Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
The Company of Owls.
Extraordinary moments can arrive on silent wings. Such is the case in Polly Atkin’s memoir depicting her journey through nature and life. Reviewed by Lynda Bernard.
Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
Cool Machine
Cool Machine is Volume 3 of Colson Whitehead’s Harlem Trilogy. With 1980s New York City as its backdrop, corruption is rampant. Main character Ray Carney gambles his future and joins forces with a criminal mastermind to help his wife achieve her business goal. As one would expect, mayhem ensues. Review by Barry Novick.
Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
Endangered Pleasures
In Defense of Naps, Bacon, Martinis, Profanity, and Other Indulgences by Barbara Holland. Here’s to enjoying life in the Not-So-Fast Lane! An insightful book of “opinionated” essays, agreed with and reviewed by Lynda Bernard.
Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
The Nazi and The Psychiatrist: Hermann Göring, Dr. Douglas M. Kelley, and a Fatal Meeting of Minds at the End of WWII
The Machinations of Evil. Indeed. What distinguishes the truly evil person from the rest of us? A thought provoking book by Jack El-Hai reviewed by Lynda Bernard.
Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
Life is a Wheel.
Love, Death, Etc., and a Bike Ride Across America by Bruce Weber. The story of Weber’s cross-country bicycle trip, with all the ins, outs, and introspection that comes with it. Review by Lynda Bernard.
Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
Down Cemetery Road.
Down Cemetery Road by Mick Herron is Herron’s first book in the Zoë Boehm private investigator series. A thrilling and chilling series of events unfolds— a neighborhood house explodes, one of the occupants, a young girl, goes missing, and a neighbor, Sarah Tucker, becomes consumed with finding her. A great read. Hold on for dear life! Review by Barry Novick.
Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
Life. Death. The Power of Love.
Books that earn rereading are hard to come by. I Heard the Owl Call My Name by Margaret Craven is one of those treasures. It is a story that explores life, death, and the power of love as a relocated priest makes his journey. Review by Lynda Bernard.
Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
The Beginner’s Goodbye.
Anne Tyler explores love, life, family with remarkable accuracy and gentle humor. Wouldn’t it be great if there was a Beginner’s Guide to… EVERYTHING? Insightful and beautifully written. Vintage Anne Tyler. Review by Sandra Novick.
Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
The Drowned.
The Drowned, by Booker Prize Winning author John Banville, is a mystery/thriller that will hold you until the last page. Set in the 1950s in a rural Irish town, and in Dublin, the investigation into a drowning and potential murder turns out to be much more than that. Suffice it to say, “It’s complicated.” Review by Barry Novick. Recommended!
Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
Notes to John.
Notes to John by Joan Didion. The insightfulness, transparency, honesty, and meticulous detail of Didion's writing is beyond compelling. Review by Sandra Novick.
Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
Theft
The new novel, by Nobel Prize winning author Abdulrazak Gurnah, is a carefully crafted story about each of the three main characters finding themselves, despite and because of their complicated pasts. A joy to read and highly recommended! Review by Barry Novick.
Book Shorts. Reviews in a Nutshell.
Intermezzo
A beautifully written book by Sally Rooney, Intermezzo tells the story of two brothers grieving the loss of their father. They navigate a complicated relationship that is bolstered by their commitment to one another and love. Review by Barry Novick.