The Best of Times

After falling off the wagon for way too long, I'm back and hoping to start flying through some books this summer! I promise my love of reading has not diminished; the past few months have just been busy as I settled in at a new job and books unfortunately took a back seat. Skimming through this week's Times, I was really excited to see that Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter finally arriving in bookstores. I first heard about this book a few months ago and am excited it is here in time for summer travel. From Italy in the 1960s to Hollywood in present day, this story stems from the meeting of an American starlet and an inn keeper, and his reappearance several decades later. Apparently the storytelling and cast of characters keeps this out of "fluff" territory while still digging into the ups and downs of Hollywood. Coupled with a rave review from The Times, I cannot wait to get my hands on this novel and settle in for a great read.

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The Best of Times

One hundred years have passed since Titanic sank and with the re-release of the epic Titanic film in 3D, it seems to be only the beginning of the rebirth of interest in this disaster. This week in the Times, two books about this topic were spotlighted: Gilded Lives, Fatal Voyage by Hugh Brewster and Shadow of the Titanic by Andrew Wilson. Based on the reviews, it sounds like both offer a deeper look into the world at the time of this disaster as well as profiling the lives of those aboard. For anyone looking to go deeper than Kate and Leo, you should check out these two titles.

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The Best of Times

There were a few reviews that caught my attention in this week's book review. From the future of the United States to a revised history of 9/11, I was captivated by the real and fictional alike. The book I was most struck by though was No Time Like the Present by Nadine Gordimer. The story follows Steve and Jabulile who married when interracial unions were illegal under apartheid. Digging into their lives in the aftermath of this change, Gordimer draws from her in-depth knowledge of the region to construct a detailed picture of family and society and all the hopes and disappointments that come with such a large cultural shift.

Read the full review by Francine Prose

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The Best of Times

Apologies for the two week gap! Between vacation and starting a new job, I was a little behind with the blogging--though I have read a few good books in between! I have a bunch of reviews I need to take care of so look forward to some good reads coming your way shortly. (If you don't want to wait for the write-up, you can always check out the section of recently read to skip ahead.)

To get back on track and give you some potentially new material to stick your nose in, I'll jump in with today's Times. The bold colors of an advertisement on a right-hand page caught my attention but the description I read online made me add it to my to-read list. The Land of Decoration by Grace McCleen follows a 10-year-old girl through the turmoil of her family's life. The power of her beliefs carries her through day to day and her convictions solidify to the point she believes she's God's chosen instrument. She supplements her world by creating a miniature of the Promised Land which buoys her up in the turbulence. Perhaps an unusual choice compared to my normal reads, I'm interested to see how such a young protagonist and such a powerful religious story mix together in this debut.

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The Best of Times

Even before reading Robert Massie's Catherine the Great, I had a minor obsession with all things related to Russian czars. So when I saw Kathryn Harrison's Enchantments in the Times yesterday, I immediately added it to my to-read list. Following the story of Rasputin's daughter Masha, this tale promises a different side of the typical Romanov telling. The burgeoning friendship between Masha and the youngest Romanov, Aloysha, takes center stage while Masha's storytelling buoys spirits in the midst of the doom that eclipses the royal family. I love that it takes a different perspective and am excited to delve a little deeper into Rasputin's family through this work of fiction.

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The Best of Times

Front and center with a double-page spread at the front of the Book Review, The Expats by Chris Pavone clearly has the support of his publisher. My mom actually alerted me to this release last week when she heard he went to Cornell (Go Big Red!), so it wasn't a true discovery yesterday morning but I was still excited to see it in such prominent placement. The story revolves around ex-CIA agent Kate Moore who relocates to Luxembourg with her family. Suspicious about another couple, and even her husband's activities, she becomes embroiled in the search to uncover their secrets and all that goes with it. With endorsements from John Grisham, Patricia Cornwell, and Olen Steinhauer, the parallels drawn are clear-- this is hopefully a new powerhouse to add to the rotation of great  spy thrillers.

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The Best of Times

I try to keep up with new books coming out and what the industry is most excited about, but this week I was actually surprised by one that had somehow slipped under my radar: Pure by Julianna Baggott. This is a dystopian young adult novel centered in a world changed by mass detonations and delves into the resulting aftermath. With a heroine flanked by two male counterparts, they try to exist outside the established order and figure out this new world. Characterized with a "brisk pace" and "exquisite precision of her prose," it seems that this novel and the world created within it are captivating. From the review, there are pretty obvious parallels to the bestselling Hunger Games series and with movie rights already established, it may be well on its way to achieving similar success.

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The Best of Times

What do you read when you travel: impressive, classic works or lighter, more entertaining fare? That was the discussion in Dominique Browning's New York Times article this weekend. Though it was in the travel section, it could have been just as easily found in the book review as well since it focused on high-flying literature. I loved this piece because this is truly the debate I have every time I pack to go on a flight. Do I bring the chick lit, historical fiction or mystery? Or do I bring the biography I've been meaning to read? I learned, just like she did, that the flight seems to pass a lot faster when you are legitimately engaged. I also make sure to start the book before I leave just in case it's really not that gripping. The only thing worse than turbulence is being incredibly bored and not having another book to read.  All I can hope is that people around me reserve their judgement on my book choice if I go for fluff; that's probably the real motivation behind the popularity of e-readers!

High Brow Lit for High Fliers? Not Me

The Best of Times

"Downton Abbey" fever is spreading! With recent reports that Shirley MacLaine has signed on for season three and Twitter exploding with every episode, this show is still gaining momentum. I have to be honest that several people recommended this show right when it began but I never added it to the line-up. I will catch up at some point by watching the DVDs, but in the meantime, the Times did a great job of finding three books that feature this exclusive world.  One is a direct counterpart to the show while the other two are being re-released; one covers the upstairs world, and one the downstairs. Top of my list is Margaret Powell's Below Stairs which was the inspiration  for "Upstairs, Downstairs" and "Downton Abbey." Originally written in 1968, it is still considered one of the best perspectives of the class relationships found in manors. Adding a little non-fiction to the dramatic mix on "Downton Abbey" is sure to make this world all the more intriguing.

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Also from the review:
The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes
Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey by the Countess of Carnarvon

The Best of Times

The Book Review section might be my favorite part of the Sunday New York Times.  The ads, the reviews, the lists and the essay at back- what's not to love for a bookworm?  With that in mind, I thought it would be fun to regularly share the book I am most excited for that's found in the Book Review each week since you can't see my dog-eared corners. Just to be clear, I have not read the book yet but it is my pick of the week that I want to read.  This week's is A Grown-Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson, a family saga focusing on three generations of women and the secrets they keep.  With a combination of mystery and Southern drama, it sounds like a fun read.

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