My Summer Reading List

As is typical for me, I went from nonfiction selections to fiction books this past summer.  Some turned out to be great choices, others not so great.  Rather than writing lengthy reviews and summaries, I will provide a list of the books I read with just a brief description of what the book was about and if it was worth reading.

Ten Men Dead: The Story of the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike by David Beresford

A powerful and balanced coverage of the 1981 Hunger Strike at H Block Prison in Belfast.  A portrait of strife-torn Ireland and the IRA, as well as an intensely human story of the ten ordinary men who were overtaken by extraordinary events. .
Highly recommended.
 
Eva Gabrielsson, Common Law wife of Stieg Larsson, the author of the Millenium Trilogy tells her story.  Here is the real inside story—not the one about the Stieg Larsson phenomenon, but rather the love story of a man and a woman whose lives came to be guided by politics and love, coffee and activism, writing and friendship.

If you want to know the story behind the author of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a must read. 

 

The World at Night by Alan Furst  

My first venture into this series.  This is the first book in the series called Jean Casson series.   A brilliant re-creation of France during the German Occupation and how Parisians learned to cope with the situation.  Peaked my interest enough to continue with this series.

 

 

 

 

The Man Who Loved Books Too Much: The True Story of a Thief, a Detective, and a World of Literary Obsession by Allison Hoover Bartlett

 

I would categorize myself as someone who loves books, but not to the extent that I would steal the books.  This bibliophile just liked to possess the books, not read them.

 

 

 

Murderous Procession by Arianna Franklin

 

This is the fourth in the Mistress of the Art of Death series.  You can read my previous reviews of the earlier volumes.  The fact I am continuing to follow this series should speak volumes (no pun intended).

 

 

  

The Dracula Dossier by James Reese

 

Avoid this one.  Enough said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Garden of Beasts by Erik Larson

 

Erik Larson is one of my favorite nonfiction writers that has a gift of finding through meticulous research some of the fascinating stories behind major historical events.  This one is set in Berlin during the rise of the Third Reich.  A great read.  A copy of this book is in the RHS collection.

11th and 12th Grade Summer Reading List

11th and 12th Grade Summer Reading List

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RHS 10th Grade Summer Reading List

RHS 10th Grade Summer Reading List

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RHS 9th Grade Summer Reading List

RHS 9th Grade Summer Reading List

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The King's Speech by Mark Logue

The King's Speech by Mark Logue

As I have mentioned many times before in relation to the books I read, they are inspired by a movie.  If you have seen the Academy Award winning film you know what a tremendous story this is.  Mark Logue is the grandson of Lionel Logue, the "Man who saved the British Monarchy."  Logue came upon his grandfather's diaries, which inspired the film to be made and this compelling story to be written. 

The King's Speech recounts an inspiring real-life tale of triumph over adversity, when an Australian elocutionist/actor taught a British king with a crippling speech defect how to speak to his subjects.  "Bertie", the younger brother and second in line to the throne, suffers from a severe stammer.  He withstands ridicule from his father, George V, as he grows up.  When his older brother abdicates the throne for the love of Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee, Bertie becomes the reluctant monarch.  Some people seek fame, and others, like George VI, has it thrust upon him. 

This story shows a side of the British royal family, that one seldom sees.  What really brings this story to life is the use of primary sources, the letters, correspondence and photographs between George VI and Lionel Logue.  These letters reveal a very compassionate monarch who cared deeply for his country and its people, as well as the very genuine  friendship, loyalty and devotion he developed with Lionel Logue.  This unique story is so well told that you honestly feel like you have gotten to know these two very different men, who became close friends, and you don't want them to leave.

This is a case where I would highly recommend you see the film as well as read the book.  Don't worry, one will not spoil the other for you.   

The Bullpen Gospels by Dirk Hayhurst

BULLPEN GOSPELS: Major League Dreams of a Minor League Veteran by Dirk Hayhurst

I picked up this book because of Keith Olbermann claiming it was one of the best baseball books ever.  And as an avid baseball fan, I do enjoy reading books written by past players or knowledgeable individuals of the game.  Overall I enjoyed Bullpen Gospels, but there were moments during Hayhurst's narrative that I felt he went overboard in his descriptions.  I have never been a fan of so-called gross out or "toilet" humor, whether in books or movies.  A little bit of this type of humor goes a long way, and Hayhurst could have easily mentioned these moments in his minor league career in fewer words.  It doesn't take much to get the picture when mentioning these examples of "growing up", he didn't need to spend half a chapter describing it.

Overall, Hayhurst does capture the absurdities, the antics, and the bizarre humor that comes out when you spend a summer with a busload of teenage or young adult ball players.  There are moments when you find yourself humbled and chocking up, especially when he describes a phone conversation with his alcoholic brother,  who is asking to be forgiven.  It is these moments of hard-won wisdom that salvages the book for me.

The Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg

Ice Princess by Camilla Lackberg

Promoted as another Steig Larsson, I was looking forward to reading this novel from a new Swedish author. While it stands on its own as a crime novel, it did not begin to match the intricacy, complexity or the character development that made Larsson's Millenium trilogy so compelling.

Lackberg's novels have become the #1 bestsellers in Sweden. Ice Princess was awarded the Grand Prix de Litterature Policiere for best international crime novel. Ice Princess is the first in a series of what will be seven novels by Lackberg set in the Swedish coastal town of Fjallbacka, and featuring her female protaganist, Erica Falck.

Erica has to return home to Fjallbacka after the death of her parents. But things start getting more interesting when an estranged childhood friend is found dead in her bathtub with both wrists slashed. I don't think I would be giving anything away by telling that it is not a suicide. The secrets that lie behind her friend's murder is what will keep you guessing for awhile. Another childhood friend of Erica's, a police detective, Patrik Hedstrom, begins to investigate and naturally a relationship reignites.

But a subplot, involving her sister and brother-in-law, does hold some promise for future volumes. The personality of the brother-in-law could prove to be an interesting villain, if Lackberg chooses to follow that particular thread in future novels about Erica. While this debut novel may offer some promise and possibilities, don't go into this novel expecting anything as intricate or intriguing as Steig Larsson's novels.