Recently Nominated Books
In 1851, Fredrika Bremer requested that the Swedish Consulate find her a home in which to stay on a visit to Cuba, a country she thought would offer the best of the New World. When she arrived, she experienced both its beauty—colorful vegetation and fireflies—and its reality—masters and slaves. Wealthy young girls behind curtained windows embroidered hope chest items for marriages planned when they turned 14. Prose poetry presents the points of view of Cecelia, the young pregnant slave who translates Spanish to English for Fredrika, Fredrika, and Elena, the young lady of the house. Remarkable figurative language and distinct imagery create insight into their universal conditions. Lynda Adamson
This remarkable book details the history of America's first and longstanding terrorist group, the Ku Klux Klan. With Bartoletti's voice the story reads like a narrative yet provides all the well-researched information about this group that is, shockingly, still with us. Bartoletti remains as balanced as one can be with a subject this dark - no easy task. Backmatter is voluminous as Bartoletti left no stone unturned in her research. Photos and newspaper illustrations from the the time helps the horror hit home. Vignettes from victims of the KKK are a nice punctuation throughout the book. To me, this may be the most important book of the year. The hood is finally thrown off and we see what lurks beneath. Joan Kindig
Jace and his brother,Christian, have had it tough growing up watching their father beat their mother for the most minor of infractions. Christian inserts himself between his parents and his father's rage turns on him. Fearing for his life (figuratively and literally), Christian takes off and with the help of friends, builds a new life for himself. Through occasional letters, Christian has stayed in touch with his mother so when Jace finds himself in the same predicament years later, she sends Jace to his brother. The boys try to rebuild a lost relationship, find out if violence runs in the family, and come to the aid of their mother. But can she be saved? This is a riveting audiobook about the impact abuse has on a family. Joan Kindig
A Monkey blissfully reads his book while the Jackass continually interrupts him for clarification. How do you scroll down? Do you blog with it? Clearly the Jackass thinks it is an electronic device and Monkey patiently points out that it is not electronic at all but so much more. When the thick-headed Jackass promises that he will "charge it up when I'm done!" the Monkey politely but pointedly tells him..."You don't have to.....it's a book, Jackass." All of us can identify with Monkey who loves his books for their content, not its bells and whistles. This book is understated and hilarious. The art is perfectly matched to the spare, quiet dialogue but the package has a lot of punch. Joan Kindig
Paul is a bit of a misfit in his high school in London. He comes to the attention of the school bully, Roth, whose reputation is nowhere near as frightening as he really is. Roth sends Paul to a rival gang to deliver a package whose content enflames the violence between the gangs with Paul, unwittingly, smack in the middle. This gritty portrayal of gang violence in schools and teachers who do nothing to stop it is visceral and gut-wrenching. Not for the faint of heart. Joan Kindig
In a brutal post-fossil-fuel future Nailer and his salvage crew live at subsistence level by scavenging scrap from hulks of “old world” tankers and freighters. Nailer’s life reaches a crossroads when he finds a shipping magnate's daughter trapped in the valuable wreckage of a computerized clipper ship. The author has created a superstitious and violent society in sync with its physical world decimated by pollution, resource depletion, and destructive weather patterns. The basically decent and resourceful Nailer makes his way through this labyrinth in a postmodern picaresque adventure with appeal for readers of both genders. The gulf coast setting intensifies the ecological theme. Valerie Diamond
Ty witnesses a gang slaying in a London park and, following his grandmother's advice, goes to the police with the information. The culprit is the son of a high profile criminal and the police fear that Ty's life is in danger. In order to protect him until the trial, Ty and his mother are put in the witness protection program where Ty becomes another person, Joe. But that identity shifts again when their cover is blown and new identities are assigned. A teen who is trying to figure out who he is and what he will be is thrust into tough and uncomfortable situations all because he saw something. Or was it more than that? Did he do the right thing after all? Joan Kindig
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