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Fiction A to Z
January 2014
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"There is a great deal of difference between an eager man who wants to read a book and a tired man who wants a book to read."
~ G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), English writer
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New and Recently Released!
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| The Apartment: A Novel by Greg BaxterAn unnamed American in an unnamed European city spends a day seeking a rental apartment with the help of a new acquaintance, a woman named Saskia -- and that's essentially the entirety of the plot in this methodical, meditative book. But the narrator's thoughts range broadly, from memories of deceased friends to ruminations on his time in Iraq, first in the Navy and then as a contractor. Though The Apartment will appeal the most to fans of thoughtful, character-driven novels, it should also interest readers who want to explore the role and perception of American power in the world. |
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| Brown Dog: Novellas by Jim HarrisonAs author Jim Harrison's followers know, Michigan's Upper Peninsula has long been home to Brown Dog, a partly Native American man who lives more or less off the grid, desires mostly sex and booze, and subsists on odd jobs and handouts. Harrison has been publishing stories featuring Brown Dog since 1990; this anthology collects all those previously published and adds one new story, making this a good place for newcomers to start and faithful fans to get comfortable with "one of literature's great characters" (Publishers Weekly). |
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| Someone Else's Love Story: A Novel by Joshilyn JacksonSingle mother Shandi Pierce and her genius three-year-old son are stocking up on snacks at a gas station when they become the hostages of the none-too-bright punk trying to hold it up. Fellow hostage William Ashe saves the day, however, which prompts Shandi to fall in love with him and care for him upon his release from the hospital. But this isn't a romance novel, and Shandi might not get her happy ending. With vivid characters and thoughtful, often funny writing, this enjoyable novel takes on faith, love, and the unpredictability of life in a manner that is "both graceful and tender" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| Morning Glory by Sarah JioTwo years after losing her husband and their daughter in an accident she blames herself for, Ada Santorini leaves New York for Seattle in search of solace. Her rental unit -- a houseboat on Lake Union -- provides some distraction. Not only has she learned that her home once belonged to a woman named Penny who disappeared in 1959, but she's discovered a trunk full of Penny's belongings. In addition to Ada's slow search for redemption, flashbacks add suspense to the story of Ada's efforts to resolve the story of Penny's disappearance, despite resistance from her neighbors. |
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| We Need New Names: A Novel by NoViolet BulawayoTen-year-old Darling used to go to school, but as Zimbabwe falters under a violent regime, she and her friends spend much of their time stealing fruit from rich neighborhoods (and hiding as gangs invade the homes). Though their lives are chaotic, they find stability of sorts in each other and their games; when Darling is sent to America, it's not the panacea she expected. Her frank observations of the differences between the two countries make it clear that, despite her opportunities, she may not be better off. Debut author NoViolet Bulawayo is a writer to watch; the short story that became this novel's first chapter won the Caine Prize, also known as "the African Booker," in 2011. |
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| The House Girl by Tara ConklinThis debut novel offers the stories of two women -- ambitious Lina Sparrow, a first-year law associate in Manhattan, and Josephine Bell, a house slave in pre-Civil War Virginia. Lina is looking for a poster-child plaintiff for a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the descendants of slaves, and that search brings her attention to Josephine, who may have been the real artist behind paintings attributed to her mistress. With a focus that shifts effortlessly between the 21st and 19th centuries, The House Girl is "assured and arresting" (Chicago Tribune). |
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| The Good Luck Girls of Shipwreck Lane by Kelly HarmsJanine Brown of Cedar Falls, Iowa, has just been announced as the winner of a dream home in Maine, which is great news for her -- or them, as it turns out. Yep, there are two Janine Browns, and while the network running the sweepstakes figures out how to handle it, Janey Brown and Nean Brown (two very different people) head to Maine, where they discover that their differences might make for a very strong bond -- well, once they get past their mutual antipathy. Both women (and Janey's spirited great aunt Midge) are wonderfully distinct characters you'll root for. |
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| Truth in Advertising by John KenneyThough successful at his job in advertising, Fin Dolan is nevertheless a bit lost, struggling with encroaching middle age and a broken engagement. He'd planned on spending Christmas in Mexico (alone), but the universe (and his boss) has other plans for him. Laboring under an emergency work assignment (a Super Bowl commercial for biodegradable diapers), Fin learns that his estranged, abusive father has landed in the hospital, and no other family member wants to help. Having stumbled through life 'til now, Fin begins to reevaluate the choices he's made, making for "a surprisingly funny novel about an adult American male finally becoming a man" (Library Journal). |
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| Reconstructing Amelia: A Novel by Kimberly McCreightAs in Megan Abbott's Dare Me, Kimberly McCreight's debut novel is a dark and disturbing look at the secret lives of teenaged girls. Reconstructing Amelia centers on the apparent suicide of high-achieving 15-year-old Amelia. Not long after her death, however, her mother, litigation lawyer Kate Baron, receives an anonymous text saying "Amelia didn't jump." Leveled by grief, Kate reconstructs the pieces of Amelia's life to find the truth and vindicate her daughter's memory. Alternating perspectives between Kate and Amelia, as well as Amelia's email messages and Facebook posts, ratchet up the suspense. |
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| Good Kings Bad Kings: A Novel by Susan NussbaumThe Illinois Learning and Life Skills Center is a nursing home for physically and mentally disabled young people; its administrators are profit-driven and negligent, though there are a few employees -- the bus driver, the data entry clerk -- who truly care for their charges. The kids, each with frustrations and goals of their own, are complex and well-depicted characters who take turns narrating chapters, as do a few others. Together, their stories expose the flaws in the system and the dirty secrets and horrifying actions of those in charge. Written by a playwright and disability rights activist, this galvanizing debut won the 2012 PEN/Bellwether Prize for Socially Engaged Fiction. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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