Hello
If happy and uplifting are words you associate with a good read then you'll probably want to skip the first featured book in this issue. But if every now and then you're ready to delve into the hearts and minds of those who you hope you could never, ever, be like you'll want to take a close look at A Meal in Winter, about three Nazi soldiers in a freezing Polish winter. It left our reviewer sitting "in stunned silence for a long while after finishing the final page." Then you can go beyond the book to be reminded of Stanley Milgram's infamous 1960s experiment which shed light on how ordinary people could be persuaded to act as pitilessly as the Nazi war criminals.
Next we feature a very different sort of read, The Memory Book, perfect for fans of young adult authors such as John Green and Jandy Nelson. Then comes a round up of notable books published this week - a relatively quiet week as the publishing industry draws a deep breath before launching a deluge of books at expectant readers post-Labor Day. Lastly, we round things out with a new fiendish Wordplay and the opportunity to win copies of Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart.
Thanks for reading! Your Editor, Davina
|
The content in this newsletter is a fraction of what is available to our members. You may wish to explore these options:
|
1. Editor's Choice
A Meal in Winter by Hubert Mingarelli
Hardcover (Jul 2016), 144 pages Publisher: The New Press BookBrowse Rating: 5/5, Critics' Consensus: 5.0/5 Buy at Amazon | B&N | IndieReview by Donna Chavez
ReviewHoly smokes! I sat in stunned silence for a long while after finishing the final page of Hubert Mingarelli's potent, intimate novel about three Nazi soldiers out in the freezing Polish winter hunting for Jews to take back to their camp for execution. So many things went through my head. Translated from French and narrated in the first person by one of the soldiers, this spare, slender (138p) book is mighty. I waited a long time for A Meal in Winter to arrive and was quite certain I wanted to read it in spite of the fact that I knew I was not going to like the men. They are part of Hitler's genocide machine after all. But there is nothing to learn from reading only about people we like. And what's the point if not to learn? ... Though brief, this is neither a fast, nor easy read. Mingarelli touches on so many inconsistencies within the human psyche, and so much cognitive dissonance. He explores how very treacherous the world is due to longstanding, yet misguided, ideals of masculinity and authority. The story inspires questions as to whether these ideals are outmoded and at odds with a civilized, modern society. The truths Mingarelli writes about are still too relevant for comfort. Read this at risk of Emmerich, Bauer and their unnamed friend haunting you for days, maybe weeks. But read this. Full access to our reviews & beyond the book articles are for members only. But there are always four free Editor's Choice reviews and beyond the book articles available.
|
2. Beyond the Book:
Stanley Milgram's Experiment
Every time we review a book we also explore a related topic. Here is the "beyond the book" article for A Meal in Winter by Hubert Mingarelli.
Hubert Mingarelli's characters in A Meal in Winter have to dehumanize an entire race of people in order to justify carrying out Hitler's mass genocide during World War II. The narrator of the story even goes so far as to resent the Jews because of the very details that remind him of their humanity - "a piece of embroidery, colored buttons, a ribbon in the hair." He can't tolerate viewing them as human beings. That and the men's unimaginable nightmares about their horrific tasks notwithstanding, the three Nazi soldiers proceed to carry out their commandant's orders as best they know how.
In the early 1960s, Yale University social psychologist Stanley Milgram, himself the son of Jews that escaped the Holocaust, wondered how ordinary people could be persuaded to act so pitilessly as the Nazi war criminals. He wanted to know how anyone could stoop to murder someone who was no personal threat to him/her. So he designed an experiment to learn something about the nature of obedience, responsibility and respect for authority. It is today one of the most commonly known and controversial experiments in the annals of psycho-social research. Frequently referred to as The Experiment, Milgram's study set several precedents, but not necessarily in ways he anticipated. ... continued
Read in full | More about this book
|
3. Editor's Choice: Young Adults
The Memory Book by Lara Avery
Hardcover (Jul 2016), 368 pages
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
BookBrowse Rating: 5/5, Critics' Consensus: 4.8/5
Reviewed by Bradley Sides
ReviewIsn't hope the ultimate motivation? We challenge ourselves because we believe that the reward will be well worth the struggle. We fight because there's the possibility that we will win. This feeling of hope, and all of the dreams and promises that surround it, are at the center of Lara Avery's moving novel The Memory Book. Samantha "Sammie" McCoy is an overachieving senior at Hanover High in New Hampshire. She's the kind of young person who is a leader - a doer, and she's filled with hope for her future ... But there's something hiding beneath the surface. Sammie has trouble with her memory. She forgets. She stumbles. She can't always process like she should be able to. After undergoing medical tests, she is diagnosed with Niemann-Pick Type C (NPC), a rare genetic disorder that is "always fatal," and, suddenly, her bright future appears much less certain. Sammie, however, has a plan. She'll create a memory book to help her remember, and she'll do everything in her power to not forget .... For readers looking for a contemporary, realistic novel with an abundance of heart to tide them over until John Green or Jandy Nelson can get their next books out, Lara Avery's The Memory Book is a more than worthy title. Full access to our reviews & beyond the book articles are for members only. But there are always four free Editor's Choice reviews and beyond the book articles available.
|
4. Published This Week
Interested to know what notable books published this week? Click on any of the book jacket images to view info about the book on BookBrowse.
|
5. Wordplay Solve our fiendish Wordplay puzzle, and be entered to win the book of your choice!
This week's Wordplay
Solve this clue: "Manners M (T) M"
The answer to last Week's Wordplay: A P I W A T Words
"A picture is worth a thousand words"
Meaning: Visual images have greater impact than words
Many sources attribute this expression to Frederick R. Barnard, who published a 1921 article on the effectiveness of graphics in advertising with the title, "One look is worth a thousand words." Barnard, in turn, attributed the expression to "a Japanese philosopher."
A similar use of the expression later in the 1920s claimed that it was of Chinese origin, which might be behind the general belief that this is one of the many sayings of Confucius, whose words of wisdom have been doing the rounds ever since he first coined them c.500 BC - along with a whole host of other sayings that in all likelihood he had nothing to do with.
It is not entirely clear if there is an Asian expression along these lines, but even if there is, there is no evidence that it traces to Confucius.
What is clear is that variations on this expression long pre-date Barnard's use of it....
It seems that Bernard did not even originate the particular version of the phrase that we use today given that phrases.org.uk were able to dig up an earlier usage in the form of a March 1911 instructional talk given by newspaper editor Arthur Brisbane to the Syracuse Advertising Men's Club in which he encourages his audience to, "Use a picture. It's worth a thousand words." Read this article in full
|
6. Win This Book
Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy StewartPublished Sep 2016 320 pages
Enter the Giveaway From the Jacket After besting (and arresting) a ruthless silk factory owner and his gang of thugs in Girl Waits with Gun, Constance Kopp became one of the nation's first female deputy sheriffs. She's proven that she can't be deterred, evaded, or outrun. But when the wiles of a German-speaking con man threaten her position and her hopes for this new life, and endanger the honorable Sheriff Heath, Constance may not be able to make things right. Lady Cop Makes Trouble sets Constance loose on the streets of New York City and New Jersey - tracking down victims, trailing leads, and making friends with girl reporters and lawyers at a hotel for women. Cheering her on, and goading her, are her sisters Norma and Fleurette - that is, when they aren't training pigeons for the war effort or fanning dreams of a life on the stage. Based on a true story, Girl Waits with Gun introduced Constance Kopp and her charming and steadfast sisters to an army of enthusiastic readers. Those readers will be thrilled by this second installment - also ripped from the headlines - in the romping, wildly readable life of a woman forging her own path, tackling crime and nefarious criminals along the way. Reviews "Smart, atmospheric fun, with enough loose ends left dangling to assure fans there will be more entries in this enjoyable series." - Kirkus "The multiple players in the story provide wry situational humor and a backdrop for Kopp's unique, forceful character, while Sheriff Heath's surprisingly supportive regard lends a hopeful relational perspective." - Booklist "Amy Stewart serves up another rip-roaring historical adventure in her second novel featuring Constance Kopp, pioneering female deputy sheriff. The fast-paced action, wry dialogue and Constance's reflections on her chosen career combine to make Lady Cop Makes Trouble a highly satisfying adventure." - Shelf Awareness 5 people will each win a hardcover copy of Lady Cop Makes Trouble. This giveaway is open to residents of the USA only, unless you are a BookBrowse member, in which case you are eligible to win wherever you might live. Enter the giveaway Past Winners
|
About BookBrowse
Get to know BookBrowse through our 4-part introductory series:
You might also be interested in our About section, including how we got started, profiles of our editorial staff and reviewers, and answers to frequently asked questions.
|
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
|