Archive | 1/24/2010

Reading Through Haiti

Mitali Perkins gives us Kid and YA books set in Haiti.

Amy Wilentz’s Haiti Booklist These books look as if they mostly deal with Haiti from a liberal, US-bashing point of view, but they’re filled with solid history and ambience, too.
“There is a surprising amount of stuff written by Haitians and others about the country–libraries full of it. Haiti’s writing elite is prolific, and the people who love Haiti for some reason are often writers.”

Other selections:
Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder. I read this book about American philanthropist Paul Farmer back in 2006, but didn’t review it. I think that’s because I had mixed feelings about it. Mr. Farmer sounds like a hard man to know, but one you would want on your side in a crunch. He’s obviously dedicated to the eradication of tuberculosis and to relieving poverty, and most of his work has been in Haiti.

Brother, I’m Dying by Edwidge Danticat. “In a single day in 2004, Danticat learns that she’s pregnant and that her father, André, is dying—a stirring constellation of events that frames this Haitian immigrant family’s story.” The Haitian bornDanticat has written several novels and other books set in and around Haiti, including Breath, Eyes, Memory and The Dew Breaker.

Tonight By Sea by Frances Temple. “When the brutal macoute regime in Haiti kills her friend Jean-Desir, Paulie realizes that she must do more than flee, and she sets upon a dangerous course to make her community’s plight known.”

Sunday Salon: Gleaned from the Saturday Review

The Sunday Salon.comGhost Writer by Rene Gutteridge. Reviewed by Word Lily. This mystery sounds intriguing.

Franklin and Winston: An Intimate Portrait of an Epic Friendship by John Meacham. Reviewed by Carrie at Reading to Know. I really already had this one on my radar, but Carrie reminded me that I want to read it. Winston Churchill, whatever you may think of his politics, was a fascinating man, and the same could be said of FDR.

Searching for Pemberly by Mary Lydon Simonsen. Reviewed at Diary of an Eccentric. This Jane Austen spin-off is set in England just after WW 2. The reviewer, Anna, makes it sound a cut above the recent spate of Jane Austen rewrites and sequels.

The Name of This Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch. Jennifer at 5 Minutes for Books gave this one to daughter Amanda, and it was a hit. I saw Mr. Bosch, sort of in disguise, at the Texas Book Festival, and I’ve been wanting to read this book ever since. Some of the kids at the festival were real fans.

Murder on the Cliffs by Joanna Challis. Reviewed at S. Krishna’s Books. Daphne du Maurier investigates a murder in a setting reminiscent of Rebecca. If it’s done well, this concept could be amazing.

The Confederate General Rides North by Amanda Gable. Recommended at A Bookshelf Monstrosity.

Island of the World by Michael O’Brien. Laura says it’s a “best book ever.”

By the way, the linky for the Saturday Review got messed up yesterday, and I lost the first 50 or so links that were left on Friday night and Saturday morning. If you left yours and it’s gone now, please re-link for the benefit of all of us.