

The Thing About Life Is That One Day You'll Be Dead

2008-10-04T18:20:00.002-04:00

I don't know how David Shields puts up with his dad, but I do know this: his dad is related to my boyfriend. They're both exasperating. Thank you, David, for the field guide -- it helps tremendously.

There's a (Slight) Chance I Might Be Going to Hell: A Novel of Sewer Pipes, Pageant Queens, and Big Trouble

2008-10-04T18:17:00.002-04:00

I'm always wary when a non-fiction writer ventures into fiction, as the result isn't usually successful. Laurie Notaro carries on that tradition. While I'm glad I read it and enjoyed the laughs, Sewer Queen pales in comparison to Notaro's guffaw-inducing true tales.

The Secret Lives of the Kudzu Debutantes: A Novel

2008-10-04T18:15:00.002-04:00

A fun follow-up to Revenge of the Kudzu Debutantes, Secret Lives offers enough angst to be realistic, but plenty of happy endings and just desserts.

Requiem, Mass.: A Novel

2008-10-04T18:13:00.001-04:00

The South has a well-deserved reputation for dysfunctional families, but John Dufresne proves they flourish in New England as well. Requiem, Mass is the town where Johnny and his sister Audrey cope with their mentally ill mother, chronically absent (and pathologically lying) father, and the abusive nuns at St. Simeon's. That they survive to adulthood is a miracle, although both are psychologically scarred.

Written from the adult Johnny's vantage point, it's unclear how much of this story is fact versus fiction. Whatever the case, it's a powerhouse of a book that packs an emotional wallop that stays with you long after the last page.

The Mermaid Chair: A Novel

2008-10-04T18:08:00.002-04:00

Everybody and their book group loves Sue Monk Kidd, but her allure eludes me. I was so bored by this novel I didn't even make it a quarter of the way through. Elizabeth Berg or Kaye Gibbons cover this territory in much finer fashion.

Him Her Him Again The End of Him

2008-10-04T18:06:00.001-04:00

Sometimes I find a book as funny as all the blurbs and reviewers claim it is, but just as often it misses the boat for me. This is one of the boat-missers. Patricia Marx's first novel does have its funny moments (Obax & Etienne, anything involving Libby, riding the train with Oliver Qas), but overall I grew tired of the nameless heroine's obsession for a pretentious cad named Eugene.

Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War

2008-10-04T18:03:00.001-04:00

Although I generally enjoyed this book, Bageant is too quick to exempt his subjects from personal responsibility, preferring to blame government and powerful individuals for the woes of the underclass. Most of his observations are keen and he makes many good arguments, but a little less bitterness would go a long way in balancing his outlook.

The Bible Salesman: A Novel

2008-10-04T17:58:00.002-04:00

With a front-cover David Sedaris blurb, I expected high hilarity on the level of Raney. What I got was a mildly funny and entertaining novel, with an ending that seemed just a little too pat. I'm glad I read this, but it's not Clyde Edgerton's best effort.

Aiding and Abetting: A Novel

2008-10-04T17:55:00.001-04:00

A spare and enjoyable imaginary romp through what may have happened to Lucky Lucan, a British aristocrat on the lam since 1974. Dame Spark was economical with her use of words, which should serve as an example to other authors (I'm talking to you, Marisha Pessl).

The Brief History of the Dead

2008-10-04T17:52:00.002-04:00

Like most middle-aged people, I've lost several friends to death, and this take on what comes beyond is not only one of the most original and thought-provoking stories I've ever read, but has prompted me to think more frequently of those who have departed. If the dead truly do live on in the memories of those they leave behind, then Kevin Brockmeier has written a field guide to the afterlife.

The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why

2008-10-04T17:50:00.001-04:00

An excellent summary of natural & man-made disasters and the behaviors that prompted some to survive and others to perish. Amanda Ripley proves the Boy Scouts are right: be prepared! Should be required reading for everyone.

God's Harvard: A Christian College on a Mission to Save America

2008-10-04T17:38:00.004-04:00

This is a scary but important read. The right wing is steadily building up its young folk in an attempt to "return" American to its "Judeo-Christian roots," and this is the perfect glimpse into their plot. We can only hope they'll be stopped somehow -- maybe by throwing copies of Nancy French's Red State of Mind at them.

Drinking Problems at the Fountain of Youth

2008-10-04T17:33:00.002-04:00

A wildly funny expose of the cosmetic extremes women reach for in order to preserve their youth -- or create one that never existed -- all driven by the beauty industry. Dermatologists barrage Teitell with different opinions, cosmetic companies hawk miracle elixirs, and star hairstylists promise life-changing transformations for a three-figure price (not including airfare). Reading this not only made me laugh, but cheered me about dropping out of the beauty race long ago.

Greasy Rider: Two Dudes, One Fast-Food-Fueled Car, and a Cross-Country Trip in Search of Greener Pastures

2008-10-04T17:31:00.002-04:00

Take an Eastern liberal with no mechanical aptitude, pair him with a down-to-earth college friend who knows his way around an engine, and put them in a retooled Mercedes for an eight-day trip across the country while begging restaurants for fry-oil fuel -- and you'll have a laugh-aloud read that leaves you longing for French fries. Greg Melville & his pal Iggy travel from Burlington, Vermont to Berkeley, CA in the footsteps of cross-country driving pioneer H. Nelson Jackson, while searching for greener alternatives to everyday life. Not only do they glimpse Al Gore's Tennessee mansion and visit Fort Knox's geothermally-powered complex, they also encounter Hank in Nebraska (and his self-published Jesus screed), endure teeth-chattering cold as they climb the Rockies (the Mercedes' heat stops working when the car exceeds 50 mph), and discover another college pal is gay (his computer log-in is “Two Gay Guys”). Combined with side trips to Google, Dartmouth, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a wind-turbine farm, and the world's first green Wal-Mart, Melville delivers a funny and thought-provoking tale that not only splits your sides, but makes you ponder reducing your carbon footprint.

This review was chosen as a Daily Dose by Powells.com

Born on a Blue Day: Inside the Extraordinary Mind of an Autistic Savant

2008-10-04T17:28:00.003-04:00

An extraordinary autobiography by an astounding young man detailing his unique talents, I came away shocked, amazed and profoundly affected by Daniel Tammet's life and achievements. It certainly made me reconsider my views of autistic individuals. I found this story much easier to relate to than John Elder Robinson's Look Me In the Eye, although I enjoyed that title as well.

Books: A Memoir

2008-10-04T17:26:00.003-04:00

While I've enjoyed Larry McMurtry's novels, this recounting of his life with books was boring. In fact, the prose was so clunky I wondered if it was written by the same man who penned Duane's Depressed and Cadillac Jack. When it comes to recounting his life as a bookseller and -searcher, he's a lot less entertaining than relating the tales of various Texas scalawags.

Scimitar SL-2

2008-10-04T17:23:00.002-04:00

This isn't a novel; it's a polemic against Democrats (with the prominent exception of the Kennedys). The volcanic explosions, which were the only reason I picked up this tome, aren't worth turning the pages of this GOP weapon of mass distraction.

Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral

2008-10-04T17:20:00.001-04:00

Banal and cliched, this trite volume is why "chick lit" is considered a pejorative.

The Broken Window: A Lincoln Rhyme Novel

2008-10-04T17:17:00.001-04:00

Stellar as always, although I was surprised the villain was unmasked earlier than usual. Deaver reveals more about Lincoln Rhyme's background with each book, and in The Broken Window he saves most of his trademark "ahas!" for the personal issues (although there's plenty of criminal mayhem flying around -- would it be a Deaver story otherwise?). There also aren't many authors who can poke fun at current culture so slyly, indicated in a typical exchange between Rhyme and NYPD detective Lon Sellitto during a web-monitored takedown:

"You watching, Linc?"

"No, Lon, Dancing with the Celebrities is on. Jane Fonda and Mickey Rooney are up next."

"It's Dancing with the Stars, Linc.

Fear & Yoga in New Jersey

2008-10-04T17:14:00.001-04:00

Feng shui, homeland security and bat mitvahs seem like a weird combination, but Debra Galant makes hilarious work of them in this novel about a yoga teacher, her recently outsourced meteorologist husband, and their son, muddling along in the wilds of modern New Jersey.

Wrong Information is Being Given Out at Princeton

2008-10-04T17:01:00.005-04:00

I've never been able to resist a bizarre title, so naturally I picked this off the shelf while canvassing my local library. Unfortunately, the tale doesn't live up to its moniker, unless someone at Princeton advised the author to pen this story. Donleavy relates the tale of Stephen O'Kelly'O, an aspiring composer swept into a strange and brief marriage, without benefit of grammar, sentence structure or the slightest semblance of a storyline. On a literary par with the film Eraserhead, I can't imagine reading Donleavy ever again.