It's the third week of January, already, and I'm gearing up for another long week of reading some intriguing new titles that have just come out. Meanwhile, here's some reviews and tidbits, including the obit of the weird and hilarious author Erich von Daniken, who was really popular in the late 60s and early 70s when I was a pre-teen and easily influenced by flim-flam authors who spouted nonsense that they somehow got published, like EVD's "Chariots of the Gods". I was also reading a lot of science fiction and fantasy, and wanted to believe that some of that wonder and scientific magic actually existed, if not on this earth, on some faraway planet. This was a time when Star Trek, the Original series was in heavy rotation on Iowa TV stations, and the Apollo space missions were happening, so it didn't seem so far-fetched that humans were close to discovering life on other planets. I know, it seems silly now, but then it was exciting and forward-thinking, and so much better than the world of our "square" and staid parents, who grew up during the later part of the Depression and WWII, so they seemed boring and unimaginative, working for the "man" of big corporations and the government.
I read, along with everyone I knew under the age of 30, Chariots of the Gods, and watched the documentary and the movie, though the premise was utterly ridiculous. Still, this guy had a handle on the national zeitgeist, and was able to capture the imagination of the counter-culture and those who wanted to be "free" of the staid lives of their parents and grandparents. Critics saw through his BS, but all the hippies and free thinkers wanted to believe. Thus Erich VD made his nut off of the national gullibility of the youth of America.
Obituary
Note: Erich von Däniken
Erich von Däniken, the "bestselling
Swiss author and self-styled maverick archaeologist who propagated
the theory that thousands of years ago an advanced alien species
visited Earth, mated with ancient humans, and gave them the
technology, and the intelligence, to erect such marvels as the Great Pyramids," died January 10, the
New York Times reported. He was 90.
Von Däniken was a 32-year-old hotel
manager in Davos, Switzerland, when he published his first book, Chariots
of the Gods (1968). "In breathless prose, saturated with exclamation
points and folksy interjections such as 'Hey, presto!' Mr. Von Däniken
posited that virtually the sum of human knowledge and ability had been
bestowed by extraterrestrials," the Times wrote.
He claimed that the Egyptian pyramids
could have been built only with alien expertise: "Is it really a
coincidence that the height of the pyramid of Cheops multiplied by a
thousand million--98,000,000 miles--corresponds approximately to the
distance between the earth and sun?"
Critics were unimpressed, with one
anthropologist writing that the book was "a warped parody of reasoning,
argumentation, as well as a vigorous exercise in selective quotation,
misrepresentation and error based on ignorance."
Astrophysicist Carl Sagan said of von
Däniken: "Every time he sees something he can't understand, he
attributes it to extraterrestrial intelligence, and since he understands
almost nothing, he sees evidence of extraterrestrial intelligence all
over the planet." Nevertheless, Chariots of the Gods sold
hundreds of thousands of copies and inspired documentaries, comic
books, and a movie.
"But for a certain kind of
reader--and, to scientists' alarm, there were many of them--Mr. von Däniken's
theories registered not only intellectually but also spiritually,
constituting something like the catechism of an enlightened new faith,"
the Times noted, adding that the book "positioned itself squarely
against the establishment, scientific or otherwise--not a hard sell in 1968."
Over the next 50 years, von Däniken
published more than 40 books, though none offered much variation from his
original themes or ideas. The titles include Gods From Outer Space,
The Gods Were Astronauts, and Arrival of the Gods. Collectively, his
books sold more than 70 million copies.
I agree with Laura Dave...bookstores (and Libraries) are like home, no matter where I find them. And for me, my undergrad college provided the breath of fresh air of people who were also readers and wanted to discuss books and ideas, instead of the hierarchy of teenage life, and the harassment of those on the bottom rung of that hierarchy (myself and anyone who was "different.")
Quotation
of the Day
'Every Town I Go to, the Indie
Bookstore Is the First Place I Go'
"I know last time we talked a lot
about DIESEL, A Bookstore, which is still my home away from home.
"For me, books are always like a
coming home. I love them more than anything. One of the reasons I loved
graduate school so much is it was a group of people with which you could
talk about books (and reading and writing and poetry and plays) and they
all cared. They all wanted to talk about it. And that's what an indie
bookstore feels like.... Every town I go to, the indie bookstore is
the first place I go." --Laura Dave, whose novel The First
Time I Saw Him
This looks to be the kind of series that is right up my alley...bookstores and libraries and regional great authors...I can't wait for the segment on Washington state and Iowa.
Video: American Stories: A Reading Road
Trip
The Library of Congress, in partnership
with its Affiliate Centers for the Book and PBS Books, has launched
the new video series, American Stories: A Reading Road Trip. The
cross-country streaming series "uncovers the literary treasures
of individual states and territories within the U.S. and the
expansive storied heritage of the country," the Library said.
Timed with America's 250th birthday,
each installment of American Stories: A Reading Road Trip will
showcase the influence that local writers, poets, and raconteurs have had
on the cultural identity of their region, inviting viewers to
explore the heart, history and creative spirit of the U.S. through the
lens of books and storytelling. Episodes include iconic authors, books,
hidden-gem bookstores, libraries, and the locations that
inspired great works.
In addition, each episode will share
highlights from local programs and events hosted by each state's Affiliate
Center for the Book, as well as showcase items in a variety of media
from the online collections of the Library of Congress--maps, photographs,
sheet music and more--that help illustrate the stories and reveal
surprising connections.
"We are delighted by this
partnership and the resulting programs," said Lee Ann Potter, director of
Professional Learning and Outreach Initiatives at the Library. "It
embodies 'E pluribus unum' ('Out of many, one'). Each episode is unique,
just like the state or territory it focuses on, and together the series
will present a full-length literary portrait of our nation at its
semiquincentennial."
Thus far, the series has featured seven
states: Rhode Island, Georgia, Ohio, Wyoming, Louisiana, Alaska, and
Indiana. Episodes launching in early 2026 feature Washington state
(scheduled to air February 4), the U.S. Virgin Islands, Arkansas, Iowa,
and Nevada.
Episodes can be viewed at the Library's
Center for the Book webpage, and the series is streaming from PBS Books.
All future episodes will be added to the Library's website once
they are released.
The Inn At Thistledown Hollow by Devon Yates is a (self published) cozy fantasy that is poorly edited in spots, but still has a load of sweetness in its storyline of self discovery, found family and magical tea. Here's the blurb:
When
burned-out city herbalist Wren Alderidge inherits her estranged aunt's
mysterious inn in the magical village of Thistledown Hollow, she plans
to sell it and return to her failing urban life. But the Lavender Fox
Inn has other ideas—and so does Kip, the sharp-tongued fox who insists
the tea won't brew itself.
As Wren discovers her gift
for brewing emotions into tea and helping lost souls find their way
home, she's drawn into a world where magic lives in everyday moments.
From healing broken marriages with specially crafted blends to managing
guests who transform furniture into butterflies, Wren learns that true
magic isn't about power—it's about creating space for people to remember
who they are.
With the help of her found
family—including a patient carpenter, grieving guests who become
permanent residents, and a village baker with strong opinions about
proper scone technique—Wren must decide whether to embrace her inherited
destiny as innkeeper or flee back to the safety of her old, empty life.
Perfect for fans of cozy fantasy, The Inn at Thistledown Hollow
is a heartwarming tale of second chances, magical tea ceremonies,
talking animals, and the transformative power of choosing community over
isolation. Set in an enchanting world where ghosts offer guidance,
greenhouses grow hope along with herbs, and every cup of tea carries the
possibility of healing, this novel celebrates the magic found when
people choose to care for one another.
A story about
coming home to yourself, building chosen family, and discovering that
the most powerful magic is often the simplest: showing up for each other
with love, patience, and perfectly brewed tea.
This book could have used an editor to get rid of the typos (which were glaring) and grammos, as well as trimming down the redundant 'tear-jerking' episodes within each chapter in the second half of the book. Those later chapters ended in what felt like a natural stopping point, only to come up with yet another melodramatic theme to wrap up with character acceptance and love and grief...only for it to happen all over again in the next chapter. Its like some editor told the author that she needs to expand the number of pages in this slender volume, so she padded it out by doing the same thing over and over, only with a slightly different environment and POV on the problem. Still, Yates added enough sweetness to rot reader's teeth, though, as with bakery treats, half the fun is savoring the flavor in the moment. I'd give this light and fluffy, endearing and relatable novel a B, and recommend it to anyone who needs a break from pain and death and cynical political stuff that surrounds each of us with its cacophony every minute of the day.
The Prisoner of Heaven by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is the third book in his "Cemetery of Forgotten Books" series of mystery/thriller book adventures, set in Spain during the 1950s. I've read 7 of Zafon's other novels, each a hidden jewel of literary excellence that will leave readers breathless for more. Here's the blurb: “A
deep and mysterious novel full of people that feel real. . . .An
enthralling read and a must-have for your library. Zafón focuses on the
emotion of the reader and doesn’t let go.” — Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Internationally acclaimed author Carlos Ruiz Zafón creates a rich, labyrinthine tale of love,
literature, passion, and revenge, set in a dark, gothic Barcelona, in
which the heroes of The Shadow of the Wind and The Angel's Game must contend with a nemesis that threatens to destroy them.
Barcelona,
1957. It is Christmas, and Daniel Sempere and his wife, Bea, have much
to celebrate. They have a beautiful new baby son named Julián, and their
close friend Fermín Romero de Torres is about to be wed. But their joy
is eclipsed when a mysterious stranger visits the Sempere bookshop and
threatens to divulge a terrible secret that has been buried for two
decades in the city's dark past.
His appearance
plunges Fermín and Daniel into a dangerous adventure that will take them
back to the 1940s and the early days of Franco's dictatorship. The
terrifying events of that time launch them on a search for the truth
that will put into peril everything they love, and will ultimately
transform their lives.
Though this novel is 13 years old, the prose is so lush and gorgeous that it never feels dated or cliche'd. I remember reading The Shadow of the Wind and being stunned at the excellence of the wordsmithing, and of the miracle of a translator who managed to keep the prose and the story arc tight and enthralling while translating the book from the original Spanish to English, no mean feat. The Angels Game wasn't as exciting as Shadow of the Wind, because it felt rushed to me as a reader. Prisoner of Heaven pulls out all the stops, though, and smoothly glides back to Shadow of the Wind's easy elegance and thrilling paragraphs of danger and intrigue. I loved each and every paragraph of Fermin's story, and as usual, felt as if Zafon's characters are so well written that they breathe off the page. This riveting story, brilliantly told, deserves an A, and a recommendation to anyone who read and loved the seductive Shadow of the Wind, and its Cemetery of Forgotten Books (which will tantalize bibliophiles the world over).
Queen of Thieves by Beezy Marsh is a post-WWII crime/adventures in gangland novel that follows women's POV in a male society bent on forcing women into slavish, subservient roles. Though the author's name sounds like some country-club scion from a wealthy family, (BEEZY?!? Really?), Marsh's prose is sturdy and earthy, and her plot as swift and straightforward as a razor. Here's the blurb: An electrifying historical adventure about a ring of bold and resourceful women thieves in post-World War II London.
Gangland was a man’s world. Or so they thought. The women knew different. London, 1946.
The city struggles to rebuild itself after the devastation of the
Blitz. Food is rationed, good jobs are scarce, and even the most honest
families are forced to take a bit of “crooked” just to survive.
Alice
Diamond, the Queen of Thieves, rules over her all-female gang with a
bejeweled fist. Her “hoisters” are expert shoplifters, the scourge of
London’s upscale boutiques and departments stores. Their lucrative
business stealing and fencing luxury goods always carries the threat of
violence; Alice packs a razor, and has been known to use her heavy rows
of diamond rings like brass knuckles.
Young Nell is a
teenager from the slums, hiding a secret pregnancy and facing a
desperately uncertain future when Alice takes her under her wing. Before
long, Nell is experiencing all the dangers—and glamorous
trappings—that comes with this underworld existence. Alice wants Nell to
be a useful weapon in her ongoing war against crime boss Billy
Sullivan’s gang of rival thieves. But Nell has a hidden agenda of her
own, and is not to be underestimated. The more she is manipulated by
both Alice and Billy, the more her hunger for revenge grows.
As
Nell embraces the rich spoils of crime and the seedy underbelly of
London, will she manage to carve out her own path to power and riches?
Might she even crown herself the Queen of Thieves?
Though the plot twist was easily deduced from the start of the novel (SPOILER, the rival gangs are run by a brother and sister who loathe one another), getting to that discovery proves quite intriguing, with fascinating characters forced by fate into questionable moral dilemmas. I found that the female protagonist's journey from a frightened, starving and pregnant foolish girl to a woman fully capable of supporting herself by thievery and ambition and street smarts to be utterly riveting stuff, especially at the time, when women were being boxed into strict societal roles of wives and mothers who were completely dependent on men for survival. Though the ending is a bit improbable and leaves things open for a vengeful sequel, I still felt that this gritty book deserves a B+ and a recommendation to those looking for an historical feminist POV in the mid-20th century. Kneading a Spark by Lia Duchaine is a self published romantic comedy by a local author whom I had the great good fortune to meet a few weeks ago. After chatting with Lia a bit, I bought her novel and the more gothic novel of the author next to her at the same table, who was also a local. I had high hopes for both books, but found that only Lia's was engaging and exciting, full of enthusiastic prose and memorable characters. Here's the blurb: Jasmine
Browne has been passionate about baking since she was four years old
whipping up brownies in her Easy Bake Oven. Now, twenty five years old,
she is a proud owner of her own baking company that she runs out of a
converted shed in her backyard. She keeps busy spending time with her
friends and working hard on her flourishing business but there is one
major distraction. And his name is Tanner Hayes. The adorably goofy,
attractive firefighter who has been her friend with benefits since they
met on their trip to the Bahamas a few months ago. Will she be able to
multitask keeping her business afloat and keeping her heart safely
intact?
Tanner Hayes was fourteen years old when he
decided he wanted to be a firefighter. If people ask he jokingly tells
them it’s to get women. Because who could resist all of that in a
uniform? But only a few people know the real reason why. He is happy
with where he is at in life. He has his best friends, who are
essentially family, and his steady job. And he has Jasmine. The feisty,
beautifully charming baker who has become his good friend. His good
friend that is also his friend with benefits. But it won’t be anything
more because relationships are a no go for him. How could he invite love
in to only have it ripped away from him….again.
This story of two closed off people who have walled up their hearts due to the trauma of losing loved ones, is especially pertinent in this day and age, when young people struggle with work/life balance and marriage/children and elderly parent care coming at them from both sides. Finding a well-paying job and working toward independence is a nearly Sisyphean
task under the oligarchical and fascist rule of our current clown/POTUS. Seeing these young people in this novel struggle and ultimately succeed is heartwarming and welcome after so much cynical or saccharine literature covering the same ground with ill effect. Lia never falls prey to either, and her delicious prose glides along a well-thought-out plot that never bogs down into info-dumping or repetition. All in all, I'd give this lovely rom-com an A, and recommend it to anyone looking for something fresh and fascinating in the realm of romantic literature.
No comments:
Post a Comment