Clara and Mr. Tiffany by Susan Vreeland is a beautifully written historical novel. Here is a brief summary:

It’s 1893, and at the Chicago World’s Fair, Louis Comfort Tiffany makes his debut with a luminous exhibition of innovative stained-glass windows that he hopes will earn him a place on the international artistic stage. But behind the scenes in his New York studio is the freethinking Clara Driscoll, head of his women’s division, who conceives of and designs nearly all of the iconic leaded-glass lamps for which Tiffany will long be remembered.

Never publicly acknowledged, Clara struggles with her desire for artistic recognition and the seemingly insurmountable challenges that she faces as a professional woman. She also yearns for love and companionship, and is devoted in different ways to five men, including Tiffany, who enforces a strict policy: He does not employ married women. Ultimately, Clara must decide what makes her happiest-the professional world of her hands or the personal world of her heart.

My thoughts:

I liked reading about the conflict and dilemma Clara faced, especially during this time-period. We all like to think that the struggles for full equality for women began within our own lifetimes. This was a good reminder that this struggle has been going on for a very long time.

The story was also a good reminder of the tussle women experience between their professional lives and their personal lives. During the time period of the story (late 1800s) women were not employed after marriage. I’m sure there were a few exceptions, but Mr. Tiffany had a firm rule on the subject. Thus our protagonist, Clara, had to choose between her desire for love, companionship, motherhood, and her strong desire to express her art.

In addition to the story of Clara’s dilemma, I enjoyed learning about the glassmaking  and New York City at this time. There’s a lot to enjoy in this story – a definite must-read for historical fiction lovers. In the back of the book there’s an interview between the author and her editor I found very interesting. In addition there’s a set of questions and topics for discussion, making this a great book club selection.

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book and thanks to TLC Book Tours or including me on this tour. If you’d like to read the other reviews on the tour, the schedule is here:  TLC Book Tours

Clara and Mr. Tiffany was published by Random House, March 2012. My rating: B

Author

Publisher: William Morrow, February 28, 2012

Summary:

Diana has become a recluse ever since her boyfriend died a little over a year ago. She is vey tech-savvy and spends all of her time in cyberspace. She’s a former hacker, but now she is a partner in an online security business. All of her life is spent online. The only people she sees in person is her sister, Ashley, and the UPS man.

And then her sister Ashley disappears and Diana determines she must do whatever she can to find her. It’s not easy at all for Diana to move out of the comfort of her house and her online world. But bit by bit she does it. Of course, that’s when all the action starts and the reader tells Diana to just go back home. (Just joking. I did want her to find her sister.)

What I liked about this story:

• An excellent plot that seemed timely and realistic. By the middle of the book, it was impossible to stop reading – a very compelling mystery.
• Diana was a great character that I could understand. There were a couple of times when I became impatient with her, but overall I wanted her to succeed.
• I liked what felt like an inside look at the internet. I know I’m naive and uneducated in this area but it felt very real to me. Obviously the author did a lot of good research.

What I Didn’t Like:

• The story started off too slow for me. I thought the author took too long setting up the story.
• There was too much techy-talk. You know I love new words but these were “insider” words that didn’t really belong.

The Bottom Line:

This was a very good thriller down to the excellent conclusion. I can confidently recommend this to everyone who loves to read good mysteries. There’s a bonus in the back of the book – a little bit of the author’s previous book, Never Tell a Lie.

About the author:

An award-winning mystery reviewer, Hallie Ephron is the author of Never Tell a Lie (a Mary Higgins Clark Award finalist that was also made into the Lifetime Movie Network film And Baby Will Fall) and the Edgar- and Anthony Award-nominated Writing and Selling Your Mystery. Ephron lives near Boston.

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book and to TLC Book Tours for allowing me to be a part of it all. To see other stops on the book tour, visit the schedule here: TLC Book Tours

Author: Rashad Harrison

Publisher: Atria Books, 2011

Genre: Historical Fiction

My Rating: B

Summary (from the publisher):

A stunning debut historical noir novel about a worker in the civil rights movement who became an informant for the FBI during the months leading up to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Feeling unappreciated and overlooked, John Estem, a bookkeeper for Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), steals ten thousand dollars from the organization.

To the bookkeeper’s dismay, the FBI has been keeping close tabs on Dr. King and his fellow activists—including Estem—for years. FBI agents tell Estem that it is his duty, as an American and as a civil rights supporter, to protect the SCLC from communist infiltration.

Playing informant empowers Estem, but he soon learns that his job is not simply to relay information on the organization. The FBI discovers evidence of King’s sexual infidelities, and set out to undermine King’s credibility as a moral leader.

This timely novel comes in light of recent revelations that government informants had infiltrated numerous black movement organizations. With historical facts at the core of Our Man in the Dark, Harrison uses real life as a great inspiration for his drama-filled art.

My Thoughts:

Our Man in the Dark is a fascinating novel, especially for a debut novel. This was a little like reading a 1930s crime novel (a la Raymond Chandler) and listening to political gossip in the 1960s. That’s part of it, but it’ also a rather complex story..

I had no sympathy for John Estem, the main character. I also had no sympathy for the other scudzy FBI people or the underworld characters or some of the people in the SCLC.  But, at the same time, I was so curious to find out what John Estem would do next that I kept on reading.

One of the great things about reading this kind of historical fiction is that it feels so real. It’s based on facts and people of the time and situation. I had to remind myself that John Estem wasn’t real. It was hard when the others people in the story were.

Some readers may not like the parts of the story involving Martin Luther King. Over the years he’s become something close to a saint. The story involves a human look at the man including his foibles. This is also an unflattering look at the FBI. I confess that all of this was a bit self-satisfying. I lived during this tine period when there were rumors of all these events but nothing was ever official.

As I said above, it’s a complex story. Read it if you like this kind of story.

About the Author:

Rashad Harrison has been a contributor to MedicineAgency.com, an online journal of political and cultural commentary, and his writing has appeared in Reed magazine. As a Jacob K. Javits Fellow, he earned a Master of Fine of Arts in Creative Writing from New York University. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book and to TLC Book Tours for allowing me to be a part of it all. To see other stops on the book tour, visit the schedule here: TLC Book Tours

Author

Publisher:

Genre: Christmas Tale

Format: Audiobook, Narrated by John Dossett

Source: Public Library

My Rating: B

I’m sure you are familiar with Scrooge, the star of Dicken’s A hristmas Carol. He was a ruthless, hateful man until he met the Ghosts of Christmas’ Past, Present, and Future. His meeting with the ghosts helped him take a good look at his life, as well as what his future would be if he continued.

The author of The Christmas List has done the same thing with his main character, James Kier. This modern day scrooge was a wealthy real estate developer who had hurt and alienated so many people. His son didn’t want anything to do with him. He abandoned his wife when he learned she had cancer. The only person who was his “friend” was his lawyer who was payed handsomely to do so.

One weekend he agreed to meet his girlfriend (also not a nice person) at an inn in the mountains. The snowfall kept her from coming and water killed his cell phone. James was alone at the inn and with no cellphone coverage. On Saturday he saw a newspaper headline announcing his death.

When he went to the newspaper’s webpage to correct the story but discovered a lot of comments from people who were happy he was dead. The only commenter who was sad about his death was his wife. James decided to let everyone think he was dead for a few days while he decided what to do. He, like Scrooge, took a serious look at himself and didn’t like what he saw. He knew he needed to make amends. His long-time secretary helped him develop a list of those he had hurt. This he called his Christmas List. He set out to set things right before Christmas.

My thoughts:

From the first time I heard the story of Scrooge, I’ve been skeptical about a person’s ability to change the way he or she lives, especially so quickly. My mind tells me that our personalities are formed early on and they tend to stay that way until we die.

Stories like The Christmas List and A Christmas Carol tell my heart something different. I still want to believe that it’s possible, that anyone who wants to, can change their behavior. My faith tells me the same thing. I think that change is what God had in mind that very first Christmas.

So I’ll stifle my urge to be skeptical and open my mind to this story. It made for a nice addition to my Christmas Spirit Reading Challenge.

Publisher: Harper Collins

Original Copyright Date: 1937

Genre: Mystery

My Rating: B

Dumb Witness starts out like many other classic novels. It’s set in a small village, in one of the old family houses. The story is concerned with the last remaining family member, Emily Arundell, a wealthy woman in her seventies, and her nephew, nieces and a paid companion.

Another key character in the story is Bob, the dog. He’s Emily Arundell’s cute little terrier. He loves to play run-and-catch outdoors, but he also has a favorite indoor game. He takes his ball to the top of the stairs and carefully nudges it till it rolls down the stairs. Then he likes to run down and try to catch it.

Miss Arundell isn’t too fond of her nephew and nieces as she knows they are just interested in her money. Nevertheless, she invites them to her home for the Easter holiday. One night Miss Arundell fell down the stairs in the middle of the night after supposedly stumbling over Bob’s ball. The only problem is, Bob was outdoors all night.

The fall didn’t kill her, but it prompted her to write a letter to Hercule Poirot. Somehow the letter was never posted until a few months later. By that time Emily Arundell was dead. What did she die from? Was it really natural causes?

At this point in the story I was hollering to Agatha Christie: “Don’t bother Hercule Poirot. I can handle this one on my own. But, of course, she brought in Poirot and Hastings anyway. They did serve as good “leg-men” for me. They ferreted out some of the missing facts. However, it took them way too long to suit my taste. Poirot felt like he had to talk at length to every single person who ever knew Emily Arundell.

This is book number 27 of 87 in the Agatha Christie Reading Challenge.

Check your local library or your local bookstore for copies of this book. Dumb Witness is also available at Amazon. (I am an Amazon Associate.)

Publisher: Camel Press, 2011

Genre: Thrillers

My Rating: B

A Summary of the book (from the publisher):

When a chance encounter in Florence’s Uffizi Museum plunges Women Now editor Laurel Imperiole and private investigator Helen McCorkendale into an investigation of missing persons and stolen Nazi art, the women find themselves ensnared in a deadly maze of greed and deceit.

Could the man Laurel bumped into have been Jeff Sargasso, an art dealer and friend who perished in the World Trade Center on 9/11? Was it possible he was still alive and had disappeared without a trace?

As she delves deeper, Laurel leaves the truth behind, telling lies to [her boyfriend] about her actions and the liaison she’s formed with Lior Stern, an Israeli Mossad agent with an agenda of his own. One lie leads to another, entangling everyone and everything the women encounter, including murder and the painting at the heart of the affair.

My thoughts: 

This was a good thriller. Sophisticated is the word that keeps coming to my mind. I liked that it skipped between New York and the continent. I especially liked the descriptions of Italy. 

The plot was intricate and fast paced. I’ve often thought the collapse of the twin-towers and disappearance of so many bodies could be used effectively as part of a mystery book. The author did it well. (Please note: I am not making light of the tragedy of 9/11. I’m only suggesting the use of a historical event as part of a story.)

The only part of the book that caused me to bring my rating down to a B was the main character. She didn’t feel real to me. I thought her a little dumb although she’s supposed to be  a smart magazine editor. She blundered about and seemed rude. I really wanted to, but I just couldn’t like her.

I don’t see too many of this sort of novel around much any more. That’s a shame. I think many readers will like this kind of multi-country, sophisticated intrigue. It could be those books are out there and I’m just not paying attention.  I hope the author will consider a second novel similar to this one. Cathi Stoler is a good writier. But, next time I want her to give me a more likable main character.

Check your local library or local bookstore for a copy of this book. Telling Lies is also available at Amazon. (I am an Amazon Associate.)

Author

Translated by: Michael Emmerich

Publisher: Melville House, 2011 (Originally published in Japanese by Foil Company, 2005

Genre: Japanese Literature

Format: E-Reader

Source: The publisher

My Rating: B

Summary of the story:

When I joined the Japanese Reading Challenge I wanted to read something by Banana Yoshimoto. Numerous reviewers praised the brillance of her work. When the publisher offered a review copy of this book, I immediately said yes.

The story is about a young woman, Chihiro, whose mother has recently died. She moves to Tokyo where she hopes to start a new life, although she is still mourning the loss of her mother.

Chihiro notices a young man standing in the window of an apartment across the street from her. Day after day they see each other and gradually become acquainted.  After meeting the young man, Nakajima, on the street, they become friends.

Slowly, a romance develops. Chihiro gradually realizes that Nakajima has experienced some kind of childhood trauma. She’s not sure if it was physical abuse or something psychological. When Nakajima takes Chihiro to visit friends who live beside a beautiful lake, she begins to understand the mystery.

Both Chihiro and Nakajima have suffered pain as children. As they fall deeper in love we see how their love has the power to heal them both.

My thoughts:

The story came to me, the reader, from Chihiro’s point of view. She narrates the story in a very conversational voice. It’s as if she is chatting with me, telling me about what has happened and what she is thinking and how she is feeling about it.

One part that really interested me was Chihiro’s work as a graphic artist. Her specialty is painting large murals on the sides of buildings. During part of the story she is working on a mural at a children’s center. I found it interesting to hear of how the picture just sort of developed in her head and on the side of the building. Also interesting was the politics involved in the picture. For instance, we wonder if the mural will save the building from demolition. And, what about putting the sponsor’s logo in a prominent place in the picture as he has requested?

Overall, I was fascinated with this book. It was, however, rather dark at times. It was certainly more mysterious than the stories I normally read. I wasn’t exactly sure what to think about the people at the lake. They felt otherworldly or as if they were part of some strange cult. Were they evil? I didn’t get it until the end.

I enjoyed Banana Yoshimoto’s beautiful writing, even if her story is dark. A nod should also be given to the translator who did a great job using comparable idioms and modern slang in English.

Can I recommend? Yes. I think most of you who appreciate good literature will enjoy this side trip into Japanese literature.

Check your local library or your local bookstore for copies of this book. The Lake is also available at Amazon. (I am an Amazon Associate.) If you decide to purchase the book, you should know that a portion of the proceeds will go to the Japan Disaster Relief Fund.

Author

Publisher: Seal Press, June 2011

Genre: Travel Memoir

Source: The publisher for the TLC Book Tour

My Rating: B

Why do we love to travel? What is it that causes our feet to itch for new landscapes? I’ve always thought it was something I inherited from my parents and grandparents (all immigrants). We may never know the exact cause, but I certainly recognize the feeling when it comes over me.

Elizabeth Eaves, the author of Wanderlust: A Love Letter to Travel and Exploration, has been consumed with a desire and a passion for traveling. It started when she was nine and her family spent a year in Spain and a summer in a VW bus traveling Europe’s campgrounds.

Then her first serious boyfriend set off on an around-the-world trip and sent her aerograms from exotic places. That did it. She wasn’t sure whether she loved him or his traveling life style.

In her sophomore year of college Elizabeth enrolled in a study-abroad program and she never looked back. She went from the Middle East to the South Pacific to Europe. She worked to keep on going. For Elizabeth, travel wasn’t to keep moving or about seeing the next new place. She had a deep desire to explore and understand new cultures and meet new people.

Wanderlust is a memoir written with intelligence and honesty. It’s more than a travelogue. It’s about living in the places she discovered. We meet the people she meets. and see the rooms and apartments she lived in.

I was surprised by the number of men she accumulated along the way. A part of me said, “Well, why not – she’s young.” The other part of me was concerned that there were too many men. The traveling was supposedly for the purpose of discovering herself. It took her a while before she saw that she had accomplished that goal. By age thirty-four she was ready to go home. When I turned that last page my first thought was, “I wonder where she is now.” I don’t think her itchy feet will let her stay in one place for long.

I’d recommend Wanderlust for anyone who loves travel memoirs and people with their own bug to travel. It will probably appeal more to women.

Check your local library or your local bookstore for Wanderlust. It’s also available at Amazon. (I am an Amazon Associate.)

Thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book and to TLC Book Tours for allowing me to be a part of it all. For other reviews on Wanderlust visit the schedule here: TLC Book Tours

One Man’s Extraordinary Year of Trying to Do the Right Thing

Author: Lee Kravitz

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA, 2010

Genre: Inspirational Memoir

Source: Author/Publisher for TLC Book Tour

My Rating: B

Summary:

Lee Kravitz was many things: 54-years-old, an editor-in-chief at Parade Magazine, a work-aholic, a husband and father, and then one day he was suddenly unemployed. He had spent his whole life striving to achieve more and more.

In the weeks after he lost his job he had a hard time knowing what to do. Then one day he received thirteen boxes of mementos that had been in storage. In the boxes were various things he’d been saving his whole life. As he sorted through the boxes, he became aware of all the things in his life that were unfinished. He took the next year off to resolving all those issues.

My Thoughts:

Almost all of us have an event in our lives in which we find ourselves stopping and evaluating our own “unfinished business”. Those events could be a life-thretening illness, the loss of a spouse or a parent or a job. The smart ones take advantage of the evaluation and do something about it. We all have things we regret: friendships lost, people we haven’t thanked properly, poor decisions, debts unpaid, or other things we regret.

I thought Lee Kravitz did a good job of taking a serious, thorough look at his life. And then, he went on to do the difficult job of actually tackling those things. What he did takes courage. He not only took care of his unfinished business, but he learned from his mistakes.

I’ve read a few criticisms of Kravitz because he had enough money to take a whole year off to deal with his issues. I disagree. He could have put that severance money away in savings for retirement or his kid’s college or whatever else. He could have started his search for another job right away. He could have thrown himself right back into his work-aholic life style. Instead he stopped and not only took the time to examine and fix his life, but he took the time to share what he learned with the rest of us. He is to be applauded for that.

Lee Kravitz’s memoir is inspirational. I believe we are going to see more of this type of memoir in the future. As the great number of baby boomers retire and look back at their lives, they will add to the list of memoirs. They are an introspective group and I think they’ll take great pleasure in doing so.

This book would make an good book for group discussion. There are discussion questions in the back. You’ll also find a section called a Toolkit. This is a set of strategies for examining your own life and for making amends.

If this is something you are feeling the need to do, check out Unfinished Business by Lee Kravitz. Check you local library, your local bookstore, or Amazon. (I am an Amazon Associate.)

The author’s website: Lee Kravitz

The rest of the stops on the tour are here:  TLC Book Tours

The new series, Main Street Mysteries, features a Wisconsin crime-beat reporter, AnnaLise Griggs. In this new book, Running On Empty, she has come home for a long weekend visit with her mom. Home is a small tourist town in North Carolina.

The town’s residents are used to boating accidents, but when more people than normal are dead, AnnaLise starts to help investigate. Since this is a small town she knows most of the people and that helps her connect with the right people.

Speaking of connecting, I had a hard time getting with AnnaLise in this new series. I was nine chapters in before I felt like anything was happening. It seemed as if the author was taking forever to introduce all the characters, set the time and place, and in general, to get things going.

I decided to stop and download the author’s first novel in her first series. I figured I would read that one and compare it to the new series.

In Uncommon Grounds, Maggy Thorsen is one of those protagonists you want to pull for. She is a never-say-die person. On the first day when she and her two partners are about to open their new high-end coffee shop, one of the partners is electrocuted by the espresso machine. It wasn’t an accident.

Maggy’s coffee shop is also in a small town and she knows most of the people too. She manages to get people to talk to her, share their secrets and help her solve the mystery. I had a couple of people I suspected, but I wasn’t positive until near the end.

After finishing this book I went back and finished reading Running On Empty. What I liked here were the quirky characters, especially “Mama” who owns the Main Street cafe. She loves to serve name-brand recipes and lots of comfort food. AnnaLise’s mom with her memory problem is a sympathetic character. Some of the other characters I couldn’t buy. For me, the story just seemed to ramble around.

Overall, I was disappointed in Running On Empty. It’s probably just me. Sandra Balzo is a good writer and knows how to tell a good story. Her other series of six books is very popular. Will I read the second book in this new series? Probably. I don’t want to give up on a good author.

RUNNING ON EMPTY:  Publisher: Severn House, 2011:   My Rating: C

UNCOMMON GROUNDS:  Publisher: Worldwide Library, 2007:   My Ratings: B