Staff Recommendation - Archive
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2004-2006

Staff Favorites

2003
Paperback Flying Starts
Shane Cagney - February 2003

2002
Sports Sections - June 2002
Jeanie Stoddard - Finance Manager (April 2002)
Todd Martin, Jon Huntington, Aaron Johnson, & Jason Brown - Receiving Crew (March 2002)
Virginia Harabin - Floor Manager (February 2002)

DORIS: AN ANTHOLOGY 1991 – 2001
Cindy Gretchen Ovenrack Crabb
(Microcosm, $14)
 This anthology covers ten years of the beloved Doris zine, painstakingly penned, typed, sketched, and glued together by Cindy Gretchen Ovenrack Crabb. Nothing is unexplored—my favorites are the D.I.Y. anti-depression guide (issue #15), the comic about skinheads (issue #8), and any time she talks about her sister, who loves to grow vegetables. Crabb’s travels, to Minneapolis, New York, California, Nevada, Portland, Chechnya (get the picture?), will make you want to spring out of your chair and be creative and have adventures—all with this anthology in your bag, of course. Beck Levy

AGAINST LOVE: A POLEMIC
LAURA KIPNIS
(Random House, $12)
What a perfect book to devour while sipping on rum and eggnog with your in-laws this holiday season! This cunning critique is only for those brave enough to have their perceptions of intimacy and coupledom dismantled. But don’t let Kipnis’s brutally incisive quips fool you—her driving force is a fierce belief in passion and individuality. Beck Levy

DANCE OF DAYS
MARK ANDERSON & MARK JENKINS
(Akashic, $19.95)
Andersen and Jenkins, co-founders of DC punk activist group Positive Force, document two decades of D.C.’s unique punk history—spanning protest punk, DIY, Riot Grrrl, Revolution Summer, and straight edge. Andersen’s heartfelt personalanecdotes are interspersed with interviews with local legends Fugazi, Bad Brains, Bikini Kill, and more. If you, like me, still have a personal stake in this, you just might see some pictures of or stories about your friends in the updated edition, which also contains a fascinating chapter including Andersen’s musings on corporate punk. For ebullient photography from this era, see also: Banned in DC by Cynthia Connolly & Leslie Claque Beck Levy

INDESTRUCTIBLE
CRISTY C. ROAD
(Microcosm Press, $6)
Join illustrator and zinester Cristy Road on her journey through adolescence in Miami. In all the tumult, Road explores her Cuban roots and encounters homophobia, rape, and mortality. You will cheer her on as she discovers her identity as the tough, irrepressible punk woman I had the pleasure of meeting recently. Here is yet another book I wish was mandatory for fifteen-year-old girls. Beck Levy

THE DEVIL’S FEATHER
MINETTE WALTERS
(Knopf, $24)
This mystery brings to mind the phrase: “ripped from today’s headlines.” It’s about a journalist whose work in Africa puts her in contact with a mercenary she believes is responsible for the rape and murder of some prostitutes. When she’s posted to Iraq, she encounters him again. She makes inquiries, but gets the runaround. After she is kidnapped, held, and released after a short time, she heads off to hide out in England. Believing that he’s trying to find her, she limits her contacts, and keeps her identity a secret. Eventually she makes friends with the local doctor and a young woman who has ghosts of her own. The sinister man does find her, but what ultimately happens? I know what’s written on the page, but there’s always that question that sneaks into your mind as you read the epilogue. Deb Morris

BY A SLOW RIVER
PHILIPPE CLAUDEL
(Knopf, $23)
By a Slow River is set during World War I in a town that is virtually untouched by the fighting, but haunted by the murder of a little girl. The investigation in no way resembles anything in modern police work. The person in charge is the judge from the neighboring town and the logical suspect, his sworn enemy, the prosecutor, is never questioned. Our narrator, a former policeman, constructs the story by recalling conversations with folks from town and his own memory. The tragedy of his life runs parallel to the investigation of the murder. It is a beautifully written book that you’ll find hard to put down. Deb Morris

MURDER IN AMSTERDAM: The Death of Theo Van Gogh and the Limits of Tolerance
IAN BURUMA
(Penguin Press, $24.95)
Van Gogh, who co-directed a film called Submissions about the abuses of women living in Islamic society with Ayan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born anti-Islamic activist, was shot to death by a Dutch-born Islamic extremist. For anyone for whom the issue of head-scarves in France and Mosques in Italy is clouded in over-simplifications and conflicting terminology like cultural relativism and counter-enlightenment Buruma brings an immediacy and clarity to what was—for me—a pretty confusing and distant issue. Buruma attempts to get at the consciousnesses of everyone involved, from high-ranking Dutch politicians to the immigrant communities living in “dish-cities” on the outskirts of Amsterdam and Rotterdam and does so with an unparalleled journalistic accuracy. Robert Downey

THE SEDUCER
JAN KJAERSTAD
(Overlook, $27.95)
This is a scattershot retelling of the early life of the young man who would become Norwegian media icon Jonas Wergeland. Kjaerstad's succinct chapters jump back and forth through the adventures of Jonas's formative years, his childhood voyages throughout the physical space of his intriguing home-country and the imaginary realms of the stories he absorbs. With Jonas the reader collides with first love, wanders into fleeting moments of sexual glory, is beaten down by loss, and healed by music's pulse in the heart of a bellowing pipe organ, (but not necessarily in that order.) A fascinating dose of modern Norwegian culture from a native voice, this up-ended slide-show of a truly remarkable life presses us to consider the ties that link our current selves with the young adventurers we once were. Brian Hodgdon

ONE GOOD TURN
KATE ATKINSON
(Little Brown, $24.99)
Former policeman, former private investigator, Jackson Brodie is attending the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh with his girlfriend, Julia (you remember her from Case Histories) when he witnesses a fender bender. The driver whose car was struck gets out and beats up the driver with a baseball bat. When crime novelist Martin Canning goes to the driver’s aid, events are set motion that lead to murder. Reading the Brodie books is like watching a juggler to see how she’s going to pull all these threads together. It’s great fun to read great writing! Deb Morris

THE MYSTERY GUEST
GREGOIRE BOUILLIER (trans. Lorin Stein)
(FSG, $18)
Bouillier's memoir recounts those ever-instructive days (months, years) between heartbreak and re-emersion as a normal, functioning human, complete with scenes of neurosis worthy of Notes from Underground. We say and hear things that we dissect endlessly after the fact; we consider it our duty to suffer stoically while those around us enjoy themselves; we don once abhorrent turtleneck undershirts in an effort to make a clean break with the past. True, the most appealing part of Bouillier's spare narrative is its spot-on description of these universal low times, but the author's story is also unique and appealing, with good humor to balance the woe. No grand redemption sullies the honesty of the tale, but the author's gradual trip back to the surface makes for an enjoyable and encouraging read. Brian Hodgdon

MESSENGER OF TRUTH
JACQUELINE WINSPEAR
(Henry Holt, $24)
When Maisie is asked to investigate the death of artist Nick Bassington-Hope, she finds herself drawn into the web of his wealthy eccentric family. Nick died from a fall when he was preparing for a major exhibition of his work. Was the fall an accident or murder? And where is the major work he was preparing to install? It’s the Depression, so working for a rich artistic family is difficult for Maisie and her assistant, Billy Beale. This is the best Maisie Dobbs so far! Deb Morris

THE DISPOSSESSED
URSULA K. LE GUIN
(Perennial Classics, $13.95)
Shevek, a talented physicist raised within the anarchist community of Annares, visits Urras, the planet the founders of Annares left 170 years before. Shevek seizes the opportunity to bring Annares into contact with the galaxy outside its walls. Shevek finds Urras as replete with rules as Annares is free of them and struggles to be understood by his smiling jailors. Yearning for home, for the woman he loves and for their children, Shevek finds himself in the middle of an insurrection, uncertain that he will ever return to Annares. With The Dispossessed, Le Guin gives breath and dignity to political philosophies as no theoretical discussion ever could. Beth Isaacson

FUN HOME
ALISON BECHDEL
(Houghton Mifflin, $19.95)
In this memoir, as literate as it is visually compelling, Alison Bechdel examines the life and death of her father and a parallel story: her own coming of age. Her father, a closeted gay man, English teacher, funeral director, and fastidious home renovation devotee, killed himself when she was 20, two weeks after Alison came out as a lesbian to him. While Alison explores their connections, it is the distance between them that is most palpable. I was captivated by Alison’s navigation of her own history: her stint with OCD, her self-discovery by dictionary, and her development into creative adulthood. Beck Levy

WALL AND PIECE
BANKSY
(Trafalgar Square, $35)
Banksy is an underground art superhero. The politicized stencil form of graffiti that he pioneered has inspired a whole new genre, and his name is known among an entire generation of graffiti artists. He is best known however, as an international art vigilante, due mostly to his high profile art pranks involving everything from hanging altered paintings at the Tate to painting tropical murals on the West Bank Barrier. Vandal artists like Banksy turn the transgressive aspirations of modern art into an actuality, rescuing the heritage of the DADA movement from the stuffy walls of national museums. Jon Huntington

THE STORY OF THE NIGHT
COLM TOIBIN
(Scribner, $15)
Set in Argentina during a period of social and political transformation, the story of the night includes terror as well as discovery, self-acceptance, love and a reckoning with illness and death. The voice of this narrator is captivating – understated, candid, and without guile. Some passages here are so moving they are unforgettable. This is a haunting, masterful novel that casts a lasting spell. Virginia Harabin

FINAL PAYMENTS
MARY GORDON
(Anchor, $14)
The first time I read Final Payments I got so mad that I threw the book across the room and I didn’t pick it until several days later. I was really angry with the main character Isabel Moore, who has been caring for her invalid father for a third of her thirty years. When he dies, she’s free to begin her life. But she’s so locked in to a pattern of care-giving that she nearly locks herself into another hopeless situation. That’s when I lost it. This is one of the best of Mary Gordon’s many books, newly back in print. Deb Morris

BERLIN CHILDHOOD AROUND 1900
WALTER BENJAMIN
(Belknap/Harvard, $14.95)
Written in the 1930s Berlin Childhood is a series of meditative vignettes that reflect on the Berlin of Walter Benjamin’s youth. Throughout these beautiful autobiographical musings one sees the objects and curiosities of everyday Berlin with both the ingenuity of a young child and the knowing recollection of a mature Benjamin searching for fragments of hope in his own past. Unpublished during his lifetime, this volume represents the first English translation following Benjamin’s own arrangement of the contents. Jon Huntington

HEADLONG and A LANDING ON THE SUN
MICHAEL FRAYN
(Each from Picador, $14)
It’s time for a new generation of readers to enjoy Michael Frayn’s novels. In Headlong Martin Lane thinks he has discovered a Breugel painting in a dilapidated country house. Because of his obsession with spiriting the painting out and making a killing, his marriage to his art historian wife is strained. A Landing on the Sun is a spoof on government bureaucracy and therefore a perfect Washington book. A Whitehall official is charged with discovering why his colleague fell to his death from a government building. Carla Cohen

THE GLASS BOOKS OF THE DREAM EATERS
GORDON DAHLQUIST
(Bantam, $26)
There is nothing that you could ask of an historical adventure novel that Gordon Dahlquist’s first book does not provide. The narrative shifts between three main characters, Celeste Temple (on the trail of the lost fiancé who snubbed her), Cardinal Chang (soft-hearted thug), and Dr. Abelard Svenson (philosopher/doctor). These three join forces to form an unlikely crime-fighting team determined to foil the nefarious plans of a sinister government-level conspiracy. Dahlquist’s previous accomplishments in scriptwriting are brought to bear in the rich descriptions of settings and in the furious pace set up in the first scene and kept up through the entire length of this weighty book. Glass Books is a seriously sexy Victorian thriller. Katherine Broadway

BECAUSE I WAS FLESH
EDWARD DAHLBERG
(Norton, $9.95)
Described as a literary giant of the early twentieth century, Dahlberg was largely forgotten after he died. Now most of his books are out of print. This book, his autobiography, is largely about the life of his mother, a prostitute turned lady-barber and entrepreneur of Kansas City, and his own life in the Jewish Orphanage Asylum at the start of the 20th century. This is an unapologetic examination of the mother-son relationship, and an honest search for what it means to be “flesh,” or, more simply put, human. Robert Downey

ON THE STREET: 1980-1990
AMY ARBUS
(Welcome Books, $39.95)
A pre-fame Madonna dressed in a coat from a thrift store over her pajamas graces the cover of On the Street. The photographs were taken for the Village Voice, a weekly foray into the latest fashions found on New York City streets. As A. M Homes points out in the opening essay, it documents the period before AIDS wiped out large segments of the arts community, when people were reading Cosmos by Carl Sagan and dancing to Flashdance. The men and women photographed made visual statements through what they wore. As Elke Kosta says, “Sometimes wear strawberry tarts or birds on my head.” The photographs are great! Deb Morris

MOVIE LUST
MAITLAND MCDONAGH
(Sasquatch Books, $16.95)
As you can probably tell, I like books like Movie Lust. They’re easy to pick up and put down, and you learn something -- in this case about film. McDonagh is Flick Chick for tvguide.com. This guide uses fun categories like Anime for Dummies, Horse Sense and Truths Universally Acknowledged. Scoop Dreams lists movies about journalists and includes All the President’s Men and His Girl Friday but also Defense of the Realm and Ace in the Hole. There is also a director’s spotlight that features work by Pedro Almodovar, Peter Weir, and Preston Sturges, among others. It’s great to see movies like Alfred Hitchcock’s Shadow of a Doubt included as well as a one I’ve always loved called Seven Days in May. It’s a great resource to have as you sit down at the computer to order your next film online or head out to the video store. Deb Morris

THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS
JON RONSON
(Simon & Schuster, $14)
Perhaps the only person who could infiltrate the bizarre and (surprisingly) psychedelic world of military intelligence is Jon Ronson. A British humor writer who has previously written about his adventures following conspiracy theorists, Ronson’s disheveled and affable personality seems to elicit trust from the military intelligence officials and ex-generals he interviews. Ronson assembles a fast paced, hilarious and ultimately shocking account of our military’s turn toward psychic experimentation. Jon Huntington

APPLICANT
JESSE REKLAW, ed.
(Microcosm Publishing, $4)
One night while rifling through dumpsters and recycling bins, Jesse Reklaw stumbled upon a gem: confidential Ph.D. applicant files, complete with photographs, from 1965-1975. Luckily for us, he published it in this hilarious pocket-sized book. Stare these hapless relics straight in their earnest faces and read the merciless evaluations of their personalities, habits, and appearances. Beck Levy

DEPARTURE LOUNGE
CHAD TAYLOR
(Europa Editions, $14.95)
Departure Lounge is a brilliant novel about a young man, Mark Chamberlain, who’s haunted by the disappearance of a girl he cared for. Caroline May left her New Zealand home and was never heard from again. The police are called, posters go up, everyone is questioned in this small community, but months pass before anything is known. In the end, it is believed that she died in a plane crash in Antarctica. However her friend Varina, the alcoholic cop who handled the case, and Mark have never gotten over it. Author Chad Taylor takes us into Mark’s world (he’s a thief) and pulls together all the strings (past and present) that tie this story together. The writing is great! Deb Morris

POSTSECRET
FRANK WARREN
(HarperCollins, $26.95)
"You are invited to anonymously contribute a secret to a group art project. Your secret can be a regret, fear, betrayal, desire, confession or childhood humiliation." PostSecret, a collection of postcard images received in response to this request, is a unique view into human psyche. From cheeky to painful, PostSecret gives voice to everyday people. Homemade postcards are outstanding in composition and often complement the message. Readers will appreciate artistic renderings as well as be able to identify with the sentiments shared. Lia Lindsey

NATURE NOIR
JORDAN FISHER SMITH
(Mariner, $13.95)
The noir hero is a tough and competent guy who sustains a quiet devotion to lost causes. There’s a streak of Philip Marlowe in Jordan Fisher Smith, a park ranger and passionate lover of nature who served as guardian of a condemned territory in the Sierras. This memoir is driven by riveting and moving anecdotes about the wild characters drawn to this transitional landscape. Smith’s expert knowledge of the natural forces challenged by human intervention puts these dramas in a strange and wonderful context. Acutely observant, and finely attuned to irony, Jordan Fisher Smith is an exciting new literary voice. Virginia Harabin

CARTE BLANCHE
CARLO LUCCARELLI
(Europa Editions, $14.95)
I was finishing Alan Furst’s new mystery when Carlo Luccarelli’s Carte Blanche arrived. Set in Italy as the allies approach, Vittorio Rehinard a drug dealer and a womanizer with enemies is found murdered. From the beginning, Commissario De Luca believes the case is too politically loaded to find the real killer. But he is dogged, even as he is thwarted by leaks, more murders, and his own demons. He can’t sleep or eat and he fears that he’ll be killed either by partisans or factions tied to the murdered man. Deb Morris

LOST AND FOUND
CAROLYN PARKHURST
(Little, Brown, $23.95)
Carolyn Parkhurst, author of the mysterious novel The Dogs of Babel, plots a divergent course into the world of a reality T.V. show in Lost and Found. The show’s premise is a global scavenger hunt for a million dollars. The show’s producers populate the stage with out-of-kilter contestants, throwing them together with increasing tension against exotic backdrops. Parkhurst pulls back the curtain to expose the players -- each has hidden agendas. Parkhurst’s hilarous, quick read offers voyeurs what they love: the inside scoop on an exciting adventure from the comfort of the couch. Sarah Massey

SEEING

SUPPORT
CINDY CRABB
(Microcosm Publishing, $3)
Cindy Crabb, of Doris zine fame, has assembled the best essays I’ve ever read in the field of survivor support and laid them out creatively. Support contains practical advice about understanding triggers, handling crises, and what to do when your friend or partner is disassociating. Personal accounts and a guide to talking about consent make the zine extremely accessible, especially if this is your first time reading about sexual assault. Beck Levy

IRAQ: THE LOGIC OF WITHDRAWAL
ANTHONY ARNOVE
(The New Press, $19.95)
By now a majority of people realize that the misery imposed by exhausted and demoralized soldiers upon the people of Iraq is a costly and destructive nightmare. Anthony Arnove debates all the major justifications for occupation that confuse the anti-war movement – the chance of civil war, the character of the resistance, the U.S. claim that it can impose democracy – and makes a compelling case for getting out now. A refreshing antidote to the fog produced by those who are tied to either of the pro-war parties, this book contains a forward and afterward by Howard Zinn, whose Vietnam the Logic of Withdrawal, published in 1967, must be read as a vindication of a position not won until millions more lives were lost. Virginia Harabin

THE DOUBLE
JOSÉ SARAMAGO
(Harvest Books, $14)
Critics have been tempted to think of The Double if not as 1998 Nobel laureate Saramago’s masterpiece, then certainly as one of two or three. As with Saramago’s other novels – which invent some unearthly event or circumstance, then populate it with hapless, sweetly questing humanity – The Double is a keenly written, deftly maneuvered allegory of identity: its mutual violation leading, naturally, to existential crisis (a darkly comic scenario in Saramago’s hands) and the things by which identity is presumed to be constituted and recognized. Greg Maher

HOUSE OF LEAVES
MARK DANIELWSKI
(Pantheon, $19.95)
This debut novel is an entrancing coadunation of two different stories, one told in the main body of the book and one told through the footnotes. The unconventional structure compliments the psychological and supernatural development of the novel. It begins with the protagonist Johnny Truant discovering a fractured document by a recently deceased blind man named Zampano about a non-existent documentary called The Navidson Record. The parallel explorations of the lives of the Navidson family, Johnny Truant, and Zampano become delicately enmeshed but never conflict. This book is a mind-boggling experience. Rachael Shuman

THE DEATH OF ADAM
MARILYNNE ROBINSON
(Picador, $14)
Well known as a novelist, Marilynne Robinson is also a formidable essayist. Pushing us to question received assumptions and fashionable thinking, she argues here for new understandings of Darwinism, politically correct language, and, most of all, religion. She identifies herself explicitly as a Christian and a liberal defining these in terms of Calvinism—not the fire-and-brimstone breathing Calvin of the popular image, but the tolerant, humanist Calvin Robinson finds in his writings. Clear, thoughtful, and thought-provoking, these nonfiction pieces are as rich and imaginative as the novels they in many ways complement. Laurie Greer

BEASTS OF NO NATION
UZO IWEALA
(HarperCollins, $16.95)
In his lucid debut novel, author Uzo Iweala draws us into the world of the child soldier. The innocent voice of young Agu grates sharply against the story of his brief life, one already stained by blood, violence, and death. We follow Agu from the safety of the schoolyard down a darkening path that seems to lead toward chaos. But despite the brutality and torment he both endures and creates, we never lose sight of his humanity nor of the inextinguishable spark of hope that seems to live inside of every child. Shannon O’Neill

SURVIVING JUSTICE
DAVE EGGARS and LOLA VOLLEN
(McSweeny’s, $16.95)
Many Americans have confidence in our judicial system: assuming that those guilty of crimes are punished and justice is served. Sadly, this isn't always the case. Surviving Justice draws attention to innocent individuals who became victim to our judicial system. Surviving Justice features stories told directly from exonerates, taking readers through the accused’s agonizing experience of serving time for crimes they didn't commit. Not all is lost - while devastating, these stories highlight opportunities to reverse injustice and the essential role of public education in achieving social change. Lia Lindsey

CAN’T STOP WON’T STOP
JEFF CHANG
(Picador, $16)
The hip-hop movement emerged in the aftermath of the great social movements of the 1960s. As urban areas like the Bronx were abandoned by government, business and white flight, they became hotbeds of poverty and violence until, against all odds, they produced an explosion of creativity. Chang is a master of his subject and writes about music, culture and politics with deep appreciation, humor, and flair. For readers who know a lot about hip-hop or nothing at all, this book opens up a world of American cultural history. Virginia Harabin

LUCK
JOAN BARFOOT
(Carroll and Graf, $14.95)
Philip Lawrence’s death at 46 sets in motion a series of events for the three women who lived in his house in a small town in Ontario, Canada. Nora, his wife, has spent the last two years using Beth, an empty-headed former beauty queen, to model for monumental paintings. Sophie, the Lawrences’ business assistant has a past she is trying to forget -- as does Beth. This strange, funny and well-wrought story takes place mostly in the three days following Philip’s death. Carla Cohen

THE ACCIDENTAL
ALI SMITH
(Pantheon, $22.95)
A woman arrives at the door of a vacation home.  Each member of the family assumes that she is the guest of another and she ends up first at dinner and then entwined in each of their lives.  Ali Smith’s first novel traces the fault lines of one family’s malfunctions in poetic and deliberate prose that peers through the eyes of each individual in turn, creating a fractured mosaic of domestic indifference turned upside down. Holly Fogleboch

AT BLACKWATER POND
MARY OLIVER
(Beacon, $19.95)
Mary Oliver is one of those poets that rarely does readings. When she read at the Folger a few years ago, it was her first Washington reading in nearly a decade. This recording of 42 poems on CD is her first, so it’s a chance to hear this wonderful poet read her work any time you want. Deb Morris

ANDY WARHOL GIANT SIZE
(Phaidon Press, $125)
The first collection of Warhol’s work aimed at telling the story of his life as he might have seen it himself, this oversize book is filled with Warhol’s own possessions, cataloged and collected from his famous “boxes,” interspersed with his work and his words. Andy Warhol Giant Size gives the reader a glimpse into what inspired Warhol as an artist, gloriously reproduced with the quality and care for which Phaidon Press is famous. Each page is filled with full-color reproductions, and the page size allows detail previously available only by looking at the works in person. This book is a cornerstone for anyone interested in the history of art. Michael Link

THE WEATHER MAKERS
TIM FLANNERY
(Atlantic, $24)
If you want to understand global warming, this is the book to read. Flannery lays out the basic science of climate change—how the atmosphere is constructed, and what happens when greenhouse gases accumulate there—then surveys the various effects already underway on the ground. And there are a lot of them: frog species disappearing; ice melting; parasites once kept in check by the cold now ravaging plants and animals; insects maturing earlier than the plants they feed on; severe storms and their high costs, to name a few. This is one of the scariest books I’ve ever read, but while the picture is bleak, the situation isn’t hopeless. We still have time (but not a lot) to stop our wasteful ways and salvage the planet. Laurie Greer

HONORED GUEST
JOY WILLIAMS
(Vintage, $13.95)
Joy Williams is a writer’s writer, a compassionate, perverse, indignant intelligence. Her stories reward singular attention with sentences shaped and chiseled to be read, felt, and remembered. She’s so funny. Her people are brutally candid, and they have abrupt, combative voices. They are imbued with tenderness though, often oblique, skewed, or directed toward some ambiguous thing – like a tree, a cactus, a lamp made of deer legs, or the dogs that haunt just about every story she writes. Her subject is the heartbroken world, with people passing from one state to the next, unable to go on, going on. Virginia Harabin

WHY NEW ORLEANS MATTERS
TOM PIAZZA
(HarperCollins, $24.95)
New Orleans hovers between reality and legend, immersed in existential fog thick as the humidity in July. After Katrina, I sought an examination of pre and post-levy breach, a comprehensive picture of this city of indulgence I once called home. I was pleased to find Why New Orleans Matters, which honors traditional New Orleans customs and addresses why rebuilding efforts with an eye on the character of NOLA is so critical. Regardless of familiarity with NOLA, you'll appreciate this homage to the Crescent City. Lia Lindsey

RED WEATHER
PAUL TOUTONGHI
(Crown, $23)
Red Weather is a funny and touching story about a Latvian family who immigrated to Milwaukee. Father Rudolph Balodis works for Jack Baldwin Chevrolet as a janitor on the night shift and drinks bourbon the rest of the time. Yuri, their high school son, becomes entwined with the Grahams and their beautiful daughter, who are organizing for the International Socialist Organization. Needless to say, Rudolph is not enthusiastic about Yuri distributing pamphlets extolling the virtues of socialism. At the heart of the book is Yuri's gradual understanding of the world around him and particularly his parents. Carla Cohen

1973 NERVOUS BREAKDOWN
ANDREAS KILLEN
(Bloomsbury, $24.95)
This historian uses the year 1973 as a framing device to mark a turning point in American history—from the raised hopes and expectations of the 1960s to a period of reaction, commercialism and cynicism. The year’s media events included the broadcast of An American Family, and the theatrical release of The Exorcist and Deep Throat. The movement for MIA/ POWs allowed the US to reframe the disastrous Vietnam war as a defensive and heroic endeavor. Killen’s wide-ranging discussion—from the of the cult of celebrity emblemized by Warhol, to the launch of the anti-welfare movement and the Rockefeller drug laws—all happening in the shadow of Richard Nixon’s disgrace, makes for a fast-paced, richly imagined portrait of an era. Virginia Harabin

THE MAN OF MY DREAMS
CURTIS SITTENFELD
(Random House, $22.95)
Following the success of Prep is a near-impossible feat. But Curtis Sittenfeld's new book is up for the challenge. Recounting episodes throughout a 14-year span, The Man of My Dreams follows Hannah Gavener from her teens to her late 20s. Hannah is a charming character, despite her uncertainty of herself and her over-analysis of situations. Her sister is a people-pleaser; her cousin is boy-crazy. Hannah is neither and doesn't know where she fits in. Sometimes despairing but never angsty, Hannah's thoughts parallel those of any young woman trying to find her footing in the world. Risa Gross

FIREFLY CLOAK
SHERI REYNOLDS
(Shaye Areheart, $23)
Sheri Reynolds’ newest novel is the story of three generations of Birch women. When eight-year-old Tessa Lee and her little brother Travis are left in a tent by Sheila, their momma, the phone number written in magic marker on Travis’ back leads them to their granny, Lil. Seven years later, Tessa Lee sets out on a rocky path to reunite with her mother. All of the characters undergo intense transformations; particularly touching is the grandmother’s journey towards accepting what she sees as her female offspring’s eccentricities. Firefly Cloak is a study of love and of female relationships, of guilt and of mercy, and of forgiving oneself. Katherine Broadway

THE HUMMINGBIRD’S DAUGHTER
LUIS URREA
(BackBay. $14.95)
Latino-American Urrea reaches back to the history of his family 70 years ago, when the dictator Porifirio Diaz is strengthening his hold on the Mexican states, even the far-flung ones of Sinola and Sonora. Don Tomas Urrea and his illegitimate daughter Teresa protect their Indian workers and Teresa, a healer, preaches on their behalf. Thus they become a target for the evil Diaz regime. With gorgeous descriptions, Urrea portrays Mexico – the warmth of the people, the colors of the landscape, but also the streak of cruelty. Carla Cohen

NISEI MEMORIES
PAUL TAKEMOTO
(Univ. of Washington Press, $22.50)
In 1945, a young adult book about the internment of Japanese-Americans, The Moved-Outers, by Florence Means, made a deep impression on me. Now Ken and Alice Takemoto, who live in Kensington, have told their son, Paul, what those war years were like for them. It is a painful story of resourcefulness, helplessness, humor, and acceptance – Ken’s service in the 442nd and Alice’s wartime internment with her family in Arkansas – and Paul has recorded his parents’ often-buried memories with courtesy and clarity. Jeanie Teare

THE 10 BEST OF EVERYTHING
NATHANIEL and ANDREW LANDE
(National Geographic, $19.95)
While it may be impossible to travel to 1000 places before you die, it’s possible to see 10. That’s the beauty of this guide for travelers. Nathaniel and Andrew Landes guide us to the 10 best wines, beaches or chocolatiers. Among my favorites are the 10 best barb-b-que joints and the 10 best patisseries, not all in France. The best of cities from Berlin and Sydney are included as are more in-depth travel suggestions for places like the Amalfi Coast. It’s a lot of fun! Deb Morris

SKY BURIAL
XINRAN
(Nan Talese, $18.95)
A powerful love story, Sky Burial paints a picture of two cultures at war, lost in misunderstanding and fear.  The tale follows one woman’s thirty year search in Tibet for her husband, a doctor with China’s invading forces. Her path crosses with a Tibetan noblewoman and their voyages go deep into the heart of Tibet’s people, country and ritual. Sky Burial is based on a true story told to the author, journalist Xinran; it speaks to universal human experiences of loss and loyalty while letting the reader into daily Tibetan life and the power of their beliefs. Holly Fogleboch

THE ICARUS GIRL
HELEN OYEYEMI
(Doubleday, $23.95)
Although Nigerian-born Helen Oyeyemi completed her first novel, The Icarus Girlbefore she turned twenty, this psychological thriller is remarkably mature. Shy and somewhat maladjusted, eight-year-old Jessamy meets her first friend, TillyTilly, on a family trip to Nigeria and is surprised to see her again when she returns to England. The friendship quickly turns sinister, as TillyTilly remains unseen by others while her control over Jessamy increases. Katherine Broadway

HAVE MERCY ON US ALL
FRED VARGAS
(Simon & Schuster, $14)
What happens when a serial killer decides to reintroduce the plague into modern day Paris? And what does a town crier have to do with? These are questions that confront Chief Inspector Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg as he seeks to solve the murders as panic breaks out throughout the city and spreads across France. This book is Fred Vargas’s introduction to American audiences. It’s a great debut, a fun read, and I hope it is the first of many books from her. Deb Morris

PARIS REQUIEM
LISA APPIGNANESI
(McArthur & Co, $7.99)
I don’t read books that run nearly 600 pages. So why did I pick up Paris Requiem by Lisa Appignanesi? Well, there were a number of reasons. First, I was just back from Paris and still excited about the trip. The other reason is that I wondered why this book which is several years old had turned up again on our mystery table. I’m glad it turned up again. It’s a great read about siblings, class, anti-Semitism and murder in fin-de-siecle Paris. I hated it for it to end! Deb Morris

RED LEAVES
THOMAS H. COOK
(Harcourt, $14)
In Red Leaves, the Moore family seems normal and content until a shocking event changes the focus. Fifteen year old Keith Moore babysits neighbor Amy. The next morning, eight year old Amy is missing. Keith’s father Eric defends his son against the police, the town, and mounting evidence that Keith is withholding the truth. As Eric investigates his own family to save his son, it is apparent everyone is hiding something. Cook’s unnerving and fast-paced mystery takes an ordinary man and severs him from everything he believes. Bill Leggett

I LOST IT AT THE MOVIES
PAULINE KAEL
(Marion Boyers, $16.95)
According to Pauline Keal, "the romance of movies is not just in those stories and those people on screen but in the adolescent dream of meeting others who feel as you do about what you've seen." Her irreverence, wit, and passion for movies changed the standards for writing about film. This is one of the few volumes of her essays currently still in print. Virginia Harabin

THE BOY WHO LOVED ANNE FRANK
ELLEN FELDMAN
(Norton, $13.95)
Ellen Feldman has written a richly imagined novel about the boy who lived in the Annex with Anne. When Peter van Pels finally comes to the U.S. as he told Anne he would do, he reinvents himself as a non-Jew but marries a Jewish woman and has children and becomes a prosperous American. But when Anne Frank’s diary is published and the play is produced, Peter is forced to revisit his painful past. Carla Cohen

AVERNO
LOUISE GLÜCK
(FSG $22)
Former Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winner Louise Glück has long been known for spare, meditative lyrics that use archetypes of nature and classical myth to illuminate human experience. In her 10 th book, Glück revisits the story of Persephone, whose abduction by Hades caused winter, her return, spring, as her mother alternately grieved and rejoiced. Weaving this cycle of loss and rebirth with her personal memories and the public trauma of 9/11, Glück examines a crisis of faith in a spiritual afterlife as well as in a stable earthly existence. These poems engage both imagination and reason—even as they question their limits—probing issues that have troubled humanity since ancient times and which recent events have sharpened anew. Laurie Greer

WILLIAM EGGLESTON’S GUIDE
John Szarkowsky, Editor
Museum of Modern Art, ($34.95)
William Eggleston’s 1976 exhibition at MOMA was the museum’s first one-man show of color photography. Because color photography was still seen as the crass tool of advertising, the strange beauty and startling emotional power of these images was lost on many critics. These are mesmerizing compositions in which mundane objects take on an eerie intensity. Virginia Harabin

AS I SEE IT
JOHN LOENGARD
(Vendome, $35)
This book of sensitive, artistic and revealing photographs by longtime Life photographer Loengard, with his personal notes on each entry, has arrived without the fanfare it deserves. In this season of graduations, weddings and other milestones, I can’t imagine a more thoughtful gift for those who know that photography is a great art. Jeanie Teare

THE COLONY
JOHN TAYMAN
(Scribner, $27.50)
Never read a book about lepers before? Neither had I, but having now learned about the often-terrible treatment they received, I am eager to read more. The Colony depicts a community of the ostracized, driven to exile by the government and, often, their own families. From 1866 to 1969, any Hawaiian identified as suffering from leprosy was sent to the island of Molokai, where inhabitants of the leper colony were essentially forced to fend for themselves. With almost 9,000 individuals affected by this policy, the story of Molokai is too important—and too fascinating—to miss. Risa Gross

GÖTZ AND MEYER
DAVID ALBAHARI
(Harcourt, $23)
Götz and Meyer are two SS men assigned to drive Belgrade Jews from the Fairgrounds camp to their ultimate fate—but who, exactly, were these men? The unnamed narrator of Serbian writer David Albahari’s darkly ironic and meditative novel is haunted by the many cousins he lost in the Holocaust as well as by their killers. With only names and archival data to work with, he struggles to flesh out events and personalities, knowing his own identity depends on the results. So intensely does he imagine the unimaginable that history invades his life as he, in turn, enters history. This is a mesmerizing novel, as full of poetry as it is of horror. Laurie Greer

THE SUCCESSOR
ISMAIL KADARE
(Arcade, $24)
The successor to the dictator has died. Was it murder or suicide? Is he a martyr or a traitor? In his eighth novel, Albanian writer, and first recipient of the Booker International prize, Ismail Kadare, summons the concentrated power of myth, the metaphorical richness of fable, and the chill of the cautionary tale to portray life in an authoritarian state. Speaking one by one, Kadare’s central characters—the pliable party member, the neglected children, even the dead man himself—tell their secrets and fears, the individual voices combining to paint a haunting portrait of a time and place. Laurie Greer

COLLAPSE
JARED DIAMOND
(Penguin, $17)
Jared Diamond investigates ancient and modern societies, such as the Maya, that are history’s losers. Customarily, “vanished” cultures have been viewed as innocent victims of a catastrophic event, unpredictable and sudden. Diamond bucks this theory, explaining that their demise was rooted in an inability to adapt to changing environments, resulting in complete exhaustion of all resources. The author’s strength is his ability to draw from diverse disciplines to present a multidimensional analysis of societies. In today’s interconnected global community, Collapse brings attention to the tumultuous intersection of environment, society and conflict. Lia Lindsey

SWEET AND LOW
RICH COHEN
(FSG, $25)
The story of one family’s rise from immigrant poverty to prosperity is a common one, but the ambience of the Brooklyn wharfs, the arrival of the fitness craze in American culture and the subsequent fighting over the family’s fortune is riveting. Author Rich Cohen (Tough Jews) is a grandchild in the disinherited branch of the family, and as he untangles his family tree he also explores the impact of sugar (and its substitutes) on all of our lives. Look for a surprise guest appearance by Donald Rumsfeld in the final chapter! Holly Fogleboch

NEW AND SELECTED POEMS
MICHAEL RYAN
(Mariner, $14)
Michael Ryan is doubly blessed as a poet, excelling at both lyric and narrative verse. His New and Selected Poems, gathering work from three previous books, along with 31 uncollected poems, is a wonderful opportunity to trace his development from an outstanding young poet (he won the prestigious Yale Younger Poets Award in 1974) to a technically assured and mature writer. Ryan’s poems are as compelling for their language as they are for their emotional power. In “Tanglewood” he writes: We were trying to talk about love, / and blank pain that stays blank / until music makes a shape for it. These poems will linger in your mind for their vivid imagery, their superb craftsmanship, and their startling frankness. From “The Blind Swimmer,” for instance: What do his dead eyes say? / The body that keeps him buoyant is a room, / the pain would stop if he just walked out? Laurie Greer

LEADING LADIES
ROBERT OSBORNE
(Chronicle, $19.95)
I’m a fan of movies of the 30s and 40s. There were some great women in great roles, Joan Crawford as Mildred Pierce, Irene Dunne in My Favorite Wife and Myrna Loy in practically anything. Now there’s a book called Leading Ladies: The 50 Most Unforgettable Actresses of the Studio Era. Each book has one of those great photos, a synopsis of her style, a little gossip and a filmography. It’s a great introduction to the work of these talented dames. Deb Morris

STRIVERS ROW
KEVIN BAKER
(HarperCollins, $24.95)
 This book is part of Kevin Baker’s trilogy that vividly recreates the history of New York City. Don’t put off reading this book because you have not read the others; this tale of Harlem during WWII is a great read all on its own. Baker vividly recreates a pulsing, swirling city in which a young Malcolm Little is far from becoming the man known as Malcolm X. Meanwhile a charismatic pastor’s fair-skinned son, never fully embraced by his father’s congregation, contemplates leaving the black community to pass as white. The temptations and struggles of the two men intertwine until, like the wartime streets of Harlem, they are pushed to the breaking point. Holly Fogleboch

THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD
JUSTIN TUSSING
(HarperCollins, $24.95)
Imaginative, daring, and beautifully written, Tussing’s debut novel tells the story of Thomas, a seventeen year old high school student in Paducah, Kentucky who falls in love with his new history teacher Alice and together with Shiloh, the town misfit, embark on a journey first to New York City and later to rural Vermont, where they make for themselves an odd but interesting household.  Told through Thomas’ point of view, this novel captures the excitement of first love and the adventurous sense of stepping beyond one’s boundaries, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Mark LaFramboise
We also have an original interview with the author.

BLACK BODIES AND QUANTUM CATS
JENNIFER OUELLETTE
(Penguin, $15)
In science writer Jennifer Ouellette’s mind, everyday events and pop culture flash points are fertile ground for explaining the mysteries of physics. Black Bodies and Quantum Cats shows how Reddi Whip topping demonstrates molecular attraction, how Fabio’s broken nose demonstrates G-forces, and how My Big Fat Greek Wedding illuminates the unique properties of quarks. From the year 1500 through just the other day, Ouellette’s history tour promotes a new and experimental theory: learning about science can be educational and entertaining. Bill Leggett

BECOMING STRANGERS
LOUISE DEAN
(Harcourt, $23)
A candid look at the inner workings of two marriages, Louise Dean’s debut novel (and Booker Prize nominee) explores the nature of relationships and what ultimately makes them succeed—or fail. Two couples—one married for over half a century, the other for 31 years—struggle with their allegiance to their relationships when forced to confront their respective problems: attempted infidelity, late-stage cancer, progressing Alzheimer’s, quotidian bickering. This book offers an insightful examination of two lengthy marriages; perhaps its greatest feat, however, is that it manages to provide such stark realism without being overemotional or depressing. Risa Gross

THE NIGHTINGALES
GILLIAN GILL
(Random House, $15.95)
The Nightingales is not only a compelling story of a truly remarkable woman, but it is a wonderful view of Victorian English family life. The Nightingales were Methodists and advanced in their views. That Florence was not only able to study nursing, work in a hospital, and go to Crimea is a testimony to the amazing tolerance of the family, at a time when the only job women were supposed to have was Kinde and Kirche. The family not only permitted Florence’s eccentric occupation, but supported her financially and emotionally. Florence herself was a brilliant self-taught public health advocate, but she paid a price for being so far ahead of her contemporaries. Carla Cohen

TULIA
NATE BLAKESLEE
(PublicAffairs, $26.95)
In Tulia, Nate Blakeslee not only recounts one of most bizarre and unbelievable (although some might say all too believable) miscarriages of justice in recent history, but he also digs deeper, chronicling the history of the small Texas town and the cultural backdrop which colors the events.  Blakeslee’s narrative also shows that it takes not just one corrupt cop, but an entire bureaucracy to enact an injustice on this scale.  Blakeslee’s compassion and attention to detail evokes the human cost of this travesty. Mark LaFramboise

MARK OF THE LION
SUZANNE ARRUDA
(New American Library, $23.95)
Move over Maisie Dobbs; welcome Jade del Cameron, New Mexico girl and former World War I ambulance driver. After returning home after the war, the restless Jade sets off in to find the brother of a dear friend lost in the war. Settling in Kenya, she shakes up the community of staid Brits, shows off her hunting skills, and tackles a laibon – a witch doctor-hell bent on killing her. It’s great fun! Hopefully more will follow! Deb Morris

DON’T GET TOO COMFORTABLE
DAVID RAKOFF
(Doubleday, $22.95)
In the age of American over-consumption, who can hate a man like David Rakoff, who brings such indulgences into the spotlight in order to destroy them with clever wit? In Don’t Get Too Comfortable, Rakoff is a vacationer in high society, and this book is a cheeky postcard from his travels. Rakoff’s unrepentantly salty commentary makes me giggle like a gossipy teenager. Consider his thoughts on the daughter of our current President: “(a) liquor swilling, Girl Gone Wild, human ashtray of a daughter…I’m sorry, that’s not fair. I have no idea if she smokes.” Lia Lindsay

BILLY COLLINS LIVE
by Billy Collins
(Random House, $19.95)
It’s no wonder Billy Collins is such a popular poet. If you’ve read his work you’re aware of his wonderful humor, which is even more evident in this new recording of is live reading. It’s great to think that the cheering and whistling that open this performance at New York’s Symphony Space are for Collins. The person with the star status is Bill Murray, who gives a wonderfully funny introduction to this delightful recording. But Billy Collins is the real star of the evening, reading twenty-four poems. Deb Morris

WHEN RED IS BLACK
by Qui Xialong
(Soho Press, $13)
History, mystery, poetry, and humor are combined in a novel of political and literary intrigue. In Shanghai, Chief Inspector Chen is on "vacation" for a few weeks, secretly translating an important and lucrative business proposal for gangster-related Mr. Gu. Meanwhile Chen's subordinate, Detective Yu, is investigating a sensitive case involving the murder of novelist and former Red Guard member Yin Lige. As both Chen and Yu get closer to their goals, their suspicions are aroused that things are not what they seem, and they begin to understand why. A literary page-turner that blends China's past and present, When Red Is Black is a subtle and enjoyable Chinese noir. Bill Leggett

THE BLOOD-DIMMED TIDE
RENNIE AIRTH
(Viking, $24.95)
It’s rare that you get to review two mysteries by the same author. I started with the new book by Rennie Airth, The Blood-Dimmed Tide. It begins with the search for missing girl in the English countryside. When former detective John Madden finds the body, he finds himself back among his former colleagues in the search for a diabolical killer. While his wife wants to keep him at home and safe, his natural instincts and experience lead him to pursue clues that open new avenues in the investigation. Deb Morris

JESUS LAND
JULIA SCHEERES
(Basic Books, $23)
Julia Scheeres’s tough, gritty memoir tells the story of growing up in a strict, religious household in rural Indiana in the 1980s. It is a story of racism and intolerance and ultimately the story of the author’s love for her adopted brother David, a love that proved essential to their overcoming unbelievable hardship. After fighting back against racist bullies, David is sent to a Christian “boot camp,” Escuela Caribe, and Julia (the author) manages to get herself in sufficient trouble so she will be sent there as well to look after him as best she can. While the physical and mental cruelty experienced by all the “students” at the camp is well documented, Julia’s spirit keeps the narrative lively and the tension high. This is a memoir rich with story and conflict, a heartfelt story of love’s power in the face of ridiculous odds. This is one of those books which was eagerly passed from one staff member to the next and proved to be a store favorite. Mark LaFramboise

THE BIG OVER EASY
by Jasper Fforde
(Penguin, $24.95)
We all know about Humpty Dumpty’s infamous “great fall,” but what sent him over the edge? Was it suicide? Poison? Gunshot wound? This mystery is at the center of the first book of Jasper Fforde’s new series, which follows Inspector Jack Spratt and Officer Mary Mary of the Nursery Crime Division. Those already familiar with Fforde’s witty, fast-paced Thursday Next books will enjoy this new spin on familiar childhood tales. Featuring cameos by old Mrs. Hubbard, Wee Willie Winkie, Georgie Porgy (as “Georgio Porgio,” notorious crime boss), magic beans, Gretel (remember her brother Hansel?) and even Prometheus newly escaped from “rock, Zeus, Caucasus, eagle.” Pure unadulterated fun! Katherine Broadway

GLORY IN A CAMEL’S EYE
by Jeffrey Tayler
(Mariner Books, $14)
A Nasrani, or Christian, traveling through the Sahara should be concerned with many things: blinding sandstorms, overworked camels, and proselytizing Muslims. In addition to these difficulties, Jeffrey Tayler encounters a beautiful hidden world. Tayler and his Arab guides trek though desiccated towns and blurry desert, finding people hospitable and curious, proud yet desperate in a land plagued by eight seasons of drought. Surviving heat stroke, parasites, and the squabbles that befall men after weeks under a merciless sun, Tayler reaches the Atlantic with a perspective on Arabian life few outsiders will ever have. Bill Leggett

WHAT’S MY NAME, FOOL?
by David Zirin
(Haymarket, $15)
Writers as diverse as Frank Deford, Chuck D, Howard Zinn and Robert Lipsyte agree that Dave Zirin is the brightest and most audacious journalist to write about the politics of sports since Lester Rodney. In What's My Name, Fool? Zirin shows righteous intolerance for corporate-sponsored booyah and chauvinistic bombast along with a deep appreciation for the grace and courage of athletes who take a stand against war, racism and sexism. Zirin’s writing is top-notch and he knows his sports. His vision of athletics as a site of resistance shines a light on what’s hopeful and inspiring in the world of sports. Virginia Harabin

MINARET
LEILA ABOULELA
(Black Cat, $13)
Najwa is a Sudanese immigrant working as a maid for an affluent Egyptian family in London. Her limited social activities revolve around classes and celebrations at the local mosque. Twenty years earlier, however, while a university student in Khartoum, Najwa enjoyed a privileged, secular, Westernized lifestyle. Set against the political turmoil of Sudan in the ‘70s and ‘80s, Minaret traces Najwa’s descent from wealth to near destitution, as well as her gradual religious evolution and ultimate awakening. Rose Levine

BORGES AND THE ETERNAL ORANGUTANS
by Luis Fernando Verissmo
(New Directions, $13.95, translated from the Portuguese)
A suspiciously vengeful murder is at the heart of Borges and the Eternal Orangutans, a brilliant work of fiction by Luis Fernando Verissmo. Central to the mystery are Borges himself, Edgar Allan Poe, a gathering of Poe scholars, and a touch of myth and mysticism. With a clever style, Verissmo seamlessly weaves a fascinating narrative. New Directions has been publishing some amazing, contemporary Latin American authors (see Roberto Bolaňo) and Verissmo is the latest to delight. (Be sure to read the author bio.) Mike Giarratano

ACCIDENTS
YAEL HEDAYA
(Holt, $28)
This is a really lovely story about romance and courtship among two mature adults. Yonatan, a widower with a twelve year old daughter, is an author who has run out of steam. When he meets Shira Klein, he is reluctant to become involved, especially because Shira is herself an author. Dana, Yonatan’s daughter, prods them toward a relationship. Accidents is about quotidian life in Israel, shopping, cooking, schmoozing, and family. It’s a little long, but so what – it’s very enjoyable. Carla Cohen

LOVE & HATE IN JAMESTOWN: John Smith, Pocahontas and the Start of a New Nation
by David A. Price
(Vintage, $14.95)
Prepare to be inundated with articles, books and movies exploring the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown Colony, which is only two years away. A riveting combination of clashing egos, lofty ideals, tragedy and fool’s gold populate the story of the first permanent European settlement in North America. Get a head start on your own knowledge with local writer David Price’s excellent Love and Hate in Jamestown, which places a practical yet truculent John Smith at the center of the action. P&P’s Fascinating History Book Group recently discussed the book with the author: it was an enjoyable and memorable evening. Thanks, David. •Shane Cagney

RIVER OF DARKNESS
RENNIE AIRTH
(Penguin, $14)
In Rennie Airth’s first book Madden is a highly regarded member of the force whose skills and presence inspire awe among his peers. He’s haunted by his experience in the First World War and death of his first wife and their child. When Scotland Yard is called in to work with locals on the murder of a prominent family and some of their servants, he’s the first to believe that this is not simply a robbery gone awry, but the brutal act of one man. Even as forces at the Yard seek to undermine the investigation, it is his knowledge as a veteran that helps them hone in on the killer. The horror of World War I informs both of Airth’s books and adds to the depth of the story-telling. Deb Morris

STIFF
MARY ROACH
(Norton, $13.95)
This is a book about the sometimes odd, often shocking, always compelling things cadavers have done. Mary Roach is so witty, lively and imaginative she has made herself the preferred guide into a range of anxiety-ridden or macabre topics. She wryly investigates posthumous careers in art display, medical research and science. Death, it doesn’t have to be boring, she says. Roach’s voice is curious, fearless and yet always in some way tender and respectful toward those who keep on contributing to human knowledge when others have gone to rest. Fans of the HBO hit Six Feet Under will be thrilled by Stiff. Virginia Harabin

MONKEYLUV
ROBERT SAPOLSKY
(Scribner, $24)
An acclaimed neurobiologist, primatologist, and winner of a MacArthur Fellowship, Sapolsky is also a highly entertaining and lucid writer. In Monkeyluv, he goes to work debunking the myths that pseudoscience dabblers have propagated since the discovery of DNA. These collected essays reveal Sapolsky to be a man of humor, tenderness, curiosity, and clear intelligence. Laura Swearingen-Steadwell

FRESHWATER ROAD
DENISE NICHOLAS
(Agate, $23.95)
This impressive first novel by a veteran actress and writer describes the Freedom Summer in 1964. Young Celeste Tyree, a University of Michigan sophomore, takes the long train ride to Jackson, Mississippi to join other African American and white young people in running Freedom Schools and promoting voter registration. Nicholas does a stunning job of resurrecting the extraordinary atmosphere of intimidation and fear in Mississippi at that time. She portrays Celeste perfectly, a somewhat naïve, privileged northerner who wants to participate for personal and political reasons in the movement. The supporting players are also well-rounded, particularly Mrs. Owens, the flinty woman who heroically provides Celeste a place to live for a month. Carla Cohen

FROM OSLO TO IRAQ AND THE ROAD MAP
by Edward Said
(Vintage, $14)
A Christian Palestinian born to a Baptist from Nazareth, Edward Said exemplified what it means to be a global scholar-activist. His political writings take up questions about Palestinian identity, anti-colonial resistance movements, struggles between Israelis and Palestinians for self-determination and peaceful coexistence, and the plight of Arabs worldwide in the post-9/11 world. This series of illuminating essays compiled shortly before Said’s death is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of the Middle East and the global implications of the War on Terror. Neil Roberts

BAR MITZVAH DISCO
ROGER BENNETT
(Crown. $23.95)
You need not have attended a bar mitzvah to appreciate this gem of a book. A testament to kitsch at its best (worst?), Bar Mitzvah Disco celebrates the ritualistic excess so often associated with this rite of passage. Every form of childhood glorification finds its place here: mocked-up newspaper clippings—and one Playgirl cover—extolling the bar mitzvah's accomplishment; country clubs dressed up in coordinated linens; boys in three-piece suits and girls in taffeta dresses. With an introduction by the Village People and photographs scattered throughout, this book makes a wonderful gift for anyone with an appreciation for high gaudiness. Risa Gross

BLACK HOLE
CHARLES BURNS
(Pantheon, $24.95)
Burns sets this dark, thrilling tale in an ordinary suburban high school in the ’70s. A strange illness breaks out, gradually infecting the student body. The vivid dreams and torments of Burns’ characters pull one after another into dangerous territory; it’s difficult to guess which characters will be spared, and which will be destroyed. This is an immensely satisfying read. Laura Swearingen-Steadwell

EVERYBODY INTO THE POOL
BETH LISICK
(ReaganBooks, $23.95)
Many have anointed Lisick as the up-and-coming female David Sedaris, but Lisick, with an edgier wit and somehow more outrageous life, is better. Each of the thirteen vignettes in this tight collection details a preciously comic moment in Lisick's short life. Some are side-splittingly ironic: after agreeing to volunteer at a Catholic charity event, she gets dolled up like a 1940's cigarette girl by drunken nuns and then swipes the money to pay for her abortion. Other stories are just plain hilarious. For starters, there's her trouble with "Trouble," a lesbian construction worker who a hetero Lisick just can't quit. Or, better still is Lisick’s detailed account of the routine hazing endured by neighborhood junkies when her lawn starts to resemble a jungle in an un-gentrified Berkeley. Finally, Lisick regales us of life with her boyfriend (now husband) who lives comfortably with a pack of feral raccoons in an abandoned sweatshop because hey, the rent is actually pretty good. In fact, when the book rolls around to the finish, the reader, perhaps surprisingly, feels little pity on Lisick and her band of equally ridiculous friends and relatives. Instead, you kind of wish your life was really, even for a day, just that exciting. Sarah Sherman-Stokes

MR.GALLOWAY GOES TO WASHINGTON
GEORGE GALLOWAY
(The New Press, $13.95)
In the spring of 2005, George Galloway, newly elected to the British parliament as an anti-war candidate, was called to testify before the Senate in answer to charges that he had profited from the U.N oil-for-food program in Iraq. Galloway welcomed the invitation: with fiery eloquence he turned the tables in order to indict the war and those who support it. Here is his account, the story of his work against the sanctions and the complete transcript of his compelling testimony. Galloway’s work is a great contribution to the project of building international solidarity against war and occupation. Reading this little book is like having an intimate conversation with this witty, uncompromising, and decidedly polarizing figure in contemporary politics. Virginia Harabin

ONE HUNDRED DEMONS
LYNDA BARRY
(Sasquatch Books, $17.95)
This “autobifictionalography”, as Barry puts it, blends her fantasies, histories and nightmares in vibrant colors and textures. Using a Zen exercise as a jumping-off point, Barry explores her Filipino roots, her first loves, the cruelties she suffered as a girl and those she inflicted upon others. 100 Demons is happily free of the self-pity that can mar a memoir, making this a funny and energetic read. Laura Swearingen-Steadwell

REFLEX: A Vik Muniz Primer
(Aperture, $39.95)
Vik Muniz grew up in the slums of Sao Paolo, emigrating to the U.S. in the early eighties, his emigration made possible by his accidental shooting by a wealthy (albeit errant) marksman who paid for his silence. Already an able draftsman and painter, Muniz discovered the power, nuance, and intellectual conundrum of the photographed work of art.  His progression through the idea of representation and re-representation, as well as his influences (Dali, Brancusi, Man Ray, and images from mass media and advertising) is chronicled in Reflex, an eye-opening, visually stimulating, and joyfully creative introduction to his work. Muniz’s work displays intelligence, humor, and humanity combined with an unstuffy yet remarkably cogent sense of art history. Mark LaFramboise

INDELIBLE
KARIN SLAUGHTER
(HarperCollins, $7.99)
Sara Linton is a doctor in a small town in Georgia. In her spare time she serves as the medical examiner and has an on again/off again romance with her ex-husband Jeffrey Tolliver who happens to be the sheriff. When Indelible begins, a group of young men come into the sheriff’s office and in matter of minutes kill an officer, wound another, and take everyone hostage, including Linton, a group of children touring the facility, and several members of the staff. Who are they and why are they doing this? And what has this do with Jeffrey? What’s revealed leads Sara to recall a visit to Jeffrey’s hometown when they were dating, the people she met and the secrets that came out. Slaughter is one of my favorite writers and this is one of her best mysteries. Deb Morris

SLOUCHING TOWARDS KALAMAZOO
by Peter de Vries
(Univ. of Chicago Press, $14.00)
The year is 1963 and Anthony Thrasher, or Biff as he sometimes likes to be called, is repeating eighth grade.  Fearing that he will be forced to re-repeat it, and fully aware that he is a classic underachiever, he accepts his teacher’s offer for remedial tutelage. What follows is a relationship of sorts (you’ll have to read the book to see just what sort) as Anthony, always trying to do the right thing, follows Miss Doubloon East to Kalamazoo and joins her one-of-a-kind household. The story is funny and mildly compelling, but what is most remarkable here is the writing. De Vries’s sense of wordplay, literary allusion (a lot of it), and pointed comic details make this purely enjoyable summer reading. Mark Laframboise

DEADLY SLIPPER
MICHELLE WAN
(Doubleday, $23.95)
This novel takes place in France’s Dordogne region. So far so good! It’s a mystery in which the main character, Mara Dunn is trying to find out anything about her missing (and presumed dead) twin sister. Her sister was an orchid hunter and the last trace of her is a damaged photo of a rare orchid. Mara enlists the aid of a landscape gardener and orchid fancier in locating the area. But there’s a lot of ground to cover and quite a few suspects, including the gardener, to check out before she finds closure. Deb Morris

THE FREEDOM
CHRISTIAN PARENTI
(The New Press, $14.95)
Christian Parenti’s Lockdown America remains one of the best books about the politics of mass incarceration in the United States. The Freedom, his account of the first year of the occupation of Iraq, is the most unforgettable book to come out of the current war. Like Michael Herr in his Vietnam-era Dispatches, Parenti captures the tension, frustration and chaos of the occupation. Parenti spends time with soldiers and resistance fighters alike, bringing the stunned, weary, indignant voices from both sides of this nightmare vividly to life. Virginia Harabin

THEY POURED FIRE ON US FROM THE SKY
BENSON DENG, ALEPHONSION DENG, BENJAMIN AJAK
(PublicAffairs, $25)
Often, we find it difficult to relate to the tragedies in the third world. However, the stories of individuals can help us bridge the gap of understanding and thereby increase our empathy for those who are suffering and move us to act to help them. They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky is a good place to start. The tale of three of the Lost Boys of Sudan, this book alternates among their voices to tell the story of their lives together, apart, and together again. Their treks across Sudan to refugee camps in Kenya and Ethiopia are filled with treacherous situations, from starvation and dehydration to beatings and theft. Even if this book does not move you to action, it will surely enhance your appreciation for the basic amenities we take for granted. Risa Gross

A CONEY ISLAND OF THE MIND
LAWRENCE FERLINGHETTI
(Norton, $9.95)
In high school I traveled to San Francisco and spent time in one of my favorite places, City Lights Bookstore. I bought a copy of A Coney Island of the Mind and poured over it while exploring the streets on which author Lawrence Ferlinghetti lives. A Coney Island of the Mind is a diverse collection, including poems designed for jazz accompaniment. Ferlinghetti described this book as “a poetry seizure.” It is precisely this edgy quality and lack of limitations that I most savor in Ferlinghetti’s classic Beat approach. He questions authority and tradition, forcing readers to confront their perceptions of society and self. Ferlinghetti commands a visual image and strong emotional reaction. My favorite piece (page 85) eloquently investigates the extremes that operate in each of our psyches. Lia Lindsay

CLASSIC WILEY
by Ralph Wiley
(Little Brown, $24.95)
Few commentators can weave together sentences with the verve and shrewdness of Ralph Wiley, author of Serenity and Why Black People Tend to Shout. Wiley is a sports analyst and social critic, race theorist, essayist, and public analyst. He is as frank as a close relative. The volume collects Wiley’s sports writings in venues such as ESPN.com, Sports Illustrated, and his various books. With a foreword and introduction by Bob Costas and Michael Wilbon, one gets a glimpse into the author’s special place in journalistic history. After reading any section of the text, from reflections on baseball to Muhammad Ali, you immediately see why Wiley as a “classic” columnist. If you seek mere reporting, this text is not for you. If blunt truth from a sports insider is your desire, this volume is indispensable. Neil Roberts

THE MAN WHO PLANTED TREES
JEAN GIONO
(Chelsea Green, $10)
In this elegant little book, Giono tells the story of a man who single-handedly reforests a portion of Provence, making it vibrant and livable again. Michael McCurdy’s glowing woodcuts highlight the beauty of the French countryside, and an insert by Co-op America shows readers simple ways to conserve and protect our forests. Laura Swearingen-Steadwell

Q & A
VIKAS SWARUP
(Scribner, $24)
What if you were a contestant on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and most of the education you had came from the streets. What if you won? How would you explain it when the producers accused you of fraud and threatened you with jail? That’s the premise of Vikas Swarup’s wonderful first novel about a young man who has learned by his wits all the information he needs to be a winner. Deb Morris

BLOODSWORTH
by Tim Junkin
(Algonquin, $13.95)
The name Bloodsworth has become emblematic of the failures of the criminal justice system. Kirk Bloodsworth was a waterman from Maryland’s Eastern Shore who was accused of raping and killing a little girl. After years on death row, and many more in prison, Bloodsworth found a way to prove he was innocent. Crime novelist Tim Junkin crafts Kirk’s story into a riveting and suspenseful narrative, and introduces us to a brave, determined man who fought to keep his humanity in the most hopeless situation. The coincidences, happenstances, the inspiration of some of the details are just amazing. You’ll wish this story were fiction. Virginia Harabin

FREE CULTURE
by Lawrence Lessig
(Penguin, $15)
In this expertly argued defense of free (“free as in speech not as in beer”) culture, Lawrence Lessig describes the efforts of the large media lobbies to broadly expand the scope of intellectual property. Sparked by the explosion of peer to peer software, big media is using the fresh ground of the internet to re-write intellectual property law and effectively snuff out the creativity necessary for culture and technological innovation. Using a history of the motives and circumstances surrounding the formation of copyright law as a backdrop, Lessig argues that the free flow of information was crucial to the development of photography, software, and even Mickey Mouse. By restricting this free flow, big media will further dictate the creation of our culture for generations to come. •Jon Huntington

INFIDELITIES
by Josip Novakovich
(Harper Perennial, $12.95)
Josip Novakovich, a Croatian now living in Pennsylvania, writes powerful fiction about the fog of war that obscures motives and allegiances both on and off battlefields, and which continues to confound those it touches long after the armed conflicts have ended. The shattering of the former Yugoslavia is at the heart of these 11 stories, and while Novakovich yearns for a post-9/11 fiction that can get by without “plot or big events,” his work shows how persistent the impact of a big event is, and traces the many unpredictable ways the 1990s turmoil destabilizes individuals. These stories are swiftly moving, very physical depictions of people knocked hard off balance and struggling to regain normal lives. Laurie Greer

A SUNDAY AT THE POOL IN KIGALI
by Gil Courte