Book reviews added in the week of 7/15-7/21

Hi all,

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

"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" by Mark Haddon -
Christopher Boone is a 15-year old autistic savant in Swindon,
England. He hates being touched, cannot tell a lie, or understand
metaphors or jokes. He is a whiz at math and enjoys puzzles. When
the neighbor's dog is killed with a pitchfork, he seizes upon it as a
puzzle and math problem in hopes of understanding something that makes
no sense to him. This begins a journey for Christopher that takes him
places he never imagined, both physically and emotionally. Mark
Haddon's novel is narrated by Christopher, which creates a nuanced
character who is neither stereotyped nor stiff and unoriginal. "The
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" has received praise
from almost all reviewers. The Fort Myers News Press says, " It would
be curious indeed if this little gem of a novel didn't find its way
onto the best-seller lists."
Excerpt and reviews are at:
http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/curious_incident_of_the_dog

"The Effect of Living Backwards" by Heidi Julavits - Alice and Edith
are dissimilar sisters, one bookish and good, the other sexy and
promiscuous. They are on a plane over North Africa en route to
Edith's wedding to a Spanish ex-prince when it is hijacked by a band
of terrorists lead by a blind man, Bruno. The book moves back and
forth between the verbal sparring and pasts of the sisters and the
psychological games played by the hijackers. Or is the hijacking a
hoax? It's a novel where nothing is quite what it seems and has
received mixed reviews. The Denver Post says, "'The Effect of Living
Backwards,' Julavits' second novel, after 'The Mineral Palace,' is
both admirable and flawed. It is the product of a wide-ranging
imagination and a prodigious writing talent that converts
psychological insights into prose that is nothing short of fun."
Excerpt and reviews are at:
http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/effect_of_living_backwards

"Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer - Jon Krakauer ("Into the
Wild" and "Into Thin Air") often writes about those living on the
margins of society. In "Under the Banner of Heaven," he turn his
attention to fundamentalist zealots of the Mormon church. Centering
his novel around brothers Dan and Ron Lafferty, who murdered Ron's
wife and infant daughter, ostensibly under God's orders. Telling the
story of their violent and virulent beliefs, Krakauer also ties in
Mormon history from Joseph Smith, Jr. and Brigham Young to the
kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart. The sect of Mormons that still
practice polygamy practice a system of feminine abuse, rape, incest,
and intermarriage in the belief that they are preparing for the the
Great and Dreadful Day of the Lord. It's an eye-opening look at the
history of polygamy within the Mormon church and the abuse and
violence it often engenders. The San Francisco Chronicle says of
Krakauer's book, "His new work is a fantastic read, right up there
with 'In Cold Blood' and 'The Executioner's Song' in its depiction of
that strange American blend of piety, violence and longing for the End
Times."
Excerpt and reviews are at:
http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/under_the_banner_of_heaven

"Benjamin Franklin: An American Life" by Walter Isaacson - Benjamin
Franklin led a productive life before retirement as a scientist,
inventor, writer, and printer. After the age of seventy, all he did
was help found a new country, was involved with the creation of the
Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, and served as a
diplomat and a congressman. Walter Isaacson's biography of Franklin
(as the 300th anniversary of his birth approaches) has received mostly
positive reviews. The Houston Chronicle says, "Aimed at the general
reader and written in lively, colloquial prose, 'Benjamin Franklin'
will appeal to the same large body of readers who made David
McCullough's 'John Adams' a huge best seller. Like that book, it
transforms marble men into flesh-and-blood figures, complex and
admirable if hardly perfect."
Excerpt and reviews are at:
http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/benjamin_franklin

Also, this week, I've posted my review of "The Boy on the Bus" by
Deborah Schupack. I was looking forward to reading this book and
ended up being disappointed by it. Other reviewers have enjoyed this
book. You can read my review at
http://www.reviewsofbooks.com/boy_on_the_bus/review

Happy reading!

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