Yes, readers, before this past Sunday's New York Times Book Review featured Harriet Lane's debut novel on its front page, I had checked it out from the library and was halfway through. I was so thoroughly caught up in the story and Ms. Lane's talent that I hesitated to read Jonathan Dee's take. Writers for the Times can often be unfairly, scathingly harsh. Phew! He was not. http://nyti.ms/Q2z8Mv
As an avid reader, reviewer, and author stalker extraordinaire, I was drawn to Ms. Lane's diabolical plot. She is deliciously evil and psychologically insightful. The first person narrator, Frances Thorpe, is a non-descript, one might even say, mousy young woman who works as an underling at a publishing house where she hears the names of literature's greats bandied about but spends her time adding and eliminating commas throughout their august texts.
But time and opportunity are everything in Ms. Lane's world. On a typical drizzling, dreary London evening Frances comes upon an overturned auto as she gingerly navigates her own way home from her weekly, stultifying visit with her folks.
Frances is not a bad person (so far) and she does what's expected, calling 911 for the woman trapped in the car, staying with her and calmly chatting until the ambulance sounds in the distance.
When Frances learns that the woman was Alys Kyte, the wife of renowned writer and man about town, Laurence Kyte, and that she died from her injuries, a diabolical plan begins to take shape in Frances's quite brilliant brain. Can she pull it off? Harriet Lane, how did you do this? A first novel? Amazing!
I finished this book in one sitting Sunday afternoon - three hours went by without my noticing it. Lane sets such a subtly creepy mood that before you know it your stomach is in knots but you can't honestly put your finger on just why.
Frances proves so adept at slow, steady, clever manipulation that you have to applaud her audacity. Her "victims" if you will, are so self-centered and clueless that we as readers feel little empathy for their plight.
We watch in awe as she unassumingly infiltrates the Kyte family's inner sanctum, becoming an indispensible part of their circle, while at work the panache of her proximity to the estimable Laurence Kyte has raised her profile considerably.
This novel just cries out to be purchased by the BBC and made into a movie that we can watch next year on PBS. I even know who I'd want for the actors. Rush out and grab a copy now before the holds start mounting up.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Writers are the Nicest People!
Those of us in the library biz are known to be author stalkers. Of course, I mean that only in the very best of terms! Years of conference attendance, book expos, and reading festivals have convinced me that writers are among the most unassuming celebrities in the world. They make their livings in the most solitary way - writing and researching - yet are forced to get out there and stump for their books on endless book tours, graciously answering the same questions over and over again.
This brings me to the good fortune I happened to have while on vacation. A real-life famous author was visiting family in the same complex where Don lives. Because he knew the family, I had the chance to (diffidently, I'll admit) hand out my cards to several people including the writer and creative writing teacher, Diane McKinney Whetstone.
http://www.mckinney-whetstone.com/
What a delight to have the opportunity to talk with her about her new book which is in the final stages of rewrites and will be published by Harper Collins next year. I flat out asked her if I could review it. How bold was that?
Dare I tell you anything about it? I'm not sure how much I should divulge but I think I can safely say that it's a historical fiction novel about an immigration hub in the port of Philadelphia, one that was a first stop before the better known and studied Ellis Island.
Ms. Whetstone has been writing novels for many years and they're available in all formats through the library, some have been optioned for film. We talked about the long, frustrating process of bringing a book to the screen and the dearth of films portraying positve images of African American families. She's promised to send me a copy of her first book, Tumbling, and I promise to write about it here. Stay tuned!
This brings me to the good fortune I happened to have while on vacation. A real-life famous author was visiting family in the same complex where Don lives. Because he knew the family, I had the chance to (diffidently, I'll admit) hand out my cards to several people including the writer and creative writing teacher, Diane McKinney Whetstone.
http://www.mckinney-whetstone.com/
What a delight to have the opportunity to talk with her about her new book which is in the final stages of rewrites and will be published by Harper Collins next year. I flat out asked her if I could review it. How bold was that?
Dare I tell you anything about it? I'm not sure how much I should divulge but I think I can safely say that it's a historical fiction novel about an immigration hub in the port of Philadelphia, one that was a first stop before the better known and studied Ellis Island.
Ms. Whetstone has been writing novels for many years and they're available in all formats through the library, some have been optioned for film. We talked about the long, frustrating process of bringing a book to the screen and the dearth of films portraying positve images of African American families. She's promised to send me a copy of her first book, Tumbling, and I promise to write about it here. Stay tuned!
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Oh, Canada!
If you've ever wondered what manner of writing is worthy of a Pulitzer Prize, please look no further than Richard Ford. I've always been a fan of the Bascombe novels but when I gently closed the pages on his latest novel Canada, I was speechless. This stunningly gorgeous book simply brought me to my knees.
The irony is that, based upon all those qualities that ostensibly draw a reader to a book, you know, setting, character, subject, I would never even pick up a novel set in Montana about a couple of kids whose parents, a mismatched pair if ever there was one, have been arrested for a bank robbery. I read this book based upon the author's reputation alone.
From the first page, the voice of the youngster, Dell Parsons, appeals in a visceral way. I felt the need to hug him, often and hard. Interestingly, I had the same urge with John Irving's wonderful young narrator Billy Abbott. Dell and Billy have abandonment issues in common and tend to review and speak about their lives with a clear-eyed matter of factness that the reader accepts as completely true, not exaggerated or embellished in any way.
Dell and his twin sister Berner were only fifteen years old when their folks did the unthinkable. Dad is retired Air Force, hail fellow, well met, a blustery salesman. Mom is an inscrutable, introspective school teacher. Bonnie and Clyde they are not!. And yet, consequences be damned, they cross the state line, approach a teller with a gun, take only enough to get them out of the mess they're in, and return to await their fate.
How this action, the events leading up to it and the ripples that emanate from it for years to come, affects the siblings is at the heart of this achingly poignant novel. How Richard Ford turns what could be a sordid tale into a soaring literary gem is remarkable. How Dell and Berner differ in their responses to their parents' betrayal of their innocence, their youth, their futures, is a fascinating psychological study.
And then there's Canada itself, Saskatchewan in particular. Every sentence paints a vivid picture of the remote, endless landscape, the loneliness, the harsh, long winters, the lack of color, the unknowableness of a land perfectly formed to act as a hiding place for those running from the law or from themselves. Thank you Mr. Ford for allowing Dell to find refuge in a place where he could have been lost.
The irony is that, based upon all those qualities that ostensibly draw a reader to a book, you know, setting, character, subject, I would never even pick up a novel set in Montana about a couple of kids whose parents, a mismatched pair if ever there was one, have been arrested for a bank robbery. I read this book based upon the author's reputation alone.
From the first page, the voice of the youngster, Dell Parsons, appeals in a visceral way. I felt the need to hug him, often and hard. Interestingly, I had the same urge with John Irving's wonderful young narrator Billy Abbott. Dell and Billy have abandonment issues in common and tend to review and speak about their lives with a clear-eyed matter of factness that the reader accepts as completely true, not exaggerated or embellished in any way.
Dell and his twin sister Berner were only fifteen years old when their folks did the unthinkable. Dad is retired Air Force, hail fellow, well met, a blustery salesman. Mom is an inscrutable, introspective school teacher. Bonnie and Clyde they are not!. And yet, consequences be damned, they cross the state line, approach a teller with a gun, take only enough to get them out of the mess they're in, and return to await their fate.
How this action, the events leading up to it and the ripples that emanate from it for years to come, affects the siblings is at the heart of this achingly poignant novel. How Richard Ford turns what could be a sordid tale into a soaring literary gem is remarkable. How Dell and Berner differ in their responses to their parents' betrayal of their innocence, their youth, their futures, is a fascinating psychological study.
And then there's Canada itself, Saskatchewan in particular. Every sentence paints a vivid picture of the remote, endless landscape, the loneliness, the harsh, long winters, the lack of color, the unknowableness of a land perfectly formed to act as a hiding place for those running from the law or from themselves. Thank you Mr. Ford for allowing Dell to find refuge in a place where he could have been lost.
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
A Very British Independence Day
It's just a fluke that I'm involved in all things British on this most American of holidays. I'll blame it on the heat. 100 degrees in the shade and most of our plans are on hold. There's no wind so we can't take advantage of our neighbors' invite to go sailing....I know, you're not feeling my pain. So in between various tennis matches at Wimbledon, what's a girl to do? Lay about in the hammock and read!
Mrs. Queen Takes the Train is one of the books that caught my eye on NetGalley. I thought it would be a perfect low-key choice to bookend between Flight Behavior and Canada and I was sooo right! What a crackup. I refer to it as Alan Bennett on steroids. He's the very witty gentleman I wrote about here a year or two ago whose novella, The Uncommon Reader, (about Queen Elizabeth's accidental introduction to the bookmobile and literature) proved to be an uncommon delight to many discerning readers. http://bit.ly/LnQsuQ
William Kuhn, historian and biographer, is responsible for Mrs. Queen....his first novel.....and gives credit to Bennett in a hilarious send up toward the end of the novel, when Queen Elizabeth, who is in the midst of self-doubt and depression, decides to give her minders the slip, escaping the royal grounds with the help of a young lady who works in the royal horse stables.
Wearing a borrowed hoodie, (good thing she's not in Florida!) the Queen of England hops a train for Edinburgh where her decommissioned yacht, The Britannia, is docked and serving as a tourist destination. Along the way, incognito, she has the opportunity to mingle with her subjects on an entirely different, eye-opening level. And, she gets to let down her hair a little bit!
Naturally, the Queen's disappearance causes major consternation back at the palace and several unlikely minions join forces to find her and bring her back before MI-5 can take over. How do they know she's gone? The palace phones are monitored, of course.
There's a lot going on under the surface in this seemingly simple novel; parent child relationships, gay coupledom, racism involving England's large Indian population, eco-terrorism, and the age-old problem of the royal family and their excesses in a time of economic despair, are all touched on briefly or at length in a humane, objective manner.
There's also a significant nod to Shakespeare, especially his play Henry V, which perfectly mirrors the Queen's newly aroused sensibilities, and,if all this doesn't whet your whistle, then just look at the cover. I'd have picked this novel off the shelf based on it alone. I hope I've tempted you into giving this novel a go. The bad news is, it won't be released til fall. Keep an eye out!
Mrs. Queen Takes the Train is one of the books that caught my eye on NetGalley. I thought it would be a perfect low-key choice to bookend between Flight Behavior and Canada and I was sooo right! What a crackup. I refer to it as Alan Bennett on steroids. He's the very witty gentleman I wrote about here a year or two ago whose novella, The Uncommon Reader, (about Queen Elizabeth's accidental introduction to the bookmobile and literature) proved to be an uncommon delight to many discerning readers. http://bit.ly/LnQsuQ
William Kuhn, historian and biographer, is responsible for Mrs. Queen....his first novel.....and gives credit to Bennett in a hilarious send up toward the end of the novel, when Queen Elizabeth, who is in the midst of self-doubt and depression, decides to give her minders the slip, escaping the royal grounds with the help of a young lady who works in the royal horse stables.
Wearing a borrowed hoodie, (good thing she's not in Florida!) the Queen of England hops a train for Edinburgh where her decommissioned yacht, The Britannia, is docked and serving as a tourist destination. Along the way, incognito, she has the opportunity to mingle with her subjects on an entirely different, eye-opening level. And, she gets to let down her hair a little bit!
Naturally, the Queen's disappearance causes major consternation back at the palace and several unlikely minions join forces to find her and bring her back before MI-5 can take over. How do they know she's gone? The palace phones are monitored, of course.
There's a lot going on under the surface in this seemingly simple novel; parent child relationships, gay coupledom, racism involving England's large Indian population, eco-terrorism, and the age-old problem of the royal family and their excesses in a time of economic despair, are all touched on briefly or at length in a humane, objective manner.
There's also a significant nod to Shakespeare, especially his play Henry V, which perfectly mirrors the Queen's newly aroused sensibilities, and,if all this doesn't whet your whistle, then just look at the cover. I'd have picked this novel off the shelf based on it alone. I hope I've tempted you into giving this novel a go. The bad news is, it won't be released til fall. Keep an eye out!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Dress Rehearsal for Retirement?
It's likely that I'll never NOT be a librarian but it's very likely that, with good fortune and good health, next year at this time, I will be retired, not from being a librarian, but from the regulation of the day to day, hour by hour drudgery of the glorified geek squad.
So, in preparation for that time, not to mention getting my financial ducks in a row, I took a two week vacation to do nothing! You heard it, nothing! Sure, I've often taken two weeks off in a row but it usually means learning how to communicate in another language, arranging for travel documents, international drivers' licenses, you get it.
This time all I'm doing is reading, blogging, following the Supreme Court and loving my proximity to the action in DC. Side note, a nurse/teacher from Ft. Myers was on the front page of the local section of the Washington Post today. A supporter of the Affordable Care Act, or as Don and I call it, Obamacares, this lady came all the way from my hometown to sit outside waiting for the historic decision to come down. As a supporter, she was not disappointed. I am still in a state of shock!
So, will I be able to retire? Well, let me tell you what my first big decision of the day is....should I have my coffee and newspaper in bed or should I go out to the deck? Second decision of the day...should I take the shorter but more strenuous walk to the south boardwalk and a few hills ( yup, they have those here ) or should I take the northbound, longer walk along the beachfront where I might get waylaid by all the kitschy antique shops?
Currently reading Barbara Kingsolver's new book Flight Behavior. I'm almost finished but can't say a word as I'm reviewing it for LJ. Listening to and very much enjoying The Nineteenth Wife. Thanks to Net Galley I also have bunches of new books that will be out in the fall on my nook. I also took a chance on paying overdue fines in order to bring Richard Ford's Canada with me.
Oh wow, just stretched and looked out the window to see a huge cruise ship heading down the Chesapeake to the open sea. What a glorious sight. I'll never tire of it. Speaking of sights, Don pointed out a photo op that reminded him of my most loyal reader Maryellen. Shout out to you. I took this picture today. Thought you'd get a kick!
So, in preparation for that time, not to mention getting my financial ducks in a row, I took a two week vacation to do nothing! You heard it, nothing! Sure, I've often taken two weeks off in a row but it usually means learning how to communicate in another language, arranging for travel documents, international drivers' licenses, you get it.
This time all I'm doing is reading, blogging, following the Supreme Court and loving my proximity to the action in DC. Side note, a nurse/teacher from Ft. Myers was on the front page of the local section of the Washington Post today. A supporter of the Affordable Care Act, or as Don and I call it, Obamacares, this lady came all the way from my hometown to sit outside waiting for the historic decision to come down. As a supporter, she was not disappointed. I am still in a state of shock!
So, will I be able to retire? Well, let me tell you what my first big decision of the day is....should I have my coffee and newspaper in bed or should I go out to the deck? Second decision of the day...should I take the shorter but more strenuous walk to the south boardwalk and a few hills ( yup, they have those here ) or should I take the northbound, longer walk along the beachfront where I might get waylaid by all the kitschy antique shops?
Currently reading Barbara Kingsolver's new book Flight Behavior. I'm almost finished but can't say a word as I'm reviewing it for LJ. Listening to and very much enjoying The Nineteenth Wife. Thanks to Net Galley I also have bunches of new books that will be out in the fall on my nook. I also took a chance on paying overdue fines in order to bring Richard Ford's Canada with me.
Oh wow, just stretched and looked out the window to see a huge cruise ship heading down the Chesapeake to the open sea. What a glorious sight. I'll never tire of it. Speaking of sights, Don pointed out a photo op that reminded him of my most loyal reader Maryellen. Shout out to you. I took this picture today. Thought you'd get a kick!
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