By Anne Fortier

Summary:
The heartbreak that Julie Jacobs feels over the loss of her cherished aunt Rose soon turns to puzzled dismay as she learns the entire estate has been left to Julie’s twin sister, while she herself has only been bequeathed a single key. The mystery and adventure of Anne Fortier’s Juliet, begins with this small key, once owned by Julie’s dead mother, that fits a safety-deposit box in the city of Siena, Italy. The Twenty-five-year-old American travels to Siena and unlocks not only the box, but dangerous secrets about her Italian ancestors. She discovers a familial link to Giulietta Tolomei, a girl who fell in love with a young man from a rival family named Romeo in 1340, all to disastrous effect. This tragic love story went on to be immortalized through the ages by artists and writers, most famously by Shakespeare himself. The letters that Julie finds in the safety-deposit box point to the long hidden treasure of “Juliet’s Eyes,” beautiful jewels that adorn a gold statue. In her quest to find the valuable artifact, she encounters a mysterious contessa as well as intimidating mobsters, and realizes the blood feud that started between ancient families still exists in modern Siena. Alternating between the 21st and 14th centuries, Fortier weaves a story of intrigue and romance centered around one of the world’s most famous couples.

What critics are saying:
Born and raised in Denmark, Anne Fortier has a Ph.D from Aarhus University in the history of ideas. She moved to the U.S. in 2002 to pursue a career in the film industry, and was co-producer of Fire and Ice: The Winter War of Finland and Russia, an Emmy-winning documentary. Overall, critics have judged Juliet to be a fun read, though some found the plot a bit contrived. “Fortier navigates around false clues and twists, resulting in a dense, heavily plotted love story that reads like a Da Vinci Code for the smart modern woman,” concludes Publishers Weekly.

On their website, NYTPicker, criticized Picoult for having a bias of her own against the New York Times since its 2008 review of her book Change of Heart was harshly critical. “The NYT has long made it clear that they value literary fiction and disdain commercial fiction – and they disparage it regardless of race or gender of the author,” the author responded in an e-mail. “I’m not commenting on one specific critic or even on my own reviews (which are few and far between because I write commercial fiction).” Again pushing for diversity, Picoult stated: “It is my personal opinion that yes, the Times favors white male authors…How else can the Times explain the fact that white male authors ROUTINELY are assigned reviews in both the Sunday review section AND the daily book review section (often both raves), while so many other writers go unnoticed by their critics?”

What do you think about the New York Times coverage of Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom? Would the newspaper better serve the public by featuring more diverse and deserving authors? Leave a comment below to let us know.

By Kathy Reichs

Summary:
An unusual death in Quebec drives Dr. Temperance Brennan to dig forty years into the past for answers in Spider Bones, Kathy Reichs’ 13th outing with the forensic anthropologist. Fingerprints identify the victim of drowning, with strange S&M overtones, as John Lowery. But, records show that John Lowery died in Vietnam in 1968, and was buried by his family in North Carolina. How could one man die twice? Brennan exhumes Lowery’s grave and takes the remains to the U.S. military’s Joint POW/ MIA Accounting Command, in Hawaii to find answers. Things are further complicated when yet another set of remains is discovered, this one entangled with Lowery’s dog tags, and Brennan is also asked to consult on the body of a possible shark attack victim. The good Doctor teams up with Detective Andrew Ryan, her on-again off-again lover, and Honolulu medical examiner Hadley Perry to unravel the twisted mysteries behind all these deaths.

What critics are saying:
The Temperance Brennan novels are always enjoyable reads, even though the dialog can veer toward corniness at times, and a few of the plot twists are a bit hokey. It is Reichs’ real life experiences as a forensic anthropologist that makes these novels shine. The science in these stories is compelling, and the forensic twists and turns in the plots are truly engrossing. Reichs’ novels are usually well received among critics, and this 13th installment is no exception. “Reading a new Brennan novel is like hooking up with old friends: you know what to expect, but that’s OK, because you also know you’ll have a good time,” writes David Pitt for Booklist.

First edition cover, 1941

In a column posted on the American Libraries Magazine website earlier this month, Jennifer Burek Pierce argues that children’s books, like the ever popular Curious George series, should garner more literary merit. “To represent the world for children involves skillful choices based on training, research, and lived experience.” Often times the simple words and captivating imagery of a 32-page picture book impart important life lessons or cultural themes. Such is the case with Curious George, the creation of husband and wife Margret and H. A. Rey. As German Jews, the couple was forced to flee France in 1940 as the Nazi army rolled toward Paris. They escaped on bicycles, and carried among their few belongings several manuscripts of children’s books, one of which featured a mischievous monkey named Fifi.

The Reys escaped Europe through the Lisbon port in Portugal, travelled to Rio de Janeiro and then New York, where they lived for a few years, before finally settling in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Their manuscripts and illustrations of the cute little monkey, later named George, helped facilitate their voyage by convincing any suspicious authorities that the two were just kindly children’s book authors. Viewed in this cultural context, the Curious George books are more than just stories about a fun-loving monkey. Though, as an article in The New York Times point out, the cultural turmoil of World War II is never blatantly addressed in the series. Yet, positive lessons of tolerance, acceptance and joyful curiosity are prevalent themes throughout.

For those interested in learning more about Margret and H. A. Rey and the inspiration behind Curious George, try The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey (HMH Books, 73pgs). In this book illustrated by Allan Drummond, author Louise Borden draws on a wealth of primary resources, including several of H. A. Rey’s handwritten diaries, to portray the couple’s life story and describe their creation of the beloved monkey. Earlier this summer, The Jewish Museum in New York featured the exhibition “Curious George Saves the Day: The Art of Margret and H.A. Rey“, showcasing over seventy original drawings and book dummies, as well as documents and ephemera related to their struggles during World War II. The exhibition ended in New York on Aug. 1, 2010, but will be showing on the west coast at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco from November 14, 2010 to March 13, 2011.

By Abigail Pogrebin

Journalist and identical twin Abigail Pogrebin offers a fascinating glimpse into the relationship between twins and how it impacts the need for individuality in One and the Same: My Life as an Identical Twin and What I’ve Learned About Everyone’s Struggle to Be Singular. Twins, especially identical twins, are often seen as special, at times almost a novelty, in our society. The duo is bestowed with a unique “star power” that draws levels of attention few singletons experience. Such was especially true for Abigail and sister Robin who grew up loving to sing and perform, excelling academically (both graduating from Yale), and achieving successful careers in journalism.

Their sameness has been an intense bond throughout their lives, though both women have had periods when the desire to be an individual caused one to pull away from the other. Abigail experienced this as a teenager, while Robin’s need for distance is more recent. This distance was one of the forces that drove Abigail to write this book. If she could gain insight into the complex dynamics between other sets of twins, perhaps she could gain insight into her own twin relationship, and herself as an individual. “Twins come with a built-in constant comparison, but defining oneself against one’s twin is just an amped-up version of every person’s life-long challenge: to individuate – to create a distinctive persona in the world.”

Abigail interviews several sets of twins and examines their individual relationships. Some sets, like identical twins and NFL stars Tiki and Ronde Barber, draw strength and inspiration from each other. The spirit of sibling competition drives each man to perform at his best, but never spills over to jealousy or bitterness. While other sets seem to be driven apart by their sameness. One elderly twin has refused to speak to her sister for years because of their acrimonious relationship, though she reluctantly admits she’d feel lost if her sister died. In happiness or anger, there is still a deep connection between two souls, and Abigail ponders its root. “Could it really start in utero? My gut says yes…Robin and I were smushed together for nine months; I can’t believe there’s no emotional trace of that snug cohabitation.”

But how can two people so intensely linked grow as individuals? From birth twins are treated as a matching set, two parts of the same whole, always expected to agree and get along. Abigail feels that parents who always spend time with their twins together, instead of making a conscious effort to interact with them separately, are doing the children, and themselves, a disservice. The lack of one-on-one time means the twins have less of a chance to develop unique identities, and the parents have less of an opportunity to bond with their children individually. The unrealistic expectation that twins should never fight or disagree can also impact individuality. Because twins are socialized to get along at a very young age, conflict between the two is often discouraged. When faced with an argument, one or both may shy away from harsh honesty or negative emotions in order to protect the other’s feelings, and conform to the twins stereotype.

Abigail also consults with “the experts”, a group of physicians, psychologists, geneticists, philosophers, etc., to explore the science of twins and examine their relationships. Having a double presents unique challenges in paving one’s own path in life, but despite these challenges, the author admits that identicals appreciate their specialness and feel their relationship is “slightly superior to the fraternal brand.” Yet, this twin relationship can be intensely close at the exclusion of anyone else. When talking to their mother, Abigail becomes aware that sometimes the sisters can become so engrossed in conversation that they virtually ignore family and friends. They are not consciously trying to alienate anyone, but the twin relationship takes such primacy that it can result in unintentionally hurt feelings.

One and the Same provides thoughtful and thoroughly interesting portraits of twins and their unique relationships. Like the author herself, the reader comes away with “confirmation that twins, despite their recent ubiquity, still fascinate and confound…[and] will always play a key role in decoding what differentiates all of us.” This extraordinary and powerful bond between two people is heartbreakingly illustrated by the last twins interviewed in the book. During World War II, sisters Helen Rapaport and Pearl Pufeles were imprisoned at Auschwitz, and forced to be a part of Josef Mengele’s obscene study of twins. As the approach of American troops became imminent, the camp was closed and the pair was forced on a death march with the remaining ambulatory prisoners. For months they walked, cold, starving, sick, dressed in rags, but encouraging each other to keep going. “‘We survived together,’ Pearl goes on with wet eyes. ‘So we have two of us. We were never separated…So we’re lucky.’”

By Julia Stuart

Summary:
Julia Stuart creates a whimsical and amusing menagerie of humans and animals alike, in The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise: A Novel. Modern day Beefeater Balthazar Jones and his wife Hebe live in the Tower of London, along with an unusual assortment of staff members that man the historical monument. Dealing all day with tourists, both curious and cranky, distracts him from greiving the loss of his 11-year-old son, Milo. The boy’s death lies heavily on the couple, and Hebe is desperate to talk about their loss and share her grief. But, Balthazar attempts to further avoid the subject by becoming engrossed in the odd hobby of collecting rainwater in Egyptian perfume bottles. When the Beefeater is unexpectedly assigned the job of creating a menagerie to house all the exotic animals gifted to the Queen, the population of the Tower grows even more strange and colorful. The folly and foibles of two-legged and four-legged creatures combine to tell an endearing love story.

What critics are saying:
The Tower, The Zoo, and The Tortoise is Julia Stuart’s second novel. Her first, The Matchmaker of Périgord was published in 2008. The author’s sophomore effort has charmed both readers and critics. The Denver Post raves: “The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise is the perfect summer confection — feather-light without being feather-brained. Julia Stuart has penned a work that is original and every-page amusing, and she’s peopled it with characters that move into your heart.”

Like the author’s father, Isamu Hirahara, Mas was born in the U.S., but was in Hiroshima the day the atomic bomb was dropped. “It was really important for me for Mas to have the experience of being a hibakusha, or atomic bomb survivor — but an American-born hibakusha,” she explains. Also, like Hirahara’s father, after the war Mas was confronted with limited employment opportunities in Southern California because of his race, so he turned to the gardening trade, one of the few vocations open to Japanese Americans, to make a living. In the books, set in present day, the heyday of the Japanese gardener has passed, but Mas’ quiet, observant manner, worn Dodgers cap and his ability to blend into the background as a service worker, give him the perfect opportunity to solve crimes.

Hirahara, former editor and writer for Rafu Shimpo, a Japanese-language newspaper in Los Angeles, has written four books in the Mas Arai series so far. The first two books Summer of the Big Bachi (2004) and Gasa-Gasa Girl (2005) won starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist respectively, and the third book, Snakeskin Shamisen (2006), won the Edgar Allan Poe award for Best Paperback Original in 2007. The latest installment, Blood Hina, was released in March 2010. Mas has developed a significant fan base in the U.S. that is spreading to Japan, where the books began to be released a few years ago. Hirahara is currently working on the fifth book in the series. When asked about the plot, the author remained tight lipped, but did offer one hint. “All I can say is, the next one involves baseball.”

The Sistine Hall in the Vatican Library.

After three yeas of extensive remodeling, the Vatican Library will finally re-open its doors to researchers and scholars on September 20, 2010. According to the Rome Reports website, the majority of the remodel was focused on upgrading library security, and now all books will be tracked electronically using RFID tags. “Each book is identified by a computer code, a tag with an electronic chip. Then, according to the user, there may be places accessible or forbidden depending on the volume and the person who takes the book,” explains Msgr. Cesare Pasini, Director of the Vatican Library. Now the location of every book will be known at all times, and any unauthorized removal of a book from a restricted area, or even the library premises, can be prevented. RFid Gazette has identified the electronic tags used in the library as Texas Instruments’ Tag-it™ models. Additionally, cameras and security arches have also been installed in each room.

The main impetus of upgrading the security system was not fear of theft, but the desire to better preserve the 150,000 manuscripts and 1.6 million books that are under the library’s roof. The roots of the library can be traced back to the fourth century, but the time of Pope Nicholas V (1447-1455) is most closely associated with the birth of the modern Vatican Library. Its vast collection is home to many priceless and historically significant documents, including the Codex Vaticanus, which is the oldest known manuscript of the Greek Bible that is nearly fully intact.

Though the re-opening of the Vatican Library is much anticipated among scholars, no plans for an extravagant celebration have been made. “We will open… with some excitement and trepidation, to be sure; but simply by returning to our “places of service” at the entrance, in the Admissions Office, in the Reading Rooms,” states Director Pasini on the library’s website. “It may seem like mere rhetoric if I say that ‘we have missed you’ during the last months and years; but I can assure you that each of us in his own sector finds it strange — and, in the end, unbearable — to work in a library without the possibility of accomplishing a library’s main task.”

By Gail Caldwell

Summary:
Pulitzer Prize winning critic Gail Caldwell writes a deeply touching testament to her best friend in Let’s Take the Long Way Home: A Memoir of Friendship. Caldwell and fellow writer Caroline Knapp (Drinking: A Love Story) shared an intensely close connection, and when Knapp was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in April of 2002, the pair shared Knapp’s struggle in the final days of her life. The women had come into this valuable friendship in mid-life. They met in Boston and quickly bonded over their mutual love of dogs, active lifestyles and past struggles with alcoholism. Neither were married, and turned to each other for advice, companionship and emotional support. Caldwell openly discusses Knapp’s decline in health and death two months after the diagnosis, as a way to deal with her grief and memorialize their friendship by sharing their story.

What critics are saying:
Gail Caldwell worked for The Boston Globe for over twenty years as a staff writer and chief book critic. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Distinguished Criticism in 2001. Critics have been truly moved by the author’s poignant memoir of friendship. “Caldwell has managed to do the inexpressible in this quiet, fierce work: create a memorable offering of love to her best friend, Caroline Knapp… [and] is unflinching in depicting her friend’s last days, although her own grief nearly undid her; she writes of this desolating time with tremendously moving grace,” declares Publishers Weekly

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