Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Joshua Tree: Desolation Tango by Deanne Stillman

Stillman describes Joshua Tree National Park, a landscape where the Colorado and Mojave deserts come together, as a special place that speaks to her heart. While briefly discussing history, geology, plants, and animals, she also provides insights into such issues as environmental degradation (often that which comes from the park's proximity to the Los Angeles area) and the devastating decline of the desert tortoise population. Excellent black and white photographs accompany the sometimes bizarre narrative of this fascinating wonderland.
 
Leatherby Libraries Call Number: F868.J6 S75 2006 , 2nd Floor Humanities
Review submitted by Andrew Tessandori, Cataloging Assistant, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Somewhat Recommended
The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

Larsson's second and most exciting installment in the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series picks up where the first left off, and doesn't waste any time jumping into the plot. A journalist and his wife who are working with Mikael Blomkvist are murdered shortly before they are going to expose a sex trade operation, and Lisbeth Salandar's prints are found on the weapon. It is a tense, unpredictable read that steals your breath and keeps you up all night without wanting it to end. 

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PT 9876.22A6933 F5713 2009, 2nd Floor Humanities
Review submitted by Ashley Kemp, Special Events
Rating: Highly Recommended  
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg LarssonThis absolutely fantastic book takes place in Sweden, and follows the story of recently discredited journalist Mikael Blomkvist and socially awkward yet brilliant computer hacker Lisbeth Salandar as they attempt to solve a kidnapping/murder cold case for one of the country's wealthiest families. Unexpected secrets begin to emerge, and solving the case becomes increasingly dangerous as the unlikely pair come closer to unraveling the long-buried mystery.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PT 9876.22A6933 M3613 2009, 2nd Floor Humanities
Review submitted by Ashley Kemp, Special Events
Rating: Highly Recommended  
Sacré Bleu by Christopher Moore

Christopher Moore's newest novel drops the reader into Paris, France circa the late 1800's, when many of the best-known impressionists and other artists of the 19th century were coming into their own. The engaging and surprisingly funny story opens with a scene suggesting that Vincent van Gogh did not actually commit suicide as believed, but was murdered by the sinister Colorman he often referred to in letters to his brother. The book jumps from scene to scene non-chronologically, is told from the perspectives of various quirky characters, blends the real and surreal indiscriminately, and keeps the reader guessing about the true identity of the mysterious Juliette until nearly the end
 
Leatherby Libraries Call Number: McNaughton, 1st Floor McNaughton
Review submitted by Ashley Kemp, Special Events 
Rating: Recommended  

Friday, June 22, 2012

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

Research scientist in the Amazon fails to report back to employer as to research progress for fertility in older women. Co-worker ends up going to Amazon to find the research site and get information. A good read, but had some highly unlikely scenarios which were unsatisfying. My book club had good discussion about research, pharmaceutical companies, and fertility for older females.

 
Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS 3566.A7756 S76 2011, 2nd Floor Humanaties Library
Review submitted by Pam Ames, Purchasing
Rating: Recommended  

Thursday, June 21, 2012

The Dancing WuLi Masters by Gary Zukav

The author wrote this book in the hopes that it would be a useful “translation” to aid people who are not scientifically minded to understand the new physics. He shows the similarities between quantum physics and Eastern philosophy. Written in 1979, I am sure that parts of it are dated. For someone such as me, who had no knowledge of the subject, it was still a useful introduction.

 
Leatherby Libraries Call Number: QC173.98 .Z84 1979, 3rd Floor Science & Technology Library
Review submitted by Cathy Elliott, Law Library
Rating: Somewhat Recommended  
Life of Pi by Yann Martel

Life of Pi is a wonderful, breath-taking novel about a young boy named Pi who ends up stranded on a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean as the sole human survivor of a shipwreck. To his dismay, he is accompanied on the lifeboat by a full-grown tiger and a handful of other animals that were also on board, which adds additional challenges to his already bleak situation. Pi's story is quite a page turner, and a debatable twist at the end will keep readers questioning what they have read.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PR 9199.3 M3855 L54 2002, 2nd Floor Humanities
Review submitted by Ashley Kemp, Special Events
Rating: Highly Recommended  

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Dreams of Joy by Lisa See

Lisa See's follow up to the highly acclaimed "Shanghai Girls" does not disappoint: the story begins with Joy fleeing to China following her discovery of a life-altering family secret to join the People's Republic of China during Mao's Great Leap Forward in 1957. Desperate to rescue her daughter, Pearl chooses to accept the risks and return to her homeland and bring Joy back to Los Angeles. See writes a breath-taking tale of their experiences and explores themes such as forgiveness, love, trust and courage.
Leatherby Libraries Call Number: McNaughton, 1st Floor McNaughton
Review submitted by Ashley Kemp, Special Events
Rating: Recommended  
The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

The Paris Wife is a historical fiction novel which delves into the early beginnings of Ernest Hemingway's life and career through the eyes of his first wife, Hadley Richardson, from their first meeting in Chicago to living in post-war Paris during the 1920's. McLain paints a vivid picture of the free-wheeling culture that eventually forces the couple apart, and provides a comprehensive backstory for the rest of Hemingway's life. The tragic unraveling of Ernest and Hadley's complicated relationship feels both painful and authentic, and leaves the reader with a sense of having peeked into the private life of one of America's most renowned authors.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: McNaughton, 1st Floor McNaughton
Review submitted by Ashley Kemp, Special Events
Rating: Recommended  
The Red Pony by John Steinbeck

This set of four somewhat interrelated stories or chapters forms a novella about Jody, a boy whose coming of age exposes him to the reality of suffering in this world. This book is not really for someone who loves horse stories nor for the faint of heart, and it may make you feel depressed and frustrated with the whole world. The writing and development of characters is excellent, but in the end, I am not really sure how I feel about this book, which is a brilliant look at the human spirit and what it means to live in the country as well as a hard look at suffering and maturing into adulthood.

Leatherby Libraries Call Number: PS3537.T3234 R4 1989 , 2nd Floor Humanities Library
Review submitted by Andrew Tessandori,
Cataloging Assistant, Leatherby Libraries
Rating: Somewhat Recommended