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In Jennifer Finney Boylan's Long Black Veil we meet a woman whose family and identity are threatened by the secrets of her past; then we go beyond the book to explore the Eastern State Penitentiary which Boylan says was the catalyst for her novel. Next, we review Lily and the Octopus, recently out in paperback-- a tale of a man and his dog that demonstrates the lengths humans will go to to try to protect ourselves from the devastation of losing someone we love. Then we go beyond the book to find out more about dachshunds, the breed once described by H. L. Mencken, as "a half-a-dog high and a dog-and-a-half long,"
Lastly, we interview Margaret George about The Confessions of Young Nero, the first of two novels dedicated to the brief but eventful life of the titular Roman emperor.
Your Editor, Davina
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Books Available to Request Now
Members! This month's free First Impressions and Book Club books are now available. If you're interested, please visit bookbrowse.com/arc to read about each book & request. Requests close 3pm ET this Sunday, June 18.
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Editor's Choice Long Black Veil by Jennifer Finney Boylan Hardcover (Apr 2017), 304 pages. Publisher: Crown. BookBrowse Rating: 5/5, Critics' Consensus: 4.6/5 Buy at Amazon | B&N | Indie "This was a long time ago, before my first death, and none of us now are the people we were then. Instead we are ghosts: two of us dead, a third unrecognizable, a fourth suspected of murder." These enigmatic opening lines for Long Black Veil hint at the mystery to come, as well as one of the themes woven through this multifaceted novel. The deftly told story doesn't fit into one specific box. It's a murder mystery, as well as an exploration of transgender identity. Told from multiple timelines and characters' point of view, as well as shifting between various geographic locations in the Northeast, it is also a thoughtful character study, contrasting who the characters were in their twenties against who they become thirty-five years later. The opening scene sets in motion the defining moment for six friends, recently graduated from college, and takes place the day after the wedding of two of them: brash, bold, Wailer and gentle, thoughtful (and overweight) Casey. The remaining members of the group include Maisie, a musician and former girlfriend of wealthy and privileged Tripper; artist Rachel; and sensitive Quentin, who all have confusing relationships with one another. Tagging along with the core group are Benny, Maisie's ten-year-old brother, and Herr Krystal, a former teacher, who may or may not have a questionable interest in Benny. As the book opens, after spending the day at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the group decides to walk to the ruins of Eastern State Penitentiary, and then to explore the boarded-up grounds. Early on, we realize one member of the party will disappear during this fated excursion, but the plot twists and turns before we know who turns out to be the corpse mentioned in the second chapter. ... continued 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.
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Beyond the Book: Eastern State Penitentiary Every time we review a book we also explore a related topic. Here is a recent "beyond the book" article for Long Black Veil by Jennifer Finney Boylan The catalyst for Long Black Veil takes place within the ruins of Eastern State Penitentiary, located in the heart of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Now remade into a museum and identified as a National Historic Landmark, the former prison stood unattended and in shambles from its closing in 1971 until 1994. The author cites a visit to the Eastern State Penitentiary, "one of the most haunted locations in the world," as the inspiration for this novel. Originally opened in 1829, the facility was conceived by a group of activists, including Benjamin Franklin, and was equipped with running water and central heat. Each cell was lit with a skylight, called an "Eye of God" window to allow the prisoners access to "light from Heaven." The grand architecture of the site impressed visitors with its "church-like" beauty. It was, by far the most expensive prison for its time. Along with the modern design was a new incarceration philosophy with Quaker origins. The goal was to guide prisoners to penitence, or true regret, for their crimes. During the early years, prisoners were kept entirely in solitary confinement in hopes they would reflect and gain spiritual enlightenment. An elaborate system using carts on rails delivered food anonymously and each cell had its own exercise space so inmates never interacted with each other. If a prisoner needed to leave his cell, he wore a hood over his face to prevent any personal interaction. Eye holes were not allowed until 1913... continued
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Editor's Choice
Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley Paperback (May 2017), 320 pages. Novel Publisher: Simon & Schuster. BookBrowse Rating: 5/5, Critics' Consensus: 4.6/5 Buy at Amazon | B&N | Indie Lily And The Octopus is a whimsical, hilarious and deeply moving tale that demonstrates the lengths humans will go to, trying to protect ourselves from the devastation and heartbreak of losing someone we love. The story, set in contemporary Los Angeles, is told in first person by Ted Flask, a sensitive, sometime petulant gay man whose writing career has stalled since a breakup with his cheating ex-boyfriend. Since then, his feeble attempts at dating have been disastrous. Ted also has an ongoing difficult relationship with his mother, who will never say, "I love you." Depressed and prone to panic attacks, Ted uses alcohol and pills to numb his pain. He sees an ineffectual therapist, Jenny, because she takes his insurance and has an office close to his neighborhood. About Jenny, he says: "The conclusions she draws are always the wrong ones, but I've gotten good at taking her dimwitted advice and filtering it through the mind of an imaginary and much smarter therapist to get the insight into my life that I need." Now, more than ever before, Ted depends on his aging dachshund, Lily, for company and conversation... continued 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.
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Beyond the Book: The Dachshund Every time we review a book we also explore a related topic. Here is a recent "beyond the book" article for Lily and the Octopus by Steven Rowley In the novel, Lily and The Octopus, the main character struggles with the decline of his beloved canine companion, a charming dachshund named Lily. Famously described by the German-American journalist, H. L. Mencken, as "a half-a-dog high and a dog-and-a-half long," dachshunds are one of the most popular dog breeds in America. Affectionately called doxies by dachshund lovers, they are also often referred to as wiener dogs. It was the wiener sausage that was named after the dog, originally called dachshund sausage, before they were called hot dogs. Dachshunds are described as bold, confident, intelligent, and alert, with strong hunting instincts, and a keen nose good for trailing. According to the American Kennel Club, dachshunds were bred in the 15th century in Germany as badger hunters; dachs meaning badger in German, and hund meaning dog. The smallest hunting breed and belonging to the hound group of dogs, their spade-like paws are good for digging and burrowing. They are courageous and ferocious and their jaw and body strength allows them to catch and kill prey... continued
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