Julie Hale

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Book Clubs: Four thoughtful takes on #MeToo 

Feature by Julie Hale

More than two years after the #MeToo movement took off, writers have shaped the resulting conversation about sexual harassment and abuse into meaningful fiction and nonfiction that are sure to spark further discussion. 

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey deliver a watershed work of investigative journalism with She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement. The authors, who broke the Harvey Weinstein sexual assault story for the New York Times, have crafted an eye-opening look at how #MeToo took off, sharing details about how they located sources and persuaded them to talk about Weinstein.

In Chandler Baker’s novel, Whisper Network, Rosalita, Ardie, Grace and Sloane work under Ames, who is set to become CEO of Truviv, Inc. Ames has a reputation for making advances toward women, and his latest in-­office transgression leaves the four co-workers determined to take action. Writing with humor and poise about a sensitive subject, Baker introduces complicated topics that will spark plenty of conversation and spins a suspenseful plot full of surprises that book clubs will enjoy unraveling.

Susan Choi’s novel Trust Exercise, which won the National Book Award in 2019, explores #MeToo concerns from the perspective of a group of students at a performing arts school who are manipulated by their elders, particularly their formidable drama teacher, Mr. Kingsley. The novel is at once a beautifully executed coming-of-age story and an unflinching account of lost innocence and idealism. It’s sure to prompt deep discussions of gender and age dynamics, especially the power plays that occur between teens and those whom they idolize.

Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators by Ronan Farrow is an electrifying account of the fall of convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein and the difficulties Farrow faced in bringing the media mogul’s story to light. Farrow also looks at abuses of power by Donald Trump, Matt Lauer and other high-profile figures as he creates—and sustains—a mood of suspense throughout the narrative. From ethics questions related to journalism to issues of gender discrimination, the book offers numerous subjects for conversation.

More than two years after the #MeToo movement took off, writers have shaped the resulting conversation about sexual harassment and abuse into meaningful fiction and nonfiction.
Nonfiction

Exploring the traditions and tropes of the mystery genre

Feature by Julie Hale

With its numerous subclassifications—police procedural, whodunit, historical thriller—the mystery genre is an exceptionally addictive field of fiction. Two titles investigate the category’s long-lasting allure.

At the heart of many an American whodunit stands the brooding, solitary private eye. You know the type: wears a trenchcoat and a hat, handy with a gun and quick with a quip, has nerves of steel and a heart of gold. How did this now-classic character come to rule the crime scene? Susanna Lee sheds light on the mystery with Detectives in the Shadows: A Hard-Boiled History.

Lee, an author and scholar, traces the character’s origins back to the 1920s, when crime was escalating in the United States thanks to Prohibition and the country needed a champion. The first iteration of the figure—an action hero-cum-­gumshoe named Terry Mack—appeared in Black Mask magazine in 1923, in a story by Carroll John Daly.

Over the course of the book, Lee shows how current events and political forces shaped portrayals of the PI on page and screen, from Dashiell Hammett’s Sam Spade, a street-smart sophisticate, to Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer, a trigger-happy veteran of World War II. Lee’s lively, perceptive analysis spans nearly a century. It’s a revealing critique of a pop culture icon and required reading for mystery buffs.

Compared to America’s gritty cities, the well-ordered nations of northern Europe hardly seem like fertile ground for crime fiction. Yet manifold mystery series have issued from the area, and fans can’t seem to get enough. Critic Wendy Lesser parses the appeal of the region’s thrillers in Scandinavian Noir: In Pursuit of a Mystery.

A longtime enthusiast of the genre and a stylish writer in her own right, Lesser delivers a detailed overview of notable authors, past and present, from Sweden, Norway and Denmark (Jo Nesbø, Henning Mankell, Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö—the list goes on). She also looks at local cultural factors like art, bureaucracy and religion that figure in the work of many suspense authors and instill the genre with a singular sense of place.

In the book’s second half, Lesser travels to Scandinavia for the first time. Her knowledge and love of the crime fiction tradition shine through as she scopes out landmarks from well-known novels and talks with real-life detectives in Copenhagen, Stockholm and other cities. The end result is a fascinating tribute to a unique breed of mystery. Fans of Nordic noir, take note.

With its numerous subclassifications—police procedural, whodunit, historical thriller—the mystery genre is an exceptionally addictive field of fiction. Two titles investigate the category’s long-lasting allure. At the heart of many an American whodunit stands the brooding, solitary private eye. You know the type: wears a trenchcoat and a hat, handy with a gun and quick with […]
NonfictionMemoir

Book Clubs: True stories of insight and hope

Feature by Julie Hale

An outstanding memoir can rev up any reading group. These four authors share their incredible stories in expertly crafted narratives.

In Small Fry, Lisa Brennan-Jobs, daughter of artist Chrisann Brennan and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, looks back at her turbulent California upbringing. When the author was a child, Jobs wouldn’t acknowledge her as his daughter, and she and her mother struggled to make ends meet. Over time, she grew closer to her father, but his remote and thorny personality brought consistent friction to their relationship. This electrifying narrative provides an up-close look at Jobs while exploring timeless questions about family, loyalty and love.

In 1921, Françoise Frenkel established a French-language bookstore in Berlin. The Nazis ascended to power, and in the late 1930s she managed to flee to France and eventually to Switzerland. In 1945, she published A Bookshop in Berlin, a chronicle of her terrifying journey to escape persecution due to her Jewish heritage. The work was rediscovered more than six decades later and first published in the United States in 2019. This spellbinding and suspenseful memoir will prompt discussions on history, morality and human rights.

In Haben: The Deafblind Woman Who Conquered Harvard Law, Haben Girma tells her remarkable story. From a young age, Haben, the daughter of Eritrean refugees, was determined to make the world a better place for people like herself. In describing her experiences in school—she was the first deafblind student to graduate from Harvard Law—and as an advocate for those with disabilities, she offers inspiring anecdotes and life lessons with humor and heart.

Albert Woodfox’s Solitary is an unforgettable account of the author’s 40-plus years in solitary confinement. Woodfox, a member of the Black Panther Party, was doing time for armed robbery in Angola Prison in 1972 when a white guard there was murdered. Along with a fellow Black Panther, Woodfox was blamed for the killing, despite a clear lack of evidence, and sentenced to life in solitary confinement. His courageous memoir is an excellent jumping-off point for important conversations about race and the history of the American penal system. Nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, it’s at once an invaluable critique and an outstanding personal narrative.

An outstanding memoir can rev up any reading group. These four authors share their incredible stories in expertly crafted narratives. In Small Fry, Lisa Brennan-Jobs, daughter of artist Chrisann Brennan and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, looks back at her turbulent California upbringing. When the author was a child, Jobs wouldn’t acknowledge her as his daughter, […]
NonfictionParenting

Parenting like a pro

Feature by Julie Hale

Whether you’re dealing with a cranky kindergartner or a teen with an attitude, parenting isn’t easy. We’ve gathered three parenting titles that provide fresh perspectives on family life.

When the World Feels Like a Scary Place

Abigail Gewirtz’s When the World Feels Like a Scary Place: Essential Conversations for Anxious Parents and Worried Kids couldn’t have come at a better moment. From social media drama and the pressure to succeed in school to global threats like COVID-19, kids today have plenty to be stressed about, and many parents feel inadequate when it comes to helping them make sense of it all. In her book, child psychologist and sought-after parenting consultant Gewirtz shows families how to handle difficult topics through upfront discussion and healthy dialogue. 

Gewirtz identifies talking and listening as critical steps that “help kids understand and deal with their intense negative emotions.” Her book equips parents with concrete techniques for broaching sensitive subjects with children of all ages, from toddlers to teens. There are hands-on exercises, sample scripts and lists of talking points that can jump-start a family conversation, bring kids’ hidden concerns to the surface and defuse fear. She even offers advice on how to shield youngsters from harmful information and decide what—and how much—they should know.

Parents will appreciate the sample conversations on topics such as climate change, the digital world, social justice and violence. Because what parents say and do has a direct impact on other family members, Gewirtz continually emphasizes the importance of parental accountability in dealing with kids’ emotions and advises readers on how to manage their own responses. Her guide is essential reading for parents who want to prepare their families to face today’s challenges without fear.

You Can't F*ck Up Your Kids

The title says it all: You Can’t F*ck Up Your Kids: A Judgment-Free Guide to Stress-Free Parenting by journalist Lindsay Powers is a frank, funny look at the challenges of child rearing that will give beleaguered moms and dads a boost. A mother of two, Powers wrote the book as a rebuff to the culture of judgment and one-upmanship that so often characterizes contemporary parenting. “In today’s hyper-connected world, parents’ worst fears and neuroses are manipulated by a promise of perfection that’s unreal and unattainable,” she writes. Powers encourages readers to ignore the buzz generated by childcare experts, trendsetters and other parents and simply focus on what feels right for their families.

Powers, who’s been featured on “Good Morning America” and “The Today Show,” is the former editor-in-chief of Yahoo! Parenting and the creator of #NoShameParenting, a viral social media movement that consoles anyone losing sleep over being a less-than-ideal caregiver. Her knack for connection shines through in this book, which is filled with unreserved, open advice on a wide range of domestic matters, including breastfeeding, understanding discipline techniques, making decisions about daycare, navigating mealtimes and compromising on screen usage. Throughout the book, Powers stresses that there is no single secret to raising happy, well-adjusted children. Her key piece of advice to parents is to do what works for you. Readers will be heartened by her unbridled approach to parenting as an imperfect process.

The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read

Psychotherapist and bestselling author Philippa Perry shares valuable recommendations for readers who are working to create satisfying connections with their kiddos in The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will Be Glad That You Did). From the beginning of this accessible, compassionate book, Perry asks readers to examine their own personal stories. Coming to terms with past experiences and family memories, both painful and pleasurable, enables parents to better understand and nurture the next generation. By identifying inherited models of child rearing that are potentially damaging, parents can free themselves from patterns of dysfunction.

“I am interested in how we can relate to our children rather than how we can manipulate them,” Perry writes. Her book consists of six chapters filled with bite-size passages of wise advice. She addresses parent-child communication, behavior, feelings and ways to create a healthy family environment. She also tackles perennial parental challenges such as children’s sleeping habits, tantrums, lying and caring for a clingy youngster.

Throughout the book, Perry includes productive exercises related to parenting styles, emotional triggers and more. She also provides relatable anecdotes from clients and her own family’s experiences. Readers with tweens and teens will welcome her insights into how to set boundaries and resolve conflicts as kids mature. By taking stock of the past, Perry says, parents can navigate the present and move into the future with confidence. Her holistic style makes this a unique, constructive and inspiring guide.

Whether you’re dealing with a cranky kindergartner or a teen with an attitude, parenting isn’t easy. We’ve gathered three parenting titles that provide fresh perspectives on family life. When the World Feels Like a Scary Place Abigail Gewirtz’s When the World Feels Like a Scary Place: Essential Conversations for Anxious Parents and Worried Kids couldn’t have […]
FictionDebut Fiction

Book Clubs: The wide world of historical fiction

Feature by Julie Hale

Four dazzling works of historical fiction, all set outside of Europe and America, are perfect for book clubs.

When Benito Mussolini invades Ethiopia at the beginning of Maaza Mengiste’s powerful novel, The Shadow King, a young maid named Hirut wants to fight alongside the men, but she’s not allowed. Joining with other women, including the wife of her employer, Hirut eventually comes into her own as a resistance fighter, and her coming of age and developing political consciousness provide a captivating arc for readers to follow. Mengiste’s fierce novel is a study of loyalty and identity in the years leading up to World War II.

Set in the 19th century, Esi Edugyan’s Washington Black tells the story of Wash, an 11-year-old boy who is enslaved in Barbados and selected to be the manservant of Christopher Wilde, the brother of his enslaver. Christopher takes Wash under his wing, using him as an assistant in his experimental launch of a hot air balloon. When the two are forced to leave Barbados, new possibilities open up for Wash. Complicated examinations of colonization, slavery and power dynamics add richness to Edugyan’s tense, gripping tale of adventure. Expect a rousing good read with somber undertones as Wash struggles to find his place in the world.

In Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko, a young Korean woman named Sunja has an affair with a rich man who turns out to be married. When Sunja discovers she’s pregnant, she marries a good-natured minister and they move to Japan. Lee spins a hypnotic saga that opens in the early 1900s and unfolds over several decades, first following Sunja’s and her husband’s experiences as immigrants, then the stories of subsequent generations of their family. Book clubs will find plenty to discuss in Lee’s sweeping novel, including gender roles and the pressures of family.

The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell begins in 1904 Northern Rhodesia (what is now the nation of Zambia) and spans a century. When British photographer Percy Clark makes his home in a colonial settlement known as the Old Drift, his adventures lead to unforeseen involvement with three Zambian families. Serpell draws upon elements of magical realism and Zambian history and mythology to create a singularly innovative and slyly funny narrative that unfurls the history of an evolving nation.

Four dazzling works of historical fiction, all set outside of Europe and America, are perfect for book clubs. When Benito Mussolini invades Ethiopia at the beginning of Maaza Mengiste’s powerful novel, The Shadow King, a young maid named Hirut wants to fight alongside the men, but she’s not allowed. Joining with other women, including the […]
NonfictionNatureBiography

Book Clubs: October 2020

Feature by Julie Hale

For the spookiest month of the year, reading groups will love this quartet of slightly unsettling titles.

Sorcery abounds in Pam Grossman’s Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power. Grossman goes deep into the subject of witchery, digging into imagery, symbolism and—through evaluations of Salem, Massachusetts, and other storied locales—the significance of witches in history. She also looks at depictions of witches in books, movies and television shows. Grossman, a popular podcaster and active witch, writes with authority and wit, spinning a magical narrative that book clubs will find both instructive and playful. This book is a provocative study of an endlessly fascinating figure and a treat for mere mortals in search of a rewarding seasonal read.

The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini by Joe Posnanski unpacks America’s fascination with the extraordinary escape artist and magician. Posnanski gives a captivating account of the elusive Houdini (1874–1926), whose real name was Ehrich Weiss and who grew up in an immigrant family in Wisconsin. There are many rich ideas at play in this book, including the power of the media and the ways pop culture icons come into being. A whimsical selection for reading groups, it’s a captivating look at one of magic’s greatest practitioners and how his influence still lingers today.

A strong stomach is not required for readers to enjoy Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History, zoologist Bill Schutt’s intriguing study of a dark subject. Schutt traces cannibalism across species and eras, investigating myths and misconceptions while documenting cannibalism’s place in the evolutionary process. His narrative is lively and well organized, and it brims with concepts that are ripe for discussion, such as cultural taboos, the survival instinct and genetics.

In Witches of America, Alex Mar travels across the country to investigate the world of modern covens, mystics and pagans. Mar is an admitted disbeliever, but as she meets with members of the occult in New England and the Midwest, she finds her perspective shifting. She gives readers inside access to these arcane groups and reveals how they find a foothold in contemporary society. Book clubs will appreciate Mar’s evenhanded consideration of topics such as faith and the supernatural. Written with intelligence and an eye for eerie detail, her book is a can’t-miss Halloween pick.

For the spookiest month of the year, reading groups will love this quartet of slightly unsettling titles. Sorcery abounds in Pam Grossman’s Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power. Grossman goes deep into the subject of witchery, digging into imagery, symbolism and—through evaluations of Salem, Massachusetts, and other storied locales—the significance of witches […]
NonfictionLiteratureGraphic Novels & ComicsComics

Surprises for the seasoned reader

Feature by Julie Hale

There’s always room for more books on a literature lover’s bookshelf, no matter how overflowing it seems to be. We’ve gathered five top-of-the-list titles that are sure to please ardent readers and literary trivia enthusiasts.

Cult Writers

Cult Writers: 50 Nonconformist Novelists You Need to Know celebrates a group of edgy, intrepid, slightly out-there authors—visionaries whose books may challenge and discomfit readers but never fail to thrill. This arresting little title is the latest entry in White Lion’s Cult Figures series, which recognizes maverick artists in various media. Octavia Butler, Angela Carter, Ralph Ellison and Ursula K. Le Guin are among the individualists found in this volume.

In crisply written biographical profiles, critic Ian Haydn Smith looks at the attitudes and aesthetic approaches of these authors and provides helpful context. Readers will discover unabashed courters of controversy (Pauline Réage, Michel Houellebecq), quiet outsiders (Joan Didion, Denis Johnson) and brash iconoclasts (Virginia Woolf, William S. Burroughs). Illustrator Kristelle Rodeia captures the essence of each novelist in exceptional, impressionistic portraits. Vibrantly designed and discerningly assembled, Cult Writers is a standout gift selection.

I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf

Among the literary-minded, books can induce fever, compulsion and fanaticism. Illustrator Grant Snider understands this all too well. He explores the singular world of the book-obsessed through concise cartoons that have appeared in the New York Times and other publications. I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf provides a sensational sampling of his work.

Snider dissects the peculiar habits and preoccupations of the literature addict with amazing economy. He classifies types of readers (“nocturnal,” “reclusive,” “indecisive”), offers ideas on arranging bookshelves (try organizing titles in rhyming couplets!) and reflects on a host of writerly topics, from lost pens to proofreader’s marks. His colorful panels convey just the right amount of information, seasoned with sly allusions and inside jokes aimed at the avid reader. Anyone with the book bug will savor Snider’s brand of humor.

Warriors, Witches, Women

In the rousing anthology Warriors, Witches, Women: Mythology’s Fiercest Females, Kate Hodges provides a fresh appraisal of 50 women from myth and folklore, demonstrating that they’re as vital and inspiring today as they were centuries ago. Hodges presents backstories and biographical information for each fierce female. Drawing on cultures from across the globe, she includes characters that many readers will recognize, as well as a host of less familiar figures.

Morgan le Fay, Baba Yaga, Circe, Artemis and Mami Wata are among the enchantresses highlighted in the book. As Hodges shows, these legendary women often wrestled with enduring concerns such as mortality and motherhood and now serve as symbols of strength for a new generation of readers. In her vibrant illustrations of these characters, Harriet Lee-Merrion contrasts delicate lines with rich colors and standout details. This exhilarating anthology brings a contemporary perspective to stories of iconic heroines.

The Call Me Ishmael Phonebook

The Call Me Ishmael Phonebook: An Interactive Guide to Life-Changing Books began as a lark. Stephanie Kent and Logan Smalley set up a phone number that book lovers could call in order to leave voicemails about their favorite titles. They received a flood of messages and had special rotary phones installed in schools, bookstores and libraries so that readers could record their impressions of significant books.

Those messages are compiled in The Call Me Ishmael Phonebook, which has been cleverly designed to resemble the print Yellow Pages of yesteryear and is packed with neat retro graphics, fun lists of phoned-in favorites, hidden literary references and other book-inspired surprises. From A Little Princess to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, the books that callers rave about run the gamut. An unbeatable gift for your favorite bookworm, this whimsical volume is a testament to the power of literature.

Ex Libris

In Ex Libris: 100+ Books to Read and Reread, Michiko Kakutani, former chief book critic at the New York Times, offers a survey of important works and reveals why she finds them significant in brief, perfectly polished essays. From time-tested tales such as The Odyssey to contemporary masterworks like Toni Morrison’s Beloved, Ian McEwan’s Atonement and Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Quartet, her selections are drawn from a variety of eras and genres.

Kakutani also gives consideration to children’s books—Madeleine L’Engle and Maurice Sendak both get their due—and offers a witty appreciation of Dr. Seuss. The stunning book-jacket illustrations by Dana Tanamachi that appear throughout Ex Libris will delight die-hard bibliophiles. “In these pages, I’m writing less as a critic than as an enthusiast,” Kakutani explains in the volume’s introduction. Her mood shines through in this stirring tribute to the reading life.

We’ve gathered five top-of-the-list titles that are sure to please ardent readers and literary trivia enthusiasts.
NonfictionMemoir

Book Clubs: November 2020

Feature by Julie Hale

Four memoirs explore family tensions and long-held secrets that ripple across generations.

Acclaimed memoirist Dani Shapiro was very close to her father, Paul, who died when she was 23. After a DNA test revealed that Paul wasn’t her real father, Shapiro’s world was turned upside down. In Inheritance: A Memoir of Genealogy, Paternity, and Love, Shapiro writes about searching for her biological father, who donated sperm to a clinic that her parents visited for fertility treatments. It’s an electrifying story, and Shapiro uses it as a springboard into explorations of identity and selfhood, family ties and the human need for closure. Honest, tender and moving, her memoir combines a stranger-than-fiction plotline with insights readers will savor.

Ariana Neumann provides a riveting account of her Jewish family’s experiences during World War II and the extraordinary life of her father, Hans Neumann, in When Time Stopped: A Memoir of My Father’s War and What Remains. Hans spied for the Allies in Berlin before going on to make his fortune in Venezuela as an industrialist, but the author didn’t learn about Hans’ past until after his death. Her book is at once a suspenseful tale of survival and a poignant tribute to her father.

In A Good American Family: The Red Scare and My Father, David Maraniss tells the story of his father, Elliott Maraniss, who led a unit of Black soldiers during World War II and was accused of being a communist in the 1950s. Maraniss was under FBI surveillance and was called before the House Un-American Activities Committee, losing his journalism job as a result. In crafting a moving narrative of his father’s life during an era of fear, the author explores themes of patriotism and loyalty, racism and activism. He blends history with personal narrative to create a richly rewarding memoir.

Megan Phelps-Roper came of age in the conservative Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. As a zealous member of the congregation, she opposed homosexuality, espoused anti-Semitic views and became known for engaging critics on Twitter. But after her viewpoints shifted, she broke away from the church, a journey she documents in Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving Extremism. Phelps-Roper writes with unflinching honesty about questioning long-held beliefs and the process of building a new life. Book clubs will encounter substantial topics for discussion in her courageous, hopeful narrative.

Four memoirs explore family tensions and long-held secrets that ripple across generations.
Children's & YAPicture BookMiddle Grade

Spirited, spooky tales

Feature by Julie Hale

October wouldn’t be the same without a bit of spine-tingling fun! These three books offer spooktacular thrills and chills for readers with a wide range of reading abilities. Whether they read along with a grown-up or they’re confidently reading solo, youngsters will be spellbound by these supernatural selections.

Gustavo the Shy Ghost

Rookie readers will adore Flavia Z. Drago’s Gustavo the Shy Ghost, a frightfully delightful picture book about building confidence, making friends and—oh yes—monsters. Though ghosts are considered generally unpleasant, unwelcome presences, Gustavo is a singular exception. His rosy cheeks and unwavering grin positively radiate good cheer. He also harbors secret feelings of love for Alma, an invisible girl who belongs to a group of ghouls he longs to befriend. Alma’s spooky squad includes a mini-Bride of Frankenstein (there’s no mistaking her high-voltage hairdo) and a little soccer-playing devil clad in a team jersey (he’s number 13, of course).

Gustavo is too shy to talk directly to the crew, so he tries—through a variety of guises—to get their attention. He morphs into a soccer ball, assumes the shape of a balloon and masquerades as a lampshade while Alma reads a book. But thanks to his otherworldly pallor, poor Gustavo is overlooked. He blends right in with the scenery!

Gustavo is feeling down when inspiration strikes: “I have to be brave,” he thinks. “I have to let others see me!” When he concocts a plan involving a musical concert on the Day of the Dead, his efforts to connect with Alma and the others are finally rewarded.

Through Gustavo’s haunting hijinks, Drago gently explores the importance of being yourself and sharing the qualities that make you unique with others. She pairs easy-to-follow text with silly monster scenes that young kiddos will adore. Inspired by her native Mexico, her mixed-media illustrations feature powerful pops of color that make her book bright and inviting. Gustavo’s story will be in high demand at storytime long after Halloween has passed. Here’s to making new friends, no matter how spooky!

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Three Halloween reads for scaredy-cats

The Haunted Lake

More experienced readers will find ghostly thrills in P.J. Lynch’s The Haunted Lake, an atmospheric story that’s just right for a chilly, cozy October night. When a dam is built across a river near the town of Spetzia, the town floods and a new lake is formed in its place. The residents relocate, but Jacob and his father, Reuben, remain in their hilltop home and take up fishing to make ends meet. Each day, when they go out on their boat, they see the town’s old clock tower, just tall enough to emerge from the water. The rest of Spetzia, meanwhile, remains submerged. Small wonder that the lake is rumored to be haunted.

Then Jacob falls in love with a girl named Ellen, and they plan to marry. But one night while out fishing alone, Jacob meets Lilith, a beautiful ghost. She introduces Jacob to the murky world beneath the lake’s surface, where he finds the village of Spetzia still intact and populated by phantom townsfolk. With the passage of time, it becomes clear that Lilith intends to trap Jacob into staying forever. “We need you, Jacob of the living,” she tells him ominously. “You remind us of ourselves . . . our old selves.” Jacob is soon caught up in a nightmare, and only with Ellen’s help can he hope to escape.

Lynch narrates these uncanny proceedings in a style that’s crisp and lucid. He creates a mood of suspense in part through his breathtaking illustrations. His realistic watercolors are dominated by a spectral palette that serves the story well, full of misty shades of gray and blue and a deep, aquatic green. Readers can make out the ethereal depths of the lake and what lies under its surface: the houses and other structures of what once was Spetzia. Lynch’s beautifully composed scenes support a story of classical dimensions. The Haunted Lake is an eerie tale that feels timeless.

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Halloween frights and delights

The Girl and the Ghost

Advanced readers comfortable with independent reading will be transported by Hanna Alkaf’s The Girl and the Ghost. Set in Malaysia, a country rich in supernatural legends, according to the author’s introductory note, the novel tells the story of young Suraya and her pelesit friend, Pink.

As a pelesit, a mischievous figure from Malaysian folklore who usually appears in the form of a grasshopper, Pink is dedicated to serving Suraya. The granddaughter of Pink’s previous mistress, who was a witch, Suraya lives with her mother in a “wooden house on the edge of green, green paddy fields, a house that rattled and shook when the monsoon winds blew.” They don’t have much money—Suraya is ashamed of her baju kurungs, the long tops and bottoms her mother sews—and she gets bullied at school. When Pink first enters her life, she’s in need of a companion.

Suraya learns what real friendship feels like after she hits it off with Jing Wei, a new student in class. But Pink is jealous of their connection and deploys his supernatural powers to frightening ends. Shocked by the nature of his devotion, Suraya orders Pink to leave, but he’s not so easy to get rid of.

Suraya and Pink’s complex relationship and mutual need for one another are convincingly rendered by Alkaf, who enriches the book with elements of Malaysian myth, including a chilling array of evil creatures they must contend with during the novel’s climax. Even as she spins a fabulous tale of enchanted beings and adventure, Alkaf never loses sight of her central themes: family ties, loyalty and friendship, and the risks and rewards of love. The Girl and the Ghost is an out-of-the-ordinary story that’s just right for readers who are ready to expand their horizons, and a true treat for Halloween.

October wouldn’t be the same without a bit of spine-tingling fun! These three books offer spooktacular thrills and chills for readers with a wide range of reading abilities. Whether they read along with a grown-up or they’re confidently reading solo, youngsters will be spellbound by these supernatural selections. Gustavo the Shy Ghost Rookie readers will […]
NonfictionDesignCrafts, Hobbies & HomeArts & CultureArt

Make some room on those studio shelves

Feature by Julie Hale

Four fresh art and design books inspire, enlighten and cultivate creativity. Perfect for accomplished artists, occasional dabblers or anyone in search of a new hobby, these terrific titles provide instant inspiration.

The 99% Invisible City

Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt are the dynamic duo behind the architecture and design podcast “99% Invisible,” and their intriguing book, The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design, draws upon the podcast’s concepts by picking out smartly conceived, frequently overlooked components of the urban landscape and explaining how they contribute to a thriving civic environment.

From traffic lights, public signage and historical plaques to manhole covers and city monuments, the book examines design elements big and small, revealing the ways in which they bring clarity to the chaos of modern life. The volume is organized into brief, easy-to-process sections, and it touches down in boroughs around the globe. Filled with nifty line illustrations in bold black and white, this eye-opening book will give readers a fresh appreciation for the beauty and functionality that are inherent—but not immediately apparent—in the urban world.

Open StudioOpen Studio

Open Studio: Do-It-Yourself Art Projects by Contemporary Artists gives readers the chance to craft along with major makers. The authors, curator Sharon Coplan Hurowitz and journalist-filmmaker Amanda Benchley, recruited a group of A-list participants for the volume (Marina Abramovic, William Wegman, Maya Lin—the list goes on), which is packed with brilliant photography, including candid shots of the artists at work.

The book’s 17 wide-ranging projects offer something for everyone. Sculptor Rachel Feinstein’s “Rococo Hut” is a small-scale architectural wonder that you can recreate with cutouts, while multimedia artist Wangechi Mutu’s “Earth Androids,” composed of paper pulp, soil, ink and paint, are simply out of this world. Painter Will Cotton’s foil-paper “The Royal Crown of Candyland” will bring out the kid in any crafter. The step-by-step instructions and how-to photos that accompany each project make staying on track a snap. Open Studio shows that getting creative is easy—especially when you can take cues from world-class artists.

Life in the StudioLife in the Studio

Stimulation, motivation and encouragement—that’s what artistic minds will find in Life in the Studio: Inspiration and Lessons on Creativity, Frances Palmer’s guide to starting—and maintaining—a creative practice. In this beautifully photographed book, Palmer, a celebrated ceramics artist, art historian and successful businesswoman, delivers big-picture advice without neglecting the small details. She shares tips on how to establish a creative routine, identify sources of inspiration and stay engaged. She also provides guidance on hands-on matters such as setting up a studio, with an overview of must-have tools and more.

Throughout the volume, Palmer reflects on how her skills and methods have evolved over her 30-year career. Through pottery projects, flower-arranging tutorials and recipes, she proves that creativity can manifest itself in unexpected ways. Both the seasoned artist and the beginner will be enriched by this stunning guide.

Truth BombTruth Bomb

Abigail Crompton’s Truth Bomb: Inspiration From the Mouths and Minds of Women Artists is as provocative as the title suggests. With a design that combines audacious colors and not-to-be-ignored graphics, the volume spotlights 22 prominent female artists—women from diverse backgrounds working in a wide range of media, including photography, video, painting and performance art.

Crompton, an artist and design-studio entrepreneur, assembled a stellar lineup for the book: Judy Chicago, Mickalene Thomas, Miranda July, Yayoi Kusama and the Guerrilla Girls are among the featured makers. She provides profiles of each, delving into their creative processes and techniques. Along the way, these extraordinary women share bits of hard-won wisdom, words of encouragement and practical advice. The book is also filled with beautifully reproduced examples of their work. Truth Bomb is an invaluable resource for anyone with creative inclinations. From start to finish, it’s a spirited homage to the artistic life.

Four fresh art and design books inspire, enlighten and cultivate creativity.
NonfictionMemoirFilmBiography

Book Clubs: December 2020

Feature by Julie Hale

Entertaining yet substantial, briskly paced yet informative, these celebrity memoirs and biographies are perfect for the busy month of December.

In Inside Out, actor Demi Moore comes to terms with her troubled past. As the daughter of alcoholic parents, Moore had an unstable and traumatic childhood, and her early career as a model left her feeling insecure about her appearance. Although she went on to achieve success in Hollywood, starring in such films as St. Elmo’s Fire and Ghost, she struggled for years with drug addiction. Throughout this candid, accomplished memoir, Moore is upfront about her marriages to Bruce Willis and Ashton Kutcher, and she provides fascinating insight into the movie business.

Esteemed actor Sally Field shares her personal story in her memoir, In Pieces. Born in Pasadena, California, in 1946, Field opens up about her solitary childhood, her alcoholic mother and the stepfather who abused her. She began acting as a teen, going on to star in blockbusters including Norma Rae and Forrest Gump. With sensitivity and a wonderful command of narrative, she reflects on important past relationships, including her romance with Burt Reynolds, and on the impulses that drive her acting. The result is a well-rounded, well-written portrait of an artist that will appeal to anyone who loves a good celebrity memoir.

Written by bestselling biographer Sheila Weller, Carrie Fisher: A Life on the Edge is an illuminating study of an American icon. Carrie Fisher, perhaps best known for portraying Princess Leia in the Star Wars films, was the daughter of singer Eddie Fisher and actor Debbie Reynolds. In this well-researched biography, Weller chronicles Fisher’s Hollywood up-bringing, her rise as an actor, her marriages and her experiences with bipolar disorder and drugs. Fisher’s intelligence and strength shine through in this lively narrative, which is rich with movie history and personal anecdotes, as well as themes of family and feminism.

Illustrator and author Edward Sorel revisits the golden age of Hollywood in Mary Astor’s Purple Diary: The Great American Sex Scandal of 1936. Sorel explores the life of actor Mary Astor, star of The Maltese Falcon and other classics, who kept a diary of her sexual affairs. In the 1930s, her ex-husband discovered the diary and used it against her during his legal battle for custody of their daughter. Sorel digs in to weighty topics including public image, the power of journalism and the female experience in show business, and his nifty illustrations add to the book’s appeal.

Entertaining yet substantial, briskly paced yet informative, these celebrity memoirs and biographies are perfect for the busy month of December. In Inside Out, actor Demi Moore comes to terms with her troubled past. As the daughter of alcoholic parents, Moore had an unstable and traumatic childhood, and her early career as a model left her feeling […]
Children's & YAPicture Book

A flurry of seasonal stories perfect for sharing

Feature by Julie Hale

Need a heaping dose of joy this holiday season? Fix yourself a steaming mug of cocoa, put on your warmest, fuzziest pajamas, and cuddle up with one of these spectacular picture books.

The Eight Knights of Hanukkah

Leslie Kimmelman and Galia Bernstein’s The Eight Knights of Hanukkah is a humorous adventure that features heroic cavaliers and a rascally dragon while drawing upon Hanukkah traditions.

Lady Sadie has invited her subjects to celebrate the final night of Hanukkah, but Dreadful the dragon is wreaking havoc and thwarting her plans. To stop him, Lady Sadie summons her children, the titular knights, and asks them to commit acts of courage and goodwill to get the holiday back on track. When the dragon’s fiery breath fries a boy’s dreidel, Sir Alex makes a new one. After Dreadful gobbles up the baker’s doughnuts, Sir Lily helps replenish the supply. The knights pursue Dreadful with persistence and bravery, but when they meet him face to face, they discover he’s not quite what he seems.

Bernstein’s illustrations of the mischievous Dreadful, the bold knights and gracious Lady Sadie are friendly and energetic, and design features such as a map of the kingdom will transport readers to the story’s medieval setting. In an afterword, Kimmelman explores the history of Hanukkah and the importance of performing mitzvoth—good deeds—throughout the year. It all adds up to a clever, thrilling journey that’s lots of fun.

The Night Before Christmas

Bestselling author-illustrator Loren Long offers an inspired take on a classic tale in The Night Before Christmas. In stunning illustrations that capture just a few of the many ways we celebrate the holiday today, Long updates Santa’s famous Christmas Eve visit with a contemporary sensibility that will resonate with readers of all ages.

Long stays true to the spirit of Clement C. Moore’s poem even as he shifts its setting to the present day. His illustrations depict the holiday traditions of four diverse families in beautifully composed scenes executed in acrylic paint and colored pencil. Cozy mobile home, snug farmhouse, urban apartment, coastal bungalow—the homes may be different, but they’re all ready for Santa’s visit. Delightfully detailed paintings of children “nestled snug in their beds” and parents on the lookout for “the jolly old elf” capture the excitement and anticipation of the season. Endpapers show kiddos making crafts, putting up decorations, baking cookies and otherwise prepping for Santa’s arrival.

Long’s use of varied families and homes is a smart approach that truly modernizes the poem. Inclusive and human, warm and festive, his illustrations provide a wonderful complement to Moore’s text, ensuring that the famous tale will continue to be a seasonal staple.

The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Gadol

Arthur A. Levine introduces a new holiday hero in the wonderfully original tale The Hanukkah Magic of Nate Gadol. Nate is a benevolent spirit with flashing eyes, a blue waistcoat, fancy boots and the unique ability to make “things last as long as they [need] to.” A noble figure, he only uses his gift for urgent requests, like prolonging the freshness of a flower in a sick child’s room or stretching a small quantity of butter for cooking.

Nate keeps a particular eye on two families—the Glasers and the O’Malleys—and helps them out if they fall on hard times. In the difficult winter of 1881, as the Glasers run short of food and the O’Malleys’ new baby falls sick, the holidays look far from bright. But on Christmas Eve, Nate teams up with a recognizable jolly old friend to assist both families and bring unexpected joy to their seasonal celebrations.

In a moving author’s note, Levine reflects on “the challenges of being a Jewish child during Christmas” and his desire to add to the mythology of the holidays. His sparkling story does just that. In Kevin Hawkes’ swirling, whimsical illustrations, Nate is jaunty and beaming with glistening gold details on his buttons, eyes and hair—a captivating sprite who hovers in midair and soars over rooftops. His holiday adventure has an inviting, appealing spirit.

The Little Bell That Wouldn’t Ring

Another inventive addition to the literature of the season, The Little Bell That Wouldn’t Ring, written by Heike Conradi and illustrated by Maja Dusíková, is an imaginative fable sure to prompt reflection on the true meaning of the Christmas holiday.

In an old church tower, three majestic bells—one silver, one bronze and one gold—practice for the approaching festivities. The tower’s newest addition is a small, unas- suming bell that refuses to make music, despite urging from the other bells. A friendly dove named Felidia notices the little bell’s silence and, concerned, seeks out her friend Carol the crow. “Nice words will help,” Carol advises.

And so Felidia embarks on a quest to discover words that might coax the little bell to ring. Checking in with her animal friends, Felidia solicits suggestions (Ringlebert the pigeon suggests “cake crumbs,” while Maurice the mouse proposes “cheddar, camembert, gorgonzola”). Felidia’s avian companions travel far and wide to gather words, but in the end, it’s a traditional holiday phrase discovered close to home that finally prompts the little bell to chime out for all to hear.

A sweet story that stresses the importance of friendship and encouragement, the tale of the bell comes to life in Dusíková’s lovely artwork. From the stately church tower to the bustling town square filled with market stalls, busy shoppers and rosy-cheeked children, her illustrations evoke a winter wonderland. The smallest bell, glowing and golden, has a magical aura all its own. Little ones will love ringing in Christmas with Felidia and her friends.

Need a heaping dose of joy this holiday season? Fix yourself a steaming mug of cocoa, put on your warmest, fuzziest pajamas, and cuddle up with one of these spectacular picture books.

NonfictionTechnologyMemoir

Book Clubs: January 2021

Feature by Julie Hale

Four fresh takes on work and life in the digital age.

In Uncanny Valley, Anna Wiener chronicles her career at a Silicon Valley startup. After an unrewarding stint in New York publishing, Wiener was ready to give the San Francisco tech world a try, but the behind-the- scenes reality of the industry took her by surprise. Wiener tells of a patriarchal culture of wealth and ambition that left her disenchanted and in search of answers about her own life. Written with humor and intelligence, this briskly paced memoir explores gender in the workplace, the millennial mindset and the uses and abuses of power by influential companies. It’s a tech industry tell-all that’s both riveting and relevant.

Gretchen McCulloch delivers an intriguing study of the terminology, grammar and symbolism that shape online communication in Because Internet. McCulloch is a linguistics whiz who writes clearly and comprehensively for the lay reader about her area of expertise. In Because Internet, she delves into the development and diffusion of online slang, the power of memes and the inspiration behind emoji. Trends in online vocabulary and the progression of language are among the subjects up for debate, providing reading groups with meaty material for discussion.

Jia Tolentino critiques digital-age trends and attitudes in her acclaimed debut essay collection, Trick Mirror. Over the course of the book’s nine pieces, Tolentino examines the impact of social media and the internet, the American dream of perfectionism and other timely topics. She also shares personal stories, including an essay on her brush with reality TV. (She appeared on “Girls v. Boys: Puerto Rico.”) Funny, savvy and insightful, the collection establishes Tolentino as a vital millennial voice. Complex topics including self-image in the era of Instagram and the risks and rewards of social media make this collection a terrific pick for any book club.

Of the moment and utterly fascinating, Victoria Turk’s Kill Reply All explores the unique and multifaceted challenges of digital communication. Turk, who is a features editor at Wired UK, offers valuable advice about how to communicate online with confidence, whether that’s through chatting in a dating app or answering emails at work. Bringing a comic flair to the proceedings, she covers important topics like online friendships, the uses of emoji and the finer points of text messaging. There’s plenty for reading groups to debate and discuss in Turk’s thoughtful yet lighthearted guide to being polite in your online life.

Four fresh takes on work and life in the digital age that are also fantastic conversation starters for your reading group.

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