Book Buzz Book Reviews

Reviewed by Jimmy Lovett

Library Assistant III, Malcolm X Branch Library

San Diego Union-Tribune, May 10, 2020

 

“People don’t realize how a person’s whole life can be changed by one book.” - El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. The Autobiography of Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz), as told to Alex Haley, is a classic in every sense of the word. It tells the story of a man who went from criminal to law abiding citizen, from hating to loving, from darkness to light in a mere 39 years on this planet. Brother Shabazz is one of my heroes because he was not afraid to admit when he was wrong, and grew into a person who was honest and raw. His ever-evolving life is told in this autobiography which he did not get to see published. Regrettably, his life was cut short by a torrent of bullets as he began to speak at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City on February 21, 1965.

Reviewed by Erin Moore

Youth Services Librarian, San Carlos Branch Library

San Diego Union-Tribune, April 26, 2020

 

If you like fiction served straight up, look no further than this impressive debut novel from Paul Howarth. With lyrical and expressive language, Howarth evokes the spirit of the Wild West in this account of teenage brothers who, after suffering a family tragedy, are enticed by powerful men to seek vengeance. The difference between this story and many other westerns, however, is that the journey here takes place in the Australian outback of the nineteenth century rather than the American frontier. Unfortunately, it’s no spoiler to reveal that the chronicle of white settlement and the resulting mistreatment of native populations in both countries is similar – and Howarth makes no effort to spare the reader from this fact. But for those who can endure this devastating and haunting tale, lessons about morality, law, and the evolving nature of history abound.

Reviewed by Linda Lou Brawley

Librarian II, Humanities, Central Library

San Diego Union-Tribune, April 12, 2020

 

Eighteen days after the terrorists’ attacks on 9/11, Lorne Michaels decided to go live with the “SNL” season premiere and asked his good friend Paul Simon to provide some comfort and unity for devastated New Yorkers — and we were all New Yorkers then! Simon delivered with “The Boxer.” Hilburn offers plenty of other anecdotes tracing Simon’s 50-plus years as one of the best singer-songwriters in recent history. Indeed, Simon is a 16-time Grammy winner and two-time inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The biography, according to Hilburn, was written with Simon’s full participation but without his editorial control — hard to believe given Simon’s proclivity for micro- managing. His desire for privacy is in constant conflict with his machinations for perfection and success. Overwhelming talent does have its cost. In this time of uncertainty and fear, maybe we can all use some of Lorne Michaels’ chicken soup.

Reviewed by Melissa Giffen

Youth Services Librarian, Scripps Miramar Ranch Library

San Diego Union-Tribune, March 29, 2020

 

In this Chinese-inspired fantasy, our protagonist is Maia Tamarin, a highly skilled tailor. As a woman, Maia cannot claim the title of tailor or run her own business, forcing her to run her ailing father’s shop from behind the scenes. An opportunity presents itself, however, when her family receives a royal invitation to the Summer Palace and a competition for the coveted title of imperial tailor. Maia seizes the chance, disguising herself as her brother and taking her family’s place at the palace. The competition is a fierce one, and as the tasks become increasingly difficult, Maia must maintain her disguise and use both skill and magic for any hope of success. It’s an immersive and well-paced fantasy with a romance that is given the time and space to unfold, and since it’s the first book in a series, there’s more to look forward to.

Reviewed by Brenda Wegener

Branch Manager, Carmel Valley Branch Library

San Diego Union-Tribune, March 15, 2020

 

Benjamin Black, pseudonym for Irish fiction author John Banville, usually writes detective novels taking place in Dublin in the1950s.But this novel is very different.In World War II London, just before the start of the German Blitz, the King and Queen secretly send the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret to the rundown estate of the Duke of Edenmore deep in the countryside of neutral Ireland. The girls will be guarded by Cecilia Nashe, an MI6 agent posing as a governess and a young Anglo-Irish detective. The days on the estate are leisurely, with Elizabeth riding horses and Margaret getting into mischief until the secret begins to get out, first among the servants and then the townspeople.When a group of Irish rebels get wind of the princesses’ true identities, the situation becomes dangerous for all concerned. Anyone caught up in “The Crown” series will find this book engaging.

Reviewed by Jason Rogers

Accessibility & I CAN! Center Manager, Central Library

San Diego Union-Tribune, March 1, 2020

 

Everything about Orange’s novel has an energy that keeps crackling along, from the passionate prologue through the tense conclusion. It begins with a series of seemingly disconnected character sketches of several Native Americans in and around Oakland. We get to meet each character in their current circumstance and gradually learn about their personal histories that eventually lead them to the novel’s climax, a big community powwow. The narrative jumps between characters as well as chronologically, but each character is rendered in such terrific details that you will be immersed well before the plot connections begin to show themselves. The range of voices that Orange presents in the book is truly impressive, but so is the way he constructs the story to keep the reader engaged through the final page.

Reviewed by David Cederholm

Library Assistant II, Allied Gardens/Benjamin Branch Library

San Diego Union-Tribune, February 16, 2020

 

Fresh off a Pulitzer Prize, Colson Whitehead gives us this startling and all too familiar story of Elwood Curtis.  An intelligent and idealistic kid with a seemingly bright future, he plans to enroll in the local community college when things go sideways and he is convicted of a petty crime.  Jim Crow is on full display as Elwood is sentenced to the Nickel Academy.  Outwardly, a respected and long-established Florida institution for the reform of youthful offenders, in truth a penal farm where Elwood and the black “students” are put to work in the fields and homes of local officials and gentry.  Beatings, sexual abuse and disappearances occur with regularity and Elwood learns that dreams and an optimistic outlook may not be enough to keep himself alive.

Reviewed by Vanessa Gempis

Manager, Pauline Foster Teen Center, Central Library

San Diego Union-Tribune, February 2, 2020

 

Magic, murder, and mayhem abound in the first book of the “Crown of Shards” series. Fronted by a compelling and engaging main character and a host of memorable side characters, Estep’s world is a fun, page-turning ride all the way through. With no obvious magical ability and as seventeenth in line for the throne, Lady Everleigh is oft overlooked. She keeps her head down and does as she’s told, biding her time until she can secure permission to leave the court of Bellona and make a quiet life that’s all her own. Everything changes when the crown princess assassinates the queen and massacres the rest of the royals, leaving Evie the only royal survivor. Forced to flee, she finds safety and strength amongst a group of gladiators. As Evie finds her strength and her confidence, she also finds a new goal: become a gladiator herself…to kill the queen.

Reviewed by Christine Miller

Librarian II, Humanities, Central Library

San Diego Union-Tribune, January 19, 2020

 

Two teenage cousins and one horrific act bring four affluent parents together to navigate an outcome while trying to keep their well-groomed lives intact. An expensive, classy restaurant is the perfect setting for the not-so-perfect complexities of these good families. Money, power, politics and human nature are on the table in this dark saga, not to mention sibling rivalries, ulterior motives, upper crust values and life out of balance. This dinner will be intense. By the time dessert arrives, you’ll be wondering whose reality is this, anyway? Elements of current events will surely come to mind. For fans of psychological suspense reminiscent of Defending Jacob and The Talented Mr. Ripley, there’s something to sink your teeth into here.

Reviewed by Trevor Jones

Branch Manager, Scripps Miramar Ranch Library

San Diego Union-Tribune, January 5, 2020

 

True crime fans rejoice! Readers of Michelle McNamara’s “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” should check out this page-turner as a great follow-up. Jensen outlines his own beginnings as an amateur sleuth and investigative reporter, slowly developing a method to “crowdsource” crime solving via social media — with results! Several cases are examined — some unsolved to date — as Jensen helps find missing persons, works hand-in-hand with police. and receives tips from literally thousands of people. Jensen also offers wisdom and several guidelines for would-be detectives in the new age of Internet sleuthing.