"The President's Hat", by Antoine Laurain - Book Review

The President’s Hat is a prize-winning book and best seller in France about a magical hat and the power it has to transform the lives of those who wear it.  Taking place in the mid 1980’s, the hat belongs (and has the initials embossed to prove it) to then French President François Mitterrand. After dining in a Parisian brasserie, Mitterrand accidentally leaves his hat behind, only to be snapped up by another diner. He decides the black felt hat is now his - a souvenir of the sighting. And as he wears it home, he already feels a sense of strength and power.

The President's Hat
By Antoine Laurain

Author Antoine Laurain goes on to describe the next two years of the hat’s journey. First with our brasserie diner who receives a big promotion at work. He later leaves the hat behind on a train, to be picked up by a fledgling young writer who is involved in a love affair she knows will never end well. With the hat atop her head, she has the courage the break off the relationship and become a full-time writer and book store owner, her dreams coming true. The story continues with two more “keepers” of the hat, both also having life-changing experiences that come with the confidence and self-assurance of wearing the dapper accessory. 

The President’s Hat is whimsical and clever, bringing together a variety of interesting characters. It’s a feel-good, imagined story and a light read. While amusing and enjoyable, there was little depth. I found myself engrossed, but also looking forward to moving on to the next book. The thought of having a magic hat or elixir that helps people fulfill their true potential is a nice one though. I think we’ll have to dig deep and find that within ourselves.

Published: 2013
Publisher: Gallic Books

Vickie’s rating: 3 stars

Euphoria, by Lily King - Book Review

Set in the 1930s in New Guinea off the coast of Australia, King’s novel, Euphoria, follows three anthropologists doing immersive research of small tribal groups living along the region’s waterways. Fen and Nell, tumultuously married Australians, cross paths with Bankson, a lone Brit, at a government post where all three are regrouping.  Fresh off a thwarted suicide attempt, Bankson is enamored with the Aussies and makes it his mission to spend more time with them, particularly the lovely and fragile Nell.

Euphoria revolves around the love triangle that emerges among the three main characters and the differences in their anthropological studies. While seemingly on the same page as the trio feverishly comes up with “the Grid” (a novel breakdown of races by their cultural traits into North, South, East and West), tensions strain as Fen’s increasing self interest and competitive nature butt up against Nell and Bankson’s compassion as well as their burgeoning relationship. 

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Young Skins, by Colin Barrett - Book Review

I hear a lot of people say they don’t care for short stories.  I never quite understood this. Short stories can be as beautifully written as a novel, with the added benefit of feeling accomplished - getting through a story in a short period of time. It’s perfect for those with short attention spans or who read multiple things at once. But that’s just me.

Young Skins is a collection of short stories and one novella. It’s the debut book from Irish writer Colin Barrett, and it’s completely absorbing. Barrett combines edgy and prosaic prose with lyrical descriptions of the stories’ backdrop, placing the reader in clear view. The title, Young Skins, refers to the 20- and 30-something year old lads as the protagonist of each tale. Most of these young men live in the small Irish town of Glanbeigh, rarely hold traditional jobs, and find themselves in and out of conflict - with the law, business dealings, friends, relationships and alcohol. They are gas station attendants, bouncers, fathers and criminals. There is a melancholy tone, and you can feel the gray clouds of Ireland hovering just overhead. Barrett ends each of his stories rather anticlimactically; and none with a fairly tale ending. 

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The Darkest Minds, by Alexandra Bracken - Book Review

Many young adult novels these days are heavy on plot and light on character development. This is not the case in The Darkest Minds, the first in a series by Alexandra Bracken. This series takes place in a futuristic Virginia where, out of nowhere, kids between the ages of eight and fourteen begin to die suddenly from a mysterious illness. The kids who miraculously survive this illness are not loved, but feared. This is because their survival identifies them as having dangerous mental abilities ranging from photographic memories, to telekinesis, to being able to read and control the minds of others.

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Parenting Without Power Struggles, Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids While Staying Cool, Calm and Connected, by Susan Stiffleman

Having a soon to be three year old, I read this book with the hopes of learning how to navigate disagreements with my son without acting like a toddler myself. Right off the bat, Stiffelman suggests that threats and bribery, two methods I routinely use at dinner, are ineffective. She advises that to be an effective “Captain of the Ship,” a parent needs to come along side a child rather than right at them.  Threats and bribery, she argues, turn child and parent into ‘two attorneys’ locked in battle with no one in charge. This rang true to me especially since I am an attorney.

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Blood on Snow, by Jo Nesbo - Book Review

Blood on Snow is my first foray into the world of Jo Nesbo, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. First, let me begin with the reasons I chose this book. One, the book has been on many “2015 must read” lists. Two, I’ve been focused on female-centric books lately and wanted a change of pace. And finally, Nesbo’s bio - “a musician, songwriter, and economist, as well as a writer”. Perfect.

The story is told by Olav, a “fixer”, or contract killer in the frigid Norway winter. As he tells us about himself, we think he’s perhaps a bit dim. But we find quickly that while he has dyslexia, Olav is quite clever. He tries to deceive us often with, “but what do I know” comments after explaining that he’s read a scientific journal or idealized the romance of Les Misérables. Olav fixes situations for his bosses, but he also fixes stories - both in books and his own reality to turn them into a newer, more interesting and romantic version.

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The Children's Crusade by Ann Packer - Book Review

The Children’s Crusade is a deeply thoughtful book about a California family struggling to overcome “maternal deprivation”.  Author Ann Packer slowly builds up steam in her recent novel, and she brings to life a very real household whose inhabitants could live next door.  She begins with patriarch Bill Blair as he ends his Navy service and finds a beautiful piece of undeveloped land on which to build a legacy of home and family.  A caring and thoughtful, respected pediatrician, we hear throughout the book Bill’s mantra, “children must be cared for” - a poignant consideration as he progresses through his career, marries and raises four children.

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Love Life, by Rob Lowe - Book Review

Knowing Rob Lowe as the gorgeous Brat Pack bad boy with a sex tape that almost derailed his career, I began Love Life, Lowe’s most recent autobiography, with low expectations. But this book changed my mind entirely. Intellectual, insightful and funny, Lowe uses his life experiences to give his reader tips for living a fuller and richer life and shows how he’s managed to navigate the Hollywood world with his family, mind and sobriety in tact.

Lowe relishes in the successes of his career but is also quick to point out the one offs. Turning down the role of Dr. Derek Shepard on Grey’s Anatomy to star on a show that was cancelled almost immediately might seem a failure to most. But to Lowe, it was a learning experience that positioned him for the next right role; a nine year stint on Parks & Recreation as the consummate optimist, Chris Trager.

Emphasizing the significance he places on being a dad and crediting his wife for his biggest successes in life, he shows his true heart lies with his family. His chapter about taking his eldest son to college will leave you teary eyed.

Meanwhile, his anecdotes about his first trip to the Playboy Mansion, his beyond awkward ‘love scene’ with Jewel and his off screen antics with Matt Damon on the set of Behind the Candelabra are laugh out loud funny.

Lowe is not without a touch of arrogance about his successes in show biz but, seriously, would we expect any different from a man who truly seems to get better looking with age? He also had me writing down some of his sayings in my journal, poignant to the last page. “Be creative in adding drama and scope to your life,” he says, and through his prose demonstrated he did just that for himself. 

Published:  2015
Publisher:  Simon & Schuster

Elizabeth's Rating: 4 Stars

Glaciers by Alexis M. Smith - Book Review

Glaciers is a careful and quiet book. Alexis M. Smith uses straightforward prose in an authentic voice to bring her lead character, Isabel to life in her debut novel. Isabel is a 28-year old native of Alaska, living in Portland. She works with damaged books in the library, and we get to know her as she reminisces about childhood, the appeal of objects with past lives and an intriguing man. The reader picks up with Isabel during a single day of her life.

We learn throughout Glaciers that everything has an intimate story - either real or imaged. Isabel has collected old portraits of people and places, vintage dresses and used dishes. She thoughtfully conceives the journey and lives of these objects, pondering their significance, and weaving tales around them. Isabel describes recurring dreams, visiting far off locales, and has an understanding of literature, as simple as love notes on old postcards purchased in thrift shops, and the powerful pull of escape to those imagined places and times.

With delicacy in one of the chapters, Smith places us with Isabel and the object of her affection at work, having coffee together in the morning, yet knowing little about each other and the awkward energy between them. She then guides us to their brief, but close and personal encounter. We see again how important these stories are for Isabel.

While unassuming, Glaciers has just the right amount of complexity. It’s subtle with layers that build Isabel into a young woman of depth. A finalist for two literary awards when it was first published in 2013, it’s a very short book, read in a day. I’m looking forward to Smith’s next work.

Published: 2013
Publisher: Tin House

Vickie’s rating: 4 stars

The Enjoyment of YA Lit - Mosquitoland by David Arnold Book Review

A sure sign of a great book is the feeling of emptiness that comes over you when it ends. This is how I felt turning the final page of David Arnold’s debut novel, Mosquitoland. I was turned on to this novel after reading a book review that made the claim that this story would be the next big thing in young adult literature. I’m sure that a wide range of audiences will enjoy this book, but it will also go right over the heads of many-a young person looking for more predictable teen drama.

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