Miss Morgan's Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles

MISS MORGAN'S BOOK BRIGADE by Janet Skeslien Charles (The Paris Library) is a work of historical fiction based on the true story of Jessie “Kit” Carson, an American librarian who worked with the American Committee for Devastated France (CARD) during and after WWI. It is a truly educational story as it explains about the CARD organization and takes place in or around an area in the north of France called the Red Zone which is still uninhabited 100 years later due in large part to the quantity of unexploded ordinance. More importantly, this story is also inspirational as Kit is exposed to wartime trauma and devastation, but finds a strong community of women who serve by providing food, clothing, furniture, ambulance rides, and so much more. The cast of characters includes nurses, fundraisers, chauffeuses, and many local villagers, each with a moving story to share. In addition, the novel shifts roughly 70 years later to when Wendy Peterson works at the NYPL and comes across archival material about the CARDs; she decides to write about them, ultimately befriending the last living CARD member. Charles clearly loves books and she cleverly intersperses some of Kit’s favorite quotes, like these from Anne of Green Gables: “Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?” And, “As Anne Shirley would say, ‘Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It's splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.’” I am eagerly looking forward to the next “library” story which Janet Skeslien Charles chooses to tell. 

If Something Happens to Me by Alex Finlay

IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME by Alex Finlay is a mystery story with more violence than the ones I typically read, but it was a LibraryReads Hall of Fame selection for May and I am glad that I was intrigued and picked it up. Alison Lane and Ryan Richardson are high school sweethearts until something does in fact happen and Ryan becomes a leading suspect in Alison’s disappearance. That happened in Leavenworth, Kansas five years ago, but early in this mystery story readers will also meet characters from a Philadelphia crime family, students in rural Italy, and former soldiers who served together in Iraq. Finlay cleverly braids the tales and definitely keeps readers guessing with many unexpected twists. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME is an action-packed thriller which received a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly (‘’As in Finlay’s previous novels, relentless pacing, impressive characterizations, and the author’s knack for surprise combine to produce top-shelf entertainment.”).

Fair Shake and Poverty for Profit

Here are two new books that deal with inequality in the marketplace and that make impassioned pleas for change:

FAIR SHAKE by Naomi Cahn, June Carbone and Nancy Levit (Red Families v. Blue Families) is a look at “Women and the Fight to Build a Just Economy” from three law professors and mothers. They divide their book into four main sections, looking at the triple bind that women face and finally suggesting ways to tame the “winner take all” (WTA) economy. First, they utilize case studies involving Wal-Mart, General Electric, and Bank of America to show that “when women don't compete on the same terms as men, they lose.” Next, these scholars provide an excellent overview of “when women play by the same rules as the men, they lose” through the lens of case studies like Kleiner Perkins (see also Reset by Ellen Pao) and Wells Fargo. The third bind they describe as “when women see what the new rules are, they refuse to play the game” and illustrate how tech and other industries have pushed women out. While the authors readily acknowledge that issues like family responsibilities, occupational choices, risk aversion, and misogyny factor int the inequalities, they also note concerns about “the critical shift in the new economy … [and] the ability of those at the top to take a much larger share of institutional resources for themselves.” Most impressive are thoughts on fighting back and working to convert a WTA economy to one which benefits more people, especially women, children, and families. FAIR SHAKE is a well-organized, accessible text which covers numerous topics of interest to many of our students. More than a third of the text is devoted to notes or sources and Kirkus specifically comments on its “robust evidence for the need for systemic change.”  

POVERTY FOR PROFIT by Anne Kim seeks to show “How Corporations Get Rich off America’s Poor” and Kim, who is an award-winning author, lawyer and public policy expert, is strident in her condemnation: “self-serving private interests have hijacked the war on poverty.” For example, did you know that “the vast majority of dialysis services in America are provided by just two companies, whose centers are disproportionately located in low income neighborhoods”? OR that low-income taxpayers in Maryland claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit lost at least $50 million to tax preparation fees in 2020? Klein focuses on “the often pivotal role of private industry as intermediaries between government and people in poverty …. with interests often at odds with both the government and the people they purport to serve.” In addition to dialysis and tax preparation, Kim profiles industries like welfare management for the states, education or job training, and dentistry. Painful reading at times, POVERTY FOR PROFIT offers an enlightening perspective on the obstacles faced by and the exploitation of America’s poor. Notes are well-documented and encompass roughly a third of the text.

There was Nothing You Could Do by Steven Hyden

THERE WAS NOTHING YOU COULD DO by Steven Hyden tells the tale of Bruce Springsteen’s Born In The U.S.A. which was released 40(!) years ago on June 4, 1984. Hyden begins by describing his six-year-old self’s reaction to hearing the album from an “ordinary man [who] seemed to also have extraordinary strength.” An accomplished author and cultural critic, Hyden contends that Springsteen was singing about “a mythical heartland where people can set aside their differences and always have each other's backs. The real, and also imaginary, America.” He says this book is about “why Bruce Springsteen made this album, how it changed the culture, and what it means all these decades later.” The first few chapters look at the musical influences on Springsteen like Presley and Dylan; then, he explores the family dynamics, especially Springsteen’s relationship with his Dad, and his friendship with Vietnam vet Ron Kovic (Born on the Fourth of July). Other sections focus on politics, both in the mid-1980s and later, saying that “Born In The U.S.A. worked because of Bruce Springsteen's ability to appear progressive and conservative at the same time,” an ambiguity that no longer exists. Hyden goes on to critique the Jeep commercial in which Springsteen appeared as well as his production of Renegades with former President Obama, and concert pricing. Clearly a lifelong fan, Hyden traces the arc (highs and lows) of Springsteen's career while lamenting the loss of common ground overall. For interested readers, there are several other books that deal with the stories behind Springsteen’s songs, including the forthcoming Bruce Songs (from Rutgers University Press) and the musician's five hundred plus page life story, titled Born to Run, published in 2016.

New titles about the American Civil War

The first national observance of Memorial Day occurred on May 30, 1868. Then known as Decoration Day, the holiday was proclaimed to honor the Union soldiers who had died in the Civil War. Here are reviews of three excellent books which deal with the Civil War time period.

WIDE AWAKE is a newly published book by Jon Grinspan who is Curator of Political History at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History. Grinspan’s love of history and his devotion to scholarship shines through as he relates steps in his research on “The Forgotten Force that Elected Lincoln and Spurred the Civil War.” I was intrigued by his comments of looking into newspaper databases and was able to locate over one hundred and fifty front page newspaper articles from 1860 or earlier about this paramilitary group. They wore uniforms, had banners with a wide-open eye (see image of certificate below), marched (often with torches), and widely supported Lincoln and other Republicans in the 1860 election. Almost all ended up eventually joining the Union forces. Commenting on the echoes of history, and this “grassroots force pushing elite leaders into action,” Grinspan writes that the “Wide Awakes of 1860 wrestled with the same forces -- mass democracy, public protest, free speech, political violence, slavery, and race -- that we grapple with today.” Booklist gave WIDE AWAKE a starred review and Kirkus describes his well-written text as “a welcome study of an overlooked aspect of the Civil War and the events leading up to it.” Extensive notes and references comprise roughly twenty percent of this text.

THE AGITATORS by Dorothy Wickenden (Nothing Daunted) is about “three friends who fought for abolition and women's rights.” Readers may be familiar with stories about Harriet Tubman, a famous underground railroad conductor, but are likely less well-versed about Martha Coffin Wright, a Quaker (and sister to Lucretia Mott) who criticized Lincoln’s position on slavery and organized women’s rights conventions with Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The third member of the trio is Frances Seward; as the wife of Governor, then Senator, and then Secretary of State William H. Seward, her influence was often largest behind the scenes. The three friends lived in Auburn, New York and Wickenden traces their efforts from the 1820s onward through 1875 in a detail-filled text. Her afterward, extensive notes, and selected bibliography together comprise at least a fourth of the book. THE AGITATORS received starred reviews from Library Journal (“Filling a gap in the telling of women's and abolitionist history, this highly readable book gives these three women their due.”) and Publishers Weekly (“an essential addition to the history of American progressivism”).

Finally, THE DEMON OF UNREST by Erik Larson (The Splendid and the Vile) is subtitled “A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War” and the best-selling author definitely chronicles the exploits of some unsavory characters. For example, Larson recounts James Henry Hammond’s sexual abuse of his nieces and subsequent selection to Federal office, serving as Senator for South Carolina. Often commenting on other parallels to today’s headlines, Larson writes, “I had the eerie feeling that present and past had merged. It is unsettling that in 1861 two of the greatest moments of national dread centered on the certification of the Electoral College vote and the presidential inauguration.” This text, too, is extensively researched with approximately twenty percent devoted to a lengthy bibliography and detailed notes. THE DEMON OF UNREST did receive starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly. While highly regarded, it did not feel as compelling as earlier works by Larson, however.

Reflecting on America: Chasing Hope and Tightrope

CHASING HOPE by Nicholas D. Kristof focuses on his life as a reporter and his almost forty years of working for The New York Times. Over that span, Kristof has informed the public about numerous crucial world events and still has important messages to share about the pursuit of truth and the need for compassion and action in support of others. Chapters in this lengthy text (roughly 480 pages) deal with difficult topics like the Tiananmen Square protests, the Yemeni civil war, and genocide in Sudan. Others profile lesser-known heroes, dissidents, and inspirational advocates. Commenting on Kristof’s reporting efforts, his publisher says, “Some of the risks he took while doing so make for hair-raising reading.” I concur and I think listening to the audiobook of CHASING HOPE would be fascinating – much like the tales of daring and courage which Admiral William McRaven shared in Sea Stories. Kristof weaves in interesting facts like, “My passports are huge, like paperback books, for I get extension after extension stapled in at overseas embassies. My last passport had 170 pages.” He turns to domestic issues and includes a chapter on covering Donald Trump (“I had never known an American politician so uneducated about policy, so self-absorbed and so deceitful…”) and another on campaigning to be the Governor of Oregon (“a chance to lift issues onto the agenda and generate political will for better policies”). Kristof describes how journalism has been transformed in the last half century and how public attitudes towards journalists have changed, too. Anyone who reads his pieces knows that his vision for journalistic storytelling has remained steadfast “not just as a technical craft but as one with an ethical mission: a better world.” Truly an act of hope.

TIGHTROPE by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn is subtitled “Americans Reaching for Hope.” The husband-and-wife team of Kristof and WuDunn are Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists and have written several books, including Half the Sky, together. TIGHTROPE refers to the precarious economic situation faced by lower- and middle-income Americans. Throughout, the authors reference many geographic areas of the US, but return frequently to Yamhill, Oregon where Kristof grew up and where his family has a farm. As the authors share stories of Krsitof’s high school classmates tied to addiction, drug abuse, and suicide, it also made me think of Our Kids by Robert Putnam, which, like his Bowling Alone (which Kristof and WuDunn reference), is another sociological look at changes in status and opportunity for Americans over time. Kristof’s TIGHTROPE, originally published in early 2020, shares its own sobering statistics as well: “about one-fourth of the kids who rode with Nick on the [local school] bus are dead from drugs, suicide, alcohol, obesity, reckless accidents, and other pathologies”). The authors stress that personal responsibility alone is not enough to facilitate a turnaround; this book is an effort to raise consciousness about our collective obligation, especially to today’s children. TIGHTROPE received a starred review from Booklist (“hard for readers to stop thinking about”).

The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley

THE MINISTRY OF TIME by Kaliane Bradley is a unique debut novel which has received quite a bit of “buzz,” including being named a LibraryReads selection for May, the #1 pick on the Indie Next List, and a starred review from Kirkus. I was excited to learn that it will become a six-part series for the BBC. Looking for time travel, romance, espionage? Then this book may be for you. Bradley, a British-Cambodian writer and editor based in London, has produced a work of which Ron Charles (Washington Post book critic) writes “Imagine if The Time Traveler’s Wife had an affair with A Gentleman in Moscow.”  This new tale actually features five “expats,” people who have been transported from their time to present day London and their “bridges,” the Ministry staff assigned to be “day-by-day dictionaries” and help with assimilation in the 21st century. The unnamed female narrator is the bridge for Graham Gore, also known as eighteen forty-seven, who was an Arctic explorer and Bradley’s inspiration for this innovative novel. There is a slow burn chemistry between the two and several ethical questions develop. The first third of the book, filled with banter is especially fun: “‘You have enslaved the power of lightning [electricity],’ he said, ‘and you've used it to avoid the tedium of hiring help.’” But the tone changes as it turns more philosophical with THE MINISTRY OF TIME offering an intriguing perspective on time travel: “This was one of my first lessons in how you make the future: moment by moment, you seal the doors of possibility behind you.” 

A Cyclist's Guide to Crime & Croissants by Ann Claire

A CYCLIST'S GUIDE TO CRIME & CROISSANTS by Ann Claire is exactly what the cover portends – a light, relaxing vacation via bicycle in rural southern France. Well, almost… there is vandalism, threats, and multiple deaths so the police (Jacques Laurent) are involved and readers will definitely be puzzled by the who-dun-it. Sadie Greene is the new proprietor of Oui, Cycle! (cute name, right?). And she sets off on the anniversary of her best friend’s death along with friends from home, two Scottish sisters, a German tourist, an unpleasant travel critic, and her new “family” of employees. They get into quite a few scrapes and sample many croissants along the way. The mystery is intriguing and enjoyable, but one change I would suggest for the final version is to include a map to guide readers on this fun adventure. I was a little surprised when Sadie desperately throws money at every obstacle (changes in schedule, extra accommodations needed, van rentals), but it signifies her new willingness to take risks and grow the business. Look for more in the Cyclist's Guide Mysteries series featuring Sadie and Laurent. Even Ellery Adams praises A CYCLIST'S GUIDE TO CRIME & CROISSANTS: “A delightful blend of mystery, travel, and joie de vivre!”