Debbie

Bookseller: Debbie
Title: Four Fish

Comments:
The author, Paul Greenberg, spent his youth fishing the streams and ponds of Fairfield County, CT, and then the waters of Long Island Sound. Fishing provided an anchor for him in those years, while his single mom struggled to make due and moved their home frequently. It also instilled in him a deep love of the ocean and the creatures who live there. Greenberg returned to fishing after his mother's death and soon discovered a vast difference - fewer species; smaller catch; poverty stricken, disgruntled fishermen. He noticed a change in the fish for sale in the market, and the idea for Four Fish was born.

There is a wealth of fascinating, and yes, troubling, information about the species which now make up the majority of our fin food offerings in the fish case. Their stories will enlighten and surprise you on many aspects of the state of the oceans today. Ultimately, this book is about much more than these four fish. I hope it will bring you, like it did me, to a new appreciation and understanding of the ocean - the last frontier, the last wild food. More than anything else I've read in years, this book has had a huge influence on the way I view our world and the way I approach eating these previously mysterious creatures.

Bookseller: Debbie
Title: Strength in What Remains

Comments:
Tracy Kidder's latest work is stunning - it is literally a blow to the head.

First, that Deogratias, the hero of the story, ever survived his horrific order, is remarkable. Second, that Deo came through that experience with such grace and dignity, his optimism and caring heart intact, speaks volumes on the classic dilemma of good vs. evil.

Deo's story was a real wake-up call for me. I was stunned to realize how little I knew about current-day African geography and politics. In a few pages Kidder did and excellent job of laying out the basics of the Rwanda/Burundu genocide. Six-hundred thousand people killed in a few weeks. The horror, agony, and despair are impossible to imagine, even after reading this very personal account.

Kudos to Kidder for telling the story in a way that engaged and opened my mind and heart, rather than sending me off into a place of denial.

Please read Deo's story and be prepared to meet a remarkable individual.

Bookseller: Debbie
Title: Painter's Chair

Comments:
George Washington - you see his face every day, whether on the $1 bill or as part of the corniest advertisements. This book is the story of the development of portraiture during the colonial/Revolutionary War period. While many sat in the 'painter's chair,' eager to have their potrait done in a more refined European style, Washington was a favorite and obliging subject. He sat over seventy times for various artists. Paintings were often copied or the image became an engraving; so many citizens were eager to have a picture of the great man. Hugh Howard has also enhanced my appreciation for Washington: through a series of vignettes scattered throughout the story the author has created an image of Washington that is almost palpable. You can truly understand why this great leader was so respected and revered by his contemporaries.

Bookseller: Debbie
Title: Gardening for a Lifetime

Comments:
What a lovely, charming book this is. Partly memoir, partly rumination, partly an action plan for the future. Sydney Eddison's latest volume is sure to please both the armchair gardener and the vigorous participant. If you're overwhelmed by your garden - whether constrained by time, money, or physical ability - Mrs. Eddison provides all kinds of ideas for reducing your load. And she does it in an exciting way - optimistic that change brings new ways of seeing and enjoying. Undaunted by the loss of her husband and the good health of younger years, she continues to spread the joy of gardening. The line drawings that illustrate the book are well rendered and an interesting diametric choice for one of the gardening world's most noted "doyennes of color."

Bookseller: Debbie
Title: Divine Secrets of the YA-YA Sisterhood

Comments:
Read Little Altars Everywhere first and then settle back and enjoy this follow-up novel full of more outrageous escapades, sorrow, love, and redemption.

Bookseller: Debbie
Title: Monique and the Mango Rains

Comments:
The year is 1989; the place, the West African nation of Mali, one of the poorest countries in the world.
Kris, the author, is a young Peace Corps volunteer assigned to a rural village, where she assists Monique, the local midwife. Overcoming the divides of their very opposite cultures, the pair develops a deep friendship based on mutual respect and concern for the lives of the local villagers.
I cannot begin to do justice to Kris' talent as a writer. One can hear Moniques's lilting voice and envision her walking down the path to the birthing house. One truly feels her joy, her pain and her committment to the neighbors she serves. Monique is a person you won't soon forget.

Bookseller: Debbie
Title: Water Witches

Comments:
I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written novel that intertwines themes both personal and political. Bohjalian has since shown that he has more than one good novel in him.