Relish VS And the Mountains Echoed: Dubuque Tournament of Books, round 2

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the second round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post. To see why Fran selected Relish by Lucy Knisley in the first round, click here. To see why Marie selected And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini in the first round, click here.

Judges: Fran and Marie
River Lights Bookstore
Relish was a quick read and we both enjoyed its humor and colorful cartoon-like illustrations. It was engaging but, of course, lacking in depth because it dealt with a very young person’s look back at her childhood experiences. We chose And the Mountains Echoed as our winner. The author’s strong storytelling style, the complex structure of the story, and the heartrending choices that the characters must make held our interest. This novel makes you think about family relationships and how they play into decision making. And the Mountains Echoed can’t really be described as an enjoyable novel, but it is certainly thought-provoking. 

Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker VS The Ocean at the End of the Lane: Dubuque Tournament of Books, round 2

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the second round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post. To see why Megan selected Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini in the first round, click here. To see why Bob selected The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman in the first round, click here.

Judge: Megan
Telegraph-Herald
Just as it was difficult for me to choose my two first-round reads, Orphan Train and Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, it was equally difficult for me to compare the latter with The Ocean at the End of the Lane.

Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker and The Ocean at the End of the Lane were such contrasting books in terms of genre alone, it seemed unfair to place one over the other.

Yet, while I adored Jennifer Chiaverini's historic depiction of an unlikely friendship in Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, I found the imagery and almost other-worldliness of Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane entrancing a thrill to lose myself in. It was a very difficult book to put down, and parts of it stayed with me for days after reading it. It was so cleverly crafted. You just had to discover what was going to happen next, as each new fantasy unraveled as you continued on the journey.

My favorite part about it was that it truly was a book that sparked your imagination. And, the more daring the imaginer, the more the story seemed to come alive through its various illusions.

Judge: Bob
Dubuque 365Ink
This was a no brainer for me. In the first round The Ocean at the End of the Lane was paired up with a book of short stories and in round two it is paired up with another novel. It would seem to be a little easier to compare. These two books are from different genres so; it does get a little dicey.

A few things made my vote for The Ocean at the End of the Lane quite easy.

I am a Lincoln nut and I have been since I was in grammar school. Abe, along with most of the characterizations came off very flat. They were not well rounded three dimensional characters to me and I would have thought that it would have taken some doing to make Abe Lincoln seem wooden.

The historical parts of the book were written in such a way that they called to mind other books that covered the events surrounding the Civil War in the Lincoln family much better than Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker.

The Dressmaker, Elizabeth Keckley, from the title of the book, should have been the major character in the novel. As it was the book should have been called “Mrs. Lincoln Uses A Dressmaker.” The book was much more about Mrs. Lincoln than Mrs. Keckley.

For me that last nail in the coffin was how much Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker took from a memoir that Mrs. Keckley wrote and published in 1868. The Memoir is available on Amazon for free [Librarian's note: Carnegie-Stout also has copies of her memoir available in print and eBook form]. I downloaded it and read it alongside Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker. I was appalled how much was taken from the memoir and included in Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker. Whole pages at a time were copied verbatim. Now, the memoir is, indeed, in the Public Domain. In short that means it is out of copyright protection so what the author of Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker did was not illegal but I have to call into question her ethics. The Memoir, itself, was riveting. If you feel like investigating the dressmaker that worked for Mrs. Lincoln, read Elizabeth Keckley's memoir, Behind the Scenes in the Lincoln White House, instead.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane wins hands down.

Sycamore Row VS The Husband's Secret: Dubuque Tournament of Books, round two

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the second round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post. To see why Bethany selected The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty in the first round, click here. To see why Charleen selected Sycamore Row by John Grisham in the first round, click here.

Judge: Bethany

Finding Pins and Needles 

This one is rough for me to review because it's outside my normal genre preferences. I've read John Grisham before and can appreciate his storytelling abilities and his expertise of the legal system, but UHG, this one was drawn out for me. A bit forgettable too. I generally prefer my thrillers to come together like puzzles, with pieces finding their way together from all over the board; but this one felt very linear to me. I'd say the last 15 pages of the 447 pages were page turners. And the fact that I know the number of pages without looking it up, indicated that I referenced page 447 too many times while reading. A countdown... 200 pages to go, 100 pages, 75 pages to go... I wouldn’t say the book is boring, it just builds very slowly, with a lot of details. The mystery element was enough to keep me reading, and the end culminates in a very satisfying way.

On the pro side, it was a smart story with likable characters. I have to say I learned a lot about racism in the south, and racism in the 1980’s. It has impacted my world view and I’m grateful for that. If you're into legal thrillers, it was good. It just didn’t thrill me much.

My round 2 choice is The Husband’s Secret. To compare these two books with the same standard doesn’t quite seem fair. For me, The Husband’s Secret, was a simple, easy, and page turning-read. I identified strongly with the characters and the storyline felt relevant to me. Sycamore Row is a different world, set apart from me and I couldn’t relate on most levels. Sycamore Row is also bogged down with a mountain of details and information, which slows the pace down substantially. The pace alone was enough for me to prefer The Husband’s Secret. I require an enticing story to keep my interest, a book I don’t want to put down. I found that in The Husband’s Secret, and found the opposite in Sycamore Row. Don’t get me wrong, Sycamore Row is a smart novel, but just didn’t make my list of most enjoyable.

Judge: Charleen 
Cheap Thrills book blog  
I find it oddly fitting that Bethany describes the world of Sycamore Row as one she can't relate to, because I had mixed feelings while reading The Husband's Secret, and for similar reasons.

All three of the main characters are flawed in their own way, which is of course what makes them so real. Still, even though I sympathized with all of them at one point or another, I also felt at a distance from them, questioning rather than relating. Even in the midst of their new, life-altering circumstances, each of these women remains defined by her motherhood... but I'm not a mother. Could I identify more with their actions and their motivations if I were? I don't know.

That being said, I did find the story compelling, and it comes together very well in the end. I can't help but be impressed by the book as a whole, even if it wasn't my favorite.

Personally, my preference is still for Sycamore Row. The Husband's Secret, though enhanced by extraordinary circumstances, was a bit domestic for my tastes. However, Bethany brings up a good point: "I require an enticing story to keep my interest, a book I don't want to put down." I think most readers would agree with this, and while I quite enjoyed it, I can't argue against the fact that Sycamore Row was an easy book to put down (at least to a point). So, setting personal taste aside, I'll concede to The Husband's Secret.

The Rosie Project VS The River of No Return: Dubuque Tournament of Books, Round One

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the first round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post.

Judge: Sue

Nicholas J. Schrup Library, Clarke University

The Rosie Project is a humorous romance written from a male character's point of view by Graeme Simsion. It seems rare to encounter a romance story from a male perspective. Professor Don Tillman (Australian) is  extremely intelligent genetics professor, but has a hard time with personal interactions. It is not really spelled out for you in the book, but Don has Asperger's Syndrome which makes it harder for him  to pick up on verbal and facial social clues. Most of the story revolves around Don's inept behavior with women as he searches for a wife. He decides to make a questionnaire to filter out unsuitable women in his search, and calls it the Wife Project. When he meets Rosie, a bartender who contacts him for genetics advice in tracking down her biological father, he agrees to take on a new task--the Father Project. Rosie does not meet the requirements of his questionnaire, but he has the best days of his life when he's with her.

I found myself thinking about Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory and Spencer from Criminal Minds throughout the book. They are both lovable characters and so is Don.

I think one of the reasons the story is so appealing is that it's written by a man, from a man's perspective.
This wasn't a traditional romance novel, but I enjoyed the romantic aspect of this story quite a bit. There was also a fun and interesting journey with Don and Rosie gathering dozens of samples of DNA to determine who might be Rosie's biological father. It made me laugh quite a few times!

The River of No Return by Bee Ridgeway was an interesting time-travel book with a romance at the heart of the story. Lord Nicholas Falcott is about to be run through with a sword on a Spanish battlefield when he is hurtled two hundred years into the future. He wakes at the mercy of The Guild, a seemingly benevolent organization that supports people who find themselves displaced in time.

In this story, time travel wasn't just an excuse to get a modern person into a previous century or vice versa, but rather a concept that was used throughout the whole book. The purpose of the time travel is what kept me drawn in through-out the story, a hope to save the world. Not only was there time-travel, but also stopping time, and manipulating time. That was all very interesting, but at times hard to follow.

So, I chose The Rosie Project over The River of No Return because The Rosie Project was ultimately more readable for me and kept my attention.  There were "slow spots" in each book but fewer of them in Rosie.

Eleanor & Park VS Me Before You: Dubuque Tournament of Books, Round One

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the first round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post.

Judge: Becky

Charles C. Myers Library, University of Dubuque

Dear Me Before You,

It’s not you, it’s me. I promise I went into this with an open mind. I knew before I even started you weren’t my typical book.

You had everything going for you: an adorably British, refreshingly quirky female character, attitudinally challenged quadriplegic male lead, a love story, a castle, ethical questions, interesting family dynamics, a fabulous cover design AND you brought me to tears. How could I not love Lou? She shows character growth and just the right amounts of compassion and sassiness when dealing with the understandably melancholy Will. And Will. A differently-abled character that isn’t set up to evoke pity, or sorrow. He’s angry, frustrated, and just done dealing with people. The set up is fabulous. The narrative plays that delicate balance between saccharin and tart. And did I mention the tears? You broke my heart in the best way possible.

By all calculations, you should have won this battle. And I’d like to think that against most other books you would have. You just happened to be up against an even better book. I’m sorry. I really am. Don’t think of this as a break up. I truly enjoyed our time together, I just have to go with Eleanor & Park. But call me when you’re in town again and we’ll grab a drink.

Hugs,
Becky

                                                                                                            

My dearest Eleanor & Park,

You knew all along you were going to win this round, didn’t you? You’re sneaky like that. You tell us right off that Eleanor is gone. And that Park is heartbroken enough that he sees her everywhere she is not. You’re upfront about the fact that this won’t end well. And yet, somehow you draw me in. And make me cry. And come back for more. I thought maybe the second time that magnetic quality might be diminished. It wasn’t. It was actually stronger.

Eleanor’s reality, though bleak, is compelling and complex. Too often main characters are one-dimensional. Or given a singular hurdle or defining characteristic. Eleanor is large, poor, red-headed, and has a difficult home life; all without being stereotypical. Park, while seemingly better off, is still a bit of a misfit: a Korean-American boy who is a little too feminine for his father’s taste. On the outside they have very little in common, but somehow over music and comic books begrudging understanding happens. Soon, friendship is forged and finally romance blooms at the back of the bus.

Just like Eleanor and Park, I can’t explain why I like you. Scenes I can’t divulge are like a punch to the gut. And those few beautiful moments like the first time they hold hands shouldn’t be enough to make the rest of the story bearable. This isn’t your boy meets girl and they live happily ever after tale. It’s so much more than that. Reminding us that love isn’t always enough, or everything, or even easy. But it’s worth it; and so are you Eleanor & Park. So are you.

Yours forever and for always, (or at least until the next round),
Becky

The Ocean at the End of the Lane VS Tenth of December: Dubuque Tournament of Books, Round One

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the first round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post.

Judge: Bob

Dubuque 365Ink

The Tenth of December is a collection of short stories by George Saunders who is regarded by a lot of people as the best writer of short stories alive. Someone, I don’t remember who, referred to the stories in this collection as “little joy bombs.” For the most part they are but laced with a goodly amount of sadness, horror and a little twisted humor thrown in to good effect.

“Victory Lap” is about a young boy, Kyle, who is faced with a life and death dilemma. He sees his former friend, Alison, get kidnapped and he has to decide whether or not to get involved no matter how scared he is.

“The Tenth of December” is a story about a man who is trying to kill himself by freezing himself to death. He sits outside on the 10th of December. He is interrupted in the middle of things. This is one of and maybe the best story in the collection.

Another story vying for best in collection is “Escape from Spiderhead.” It is a kind of Science Fiction Horror story. Jeff has been sent to an experimental prison, the inmates of which are at the beck and call of a sadistic warden named Abnesti. The warden develops pharmaceuticals and tests them out on the inmates. The type of drug and the experiment left me slack- jawed and wide-eyed with my socks going up and down. It’s not the kind of story you “like” because of what happens at the end but I tell you it is absolutely riveting.

Up to this point The Tenth of December was, certainly, one of the best books I read all year. That is, until I read Neil Gaiman’s The Ocean at the End of the Lane. It might be unfair to try and compare these two books because one is a novel and the other a collection of short stories. I have a preference for longer forms of fiction so Mr. Gaiman had the edge there. It was the story that did it for me. The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a much stronger story than any of the stories in The Tenth of December.

Mr. Gaiman’s novel is spellbinding, almost literally. There being a few spells cast here and there. It concerns a man who is about 40 years old. He goes back to his home town to attend a funeral. He has some time to kill so he takes a ride around town coming to rest at the place where he grew up. He starts to have these memories of the extraordinary women who lived up the lane from him when he was a kid. There was a grandmother, a mother and a daughter. He starts to remember an astonishing adventure he had that involved all three of the women but especially the daughter. As the afternoon progresses he has reverie after reverie remembering minute details of his adventure, particularly the horrific scary parts. You’ll get no spoilers from me on this one. Go and read The Ocean at the End of the Lane. It will amaze you. I don’t ever use the word awesome (to inspire awe) to describe anything because it’s overused so I’ll use a simile. The book is breathtaking and that is why I chose it to go on to Round Two in the Tournament of Books.

And the Mountains Echoed VS The Girls of Atomic City: Dubuque Tournament of Books, Round One

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the first round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post.

Judge: Marie

River Lights Bookstore 

 

Spanning more than six decades and covering three continents, And the Mountains Echoed primarily tells the story of a brother and sister whose love for one another more than made up for what they lost, and the repercussions of great sacrifice in the pursuit of greater good.  Khaled Hosseini proficiently draws the reader into the lives of each character, evoking empathy in even the most trying of situations.  His reputation as an amazing storyteller is well-earned.

The Girls of Atomic City, written by Denise Kiernan, is a retelling of the lives and efforts of a select group of women during World War II.  These women traveled from homes all across the United States to take part in a secret government project.  Not allowed to discuss their work, not even with one another, they were left in the dark about the true effect and risks of the work they were undertaking. Ms. Kiernan took pains to capture the voice of the era and this, more than anything else, is what shines through.  Coupling recounted stories are photographs, both of the principal players during present day and, as they were when they worked in Oak Ridge. 

Perhaps I should not have read And the Mountains Echoed before The Girls of Atomic City, but that action cannot be undone.  I could not imagine, after finishing Khaled Hosseini's latest novel, how any other work could best it, and The Girls of Atomic City certainly did nothing to persuade me otherwise.  While the subject matter of The Girls of Atomic City is one that fascinates me, I found Ms. Kiernan's writing so colloquial and simplistic as to be off-putting.  The feeling of the book was that of an historical fiction and not as an in depth recording of past events.  And the Mountains Echoed, on the other hand, was masterfully written.  While the core of the novel is the relationship between a brother and sister, the adjacent story lines are just as enthralling and necessary.  I wish I could expound further, but it seems a Sisyphean task to try to contain a full review of this magnificent book in such a small amount of space.

Orphan Train VS Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker: Dubuque Tournament of Books, Round One

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the first round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post.

 

Judge: Megan

Telegraph Herald

Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini
Review by Megan Gloss
Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker offers a historical - yet thoughtful, poignant and fascinating - account of the unlikely friendship that evolved between First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and her dressmaker, Elizabeth "Lizzie" Keckley, a former slave who bought freedom for herself and her son in St. Louis in 1860. She went on to fashion a professional reputation and successful career as a seamstress upon relocating to Washington D.C., dressing the city's high society and political hierarchy.

It was March of 1861 that Lincoln singled out Keckley from a number of other hopefuls to fill the role as her seamstress. Keckley was responsible not only for creating the First Lady's elaborately detailed gowns, but for dressing Lincoln in the very designs Keckley had suited just for her.

  
A touching bond was formed between the two women in their commonality through tragedy. Keckley's son - who was more than 3/4 white - had enlisted in the Union Army and was killed in battle. After the death of Lincoln's first son, Keckley began to serve as a trusted confidant and companion to the First Lady, offering emotional support during that loss, and later, during the loss of her husband in the assassination that stunned a nation already divided and reveling in turmoil and grief.

Keckley saved scraps from many of the gowns she made for Lincoln, piecing together a tribute known as the Mary Todd Lincoln Quilt. And after the Civil War, she authored a memoir, Behind the Scenes: Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House, offering an intimate glimpse of the Lincoln family. It resulted in a scandal that forced the First Lady to abandon ties with her once-trusted "modiste" and best friend.

Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker is a moving story of the enduring companionship between two women that lives on through the archives and a snapshot of the rich history of that time. Author Jennifer Chiaverini did an admirable job in digging deep into the history, yet telling a story that is both relatable and inspiring.

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Review by Megan Gloss

Molly is quickly nearing the age where she no longer can be a part of the foster care system. A community service position assisting the elderly Vivian is the only promising prospect keeping her out of a youth detention center and out of further trouble.

As she helps Vivian sift through possessions and old memories in her home, Molly unexpectedly discovers that she and the woman she thought she'd have nothing in common with are one and the same. As a young Irish immigrant orphaned in New York City, Vivian was put on a train to the Midwest with hundreds of other children whose fates and futures were eerily uncertain.

Together, the two form both a liberating and comforting bond, reaching conclusions to unanswered questions they have carried with them throughout their lives, and ultimately, offering each a sense of closure and, for perhaps the first time, the thought of hope and possibility in the future.

Orphan Train is remarkably moving and its characters, well-developed and strong.
Decision: It was a difficult selecting one book over the other in this first round pick. While both were well-written stories of resilience, the unforeseen destiny of unexpected friendships formed out of unfortunate circumstances and intriguing characters, Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker spoke to me more and was more relatable. I enjoyed the historical backdrop and authenticity of the novel and also felt a connection to each of these women and a fascination with the bond they shared.

Husband's Secret VS The Cuckoo's Calling: Dubuque Tournament of Books, Round One

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the first round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post.

Judge: Bethany

Finding Pins and Needles 

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

The Cuckoo’s Calling is a masterfully orchestrated mystery. The novel is long, with many characters and great detail; which leaves the "who dunnit" up in the air for 95% of the book. The abundance of dialog at times feels drawn out, but gives it a more realistic perspective. As a reader, you really have to pick and choose and pay attention to facts if you’re trying to sleuth through it with the protagonist. Most mysteries I’ve read, if the book goes into any great detail, it must be integral to the answer, and possibly gives the ending away. This simply wasn't the case with The Cuckoo's Calling, the details did all come together, but, as I said, in a masterfully orchestrated way. “Orchestrated” seems to be the most accurate way to describe J.K. Rowling’s execution and conclusion.

This book has seriously raised the bar for my expectations in a mystery. Since reading The Cuckoo’s Calling, I have read a number of “who dunnit” books that have been unsuccessful at measuring up.

Having read J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, I see some of the similarities in her character development and "page turning" writing. The subjects are far from similar and this is definitely an adult vs. youth oriented book. I wouldn't call it a suspense novel, but it is a great puzzle. I'd happily recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

This author could not have been more in my head. Liana Moriarty has an uncanny ability to portray real characters. Her writing style is fabulous, and I look forward to reading more from her. Her writing is what carries 70% of the book for me. The other 30% is a captivating plot line. I wouldn’t call this a must-read-in-one-day-thriller type, but compelling still. The story captures a segment in time where there is an apex between a handful of characters in their own kind of crisis. She does a great job of making you identify with them and more importantly, care what happens to them.

As for the story line, I’ll say it is an illustration of human fragility and mystery that culminates with a certain harmony and balance. If you are a reader who prefers a tidy ending, where you have every question answered, this is a book for you. All three of the main characters are searching to find their way and ultimately they find answers in a maybe unexpected way.

Round 1 Choice:

I enjoyed both novels for their compelling mystery elements. Both also had wonderful character development that truly carried the stories. Having said that, I happen to identify and enjoy the characters more in The Husband’s Secret. There is more of a heartfelt connection in The Husband’s Secret that The Cuckoo’s Calling didn’t possess. For me, that element tipped the scales in favor of The Husband’s Secret, my choice for round one.

Gulp VS Relish: Dubuque Tournament of Books, Round One

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the first round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post. 

Judge: Fran

River Lights Bookstore 

Comparing Lucy Knisley’s Relish: My Life in the Kitchen and Mary Roach’s Gulp is like comparing pancakes and pigs’ feet. Both books deal with food but in a totally different context.

Let's first look at the ways the two books are similar.  Both are written by women who have a rich sense of humor and a clever writing style. Both are nonfiction. The consumption of food is a subject frequently mentioned in the two books. Both have amusing illustrations.

The Gulp illustrations appear prior to a chapter and are generally realistic. Knisley’s illustrations, since Relish is a graphic novel, are fundamental to both the format and the story. The cartoons are bright, colorful, and charming.  They help tell the story of Kinisley’s adventures and also provide a step-by-step guide for how to prepare the recipes she includes.  Her cartoon style reminded me of the Archie comics I enjoyed as a child.

Their differences are more apparent. Relish, a young adult book, is a memoir of Lucy Knisley’s childhood and young adulthood experiences with food. Her mother is a chef and her father a gourmand so she grows up eating a wide variety of food. She learns to cook, and to appreciate and enjoy food.  As a child and teen, she helps her mother with her garden and works in her catering business. The book is composed of her personal memories and her reflections on cooking and eating. Although several recipes are included they are her own or her mother’s recipes and no particular scientific information is offered.

On the other hand, Glup: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, while written in a humorous and somewhat breezy style, is definitely a scientific work. Roach includes numerous footnotes and a twelve page bibliography. Details are given of experiments performed in the 1800s on through ones being done today. She conducts interviews and reports her discoveries. The language she uses is scientific although much of it is understandable and palatable to the non-scientist. She references her personal experiences, but they are related to the circumstances of a particular interview.

Roach is a well-known, established author. Many adults will choose to read her works and will find them enlightening. I highly recommend Gulp, but I feel it is a book that one should select as a personal preference. Given the subject matter, I don’t want to force someone to read it. On the other hand, since Relish is a book that many adults are going to pass over. It is a light, quick read and will make you smile. It will provide a much needed breath of fresh air as we struggle through the last months of a trying winter. And like me, a reader might discover that a graphic novel can be interesting and fun to read.

Suspect VS Sycamore Row: Dubuque Tournament of Books, Round One

This week we'll be posting the judges' decisions for the first round of the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books. To see an overview of the judges and contestants, check out this blog post.

Judge: Charleen

Cheap Thrills book blog 

 

My reaction upon finishing the second of my two books was, "Why did you agree to do this?" Both books were so good! How could I possibly choose a winner?

Suspect features an unconventional character duo that it's hard not to root for. I especially loved Maggie, the veteran military dog who feels like she's lost her pack. The mystery is a good one, but the growing bond between Maggie and Scott nearly overshadowed the rest of the story.

While Suspect was an enjoyable read, Sycamore Row is the one I keep thinking about. Grisham paints a complex picture of how one man's final act captivates a Southern town. I loved slowly losing myself in this community, and once the trial started, I had to finish the rest of the book in one sitting.

This was a hard decision as I thoroughly enjoyed both of them, but it's Sycamore Row that wins Round One for me.

Charleen @ Cheap Thrills

Garden Gate and Organic Gardening: March Magazines of the Month

Spring is finally on its way, and with the official change of season on March 20th, it's time to start planning your garden. Whether you're looking at grand landscaping or just trying to grow some potted flowers, Carnegie-Stout has the materials to help you get started.

We're highlighting two of our many gardening magazines this month:

Garden Gate began publication in 1995, and has remained a popular source for gardening advice, tips, and information. The magazine's publisher, August Home, is based in Des Moines, Iowa, and the magazine is notable for the lack of advertisements. You can check out an issue from the library, or take a look at the extra features available on their website: www.gardengatemagazine.com 

 Organic Gardening began publication in 1942, and is today part of the Rodale, which publishes several health and wellness magazines. The magazine's decades of focus on the environment provide a wealth of expertise for today's interest in sustainability and the green movement. Organic Gardening is available in both print and digital collections. To check out a digital issue of this or many other magazines through your computer or tablet, check out Zinio. Additional features and content are available through their website: www.organicgardening.com

Previous magazines of the month with a gardening theme have included: Urban Farm and Fine Gardening. Or if you find that you much prefer reading about gardening to actually getting your hands dirty, check out this list of gardening themed mysteries.

Staff Review: Unmentionables by Laurie Loewenstein

Laurie Loewenstein has written a simultaneously heartbreaking and uplifting insight into our world as it was a century ago. With scenes in small-town Illinois, war-torn France and gritty Chicago, you will experience both humor and hardship along with Loewenstein's flawed but lovable cast of characters.

The story reads as though in a contemporary setting. You'll find yourself immersed in long-standing feuds, cruel discrimination, military hospitals, and of course, love and adventure, almost without noticing the author's thorough research. She includes fascinating details of everything from clothing to printing presses to relationships and expectations. Your eyes will be opened to the obstacles and charm of the slower communication and transportation, and the (even more) judgmental neighbors, our ancestors lived with not so long ago.

Unmentionables includes a little something for everyone. You'll learn about the struggle for women's suffrage and early 20th-century politics and economics. The characters are diverse and complex, and you may find yourself missing a couple of them when you finish the book. If you're looking for a feel-good novel with a little extra education and drama, Unmentionables is perfect for you.

~Rachel, Technical Services

Dubuque Tournament of Books 2014: Meet the Books

March is just around the corner and that means it's time for the 2nd Annual Dubuque Tournament of Books! Be sure to stop by the Recommendations Desk on the first floor to pick up your tournament bracket for a chance to win a fabulous prize!

This year we have a team of local judges who will decide which book is our champion:

Judge: Fran

River Lights Bookstore 

 Gulp by Mary Roach

Mary Roach (author of Stiff: the curious lives of human cadavers) continues to explore the weirder corners of science in this witty look at the digestive tract.
Relish: My Life in the Kitchen by Lucy Knisley

Lucy Knisley's engaging, lively graphic memoir about the importance of good food to her life and family received a 2013 Alex Award.

Judge: Marie

River Lights Bookstore 

 

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

A lyrical story of an Afghani family through the turbulence of the 20th century from the author of The Kite Runner.
The Girls of Atomic City by Denise Kiernan

The richly detailed history of life in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, the WWII factory town devoted to the top secret project to build the atomic bomb.

Judge: Charleen

Cheap Thrills book blog 

Suspect by Robert Crais

A fast-paced tale of a cop hunting for his partner's killers with the help of Maggie, a German Shepard suffering from PTSD after deployment in Afghanistan, from the author of the Elvis Cole mystery series.
Sycamore Row by John Grisham

John Grisham's first sequel returns to the characters and setting of his first novel, A Time to Kill, as Jake Brigance takes on the controversy that erupts after the suicide of a wealthy man.

Judge: Bethany

Finding Pins and Needles 

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

A suspenseful story from the Australian Liane Moriarty, Cecelia's life is perfect until the day she discovers a letter from her husband that contains a shocking secret.
The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith (J.K. Rowling)

The first in a fast-paced series featuring private investigator Cormoran Strike from the author best known for writing the Harry Potter series.

Judge: Becky

Charles C. Myers Library, University of Dubuque

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

A bittersweet story of first love between misfits in 1986, Rainbow Rowell's first young adult novel is a 2014 Printz Honor book.
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes

Personalities clash in this thought-provoking novel, directionless Louisa takes a job as an assistant to Will, a paraplegic adrenaline-junky who doesn't want to live his life in a wheelchair.

Judge: Sue

Nicholas J. Schrup Library, Clarke University

 

The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion

An engaging and funny novel by debut novelist Graeme Simsion, the super logical scientist Don's plan to find a wife is thrown into chaos when he meets Rosie, who is searching for her biological father.
The River of No Return by Bee Ridgway

Debut novelist Bee Ridgway's intricately plotted story of conspiracy, time travel, and romance features compelling characters and enough mystery to keep the pages turning.

Judge: Megan

Telegraph Herald

Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline

Kline examines the overlooked stories of unwanted children in this moving novel. Molly, a teen who's spent years in the foster system, meets Vivian, who came to Minnesota on an orphan train decades ago. 
Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini 

The author of the popular Elm Creek Quilts series turns her pen to the life of Elizabeth Keckley, former slave and dressmaker to Mary Todd Lincoln in this richly detailed novel.

Judge: Bob

Dubuque 365Ink

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

This bittersweet and haunting tale of childhood friendship is a good entry point to the dreamlike writing of the popular Neil Gaiman.
Tenth of December by George Saunders

Wry, whimsical, and unpredictable, this short story collection by essayist and novelist Saunders was a finalist for the 2013 National Book Award.

Staff Review: The Good Lord Bird by James McBride

If you like colorful language and unique dialog in an historical setting, you should enjoy The Good Lord Bird, the 2013 National Book Award winner by James McBride.  When abolitionist John Brown frees a young slave he is under the impression that he is helping a young black girl.  The child, nicknamed Onion by Brown, is unwillingly swept into the Captain's crusade to end slavery.  The story covers approximately 4 years and is told through Onion's eyes.  He portrays John Brown as a strong, righteous man who is a religious fanatic that truly believes in his cause and is willing to sacrifice everything to end slavery.  During his time with Brown, Onion is treated with respect and kindness even though survival was often in question.

Onion's perspective is often humorous but never lets the reader forget the injustices and violence brought about by slavery.  At times the story bogs down with the repetition of Captain Brown's rants, slowing down the middle of the book for me, but the story ends strong.  We know what happens to John Brown, but it's Onion's story you want to finish. His life ends up taking many unexpected turns, but Onion remains resilient throughout the book.

-Michelle, Circulation

To read more about John Brown and the Harper's Ferry raid try:

• Cloudsplitter by Russell Banks (Fiction Banks) An atmospheric novel of John Brown's life told from the perspective of his son Owen.
• Midnight Rising by Tony Horwitz (LP 973.7116 HOR) A richly detailed account of the Harper's Ferry raid from the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist.
• John Brown's Spy: the adventurous life and tragic confession of John E. Cook by Steven Lubet (Biography Cook) A biography of John E. Cook, who helped John Brown in the planning of his raid.
• John Brown's Trial by Brian McGinty (973.7116 MCG) McGinty's legal background allows him to focus on the impact of Brown's trial on the United States leading up to the Civil War.