Visit Bookviews by Alan Caruba, March 2004

Books for review should be sent to Alan Caruba, Bookviews.Com, 9 Brookside Road, Maplewood, NJ 07040. Do not send galleys or bound proofs. Bookviews.Com accepts only the finished book. Thank you.

My Picks of the Month

If you have been struggling to understand why 9-11 occurred and what it portends for the future, you must read Lee Harris’ Civilization and Its Enemies: The Next Stage of History ($26.00, Free Press). This is by far the best explanation for the madness driving the Islamic Jihad or holy war. As Harris notes early on "It is the enemy who defines us as his enemy, and in making this definition he changes us, and changes us whether we like it or not." After 9-11, Americans understood we are under attack, but did not grasp why. The US had, in fact, been under attack since the late 1970s when our diplomats were seized during the Islamic Revolution that took over Iran. Even the initial bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993 did not fully awaken us to the intention of the worldwide Islamic Jihad to destroy us as a nation and a people, nor did we draw any lessons from the attacks on our ally, Israel, that had occurred from the moment it declared its independence and continue to this day. We are, unlike previous wars, not facing an enemy that plays by international rules of conduct. We are dealing with an irrational theologically-based Islamic fantasy in which martyrdom is welcomed. An enemy willing to kill himself in order to kill you is a very different enemy than previous conflicts. Harris explains all of this and more in one of the most important new books of the year.

Another timely book is James Mann’s Rise of the Vulcans: The History of Bush’s War Cabinet ($25.95, Viking). The author, a senior writer in residence at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, in Washington, DC, presents an excellent look at six key players, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfield, Colin Powell, Richard Armitage, Paul Wolfowitz, and Condoleezza Rice. Especially in an election year, such people are likely to be portrayed by the opposition Party as all having horns and tails, but the fact is each has had a long and distinguished career inside and outside of government. Historians will find Mann’s book of great value as they look back to decide whether this extraordinary group of people advising the President represent the right people at the right time, much as we now look back at the Founding Father’s and marvel at the way they came together to form a nation. Bush’s advisors, however, are charged with protecting the nation in an era of worldwide terrorism. You will find this book of value to learn about them in this most challenging time and the recent history of foreign affairs that shaped their lives and views. Also to be commended is the smooth writing style of the author that allows one to glide through the mass of information he presents with ease.

In these times where the news is filled with headlines of fundamentalist Muslims blowing up people, often committing suicide to do so, a lot of people ask themselves, "how did things come to this?" The answer is complex and answered to some degree by the previous book recommended, but it is a question that historians and others have asked about the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany. Richard J. Evans has written The Coming of the Third Reich ($34.95, The Penguin Press) which is, simply stated, a brilliant synthesis of Germany history, pulling together all the political and cultural trends that led, not necessarily inevitably, to the party and the nation that decided, not only to wage war again in Europe, but to annihilate six million Jews, plus countless millions more Christians, Gypsies, union members, Communists, and anyone else who expressed any opposition. This is nothing less than a masterful piece of historical writing, revealing how democratic institutions can be destroyed along with everything that passes for civilization. Germany on so many levels became a destroyed nation. This book is the first of the definitive three-volume history of Nazi Germany and anyone who loves history will love this book.

The world has lived too long with and suffered too much from dictatorships. There are some forty-five nations involving the lives of billions of people that are dictatorships, ranging from Red China to the island nation of Cuba. The Middle East is entirely run by dictators with the exception of Turkey and the now emerging nations of Afghanistan and Iraq, freed by the blunt force of the United States and its "coalition of the willing." Breaking the Real Axis of Evil: How to Oust the World’s Last Dictators by 2025 is a blueprint to free and democratize the entire world. It is the work of former Ambassador Mark Palmer ($27.95, Rowman and Littlefield) and it spells out in pragmatic terms how to intervene in ways that will end the death grip that dictatorships have. It doesn’t always require military action, but whatever the means, it requires intervention to weaken and end the control dictators have. The author notes new international vehicles to achieve this such as the little known Community of Democracies, composed of free nations, that has been formed as an alternative to what is widely seen and known as the failure of the United Nations that accepts dictatorships as full members and treats them as legitimate entities. Even the UN Security Council includes the communist nation of China, a nation ruled by Jiang Zemin. If one casts an eye around the world, it is clear its problems are caused by dictatorships. One need only note that 89% of the world’s economic output is produced by free, democratic nations. Dictatorships exist only to enrich their rules and impoverish everyone under their control. Freedom has been spreading. In 1972, there were only forty-three free nations. As of 2002, there were eighty-nine. In a generation’s time, if the Ambassador’s plan is followed, the entire world could be free.

Many parents are astonished to discover that the voyages of Christopher Columbus are often no longer taught as essential elements of our history and as events that demanded great courage, but rather as examples of how awful the Europeans of his age were and how wonderful the native American Indians were. Thomas A. Bowden has set the record straight in The Enemies of Christopher Columbus ($29.95, The Paper Tiger, Cresskill, NJ) with an interesting book that debunks the way Columbus is portrayed. This is about more than defending Columbus, it is about defending western civilization from those who want to teach children that it is no different from any other. But it is. If this interests you, visit www.papertig.com. The distortion of America’s history in our nation’s classrooms is something to worry about because historical truth is a precious legacy we give children.

Bibliophiles, lovers of books, will enjoy Nicholas A. Basbanes’ latest, A Splendor of Letters: The Permanence of Books in an Impermanent World ($29.95, Harper Collins.) It is the third in a trilogy by the National Book Critics Circle award finalist, the first two being A Gentle Madness and Patience & Fortitude. This time he looks at the ageless battle waged between those who would destroy, or at best neglect, the printed word, and those who would preserve it. Most of us who live with books and love each new one cannot think of a life without them. My home just overflows with them and I give hundreds of new titles to local libraries. However, books have always had their enemies and, if you’re of a certain age, you can remember the burning of books by the Nazis or the way the Soviets purged books and libraries of books by those who became "un-persons." More recently, the Serbs destroyed the National and University of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The importance of books to any society is rarely discussed, but it is essential and Basbanes has written yet another very important book.

No day goes by without some new diet being introduced or being discussed. Diets become trends and then are replaced, but why do so many people have trouble keeping weight off? That’s the subject of Fat and Furious: Overcome your body’s resistance to weight loss now! Loree Taylor Jordan is a holistic health expert and reformed dieting maniac and her book ($19.95, Madison Publishing, POB 231, Campbell, CA 95009 softcover) provides answers for everyone who feels like they are trapped in a fat prison. This is not a quick-fix diet book. Instead the author discusses the hidden enemies of weight loss from metabolic dysfunction to hormonal imbalances. I think this book will prove helpful to anyone serious about shedding unwanted pounds. The Instinct to Heal: Curing Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Without Drugs and Without Talk Therapy ($23.95, Rodale) arrived at a time when I was feeling a tad depressed, so naturally I was interested. Dr. David Servan-Schreiber is an internationally recognized authority on psychiatry and neuroscience. He writes about the emotional part of our brain and our need to connect to it because, in his view, we are programmed by millions of years of evolution, to have intimacy with a few select human beings in our lives, a solid role in our community, and a sense of connection with the mystery of life. If we are estranged from these, we search in vain for a purpose to our lives. Lacking that, we are susceptible to stress, anxiety and depression. Many of society’s problems, says the author, can be traced to the breakdown of family bonds, obligations to others, and what he calls "this relentless pursuit of autonomy" which only yields isolation, suffering, and loss of meaning. I think he’s right and I recommend this book to anyone experiencing these emotional problems.

Another book I found of interest is How to Spot Hidden Alcoholics by Doug Thorburn ($14.95, plus $3.00 shipping from Galt Publishing (POB 7777, Northridge, CA 91327, 800-482-9424). The author, an addiction expert, discusses why most attempts to conquer problem drinking fail, citing case histories. More specifically he points out those subtle, seemingly innocuous behaviors that are often early indicators of alcoholism that occur long before the alcoholic has lost control over drinking. Most interesting is the way he reveals that such destructive behaviors often co-exist with what seems like normal conduct. The idea is to intervene and prevent the tragedy.

The commercial that followed the Super Bowl featured the winning quarterback saying he was going back to Disney World. If you’ve been thinking of going there too, you might want to pick up The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer ($19.95, Bowman Books, POB 15309, San Antonia, TX 78212) by Cara Goldsbury. It is a ideal for those who enjoy staying at the most luxurious resorts, dining at the best restaurants, and having a top-drawer entertainment experience. Can a sophisticated traveler have fun in the land of Mickey Mouse? Yes, indeed. The author shows how one can have a stress-free vacation with proper planning and how to enjoy the best in an affordable way. All the Disney theme parks are included in this book, along with Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and other nearby theme parks. Everything you will need to know is covered in a guide that is jammed-packed with useful information.

Back to Top

Getting Down to Business

There are many books available these days to help individuals manage their own business and financial affairs, as well as books to help manage business enterprises, large and small.

The Family CFO: The Couple’s Business Plan for Love and Money ($23.95, Rodale) addresses why money is so often a bone of contention between couples who the authors say don’t realize they’re in business together. Mary Claire Allvine and Christine Larson discuss the many financial aspects whether one is just moving in with another person or getting married or facing a big decision like having a child, buying a home, etc.

The book introduces couples to a personal finance plan that they say turns managing your money into a romantic experience. Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but the book will help any couple cope far better when it comes to deal with debt, getting a new job, or just deciding who stays home with the kids. Another useful book is A Woman’s guide to Family Finances by Ellie Kay ($12.95, Bethany House). The average American family these days owes nearly $8,000 in credit card bills on an annual income of $43,000. The author, a wife and mother of seven, provides a fresh approach to budgeting basics and income protection in a book in which she says there are no easy answers other than spending less and saving more. She provides all kinds of advice on how to do that and I suspect this book will save a lot of families a lot of grief.

The Simplicity Survival Handbook by Bill Jensen ($17.95, Basic Books, softcover) is filled with advice on how to deal with common problems whether you’re an employee, a middle manager, or free agent. There’s even a chapter for senior executives. In brief, it is a game plan for making smart decisions and one that I am confident can help anyone simplify their lives if they just apply it. A Survival Guide for Working with Humans by Dr. Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D. ($15.00, Amacom) provides lots of good advice on how to resolve everyday conflicts, knowing when to speak and when not to, as well as what to say, and how to make a graceful retreat from a confrontation you can’t win. The author also addresses how one can increase their productivity by reducing wasted time and energy, and improve your career potential. This is about the common daily situations in which everyone finds themselves and reading this book will surely make your life and your job a lot easier.

Successful Business Planning in 21 Days by Dan Titus comes with free software, eBooks, and updates. For anyone starting or operating a business, i.e., an entrepreneur, this is your guide to researching and writing a plan. It’s a mini-Masters degree that includes samples and is augmented by resources provided by the tandem website that comes with the book. It’s available from Venture Marketing Inc. of Chino Hills, CA. Visit www.bizventures.com to learn more.

The Six Fundamentals of Success: The Rules for Getting it Right for Yourself and Your Organization packs a lot of good advice into a concise package. Written by Stuart R. Levine ($19.95, Doubleday), the author says forget the management fads, the manufacturing fads, and all the other quick fixes that are offered. It’s all about mastering the basics of communication, an emphasis on results, a commitment to ethics, and the other fundamentals that have made strong companies. He describes the six fundamentals that businesses, leaders, and individual workers must embrace now if they are to remain competitive in an all-to-fragile economy. On the Fly: Executing Strategy in a Changing World by Stephen J. Wall ($29.95, John Wiley & Sons) provides real insight on how business strategies are developed and how they are implemented in the real world. All business ventures have levels of complexity and the authors provides lots of practical advice on how to get people to commit to a new direction and change in a world where change is a constant, often rapid, factor. This is also the theme of Agile Project Management by Gary Chin ($32.95, Amacom) who points out that today’s accelerated business environments and ever-shifting market strategies are anything but stable. Even after a budget has been established, word soon comes that a project must be done faster, cheaper, and often to a whole new set of specifications. How to cope with leading a project team who must contend with variables is the subject of this book and anyone charged with these responsibilities will benefit from reading it.

If you enjoy looking at the "big picture", Robert E. Anderson has written Just Get Out of the Way: How Government Can Help Business in Poor Countries ($24.95, Cato Institute). Economic growth is the only way to lift poor countries out of poverty and the private sector is the best way to generate economic growth. As the author notes, unfortunately, institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund recommend sophisticated, complicated economic policies that governments in those countries don’t have the capacity to successfully implement. He recommends a different approach through the adoption of simpler, more market-oriented policies with respect to banking, corporate governance, privatization, and competition. As is too often the case, governments get in the way of the success of the very enterprises that can solve their problems. Often the best way to help the private sector, says Anderson, is not to help it. To get out of the way!

Back to Top

Other People’s Lives

I am a great fan of biographies and autobiographies. The lives of others often provide a useful lesson to the conduct of our own. They often inspire us. And, of course, the lives of writers fascinate other writers, so let’s begin with J.K. Rowling: The Wizard Behind Harry Potter by Marc Shapiro ($5.99, Griffin, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press) an "unauthorized biography" is out in softcover this month and tells the story of how this extraordinary literary success came about by telling the story of the author’s life. Fans of Harry Potter will find this of great interest. An earlier writer of fantasy has his story told in L. Frank Baum: The Creator of Oz by Katharine M. Rogers ($17.95, Da Capo Press). Born in 1856 in upstate New York, Baum passed a happy childhood and dabbled in publishing his own newspapers and journals. He also raised chickens. And he fell in love with the theatre, penning some plays. A classic "late bloomer", he bounced around through several careers and, finally, in his late 30s, he turned his attention to selling the stories he’d been telling his sons and their friends. When the Wizard of Oz was released in 1900, it quickly became a bestseller. He became rich and famous, and went on to pen thirteen more Oz books and other fantasies.

Musicians are the subject of three books, 4 Way Street ($14.95, Da Capo Press) is about Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, and it gathers together the best articles about this group ranging from individual profiles toin-depth commentary. Edited by Dave Zimmer, this is sure to please fans of this remarkable group, sometimes called the "American Beatles." Refugees from three formidable 60s bands, these four have since influenced several generations of musicians while maintaining their enduring appeal for old fans and new. Also from Da Capo comes A Simple Twist of Fate about Bob Dylan and the making of "Blood on the Tracks." Andy Gill and Kevin Odegard tell the story ($25.00) of how in 1974, in the midst of a crumbling marriage and personal suffering, Dylan recorded and then re-recorded his greatest work of that decade. To celebrate its 30^th anniversary, the story describes the creative and anguished process of the album. Now in softcover, updated and expanded, there’s The Lennon Companion ($18.95), edited by Elizabeth Thomson and David Gutman. This book presents twenty-five years of the best comment and commentary on Lennon from top-ranked writers and critics. Hard to believe the Beatles made their debut on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964.

Dancing at Ciro’s by Sheila Weller ($14.95, Griffin, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, softcover) is a memoir of being a young girl in the 1950s, growing up in Beverly Hills as the daughter of a brilliant neurosurgeon and a mother who wrote for movie magazines. Her father’s brother owned Hollywood’s most dazzling nightclub, Ciro’s, where movie stars went to be seen. It was her childhood hangout and she recalls the many glamorous stars who were its nightly patrons; names like Lana Turner, Frank Sinatra, Gary Grant and Rock Hudson, to name just a few. Then, one night in 1958, her uncle would try to murder her father in full view of Sheila and her younger sister. The incident revealed a chain of scandals, betrayals, and tragedies that would resonate for the next twenty years.

Now in softcover, Pamela Kilian’s biography, Barbara Bush: Matriarch of a Dynasty, will interest anyone who follows politics ($14.95, Thomas Dunne Books, a division of St. Martin’s Press). As the campaign for the re-election of her son heats up, the story of the woman who married one President and gave birth to another (only Abigail Adams shares that claim) is told by a reporter for the Scripps Howard News Service through interviews with Barbara Bush’s closest friends and associates, as well as the subject of the book. This story of one of the most popular recent First Ladies is very timely.

Three very different biographies tell very interesting stories. Joshua Chamberlein: The Soldier and the Man by Edward G. Longacre ($18.95, Da Capo Press) is now available in softcover and relates the life of a man called the "hero of Gettysburg" when he and his regiment held Little Round Top against a determined Rebel assault. Chamberlein had a distinguished military career in the Union army and was, in many ways, an exemplary person who the author calls "a pristine example of all that is good about America." Civil War and history buffs will enjoy this biography. A very different biography by Jennifer Niven tells the story of Ada Blackjack ($24.95, Hyperion) a 23-year-old Inuit woman with no knowledge of the world outside Nome, Alaska. In September 1921, needing the money, she signed on as a seamstress for a top-secret expedition into the unknown Arctic. Four young men accompanied her, taking with them six month’s supplies. As winter set in, they were struck by hardship and tragedy. As the months went by, she was to find herself alone, spending two years on Wrangel Island until she finally was rescued. This is a gripping and inspiring story. By contrast, Sir Gregor MacGregor, the subject of The Land That Never Was, ($26.00, Da Capo) was a scoundrel who hoodwinked a group of Scottish immigrants into paying him for the opportunity to make new lives in a bogus Central American nation he told them had beautiful cities, fertile land, and a balmy climate. Instead, they discovered a mosquito- infested swamp. Everything about "Poyais" was fake, their deeds, the map, and the guidebook. David Sinclair serves up an interesting biography and story of an audacious fraud.

Back to Top

Novels! Novels! Novels!

Where, oh where, do all these stories come from? Just consider the latest titles to come in during the past month. It isn’t that they don’t provide plenty of entertainment, they do, but publishers can’t seem to turn these out fast enough. It’s daunting!

William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, the publishing giant, is out this spring with a number of terrific hardcover novels. I’ll start with Elmore Leonard’s latest, Mr. Paradise ($25.95) because he is a great favorite of mine and never disappoints. This one involves a double murder and two female roommates of dubious virtue who get caught up in the whole nasty business. The dialogue is juicy and the action is filled with the usual twists and turns that never cease to keep you reading. There’s lots of fun to be had reading Cadillac Beach by Tim Dorsey ($24.95) in which Miami Beach is the setting for murder and mayhem served up with panache by a former reporter and editor of the Tampa Tribune. His antihero, Serge A. Storms is back from previous novels to solve crimes, run scams, and launch a very offbeat travel agency. You don’t want to miss out on this one!

We have to cross the Atlantic for the setting of Peter Robinson’s suspense novel, Playing with Fire ($23.95) as Inspector Alan Banks works to solve an arson on a Yorkshire, England, canal, discovering he has a serial arsonist on his hands seeking to obliterate the trail of other heinous crimes. A native of Yorkshire, the author brings a heart-pounding authenticity to this one. The Canterbury Papers by Judith Koll Healey is another suspense novel ($24.95) but it takes place in medieval England and France. It’s all about dark family secrets, duplicity, and a missing heir to the throne. For a trip back in time and deeds most foul, this novel will make you forget what year it is as you follow a desperate effort to retrieve a cache of letters from Canterbury Cathedral that could bring down a king. In May, Morrow will roll out the carpet for William Lasher’s new novel, Past Due ($24.95) about Joey Cheap who just took a knife to the throat down on the waterfront. Before that, however, he entrusted an attorney, Victor Carl, with a terrible secret, one that leads to an investigation involving a missing suitcase stuffed with money, a Supreme Court justice, pictures of naked women, et cetera! Lasher, an attorney, last wrote "Hostile Witness", and is well on his way to making a very impressive reputation for himself writing novels.

All of these are softcover editions with one exception. Three are from the Mysterious Press, a division of Warner Books, include Death of a Poison Pen, an M.C. Beaton mystery featuring Hamish MacBeth, an eccentric Scottish sleuth ($23.95, hardcover) back in his twentieth adventure that begins with a series of poison pen letters start appearing in the village of Braikie, including one accusing him of having an affair with an older woman. When a woman who works in the post office is found hanged with one of the letters at her feet, it is no longer a nuisance and becomes possible murder. When traced to a headmistress at a local school, she turns up dead too. As always, he leads you a merry chase. The Parrot Trainer by Swain Wolfe ($24.95) confirms his growing reputation with this third novel. Set in New Mexico, an archeologist, and antiquities thief, and a former art dealer, plus a cast of other characters revolves around a variety of themes including the culture of the native Americans. It is lively and filled with interesting insights regarding the art world and academia. Not due in the bookstores until June, here’s the early word on David Rosenfelt’s latest novel, Bury The Lead ($24.00) that brings back a character from his first novel, Open and Shut. Andy Carpenter, a Paterson, NJ defense attorney who gets a call because a brutal serial killer is on the loose and has been using a newspaper’s star reporter to communicate with the public and the police. When a popular candidate for governor becomes the next victim and the reporter is found unconscious nearby, he is charged with the murder. As Andy gets involved, you will too because this novel is the proverbial page-turner.

A rich new voice in women’s fiction, Katherine Leiner, is available this month with her first novel, Digging Out, ($12.95, New American Library), an inspiring and heartening novel of loss, reconciliation, and love’s ultimate power. This is the story of Alys Davies’ small down that was buried by a landslide that killed 116 children and destroyed her family when the blame fell upon her father. A complex story of relationships and lives rebuilt, this is an excellent debut. Step-Ball-Change by Jeanne Ray ($13.95, New American Library) is a relationship story too, but it is more lighthearted as Caroline and Tom are looking forward to retirement after he stops practicing law and she stops running a dance school. Their four kids are out of the house and they are ready to enjoy the fruits of their labors. Until, that is, the next begins to refill as Caroline’s sister arrives and a contractor finds a crack in the foundation and sets up camp indefinitely. Then their daughter brings home her fiancé, a wealthy guy, and begins to plan a wedding that could wipe out their savings!

From the Berkley, a member of the huge Penguin Group, there’s Deborah Joy Corey’s The Skating Pond ($14), her second novel after a nine-year hiatus. Set in a small coastal town in Maine in the 1960s and 1970s, this coming of age novel describes a series of events only possible in a place where loneliness and the desire for escape permeate the landscape. Happiness goes out the window when the main character, Elizabeth, mother’s face is scarred by a hockey puck and she retreats from the world into her home. Then her father leaves with another women and the mother dies leaving Elizabeth, 15, orphaned. This leaves her prey to an architect her father’s age with whom she embarks on a passionate affair. Then he leaves town! Suffice it to say this is not the easiest story to read! A very different story is told by William Gibson in Pattern Recognition ($14.00, Berkley) that confirms his reputation as one of the best current novelists. At the center of this story is a brilliant, emotionally vulnerable young woman hunting for the creator of a mesmerizing series of Internet video clips that have become an underground sensation. The search takes the protagonist from London to Tokyo to Moscow as she risks her career and life negotiating a gauntlet of criminals, spies and corporate sharks to find the person behind the clips. This is a too brief description of a complex story that reflects the new world in which we all live. Gibson is credited with coining the term "cyberspace" and envisioning the Internet and its effects on our daily lives. Thank goodness it hasn’t replaced the pleasure of a good book.

Having mentioned the Penguin Group, there are a number of new novels from its "Plume" imprint. Swan Place by Augusta Trobaugh ($13.00) tells a heart-tugging story of a 14-year-old who is faced with losing everything as she struggles to keep her family together after the death of her mother and stepfather. When a custody battle threatens to separate Dove from her siblings, a neighbor, Aunt Mee, suggests they hide out at Swan Place. There, Dove must forego her childhood in a series of decisions that could tear her family apart forever. This is harrowing reading, but also rewarding. A very different family is at the center of The Kitchen Boy by Robert Alexander ($14.00) who tells of the murder of the Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and his entire family by the Bolsheviks. In this story, there is only one innocent witness. This is a story of their final days seen through the eyes of this forgotten witness told as a suspenseful fictional view of history and the mystery the killings left behind. In Drop City T.C. Boyle tells the story set in 1970 as an impoverished California hippie commune decide to relocate to the last frontier, Alaska. This novel has five distinct points of view as this group is confronted by both a trapper and his wife, and by young Alaskans who are already homesteading the wilderness. Talk about a culture clash! This well-crafted novel does a terrific job and defining the different life outlooks of both groups, describing nicely how the era of the Sixties set the tone for the decades to follow. A very different story is told in Robyn Sisman’s Weekend in Paris ($13.00) because Molly Clearwater of Yokelshire, England has moved to London and discovered life there is not as glamorous as she had believed it would be. When offered a "business" trip to Paris and discovers her boss has other intentions, she quits and decides to go on her own. As fresh, witty and beguiling as Paris itself, this is a light, romantic comedy that is a very different and welcome change from the other Plume novels already noted.

Brenda Jackson is back with a new novel, Family Reunion, ($13.95, St. Martin’s Press, a Griffin trade softcover). It’s the story of a black family whose reunion reveals that every family has its secrets, some hard to tell and some too hot to keep. Thus, when the Bennett family gathers, four cousins find their bonds and courage challenged in ways that change their hearts forever. The author has done a superb job telling the story of their interwoven lives. Famed author, Toni Morrison, says, "Clarence Major has a remarkable mind and the talent to match." There is high praise for the author of One Flesh ($15.00, Dafina Books, an imprint of Kensington Publishing). The winner of many awards, Major’s novel tells the story of John Canoe, a bi-racial painter with a loft in New York’s SoHo district. He doesn’t have many friends, but one day a beautiful Chinese American woman walks into his life and everything changes. This is, of course, too brief a description of a richly written, deeply felt book that tells the story of a love affair that explores many layers of how we live our lives.

Fleming H. Revell is a Christian publisher of great esteem and, in recent years, it has launched Chosen Books, devoted to novels. Without being preachy, they examine spiritual themes common to everyone. Mystery lovers will enjoy Patricia H. Rushford’s latest, Deadly Aim ($12.95). It is part of her Angel Delaney series about a female police office working in coastal Oregon. When she has to use deadly force against a twelve-year-old, her world begins to crumble. She is portrayed as a racist and rogue cop. The investigation raises more questions than it answers as crucial evidence disappears and other people are found murdered. Once you begin to read this one, you will be hard pressed to stop. The Trees of Eden ($19.50) begins in 1918 in a town in South Carolina and tells of the hopes of Wren Birdsong who yearns for high adventure and exotic travel, but whose mother has other plans for her. The great flu epidemic transforms both women, changing her life and leading her to a quest for her true purpose in life. Light of my Heart by Ginny Aiken is part of her Silver Hills trilogy ($12.95). As 1892 draws to a close, Dr. Letitia Morgan boards a train in Philadelphia, headed for Hartville, Colorado. A booming silver mine has attracted so many people, the town needs a doctor to treat its women and children. This is a very interesting look at those times through the eyes of the main character, a female physician and rarity in those days.

That’s it for March! It’s a world of wonderful new fiction and non-fiction that promises to provide you with just the right book to improve and illuminate your life. Don’t forget, visit our Featured Book section to learn about some of the most unique and interesting books that offer entertainment and information.

Back to Top