Play the Fool by Lina Chern

PLAY THE FOOL by Lina Chern is a very original and super fun mystery read. The story begins in a mall outside Chicago, where 20-something Katie True is stuck in a dead-end retail job and trying to cope with a family who disapproves of her lifestyle choices. At the mall, a bleeding man suddenly asks her to read his fortune with her Tarot cards and when she manages to sneak a look at his phone, she sees evidence of a murder. Despite not finding a body, Katie next decides to convince an attractive cop (the chemistry between them is apparent) that the victim deserves an investigation. Katie is a clever sleuth on her own; well, except for staying out of danger. Non-stop action, the involvement of organized crime, and many more Tarot readings later, readers will be laughing and cheering for Katie and Officer Jamie. PLAY THE FOOL, a debut novel, received a starred review from Library Journal (“charming and eccentric Katie will captivate readers”).

Diet, Health, and New Cookbooks

I took a quick look at several food-related new books recently; they are from a number of publishers and cover a variety of more niche topics so I am posting them together in case one is of particular interest to you.

That said, who doesn’t love pasta? And AN A-Z OF PASTA by Rachel Roddy provides stories and commentary on 50 types of pasta, with, as the subtitle notes “Recipes for Shapes and Sauces, from Alfabeto to Ziti, and Everything in Between.” Roddy, an award-winning British food writer, says, “The idea is the 50 stories, arranged alphabetically according to the first letter of the shape, are like pieces of a jigsaw…” The relatively few pictures look scrumptious, like the one for baked macaroni with meatballs and eggplant (Maccheroni ‘ncasciati), although I did not see any nutrition information in the preview. In general, the recipes use numerous ingredients so this may work best for more experienced cooks, but some are marked very quick (e.g., butter and parmesan fettuccine) or quick (e.g., Carbonara). In addition to the delicious food, fans of pasta are sure to enjoy the details – like Penne being named for its slanted cut thanks to an 1865 patent on a diagonal cutting machine - revealed in the descriptions. AN A-Z OF PASTA received a starred review from Booklist. 

MIND OVER BATTER by Jack Hazan is subtitled “75 Recipes for Baking as Therapy.” Hazan writes quite a bit about his Syrian Jewish family members and obviously shares numerous favorite recipes, including his own experience making and selling challah. It all sounds delicious, and frankly, I think if I had more patience and somewhat different expectations that I would like this book more. I was honestly hoping for less stress through easier recipes. Pictures are quite colorful and have me thinking about giving Pesto Pull-Apart Bread or Choose-Your-Own-Scone a try. Since these are baked goods, they tend to be on the sweet side and nutritional information is not included. Hazan, a licensed psycho​therapist, also includes information on self-care, mindfulness, and healing exercises. MIND OVER BATTER is a unique cookbook, especially if you enjoy baking. 

EAT TO BEAT YOUR DIET by William W. Li describes how to “Burn Fat, Heal Your Metabolism, and Live Longer.” Li is a physician, scientist, and author of over one hundred scientific publications in leading journals. He outlines a program to improve your metabolism by carefully choosing what you eat and eating less and more slowly at certain times of the day. The text focuses more on the theory of what and when to eat, but Chapter 12 includes a sample meal guide and recipes like Berry Walnut Breakfast Cookies, Artichoke Egg Scramble, or Pasta Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes and Olives. Unfortunately, the preview did not contain images (always a favorite part of cookbooks) or nutrition information. Addressing a topic of interest to everyone, EAT TO BEAT YOUR DIET appeared on The Wall Street Journal non-fiction best seller list and for those who are interested, this link leads to a short video interview with Dr. Li as shown on Good Morning America. 

THE EVERYTHING ONE POT MEDITERRANEAN COOKBOOK by Peter Minaki offers “200 Fresh and Simple Recipes That Come Together in One Pot.” That is a style of cooking that I appreciate and there are many, many great choices here: Risotto with Shrimp, Mushrooms, and Asparagus; Cod with Raisins; Skillet Lasagna; even making Sun-Dried Tomatoes yourself. Minaki blogs about “Greek food and more” and embraces Greek (e.g., Scallops Saganaki) and other cuisines in his latest book with recipes like Moroccan-Style Chicken with Green Olives and Lemon or Spanish-Style Chickpeas with Cod. THE EVERYTHING ONE POT MEDITERRANEAN COOKBOOK contains sparsely illustrated sections for skillet dishes, sheet pans, Dutch ovens, Slow Cookers, Instant Pot and casseroles. Yummy! Nutritional information is provided and readers will have a hard time deciding what to try first.

Bell Hammers, Audiobooks and AI

BELL HAMMERS by Lancelot Schaubert was published a few years ago, but the audiobook was just made available on NetGalley. The cover is quite memorable and I had been intrigued by this collection of tales involving Southern Illinois. Schaubert relates decade long adventures involving Wilson Remus, aka Remmy, a caring, mischievous soul if there ever was one. An early example is his decision to pee publicly into the mop bucket of his one room school house in order to distract his classmates from the horrific radio news about Pearl Harbor. Often compared to the writings of Mark Twain and described as “a hoot” by Publishers Weekly, BELL HAMMERS spans seventy years. Although I did not find the short essays to be that engaging or consistently humorous, this work is clearly a passion for the author/narrator and describes an oft-forgotten piece of Americana.

It is interesting to note the changes that are occurring in the audiobook field. Just recently, The Wall Street Journal posted an article titled, “He’s Been Dead for Nearly 10 Years. Now He’s Narrating Your Audiobook” in which they describe how new AI technology is being applied. They profile a variety of newer companies like DeepZen, a London based start-up, and Speechki from Austin and include comments from a number of established publishers. Fascinating to see (and hear!) how this technology is developing! 

The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore

Treat yourself to THE LONELY HEARTS BOOK CLUB by Lucy Gilmore which received a starred review from Publishers Weekly. Sloane Parker is a new librarian in a rural, small town in Idaho. Of course, she establishes relationships with her patrons, particularly with Arthur McLachlan, an irascible old man who shows his affection for Sloane through biting commentary. She misses him, though, when he fails to show up at the library and eventually builds a book club around him – with his caring neighbor, Maisie, his grandson, Greg, and her own co-worker, Mateo. These likeable characters refer to novels like Anne of Green Gables and The Art of Racing in the Rain, gradually sharing personal information and truly bonding. At times these “misfits” see each other more clearly than they see themselves. Growth – both personal and as a community – is a key element of the story, plus there’s a bit of mystery in Arthur’s past and a hint of romance throughout. THE LONELY HEARTS BOOK CLUB could be a light, feel good read for book clubs; a reading group guide is included.

Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond

POVERTY, BY AMERICA by Matthew Desmond (Evicted) has been getting quite a bit of attention lately, including coverage in The New York Times, The Guardian, and Economist. Plus Desmond, Professor of Sociology, Princeton University, will be speaking April 12 at local Family Action Network events with fellow scholars Reuben Jonathan Miller and Alex Kotlowitz. If you cannot make either event, a video recording of the evening session should be posted soon. Desmond’s analytical ability and skills as an award-winning author are once again evident as he encourages readers to tackle tough questions, particularly “Why Haven’t We Made More Progress?” He is unflinching in his commentary, noting in the prologue that “This is who we are: the richest country on earth, with more poverty that any other advanced democracy,” stressing that the United States has more poor people than Australia or Venezuela’s entire populations. The statistics are astounding (e.g., more than one million public school children are homeless), but Desmond wants his readers to move beyond looking at the poor, saying “those of us living lives of privilege and plenty must examine ourselves.” POVERTY, BY AMERICA received a starred review from Booklist and will be on our shelves soon. 

Coming of age stories by Aleman and Berg

BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN by Daniel Aleman (Indivisible) is a young adult novel which features a sixteen year-old main character, Maria de la Soledad (called Sol), who clearly struggles with age appropriate identity issues: “even when I try my hardest to be Sol [sun/happy], Soledad [solitude/lonely] has a way of winning ...” All of that is complicated by her status as an American citizen although the rest of her family (including two brothers) have Mexican citizenship and live in Tijuana. The text deals with themes of grief, responsibility, immigration, racism, familial ties and expectations. Sol crosses the border each day to go to school and eventually moves North to continue high school and live with friends while working part-time to support her family. I personally found the effort she made to be crushing and unfair. It reminded me of a cousin who, with little guidance, chose to work 40 hours a week during high school and is now a widow with four young children, perpetuating a life of limited opportunity, even though her siblings graduated college and enjoy six figure incomes. BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN highlights the tensions and pressures faced by students who do not have a strong safety net and adult support. Sol’s deceased Mami was correct when she stressed the importance of education and I do think that teachers would have been more aware and understanding, but they are mere shadows in this story. Sol perseveres, though – she is resilient despite the loneliness she faces. Fortunately, friends like Ari (plus her mother, Nancy) and co-worker Nick fill some of the gap and reinforce a sense of hope. The publisher provides an online book club guide with discussion questions for this emotional text.

In EARTH'S THE RIGHT PLACE FOR LOVE Elizabeth Berg offers a prequel to The Story of Arthur Truluv, sharing Arthur’s coming of age story as a teenager in 1947 Mason, Missouri. The story reflects Berg’s typically gentle, heartwarming writing style, but there is not much action. Arthur falls in love and deals with several family situations, particularly his relationship with his older brother, Frank. Praised by authors like Adriana Trigiani (Big Stone Gap), Rachel Joyce (Miss Benson’s Beetle), and Debbie Macomber, EARTH'S THE RIGHT PLACE FOR LOVE is sure to please loyal Berg readers who will enjoy this relatively short novel with its small town setting and homespun feel.