Bingeworthy TV: Doctor Who

Doctor Who is the definition of a fandom that is bigger on the inside.  If you’re looking for a series to watch where you don’t have to be sad about it ending too soon, this is the one for you! Doctor Who began in 1963 (yes, you read that right) and is still going strong 840 episodes later!

If you’re not looking to start from the beginning, the most recent Doctor (Peter Capaldi) is a great place to start watching. Each season acts as a stand-alone for those wanting to “test the waters” and features action, humor, and science fiction wrapped into one fantastic package!

For those new to Who, it is about an alien named the Doctor who has a spaceship that can travel throughout time and space (the TARDIS). He goes on adventures with various companions and saves the universe from aliens who want to destroy it. He has a special ability to regenerate into a new body when he is injured, which has led to many different actors portraying the Doctor.

The series has always been ahead of its time culturally and addresses many current social issues in fun and creative ways. This has led to Jodie Whittaker becoming the first female actress to portray the Doctor beginning this October. I seriously can’t wait!

-Thea, Technical Services

Staff Review: Portugal by Cyril Pedrosa

“It’s as if I feel at home everywhere or nowhere at all?”

Simon Muchat bares this telling sentiment near the beginning of the newly translated graphic novel Portugal by writer and artist Cyril Pedrosa, which follows the character’s journey to reconnect with his past, present, and place in the world.

Simon, a fictionalized version of Pedrosa, is an aloof art teacher who lately feels uninspired and disengaged. The fluidly shifting languages surrounding him parallel his casual disorientation. This vague comprehension prevents him from grasping any deeper truths in others; only surface impressions.

The scenery around Simon is beautiful and alive with sounds and busy movements that blend into loose and masterfully drawn shapes. The imagery mirrors the strength Simon’s memories. Some are strong, defined, and lasting, while most wash together overlapping perfectly to illustrate the haziness and fleeting nature of memory. The colors in particular reveal Simon’s mood, ranging from calm/reflective blues and greens to the heated/intense reds and oranges. However, a serene mix of amber and yellows dominate and the book is a very relaxed and introspective read because of it.

Simon eventually confronts the source of his artistic draught, a paralyzing void inside him. This emerges as violent vision of murder during a plane ride. Simon soon determines that this void is the absence of his family in his life, previously hinted at in flashbacks. Later while repeating his mantra “Estou Perdido” (I am lost) while trying to find his way to the beach, we get the first glimpse of Simon’s transformation. His former indifference brightens (literally with brighter hues) and Simon becomes enchanted with his surroundings and strives to connect. The remainder of the story follows Simon’s reunion with his family and his investigation of his family history that reinvigorates him.

Spend an afternoon with Portugal and you may be inspired to research your own lineage, reach out to those remote relatives and friends, or just reflect on your own place in the world.

~Garrett, Circulation

Staff Review: The Hour of Land by Terry Tempest Williams

The Hour of Land: A Personal Topography of America's National Parks by Terry Tempest Williams stands a very good chance of being my 2017 best book of the year. I loved it so much I'm about to read it all over again. The book combines all my favorite genres: history, nature writing, memoir, travel. Published in 2016 to coincide with the National Park Service's centennial celebrations, The Hour of Land is a very personal tour, conducted by Williams herself, through a dozen of the nation's 58 national parks.

And what a tour guide she is. A naturalist, writer, and native of Utah, Williams is probably best known for her 1992 memoir Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place about losing her mother to cancer just as the Great Salt Lake floods, threatening the migratory birds Williams treasures. She's extremely knowledgeable, she loves wild places with a passion, and she possesses what I can only call a beautiful spirit: generous, gentle, peace-loving, compassionate. Plus, she's a terrific and highly poetic writer.

It's a pleasure to tour the country in her company, even when she's surveying wrenching scenes like the damage inflicted on Gulf Islands National Seashore by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 or the encroachments of the Bakken oil fields on Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. More often what she surveys is sublime, from Alaska's Gates of the Arctic and Wyoming's Grand Teton to Acadia National Park in Maine. She even makes a stop at Effigy Mounds National Monument here in Iowa.

Particularly pleasurable is the variety of approaches Williams takes to her park descriptions, focusing closely at times on ecology or American history, then shifting her lens to her own life and family. She includes letters, emails, and journal entries to fine effect and provides a wonderful personal anecdote about Lady Bird Johnson. Modern readers, who may be unaware of how our great park system got started, learn about the unflagging philanthropic and environmental efforts of such National Park greats as Laurence Rockefeller, Theodore Roosevelt, Stewart Udall, and many others. This book's a lavish banquet of luscious park detail and I, for one, could not get enough of it. How I wish Williams had visited all 58.

~Ann, Adult Services

#ComicsWednesday: Pyongyang by Guy Delisle

Guy Delisle is a French-Canadian cartoonist who has made a career creating biographical comics, building on the strong foundation of his first book, Pyongyang. First published more than 10 years ago, Pyongyang gives readers an interesting glimpse into the secretive and highly controlled world of North Korea. Many things have changed in the past decade, but Delisle's often funny observations of life as a western outsider in North Korea are still fascinating today.

Delisle first came to Pyongyang, the country's capital, to supervise the production of an animated film that had been outsourced to a North Korean company. His job lasted for two months and when he was not working he socialized with other foreigners and went on highly supervised visits to local tourist attractions.

Delisle's black and white drawings are minimalist and cartoony, which suits the immediacy of a travel guide created by an animator. This isn't a sketchbook, though, and you can see the thought he puts into his panels. The people are distinct and expressive, and the often empty backgrounds draw your focus to his characters' humanity and the intense pressure of life under a totalitarian regime.

~Sarah, Adult Services

#ComicsWednesday: Primates: the fearless science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas by Jim Ottaviani & Maris Wicks

Jim Ottaviani has made a career of taking the lives and complex discoveries of scientists and mathematicians and translating them into accessible graphic novels (with the help of various talented artists). In Primates, Ottaviani worked with Maris Wicks to tell the story of three groundbreaking primatologists: Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Biruté Galdikas.

This book will appeal to anyone with an interest in natural science, women's history, or animals, whether or not you know the difference between a chimpanzee and an orangutan. Ottaviani and Wicks captured some of the difficult realities of scientific fieldwork in remote locations, while giving the highlights of our relatively recent understanding of primate behavior.

While this comic is kept in our children's collection, I'd recommend that parents read this book along with younger readers who might have questions about such difficult topics as sexism, gorilla poaching, and Dian Fossey's death. Though Wicks's engaging, cartoon-ish art helps to keep the tone from becoming too dark, this book is probably a better fit for tweens, teens, and interested adults.

Primates serves as an excellent introduction to the lives and works of three incredible, inspiring female scientists that readers of all ages are likely to enjoy. You'll probably find yourself looking through the provided bibliography in order to learn even more!

~Sarah, Adult Services

#ComicsWednesday: The Less than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal by E.K. Weaver

I enjoy traveling, but I would much rather read a book about a road trip than actually drive thousands of miles myself. The road trip from California to Rhode Island in The Less than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal is perfect for an armchair traveler like me. The comic was written and illustrated by E.K. Weaver and while this is very much a character-driven story, I loved how she would use full-page illustrations (some in full color) of the changing landscape to highlight the characters' journey.

Weaver's artistic skills also shine in capturing facial expressions and body language, making full use of the comic as a visual medium for storytelling. She tells her story without thought bubbles (and with very few narrative boxes), conveying her characters' (even the background characters!) emotions and internal landscapes through her illustrations. It's a choice that rewards careful readers, and I found rereading to be a rich experience, giving new context to earlier interactions.

The story was originally published online as a webcomic between 2009 and 2014, which is how I first read it, even though the wait between updates could be torture! New readers will probably appreciate the chance to experience the whole story in one book at their own pace.

The morning after calling off his arranged marriage and coming out as gay to his conservative parents, Amal wakes up with a hangover and a stranger in his kitchen. Amal might've destroyed his relationship with his parents, but he's still determined to be there for his sister's graduation.

Apparently he agreed to split the cost of the cross-country trip with a total stranger before blacking out. TJ has his own reasons for leaving California, knows a tattoo artist in Rhode Island, and doesn't have a car. TJ and Amal make for an odd couple and seemingly have very little in common. However, hours upon hours trapped in a car will help you get to know anyone better.

Small spoiler alert: this story does include a romance, and that romance does include a physical relationship between our main characters. Much of the sexual content occurs off panel, but there is enough illustrated on the page (plus drug use) to definitely place this comic in the Adult collection.

Click to view larger because this sequence makes me giggle every time.

I was sad on the day I read the last page of TJ and Amal, but I'm incredibly happy that I have the chance to share this emotional journey with new readers!

~Sarah, Adult Services

Great Reading Challenge Big Summer Giveaway!!

If you love to read, you may have noticed that the best books take us to places beyond imagination - whether it is a space station in some distant galaxy, a wizard’s lair, a World War II battlefield, or a villa on the coast of Italy – chances are, you have felt transported through space and time to become a seasoned armchair traveler.

For me, this week has been a trip to Hogwarts and beyond in the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. I am also visiting the fantastical and dangerous world called Erilea in the Sarah J. Maas Throne of Glass series. 

For this giveaway, comment below and tell us where you have armchair “traveled” while reading this summer.

To be eligible to win: You must be 18+ and be registered for the Great Reading Challenge.

Register Here or at the Recommendations Desk at Carnegie-Stout Public Library. Entries for this giveaway will also be accepted at the C-SPL Facebook page, C-SPL Twitter (@Carnegie_Stout  use #24reads2016) and at the Recommendations Desk. One entry per person total. You must be able to pick up your prize in person at the library. Giveaway begins Thursday, August 4th at 12 noon CT and ends Sunday, August 14th at 11:59 PM CT. Winners will be drawn and notified on Monday, August 15th.

There will be 3 winners!

Prizes:

Each winner will receive:

1 East Mill Bakery Gift Certificate for $5

1 Copper Kettle Gift Certificate for $5

1 Dubuque Food Co-Op Gift Card for $5

1 Candle Ready Cakes Coupon for a Buy-One-Get-One Free cupcake

Staff Review: The Road to Little Dribbling by Bill Bryson

It's been twenty years since Iowan-turned-Englishman Bill Bryson wrote Notes from a Small Island, relating his 1995 trip around Great Britain. The book wound up being the most successful travel book ever, with 2.5 million copies sold to date. So, Bryson's publisher, with "little glinting pound signs" in his eyes, suggested Bryson do it again, with a different itinerary this time of course.

The result is The Road to Little Dribbling, written just as Bryson passes his test to become a British citizen (his wife is English). His itinerary this time roughly follows the so-called Bryson Line, a line he invents linking the two most far-flung points in Britain, Bognor Regis and Cape Wrath, as the crow flies. Bryson perambulates this route, with numerous side-trips to London (his favorite city in the world, a city with more green space than any other in Europe). 

His travel commentary is entertaining and often very funny. Those who have read Bryson know he's a real curmudgeon; this work confirms that his curmudgeonliness has moved to the next level. Some reviewers have called him on this, saying he's become an over-the-top crank, but I found his grousing largely amusing and was more annoyed by his penchant for acting "over the hill" and in his "dotage" (at 63) when it's clear that he is as sharp as ever and can easily walk for miles. Why pretend to be decrepit? Besides, his crankiness is more than offset by the loving tribute he pays throughout the book to the stunning beauty of Britain's natural landscape and to her countless cathedrals, monuments, museums, and other historical sites. Britain's a bottomless treasure trove for art buffs, book lovers, historians, and nature enthusiasts. 

Sadly, not all of Britain is doing very well these days. Bryson pays visits to formerly vibrant villages and resort towns now well on their way to dying, leading him to make caustic remarks about the government's austerity measures. In the main though, this book will leave you yearning to cross the Atlantic and see for yourself  “how casually strewn with glory Britain is.”  

~Ann, Adult Services

Nine Books that will Inspire You to Explore Nature

Did you know that June is Great Outdoors Month? It's hard to resist the call of the outdoors in the early days of summer, whether you're strolling the River Walk, hiking through the Mines of Spain, or just relaxing in your own backyard.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, though our first National Park (Yellowstone) is even older. Whether you're planning a visit to a National Park this summer, or just interested in reading up on their history, we've put together a list of helpful books to get you started.

If you're looking for some inspiration for outdoor fun (or if the weather's just too muggy for your taste), we've gathered together a list of Nine Books that Will Inspire You to Explore Nature!

Following the Wild Bees: the craft and science of bee hunting by Thomas D. Seeley
(595.799 SEE) Following the Wild Bees is a delightful foray into the pastime of bee hunting, an exhilarating outdoor activity that used to be practiced widely but which few people know about today. Thomas Seeley, a world authority on honey bees, vividly describes the history and science behind this lost pastime and how anyone can do it.

Happy Home Outside: everyday magic for outdoor life by Charlotte Hedeman Guéniau
(747.49 HED) Taking in garden rooms, outdoor spaces such as cabins, canopies, and dining areas as well as moveable spaces such as vintage vans and tents, Charlotte brings her everyday magic and glorious sense of relaxed living with bright color to every corner of the garden.

Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life by Richard Louv
(155.91 LOU) Vitamin N is a one-of-a-kind, comprehensive, and practical guidebook for the whole family and the wider community, including tips not only for parents eager to share nature with their kids but also for those seeking nature-smart schools, medical professionals, and even careers. It is a dose of pure inspiration, reminding us that looking up at the stars or taking a walk in the woods is as exhilarating as it is essential, at any age.

The Rarest Bird in the World: the search for the Nechisar nightjar by Vernon R.L. Head
(598.99 HEA) In 1990, a group of research scientists performed a survey of birds in the Plains of Nechisar in Ethiopia, returning with hundreds of specimens, including a single wing from a bird unlike any ever seen before. Vernon Head joins an expedition two decades later that will attempt to locate the rarest bird in the world.

The Wander Society by Keri Smith
(153.35 SMI)  Several years ago when Keri Smith discovered cryptic handwritten notations in a worn copy of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass, her interest was piqued. Little did she know at the time that those simple markings would become the basis of a years-long, life-changing exploration into a mysterious group known only as The Wander Society.

Patterns in Nature: why the natural world looks the way it does by Philip Ball
(500.2 BAL) Though at first glance the natural world may appear overwhelming in its diversity and complexity, there are regularities running through it, from the hexagons of a honeycomb to the spirals of a seashell and the branching veins of a leaf. Revealing the order at the foundation of the seemingly chaotic natural world, Patterns in Nature explores not only the math and science but also the beauty and artistry behind nature’s awe-inspiring designs.

The Book of Camping and Woodcraft: A Guidebook for Those Who Travel, in the Wilderness by Horace Kephart
(796.54 KEP) In the early 20th century, travel writer Horace Kephart published a series of articles in Field and Stream, which served as the foundation for this classic book on wilderness camping. His work as an outdoorsman led to the establishment of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The Parkour & Freerunning Handbook by Dan Edwardes

(796.046 EDW) An illustrated introduction to parkour--freerunning--that provides step-by-step instructions on basic moves, which include landing, rolling, jumping, mounting, balance, and more, along with tips to avoid injuries. The book also discusses clothing, culture, and other related topics.

GoatMan: how I took a holiday from being human by Thomas Thwaites
(BIOG Thwaites) A research grant offers Thomas Thwaites the chance to take a holiday from the complications of being human--by transforming himself into a goat. What ensues is a hilarious and surreal journey through engineering, design, and psychology, as Thwaites interviews neuroscientists, animal behaviorists, prosthetists, goat sanctuary workers, and goatherds.

Staff Review: Displacement: A Travelogue by Lucy Knisley

Displacement: A Travelogue is the fourth* book from the autobiographical cartoonist Lucy Knisley, and it is my hands-down favorite.** I've been reading her comics since 2009***, and I've admired the way she's grown and expanded in her skills as an illustrator and as a storyteller. That she focuses her pen on her own life only adds to that sense of growth; inevitably, both she as author and I as reader have gained perspective and maturity over the years.

I've encountered readers who found it difficult to relate to her earlier works because of  her youth. That generational differences are part of the focus for Displacement might add appeal to readers outside of the "Millennial" label, especially those readers who might be hearing of her work for the first time after her recent Eisner nomination.

Click to enlarge

Displacement focuses on Lucy's experience accompanying her 90-something grandparents on a Caribbean cruise. Lucy is adrift in her mid-twenties, facing all the uncertainty of career and personal life, while her grandparents are experiencing the decline and loss of their twilight years. The change in roles and responsibilities in their relationship is an aspect that I found particularly meaningful in my own reading. There's a billboard I pass every time I drive to visit my parents showing a young girl with her parents, and then the same family thirty-forty years in the future with the phrase "Roles Change" and I have to grip the steering wheel a little harder for a mile or two.

My favorite element of the book were the passages Lucy illustrated from the diary her grandfather kept during World War II. This added a depth to the narrative, which, by the nature of a memoir, has the danger of falling too deeply into the author's own experience. These passages created a fuller image of her grandparents by giving us a glimpse into their lives when they were 20-somethings themselves. It certainly contributed to the fact that I was tearing up by the end of the book.

~Sarah, Adult Services


*not counting her self-published titles or anthologies she's contributed to

**to be fair, I'm only halfway through reading her most recent book, Something New

***Full disclosure, Lucy Knisley is part of my sister's extended social circle, to the extent that my sister appeared in a few of Lucy's online comics. We've met once or twice, but this was many years ago.

Book Tips for Travelers

Travel brings with it a change in your daily routine. Whether you're on the road for fun or for business, you're bound to have at least a little free time, which, if you're a book lover, translates to reading time. As a lover of both books and travel, I thought I'd share some of the tips I've learned over the years for the upcoming summer travel season.

 Switch it up! Tackle your To Be Read list

• A vacation is a great time to read a book you wouldn't usually, whether it's the sort of serious reading that demands extra attention or something light and fluffy you'd otherwise feel guilty taking time off to read.

Busy schedule? Try short stories

• Short story collections are great for when you'll only have 30-minutes or so at a time to read between everything else because you can usually read an entire story in that time!
• Added bonus, an anthology will let you sample multiple authors to see if you'd like to read their full-length novels when you have more free time.

eBooks: the easiest way to bring the entire library with you

• Already on the road? Our OverDrive collection of eBooks and downloadable audiobooks are available anywhere you have internet access.

Audiobooks: the only way to read a book while you're driving a car

• MP3 audiobooks let you listen to an entire 12+ hour audiobook on only two discs.
• In addition to our OverDrive collection, we have even more downloadable audiobooks available through One Click Digital.

Paper Books: the only books you don't have to stop reading during take-off and landing

• Nothing beats a paper book for reading in bright sun, and you never have to worry about recharging!
• They're easy to swap among friends and family, which is how I've discovered some of my favorite books.
• Don't want to risk one of your books or a library book? The Friends of the Library always have books for sale on the library's second floor, and the prices can't be beat!

Digital Magazines: we've got those too

• Check out the latest issue on your tablet or smartphone with your library card through our Zinio app.

Long Trip? Suspend your holds

• Been waiting for the latest James Patterson or Star Wars: The Force Awakens? Don't lose your spot, suspend your holds until you get back, and yes, we can do this for you over the phone.

~Sarah, Adult Services

Staff Review: Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper

Etta and Otto and Russell and James by Emma Hooper

As soon as I started this book I knew I was going to care about these characters. I was drawn into their story immediately, and while it left me with many questions, I enjoyed the ride.

Journeys are an integral part of this story.  Etta, Otto and Russell have known each other since their teens.  While they each have their own journey, they intersect in many ways.  Otto and Russell grow up like brothers, Etta and Otto get married after mainly getting to know each other through letters while Otto is away at war, and Russell buys the farm next to theirs and spends 50 years quietly in love with Etta. The story jumps back and forth between the beginning of these relationships and the present so most of the in between years are left blank.  You are given small insights into the lives of the main characters but so much is left up to the reader's imagination.

The book opens with Otto reading a note from 83 year old Etta telling him that she is off to visit the ocean--she has never seen the water and feels compelled to make this sojourn on her own.  She tells Otto she will return if she can remember.  From that point on you never know for sure what Etta's reality is.  Otto and Russell each cope in their own way with Etta's leaving and this is where I started having questions. Why does Otto decide not to look for Etta and instead spend his sleepless nights creating a papier-mâché menagerie and what does it represent? Why is Russell always waiting for deer--is his waiting representative of something else? Russell does track Etta down, but gives up on bringing her home and goes instead to the north to study deer and caribou.  Does he feel like Etta has released him in some way?

The story actually develops a sort of dreamy quality as Etta travels over thousands of miles on foot and runs into a talking coyote named James who joins her as a kind of spirit guide and protector. As her dementia increases and she slips in and out of reality Etta comes to depend on James to remind her of who she is.  By the end of the story the writing changes into very short passages of just a paragraph or a couple of sentences per page rotating between each character. At times it seems like Etta and Otto have merged into each others dreams and minds until they almost become one.

When all was said and done I thought to myself, "What the heck?"  I liked it so much, but felt like I needed to talk to someone else who had read it.  In stepped my sister and we had a quick book discussion and came to the conclusion that the author wanted the book to be ambiguous and open to interpretation. Together we were able to answer some of our questions. I think this would be a great book club book, but if you are a reader who wants things tied up in a nice package and with a clear ending, then Etta and Otto and Russell and James might not be your cup of tea.

~Michelle, Circulation

February Magazines of the Month

Chicago magazine is a publication of the Chicago Tribune Media Group and offers news, reviews, and all things Chicago. Whether you're a transplant who misses home, or you're planning a weekend getaway, it's worth checking out! More information and features are available on their website: www.chicagomag.com

Dwell is a magazine for edgy, contemporary home architecture and interior design. You can check out a print copy from the library or borrow a digital copy through Zinio. More information and features are available on their website: http://www.dwell.com

January Magazines of the Month

It's a new year, a new month, and time for new magazines of the month! Our first feature magazines for 2015 are Trailer Life and Where to Retire.

 Trailer Life magazine is a monthly publication devoted to recreational vehicles providing reviews, tips, and travel information. The magazine began publication in 1941. There is more information, including videos, on their website: www.trailerlife.com

Where to Retire magazine is a monthly publication aimed at older adults preparing for retirement. More information can be found on their website: www.wheretoretire.com

See the world, one murder at a time

Summer was made for vacations and road trips, but if, like me, you can't find the time to get away, you might enjoy exploring new lands in the pages of a good book! We've put together a list of international mysteries from every corner of the globe for you to enjoy. All titles link to the print edition, but several are available as audiobooks or eBooks too. If the list is overwhelming, be sure to stop by the Recommendations Desk on the 1st floor to pick up an International Mysteries bookmark!

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Turkey
Hotel Bosphorus by Esmahan Aykol

Israel

The Missing File by D.A. Mishani

Iraq
The Wreckage by Michael Robotham
Egypt
The Golden Scales by Parker Bilal
Saudi Arabia
Finding Nouf by Zoe Ferraris

Botswana

The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

Kenya

Nairobi Heat by Mukoma Wa Ngugi

Ghana

Wife of the Gods by Kwei Quartey

Nigeria

Treachery in the Yard by Adimchinma Ibe

South Africa

Random Violence by Jassy Mackenzie

The October Killings by Wessel Ebersohn  

India

Witness the Night by Kishwar Desai

The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall

Japan

Villain by Suichi Yoshida

The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

North Korea

A Corpse in the Koryo by James Church

Laos

The Coroner’s Lunch by Colin Cotterill

Singapore

A Most Peculiar Malaysian Murder by Shamini Flint

Australia

Kittyhawk Down by Garry Disher

Blood Junction by Caroline Carver

Canada

Still Life by Louise Penny

Mexico

Mexico City Noir by Various

Brazil

Hotel Brasil by Frei Betto

Sweden

Sun Storm by Asa Larsson 

Misterioso by Arne Dahl

Iceland

Jar City by Arnaldur Indridason

Norway

Don’t Look Back by Karin Fossum

The Redbreast by Jo Nesbo

Denmark

The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbol & Agnete Friis 

France

Murder in the Marais by Cara Black

Germany

Kismet by Jakob Arjouni

A Trace of Smoke by Rebecca Cantrell

March Violets by Philip Kerr

Slovakia

Siren of the Waters by Michael Genelin

Greece

The Messenger of Athens by Anne Zouroudi

Italy

Temporary Perfections by Gianrico Carofiglio

Northern Ireland

Mr. Dixon Disappears by Ian Sansom