Week 2

 

Week 2 Assignment 2

Amagansett by Mark Mills
Set on Long Island in the summer of 1947 with wonderful descriptions of changing nature of the waters off Long Island. The story begins with recently returned WWII veteran, Conrad Lebarde, netting a dead woman while fishing just offshore. The incident is investigated by Deputy Chief Tom Hollis of the local police who, having arrived in town only a year earlier, is somewhat of an outsider, identifying neither with the locals or the rich city folk who have recently made the place their summer playground. This is a beautiful, character-driven, stylistically complex book; it’s intricately plotted, and while there is an element of mystery, the story and the characters’ backstory are revealed slowly. A compelling read, the language is descriptive, lush, and lyrical.

Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard
This is the gripping story of James Garfield's rise from poverty to president of the United States and the assasination attempt by a deranged job seeker, Charles Giteau, four months after his inauguration.  Alexander Graham Bell raced against the clock to try to develop a metal detector to search for the bullet lodged in the president. Meticulously researched and epic in scope this is a very accesible and fascinating read that brings to life the Gilded Age and its inhabitants. 






Week 2 Assignment 3

Posted on Zeke's blog -

Hi Zeke –

Just back from maternity leave and try to catch up on Be More Bookish.  Since you liked Hellhound on His Trail, I think that you would enjoy Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard or Manhunt by James Swanson.  Destiny of the Republic is a fascinating, detailed – yet accessible account of James Garfield’s rise from abject poverty to be president of the United States and then the assassination attempt by a deranged man who was seeking an appointment to office.  Garfield survived the assassination attempt but ultimately not the treatment of his wound by the incompetent Dr. Doctor Bliss (of “ignorance is Bliss” fame), even as Alexander Graham Bell raced to develop a metal detector to help locate and remove the bullet.  Manhunt is a thrill ride of narrative nonfiction of the search for Lincoln’s assassins and conspirators. 

Based on your liking The Cold Cold Ground, and liking flawed characters, an emphasis on character and setting, and learning new things I highly recommend the Billy Boyle series by James Benn.  Billy Boyle is a hothead, smartass, Boston detective - a second generation cop and second generation Irish immigrant.  He enlisted into the Army to avoid draft and similar to his rapid promotion in Boston he uses family connections to get onto the staff of one his mother’s distant relatives thinking it will keep him stateside.  Unfortunately the relative is General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Billy is off overseas.  Billy becomes an investigator for his Uncle Ike and each mystery also deals with an interesting element of World War II, like the importance of the newly developed drug penicillin to the war effort, or the role of the Vatican, or the effect and pressure of segregation.  Benn is a former librarian and must enjoy researching these books because he really brings the WWII setting to life and fills each book fascinating details yet it never feels out of place within the framework of the mystery.