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What's Mary Been Reading? ~ Staff Picks ~ Other Recommendations

WHAT'S MARY BEEN READING?

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Set in post Spanish Civil War Barcelona, this novel tells the story of a book discovered by a young boy. His father is a bookseller. They are both recovering from the death of the boy's mother and in part to distract him, the father takes his son to a most unusual bookstore called the Cemetery of Lost Books. Here the father tells the son to browse until he finds a book which intrigues him. The boy discovers a book called The Shadow of the Wind by Julien Carek. Upon reading it, the boy begins a quest to find other books by the same author or even the author himself. He soon discovers that all other copies of the book and indeed almost all of the author's other titles have been destroyed. As his search continues, he unearths a story that grows more and more convoluted and peculiar. In turn, romantic, tragic as well as dangerous, the discovery of the origins of the mysterious novel make a very compelling read. Penguin Trade Paper, $15.00

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer

I had the pleasure of reading both books by this author one after the other. His first novel, Everything is Illuminated is a look at contemporary Ukraine featuring a character whose fractured use of English narrates a trip to examine the sites of Nazi atrocities during World War II. It is a most unusual and original book. The new book features a young boy, Oskar Schell, living in New York City. His father was killed in the September 11th attack. Following his father's death, the boy finds a key in his father's closet. He then begins a search for the lock that fits the key in hopes that somehow he will discover something to make him continue to feel his father's presence. Oskar is an uncommon boy, an inventor, tambourine player, Francophile and pacifist. Through his search, he encounters many likewise unusual characters. His story is interspersed with narratives about his grandparents' life in Germany and their experiences of the horrors of the Dresden bombings. The two narratives along with some unique photography throughout the book combine to create this novel of exceptional emotion and lingering affection for the young character. Houghton Mifflen Hardcover $24.95

The Geographer's Library by Jon Fasman

This is another interesting first novel I read recently. It begins with a young reporter working in a small town in New England. He is assigned to write an obituary for a local college professor who has been killed. His research about the professor rapidly involves him in an international story of intrigue, smuggling, murder and a search for ancient alchemical artifacts which hold the key to eternal life. The contrast between the contemporary story and the histories of the artifacts was a little confusing at first, but by the close of the novel, Fasman ties them all together. His interesting characters and strange plot make this a bizarre yet captivating story. Penguin Hardcover $24.95

Staff Picks

The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty

Smithson "Smithy" Ide is an unlikely hero. At 43 he's an overweight drunk in a dead end job in a Rhode Island toy factory. By all accounts, including his own, he's a loser. But when Smithy's life of quiet desperation is brutally interrupted by tragedy, he stumbles across his old Raleigh bicycle and impulsively sets off on an epic journey that might give him one last chance to become the person he always wanted to be. As he pedals across America-with stops in New York City, St. Louis, Denver, and Phoenix, to name a few-he encounters humanity at its best and worst and adventures that are by turns hilarious, luminous, and extraordinary. Along the way, Smithy falls in love and back into life. $24.95 Viking Hardcover

The Zen of Gardening in the High and Arid West by David Wann

While it's still a little early to actually get out in the garden, this book will give you a taste of the gardening season ahead. It is a combination of advice and stories about gardens and gardeners. Wann's garden is located in Golden, Colorado, and so his advice is pertinent to us as well. Filled with humor as well as good information, the book was a refreshing change from those pesky low elevation and warm temperature gardening tomes. It was an enjoyable read and I found myself taking notes from time to time. The book is divided into five sections starting with a philosophic look at gardening and progressing to tools, strategies, specific plants that do well in high and arid climates and examples of "Zen masters of the West --harvesting 500 years of Western gardening experience". This is a wonderful book to keep on your night stand or in your garden shed. $17.95 Fulcram Trade Paper

OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

Book Club Reader's Review by Kathy Hunter

The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas

This book deals with relationships between women in a quilting group, and the attempt of a newcomer to solve a mystery. A fast read, it takes place in dust-bowl Kansas in the '30s and features farming superstitions and idiomatic language, which we all enjoyed. Our discussion of the book centered around discomfort with the character Queenie, and the repetition of superstitions from our own backgrounds. Did you know that if a friend gives you a knife you must pay something for it or it'll sever your relationship? We are recommending this to our friends. $12.95 St. Martin's Trade Paper

DID YOU KNOW?

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ATTENTION MUGGLES! THE NEWEST, AND LAST, HARRY POTTER ADVENTURE IS COMING JULY 16TH. CALL OR EMAIL TODAY TO PLACE YOUR ADVANCE ORDER.

Bookmarks Archive

Past Bookmarks Newsletters (without graphics) are available by clicking on links below:

Holiday 2004

Late Winter 2005

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