Book Buzz @Bentley

Last month, I went to go see Nick Hornby read from his latest novel, Juliet, Naked, and answer questions at the Brookline Booksmith. He’s a very funny man, and from the excerpt he read, I got excited about the book and checked it out the next day. High expectations inevitably lead to some disappointment, and for me in this book, it was some of the plotlines. There are some coincidences and some leaps that are a little sloppy, and I wasn’t quite sure what to think of the book’s quick, ambiguous end. But there are plenty of things to like in this book. The three main characters - a reclusive retired musician (Tucker Crowe), his biggest fan (Duncan), and Duncan’s girlfriend (Annie) - are well-done. There’s obviously a lot of the author in Duncan - Nick Hornby shows some sympathy for his musical obsession, but also pokes fun at people who memorize every detail of an album or a musician’s biography (and often, aren’t even close to the truth).

The musician, Tucker Crowe, who has just released an acoustic demo version of his last and most famous album, Juliet, called Juliet, Naked, is probably the most likable and believable character. How Tucker’s music, and the reactions to it, are portrayed raise questions like: Does it matter if musicians “lie” in their music? Should musicians quit while they’re ahead or keep making albums, even if their quality suffers (sometimes, simply because they need the money)? Does it take an expert on a musician to truly appreciate his music? Is there always a tradeoff between happiness and good art? In the process of trying to answer these questions, Nick Hornby has written a very enjoyable story.

Check it Out

The library has Juliet, Naked in both print and audiobook.  We also have other works by author Nick Hornby, including the movie adaptations of his books High Fidelity and Fever Pitch.

What Others are Saying

Juliet, Naked has been reviewed in the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and The Wall Street Journal.  You can also listen to the author read the beginning of Juliet, Naked at the Penguin Audio Book Break web site.

- Review by Liz Galoozis, Reference Librarian/Coordinator of User Education

The Magicians: A Novel by Lev Grossman is an interesting yet uneven tale. It is a coming of age story about a young man (Quentin) searching for something more to life than just following the normal path of high school, entrance exams and then an accredited college. This novel has been compared in some of the reviews to Harry Potter, but I think that it is a lot darker than even Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was.

With lots going for it (magic for example), I still found it hard to slog through part 3 of the novel (Quentin’s post college years). Quentin is not a really sympathetic person, and it was hard to get invested in his quest for something other than boredom. We have to spend a lot of time with this young man and I think the work could have been edited better to keep the interest going. Part 4 was well done and worth the pay off in the end, but it did not give me a warm fuzzy feeling that appeals to me in other books. No vampires are included in this story, but I felt like they were in there.

Check it Out

Check to see if a copy of The Magicians: A Novel is currently on the shelf.  You can also read Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 of the novel at the publisher’s “Reading Room” web site.

What Others are Saying

The Magicians: A Novel has been reviewed in numerous sources, including Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, and Salon.com.  You may also read a review and listen to an interview with the author at NPR’s All Things Considered.

Learn More About the Author

Did you know that Lev Grossman grew up in Lexington, MA?  Learn more about this author by visiting his website.

- Review by Kim Morin, Reference Librarian

It should come as no surprise that those of us who work at the Bentley Library are frequent borrowers from  our popular reading and popular audiobook collections.  I recently asked my co-workers to send me a quick blurb or two about their favorite books of the summer.  Here are a few of their responses:

- from Amy Galante, Interlibrary Loan Supervisor:

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (audio book)

I adored the audio book version of Neil Gaiman’s “The Graveyard Book”. I always love listening to Gaiman read his works. When I read his books, I often hear his voice in my head. Looking for heavier Gaiman (literally, heavy books), then check out our recent acquisition of the four volume set, “The Absolute Sandman”. To complete your fill: follow Gaiman on Twitter http://twitter.com/neilhimself

- from Barbara Rayburg, Assistant Manager, Circulation Services

Intent to Kill by James Gippando

This is a murder mystery involving the Pawsox and lots of familiar territory in Boston. I greatly enjoyed it! The author writes about Boston evidently, as the one other book we have is also about Boston lawyers - Lying with Strangers - which I’m reading now. It is good too. I love reading about familiar territory.

- from Kim Morin, Reference Librarian

The Killing Way by Tony Hays is touted as “An Arthurian mystery” and it is. I heartily enjoyed this novel. In a rough way it reminded me of the Brother Cadfael Mysteries. The main character, Malgwyn, has much in common with Cadfael. If you liked the Ellis Peter’s stories you may want to give this one a try.

Storm Cycle by Iris Johansen & Roy Johansen

I loved it. Great collaboration of this mother and son team creates an interesting thriller. Most of the characters were over the top and unbelievable, but that didn’t stop the thread of an interesting story with lots of twists and turns.

- from Lisa Curtin, Reference Librarian

In the Woods by Tana French
This a great mystery novel centered around two crimes that took place twenty years apart but which have spooky similarities and may be interconnected.  Set in a Dublin suburb, the author portrays the eerie side of the Irish countryside.  The relationship between the main characters and the psychological suspense of the story kept me interested until the end.

The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian
This novel features a familiar locale (Burlington, VT), a unique concept, and interesting characters, but what I loved most about the story was the unexpected twist at the end.  I was totally taken by surprise, despite the clues being there the entire time.  This is a book that I will most likely read again - just to catch the things that I missed the first time through.

Duma Key by Stephen King

Another classic Stephen King thriller.  I think this is one of his best ghastly tales. Nobody paints a picture like Uncle Stevie.

We’d love to hear from you!  Let us know what books you’ve been enjoying by commenting on this post.

I am a huge fan of Richard Russo and Cape Cod, so I was excited to hear that Russo’s latest novel was entitled That Old Cape Magic. Russo’s novel is a portrait of familial relationships - those between spouses, children, parents, and in-laws. Not too much happens in the novel aside from two memorable weddings that bookend one year in the life of Jack Griffin. The feel of the novel is quite different from Russo’s other books, but it still has his trademark wit throughout. I enjoyed the story but was a little concerned while reading it that there wasn’t much of a point and wondered whether I would say I liked it or be able to recommend it. The ending chapter wraps the story up fantastically however and makes the novel a coherent whole. I even may want to read it again soon!

Check it Out

The library has That Old Cape Magic in both print and audiobook.  We also have several other Richard Russo titles on the shelf.

Read What Others Are Saying

Read reviews of That Old Cape Magic in the The New York Times and The Boston Globe, or listen to NPR’s Morning Edition review/interview.  Richard Russo was also interviewed by the Barnes & Noble Review.

- Review by Donna Bacchiocchi, Manager of Technical Services

Looking for Jane Hamilton’s new book on the New Arrivals display , I almost overlooked Laura Rider’s Masterpiece, a compact novel with a pulp-fiction-y illustration on its cover. Hamilton is one of my favorite authors, but fun, humor, and romance aren’t exactly qualities I associate with her books (whose topics have included cancer, illiteracy, divorce, and the death of a child). Reading this book was a really pleasant surprise, because it combines Hamilton’s great eye for detail and character with a lighthearted story.

Hamilton writes well about smart and thoughtful characters who find themselves surrounded by the clueless and narrow-minded. That includes Jenna Faroli, one of the three main characters who narrate Laura Rider’s Masterpiece. Jenna is the host of a Fresh Air-style Wisconsin public radio program, and “the single famous person in the town of Hartley.” Laura Rider, another Hartley citizen, thinks she has learned everything she needs to know about writing and intellectual life from the interviews on Jenna’s show, and is ready to write what she thinks will be a groundbreaking romance novel. One night, Laura’s unassertive husband Charlie and Jenna meet by chance, and Laura decides to do research for her novel by writing romantic e-mails from her husband to Jenna. The descriptions of each of the characters’ thought processes throughout the inevitable fallout are hilarious. The book’s bawdiness, and its examination of what happens when people meddle in others’ affairs, reminded me of the funny parts of Shakespeare. Laura Rider’s Masterpiece is also about what it means, and what it takes, to be a writer. Jane Hamilton is constantly commenting on herself and other writers through Laura’s assumptions and ideas about writing. It’s an interesting undercurrent that puts some meat on the bones of the story.

Check it Out

Click here to see if Laura Rider’s Masterpiece is on the shelf.   The library also owns other books by Jane Hamilton.

Read What Others Are Saying

Read reviews in The Onion, The Chicago Tribune, and Booklist.  Find out more about Jane Hamilton at her website: http://www.janehamiltonbooks.com/index.html

- Review by Liz Galoozis, Reference Librarian/Coordinator of User Education

In this enchanting novel by Sara Gruen, Jacob Jankowski, a ninety-something-year-old nursing home resident, reminisces about his life as a circus veterinarian during the Great Depression.  At the start of story, Jacob is twenty-three years old and preparing to join his father’s veterinary practice.  But just days before he will finish his veterinary school education at Cornell, Jacob’s parents are killed in an automobile accident and Jacob finds himself unable to complete his final exams.  Grief-stricken and looking to escape, he skips town one night, jumping aboard a stock car of a train.  Once on that train, Jacob’s life is entangled forevermore with The Benzini Brothers’ Most Spectacular Show on Earth — a struggling third-rate circus.  The story that follows is filled with entertainment in the way of big personalities, hot-tempers, star performers, clowns, midgets, freaks, and, of course, the animals.

Water for Elephants is an adventure-filled and enjoyable story of tall tales under the Big Top.  The historical details are well-researched and dazzle in the colorful vernacular peppered throughout.  While I found some characters skeletal and the story a bit overboard at points, I still thought the book was a lot of fun and a great tale.

This book was a real gem to listen to on audio.  I so enjoyed hearing the book come alive through the expertly chosen narrators that I highly recommend the audio version.  Two men alternate reading the book as the story alternates between the present day and the memories of Jacob’s youth.  The coarse and curmudgeonly voice, read by John Randolph Jones, tells Jacob’s struggles as a geriatric resident while the voice of David LeDoux narrates Jacob’s youthful stories.

Check It Out!

The library has multiple copies of Sarah Gruen’s novel available: read or listen to the story!  Check here for availability in our catalog.  You can listen to Water for Elephants on CD or Playaway.  What’s a Playaway?  Learn more here.

–review by Colleen Mullally, reference librarian

When I was in high school, Juliana Hatfield was my idol. The former front person for Boston indie rockers, The Blake Babies, Hatfield exuded coolness and her lyrics seemed as if they were plucked from my brain. While in college, I attended her every local concert, yet never had the courage to speak to her much, even after a friend of mine became her drummer. I graduated from college and got sucked into a career in the music industry, often crossing paths with Hatfield. Still, I held her up on a pedestal, not wanting to shatter my esteemed image of her. Trust me: sometimes it’s best not to meet your heroes.

Now, after having read When I Grow Up, I feel like I know Hatfield like an old pal. The chapters alternate between a recent tour with her current band, Some Girls, and a chronicle of her life in music. It is exceedingly personal and raw. An excerpt is available to read on Hatfield’s website.

Check our catalog to see if When I Grow Up is available!

Visit Juliana Hatfield’s website or follow her on Twitter!

Listen to her latest album, courtesy of music website LaLa:How to Walk Away - Juliana Hatfield

Review by Amy E. Galante, Interlibrary Loan Supervisor

I recently told my mom I was in the middle of this book, and she asked, “Do you like it?” I couldn’t answer her then, and now that I’ve finished it, I’m still not sure I could. More accurately, I would say that I admire the book. John Wray writes his novel from the perspectives of two main narrators: Will “Lowboy” Heller, a sixteen-year-old paranoid schizophrenic who has run away from his mother and a recent institutionalization, and Ali Lateef, the Missing Persons detective assigned to find him.  They’re both completely fleshed-out characters with distinct histories and voices, and I was especially awed by the way Wray represents the way Will sees the world. It might be impossible to know what it’s like inside the mind of someone with schizophrenia, but I think the way Wray approaches it – compassionately, and obviously after extensive research – is the closest I’m going to come. (I wasn’t surprised to find that Wray was named one of Granta magazine’s Best Young Novelists in 2007)

Some of the reviews I’ve read have compared Lowboy to Catcher in the Rye. And they are both about troubled teenage boys roaming New York City, but Lowboy takes Catcher’s theme of alienation to much darker places – literally and figuratively. Much of the novel takes place on the subway, and many of the things that happen to Will are pretty disturbing. Despite this, and despite the one thing I did dislike about the book (a plot twist near the end that didn’t feel surprising or gratifying), I couldn’t stop reading Lowboy. It’s sad and unsettling, but incredibly compelling.

–review by Liz Galoozis, Reference Librarian and Coordinator of User Education

Is it available in the Bentley catalog?

Click here to find out!

Learn More

Wray has been recently profiled by The San Francisco Chronicle (read here).  His work has been reviewed in The New York Times (read here), The New Yorker (read here), The Onion (read here), and on NPR’s All Things Considered (listen here).

“Once upon a time - for that is how all stories should begin - there was a boy who lost his mother.” With a bleak backdrop of London during World War II, the story of that boy - David - is one of loss, grief, and metamorphosis.  Very much devoted to his sick mother, David spends much of his time with her reading aloud from books of myths, legends, and fairy tales.  Determined to keep her alive, he makes up a series of daily rituals, believing that he could stave off her death by performing these routines.  However, his complicated understanding of the world completely dissolves after watching his mother succomb to illness.   While his father quickly reaches out again to the world and finds another woman with whom he has another child, David withdraws further into his one great escape: books.   Now that the family is re-located to his new stepmother’s home outside of London, David’s world is consumed with books.  His books are his company and he begins to hear the books on his shelves whispering to him. Alone in his room, the voices grow louder and the room itself begins to take on more magical properties.  The novel takes an abrupt turn from the countryside of London as David decides to follow a voice he hears calling him into the woods.  It is here that everything imaginable becomes real.

Central to the book is the theme of loss and identity and what happens when one ventures into the woods.  The book references so many tales from the canon and provides readers with many exciting (and, like many Grimm Brothers fairy tales, dark and frightening) adventures as David meets beasts and trolls, befriends the kindly Woodsman and a chivalrous knight named Roland, encounters the Seven Dwarfs, and faces the powerful and dark Crooked Man.  Though the tales are David’s imagining, the struggles he faces are very real and difficult and the lessons they teach are vital in order for David to complete his journey and live once again in the real world.

As a book lover, I was immediately drawn into the story of a boy who loves to read and has a vivid imagination.  The writing throughout is beautiful and the story is transformative.  I was disappointed to reach the end of the book so quickly and - after lingering so long in the world of fairly tales - found it to be an sharp ending to a book that had such a lyrical flow.  However, it is a beautiful story that I would recommend to anyone.

–Colleen Mullally, Reference Librarian

Check It Out!

Click here to look for The Book of Lost Things and other books by John Connolly at the Bentley Library.

The Graveyard Book may have just won the 2009 Newbery Medal - an award for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children - but adults with a fondness for the spooky will enjoy this book too!  The Graveyard Book tells the story of a young boy who is rescued from a mysterious murderer by a graveyard full of ghosts.  The ghosts come to name the boy “Nobody Owens” (Bod, for short), appoint him parents and a guardian (a supernatural man who crosses the border between death and life), and teach him the ways of the afterlife.  All the while, outside the cemetery in the living world the man who murdered Bod’s family knows that Bod is alive somewhere, and he won’t rest until he finishes his murderous business.   A little dark, but mostly charming and even a bit humorous, this is a wonderful book. 

Check it Out

Check the catalog for either the print or audiobook version of The Graveyard Book, as well as for other books by Neil Gaiman.

Read What Others are Saying

Check out the New York Times review of The Graveyard Book.  Want to learn more about Neil Gaiman?  What better way than to read his blog.

- Reviewed by Lisa Curtin, Reference Librarian