The Layered Garden : Design Lessons for Year-Round Beauty from Brandywine Cottage by David L. Culp with Adam Levine; photographs by Rob Cardillo
There's nothing like immersing yourself in someone else's lushly photographed garden to get you through the dregs of winter, and this book does not disappoint. I particularly liked the perspectives of different garden sections throughout the growing season, which illustrate very effectively Culp's strategy of planting for successive interest.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (Audiobook)
As this is a book club selection, I will limit my remarks and just say how much I enjoyed the audio version of this book. The narrative alternates between the author's personal obsession with Henrietta Lacks (and the many obstacles she had to overcome while researching the book), the story of Henrietta, her family, and her legacy, and the medical history that was made after cancer cells were taken from Henrietta and used for research without her family's knowledge. As read by Cassandra Campbell and Bahni Turpin, the audio version of this book has such an immediacy and intimacy that I forgot I wasn't actually listening to Skloot, but to an actress.
Canada by Richard Ford
Dell led an existence like any other mid-twentieth century teenager's, until the day his parents decided to rob a bank and he was catapulted into an alien life. Ford deftly captures the long, empty, baffling days of adolescence, when you begin to see your parents as human, and you begin to want things that you can't get from family life, but feel guilty, bewildered, and frightened about these new desires. The robbery forms an artificial before/after for Dell, who abruptly finds himself immersed in a frighteningly adult world with the same childish limitations he had before the robbery. The slow pace of the beginning of the book adds to the haunting, nostalgic tone, so don't try to read this one in a hurry.
Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
A very enjoyable tale about the power of books, reading, and computers, this is one of those reads that require you not only to suspend disbelief, but to (figuratively) let your vision unfocus, let go, and enjoy the ride without looking too closely at the machinery that's carrying you along. The reader can easily appreciate this fast-paced, entertaining homage to the traditional quest fantasy without being a die-hard, role-playing fantasy geek.
The Yellow Birds by Kevin Powers
A searing account of a young man's struggle to come to grips with the devastating effects of war after serving in Iraq during the second Gulf War. Beautifully written, lyrical and heart-wrenching, this unforgettable glimpse into the life of one soldier is one of those books everyone will be urged to read; most importantly, the experience is worth it.
A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash
This harrowing tale about a storefront preacher and the havoc he wreaks is told by several different narrators, a device popular in many recent books that in this instance works especially well. Even though you know this isn't going to end well, you still hope it will--a testament to Cash's strong characters and powerful writing.
The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Tired of doom and gloom? You'll love this feel-good novel about a retired man coming to terms with the losses and failures of his life after an impulsive decision to walk the length of England to see a dying friend.
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk by Ben Fountain
Another story about a Gulf War veteran--this time, the soldier fought in the first Gulf War--this offers a completely different tone from The Yellow Birds. I saw one reviewer liken this book to Catch-22, which I thought very apt. Billy and his squadron have been flown home to America for a surreal "Victory Tour" of increasingly inane photo ops after a skirmish with the enemy was captured by the Fox News team embedded with squadron and broadcast live over national television. A biting, cynical look at not only the great divide between public perception of the war and the soldier's personal experience, but that between those in power and those who serve.
The Lifeboat by Charlotte Rogan
Just after the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, a young newlywed couple board a steamer bound for America and home. Disaster strikes, the bride is put on a lifeboat, and her existence narrows from having the world at her feet to surviving the elements and her fellow boatmates. As her story is told in flashbacks, we begin to wonder if she is entirely trustworthy. This psychological thriller raises many questions and doesn't answer all of them, but it is definitely compelling.
Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison
The grande dame of vegetarian cuisine offers up an exhaustive, splendidly photographed guide to every vegetable you ever wanted to eat--and some you probably never heard of--complete with recipes. A great, essential reference.
Courting Trouble by Lisa Scottoline
Another dip into the romance genre (one of my 2013 reading resolutions), although this one was definitely more on the suspense end. Fun and entertaining after all the above heavy reading!
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