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Book Nook provides readers with insights into the world of books. Vick Mickunas takes you into the center of the publishing world with the latest book buzz, book reviews, and exclusive chats with authors..Home > Blogs > Book Nook > Archives > 2009 > October > 04 > Entry
These are tasty…
Autumn always brings an abundance of books. So many hardcover titles are published — new paperbacks can get lost in the shuffle. Here are some that are well worth checking out.
“Sea of Poppies” by Amitav Ghosh (Picador, 543 pages, $15). This magnificently wrought historical novel is the first of a planned trilogy. Set in 1830s India, Ghosh conjures a colorful world of sailors, smugglers, peasants, and aristocrats; populating a land of intrigue and corruption. The Indian opium trade of that time forms the centerpiece — the author carves an elaborate plot pitting the poor and virtuous against sinister forces grasping for power and wealth.
“The Secret Life of Words — How English Became English by Henry Hitchings (Picador, 440 pages, $17). Have you ever wondered where the English language came from? This entertaining book reveals the origins of words that we use every day. You will be amazed to discover how much our language has evolved. Our incredible hodgepodge of words was borrowed from more than 350 languages. English keeps changing even after 1,500 years.
“Home” by Marilynne Robinson (Picador, 325 pages, $14). Robinson wrote “Gilead,” a luminous novel about life in a small town in Iowa. This book forms a companion piece to it. It is the story of a family, and it echoes the themes within the Biblical parable of “The Prodigal Son.”
In an interview, Robinson told me: “I think the feelings and behaviors that sustain families are much more complex and interesting and individual than conflict or fracture. The emphasis on dysfunction that has been so strong since Freud has distracted attention from the bonds and rituals and so on that are much more central to people’s experience of life. I think any writer wants to defy stereotypes. But we are not of one mind about what is stereotypical.”
“Loot — the Battle Over the Stolen Treasures of the Ancient World” by Sharon Waxman ( Times Books, 414 pages, $17). Our museums are filled with ancient treasures from distant lands, mummies from Egypt, Greek vases, Etruscan statues. Have you ever wondered how all these treasures came to be where they are? Apparently, some of them were stolen. Now, some people are trying to get treasures back where they belong. “Loot” offers a birds-eye view of how so many ancient artifacts were removed from places around the world.
“Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon — a Guide to the Best Time to Buy This, Do That and Go There” by Mark Di Vincenzo ( Harper, 172 pages, $13.99). This book offers advice on the best times to partake in various endeavors. For example, the author claims that the best time to fill up your gas tank is on Wednesday mornings. The best month to buy a camera? February. The best month to buy tools? June. The best time to brush your teeth? About an hour after you eat. I wonder when he thinks people should read his book? No better time than the present, right?
Vick Mickunas
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Comments
By beastmomma
October 5, 2009 11:09 AM | Link to this
I love reading your list of favorite’s Vick!