Fresh Book Club suggestions for when it's your turn to pick (from a new book clubber)

I find myself tongue-tied and self-conscious when it comes to discussing books out loud; for some reason writing about them is fine but the prospect of hearing my voice talk about them is intimidating. I read a lot and I read quickly, so I tend to not get much deeper into any sort of literary analysis than "Like" or "Dislike" or "yes I read that and vaguely recall liking it but couldn't recall the plot if my life depended on it". This is perhaps why I have avoided book clubs -- until now. I now belong to a secret literary coterie of five women who love reading, and like to talk to people about the things they are reading, and to share recommendations, and so on, therefore it seemed logical to organize this somehow--for efficiency's sake?--into a monthly gathering of souls who have read the same book and vow to talk about the experience (with drinks, snacks). My hope for book club? To try to slow myself down and to savor what I read, and to really take in what others have to say about the books we read. And to have fun, of course.

Ali Smith's How to be Both

Critically-acclaimed, Booker-finalist, bicameral* How to be Both is Ali Smith's 6th novel and comes with a peculiar feature: two different versions of the book were published. Half of the books begin the story from the perspective of Francescho, a 15th century Italian painter, the other half from the POV of Georgia, a 21st century teenage girl in London. While the two versions are identical in words and page count, the only difference being that part I and part II are reversed, how their stories will intertwine is affected by the switch, giving the reader quite a different experience depending on the version they happen to end up with. (I had to compare it to those "Choose your own adventure" books so popular when I was a kid.) One couldn't do better for a discussion book really. The obvious question "which version did you get?" makes for a good ice breaker. I knew nothing about the book when I first read it based on fellow book clubber/blogger, Ellen's recommendation. I just picked it up and enjoyed the heck out of it, only to find out later that there was much more to discover, especially the real artist and artwork behind the story. It turns out that Ellen recommended it after reading the first half, which for her was George's story, but I got the version beginning with Francescho and fell in love. So there we were, both raving about two totally different books at the same time.

*having two branches or chambers!

Michel Faber's The Book of Strange New Things

People often come in to the library to ask for book club recommendations, hence this post. Picking a book club selection can be as anxiety inducing as talking about the book afterward. What if they all hate it, and me? Should it be something I have  read, or want to read? Can it be science fiction? There's really only one way to find out the answers to those questions. When I read The Book of Strange New Things I immediately wanted to talk to people about it. I felt like I missed something big in it, like I just couldn't put my finger on something the author wanted to say. I sped through it to get to find out the ending, but often the end isn't the point and you have to back up a little. So I took a chance and suggested it for book club.

This book is and isn't science fiction. It is in the sense that it's in space, there's some light space travel briefly mentioned, and there are space beings involved. ("Aliens" seems inappropriate since the humans in this case would be the aliens I suppose.) It is not really sci-fi in the sense that it doesn't involve the kind of world building and fantastic technology that the more zealous fans of the genre enjoy. Robert Heinlein he ain't. I would recommend it to people who read Kurt Vonnegut, China Miéville, and Margaret Atwood, but also say they "don't like science fiction".

The basics: Peter is a Christian missionary sent into space by a shadowy corporation to proselytize an alien civilization that is curiously receptive to his message. He lives in a human settlement with a complacent and tight-lipped group of engineers and workers and ventures off the compound by day to minister to the locals. Meanwhile, his wife is back home dealing with the catastrophic decline of human society on earth. Peter becomes dangerously absorbed in his work, physically and mentally, widening the already enormous distance between him and his wife. There is mystery surrounding the beings who have requested his presence, the purpose and presence of the USIC corporation, and what is happening back on earth.

Duplex by Kathryn Davis

This would be a good pick if you want to be difficult, or you want to make sure your group vetoes all your future picks. Just kidding!  It's terrific, but it is surreal and quite odd, with a non-linear narrative operating in multiple dimensions. Many questions, much to discuss, and one could almost guarantee somebody would hate it, somebody would love it, and everybody would have something to say about it it--whether they "got it" or not.  It's also short, which your book club will probably appreciate.

A fun challenge for your book group: everyone attempt to describe the plot from memory. Good luck!

Threats by Amelia Gray

I could say almost the exact same thing about Threats. It's also weird and non-linear, weaving in and out of reality so that the reader has to scan back a few sentences like "wait, what?" before moving on. This is a dark and creepy mystery with an abstract love story at its heart. David, a man who was recently a dentist and seems to be losing his grip on reality, may have just killed his wife, or somebody else did, maybe? But is she really even dead? And what are these strange, threatening messages he keeps finding hidden all over the house, behind the wallpaper and in bags of sugar--messages like "I will lock you in a room much like your own until it begins to fill with water"? Your group might really enjoy trying to parse out this bizarre story.

And look: Amelia Gray shouts passages from her book while riding on the back of a moped, because.

Reading Lincoln

Richmond is excited about the November 16th opening of Stephen Spielberg’s biopic Lincoln, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Daniel Day Lewis.  For 53 days last fall, Lincoln-sightings titillated Richmond and Petersburg, and the filming contributed millions to the local economy. For a lucky few, tonight’s two back-to-back invitation-only screenings at the Byrd Theatre in Carytown will bring some of Hollywood’s glamour to Richmond.  The movie’s wide release next week promises to nurture and renew our enthusiasm for its subject.

Lincoln was based in part on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. Goodwin’s book explored a facet of Lincoln’s presidency of particular relevance in the wake of 2012’s polarized election: how he was able to convince his three rivals for the Republican nomination -- Salmon Chase, William Seward, and Edward Bates --  to join his Cabinet and unite for a common cause.  In 1862, he appointed his former professional rival William Stanton as Secretary of War, who became perhaps his greatest admirer. Goodwin's focus on the relationships between the men and Lincoln’s deft and insightful management of a brilliant but fractious “team of rivals” attracted Spielberg’s cinematic attentions and formed the basis for his dramatic recreation of Lincoln’s last four months.


But let’s not forget the wealth of other Lincoln biographies available.  A partial list, compiled from various sources, appears below.

Best Books About Abraham Lincoln

* available @RPL

Selected by Michael Burlingame,  history professor at the University of Illinois-Springfield and the author of "Abraham Lincoln: A Life" and "The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln.
for the Wall Street Journal 2/13/10   http://online.wsj.com

* Douglas L. Wilson’s Honor's Voice (1998) a “comprehensive view of Lincoln's path to maturity”

* Kenneth J. Winkle’s The Young Eagle: The Rise of Abraham Lincoln (2001) “a strikingly original study that locates Lincoln in the context of his time and place”

* Joshua Wolf Shenk’s Lincoln's Melancholy (2005) “how Lincoln's tendency to depression helped shape his character”

*Jennifer Fleischner’s Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Keckly (2003) a dual biography of Mary Todd Lincoln and her dressmaker, a former slave

*William H. Herndon’s Lincoln (originally 1889) “classic work by Lincoln's law partner, . . . the most influential biography of Lincoln ever written”

Selected by Allen C. Guelzo, Lincoln scholar and the Henry R. Luce III Professor of the Civil War Era at Gettysburg College                   www.jackmillercenter.org

* Benjamin P. Thomas’s Abraham Lincoln (1952) “the best and most-readable of all single-volume Lincoln biographies”

Michael Burlingame’s The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln (1994) “for those who want to probe more deeply into the ‘private’ Lincoln”

Mark E. Steiner’s An Honest Calling: The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln (2007) “an easily-understood overview of the various facets of Lincoln’s law practice”

* Kenneth J. Winkle’s The Young Eagle: The Rise of Abraham Lincoln (2001). “. . . the ‘social history’ of Abraham Lincoln . . .[his] social milieu in Illinois, his friends, his associates . . . in the decades before the Civil War”

Harry V. Jaffa in Crisis of the House Divided: An Interpretation of the Issues in the Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1959). a “magisterial treatment of the great debates [that] shows Lincoln in his greatest moment”

Selected by the readers of GoodReads                                        www.GoodReads.com

*Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln (2005)

*David Herbert Donald’s Lincoln (1995)

*James L. Swanson’s Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer (2006)

*Carl Sandburg’s Abraham Lincoln: The Prairie Years & the War Years (originally 1954)

*Gore Vidal’s Lincoln (1984)

52 Ways to use your Library Card: Week Three

Week Three: Hear a local author reading his/her latest book.

People should take advantage of great opportunities the library has to offer. One of those opportunities is going to a  "FREE" book talk given by an author.

There have been many great book talks by authors in the past at the Richmond Public Library. We had Meg Medina and Gigi Amateau during the summer for The Girls of Summer program as well as special guest author, Wendy Shang who wrote The Great Wall of Lucy Wu.

We also had child star, Dr. Danielle Spencer-Fields from the show, What's Happening. Even though Danielle is not from Virginia, she has family rooted here.

Expect to see more local author talks, including an upcoming talk from Reverend Benjamin P. Campbell.

Rev. Benjamin P. Campbell

Author Rev. Benjamin P. Campbell of Richmond’s Unhealed History, will lead a book talk and discussion that examines the contradictions and crises that developed in Richmond over the last two centuries. This two-part public discussion is a direct response to what is the “next step” from the Uncovering the 2010 Census program. 5:45 – 9 p.m.

Thurs. Sept 27: The Decision to Destroy Jackson Ward

Thurs. Oct 11: The Liberation of Metropolitan Richmond

More information about the author can be found at this link: Reverend Benjamin P. Campbell.

In Honor of Mother's Day: Favorite Fictional Moms

Who is your favorite mother from a book or movie?

This is the question I've been asking for the last couple weeks in preparation for this special blog post for Mother's Day. And I haven't gotten many answers. This goes to show that mothers really are under-represented in movies and literature, and often, when a mom does make her way into a story, she's evil or overbearing or crazy. I think that's sad, don't you?

So I asked our Facebook followers about their favorite fictional moms and I got a couple good responses. One follower brought up Mama Bear of the Berenstain Bears, citing that Mama Bear "always knows what to say and not only to her bear cubs but also to papa bear. None of the advice ever goes out of style."

A favorite of Natasha Payne-Brunson, one of our librarians here at RPL, is the mom from Love You Forever, a picture book by Robert Munsch celebrating the bond between a mother and son.  Natasha remembers reading the book as a child and that it impacted her even then. She recalls that "it shows the developing stages of the child and how his mother took care of him and at the end he took care of his mother. . . I came across it again a year ago and I will share it with my son."

To find other well-loved fictional moms, I looked to Twitter. A favorite there is Molly Weasley, matriarch of the Weasley family in the Harry Potter series. Ma Ingalls of Little House on the Prairie is a classic favorite. Another is Little Women's saccharin Marmee March. An unusual choice that popped up on Twitter is Jenny Fields, the nontraditional mother of T.S. Garp in John Irving's The World According to Garp. 

Jenny Fields may not be warm and fuzzy, but she does love and want the best for her son. Some mothers that came up in conversation were downright awful. It's no wonder, because literature is full of bad parents! There seem to be more bad mothers than good ones. My favorite bad mom, English major and nerd that I am, is Grendel's mother in Beowulf (who arguably could be considered an excellent mother). Joan Crawford of Mommie Dearest came up more than once during my discussions with people. Precious' selfish mother in Push is a great (bad) recent example. And in the V.C. Andrews classic Flowers in the Attic, Corrine Dollanganger locks her four children in an attic and forgets about them. There is some really scary stuff out there. 

All the more reason to celebrate good moms this weekend by reading a book or watching a movie featuring a strong motherly role model. Sarah Plain and Tall? One Hundred Years of Solitude? We'll even count The Simpsons if you'll take inspiration from Marge. While your choices for good fictional moms might be limited, they are out there if you look hard enough. 

Happy Mother's Day, everyone!

Books & Ballet @ Main

In partnership with the Richmond Ballet, Tulsa-based dancer and choreographer discusses Li Cunxin’s captivating memoir, Mao’s Last Dancer. Cunxin, a Chinese dancer, captured the attention of the nation with his inspiring story of passion, perseverance, and devotion set against Communist China. Cong, whose experience echoes Cunxin’s, will speak about his life and dance career in relation to the bestselling book, and his World Premiere with Richmond Ballet. This event will be free and open to the public.

Thursday, March 1
6-7:30 pm
Richmond Public Main Library
Gellman Room

101 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA

Ma Cong will return to Richmond this March to create his second piece at Richmond Ballet. Watch his performance on March 23 at Richmond Ballet’s intimate Studio Theatre. For more information and tickets, please call Richmond Ballet at 804/344-0906, ext. 224.

Preparing For a New Sibling

Welcoming a new baby to the family is something many preschool aged children will experience. There is a wealth of wonderful picture and nonfiction books written to help children prepare for the transition to being a big brother or sister. If you are expecting a new addition to your family, check out some of these titles or ask your librarian to help you find others. There are many great books on this topic!

What to Expect When Mommy's Having a Baby by Heidi Murkoff

Angus the Answer Dog answers children's questions about pregnancy and how the baby grows. One question is addressed on each double page spread, including "what does the baby eat?" and "how did the baby get in there?" (Angus tells his readers that mommy and daddy put the baby together like putting together the pieces of a puzzle). If you enjoy this title, follow it with What to Expect When the New Baby Comes Home.


Pecan Pie Baby by Jacqueline Woodson

This title is suitable for older preschool children and early elementary age. In it, Gia is worried about the changes that a new baby will bring to her world, but finally Gia and the reader realize that her special bond with her mother will endure the addition of a sibling.

What's Inside Your Tummy, Mommy? By Abby Corovini
This is an interesting non fiction book for almost any age. On each double spread of pages, it shows the fetus' growth in real size for one month and gives information about its development. The final page has a fold out picture of the baby!

 

There's Going to be a Baby by John Burningham and Helen Oxenbury

This is the fanciful story of a boy's imaginings about the future career of his baby brother or sister. It includes funny illustrations of the baby cooking, tending animals in the zoo, gardening and more. The little boy is curious and excited about the coming baby, but also not always sure he wants a new sibling.

A Reading List for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

To celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we're taking a look at some books that explore Dr. King's legacy. Learning more about him and his work is a wonderful, reflective way to honor this great Civil and Human Rights leader on his birthday. Do you have a favorite book about Dr. King and his impact? Let us know in the comments section below.

Richmond's Unhealed History

Benjamin P. Campbell

"In a detailed look at the history of Richmond, Benjamin Campbell examines the contradictions and crises that have formed the city over more than four centuries. Campbell argues that the community of metropolitan Richmond is engaged in a decisive spiritual battle in the coming decade. He believes the city, more than any in the nation, has the potential for an unprecedented and historic achievement. Its citizens can redeem and fulfill the ideals of their ancestors, proving to the world that race and class can be conquered by the deliberate and prayerful intention of honest and dedicated citizens." -cover

 

Say It Loud: Great Speeches on Civil Rights and African American Identity

Edited by Catherine Ellis

Collects the text and audio recordings of famous African American political speeches, by individuals ranging from Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. to Condoleezza Rice and Barack Obama.

 

Why We Can't Wait

Martin Luther King, Jr.

This classic is Dr. King's account of the Civil Rights Movement in Birmingham during the Spring and Summer of 1963. The book demonstrates the power of nonviolent direct action taking place in possibly the most racially segregated city in the United States. King also explores goals future generations must accomplish in order to bring full equality to the nation.

Nobody Turn Me Around: A People's History of the 1963 March on Washington
Charles C. Euchner
"Draws on the oral histories of more than one hundred participants to provide a behind-the-scenes look at the historic 1963 March on Washington that culminated in Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech." -cover







Behind the Dream: The Making of the Speech that Transformed a Nation
Clarence B. Jones

“'I have a dream.' When those words were spoken on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, 1963, the crowd stood, electrified, as Martin Luther King, Jr. brought the plight of African Americans to the public consciousness and firmly established himself as one of the greatest orators of all time. Behind the Dream is a thrilling, behind-the-scenes account of the weeks leading up to the great event, as told by Clarence Jones, co-writer of the speech and close confidant to King. Jones was there, on the road, collaborating with the great minds of the time, and hammering out the ideas and the speech that would shape the civil rights movement and inspire Americans for years to come." -cover

A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Edited by James M. Washington

"These words and other are commemorated here in the only major one-volume collection of this seminal twentieth-century American prophet's writings, speeches, interviews, and autobiographical reflections. A Testament of Hope contains Martin Luther King, Jr.'s essential thoughts on nonviolence, social policy, integration, black nationalism, the ethics of love and hope, and more." -cover

Strength to Love

Martin Luther King, Jr.

This collection of sermons, originally published in 1963, focuses on the topic of racial segregation with an emphasis on religious values. About this book, Coretta Scott King wrote, "...this book best explains the central element of Martin Luther King, Jr.' s philosophy of nonviolence: His belief in a divine, loving presence that binds all life."

Humor for the Holidays

The holiday season is chaos. Cooking major feasts, fighting hoards of shoppers, wrapping the presents you've been collecting for weeks (months?), decking the halls, finding an outfit for New Year's Eve... It starts in November and doesn't stop for more than a month.

Okay, maybe that's a bit of a humbug way to put it. But there's no doubt that this time of year can be hectic and stressful, even if you're no Scrooge. Maybe some seasonal comic relief can help you find Christmas cheer this year. Check out one of these books to keep you laughing.

David Sedaris' Holidays on Ice is a comedy classic. The collection includes a number of hilarious Christmas-themed non-fiction pieces, including "Let it Snow" and "Six to Eight Black Men." This title is also available in downloadable audiobook format through our Overdrive service. You definitely want to celebrate the holidays with this book.

Garrison Keillor fans will love his holiday novel, A Christmas Blizzard, a funny and heart-warming story about a holiday traveler who gets stuck in North Dakota during a blizzard. Keillor's trademark nostalgia-laced writing is sure to get you in the Christmas spirit.

 Follow the story of a young boy and his Christmas pageant-wrecking dog in Dave Barry's semi-autobiographical holiday tale, The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog. The Pulitzer-prize winner author creates a funny and nostalgic little novel that takes place in 1960. It's sure to be a favorite.

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Holidays will prepare you to survive the many perilous dangers of the holiday season. This ever-entertaining guide from the best-selling "Worst-Case Scenario" series will have you laughing even while you learn some actually helpful information. You never know when you might need to escape from an angry reindeer or extinguish a burning turkey.

Notable, Best, Favorite . . . the Book Lists of 2011



Just in time for your holiday shopping, the end-of-year “best books” lists appear. For readers, the publication of these lists is as exciting as the announcement of the Academy Award nominees. (OK, maybe not quite.)  I am always eager to compare my past year’s reading with the lists (how many did I already read?) and use them to prioritize the coming year’s reading agenda.

        

My favorite list is the New York Times’ “Notable Books”, chosen by the Times’ Book Review editors, who are “guided by judgment, instinct and feel.” From the list, 50 titles of fiction and poetry and 50 of nonfiction, come the ten best (links are to the Times review):



Fiction:

THE ART OF FIELDING, Chad Harbach.
11/22/63, Stephen King.

SWAMPLANDIA!, Karen Russell.

TEN THOUSAND SAINTS, Eleanor Henderson.
THE TIGER’S WIFE, Téa Obreht

Nonfiction:

ARGUABLY, Essays, Christopher Hitchens. 

THE BOY IN THE MOON ,A Father’s Journey to Understand His Extraordinary Son, Ian Brown
MALCOLM X, A Life of Reinvention, Manning Marable
THINKING, FAST AND SLOW, Daniel Kahneman
A WORLD ON FIRE Britain’s Crucial Role in the American Civil War, Amanda Foreman

Proving that taste in books is subjective, the list from the editors of Publishers Weekly includes only one of the Times’ best. (Links are to the Publishers Weekly synopses and reviews.)

Fiction:
The Marriage Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides

State of Wonder, Ann Patchett

The Devil All the Time, Donald Ray Pollock

There but for the, Ali Smith
After the Apocalypse, Maureen McHugh

Nonfiction:

Bossypants, Tina Fey

Catherine the Great, Robert Massie'

Arguably,Christopher Hitchens

One Day I Will Write About This Place., Binyavanga Wainaina

Hemingway's Boat, Paul Hendrickson

Amazon selects and ranks its “Top 20”; here are the first ten:

1. The Art of Fielding, Chad Harbach
2. 1Q84, Haruki Murakami
3. What It Is Like to Go to War, Karl Marlantes (nonfiction)
4.  In the Garden of Beasts, Erik Larsen (nonfiction)
5. The Marriage Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides
6.  Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Laini Taylor
7.  Before I Go to Sleep, S.J. Watson
8. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (nonfiction)
9.  Lost in Shangri-La, Michael Zuckoff (nonfiction)
10. The Tiger’s Wife, Tea Obreht

 

Finally, here are my picks for 2011 (the two marked with asterisks were published in 2010 and read early in 2011. Both were too good to leave off my list!)



Fiction:

*To the End of the Land, David Grossman

The Sense of an Ending, Julian Barnes

The Magician King, Lev Grossman

There But For The, Ali Smith

Last Man in Tower, Aravind Adiga



Nonfiction:

*At Home, A Short History of Private Life, Bill Bryson

The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution, Francis Fukuyama

The Memory Chalet, Tony Judt

The Information: A History, A Theory, A Flood, James Gleick

Thinking Fast and Slow, Daniel Kahneman



"Series"ly, folks . . .

Stephanie Plum, Harry Bosch, Kinsey Milhone . . . Harry Potter, Sookie Stackhouse, Bella Swan, Harry Dresden . . . Jack Reacher, Gabriel Allon, Alex Cross . . . Mitford, Thrush Green, Middle Earth, Winterfell . . .

For those of you who eagerly await the latest installments of your favorite series, there are always new arrivals at RPL. Right now there seems to be a holiday rush of thrillers and detectives:

Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone is back with V is for Vengeance.
Lee Child’s latest Jack Reacher, The Affair, has been wait-listed for a month.
Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum is in trouble again in Explosive Eighteen.
John Sandford’s Virgil Flowers is in for a Shock Wave.
James Paterson is ready to Kill Alex Cross.
The Drop is next month for Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch.

Can’t keep track? Check out http://www.blogger.com/goog_74332351 , a website designed by a fantasy series lover to “Track your series”.


Series have been popular as long as they have been around (Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot), particularly in children’s literature, where familiar characters become friends and fantasy worlds seem as real as the backyard.  I remember walking out of my branch library with a stack of Moffat books as long as my arm, and I believe I read them all in a week. I did the same with Pippi Longstocking, the Rescuers, and Mrs. Piggle Wiggle. When I discovered a new series, I gobbled it all up at once: from the beginning, in order, and with nothing in between.

As an adult I also enjoyed reading series, for a while. I tired of Sue Grafton’s alphabet at around  L (is for Lawless). Ayla’s adventures in Jean Auel’s romantic version of prehistory no longer interested me by the time The Land of Painted Caves was finally released eight years after Shelters of Stone.  Dismas Hardy (John Lescroat) became just one more lawyer, and no longer a particularly interesting one. I now avoid most series completely, suspecting that I will lose interest sooner rather than later, and not wanting to start something I know I won’t finish.

There are a few exceptions to my series avoidance. Kate Atkinson’s private investigator Jackson Brodie, introduced in Case Histories, is the protagonist of four books so far (which have been made into a 6 episode BBC miniseries, now available on DVD.)  I followed Ian Rankin’s Inspector Rebus all the way through his retirement in Exit Music, and now await the continued police work of his younger colleague Siobhan Clarke. I have my fingers crossed that Lev Grossman turns The Magicians and its sequel The Magician King into a series (how many books make a series?)  

I have also found that I enjoy listening to some series, although I don’t read them. I read The Sorcerer’s Stone, but listened to Harry grow up in Jim Dale’s extraordinary performances. The first four books in David Baldacci’s “Camel Club” series were fun (and I love Baldacci’s favorite reader, Ron McLarty), but by Divine Justice its quirky heroes and conspiracy-driven plots had, alas, became too predictable even for half-attended audio. I have kept up with Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller in Michael Connelly’s popular series, and am looking forward to listening to the the fourth (and final) installment of Gregory Maguire’s “Wicked Years” saga, Out of Oz, its 23 discs on order here at RPL.