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Monthly Archives: February 2019

The Chatham School Affair by Thomas H. Cook

22 Friday Feb 2019

Posted by Weston Public Library Staff in Fiction, mystery

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Cape Cod, detective, man-woman relationships, mystery, private schools

Another Weston Public Library Mystery Book Discussion pick!

In 1926, the exotic Miss Elizabeth Channing arrives in Chatham , Massachusetts, to teach art at the Chatham School, a private school for the rebellious sons of well-heeled families. The headmaster assigns his son, Henry, to assist Miss Channing in getting settled into her new home, a cottage on Black Pond. To the dismay of the community, Miss Channing begins keeping regular company with another teacher at the school, Mr. Reed, a veteran of the Great War who is married and has a small daughter. The affair begins slowly, but it sparks unimaginable romance in young Henry’s fervid teenage imagination and leads to murder, suicide, jail, and loneliness for those involved directly and indirectly. Cook’s novel takes the form of Henry’s memoir–an attempt to understand what led to tragedy at Black Pond.

Like much of Cook’s previous work, it is the story of how our secrets control our destinies. This is a powerful, engaging, and deeply moving novel, highly recommended for all who enjoy well-crafted, genre-bending crime fiction. –Booklist

“Thomas Cook’s night visions, seen through a lens darkly, are haunting” – New York Times Book Review.

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The Paragon Hotel by Lindsay Faye

15 Friday Feb 2019

Posted by Weston Public Library Staff in 20th century, Fiction, Historical Fiction

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flapper, New York mob, Oregon, Portland, Prohibition, race relations

An engrossing book that seamlessly weaves human drama with historical racism in 1920’s Oregon.  “Nobody” or Alice, wounded in almost every way, is on the run from the Mafia in Prohibition-era Harlem, and lands in Portland’s only hotel for blacks. The story begins and sweeps the reader into the lives of the unforgettable residents of the hotel. And then the Ku Klux Klan shows up.  A cracking good read.

“This historical novel, which carries strong reverberations of present-day social and cultural upheavals, contains a message from a century ago that’s useful to our own time: ‘We need to do better at solving things.’ A riveting multilevel thriller of race, sex, and mob violence that throbs with menace as it hums with wit.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“The Paragon Hotel is set a century ago, but its themes of social and cultural upheaval feel sufficiently fresh that you might think twice about calling Lyndsay Faye’s sixth novel historical fiction. But calling it terrific—not for a minute should you hesitate to do that….The great strength of “The Paragon Hotel” is Ms. Faye’s voice—a blend of film noir and screwball comedy….The jauntiness of the prose doesn’t hide the fact that Ms. Faye has serious business on her mind. At bottom, The Paragon Hotel is about identity and about family—those we’re born into and those we create.”—The Wall Street Journal

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Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race by Debby Irving

09 Saturday Feb 2019

Posted by Weston Public Library Staff in Non-fiction, United States

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race relations, racism, United States, whites

A very readable, honest look plus a guided journey to unpacking the privilege of whiteness.  Her questions at the end of each chapter encourage the reader to reflect on one’s lifetime and assumptions, and, with empathy, inspires one to transform.

“I read Waking Up White in one sitting. To say I loved it is an understatement. It’s such a raw, honest portrait …. Irving’s experience on display – warts and all – will help white people, who haven’t noticed the role systemic privilege has played in their lives, start to see the world in a new way.” — Jodi Picoult, author, The Storyteller, My Sister’s Keeper

Irving’s personal and moving tale takes us on an adventure to a world utterly new to her as she wakes up to the reality of how, without her knowledge or active pursuit, she lives in a society which is set up to reward her at the expense of people of color. I cannot imagine a more understandable and compelling invitation to learn about how racism lives on in our homes, communities, and nation. — Bishop Gene Robinson, Retired Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire and Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, Washington, DC

“Waking up White is a brutally honest, unflinching exploration of race and personal identity, told with heart by a truly gifted storyteller. Much as Irving’s family sought to shield her from the contours of the nation’s racial drama, so too do far too many white Americans continue to do the same. For their sakes, and ours, let’s hope Irving’s words spark even more truth-telling. They certainly have the power to do so.” — Tim Wise, author, White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son

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The Winter of the Witch (Winternight Trilogy, book 3) by Katherine Arden

01 Friday Feb 2019

Posted by Weston Public Library Staff in fantasy, Fiction, magic

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fantasy, good and evil, magic, young women

An immensely satisfying conclusion to a fantastic trilogy.  This third installment sees Vasya come more fully into her power, with all the mystical, moody atmosphere that Arden delivers so well. The vein of Russian folklore that pulsates through the narrative remains as rich and captivating as any modern entry in the fractured-fairytale genre.

“[Katherine] Arden’s gorgeous prose entwines political intrigue and feminist themes with magic and folklore to tell a tale both intimate and epic, featuring a heroine whose harrowing and wondrous journey culminates in an emotionally resonant finale.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Katherine Arden’s Winternight Trilogy isn’t just good—it’s hug-to-your-chest, straight-to-the-favorites-shelf, reread-immediately good, and each book just gets better. The Winter of the Witch plunges us back to fourteenth-century Moscow, where old gods and new vie for the soul of Russia and fate rests on a witch girl’s slender shoulders. Prepare to have your heart ripped out, loaned back to you full of snow and magic, and ripped out some more.”—Laini Taylor

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