LibGuides: Native American Issues: Books

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AP English Book Reviews

No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy
ISBN: 9780375706677

Publication Date: 2006-07-11

Chris Jackson writes, "What makes a classic crime novel? Gritty characters? Heart pounding action? Dark and intense senses? Tons of money, sex, and drugs? Fast paced dialogue? All of these attributes together can make a great crime story that would be hard for anyone to dislike. Put any of these together individually and Hollywood can make a cheap action movie that barely brakes even. But add all of these together along with a great setting, one of the century’s best writers, and a fantastic plot line you can create the next great, American crime and action novel. This is precisely what Cormac McCarthy did so beautifully in the book No Country for Old Men published in 2005. In this story, Mr. McCarthy knitted together one of his finest pieces of literature he has ever written (Cormac McCarthy has also written award winning titles such as All the Pretty Horses, The Road, and Child of God) and one of the best crime novels since the turn of the 21st century. While some portions can seem slightly slow (compared to the rest of the story) and the scenes can get too dark and gruesome for some, Cormac McCarthy has written a true classic crime novel that will amaze any reader who dares to enter this intense battle for money and life along the American-Mexican border."
Room by Emma Donoghue
ISBN: 9780316098335

Publication Date: 2010-09-13

Chelsea Cutler writes, "Inspired by the Fritzl case of 2008, Room tells the story of five year old Jack, who has spent his entire life growing up in a single room with his Ma. Emma Donoghue brilliantly tells their story through Jack's heartbreakingly innocent perspective. In doing so, Donoghue explores the concept of the 'outside world' in eye opening ways, making readers think, feel, and ask extensive questions in ways they never have before."
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gregory Rabassa (Illustrator, Translator)
ISBN: 9780060531041

Publication Date: 2003-06-24

Zander Chase writes, "One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is not an ordinary book. It tells the intricate story of the Buendia family and their history in Macondo, a small village. While telling the story of the many generations of Buendias, Gabriel Garcia Marquez interweaves his own personal stories and the struggles of his home nation, Colombia. This novel is written in an unorthodox way making it confusing and strange at times, however, One Hundred Years of Solitude carries important messages about political life in Columbia and human society."
After Claude by Iris Owens; Emily Prager (Introduction by)
ISBN: 9781590173633

Publication Date: 2010-11-09

Sophia Clarke writes, "I recently picked up this title and finished a week and a half later. I could not put it down. The novel takes place in 1970s New York City. The main character, Harriet is obnoxious, self centered, funny, rude, and cannot seem to take no for an answer. She is almost so hateful she is lovable. "Claude" is her ex-boyfriend who she still lives with because it is a shock to her that he doesn't want together anymore. She eventually finds herself at the steps of the Chelsea Hotel, chaos and humor ensue. I recommend the book to anyone with a dark, satyrical, or laugh out loud sense of humor."
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
ISBN: 9780670016907

Publication Date: 2014-04-10

Carlin Testa writes, "The Joad family is looking to migrate west to California in search of a new start. Their farm in Oklahoma was knocked over by the landowners who want to take back the land in order to make a profit. The Joads are intrigued by pamphlets with the allure of job opportunities in California of picking fruits and living a life of leisure. Despite multiple warnings about a lack of jobs, the Joads set out west with a strong belief that there is a better life waiting for all of them."
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
ISBN: 9781400032716

Publication Date: 2004-05-18

Gaby Araya writes, "I am currently reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time by Mark Haddon. This is a story of a fifteen year old autistic boy who is on a quest to find out who killed the dog that lived next door. The protagonist, Christopher Boone is a mathematical savant. He can multiply large sums in his head with ease and is able to figure complicated mind boggling puzzles in matter a of minutes. As Christopher journey unfolds readers become accustom to the way that the book jumps around from topic to topic. Haddon writes the book this way to perfectly capture the mind of Christopher."
The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan
ISBN: 9780375760396

Publication Date: 2002-05-28

Caroline Shehan writes, "Buddha has said that desire is the root of suffering and if man wishes to alleviate pain and attain happiness, desire must be eliminated. According to Michael Pollan the botany of human desire can be dissected into four parts, each part corresponding with a unique plant. Every plant has been historically craved to such an extreme, aligning it with a trait seems as the perfect explanation for the instinctive attraction. The apple is sweetness, tulip is beauty, cannabis intoxication and the potato is control. Through his gentle and genuine curiosity Michael Pollan writes The Botany of Desire as a close investigation of the intimate relationship between plant and humanity. This book encourages you to think about the little things that you have become accustomed to, the small plants we see in our everyday lives have a larger meaning. And that was the best part about this book. It was endlessly interesting to discover about the common nature in life, to better understand my own life. It helped me better comprehend how humans are shaped around desire, because we like getting things the are sweet and beautiful, we are all interested in investigating taboos and being in control. This book is for someone who is interested in reading non-fiction, but also interested in a seriously thought-proking novel."
In the Heart of the Sea by Nathaniel Philbrick
ISBN: 9780141001821

Publication Date: 2001-05-01

Jeff Austin writes, "This book is the riveting tale of the whaleship Essex which was rammed by an enraged sperm whale. The true story that inspired the American classic Moby Dick by Herman Melville, this book has its fair share of action and intensity. After the wreck the crew has to fight for their lives upon the open sea of the Pacific Ocean in an attempt to reach the mainland of South America. Hunger and dehydration take an extreme toll on the crew, calling in their will to survive and their morality creating the main theme of the book. What are you willing to do in the name of survival?"
I'm Not Scared by Niccolò Ammaniti; Jonathan Hunt (Translator)
ISBN: 9781400075638

Publication Date: 2004-03-09

Rachel Godfrey writes, "This novel is about a preteen boy named Michele who, after a dare from his friends, enters an abandoned house. When Michele goes inside, he finds something that changes his life completely. The novel is well-written, even with the narrator being a nine old boy. While it provides laughs, this book also provides genuine fear for the well-being of many of the characters. Each one has some sort of substance to them that makes them rather enjoyable or rather horrifying. Great book."
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (Illustrator); Frances McCullough (Foreword by); Lois Ames (Notes by)
ISBN: 9780061148514

Publication Date: 2013-06-11

Makenna Newkirk writes, "The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath was a pleasant surprise. Although it is often hard not to see through the book into the authors experiences, it was ends on a more positive note. Esther Greenwood, the character who closely resembles Sylvia Plath in the novel, begins as a writer in New York City but then faces reality as she does not want to choose a career path. Her life begins to spin out of control when Buddy Willard’s love is not passionate to her anymore, and she begins to grow insane. With the quick insanity spiral, she is admitted into several different mental hospitals and sees different doctors to fix this mental illness. It is revealed that she has a kid and seems to be heading in the right direction by the end of this novel."
Sula by Toni Morrison
ISBN: 9780452283862

Publication Date: 2002-04-05

Molly Schroder writes, "Toni Morrison’s Sula is an overall, well crafted piece of writing about the importance of friendship, youth, and the evolution of love. From the beginning, Morrison kept the reader captivated with new and evolving point of views as two girls, Sula and Nel, grow into young women. As with any story, childhood ends, and friends go separate ways. The two lead lives that eventually intersect again, but their friendship explodes. Morrison leaves you after every chapter wondering, is their friendship strong enough to overcome? Or, how can one live without the friendship that they have molded their lives around? This sad and beautiful book by Morrison captures a vision of friendship and warms the heart with the ups and downs of life. The reader experiences these events as if they were there, and pulls you to your knees in order to keep you hooked and wanting more. I found Sula incredible and believe it is worthy of everyone's time."

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Best of 2013

NPR Books created a great tool to comb through some of the best books of 2013. You must check this out: NPR's Book Concierge

Check out the Connecticut Library Consortium's "We Know Good Books" site. A good resource to choose a good book to read or gift.

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What's good to read?

NPR's 2012 Summer Reading List.
Always a good source, the New York Times Best Seller List is the standard when it comes to what's hot.
It may be last year's list, but chances are you haven't read all the books. Check out NPR's 2011 Summer Reading List.
Here's a site that also allows for a more online 'social' interaction with friends to see what books they have read and liked: Goodreads.com
Not every book has to necessarily be "good for you." NPR's Guilty Pleasures has several fun reads.
The New Yorker Magazine's Book Bench Blog is a fun place to get some reading ideas.
The American Library Association's blog, Rousing Reads is a monthly posting on various subjects and titles.
The Pomfret Community is a great resource for reading ideas. You can find some in the New in Library list and more in the Pomfret is Reading sections of the library website.

Whether it's a novel, non-fiction, a biography, or poetry, spending some hours lost in a book is a wonderful way to while away the summer.

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