New Fiction Books – 2/20/2009

Arctic Drift
Clive Cussler
F CUS
Dirk Pitt returns in another tale of adventure and derring-do.

Beat the Reaper
Josh Bazell
F BAZ
This debut thriller features Peter Brown, a Manhattan medical intern, who before he became involved with the Federal Witness Protection Program was a mob hit man.  Can he escape his past? “Darkly comic.”

The Bodies Left Behind
Jeffery Deaver
F DEA
A night time call to 911 brings Brynn McKenzie to a scene of horror and a forced flight into the woods of Wisconsin.

Black Ops
W.E.B. Griffin
F GRI
Presidential Agent Charley Castillo learns of a several assassinations that have targeted members of his team from the Office of Organizational Analysis.

Born to Run
James Grippando
F GRI
Intrigue and murder at the top levels of government confront Miami criminal defense lawyer, Jack Swyteck.

The Book of Unholy Mischief
Elle Newmark
F NEW
In Venice, 1498, rumors abound about an ancient book that holds the secrets to unimaginable power.

The Charlemagne Pursuit
Steve Berry
F BER
Attempting to learn the story of his father’s death, Cotton Malone uncovers a bizarre tale of Charlemagne’s tomb and the Nazis.

The Darker Side
Cody McFadyen
F MCF
A thriller that involves a psychopath and murder and a woman with a dark secret.

Eclipse
Richard North Patterson
F PAT
California lawyer Damon Pierce takes on a nearly impossible case: the defense of an African freedom fighter who is accused of murder.

The Hour I First Believed
Wally Lamb
F LAM
Teacher Caelum Quire and his wife Maureen move to Littleton, Colorado and both get jobs at Columbine High School shortly before the notorious shootings.  By the author of She’s Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True.

The Independence of Miss Mary Bennet
Colleen McCullough
F MCC
Elizabeth and Jane’s younger sister is rescued from a dreary fate in this sequel to Pride and Prejudice.

Just After Sunset: Stories
Stephen King
F KIN
A new collection of stories by the master of horror fiction.

Lark and Termite
Jayne Ann Phillips
F PHI
Starred reviews have been given to this tale of grief and survival in 1950’s West Virginia.

Last of the Old Guard
Louis Auchincloss
F AUC
The author relates the stories of two remarkable men, Adrian Suydam and Ernest Saunders.

The Leper
Steve Thayer
F THA
World War I veteran John Eric Severson is torn from the life and woman he loves and confined to a remote leper’s colony.

A Lion Among Men
Gregory Maguire
F MAG
This third volume of the Wicked series features the Cowardly Lion.

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County
Tiffany Baker
F BAK
Enormous Truly has a bleak existence on her upstate New York farm in this magical novel that critics say should “race up the bestseller lists.”

A Mercy
Toni Morrison
F MOR
In the 1680s the slave trade was just beginning.  Jacob, an Anglo-Dutch trader reluctantly takes a small slave girl as  payment for a bad debt from a plantation owner.  A searching story by the award-winning novelist.

The Messenger
Jan Burke
F BUR
Who is Tyler Hawthorne?  Why is Adrian deVille so desperate to find him?  And why does Amanda Clarke find him so attractive?

The Northern Clemency
Philip Hensher
F HEN
This British suburban drama features two families, the Glovers and Sellers over the course of 20 years during the Thatcher era.  Nominated for the Man Booker Prize.

A Promise to Believe In
Tracie Peterson
F PET
The prolific author begins a new series featuring three sisters who operate a roadhouse along a Montana stage coach line.

Show No Fear
Perri O’Shaughnessy
F OSH
Nina Reilly is featured in her first murder investigation, back to the case that ignited her commitment to fight for justice.

Sicilian Tragedee
Ottavio Cappellani
F CAP
Moody aristocrats, vain politicians, inept gangsters, shabby actors and high-tech killers are all part of this Italian novel featuring modern-day Sicily.

Songs for the Missing
Stewart O’Nan
F ONA
College-bound Kim Larsen disappears from her small Lake Erie town on a quiet summer day.

Still Alice
Lisa Genova
F GEN
Psychology professor Alice Howland is 50 years old when she realizes she is becoming increasingly disoriented and forgetful.  Great reviews.

The Treasure
Iris Johansen
F JOH
Two treasure hunters embark on a perilous journey to find an legendary religious relic and thereby earn their freedom.

The Weapon
David Poyer
F POY
U.S. Navy Commander Dan Lenson is handed another assignment: with his elite team, he must defuse emerging naval threats that threaten  from around the globe.

Your Heart Belongs to Me
Dean Koontz
F KOO
A young man receives some very troubling messages after his heart transplant.

New Non-Fiction Titles 2/18/09

Angels and Ages: A Short Book about Darwin, Lincoln, and Modern Life
Adam Gopnik

Two babies were born on February 12, 1809 an ocean apart. One in a log cabin. The other on an English country estate.

Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals
Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson

The animal scientist and autism advocate looks at the way animals are treated and explains what animals want and need.

Banquet at Delmonico’s: Great Minds, the Gilded Age, and the Triumph of Evolution in America
Barry Werth

An inside look at the circle of philosophers, scientists, politicians and businessmen who brought Darwin’s ideas to America in the years after the Civil War.

The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama
Gwen Ifill
The veteran journalist provides an introduction to emerging African American politicians and the impact of the election of Barack Obama.

The Decline and Fall of the British Empire, 1781-1997
Piers Brendon

A sweeping chronicle of the far-reaching British Empire following the American Revolution.

Disquiet, Please! More Humor Writing from The New Yorker
David Remnick and Henry Finder, eds.
Amusing essays from the pages of the noted magazine.

Every Living Thing: Man’s Obsessive Quest to Catalog Life, from Nanobacteria to New Monkeys
Rob Dunn

A look at the exhilarating quest to study the natural world.

Fifty Miles from Tomorrow: A Memoir of Alaska and the Real People
William L. Iġġiaġruk Hensley
This memoir of a native Alaskan recounts his upbringing and the formation of the Northwest Alaska Native Association and its work to protect the rights of the people who have called Alaska home for thousands of years.

God in the Foxhole: Inspiring True Stories of Miracles on the Battlefield
Charles W. Sasser
A collection of true personal accounts from generations of American soldiers who faith has been born or transformed under fire.

History’s Greatest Heist: The Looting of Russia by the Bolsheviks
Sean McMeekin
How did the Bolsheviks manage to stay in power? During the early years the Russian Revolution was financed largely through artistic thievery.

How to Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People (While They Are Still on This Earth
Henry Alford
The author interviews famous and/or accomplished people over seventy in this witty search for enlightenment.

The Little Book of Bull Moves in Bear Markets: How to Keep Your Portfolio Up When the Market Is Down
Peter D. Schiff
How to protect your assets and invest your money.

Living Rich for Less: Create the Lifestyle You Want by Giving, Saving, and Spending Smart: How You Can Save $30,000 This Year
Ellie Kay
New tips for saving during tough times.

The Longevity Factor: How Resveratrol and Red Wine Activate Genes for a Longer and Healthier Life
Joseph Maroon
The noted Pittsburgh neuroscientist explains the recent scientific advances that have identified the natural substances that will promote health and longevity.

Making It All Work: Winning at the Game of Work and the Business of Life
David Allen
Following up on his previous book, Getting Things Done, the author explains how to figure out where you are in life and how to get where you want to be going.

Note To Self: 30 Women on Hardship, Humiliation, Heartbreak and Overcoming It All
Lessons learned from defining moments form the basis of these inspirational stories.

Nothing to Fear: FDR’s Inner Circle and the Hundred Days that Created Modern America
Adam Cohen
An account of the critical first days of FDR’s presidency during the worst time of the Great Depression.

Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity, and Thrive
Barbara L. Fredrickson
What is positivity? Can it transform our lives?

The Power of Less: the Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential…in Business and in Life
Leo Babauta
Simple steps to help individuals increase productivity and efficiency and learn to work simply.

Racing Odysseus: A College President Becomes a Freshman Again
Roger H. Martin
After surviving cancer, the author in enrolled in St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland as a 61-year-old freshman.

Rich Like Them: My Door-to-Door Search for the Secrets of Wealth in America’s Richest Neighborhoods
Ryan D’Agostino
The author knocked on 500 doors in nearly two dozen of the most affluent towns in America to discover insights into what it means to have money and how to get it.

So Damn Much Money: The Triumph of Lobbying and the Corrosion of American Government
Robert G. Kaiser
The author discusses how the increased growth of lobbying has had negative effects on politics and government.

Split: A Memoir of Divorce
Suzanne Finnamore
On a list for one of a “best books of 2008,” this title captures the reality of one woman’s life after those four words: “I want a divorce.”

Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street
Michael Davis
The saga of the influential and long-lasting children’s program.

The Third Chapter: Passion, Risk, and Adventure in the 25 Years After 50
Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot
A new look at a time of potential change, growth and new learning for older individuals.

The Time Paradox: The New Psychology of Time That Will Change Your Life
Philip Zimbardo and John Boyd
There are seven common ways that people relate to time, each of which create benefits and pitfalls. The authors relate a plan for optimizing your time perspectives.

The World is Curved: Hidden Dangers to the Global Economy
David M Smick
The author contends that the mortgage mess is a symptom of potentially more devastating trouble.

New CDs 2/18/09

Black Ice
AC/DC
CD 781.66 AC/DC 2008
Rock n roll train — Skies on fire — Big Jack — Anything goes — War machine — Smash n grab — Spoilin’ for a fight — Wheels — Decibel — Stormy May day — She likes rock n roll — Money made — Rock n roll dream — Rocking all the way — Black ice.

The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
Alexandre Desplat
CD 781.542 DES 2008
A 2-CD collection from the acclaimed major motion picture featuring the compelling original score by Alexandre Desplat plus classic music by Louis Armstrong, The Platters and Bix Beiderbecke.

Sun Giant EP
Fleet Foxes
CD 781.66 FLE 2008
Seattle’s Fleet Foxes make such complex, harmonic, 70s inspired folk-rock, it’s hard to believe that the band’s principle songwriter, Robin Pecknold, is only 21 years old. There’s a moment on David Crosby’s “Laughing” where Cros, Joni, and the whole gang hit a harmony that might be the most gorgeous moment in the history of recorded music. The Fleet Foxes know that moment and they go for it. This EP is a precursor to the band’s debut, “Ragged Wood”, out in June.

The Stand Ins
Okkervil River
CD 781.66 OKK 2008
The sequel to 2007’s critically acclaimed “The Stage Names”, which Pitchfork praised as “one of the year’s best”, is part two of a staggered double album, picking up where part one left off, but delving deeper into the story and theme of “The Stage Names”.

New Music CDs 2/12/09

Merriweather Post Pavilion
Animal Collective
CD 781.66 ANI 2009

Their ninth full-length. The whoops and hollers that previously held together the sublime, chaotic urgency of their earlier work now signal the calm sense of euphoria and wonder that ripples through this wide eyed record.

Everything That Happens Will Happen Today
David Byrne, Brian Eno
CD 781.66 BYR 2008
David Byrne and Brian Eno have paired up for their first record together as co-writers since the highly influential and critically acclaimed 1981 release My Life in the Bush of Ghosts. Everything That Happens Will Happen Today is the culmination of a year s worth of writing, recording, and travel between New York and London. Everything That Happens… was conceptualized during a visit to Brian Eno s studio after the two reconnected upon Nonesuch Records re-release of Bush of Ghosts.

Dr. Horrible’s Sing-along Blog (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Various Artists
CD 781.542 DOC 2008
Contents Horrible theme — My freeze ray — Bad horse chorus — Caring hands — A Man’s gotta do — My eyes — Bad horse chorus (reprise) — Penny’s song — Brand new day — So they say — Everyone’s a hero — Slipping — Everything you ever — Horrible credits. Music performed by Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion, Felicia Day and others.

The Fray
The Fray
CD 781.66 FRA 2009
Syndicate — Absolute — You found me — Say when — Never say never — Where the story ends — Enough for now — Ungodly hour — We build then we break — Happiness.

Tonight:Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
CD 781.66 FRA 2009
2009 release, the third album from Glasgow-based modern rockers. Tonight: Franz Ferdinand sees them taking a step back from the Post-Punk revival sounds that gave them their breakthrough. With Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, the band are seen to incorporate more disparate influences such as Jamaican Dub and elements of Electronica. What remains of the old Franz Ferdinand is their knack for locating a danceable rhythm and their gentle, deadpan humour. The choice of Dan Carey as producer is in keeping with this new direction, the past credits of whose include CSS and Hot Chip.

Haymaker!
Gourds
CD 781.642 GOU 2009
”Gourds Music” has its next chapter. Unclassifiable Austin sons The Gourds are back with Haymaker!, the crooked cousin to their critically acclaimed last album, Noble Creatures. On Haymaker! the band circles back, digs beneath and climbs over their gin soaked music roots with an album of grass-fed cosmic country. Rattling flourishes of soul, swamp rock and gospel rhythms spill out all over the place. Psychic songwriting apparatus Jimmy Smith, Kevin Shinyribs Russell and Max Johnston continue their chronicling of askew Texas characters who populate the subterranean Lone Star State, a world of ‘Fossil Contender’s’, ‘Luddite’s’, ‘Valentines’ and women with skin like chocolate milk, so beautiful they make married men feel no guilt. Haymaker! will undoubtedly slake the thirst of hardcore and fledgling Gourds fans alike and tip unsuspecting ears to the colorful Texas thump being laid down by this legendary band.

Chinese Democracy
Guns N’ Roses
CD 781.66 GUN 2008
The wait is over. The new album from Guns N’ Roses, Chinese Democracy, has arrived. The album, which features 14 brand new songs from Axl and company, has garnered rave reviews and is easily the most anticipated release of the year.

Waylon Forever
Waylon Jennings
CD 781.642 JEN 2008
2008 release of Grammy Award Winner and Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Waylon Jennings’ final recording Waylon Forever on Vagrant Records. The eight-song collection of cover songs and originals feature the vocals of Waylon Jennings backed by his son Shooter Jennings and the .357’s. Waylon Jennings’ career spanned for more than 40 years. During his lifetime he released over 50 studio albums which generated 16 number one singles and four Country Music Awards. Texan country singer Waylon Jennings was a rocker from way back. He played bass with Buddy Holly, and his first solo records included Beatles songs, which was not usual for a Country musician at the time.

Acid Tongue
Jenny Lewis
CD 781.66 LEW 2008
Femme fatale Jenny Lewis has never sounded so passionate and her songs never so hard-hitting and acerbic as on her aptly titled solo disk, Acid Tongue. The album follows 2006’s Rabbit Fur Coat (which Spin named among the best albums of that year) and a series of acclaimed albums with indie rock fave Rilo Kiley. Featuring collaborations with A Band Called She & Him and guest appearances by Elvis Costello and Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes, Acid Tongue proves to be wicked good.

Now that’s what I call Motown
CD 781.643 NOW 2009
2009 collection, a special installment from the hugely successful Now… series of compilation albums, released to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of one of the greatest record labels in music history. Now That’s What I Call Motown presents 25 of the most beloved and timeless classic R&B tracks from some of the greatest music artists of all-time, all on one CD. Includes cuts from The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Miracles, Mary Wells, Rick James, The Commodores and many others.

Valkyrie (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
John Ottman (Composer)
CD 781.542 OTT 2008
They’ll remember you (4:20) — Operation Valkyrie (5:11) — What’s this really all about? (3:44) — Bunker bust (3:45) — March 13 attempt (3:38) — Midnight waltz (2:11) — A place to change (4:09) — Seconds lost (3:34) — Getting the signature (4:04) — The officer’s club (2:37) — The way it should go (3:24) — If I were that man/to theberghof (2:21) — I’m sorry (3:04) — Important call (4:07) — No more decision (2:31) — Olbricht gives the order (3:18) — Operation terminated (1:16) — Long live sacred Germany (6:13).

Working on a Dream
Bruce Springsteen
CD 781.66 SPR 2009
Limited CD/DVD edition includes a bonus DVD that contains 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage on the making of the album. 2009 album by one of the finest American songwriters of his generation. Working on a Dream was recorded with the E Street Band and features 12 new Springsteen compositions plus a bonus track: ‘The Wrestler’. . It is the fourth collaboration between Springsteen and Brendan O’Brien, who produced and mixed the album. Springsteen also wrote an eponymous song for Darren Aronofsky’s 2008 film The Wrestler. The song, also titled ‘The Wrestler’ won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song.

We Started Nothing
The Ting Tings
CD 781.66 TIN 2008
We Started Nothing is the debut album from The Ting Tings. Tipped in the top three of the BBC’s Sound of 2008 poll at the beginning of the year, seemingly they have much to prove. However, The Ting Tings aren’t about proving themselves; they are simply here to enjoy it. Making great British pop music – their way – is what they’re about. Born of a desire to employ the DIY ethic from day one – Katie White and Jules De Martino escaped the industry trappings they once experienced in a previous band and went back to basics as a duo. They stripped back everything they thought they both knew about making music and the industry that revolved around every note. We Started Nothing is a debut album brimming with intuitive pop noise. It’s pure garage-pop and once heard will in-bed itself into your subconscious for many days, weeks, months to come. Snappy choruses trade off against angular gutar work, whip smart drumming and a succession of loops that they create live with the use of delay pedals.