Memoirs
By John Le Carrè
The great British spy novelist presents moments in his life away from the typewriter: the times he rubbed shoulders with other intelligence officers who appreciate or decry his work, his experiences in various countries during the Cold War, and the relationships he made and lost. The author proves to be just as honest about his real life life as his characters are about the spy business. Written like a journal, and done with beauty and humor, Le Carrè masters the pages with his enjoyable memoir.
Mystery
By Sean Little
Abe Allard and C.S. Duffy are Chicago private investigators. They do research for lawyers, corporate background checks, and track unfaithful spouses. This time they are hired to investigate an art theft. Their wealthy client, Geo McMahon, had a sketch stolen. This is a different sort of mystery. It has no shoot-outs or car chases. The rich are not the predictable villains. There is no violence, not even the obligatory murder. Yet it is fascinating, with an original and satisfying solution.
True Crime
By William Oldfield and Victoria Bruce
Before the 1920s, combatting interstate crime was difficult. Law enforcement was often only local. Leave a city or county and you left the law behind. It was a perfect environment for organized crime to flourish. In 1899, the Black Hand, a Sicilian crime syndicate, ran a violent protection racket using the mail. Back then, only the U.S. Postal Inspector System had interstate crime authority. Frank Oldfield, a postal inspector opted to take the Black Hand down. This book tells how he did it.
Nonfiction
By Craig Glenday, Editor-in-Chief
Here’s a browser’s delight. In addition to exploring the world’s oceans—this year’s theme is the “Blue Planet”—this latest edition contains thousands of records broken and set, lists of data from the past and present, and loads of colorful pictures. Yes, you can find most of this information online, but you’ll miss the pleasures of simply diving into this book, reading it at random, and coming up with pearls of useful information and trivia. A great gift for adults and children alike.
Classics
By Bob Blaisdell, Editor
In the “Note” with which he begins this compilation, Mr. Blaisdell remarks that the span of time separating the authors “is almost three hundred years, but it looks like a lively skip and a jump rather than a leap.” Ben Franklin’s “Alice Addertongue,” Mark Twain’s “Jumping Frog,” Ring Lardner’s “The Golden Honeymoon” are among the 33 tales from authors familiar and obscure, all possessed with the wit and the talent to bring readers smiles, laughter, and insights into human nature.
For Kids
By Carter Higgins and Emily Hughes
A fun celebration of creativity, ingenuity, and friendship—“Everything You Need for a Treehouse” is just the thing to get those imaginative juices flowing. Detailed illustrations depict all manner of impressive treehouse designs young readers are sure to delight in. This summer read-aloud goes especially well with an array of crafting supplies.
