We are deep into Hermitage Month here at the Library…Lady Pole came up with the idea of turning what I had always known as Hermitage Week into Hermitage Month, and I, for once applaud her genius. There is nothing more restorative and restful, after the stress of the holiday season, and little more comforting during the dark days of winter than a good old fashioned grown-up blanket fort. As we noted here last year, “Without expectations or anticipation, there was finally time to settle down, appreciate and recover from all the business and social activities that the holidays brought with them, and, of course, read all the books.“. And that was the inspiration for Hermitage Week/Month (celebrate as you see fit, dear readers)–a time just for you to wind down, to recover (especially if, like me, you have been struck down with Whatever Is Going Around), and to indulge in a good book…or several…or discover some new books that might just become old favorites. Or even to binge-watch some new shows via Hoopla, or on DVD…or knit that shawl you’ve been itching to get on your needles…or pet the cat and daydream… The possibilities, truly are endless.
And, in case you need help stocking your blanket fort, here are some of the sensational books that have ambled up onto our shelves this week. For even more book fort recommendations, stop by the Main Library and check out our Card Catalog Display of books guaranteed to be bigger (and better) than any snowstorm!
The Cold Eye: I am so excited that this book has arrived! The first book in Laura Anne Gilman’s Devil’s West series was one of my favorite reads of last year, and this follow-up is just as weird, creative, and wonderful an adventure. At the heart of it all is Isobel, a young women pledged to serve as the Devil’s Left Hand across the territories of the American West. Along with her mentor, Gabriel (an enigmatic, earnest, and fascinating character in his own right), she is traveling through Flood in order to meet those under her jurisdiction, and being to discover just what her title requires of her. But when Isobel comes face-to-face with a natural disaster…and a very unnatural power that is killing livestock and draining the area of its magic, she and Gabriel will both realize the limits of their powers, and the terrible force that is threatening to unravel the entire Territory. This is a series in which to wholly lose yourself–you feel the heat of the sun and the dust of the road on your skin while reading, and while this land is full of otherworldly powers and wildly outlandish creatures, it is also a world that is totally accessible, full of characters who are real, honest, and empathetic, making this series one that I cannot wait to read, and read again. Publisher’s Weekly agrees, saying of this book, “Gilman crafts a fascinating vision of a magic-infested continent, set in an unsettled and unpredictable time. As she expands upon the imminent conflict among the various factions inhabiting North America and delves into the supernatural structure of the setting, she lays the groundwork for her increasingly capable heroine to come into her own.”
Books for Living: I mean, seriously–if there was ever books designed for Hermitage Month, this would be chief among them. Journalist and Will Schwalbe’s newest book talks about why we read, why we read what we read, and how those books can help us with issues in today’s highly connected and all-too-fast-paced world. Each chapter deals with a different book, from Stuart Little to The Odyssey, to The Girl on the Train, and talks about what each book helped him to learn or accomplish (everything from napping to trusting). Though playful in its choice of literature, this book is an earnest, and often heartfelt exploration of books, their meaning, and their place in our lives and souls. It’s always a really powerful experience to see how another reader sees the world because of literature, and this book is no exception to that rule. Booklist agreed, saying in its starred review, “Each chapter about a beloved book—Stuart Little, David Copperfield, Song of Solomon, Bird by Bird—is a finely crafted, generously candid, and affecting personal essay… In this warmly engaging, enlightening, and stirring memoir-in-books and literary celebration, Schwalbe reminds us that reading ‘isn’t just a strike against narrowness, mind control, and domination; it’s one of the world’s greatest joys.’”
Quicksand: In January 2014, Henning Mankell, author of the Kurt Wallander mysteries, received a diagnosis of lung cancer (he passed away in October 2015). This book is a response to that diagnosis…but not, perhaps in the way you’d think. Instead of dwelling on loss, or fear, or anger, Mankell instead takes the time to explore his life in a series in intimate sketches and vivid vignettes, from the chill of a winter morning in his small Swedish home town, to living hand-to-mouth in Paris as a struggling young writer, to his love of art, to his dreams about poisoned gas and the First World War. There are elements of this book that are jarring for being so very personal, but also incredibly inspiring, because Mankell isn’t, by and large, discussing a life that the rest of us will never live. He talks about what it means to experience the world as an ordinary human being, but in a way that shows just what an incredible opportunity that is for all of us. As the Financial Times noted in their review, “Quicksand defines life not by its ending but by the creative and humanitarian content that filled—and fulfilled—Mankell’s life. . . . The essays sharpen with resounding poignancy.”
The Death of Kings: If you’ve ever read Charles Todd’s First World War mysteries, or enjoyed Dennis Lehane’s historical fiction, you need to be reading Rennie Airth’s John Madden series. Set in Britain during the Interwar period, these books are phenomenal in their historic detail, with characters that come out of the book and live alongside you while your reading. In this fifth series installment, a stunning actress is found murdered on the estate of Sir Jack Jessup, a close friend of the Prince of Wales. Though the case is quickly brought to a close, in 1949, the appearance of a piece of jewelry related to the case appears, throwing the previous conviction into question. Though happily retired, John Madden is persuaded to take on the case anew, only to find that nothing about the case is quite what it seemed. If it’s not already clear, I hold a bit of a torch for Madden, who is a genuinely honorable man with plenty of human foibles to keep him grounded. This installment expands the world of the series considerably, taking Madden onto the streets of postwar London–which is a fascinating contrast to his earlier adventures after the First World War. The New York Times Review of Books loved this novel, noting “It’s the tactics and the terrain, the morale and the characters that make the difference between an average thriller and one as good as this.”
The Boy Who Escaped Paradise: It isn’t often that we get a novel set in North Korea that isn’t a spy caper or political thriller–but J.M. Lee’s book, part mystery, part love story, part history, and totally fascinating–is one of the rare exceptions. When an unidentified body is discovered in New York City, with numbers and symbols are written in blood near the corpse, the police investigation focuses immediately on Gilmo, a North Korean national who interprets the world through numbers, formulas, and mathematical theories. Angela, a CIA operative, is assigned to gain his trust and access his unique thought-process. Gilmo once had a quiet life in Pyongyang, but when it was discovered that his father was Christian, he and Gilmo were immediately incarcerated. There, he met Yeong-ae, the girl who became his only friend, and the girl for whom Gilmo would risk everything, escaping the camp and braving the world of East Asia’s criminal underworld, eventually bringing him to the strange new world in which he finds himself today. Scattered through with math problems and numerical riddles, this is a book that is both wildly imaginative in its outlook, and deeply insightful about its unique characters. Library Journal loved this book, giving it a starred review and praising, “Channeling timeless quests from The Odyssey on, while highly reminiscent of the contemporary cult classic Vikas Swarup’s Q&A (the literary inspiration for celluloid sensation “Slumdog Millionaire”), Lee’s latest should guarantee exponential growth among savvy Western audiences searching for a universal story with global connections. In a phrase, read this.”
