New Book Clips.  brief notes 'n quotes on books recently received and reviewed in the Meredith News.                                       
(source note: PW is Publsihers Weekly; BL is Booklist; Az is Amazon.com; Jkt is book jacket).

Heard a good book lately? (6/13/06) Recorded books that make for good listening.  
Two Little Girls in Blue by Mary Higgins Clark.  A chilling tale of kidnapping, murder and telepathy.
Marley and Me by John Grogan.  A delightful tribute to a lovably naughty, hyperactive lab puppy.
Beach Road by James Patterson. In the Hamptons, a small-time lawyer defends a sports star accused of murder.
The Husband by Dean Koontz.  A man has less than three days to get $2 million in cash for his kidnapped wife.
The Messiah of Morris Avenue by Tony Hendra. An offbeat novel about the 2nd Coming. Satire with heart.  
Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins.  Newberry winner and a great coming of age story for middle and high school readers.
The Chronicles of  Narnia by C. S. Lewis.  All seven stories of the popular series. 

In the News (6/6/06). Deep background on current events.
Kingdom Coming by Michelle Goldberg. Deconstructs "dominion theology."
The Great Deluge by Douglas Brinkley.  Hurriance Katrina and its aftermath,
Cobra II by Michael Gordon. Impeccably researched account of the Iraq invasion—from concept to insurgency.
American Theocracy by Kevin Phillips. Has the G.O.P. has become "the first religious party in U.S. history?"
Game of Shadows by Mark Fainaru-Wadda.  Bonds, BALCO and baseball--the complete story.   
The Devils Highway by Luis Urrea. The human face of the immigation debate.  
The Girls who Went Away by Anne Fessler.  Women who gave up their babies before abortion.
Holy Blood Holy Grail  by Michael Baigent.  Back-story to the Da Vinci Code. Reads like a mystery novel.

Novels (5/31/06). Prize winners, critical raves, and popular favorites.
Theft: A Love Story,  by Peter Carey. A  magnificent high-stakes art heist by the Booker prize winner.
The Elements of Style by Wendy Wasserstein.  Witty look atNew Yorkers by the Pulitzer prize winner.  
Suite Francaise byIrene Némirovsky.  A long lost masterwork restored, with rave reviews. 
Absurdistan by Gary Shteyngart. Highly praised satire. The American dream, as experienced by Russian emigres.
Digging to America by Anne Tyler. Two families converge, each awaiting an adopted Korean baby girl.  
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult. Dante's Inferno, through the eyes of a Maine family.
Mendocino by Anne Packer (The Dive From Clauson's Pier). Stories with a sharp eye for human self-deception.
This Granite Island by Sarah Stonich.  Love and adventure set in a frontier mining town. A rich debut. 

Gumshoes.  Recent crime fiction,  by genre so you can find the style that suits your taste.
The Golden Tomb by Elizebeth Peters (cozy).  Peters delivers an irresistible mix of archeology, action, and humor
The Cat who Dropped a Bombshell by Lilian Jakcson Braun (cozy). Money, a greedy heir and cats. 
The Hard Way by Lee Child (hard-boiled), Jack Reacher seeks a kidnapped daughter and her rophy wife mother.
Dark Harbor by Stuart Woods. A family is dead. Local cops say accident. Stone Brannigan suspects murder.
Heart of the World by Linda Barnes. (hard-boiled)  Carlotta Carlyle's little sister Paolina has disappeared.
The Fallen by T. Jefferson Parker (procedural)  The San Diego Ethics Unit uncovers corruption.
Dead Watch by John Sandford (thriller). Virginia senator Lincoln Bowe is missing.  Foul paly is suspected.
Vanished by Karen Robards (thriller). A witness to a  robbery vanishes.
Promise Me by Harlan Coben (thriller). A  chance encounter leads Myron Bolitar into a frantic pursuit.  
False Impression by Jefrrey Archer (thriller). When 9/11 strikes,  two cons sees an opportunity for art theft.
Blood Hunt by Ian Rankin (thriller).  A dead reporter and a possible cover-up. 
The Death of Achilles by Boris Akunin (historical). ATsarist agent investigates the demise of a war-hero.

Nonfiction by the Number (5/16/06).  Recent non-fiction by Dewey Decimel categories!
What, Your’re Wearing That! (100. Psychology) by Deborah Tannen. Miscommunication between moms  and daughters.
The Great Transformation (200. Religion) by Karen Armstrong. The emergence of religious teachings based on compassion.
Self-Made Man (300. Social Science) by Nora Vincent.  The author spent a year disguised as a man.
Plausibility of Life  (500. Science) by Mark Kirschner.  A sensible explanation of how natural selection occurs.
The Omnivore’s Dilemma (600. Applied Science) by Michael Pollen.  Too many food choices, not all of them good. 
Arts and Crafts (700. Arts) by Judith Miller.  “A well-organized catalog of guilds and designers.
The Accidental Empire (900. History) by Gershom Gorenberg. “How the West Bank Gordian knot developed.”
A Godly Hero (Biography) by Michael Kazin. Bryan was ”an eloquent voice for anti-imperialism and refrom.

Heroines (5/9/06). Compelling heroines, including an unlikely one from real life.
We are All Welcome Here by Elizabeth Berg.  A polio victim and her 13-year-old heal family hurts and racial wrongs.
Saving the World by Julia Alvarez'.  Two women living two centuries apart have their fates tied to humanitarian missions.
An Unreasonable Woman by Diane Wilson. Battling polluters on the Texas Gulfcoast shrimping beds.  
Blues Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith. "Traditionally built" Botswana detective Precious Ramotswe returns.
Challenger Park by Stephen Harrington. A women astronaut must juggle career, family and the perils of space travel.
My Latest Grievance by Elinor Lipman. A 16-year-old child of two hippie professors is the heroine of this comedy of manners

Tales for Teens (5/2/06).  Fun fiction for young adults.
Criss Cross by Lynne Rae Perkins ((Newbery Medal). Childhood friends facing the crossroads of life.
Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson.  Max & her friends are on the run from predators.
Maxium Ride: School’s Out  by James Patterson.  Max and her flock fly south on a perilous quest to find their parents.
Inside the Mind of Gideon Rayburn by Sarah Miller. Gid’s every thought is channeled by one of the girls he dreams about.
The Homework Machine by Dan Gutman. When Brenton invents a  machine that does homework, complications ensue.
Ghost Sitter by Peni Griffin.  Susie is a ghost and doesn't know it,  the victim of a firecracker accident 50 years ago.


Archive of 2006 and 2005 reviews.