Steve Hopkins’ Bookshelves
This Bookshelf: All Books Authors A through G
Links to Other Bookshelves
Web Page
PDF (Searchable)
All Books Authors A through G
All Books Authors A through G
All Books Authors H through M
All Books Authors H through M
All Books Authors N through Z
All Books Authors N through Z
Current Bookshelf: 2021 Books
Current Bookshelf: 2021 Books
This web page lists all books appearing on the pages of Executive Times and at http://bkrev.blogspot.com from April 1999 through
December 2020 for authors last names from A through M. For the pending list (The Shelf of Possibility) and reviews by Steve Hopkins
in 2021, visit http://www.hopkinsandcompany.com/2021books.html. You can click on the title of a rated book to jump to the detailed
book review. Click on the picture of any jacket cover to jump to amazon.com where you can purchase a copy of any book on this shelf.
You can jump to an issue of Executive Times by hitting the date in the “Issue Date” column. When you hit a broken link, send an e-mail
to books@hopkinsandcompany.com to request what you want.
Key to Ratings 1999-2012
Key to Ratings: 2013 and
after
Outstanding book-read it
now
*****
I love it
Highly recommended
****
I like it
Recommended
***
It’s OK
Mildly recommended
**
I don’t like it
Read if your interest is
strong
*
I hate it
Do Not Read: Take a Pass
DNR
Title (Click on
Link to
purchase at
amazon.com)
Author(s)
Blog Date
Comments
Click on Picture to
Purchase at
amazon.com
One Nation
Under Gods: A
History of the
Mormon Church
Abanes, Richard
Feb 03
Saints Revealed. From Joseph Smith at the
beginning to the 2002 Olympics, Abanes presents a
history of Mormonism that reveals them to be a
cult, not the Christian religion they present to the
world.
American Rose:
A Nation Laid
Bare: The Life
and Times of
Gypsy Rose Lee
Abbott, Karen
2/24/12
Legend. Readers who enjoy biographies of 20
th
century figures are those most likely to enjoy Karen
Abbott’s book titled, American Rose: A Nation Laid
Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee. Abbott
structured this book like a striptease: she sways
back and forth in time and reveals a little here and a
little there. The versions of a life presented here are
interesting and entertaining. The characters,
especially Rose herself, her mother, sister Joan and
son Erik are intriguing and complex. Abbott
presents the people and their times with vivid
anecdotes and finely written prose. I was engaged
from beginning to end by this interesting life.
Liar, Temptress,
Soldier, Spy:
Four Women
Undercover in
the Civil War
Abbott, Karen
2/24/15
Heroines. Civil war buffs are those readers who
will relish Karen Abbott’s book titled, Liar,
Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover
in the Civil War. General readers, especially those
who like books that provide fine prose about
interesting characters, will also enjoy reading this
interesting book. Abbott describes the actives of
four courageous women during the Civil War: Belle
Boyd,
Emma Edmonds, Rose O'Neal Greenhow and
Elizabeth Van Lew. Belle was a successful spy for
the Confederacy. Emma disguised herself as a man
to enlist as a Union soldier. Rose used her contacts
with Northern politicians to send information to
Confederate generals, and represented the
Confederacy abroad. Elizabeth was a Richmond
abolitionist who ran a spy ring under the noses of
the enemy. Abbott’s prose draws readers into the
stories of these heroic women, and is likely to keep
readers interested and engaged. I came away from
this book both entertained and informed.
Sin in the
Second City
Abbott, Karen
Oct 07
Sisters. Riveting non-fiction about the two sisters
who ran a first-class brothel in Chicago from 1900
to 1910 and the women they employed, the clients
they served and the politicians they paid.
The Ghosts of
Eden Park: The
Bootleg King,
the Women
Who Pursued
Him, and the
Murder That
Shocked Jazz-
Age America
Abbott, Karen
9/24/19
Remus. I don’t read a lot of true crime books, but
I’ve enjoyed Karen Abbott’s prior books, so I picked
up her latest, The Ghosts of Eden Park: The Bootleg
King, the Women Who Pursued Him, and the
Murder That Shocked Jazz-Age America. I had
never heard of a bootlegger named George Remus
who in 1935 owned more than a third of all the
liquor in the United States. Thanks to Abbott’s fine
writing, she pulls readers into the world of this
larger than life character and what the USA was like
during Prohibition. I defy readers to complete these
400+ pages and not at some time find oneself
rooting for George Remus, especially when one’s
enthusiasm has been enhanced by a few fingers of
bourbon.
Give Me Your
Hand
Abbott, Megan
9/12/18
Friendship. In her novel titled, Give Me Your
Hand, Megan Abbott presents the relationship
between two women, Kit and Diane. Just when we
begin to think we understand these women, things
are not as they appear. Secrets have great power,
and ambition can be a powerful force in life. Rivalry
takes many forms. Abbott weaves all that together
in ways that will remind all readers that life never
proceeds in a straight line, and what you think is
going on might be far from what’s happening.
Out of
Mesopotamia
Abdoh, Salar
11/9/20
Endless. For an immersive mediation on war, read
Salar Abdoh’s novel titled, Out of Mesopotamia.
From the perspective of protagonist Saleh, a
journalist, we struggle to make sense of those who
are engaged in what seems like endless war. With
great skill, Abdoh can be poetic and authentic in the
same sentence. We’re led into the darkness of war
where we find some form of enlightenment about
why we do what we do. Most readers will finish this
novel somewhat weakened by proximity to the
fragility of life.
The Great
Prostate Hoax:
How Big
Medicine
Hijacked the
PSA Test and
Caused a Public
Health Disaster
Ablin, Richard J.
and Ronald
Piana
Shelf of Ennui 2014.
A Perfect Mess
Abrahamson,
Eric and David
H. Freedman
June 07
Tidy. Authors meander through a premise that
things may be done better through disorder rather
than via neatness and order. Readers fixated on one
way of acting will learn that alternatives can work
better.
Capitol
Punishment:
The Hard Truth
About
Washington
Corruption
From America's
Most Notorious
Lobbyist
Abramoff, Jack
I looked at the photos and read the first few pages. I
concluded quickly that I really didn’t want to know
anything more about Abramoff, especially from
him. Shelf of Ennui 2012.
Speaking Freely
Abrams, Floyd
Shelf of Ennui 2005
The Soul of the
First
Amendment
Abrams, Floyd
7/6/17
Conflicts. In my heart, I really do want the First
Amendment of the United States Constitution to
protect me. Protecting you, I’m not so sure about.
Floyd Abrams has specialized in first amendment
issues, and he explores the broad protections of
that amendment in a finely written book titled, The
Soul of the First Amendment. I especially enjoyed
his review of the conflicts, current and historic,
between free speech and national security,
especially in the form of publication of classified
material. Every citizen can benefit from some time
thinking more about the first amendment, and I
recommend this book as a way to stimulate that
thinking. After reading it, you may be willing to
accept that even I should be covered by this
amendment. I’m almost ready to accept that you
deserve the same treatment.
Our Time Is
Now: Power,
Purpose, and
the Fight for a
Fair America
Abrams, Stacey
11/24/20
Formidable. Stacy Abrams drew national interest
when she ran for governor of Georgia and was
beaten in a close race in 2018 by Brian Kemp,
whom she claimed suppressed Democratic votes. In
her book titled, Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose,
and the Fight for a Fair America, she describes her
life and the progress she’s made in Georgia to
register new voters and build a Democratic force for
change. Readers of this book will find the story of a
formidable woman whose work over the past
decade in Georgia led to the state voting for Biden
in 2020, and as I write this, awaiting the results of a
runoff election on January 5, 2021 to select two
U.S. senators.
Merchants of
Truth: The
Business of
News and the
Fight for Facts
Abramson, Jill
4/19/19
Subscribe. Former New York Times executive
editor Jill Abramson has written a great account of
the disruption of the news media, a book titled,
Merchants of Truth: The Business of News and the
Fight for Facts. She understands this business from
the inside and has gained perspective from the
outside to assess what all this turmoil means for
American life. Many people are losing faith and
trust in a free press. Readers who value journalism
should read this book and then subscribe to
another high-quality newspaper in your town or
someplace else.
The Puppy
Diaries: Raising
a Dog Named
Scout
Abramson, Jill
12/16/11
Scout. Jill Abramson’s book, The Puppy Diaries:
Raising a Dog Named Scout, will appeal to those
readers who live with dogs and those who don’t.
The first group will want a puppy after reading the
book, and so will the second. Abramson is the
executive editor of The New York Times, and part
of this book came from a popular column she wrote
on the paper’s website at the time Scout came into
her life. Her writing keeps a reader interested and
engaged in all the big and little things about living
with a puppy.
Bleeding Out:
The Devastating
Consequences of
Urban Violence-
-and a Bold New
Plan for Peace
in the Streets
Abt, Thomas
Shelf of Ennui 2020.
The Wonder
Garden
Acampora,
Lauren
Shelf of Ennui 2015.
Life, on the
Line: A Chef's
Story of Chasing
Greatness,
Facing Death,
and Redefining
the Way We Eat
Achatz, Grant
3/27/11
Passion. If you think Alinea chef Grant Achatz’
cooking is quirky, interesting and enjoyable, you’re
likely to feel the same about his memoir, Life, on
the Line. Not only does he tell his own story, but his
business partner, Nick Kononas, injects a second
voice to enhance the story of the life of chef Achatz
so far. This memoir is a captivating story of the
relentless pursuit of becoming the best at the work
for which one has passion. In the case of Achatz, it
has been cooking for his whole life. From the family
restaurant in Michigan, to culinary school, to
Thomas Keller and the French Laundry, and onto
his award-winning Alinea, Achatz tells the story of
working hard at what he loves to do. He became ill
with life-threatening stage 4 cancer, and the
standard protocols for treatment would have
removed his tongue, rendering him useless as a
chef. An alternative treatment worked, and while he
lost all taste for months, he is now back in the
kitchen and opening a new venture. Even those
readers who have no interest in cooking will find
this book to be an inspirational story of persistence,
hard work, and the relentless pursuit of a dream.
Call Me By Your
Name
Aciman, Andre
Oct 07
Passion. Debut novel uses beautiful prose to relate
the coming of age of a seventeen year old boy who
falls madly in love.
Enigma
Variations
Aciman, Andre
Shelf of Ennui 2018.
Find Me
Aciman, Andre
12/16/19
Time. Andre Aciman revisits characters from his
2007 novel titled, Call Me By Your Name, decades
later in another finely written novel titled, Find Me.
The title plays out in multiple ways in the novel, to
the pleasure of readers. I was delighted by Aciman’s
exploration of time. Here’s one sample, from page
46: “Basically, we don’t know how to think of time,
because time couldn’t care less what we think of
time, because time is just a wobbly, unreliable
metaphor for how we think about life. Because
ultimately it isn’t time that is wrong for us, or we
for time. If may be life itself that is wrong. …
because there is death. Because death, contrary to
what everyone tells you, is not part of life. Death is
God’s great blunder, and sunset and dawn are how
he blushes for shame and asks our forgiveness each
and every day.” Here’s another sample from page
104, ‘“And besides, if I give you an hour now, you’ll
want a day. And if I give you a day, you’ll want a
year. I know your type.”’ Fans of the earlier novel
will love the return of Oliver and Elio. As a last
grabber for you: Samuel and Miranda meet on a
train. Read the novel to find out what happens next.
Harvard Square
Aciman, Andre
8/6/13
Assimilation. Scores of novels present stories of
the experience of immigrants in America. Andre
Aciman’s contribution, Harvard Square, contrasts
the assimilation of the narrator with that of his
friend, Kalaj. The narrator is visiting colleges with
his son, and that leads him to reflect on his own
college days and the friendship he and Kalaj
developed as fellow immigrants from North Africa.
Aciman captures the longing to fit in as well as the
desire to be at home, whatever and wherever that
is. Aciman’s fine writing and focused dialogue kept
me interested and engaged from beginning to end.
Training School
for Negro Girls
Acker, Camille
3/26/19
Range. I enjoyed the range of experience
represented in the characters in each of the stories
in the debut collection by Camille Acker titled,
Training School for Negro Girls. The situations,
mostly set in the District of Columbia, are
recognizable and insightful. I especially enjoyed
Mambo Sauce, in which a black woman who moved
from Brooklyn interacted with the owners and
patrons of a neighborhood food joint. The contrast
between how Constance and her white boyfriend
approached the mambo sauce and the restaurant
was perfect. Short stories can leave some readers
wanting more exposition, but I found in each of
these stories, Acker gets the genre just right: we
glimpse into the lives of people we recognize and
the ways in which they behave tell us something
about human nature.
The Human
Age: The World
Shaped By Us
Ackerman, Diane
Shelf of Ennui 2016.
Dark at the
Crossing
Ackerman, Elliot
6/2/18
Disoriented. Most elements of Eliot Ackerman’s
novel titled, Dark at the Crossing, are disorienting.
Protagonist Haris Abadi is a confused man, an Arab
American trying to cross the border from Turkey
into Syria to fight the regime. His plans are
disrupted when he is robbed, and he finds that
crossing the border is not that easy after all. His
darkness increases after a husband and wife, Amil
and Daphne, take him in, and he questions his
allegiances. Borders are physical and psychological,
and Ackerman explores longing and loss with great
skill in this finely written novel.
Green on Blue
Ackerman, Elliot
Shelf of Ennui 2015.
Places and
Names: On War,
Revolution, and
Returning
Ackerman, Elliot
Shelf of Ennui 2020.
Waiting for
Eden
Ackerman, Elliot
1/22/19
Intensity. Readers who enjoy finely written
literary fiction are those most likely to enjoy Elliot
Ackerman’s novel titled, Waiting for Eden.
Protagonist Eden survived an explosion in Iraq and
is at a Texas burn center thanks to the efforts of
medical personnel who saved his life. What’s left of
Eden weighs 70 pounds, down from his normal
220. Eden’s distinction is that his were the worst
wounds of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan that
didn’t immediately end in death. Eden’s wife Mary
has spent three years at his bedside waiting for him
to communicate, heal or die. The narrator is a
ghost: Eden’s best friend who died in that blast in
Iraq, who is also waiting for Eden to join him in
death. These three characters are complex, and
Ackerman develops them with depth. From the
beginning to the end of the novel, Ackerman
maintains an intensity while he develops multiple
levels of meaning and explores issues of loyalty,
suffering and betrayal.
Boss Tweed:
The Rise and
Fall of the
Corrupt Pol
Who Conceived
the Soul of
Ackerman,
Kenneth D.
Shelf of Ennui 2005
Modern New
York
Dominion: The
History of
England from
the Battle of
Waterloo to
Victoria's
Diamond
Jubilee
Ackroyd, Peter
Shelf of Ennui 2019.
The Clerkenwell
Tales
Ackroyd, Peter
Shelf of Ennui 2005
The Fall of Troy
Ackroyd, Peter
July 08
Manipulating. Fictionalized account of two 19
th
century archeologists who search ancient Troy for
adventure and loot, manipulating each other and
their craft as they proceed.
The Lambs of
London
Ackroyd, Peter
Read, but not reviewed.
Three Brothers
Ackroyd, Peter
Shelf of Ennui 2014.
The relationship
edge in business
: connecting
with customers
and colleagues
when it counts
Acuff, Jerry
Shelf of Ennui 2005
Hardly Children
Adamczyk, Laura
Shelf of Ennui 2019.
Harbor
Adams, Lorraine
Feb 05
Alien. Debut novel explores Arab Muslim
immigrants struggling in Boston, Brooklyn and
Montreal. Fine portrayal of cultural confusion,
terror and predators.
The Room and
the Chair
Adams, Lorraine
Shelf of Ennui 2011
Far Appalachia:
Following the
New River
North
Adams, Noah
06/01
A virtual vacation lush with images, rapids, people,
stories in Adams’ slow, deliberate writing style.
A Good Hard
Kick in the Ass:
Basic Training
for
Entrepreneurs
Adams, Rob
Oct 02
Swagger. Austin-based Adams presents drill
sergeant attitude and practical advice, especially to
those starting or expanding a business.
Win Bigly:
Persuasion in a
World Where
Facts Don't
Matter
Adams, Scott
2/2/18
Technique. Dilbert creator Scott Adams predicted
early in the 2016 presidential campaign that Donald
Trump would win. In his book titled, Win Bigly:
Persuasion in a World Where Facts Don't Matter,
Adams explains why. The basic premise of the book
is that Donald Trump has mastered the techniques
that are proven successful at persuasion. Adams
explores many different techniques that Trump
uses successfully and explains why those
techniques work.
The Heap
Adams, Sean
7/15/20
Recovery. Sean Adams’ debut novel titled, The
Heap, pulls readers into an examination of what we
build, what collapses, and what it takes to restore
what is important. Los Verticalés was a 500-story
residential building in the desert that has collapsed.
Protagonist Orville Anders works on a dig site
where he is looking for his brother, Bernard, who
survived the collapse and broadcasts a radio show
from the rubble called the Heap. Adams explores
what life in Los Verticalés was like before the
collapse, and what was different for those on the
outer units who had windows compared to those on
the inner units who relied on digital screens. The
workers at the dig site form a community of their
own in CamperTown, and Adams uses all three
communities as fodder for his satire. Many readers
will find this to be a compelling story, and others
will come away from it ready to reflect on the
creation of community life.
The Blue Way:
How to Profit by
Investing in a
Better World
Adamson, Daniel
de Faro
Shelf of Ennui 2008
Stay with Me
Adebayo,
Ayobami
3/9/18
Children. The emotional range of the characters
presented in Ayobami Adebayo’s debut novel titled,
Stay with Me, will penetrate the defenses of the
hardest hearted reader. There are losses and joys
that reach the depths and heights of human
experience. The centrality of children to the
narrative will make this novel an ideal choice for a
book club comprised of parents. The power of
cultural expectations can be overwhelming, and
Adebayo draws us into Nigeria and the expectations
of that culture on those who live there. Fans of
literary fiction are those readers most likely to
enjoy reading this finely written novel.
Children of
Blood and Bone
Adeyemi, Tomi
9/5/18
Magic. Why did I wait months before I read the
debut novel by Tomi Adeyemi titled, Children of
Blood and Bone? I spent several delightful hours
immersed in this story of a fight for the restoration
of magic and a way of life. There are well-developed
interesting characters, and a plot that maintained
tension for over five hundred pages. I loved the
characters and the story and look forward to the
second book in this series.
Children of
Virtue and
Vengeance
Adeyemi, Tomi
12/20/19
Kingdom. The second novel in the Legacy of
Orisha series by Tomi Adeyemi is titled, Children of
Virtue and Vengeance. Magic has gone rampant in
Orisha with dramatic consequences and changes in
which faction dominates. New readers should read
the first installment to avoid total confusion. Fans
may feel that this novel moves back and forth in
ways that may seem unsatisfying, but should keep
loyal readers engaged and expecting the next
installment. The attempt to unify Orisha has many
obstacles, and much of the novel leaves us in a
bloody morass as we await what comes next.
We Should All
Be Feminists
Adichie,
Chimamanda
Ngozi
3/13/15
Inclusion. The structure of a TED talk requires a
presenter to convey messages with efficiency and
clarity and in a manner that connects to the live
audience. In listening to Chimamanda Ngozi
Adichie’s TEDx talk, I found myself laughing with
the audience at some of her lines, but losing the
thread of her argument. Thanks to an adaption of
that talk for print with the same title, We Should All
Be Feminists, I got to read the talk twice and
appreciate even more her careful word selection
and the cogency of her point of view. This is a
poignant message that would provide ideal material
for a conversation starter about gender in schools
and in the workplace.
Amnesty
Adiga, Aravind
Shelf of Ennui 2020.
Between the
Assassinations
Adiga, Aravind
7/9/09
Vibrant. Aravind Adiga’s fourteen short stories in
the collection titled Between the Assassinations are
connected by time and place. All are set between
the 1984 assassination of Indira Gandhi and the
1991 assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in the fictional
town of Kittur, India. Adiga structures the stories
from day one through day seven and begins each
with a made-up travel guide description of some
area or feature of Kittur. While the travel guide’s
blandness fails to attract much interest, Adiga’s
description of the locale and the people come to life
with clarity and vivid writing. Between the
Assassinations tackles politics, corruption, religion,
caste, poverty and everyday life in India in a way
that left me wanting to read more about interesting
characters and their struggles as each story came to
an end. If you’re taking a staycation this Summer,
consider reading Between the Assassinations as an
alternative to traveling to India. You’ll almost hear
the sounds and sniff the smells, thanks to Adiga’s
fine writing.
Last Man in
Tower
Adiga, Aravind
1/5/12
Solitary. Readers who enjoy fine writing that
stimulates deep thinking should consider Aravind
Adiga’s latest novel, Last Man in Tower. Sixty-one
year old retired teacher, Masterji, is a widower who
has lived in Vishram Society Tower A for decades,
and the place holds memories for him, and his
relationship with his neighbors seems positive and
mutually supportive. When a developer proposes
buying the building, all residents except Masterji
agree. His stolid perseverance brings out animosity
in his neighbors. How does one be true to oneself
and live in community? What are our obligations to
our neighbors? Adiga’s fine writing lays out the plot
and develops multiple characters in ways that will
captivate readers and present the range of
complexity in human nature.
Selection Day
Adiga, Aravind
1/24/17
Cricket. I was a bit concerned that my lack of
knowledge about the sport of cricket would
diminish my ability to appreciate Aravind Adiga’s
novel titled, Selection Day. The plot involves two
poor boys who have been set on a path by their
father to get out of their slum and become
successful cricket players. My ignorance of the
game turned out to be no barrier at all, given
Adiga’s skill at focusing attention on the human
dynamics, not the sporting fine points. As always,
Adiga’s prose is outstanding, the characters are
complex and well developed, even the buffoons.
Adiga’s descriptive language brings the sights and
sounds of India to vivid realization. This is a novel
about dreams, our own and others, and the ways in
which life presents us with opportunities to move
toward or away from those dreams.
The White Tiger
Adiga, Aravind
12/27/08
Success. I paid no attention to Aravind Adiga’s
debut novel, The White Tiger, until it won the Man
Booker prize, and then I decided to read it. Adiga is
imaginative and clever in the way he has structured
the novel, and in how he explores the levels of
darkness in a society polarized by wealth. The
narrator and protagonist is Balram Halwai, who
rose from poverty in a villiage in India to become
the driver for a wealthy man in Delhi, and then the
owner of a fleet of cars serving Bangalore. His path
to wealth was through murder and theft. The novel
is structured as letters from Balram to the premier
of China who is about to visit India, and wants to
learn how to apply the entrepreunership of India
for China. Adiga presents wealth in India as
corrupt, and the wealthy as venal and abusive to
those who work for them. While the darkness can
be comic at times, the starkness of the contrast
between wealth and poverty, and the triumph of
evil makes The White Tiger a stark tale with
characters who are more caricature than authentic.
Friday Black
Adjei-Brenyah,
Nana Kwame
6/10/20
Creative. There are twelve funny and crazy short
stories in the debut collection by Nana Kwame
Adjei-Brenyah titled, Friday Black. These are sharp,
finely written stories that show off the author’s
creativity and are likely to delight most readers.
There’s an emotional range on display in this
collection that packs a punch. There’s dark humor,
human failings and issues galore. His writing
surprised me often, always had my full attention,
and gave me great reading pleasure.
Mollie's Job: A
Story of Life and
Work on the
Global Assembly
Line
Adler, William
09/00
Fascinating story follows the same job as it moves
from Paterson, New Jersey to Mendenhall,
Mississippi to Matamoros, Mexico, and the impact
of the changes on the people and communities
involved.
The Bankers'
New Clothes:
What's Wrong
with Banking
and What to Do
about It
Admati, Anat
and Martin
Hellwig
9/24/13
Equity. Readers looking for a primer on the issues
involving banking in recent years will find a very
readable account in The Bankers' New Clothes:
What's Wrong with Banking and What to Do about
It by Anat Admati and Martin Hellwig. The authors
provide extensive notes and references for those
readers who want to dig more deeply into the topic.
Admati and Hellwig distill their proposal for reform
to beefing up requirements for banks to hold more
capital. There’s no doubt that a strong capital
cushion would reduce the risk of another banking
crisis, but the authors never seem to explore the
reality that low returns on excess capital will
dissuade investors from this sector. Readers who
like a clear and definitive point of view will find one
in this book.
Lords of
Finance: The
Bankers Who
Broke the World
Ahamed, Liaquat
Shelf of Ennui 2010
The Last Taxi
Ride
Ahmad, A.X.
12/4/15
Links. A.X. Ahmad’s novel titled, The Last Taxi
Ride entertained me on many levels. As crime
fiction, the plot moved quickly and kept me
engaged. As a description of the life of immigrants
in Manhattan, I was enriched as I entered a world
usually unnoticed. For pure creativity, Ahmad kept
me interested as he linked the protagonist taxi
driver with a Bollywood actress, an old Army
buddy, and showed connections between criminals
in South Asia with people in Manhattan.
Dead Heading
Aird, Catherine
8/26/14
Lime. During a recent hot afternoon when it was
too uncomfortable to sit in the garden, I retreated
to the cool indoors and spent a pleasant few hours
reading Catherine Aird’s latest Sloan and Crosby
mystery novel titled, Dead Heading. Before I knew
it, I was drawn into the overlapping cases of a
greenhouse break-in that destroyed expensive
orchids and the case of a missing person. Once Aird
referred to lime, I suspected foul play, and was
rewarded when the plot turned out exactly as I
expected. For the last fifty pages or so, the gin and
tonic by my side was the perfect accompaniment,
especially with the visible slice of lime in the glass.
Any reader who likes witty and entertaining crime
fiction should consider reading this novel and this
series.
Animal Spirits:
How Human
Psychology
Drives the
Economy, and
Why It Matters
for Global
Capitalism
Akerlof, George
A.
Shelf of Ennui 2009
Phishing for
Phools: The
Economics of
Manipulation
and Deception
Akerlof, George
A. and Robert J.
Shiller
Shelf of Ennui 2016.
Homeland
Elegies
Akhtar, Ayad
12/9/20
Intense. If there was ever a year that demanded
the lamentations we find in a finely written elegy, it
is 2020. In his novel titled, Homeland Elegies, Ayad
Akhtar offers an intense narrative about finding
one’s place in contemporary America, especially for
those raised in a different culture. The novel draws
us into the dynamics of a single family and their
problems and issues, which provide a mirror in
which we can see ourselves and others. This novel is
an uncomfortable and cleareyed look at capitalism
and the current reality of the American dream.
There is raw disillusionment on these pages, and
heartbreak. By the end of the novel, our feelings for
a father, a son, and for the United States have
commingled and we join our voices in an intense
song of lament at our common predicament.
Objects of Our
Desire
Akhtar, Salman
Shelf of Ennui 2005
Panic in a
Suitcase
Akhtiorskaya,
Yelena
3/13/15
Odessa. I was enthralled while reading Yelena
Akhtiorskaya’s debut novel titled, Panic in a
Suitcase. I opened the novel expecting to read
another version of the immigrant story of adjusting
to life in the United States. This novel is that and so
much more. Set in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn and
Odessa, Akhtiorskaya uses carefully selected
descriptive prose to make each setting come to life.
Her character development displays all the richness
and complexity of human behavior. I laughed often
at the situations and foibles that she presents. She
finds a way to present the strange dimensions of
how individuals and families behave in
relationships, and draw us into familiarity and
differences. I was entertained throughout and
impressed by the fine writing. Any reader who
enjoys good writing will find something to enjoy in
this novel.
American War
Akkad, Omar El
5/3/17
Uncivil. Readers who love a thick and hearty
dystopian soup are those most likely to enjoy Omar
El Akkad’s debut novel titled, American War. Set in
the last quarter of the 21
st
century, the novel
presents a depressing picture: a second American
civil war; the damage from climate change; life in
an internment camp; foreign powers exploiting
American weakness; and huge loss of life from a
plague. Akkad uses protagonist Sarat Chestnut as
the instrument through which we learn about life in
this uncivil society, and Akkad portrays the ability
of one individual to make a huge difference in the
world.
She Lover of
Death
Akunin, Boris
5/26/20
Club. The eighth Fandorin mystery by Boris
Akunin is a novel titled, She Lover of Death. A
young and naïve protagonist, Masha Mironova,
arrives in Moscow at the beginning of the 20
th
century and joins a club of mainly poets who are
enamored with death. She becomes Columbine,
wears a pet snake, and before long finds herself
next in queue to commit suicide, thanks to the signs
she has received. Events are heading off the cliff
when Fandorin joins the club. Of course, you’ll have
to read the novel if you want to find out what
happens. Akunin plays with words and names in
this novel in ways that will entertain many readers.
Sister Pelagia
and the White
Bulldog
Akunin, Boris
Shelf of Ennui 2007
The Coronation
Akunin, Boris
3/6/19
Abduction. I like to read entertaining mystery
novels, especially those that keep me guessing long
into the narrative. The first novel I’ve read by Boris
Akunin is titled, The Coronation, and features a
recurring protagonist and private investigator,
Erast Petrovich Fandorin. The four-year-old son of
a Grand Duke has been abducted shortly before the
coronation of Tsar Nicholas II. Ransom requests for
royal jewels, including ones that would be visible at
the coronation add to the urgency of finding the
boy. Fandorin uses great skills at disguise and
assimilation with criminals to try to solve the crime.
Akunin develops the characters with skill and keeps
the plot momentum at a fast pace. Readers who
enjoy mysteries, especially in a historical setting,
are those most likely to enjoy this novel.
The Lost
Domain
Alain-Fournier
Shelf of Ennui 2014.
That Kind of
Mother
Alam, Rumaan
9/24/18
Understanding. The finely written prose of
Rumaan Alam’s novel titled, That Kind of Mother,
is one reason for fans of literary fiction to pick up
this book. I recommend the novel for those readers
who enjoy the discovery of psychological insight
and gaining understanding of human behavior. For
a male writer, Alam shows remarkable
understanding of women, especially protagonist
Rebecca. The novel delves into class, race,
parenting and how we bridge differences and gaps
in understanding.
An Unnecessary
Woman
Alameddine,
Rabih
Shelf of Ennui 2015.
The Angel of
History
Alameddine,
Rabih
1/3/17
Remembering. It was a pleasure for me to begin
the year with a very unusual novel by Rabih
Alameddine titled, The Angel of History.
Protagonist Jacob has arrived at a mental health
clinic and is awaiting admission. His mind is
flooded by memories of his life, from his childhood
growing up in a whorehouse in which his teenage
mother was a prostitute, to life with a wealthy
father, to memories of life with his deceased lover.
He remembers his poetry which he can no longer
write, and Alameddine presents two characters
active in Jacob’s mind: Satan and Death, and their
narratives are often hilarious. Jacob also recalls the
fourteen saints who have protected him throughout
his life. All this remembering takes place on a single
night, and thanks to Alameddine’s fine writing, the
night reveals great insight into human nature and
the ways in which the past is always present.
Readers who enjoy literary fiction are those most
likely to enjoy reading this novel.
The King Is
Always Above
the People
Alarcon, Daniel
Shelf of Ennui 2018.
Wheelmen:
Lance
Armstrong, The
Rout de France,
and the Greatest
Sports
Conspiracy Ever
Albergotti, Reed
and Vanessa
O’Connell
1/21/14
Fraud. Wall Street Journal reporters Reed
Albergotti and Vanessa O’Connell present the story
of Lance Armstrong and doping in a gripping book
titled, Wheelmen: Lance Armstrong, the Tour de
France, and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever.
As I expected, the authors do a great job in
presenting what happened. They make it clear that
Armstrong did not act alone. Albergotti and
O’Connell describe the interests of many people
who had a stake in wanting Armstrong to succeed,
and were willing to either enable doping, look the
other way, or prefer not to know. As fans, we
wanted Armstrong to succeed, and we were willing
to believe him when he said he wasn’t taking
banned substances. This is a sad story on so many
levels that will appeal to those readers who love
integrity in sports, and want to try to understand
how this fraud could have happened, and perhaps
how to prevent it from happening again.
After Birth
Albert, Elisa
Shelf of Ennui 2015.
How This Night
Is Different
Albert, Elisa
Shelf of Ennui 2006
The Hazel Wood
Albert, Melissa
Shelf of Ennui 2019.
American
Carnage : On
the Front Lines
of the
Republican Civil
War and the
Rise of
President
Trump
Alberta, Tim
Shelf of Ennui 2020.
The Catholic
School
Albinati,
Edoardo
Shelf of Ennui 2020.
The
Underminer :
Or the Best
Friend Who
Casually
Destroys Your
Life
Albo, Mike
Shelf of Ennui 2005
Have a Little
Faith: A True
Story
Albom, Mitch
4/8/10
Search. Readers looking for a touching story about
real people will enjoy Mitch Album’s latest book,
Have a Little Faith. He presents the lives of two
men from different backgrounds, different faiths,
and different places. Albert Lewis was the rabbi
from Album’s hometown synagogue, and Henry
Covington is an African American minister of a
church in Detroit. What they share is hope and
faith, and a love of God and people. These are
inspiring lives that will lift the spirits of every
reader.
The Five People
You Meet in
Heaven
Albom, Mitch
Nov 03
Otherworldly. A harmless, sentimental effort to
imagine life in heaven being introduced to the
recently departed by five people whose lives you
affected in some form or other while you were on
earth.
Fascism: A
Warning
Albright,
Madeline
7/12/18
Virulent. Former United States Secretary of State
Madeline Albright examines the spread of fascism
in the 20
th
and 21
st
century and rings an alarm bell
for readers in her book titled, Fascism: A Warning.
While in many places, democracy beat fascism in
the 20
th
century, a variety of factors have caused a
reduction in democracy around the world, allowing
elements of fascism to infect politics. Russia and
North Korea are prime examples of what Albright
describes. While she doesn’t call Trump a fascist,
she takes some shots and expresses concerns about
some aspects of behavior that should alarm
citizens. Readers interested in world affairs are
those most likely to appreciate this cogent book.
Hell and Other
Destinations: A
21st-Century
Memoir
Albright,
Madeline
5/26/20
Momentum. Madeline Albright’s memoir titled,
Hell and Other Destinations: A 21st-Century
Memoir, is packed with wit and wisdom. This
former Secretary of State tells us of her life from
2001 to the present, a period for her that was
packed with deciding what to do next and then after
that, and then something else altogether. Her
momentum is a force of nature as she accounts her
life of ongoing service and engagement. Her prose
is exciting, and her humor enchanting. Do
something or get out of her way.
If I Understood
You, Would I
Have This Look
on my Face?
Alda, Alan
9/25/17
Empathy. Readers looking for a few good ideas
about improving communications are those most
likely to enjoy reading Alan Alda’s book titled, If I
Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My
Face?: My Adventures in the Art and Science of
Relating and Communicating. Alda tells great
stories in this book, including personal anecdotes to
reinforce the different ways in which we can
improve the ways in which we relate to others. The
core idea involves empathy, and the different ways
in which we can improve our skills at listening to
others and seeing things from their point of view.
Since this is Alan Alda after all, there’s ample
humor in the book.
Never Have
Your Dog
Stuffed
Alda, Alan
Apr 06
Sentimental. Gentle and funny memoir tells
many family stories well, and minimizes the ego-
centrism typical of Hollywood lives.
Things I
Overheard
While Talking to
Myself
Alda, Alan
Dec 07
Questions. Using the structure of his speeches to
various audiences, Alda leads readers to ask and
answer for ourselves life’s tough questions.
The Power
Alderman,
Naomi
11/21/17
Turnaround. I loved reading Naomi Alderman’s
novel, The Power, for three reasons. First, she
draws readers into a creative and engaging story.
Second, her prose is finely written. Third, she
explores a fundamental question about human
nature and behavior: if women had a physical trait
that provided them with the means to dominate
men, what might be different in human relations? It
was especially timely to read this novel when each
day’s news provides a report about another
prominent male exercising power through some
form of inappropriate behavior. Any book club that
skips this title will lose an opportunity to discuss
gender similarities and differences.
The Light of the
World: A
Memoir
Alexander,
Elizabeth
3/24/16
Beauty. I kept putting off my reading of Elizabeth
Alexander’s memoir titled, The Light of the World. I
knew it expressed this poet’s grief at the death of
her artist husband, Ficre Ghebreyesus. This book is
her wail, her lament and her tribute to Ficre. It is
some of the finest writing I’ve read in decades, and
I wish I hadn’t put off reading it. Here’s a sample
(p. 178): ‘“Oh beauty, you are the light of the world!’
was the quotation we chose for the bench by the
side of the grave, from a poem by Derek Walcott my
teacher, whose words Ficre and I revered. The
exaltation with which we met, and beauty itself, the
things we both chased and tried to re-create in our
work, that which lights the world and its darkness
that he understood so well. The poem says it better
than any scripture.” This is a memoir of beauty,
both beauty as it is found around us, and beauty as
it is created by the artist. Read this book: embrace
the beauty.
The $64 Tomato
Alexander,
William
August
06
Indulgence. The author’s gardening hobby
mushroomed to such an extent that after a poor
crop one summer, he computed his cost that year
and came up with the book’s title.
Would It Kill
You to Stop
Doing That: A
Modern Guide
to Manners
Alford, Henry
2/3/12
Witty. Readers looking for a few laughs about our
own foibles and those of others will find witty prose
in Henry Alford’s book titled, Would It Kill You to
Stop Doing That: A Modern Guide to Manners.
Alford presents aspects of contemporary life that
made me laugh, and got me through the parts of the
book that seemed to drag a bit. Readers looking for
an Emily Post update won’t find that kind of
expertise here. If you like witty writing, this is a
book should consider.
Harry Truman's
Excellent
Adventure: The
True Story of a
Great American
Road Trip
Algeo, Matthew
9/19/09
Nostalgia. If you’ve ever doubted that a decent
book can be written about anything at all, give a
chance to Matthew Algeo’s book, Harry Truman’s
Excellent Adventure: The True Story of a Great
American Road Trip. Algeo describes a 1953 road
trip that Harry and Bess Truman took from
Independence, Missouri to Washington, on to New
York, and back to Independence after Eisenhower
became president. Harry did all the driving in a
vehicle that’s almost a character in the book: a
black 1953 Chrysler New Yorker. Algeo retraced the
Truman’s route, and added a quirky dimension to
the book by inserting his own experiences at some
of the stops along the way, and what happened to
some places in the intervening decades. This book
presents a great image of 1953, with a decent dose
of nostalgia, and personalization by the insertion of
Algeo’s current experience of this route. The
pictures helped, mostly because every time I saw a
photo Harry Truman’s wide smile, especially when
behind the wheel of the New Yorker, I found myself
leaning into a grin of my own.
Celestial Bodies
Alharthi, Jokha
11/14/19
Oman. I picked up a copy of Kokha Alharthi’s
novel titled, Celestial Bodies, after it won the Man
Booker International Prize. This finely written
novel draws readers into the Omani culture and the
changes to that society over recent decades,
through the lens of three sisters. Oman’s history of
slavery can be disturbing, but Alharthi uses that
history to explore the many ways in which people
are bound and constrained. The women in this
novel are complex and interesting characters and
the society in which they live demands change and
extracts love and loss as time passes.
Alentjo Blue
Ali, Monica
Sept 06
Village. Through tidy vignettes in her second
novel, Ali presents the permanence of a village in
Portugal alongside the transformations of its
residents and visitors over six decades.
Brick Lane
Ali, Monica
Nov 03
Elsewhere. Readers take an enjoyable journey
into the immigrant Bangladesh community in
London through Ali’s skilled mastery of description,
dialogue and plot.
In the Kitchen
Ali, Monica
7/16/09
Breakdown. The protagonist of Monica Ali’s new
novel In the Kitchen is chef Gabriel Lightfoot, a
character who becomes increasingly difficult to
spend time with as he delves deeper into a nervous
breakdown over the 436 pages of the book. Gabriel
is the executive chef at the once-grand Imperial
Hotel in London, and he leads a kitchen crew of
hard workers from many countries. Gabriel’s life is
packed with changes: his father is dying; he
proposes marriage to Charlie, a jazz singer; he’s
agreed to leave the Imperial and open a new
restaurant with two partners that will be named
“Lightfoot’s.” Following the death of a kitchen
porter, Gabriel is haunted by a recurring dream and
his life begins to spiral out of control. Gabriel wants
to know who he is and what is meant to do in life.
Ali’s descriptions of kitchen life capture the humor,
challenging work conditions, and dictatorial nature
of this environment. Her writing throughout the
novel is excellent, in dialogue, description and
language. A side plot about the exploitation of
immigrant workers allows for some structure to the
novel, but seems somewhat out of place in what is
basically a psychological novel about a midlife crisis
with concurrent erratic behavior and a nervous
breakdown. In the Kitchen is finely written, gloomy,
and may appeal most to readers who are willing to
spend time admiring a writer’s skill no matter what
the plot or how hard it is to spend time with as
unsympathetic a protagonist as Gabriel Lightfoot.
Untold Story
Ali, Monica
7/22/11
Imaginative. Many novels rely on the imagination
of readers to take a fictional character and try to
picture that person in real life. Monica Ali takes a
different course in her new novel, Untold Story. She
takes a very well-known character, the late Princess
Diana, and imagines her life had she not died, but
instead staged a death, had plastic surgery and
lived in obscurity. Some readers will find Ali’s
character to be out of synch with a reader’s image,
or find her premise preposterous. Such readers
should take a pass on reading this novel. Those
readers who like a well written novel, and are
willing to suspend disbelief can enjoy Ali’s take on a
character whose life could have gone another way. I
found this novel to be fun to read, and Ali’s writing
talent reveals itself on every page.
Our
Declaration: A
Reading of the
Declaration of
Independence
in Defense of
Equality
Allen, Danielle
Shelf of Ennui 2014.
Ready For
Anything: 52
Productivity
Principles for
Work and Life
Allen, David
Nov 03
Oz. Wizard of productivity takes readers behind the
curtain where they find: not much. 160 pages of
recycled, repetitive, rambling drivel. Take a pass
and do something productive instead.
Fixing the
Housing
Market:
Financial
Innovations for
the Future
Allen, Franklin,
James R. Barth
and Glenn Yago
3/2/12
Data. A recent book from Wharton’s Milken
Institute Series on Financial Innovations is titled,
Fixing the Housing Market. I expected the book
would provide a brief review of what caused the
crash, and then spend the bulk of the presentation
on alternative solutions. Instead, the authors
provide a lengthy historical framework and lots of
global data. Their analysis of the data seemed
shallow, and almost all of the book covers history
and data. By the time the solutions were presented,
they seemed vague and too generalized to be useful.
Readers looking to understand housing over the
past hundred years will find useful information
here. Those looking for cogent recommendations
for solving our problems should look elsewhere.
Conclave: The
Politics,
Personalities,
and Process of
the Next Papal
Election
Allen, Jr., John
L.
Aug 02
Learn through the eyes of a talented, balanced and
authoritative writer what will happen behind closed
doors when the next pope is chosen. Breezy,
conversational writing style makes this book easy to
read.
Opus Dei: The
First Objective
Look Behind the
Myths and
Reality of the
Most
Controversial
Force in the
Catholic Church
Allen, Jr., John
L.
Shelf of Ennui 2006
The Rise of
Benedict XVI
Allen, Jr., John
L.
Shelf of Reproach 2005
Idea Man: A
Memoir by the
Cofounder of
Microsoft
Allen, Paul
6/18/11
Interests. A memoir by the Microsoft founder who
is not Bill Gates comes from Paul Allen, and is
titled, Idea Man. Readers interested in technology
will find the first third of the book to be required
reading. After Allen became ill and left Microsoft,
he expanded his horizons beyond technology and
used the resources he acquired at Microsoft to
spend the rest of his life doing whatever he wants.
Most general readers will feel a bit like Walter Mitty
when reading about how Allen invested and lost or
spent billions on one thing after another. One gets
the feeling that Allen really enjoys life, and
especially the ways in which the money he gives
away is making a difference for society. So often
through the book, I reflected how he was so often
right, but usually early. About halfway through the
book he seems more fallible as he generously
describes so many ways in which he was wrong.
This is a readable and entertaining memoir about a
person with a wide variety of interests and who
lives to pursue them all.
The Princess of
Herself
Allen, Roberta
Shelf of Ennui 2018.
Garden Spells
Allen, Sarah
Addison
Shelf of Ennui 2008