From Publishers WeeklyDanticat's collection of stories detailing daily life under dictatorship in Haiti was a finalist for the National Book Award. Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. From School Library JournalYA?Danticat, born under Haitian dictatorship, moved to the U.S. 12 years ago. Many of the stories in this moving collection reflect the misery she has observed from afar and leave readers with a deep sadness for her native country. Survivors at sea in a too-small, leaky boat endure any indignity for the chance at escape. Selections about those remaining in Haiti have a dreamlike quality. A woman must watch her mother rot in prison for political crimes. A young father longs so much to fly that he gives his life for a few moments in the air. A prostitute plies her trade while her son sleeps. "New York Day Women" shows what life might be like in the U.S. for immigrants without resources. Through unencumbered prose, the author explores the effects of politics on people and especially the consequences of oppression on women, the themes of which figure into each of these vignettes.?Ginny Ryder, Lee High School, Springfield, VACopyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. Views: 79
This is the work of a writer unafraid to gaze directly at characters challenged by crisis and pathology. But for readers who are willing to look, unblinkingly, along with the writer, there are unusual rewards. Views: 79
Billy Flynn always wanted to fly. An attractive young man, a patriot, he is also an artist with pencil and paint and has an abiding affinity for nature. It's 1970 and he cannot resist the call to serve in Vietnam. A year later he is the only survivor when his helicopter is shot down. A wounded Billy returns home to his family in upstate New York, especially to Nell, his adoring younger sister. In his absence, the woman he loves has mysteriously disappeared. His wounds have crippled his ability to even hold a pencil and his hearing loss has cut him off from the natural world. Nell, a brilliant student headed for a career in science, will do all that's possible to save him. A Catalog of Birds is the story of a family and a community confronted with a loss of innocence and wounds that may never heal. The legacy of war and its destruction of nature is seared onto the memories of a small American town. Laura Harrington has written a tale of... Views: 79
Why'd I do it? I suppose it's the only question that really matters. Seventeen-year-old Crow will stop at nothing to protect her younger sister—even if it costs her her own life. But then she's given a chance to come back and make things right. There are a few catches, though. First, she won't come back as herself. And before she can set things straight, she'll have to figure out what's what—and things aren't exactly as clear-cut as she remembered. Powerful and hard-hitting, this is a compelling story about what it means to live your life—for your own sake—from an award-winning author. Views: 79
From Publishers WeeklyBritish author James returns to the mysteries of life after death with better success than he achieved in Possession. When a Sussex newspaper assigns Kate Hemingway to report on the noises that seem to be coming from the grave of a newly buried woman, she finagles access to a private exhumation--where it emerges that the woman had been buried alive. Meanwhile, James unfolds another story, set 20 years earlier: Harvey Swire, a pudgy, unpleasant schoolboy, has a near-death experience following a cycling accident; subsequently he undergoes frequent out-of-body episodes and develops an unhealthy fascination with the afterlife. The two plots are paced expertly, so that Kate's investigation into a hasty cover-up lands her afoul of the sinister Swire, now a prominent anesthesiologist. The two collide in a gripping climax, with a highly satisfying twist at the end. Characters are boldly drawn, and Kate proves an exceptionally likable heroine. James's attention to detail lends substance to what might seem a far-fetched plot--his research into near-death experiences and modern medical practices make this a convincing, sophisticated thriller with a suitably spine-tingling supernatural twist. Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Library JournalReporter Kate Hemingway sneaks into an exhumation and sees gruesome evidence that the victim died struggling to get out of the coffin. Doctors, hospital, and undertakers deny that anything was wrong; her newspaper refuses to support her story. As Kate continues to investigate--at her peril--James ( Dreamer , LJ 6/1/90) intertwines the parallel story of an anesthesiologist whose own near-death experience has left him obsessed with finding out whether there is life beyond the grave. His descent into madness is relentless, logical, and absolutely believable. A compelling novel of suspense, despite the occasionally gross stupidity of the heroine. Recommended.- Marylaine Block, St. Ambrose Univ. Lib., Davenport, Ia.Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. Views: 78
Britain, 1956. A young actress seemingly tries to commit suicide over a tangled love affair, but is taken to hospital and her life saved. The story is just the sort of thing that journalist Ian Charteris likes to cover: a poignant mix of near tragedy, possible thwarted romance, and glamour, needing sensitive but – of course – dramatic treatment. It should be a routine assignment, a welcome assignment. It would be, if it wasn’t for the identity of the young woman. She may – just may – be Ian’s sister. The unwelcome reminder of the past drags Ian back into memories of places and events he’d rather forget. As far as Ian is concerned, the past is a foreign country. And not just foreign. Fundamentally and cantankerously hostile. Vengeful, war-torn, dangerous. It is impossible to escape the past; the noose is already around Ian’s neck, and every step he takes it tightens . . . And this is not the only noose.Review“Superbly written, with James’ unique clipped, darkly funny dialogue and brilliantly provocative prose, this is a story that will haunt and disturb readers long after they’ve read the final page”. (Booklist Starred Review) “James spins an effective psychological tale of a man whose past shapes his future” (Publishers Weekly) Review“The unique and skilful way in which James uses words and his clever, diabolical plots are what make his Harpur and Illes cop series such a success. Another outstanding entry in this popular, highly original series” Starred Review of Play Dead (Booklist) Views: 78
With The Angel on the Roof, Russell Banks offers readers an astonishing collection of thirty years of his short fiction, revised especially for this volume and highlighted by the inclusion of nine new stories that are among the finest he has ever written. As is characteristic of all of Bank's works, these stories resonate with irony and compassion, honesty and insight, extending into the vast territory of the heart and the world, from working-class New England to Florida and the Caribbean and Africa. Broad in scope and rich in imagination, The Angel on the Roof affirms Russell Banks's place as one of the masters of American storytelling. Views: 78
A mouth-watering novel about love, food, heartbreak . . . and Venice.Eating means everything to Connie Farrell, she's a restaurant critic after all, so when her husband Tom fails to turn up on their second honeymoon in fairytale Venice she's rattled but she doesn't exactly lose her appetite. Quite the opposite, you could say. Handsome gondolier Marco awakes a hunger in her and sates it with all manner of mouth-watering delicacies, including himself. But Connie also has a hankering for something with a bit more zest, something muscled and tanned with silver hair and an honest heart going by the name of Luca. All second honeymoons should be so sweet! Back home in New York, however, there's more than amore on Connie's plate and none of it to her taste. Her husband is gone, her lover is a stranger, her mother is disappointed. Connie has lost sight of the simple things in life but can the cruellest of blows bring them back? Or is it too late? Views: 78
