A Dangerous Idea by Debbie Levy

A DANGEROUS IDEA by Debbie Levy is subtitled “The Scopes Trial, The Original Fight over Science in Schools” and has been mentioned on this blog previously. It covers a very relevant topic, not only due to the centenary nature of the events it describes, but also because of the contemporary debates related to science (e.g., vaccine efficacy) and book banning. Levy, a best-selling writer of books for young people, vividly transports readers to the 1920s through her words and visuals like images of the high school textbook, Civic Biology, that helped spark the lawsuit from ACLU. She begins by describing how local leaders in Dayton, Ohio encouraged the trial so as to promote visits and spur the local economy. Of course, she also focuses on the backgrounds of the two prominent lawyers, William Jennings Bryan (multiple times Presidential candidate) and Clarence Darrow, and on the trial, its media coverage, and the religious fervor – once again, so many parallels to today. Levy spoke about the book with School Library Journal, saying “What made this book fun to write—and I hope will make it fun to read and maybe to teach, or at least to talk about—is it’s full of surprises.” One I spotted: the court case began with a prayer at the invitation of the presiding judge. A DANGEROUS IDEA received multiple starred reviews, including ones from Booklist, Horn Book, School Library Journal and Shelf Awareness. The text is extensively researched - Levy includes a helpful timeline, source notes, and selected bibliography; together they comprise roughly twenty percent of the text. Interested readers (especially middle and high school students) may also want to read a fictionalized account related to the Scopes Trial featured in Monkey Town (2006) from Ronald Kidd. Some adult titles include the play (later a movie) Inherit the Wind by Jerome Lawrence and recent non-fiction Keeping the Faith by Brenda Wineapple.  

A Simple Choice by David Pepper

A SIMPLE CHOICE by David Pepper (The Voter File and others) is another political thriller from the past Chairman of the Democratic Party of Ohio. Pepper introduces Amity Jones, a former Supreme Court Clerk, and Palmer Knight, a TV reporter with deep family ties to Washington insiders. Initially, they are exploring different questions. Amity has moved to Ohio to be near her cancer-stricken mother and ends up trailing a suspicious van which appears regularly at the house of a neighbor whose young son has had a miraculous cure. Palmer becomes so curious about the unusual death (suicide? foul play by foreign interests?) of a United States Senator that he ends of a victim of a deep fake video campaign. It does take a while to set up all of those questions, but the middle of the book starts to interweave some answers amidst action-packed adventures (Amity is kidnapped; her brother is attacked; and Palmer makes his way to the White House). The ending felt quick and a bit contrived, but fans of political intrigue will certainly enjoy the diversion which A SIMPLE CHOICE offers. 

Anywhere You Run by Wanda M. Morris

ANYWHERE YOU RUN by Wanda M. Morris is an historical fiction novel that takes place during 1964 in Jackson, Mississippi, in small town Chillicothe, Georgia, and in Cleveland, Ohio. Two sisters, Violet and Marigold Richards, are on the run, both physically and emotionally. One has killed a man and the other is pregnant, fleeing domestic abuse. Both are also haunted by the deaths of their older sister (Rose) and their parents. These young women were taught to be respectful and quiet (keep your eyes down and stay in the background) around “white folks,” but they chafe, in different ways, at the restrictions that exist, particularly in the South. A key lesson is expressed in this quote: “Papa used to tell me, the only way I’d ever be able to go anywhere in life was to walk courageously. He said being brave didn’t mean you had no fear. Bravery meant acting even in the face of fear.” Pursued by feelings of guilt and a man who is essentially a modern day bounty hunter, the sisters tell their story separately, but ultimately draw strength from each other.  Although a bit repetitive in some places, ANYWHERE YOU RUN received starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly and is a LibraryReads selection for October. This title is a solid choice that will appeal to students, particularly due to its elements of mystery, thwarted family expectations, and struggles with identity. Also, there is much important history; Morris repeatedly refers to the civil rights protests, Jim Crow laws, and the violence of that era, in particular the killing of three men in Neshoba County, Mississippi. In her acknowledgments, she writes, “This book has been a labor of love because I stand on the shoulders of strong women like the ones in this story, who were bound and shackled by the mores of an era that has passed but if we are not careful threatens to return.”  

The Hospital by Brian Alexander

THE HOSPITAL by Brian Alexander (The Glass House) is an in-depth look at an independent community hospital called CHWC in Bryan, Ohio (population about 8,000). The day it arrived, our copy was checked out by a student researching healthcare in rural America. Alexander, already recognized by Medill School of Journalism for his public interest journalism, writes eloquently here about “Life, Death, and Dollars in a Small American Town.” He has divided this text into three sections, beginning in Autumn 2018, followed by Winter/Spring, 2018-2019, and then the start of Covid in late 2019- early 2020.  Throughout, Alexander highlights the many services the local hospital provides while struggling to stay competitive with larger regional providers. Providing context (“at almost 18 percent of the entire economy, health was the nation’s largest industry by far”) and profiling individual stories of cancer patients, meth addicts and heart attack victims, Alexander points out that “America was sick, and getting sicker and dying earlier with every passing year.” He moves beyond the local community and its hospital’s many issues to discuss the minimum wage in Ohio (actually lower than 40 years ago when adjusted for inflation), the loss of pensions and unions, and the role of government, contrasting the business metrics and the mission of the hospital, “a battlefield clinic in an amorphous and mutating social and economic war that was killing people.” Extensive notes and a helpful index are included. THE HOSPITAL was universally acclaimed, receiving starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus, Library Journal and Publishers Weekly. 

The Daughters of Erietown by Connie Schultz

THE DAUGHTERS OF ERIETOWN is a debut work of historical fiction which I think will appeal greatly to book groups and individual readers, especially women in their sixties. In part, that is because the author, Connie Schultz, fits that demographic and therefore does an excellent job of authentically relating memories and feelings about key 20th century events like the assassination of President Kennedy and the publication of Our Bodies, Ourselves. She weaves in commonplace details, too, like watching I Love Lucy on television: “How could one woman get in so much trouble? Ricky would be furious again. And Lucy would be scared of him, as always. Was there a single wife in America who wasn’t afraid of her husband?”

Schultz sets her novel in fictional Erietown, Ohio between 1947 and 1994 so as to relate the multi-generational story of a working class family and how much women’s lives changed. She explores questions regarding ethnicity and race, physical abuse and marital infidelity, parenting and religious values, class differences, and teen pregnancy. At times, it was difficult to not look at the characters with 21st century eyes; sometimes, I questioned why these daughters, especially Ellie and Rosemary, were not stronger, more sure of themselves and better able to deal with a man like Brick McGinty, former high school basketball star and prejudiced union member whose fear and helplessness kept him from a happier life. It seemed as though the wisdom came mainly from generations on either side: the older aunts/uncles, grandparents and mentors (some were farmers or immigrants and who stepped up to raise their granddaughter or great nephew; one was a coach) and from Ellie's and Rosemary’s children, Sam, Reilly, and Paull, who leveraged opportunities and strove to let go of society’s limitations. In the end, maybe Brick did say it best: “It’s one thing to remember your roots, Sam. Helps us keep our balance. But don’t let your roots become your excuse to be stuck.”    

Formerly with The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Schultz is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, married to Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio. THE DAUGHTERS OF ERIETOWN received a starred review from Kirkus.

Mysteries: The Guest List & The Voter File

School is out and that feels like time to totally relax and escape with a couple of absolutely great mystery thrillers.

THE GUEST LIST by Lucy Foley is a tantalizing mystery with an eerie, almost gothic setting on an island in the midst of a brewing storm AND a cast of characters with plenty of motives for murder. Foley, a best-selling author who lives in London, was recommended by Library Journal for “fans of Agatha Christie, Louise Penny, and Ruth Rendell [who] will absolutely love this book, which doesn't reveal its secrets until the very last page.”  I totally concur.

A scream of terror on the wedding night is relayed by an unnamed narrator, but past history and most events leading up to the wedding itself are cleverly told from the perspective of the wedding party (Jules, the bride, Olivia, her sister and bridesmaid, Johnno, the best man and school-mate to Will, the groom), the plus one (Hannah, married to Charlie, a childhood friend of Jules) and the wedding planner (Aoife, who is trying to make a go with her husband of holding weddings and parties on the island). Jules is a competitive, successful business woman and Will is an adventurous television star – two ambitious people who seemed well-matched, except why did Jules get that anonymous note encouraging her not to marry Will? What are the causes of dysfunctional and strained relationships between friends and family members? Who is in danger and why? A LibraryReads selection, Foley’s THE GUEST LIST is saturated with tension and secrets that kept me up and turning pages – enjoy!

THE VOTER FILE by David Pepper is book three in his Jack Sharpe series, but I enjoyed it so much, I wish I had started with the other two.  In this latest installment, Sharpe is contacted by a young campaign staffer, Tori Justice, who is trying to get a story published about voting patterns and irregularities.  He’s dismissive at first, but gradually they come to trust each other. Much of the action takes place in battleground states in the Midwest and action it is – kidnapping, car chases, cyber-espionage, with foreign agents and organized crime involvement.  Clearly, Pepper has produced an involved plot and there are plenty of twists for Tori, Jack, and Olivia (another reporter and former colleague) to unravel. THE VOTER FILE is an exciting and fun read filled with political allusions and economic implications. Pepper’s varied and relevant experience (elected Chairman of the Democratic Party of Ohio in 2015) means readers will be working to solve the mystery while also wondering just how much do political parties manipulate us based on what they know about our personal lives and opinions.