Book Reviews

Book Reviews by Doris Mousdale

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Fire Deborah Challinor Harper Collins $35.99

Deborah Challinor has come up with a jolly good read in her latest novel Fire. Set in Auckland on the eve of the Queen’s visit in 1953. A group of women who work in a smart department store in lower Queen St are the core characters but it is their personal lives, what goes on in the store and the disastrous fire which make the story all hang together. Good sense of place and style and lots of details which add to the authenticity of the tale. I think this book will have wide general appeal and I heartily recommend it.

Miss Me A Lot Of Louise Wareham Leonard VUP

Louise Wareham Leonard tells her story of rich, spoilt Holly in a rather low-key style but it is this slightly off-hand approach which pulls you in to machinations of Holly’s family who have everything and the nouveaux riche neighbours who begin to affect their status quo. Dropped hints, incidents and a build up of tension just keep you reading- and you will not be disappointed. This is a book to be devoured in a couple of sitting and much talked about afterwards. Looks like the rise and rise of a very promising writer.

Divisadero Michael Ondaatje Bloomsbury $49.99

Anna, Claire and Coop live a somewhat isolated life on a farm in Northern California. Their self-sufficient way, interdependent on each other works fine until Anna and Coop fall into a relationship and their lives all go in different directions very quickly. It is the sense of dislocation and belonging that is Ondaatje’s forte and his tracking of their subsequent lives and how the break up has long-term effects which make this such a good read. The English Patient will always be his major work and Divisadero would be much raved about if Ondaatje had written it prior to the English Patient rather than after. It’s the problem of beating your best work which casts a bit of a shadow over the book. Nevertheless well worth adding to the bookshelf.

A Nest of Singing Birds Gregory O’Brien $59.99

Celebrating a 100 years of the School Journal this beautifully produced book with have great appeal for those who appreciate how good the authors and illustrators were who regularly contributed to the publication over all those years. Anyone who was anyone made their mark and a very definite New Zealand style comes through. This is a book researchers and collectors will want as well as those who have fond memories and an appreciation of the New Zealand School Journal.

The Diana Chronicles Century (Random) $37.99

Tina Brown has done the complete Diana saga in a cool, calm manner. Additional research adds to the story we are all familiar with. As this book was published to mark the 10th anniversary of her death, one would think this would be classed as the definitive book on the subject.

What is the What Dave Eggers Hamish Hamilton $36.00

Monumental is my phrase and as a fan of Dave Eggers this book is different but it delivers. Tale of a real life and real events wrapped up in a novel. As Valentino’s journey to the supposed safety of America is told Eggers reveals the horrors of war, the existence of the Lost Boys of Sudan and the many kilometre treks they attempted as the made a bid for freedom.

Twisting Throttle Australia Mike Hyde Harper Collins $36.99

The phone rang for details of this book as soon as I got back to the office. Riding round the edge of Australia Mike tells of the people he meets on the way the truck stop cafes and the endless empty roads in an endless empty country. Real blokes stuff but written with a sense of humour and he does have a good turn of phrase.

The Year We Seized the Day Elizabeth Best Colin Bowles Allen and Unwin $35.00

Two writers set off for the Pilgrims walk across the top of Spain a journey of some 1000 kms. The Camino Way or Santiago de Compestela. The interesting way they react to the quite arduous journey and the daily notes of events along the way and inner thoughts make good reading.

Dark Heart of Chicago William Horwood and Helen Rappaport Random House $36.99

Bit of a romp through the Chicago World Fair in 1893 as a young journalist attempts to discover just what is happening to the women who are going missing. She wants to give her story to Joseph Pulitzer the newspaper magnate so she teams up with a photographer and discover the dark underbelly of Chicago.

Spot of Bother Mark Haddon Random House $26.99

George discovers a lesion on his hip and imagines the worst. He then catches his wife having sex with someone he knows and his daughter wants to get married- again- to a man they are not sure of. All these incidents help put George into a downward spin. The trouble is everyone is far too busy to notice until he goes AWOL. Mark Haddon has caught the mood of a family falling to bits and turned it into a very readable and enjoyable story even through there are some quite black moments it all turns out for the best---eventually. Personally I think this is a far more substantial read than Curious Incident and heartily recommend it.

The Secret Rhonda Byrne Harper Collins $39.99

There is no arguing with the popularity of this book. It is one of those titles that capture the imagination of a wide range of people who can all take something from the wide selection of advice offered and make it work to their advantage in their own personal situation. It is the Power of Positive Thinking dressed up and embellished.

The Secret Rhonda Byrne DVD EMI $59.95

For those who take their advice via a screen this is the DVD of the book and comes complete with extended interviews and out-takes which will help you understand what The Secret is all about. The Secret DVD is top of the Bestseller list.

Dear to Me 100 New Zealanders Write About Their Favourite Poems Random House $36.99

All royalty proceeds to Amnesty International.

A clever idea well executed. This is a small flexi-hardback collection of 100 poems which have been selected by 100 New Zealanders as their favourite poem. The selection is good and the reasons for choosing the particular items makes very interesting reading and along with a donation of all the royalties from books sold going to Amnesty International New Zealand it is a project well worth supporting and a book well worth keeping .

A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini Bloomsbury $36.99

Fans of the bestselling book The Kite Runner will be delighted with Khaled Hosseini’s new book A Thousand Splendid Suns. This time he tells the story of male dominated war-torn Kabul through the lives of Miriam and Laila. This book is sad, brutal and enchanting in turns reflecting on the harshness and unfairness of the role women play in a place were men rule. Great discussion book for clubs and groups and a worthy successor to the Kite Runner.

Cry For Help Henning Wagenbreth Ginko Press $35.

This incredibly brightly illustrated book is almost a piece of folk-lore. The author has collected together examples of the scam emails from Nigeria and illustrated them with wood-cuts and lino-cuts. And yes, the sender’s of the emails are simply after your money but it is the florid and imaginative excuses that they present to rip you off that make this a very individual book. Do not get sucked in however plausible and never ever answer an email that in any way reads like one of these cries for help.

Miss Chopsticks Xinran Vintage (Random House) $35.00

Another fine book from the author who gave us Good Women of China, this time the story focuses on three of the daughters of a man unfortunate enough to have no sons only six daughters- called chopsticks because they are utilitarian and disposable. That is until daughters three five and six move to the big city and each spring holiday they return to the family home with more money than their father could ever dream of. During the time they live and work in the city they learn about the differences between the culture of town and country and life in general. An endearing read and as an extra note, the author, Xinran is married to the son of Mary Wesley and both were recently in Auckland for the Writer Festival to much acclaim.

The Castle in the Forest Norman Mailer Little Brown $36.99

This is a fascinating complicated story set around the premise of it was where Adolf Hitler came from and the family he belonged to which turned him into the most evil man of the 20th century.
Tracing back through a fictionalised version of his life Mailer tells the story via a German soldier who is the devil in disguise and it is only when it’s 1936 and Hitler is in power in Germany that he becomes his own devil.
If you are looking for a different cleverly executed and quite controversial read then this book ticks all those boxes.

Animal Vegetable Miracle: Our Year of Seasonal Eating Barbara Kingsolver

Faber and Faber $36.99

From the author of the Bean Trees and the bestselling Poisonwood Bible, a book that is part memoir part political treatise and part recipe book. Barbara and her husband decide the time is right to move from Tucson Arizona to the Appalachians where they own a piece of land. The family then decide that for a year they will grow and eat their own food and try to eat what is produced close by to where they live and of course eat food that is in season. On another dimension she explains what intensive factory farming is all about, the corn syrup debacle and much more. If you are quivering on the fence she will help you decide that there is a new and sensible way to eat. If you are hard core against going green then reading some of the essays with enlighten in a most persuasive way.

Highly recommended

Heart-Shaped Box Joe Hill Hachette $36.95

Son of Stephen King and an author who is following in his father’s scary footsteps.

A rich old rocker has a collection of the mad and macabre in his rambling house including real bones and a snuff movie. He is advised that there is a ghost for sale on the internet and it the suit of the ghost delivered to his house in a heart-shaped box. But this is no ordinary friendly ghost this is pure evil and scary and he gives Jude such a bad time that he is forced to run for his life. Black and scary not for the squeamish. Having said that it is very readable and it looks like Joe Hill son of Stephen has a good career ahead of him.

American Youth Phil LaMarche Picador $38.

Could be referred to as an anthem for young American men. This is a sad tale simply told

Playing or messing with guns leads to an accident and instead of standing by her son while he goes through the legal process the mother pressures him to lie and at school he is embraced by a group calling themselves “American Youth” who turn his head as he becomes a sort of hero. When he decides he must think- and decide for himself there are tough decisions to be made which make life complicated.

A choice between right and wrong shouldn’t be so hard.

This book reads like a modern version of Stand by Me a snapshot of small town American life.

Bad Luck and Trouble Lee Child Random House $36.99

Further adventures of Jack Reacher this time he is called back to help find an old friend only to discover something more sinister is going on and he might have to call on some of his military team to help him out. Fast, easy to read and always entertaining and page-turning.

Deadwood Stories of the Black Hills

David Milch
Bloomsbury $55.00

Whether you are a fan of the television series or just a western buff you will find hours of reading in Deadwood Stories of the Black Hills. The characters both real and created are fleshed out, details on how the series came to fruition and a synopsis of each of the episodes plus some wonderfully atmospheric photography make this a very collectable book.

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Lollipop Shoes

Joanne Harris
Random House $36.99

If you read and loved Chocolat then the sequel, Lollipop Shoes, should be on the top of your reading list. Anne and her daughters have settled into a quieter life on top of their chocolate shop until Zozie moves in and starts to change things-not always in the best interests of Yanne. Joanne Harris has a great affection for France and all things French which comes through in her writing. But it is the quirkiness of her characters and their situation which will make this book a popular and most probably bestselling read.

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The Woods

Harlan Coben
Orion $36.99

Harlan Coben has a string of good thrillers to his name and his latest “The Woods” adds to his reputation as an author who can take you into the thick of a story from the first page. Paul Copeland’s sister has long since disappeared under very sinister circumstances but just as his life has a little bit of normality the police discover a body which links Paul Copeland to the victim who was his sister’s boyfriend. Twenty years of mystery begin to unravel.

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A Curious Earth

Gerard Woodward
Jonathan Cape $44.99

Aldous is a widower whose children have moved away from home. After a particularly nasty fall and a close call with death he realises that he does want to live and so he begins his recuperation by visiting art galleries, taking a trip to visit his son, signing up for language class and finding a companion which proves to be a little more difficult. Gerard Woodward is completely underrated in New Zealand and deserves a far wider audience. The sequence of three novels of which, A Curious Earth is the third is something rather special.

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Badlands

Tony Wheeler
Lonely Planet $34.99

A trip through dangerous countries going as far as rating them for their “badness”. It is Wheeler’s - who began the whole Lonely Planet guide book business-laconic style that makes this book such a good read. Great for the chair bound intrepid traveller.

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It’s Me or the Dog

Victoria Stilwell
Harper Collins $33.99

Book of the television series and a timely reminder that there are very few bad dogs only bad owners who make the dogs and other folks lives misery. Victoria Stilwell’s method works and the book had become a bestseller. She covers all
aspects of training and behaviour in a very accessible way.

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The Solitude of Thomas Cave

Georgina Harding
Bloomsbury $35.00

Set in Greenland in 1616 this is the story of a wager between two of the ships crew of the Whaling vessel Heartsease which results in Thomas Cave staying behind as the ice cuts off the whaling seas of Greenland for the long dark winter. How do you survive in solitude and what to you remember and how hard is it to not have your love ones near. Wonderful storytelling form a first-time author make this a very special book.

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Trouble

Jesse Kellerman
Sphere $36.99

Son of Jonathan and Faye, Jesse comes with a good family pedigree. His clean sharp writing style makes the book a fast read and the story of the young would-be surgeon is a new angle on the crime victim. All in all a very competent and readable crime thriller.

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America’s Most Secret War

George Friedman $32.99

The paperback version of the book that delves into just what is going on behind the scenes in American security. George Friedman has the business that works with the government so he knows what he is talking about.

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Triksta

Nik Cohn, Random House $28.00

Nik Cohn is a well known music writer, in this book he visits New Orleans and discovers just why rap music is the music of the streets. He then decides to help a young guy get a recording contract and in doing so takes on the guise of Triksta, rap impresario. The most stunning chapter in the book for me was the description of the effects of Hurricane Katrina and how the people were basically abandoned until the scale of the disaster became known.

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Madeleines in Manhattan

Collette Rossant, Bloomsbury $35.00.

This is the third part of an autobiography that began with Apricots on the Nile and continued with Return to Paris,. Collette Rossant has now married and moves to America with her husband and has to learn a whole new way of living in post-war America. From living with her grandmother in Egypt and her mother in Paris, Collette had a mine of information which helped her establish herself as one of the most read food writers in a host of magazines her life is full of incident and she is an excellent raconteur. Well worth reading.

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Blowing Up Russia

Alexander Litvinenko & Yuri Felshtinsky, Gibson Square $39.99

First time the whole story behind the poisoning of ex-KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko has been told complete with background information and other deaths which have been part of the quiet revolution that has been going on in Russia as the fight for political power continues and at present it looks as tho the Secret Police have the upper hand. All fingers point to Putin being implicated. These real events are more outrageous than any storyline created by John LeCarre. The book is banned in Russia and Felshtinsky has offered his evidence to anyone who wants to challenge his testimony. An important book.

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Grotesque

Natsuo Kurino, Harvill $36.99

Chilling Japanese crime story based on the death of two prostitutes. The only connecting clue is that both women attended the same school years previously. The story unfolds via the diaries and journals of one of the victims. Kurino also wrote, Out the story of the woman who murdered her husband the got her friends to help dismember him. If you like Mo Heyder then you will enjoy being spooked by Natsuo Kurino.

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My French Life

Vicki Archer, Penguin $55.00

A beautifully produced book about life in France. Vicki Archer bought a 17th Century house on Provence and spent three years renovating and decorating it but also got involved in village life and the community and this book reflects that detailed and intimate knowledge. Packed with beautiful photographs A great gift book for any Francophile.

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Seasons of Sicily

Natalia Ravida, New Holland $49.99

Another well produced book that lives up to all expectations. From the printed fabric cover to the luscious photographs and recipes of traditional food from the Southern Italian region. You get the feeling these are family recipes which have been passed down for generations, practised and perfect and very tempting. Real food for real people and the presentation is excellent. Another very covetable book.

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Triumph of the Airheads and the Retreat of Commonsense

A look at culture and society and why we value celebrity over substance why people say stupid things and how politicians and chief executives believe in the Emperor’s Clothes. They surround themselves with less clever folk than themselves to make themselves appear more intelligent. It’s a fascinating read and a succinct summing up of modern day behaviour. Shelley Gere is a well respected Australian journalist and editor.

Maxed Out, Hard Times, Easy Credit

An unsubtle reminder that our spending is out of control and we are living in a “want it now” society The author points out that universities are loading students with debt. Corporations are targeting people with limited resources and getting them hooked on easy credit .More people in Australia are facing bankruptcy than ever before and Scurlock asks just what will it take for us all to rein in our bad monetary habits. Read like Fast Food Nation but for finance rather than food.

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Overboard

Gwyn Topham $37.99

A peek behind the scenes on the floating palaces. Whether it’s passengers lost overboard or whole boatloads of holidaymakers stricken with norovirus and confined to their cabins for the trip, or drinking above and beyond the call of duty Gwyn Topham has spoken to those have not had the most pleasant of experiences whilst at sea. Dream holiday or cruise from hell take your pick.

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Himalaya

With the TV series about to be shown the book of the programme makes a good companion. Packed with photos of the five countries the trip takes in, this is Palin at his best, Good with people, observant of the oddities one sees on travels and a good raconteur. Perfect for the armchair traveller and all those Palin fans who follow his every move. It is 15 years since Around the World in 80 Days and he has become the icon for timid adventurers worldwide.

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Rules for Old Men Waiting

Peter Pouncey $26.95

Rules for Old Men Waiting is the story of an old man getting ready to die. Sounds morbid but in fact it is a really nice story of recounting your past and the events in your life that influence what sort of person you become. It is a very moving and an intensely emotional read. MacIver’s wife has died and he now sets in motion a timetable for his own expected death, his own set of rules.

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Brief History of the Dead

Kevin Brockmeier $27.99

This book will set you thinking. Imagine a place where everyone ends up after they die. Looks normal, you do normal things but you are only kept alive by the memories of those you have left behind on earth. As you slip from the memory of those on earth your in-between world starts to crumble and you are closer to the next world. The Brief History of the Dead is a touching and magical tale with lots of quirky ideas. Reminds me a bit of Lovely Bones.

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Gone to Ground

Straight traditional crime story set in Cambridge England. Nasty murder and the victim may have been killed by an ill judged sexual encounter or again he may have been silenced to avoid a notable family being revealed as corrupt and with plenty of skeletons in their cupboards. It’s down to Det. Will Grayson and his sidekick Helen to come up with the right answers. Author ,John Harvey has written a truck load of novels and is behind many of the television crimes series. He has just been awarded the Golden Dagger, the Oscar for crime writers.

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The Song Before it is Sung

Justin Cartwright $37.99

As Conrad Senior goes through the archive of papers left to him he discovers the close friendship and ultimate betrayal of two friends during an historical event.

Based on the true story of Adam von Trott and Isaiah Berlin. Berlin’s denouncement of von Trott led to his execution when he and his fellow conspirator’s were executed for the failed attempt to kill Hitler in his bunker in July of 1944.

Well written on a serious subject Justin Cartwright has blended the actual with the imagines seamlessly...

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Affluenza

Oliver James $39.99

Fascinating look at modern society and the want and need culture and how “Keeping up with the Jones” has become an obsession . James visits New Zealand, Australia and China on his travels and reports back on the cult of self-capitalism

This book is extremely topical and he comes out with guns blazing about how we are working so hard to make ourselves unhappy. Well worth reading.

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The Quiet

Paul Wilson $34.95

From the author of the Little Book of Calm a new book on how to learn to meditate.

Broken up into three sections the book looks at how 13 minutes a day can get you back onto an even keel. If you like what you learn there is a second part to the book which takes you to a higher plane. Paul Wilson’s books have sold millions around the world and he will be in New Zealand to promote The Quiet.

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Miracle Foods for Kids

Well laid out and with lots of great ideas about getting your children to eat the foods that are most beneficial to them. The other bonus is that most of the foods are easy to buy and in season quite inexpensive in New Zealand. The book explains the benefits of eating these 25 miracle foods and how to get the best from them by incorporating them into everyday menus under various disguises. Doesn’t do adults any harm to follow the regime either. Full colour and tips and hints make it interesting for children to read too.

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Hollywood Station

First book for twenty year and all the action takes place in downtown Hollywood where the police station has as many odd characters passing through as does the movie lots. This is a story of the cops on the streets and the wacky crime that is just a way of life. Very enjoyable read with lots of laughs which come from the author’s very confident writing style.

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Winter of Frankie Machine

Don Winslow & William Heinemann $36.99

Set in San Diego this is a fast-paced thriller about a man who is well-loved in the community who gets pulled back into the criminal underworld after he has to pay back an overdue favour. When Frankie realises he is now on a hit list it becomes a matter of urgency that he gets the killer before the killer gets to him.

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The Religion

This is a cracking historical novel set around the time of the wars between the Turks and the Christians in the 16th Century, the time of the inquisition and all the turmoil of the Middle East. Tim Willocks’ tale is well researched and packed with extravagant detail, larger than life characters and real sense of scale of the Holy Wars which spread far and wide across continents.

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Arlington Park

Just what does go on behind the closed doors of a leafy English suburb. During the course of a day we see the hopes and private thoughts of the characters lives during an average day. Reading Arlington Park is just like being a nosy neighbour but with extra privileges.

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Home

A delightful story of an Indian family who own and work in the Banwari Lal Cloth Shop. As the children grow up and marry and have children of their own so the petty jealousies and complexities and living together develop. Home is a real taste of India and a heart-warming story of getting on with life and all it throws at a family.

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Neo Power

The New Economic Order are better educated, flexible in their careers and have access to lots of technological information. They are a growing part of the political scene in Australia and their beliefs can easily be transposed onto the Kiwi psyche. Neo Power is a catch up for all those who want to know just what are the social and political trends and where are they going and what would the future look like if they gained more power.

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Good Women

Jane Stephenson, Vintage $26.99

A collection of short stories each with a twist in the tale and a flourish of revenge. Great characters and clever writing makes Good Women a very enjoyable read.

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The Olive Route

Carol Drinkwater, Weidenfeld and Nicolson $37.99

This is Carol Drinkwater’s fourth book about her adventures in the Olvie growing business. This time she wants to track down the source of the oldest olive tree a journey which takes her from the comfort of the South of France to the other side of the Mediterranean where countries are in strife.

Armchair travel, well written and well worth reading.

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As Used on the Famous Nelson Mandela

Mark Thomas, Ebury Press $37.95

Sub titled, Underground Adventures in the Arms and Torture Trade, Mark Thomas sets of to discover just who the arms dealers are and why and how can you get hold of lethal equipment by crossing borders and flashing money around. He looks at who profits from the trade and who suffers. His no-nonsense style of writing and his forthright opinions are at once shocking and darkly funny. A thought provoking read.

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It Just Occurred To Me

Humphrey Littleton, Robson Books $39.95

More a memoir than an autobiography this collection of stories from jazz musician, radio host and cartoonist, recounts episodes from his wide and varied career and childhood. Witty erudite and a bit of a gem, fans of I’m Sorry I Haven't a Clue and The Best of Jazz will find that the taciturn presenter is a bit of a softie at heart

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