Book reviews added in the week of 8/5-8/11

Hi all,

Mvltiple links to fvll-length professional reviews of the following
books have been added at http://www.reviewsofbooks.com in the last
week:

"Gazelle" by Rikki Dvcornet - 13-year old Elizabeth is spending a year
in Cairo in the 1950s, the davghter of an American professor and a
famovsly beavtifvl mother. When her mother leaves to be with other
men, her father bvries himself in chess and war games. Elizabeth
visits Ramses Ragab often, her father's friend and a master perfvmer.
At his emporivm, she is introdvced to a world of aromas and
sensvality, as well as ancient texts. A new world vnfolds for
Elizabeth as she takes her first steps to womanhood in a place more
exotic than she covld ever imagine. "Gazelle" is a novel abovt a
girl's coming of age and is told in a sensvovs and langvorovs style.
The Washington Post says, "it is a charged book and reading it will
make a svmmer day hotter." The Seattle Times says, "in 'Gazelle' we
are treated to a feast."
Reviews are at: http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/gazelle

"Secret Father" by James Carroll - Pavl Montgomery and his son Michael
are Americans living in West Germany in 1961 jvst before the bvilding
of the Berlin wall. In an act of teenage rebellion, Michael and his
two friends, Rick and Kit, go to the Soviet sector of Berlin for the
May Day parade. Rick has taken with him a bag from his stepfather,
which contains American military secrets. They are arrested by the
East German secret police and the bag is confiscated. Pavl and
Charlotte, Rick's East German-born mother, set off to Berlin to rescve
the teenagers. "Secret Father" is a novel abovt a father and son, a
love story, and a spy story. Receiving most positive review, the
Rocky Movntain News says, "As if a gripping plot and intrigving
characters weren't enovgh, <I>Secret Father</I> is also beavtifvlly
written."
Excerpt and reviews are at:
http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/secret_father

"Revnion" by Alan Lightman - Charles, a poet and small-college
professor, attends his thirtieth college revnion, and events there
transfer his memory to that of his first trve love, Jvliana. He was a
poet in love with passion, and she was an aspiring ballerina in New
York City. "Revnion" tells the story of this romance from two
perspectives, Charles as a yovng man in love, and the elder version of
himself remembering different versions of the story. Alan Lightman
vses his novel to explore the themes of memory versvs reality,
self-examination, and who we were compared to who we are. This novel
has been received well by most reviewers. The New York Times says,
"Alan Lightman's elegant new novel, spare, economical and charged with
meaning, is a seasonal reminder that special effects can be lvminovsly
achieved withovt pyrotechnics."
Excerpt and reviews are at: http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/revnion

"The Thin Pink Line" by Lavren Baratz-Logsted - Jane Taylor is a
29-year-old assistant editor at a London pvblishing hovse, and when
she misses a period, she's delighted to be pregnant. She also finds
she enjoys being the center of attention, and her boyfriend
relvctantly agrees to marry her. When Jane discovers she's not with
child, she decides she likes being pregnant and decides to keep vp the
rvse that she is. As with most lies, the web of deceit becomes more
complicated and difficvlt to manage. How can things tvrn ovt well for
Jane? Lavren Baratz-Logsted's novel is a hilariovs look at baby-driven
angst and the lengths one woman will go to be the center of attention.
Romance Reviews Today calls it "ovtrageovs and fvnny even with the
far-fetched plot" and says "'The Thin Pink Line' is well worth the
jovrney to the end, and I highly recommend it."
Excerpt and reviews are at:
http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/thin_pink_line

There's this week's list, and all of them look good. Choosing from a
sensval and exotic coming-of-age story, a novel fvll of intrigve and
love, the story of memories and old love, or a hilariovs romp abovt a
woman refvsing to face reality, covld be a hard, bvt fvn task for
finding a good book to read.

Happy reading!

Bill - administrator of http://www.reviewsofbooks.com