Charm City is a recent title from Crown Journeys, a great series of nonfiction books in which expert authors reflect on a place they know well as they take a walk. In this volume Madison Smartt Bell, author and Professor of Creative Writing at Goucher College, meets up with his friends to tour Baltimore on foot, offering insights into the city along the way.

Bell’s travels take him down Greenmount Avenue to the Harbor with his Goucher colleague Eric Singer, around Dickeyville with Laura Lippman, through Fells Point with Glenn Moomau, and returning north on Charles Street with Jack Heyrman. Each walk gives us an intimate look at a distinctive slice of Baltimore, bringing details, forgotten historical nuggets and personal reminiscences into focus. His north-bound walk on Charles Street through Mount Vernon is particularly fascinating.

By moving at four miles per hour instead of forty, Bell, an engaging tour guide, has a series of “deep” encounters with his home city, and presents the reader with a vivid perspective of Baltimore’s memorable neighborhoods. Read Charm City: A Walk Through Baltimore to experience the charm of Baltimore close-up.

Other outstanding works in the Crown Journeys series include Tim Cahill’s Lost in My Own Backyard: A Walk in Yellowstone National Park, and James M. McPherson’s Hallowed Ground: A Walk at Gettysburg.

John Jewitt – Savage Branch

While driving one night, Frannie O’Neill, a veterinarian in Colorado, notices something unusual by the side of the road. Stopping to investigate, she is incredulous to discover a human with feathers. Frannie learns that the "bird girl" Max has a fantastic tale to tell about her escape from mad scientists and the “people” sent to recapture her. But not only does Frannie have to deal with Max’s unusual story, she must also contend with her new tenant Kit Harrison, who could be either a confidante or an enemy.

James Patterson, known for his Alex Cross and Women’s Murder Club series, is the author of this fantasy title. Told from Frannie’s point of view, When the Wind Blows is as fast-paced as his other books and reads like a movie.

With intriguing and mysterious characters, Patterson reveals just enough to keep the reader looking for more and he gracefully obliges with a sequel. In The Lake House, the story continues as the bird children (yes, there are several) are returned to their biological parents. With the parents finding it difficult to raise their special offspring, Frannie and Kit ask the court for custody. Of course nothing is easy, as the crazy men responsible for the experiment will stop at nothing to recapture their creations.

Finally, check out Maximum Ride based on (but not identical to) some of the characters in these books. Don’t look to the teen series for a continuation of the above story, as these tell the tale from Max’s point of view. There are five books in the series: The Angel Experiment, School’s Out – Forever, Saving the World and Other Exteme Sports, The Final Warning, and the latest,  Max.

Pick up When the Wind Blows (and Patterson’s subsequent books) for a thrilling read!

Robert Bates – Glenwood Branch

In so many ways Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury reminds me of the feelings and events of my childhood. Set in 1928 Illinois, it is an admittedly semi-autobiographical novel. Composed of a series of stories, Dandelion Wine centers around 12-year-old Douglas Spaulding, and the friends, families, and folk tales in which they all seem to play, at least, peripheral roles. Every facet of a childhood summer is touched upon…the joys, ponderings, mysteries, tragedies, questions, fears, anticipations, sights, smells, and of course, the taste of dandelion wine.

Each story (some of which weave throughout the book, while others stand alone and have a singular moment of glory) serves as a visceral snapshot of some sort of universal human experience. I found myself sympathizing with different characters at different times: Leo, the creator (and eventual destroyer) of the Happiness Machine; Grandpa, aghast at the idea of a self-cutting lawn; Colonel Freeleigh, the human Time Machine; and of course, The Lonely One, who may or may not be right behind you waiting for his moment to strike.

There is not one particular emotion that monopolizes this book. It quite often takes you into deep sadness and fear, only to bring you to the top of a mountain laughing hysterically, as in the tellings of the Green Machine (owned and “operated” by Miss Fern and Miss Roberts), and my personal favorite, the banishment of Aunt Rose.

Better yet was reading the book aloud to a loved one, just as the summer warmth was beginning to take hold. And like the final days of summer, inaugurated by the display of school supplies in the shop windows, I mourned the passing of the last page.

Dan Curry – Savage Branch

Okay, scheduling the Nosy Parents Book Club the day before Easter (especially when the library was closed Friday and Sunday) probably wasn’t our best move.  But the Nosy Parents Book Club shall prevail!  And we still think Joseph Delaney’s Revenge of the Witch is worth discussing (see previous post).

So we are rescheduling our meeting for May 9, 2009, 1:30 – 2:30 pm at Central Library in the meeting room.  Any interested adults and young adults are welcome, and if you love a good, old-fashioned, creepy tale, all the better. Books are still available at the Fiction Desk, and you can register online or by calling 410.313.7860.

Joanne Sobieck-Lingg – Central Library

The first line of Beside a Burning Sea immediately pulls in the reader — “Ten minutes before a torpedo sliced through the sea and slammed into steel, most everything was normal aboard the hospital ship Benevolence.”

Thus begins a suspenseful WWII tale as nine very different people are thrown together on a small deserted island in the Solomons after their ship sinks. Coincidentally the island also happens to be a strategically desirable spot for the Japanese military. What follows in the next eighteen days is a tale of love, war, prejudice, deception, and survival.

Using fluid, lyrical prose throughout, author John Shors devotes a chapter to each day and initiates each chapter with a haiku. Day two begins:
Waves march like soldiers,
To bleed upon sun-bleached shores.
I long for old moss.

Beside a Burning Sea held my attention and I read it fairly quickly, all the while thinking which actor I would cast for each character — this is a novel with the requisite ingredients for a fast-paced movie! Adventure, suspense, romance, and interesting characters…what more could you ask for?

Eve Olsen – Central Library

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to grow up in a family with a multitude of siblings, 12 to be exact? The constant chaotic vying for attention competes with the everpresent clutter of clothing, mismatched socks, and mounds of school books – not to mention the unending hum of major/minor squabbles. James McBride’s poignant memoir The Color of Water offers a panoramic view – from the Depression through the turbulent 60s and beyond — inside the life of one such remarkable family.

In writing The Color of Water, the author attempts to explore his Jewish mother’s hidden past. As a result of his persistence, McBride’s mother Rachel tells her story, simultaneously allowing McBride to gain a greater understanding of himself. Rachel was the daughter of a strict, distant Orthodox Jewish rabbi and a loving, meek mother. Years of childhood sexual abuse led Rachel to run away and literally reinvent herself. How she raised her brood with a surprising blend of "chutzpah" and grace was truly amazing to me.

After reading McBride’s latest book Song Yet Sung, I decided to purchase The Color of Water on audiobook. Told from alternating points of view by McBride and his mother (Momee), actors Andre Braugher and Lainie Kazan create an unforgettable audio production.

This memoir had me quietly crying one minute and laughing the next. Pick up a copy of the book or the playaway – I guarantee you will be moved.

Elaine Johnson – Central Library

Let’s face it: zombies are not sexy. Their looks have gone to hell (quite literally!), they chew loudly (often with their mouths wide open), and when it comes to their personalities, to quote Gertrude Stein, "there’s no there there!" But they continue to fascinate horror movie and fiction fans alike…often in ways no other "creature feature" can. Whether it’s in the best disaster films (especially George A. Romero’s Dawn of the Dead) or the most gripping fiction (the wonderful teen novel Generation Dead, comes to mind), there are any number of ways you can make zombies interesting…there HAS to be if you’re going to put out a winning 486 page anthology of zombie stories.

When I saw The Living Dead on the new fiction shelf a few weeks ago, I couldn’t help but let out a little yelp…not of fear (after all, zombies don’t scare me!), but of happiness. I was even more delighted when I took the book home and discovered so many impressive short stories inside, one of the best being "Death and Suffrage" by Dale Bailey — a poignant and surprisingly thoughtful look at what the world would be like if the dead tried to vote. The story tackles gun control, self-doubt, messy presidential elections, provocative ad campaigns. It is easily the most captivating and critical story in the collection.

Other tales, such as the chilling "This Year’s Class Picture" by Dan Simmons, are also relevant to contemporary society. Simmon’s eerie, sad tale is about a dedicated (perhaps OVERLY dedicated) teacher who continues to instruct her class long after all the children have become zombies and are no longer capable of learning.

There’s not one boring tale to be found here. In fact, there are so many incredibly riveting, oddly sincere and masterful offerings, I have left out way too much. If I HAD to list five more that were just as amazing, they’d be Stephen King’s "Home Delivery," Douglas E. Winter’s "Less than Zombie," Hannah Wolf Bowen’s "Everything Is Better With Zombies," Jeffrey Ford’s "Malthusian’s Zombie" and Susan Palwick’s "Beautiful Stuff." You don’t have to like zombies to eat this collection up…it’s THAT good!
 
Angie Engles – Central Library

Directed by the Coen brothers, The Big Lebowski takes the uniquely American noir and western genres, transplants them to Los Angeles, and complicates them with the trappings of contemporary life. Our hero noir is not Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe, but rather “The Dude…or, uh, Duder, or El Duderino, if you’re not into the whole brevity thing….” Played to perfection by Jeff Bridges, the Dude is a pretty darn laid back guy, drawn into a case of mistaken identity only when some thugs confuse him with their target and show a certain lack of respect for his rug. From there, the movie unfolds as a series of interconnected encounters and exchanges. The dude’s “normal” life of bowling with his friends Walter and Donny collides with a parallel world inhabited by the Big Lebowski (David Huddleston), his wife Bunny (Tara Reid) and their many interesting associates, including Aimee Mann.

Amid cross, double-cross, triple-cross, seduction and aggression, the Dude tries to maintain his equilibrium as he explores each novel situation and figures out what the “new stuff that has come to light” means for him. Much of the humor and drama develop because rather than the hard-boiled, fedora-wearing character we’re used to seeing in this type of tale, the Dude is a guy who dons a bathrobe as an overcoat. Is this the state of the American Hero in the new millennium? Is that a bad thing? You decide!

If you’d like to get deeper into the world of the Dude, disc two of this 10th anniversary special edition is loaded with extras. For even more entertainment, take a look at I’m a Lebowski, You’re a Lebowski by the Lebowski Fest guys, and Bowling Across America: 50 States in Rented Shoes by Mike Walsh, featuring a game bowled at the first Lebowski Fest.

John Jewitt – Savage Branch

Courage by Paula Cole is on my list of "10 albums to bring to a desert island.” I return to it when I find myself at a cross roads, revisiting sad memories and seeking the happiness within them. If you’ve ever wondered what silk sounds like, listen to Cole (a classically trained, mezzo soprano) sing and you’ll have your answer.

On her fourth studio album she tells the story of a woman "twice blind and being born." Mourning the end of a relationship with a mate whose eyes "conjure up those Cliffs of Moher, far away and not listening anymore…," Courage is a story of regret, confusion, and an ongoing search for self.

More than a sorrowful lament, the album takes you through the grief process. Cole’s vocal gift and lyrical writing convey the self-examination and rebirth that mark her path to courage. While bringing us along on the journey, she begins with her remorse, acknowledging that she has "forgotten who she used to be" and must "discover the courage to Be, To handle these changes comin’ down."

Ultimately, Cole realizes and reminds us all to live our lives freely, with the delight of a child. "Why not take a chance? By keeping the child alive in our heart, There’s truth and meaning there."

As Cole says, take a chance and check out one of the Library’s copies — maybe Courage will make it onto your list of favorites.

Amy Begg De Groff – Central Library

The very best parts of Kathryn Stockett’s debut novel The Help are the three distinct voices that speak out from a time and place Martin Luther King once described as ‘"sweltering in injustice."

It’s 1962. Jackson, Mississippi. Wise Aibileen Leef, a black maid who has been responsible for raising and nurturing seventeen white children, recently lost her only son to a foolish accident while indifferent white bosses looked on. She’s not aware of it yet, but a small tendril of change is slowly unfurling inside her. It begins one afternoon while the ladies of the Junior League play bridge and eat Aibileen’s chicken salad.

Hilly Holbrook has come up with a brilliant civics concept for the governor of Mississippi: it should be mandatory that every house in Jackson employing a black maid be responsible for building a separate bathroom for their use. "After all," she reasons, "Everyone knows they carry different kinds of diseases than we do."

Aibileen, in disbelief, holds her tongue. She cannot afford to lose her forty-three dollar a week job for this, but it would almost be a blessing if she did. Minny Jackson, also a black maid and Aibileen’s best friend, is just the opposite. She may cook like nobody’s business, but outspoken Minny "just can’t tuck it in." It’s why she keeps losing jobs, and why, she reasons, that her husband abuses her.

Finally there’s Skeeter Phelan, a rich white girl with a twenty thousand dollar dowry in "cotton money." She’s just graduated from Ole Miss, but unlike all the other girls, Skeeter didn’t major in Home Ec. and Husband Hunting 101. She wants to be an author. Even more, this tall, plain sensitive Deb yearns to be in New York City. When a senior editor at a venerable publishing house gives the advice "write what interests no one else," Skeeter is at a loss, until Hilly Holbrook issues her amazing declaration in the Name of Home Sanitation.

What Skeeter proposes — a written account of Jim Crow South from a black maid’s perspective — is ambitious, dangerous, and in Jackson, illicit.

But once all three women agree to put their memories to paper, there is no turning back — even if they do stir up a small war.

Aimee Zuccarini – East Columbia Branch