]]> euroms48 Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:20:29 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=7590&BlogID=126&BlogPostID=9826 The Devil's Star by Jo Nesbo. In this novel, Nesbo's Norwegian detective, Harry Hole, is crumbling under the stress of not being able to resolve the murder of his partner. A series of new murders, by what appears to be a serial killer, may be Harry's last case, as his drinking and absence from work may leave him with out a job. In spite of all his faults, however, Harry is still a character we want to succeed. Nesbo is a very effective writer, and his complex but fast moving plot makes you want to keep reading. Try this amazing series from one of the newest stars in the detective genre.

]]> euroms48 Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:31:10 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=7590&BlogID=126&BlogPostID=9705 The Greater Journey:Americans in Paris by David McCullough. If you have ever been to Paris, celebrated American historian, David McCullough's latest book will have you wanting to go back, and if you haven't been there, you'll want to go. During the 19th century American painters, sculptors, musicians, aspiring doctors, and statesmen travelled to Paris in droves, seeking inspiration from its fine museums and acclaimed schools. In spite of a very chaotic political climate, Paris had become a center for the very latest ideas and trends in the arts and sciences. McCullough has conjured up a splendid picture of the city through the eyes of these young Americans, but the real stars of the volume are the Americans themselves. Like characters in a novel, their stories are exciting, compelling, and many times, surprising. I lived for three years not ten miles from Cornish, New Hampshire, where American sculptor, Augustus Saint-Gaudens, had a home and studio. I never visited it, however, because I had no idea who Saint-Gaudens was, nor of his importance in the art world of his time. McCullough's style of writing is clear and well-organized, very easy to read for history. I especially enjoyed the sections about the young doctors who went to Paris to study. The history of American medicine owes a lot to the French! You might never get to Paris for real, but this book definitely takes you there for free.  

]]> euroms48 Sat, 24 Sep 2011 11:14:22 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=7590&BlogID=126&BlogPostID=9673 ]]> euroms48 Sat, 17 Sep 2011 13:46:47 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=7590&BlogID=126&BlogPostID=9649 A Trick of Light  the series picks up on the day that Clara Morrow is about to have her long awaited art show in a prestigious gallery in Montreal.  The exhibit is followed by a barbeque party celebration in Three Pines.  The next morning as Clara sits in her garden awaiting her husband Peter’s arrival with the much anticipated newspaper reviews, a murdered woman’s body is discovered in their garden. Chief Inspector Gamache and Jean-Guy Beauvoir are called to Three Pines to investigate. Readers can expect to be drawn into the hidden darker side of the Canada’s glittering art world, one in which completion between artists can have deadly consequences. Penny is at her usual brilliance in developing the tone and setting for her characters.  Readers can expect the pleasure of being in the good company of Penny’s Three Pines characters and the satisfaction of an absorbing well written mystery.  

]]> missy-librarian Tue, 13 Sep 2011 17:07:32 GMT http://engagedpatrons.org/Blogs.cfm?SiteID=7590&BlogID=126&BlogPostID=9617   Embassytown by China Mieville.  Humans on a strange planet in the far distant future have forged a sort of alliance with the indigenous population, called Ariekei. In order to communicate with the creatures, pairs of Ambassadors have to be matched and trained to speak the Ariekei's unusual language. As you may have guessed this is science fiction, but it is also a book which challenges the reader to look at speech, communication, and writing in new ways. Mieville has created a world that takes a few chapters to absorb, but once you're there, the story effectively carries you along, and you find yourself rooting for his compelling heroine Avice to save her planet from destruction. Want something different? This novel is definitely that.

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