Everybody Rise by Stephanie Clifford

It is spring in 2006.  Evelyn Beegan is 26 and is treading the same waters that most recent college grads have to brave: the first real job.  Evelyn is the newly minted director of membership for People Like Us, a new social networking site.  Think Facebook for the society set complete with invite-only membership.  As a teen, Evelyn attended Sheffield Academy- an exclusive eastern boarding school.  Now, we find our main character returned to her alma mater for the annual Sheffield-Enfield lacrosse match in order to do a little networking.  The book begins with Evelyn’s obsession to sign up all of the “right” people for the website but before we know it, she is desperately attempting to sprint to the top of New York City’s social hierarchy. 

Several reviews have likened Clifford’s Everybody Rise to an Edith Wharton novel set in the 21^st century.  This is an apt description, but Evelyn’s evolution throughout the book seems a much more positive one than any of Wharton’s female characters.  Evelyn must learn how to be a self-sufficient adult in a world outside that which her parents have always wanted her to find.  And more than that, to find a purpose in life.

Everybody Rise is available August 18^th.  Check out a copy now.

Royal Wedding by Meg Cabot

Princess Mia is back in Meg Cabot's newest book Royal Wedding. Like the generation of girls who grew up reading The Princess Diaries books, Mia is all grown up. The original cast including Michael, Lilly, Tina, and Grandmère are back and witty as ever. Mia is still struggling with everything that comes along with being the princess of Genovia including dealing with hounding paparazzi who nearly keep her trapped in the Genovian consulate. That's until Mia's longtime boyfriend Michael plans a surprise trip to the Bahamas. While on their own private island, Michael gets down on one knee and proposes to Mia. As if a royal wedding isn't enough for Mia, there are more surprises in store.

The Royal Wedding is sure to resonate with readers who grew up reading The Princess Diaries books. A generation of teen girls grew up along with Princess Mia, and now we're all feeling the same way she is--faced with relationships, first jobs, and figuring out how to be an adult.  Written in her usual way, Meg Cabot's Royal Wedding pokes fun at current pop culture, gets you laughing, and makes you want to re-read all of The Princess Diaries books.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

New York Times bestseller Kristin Hannah's newest book The Nightingale is set in 1939 France. With the world set for war, sisters Vianne and Isabelle are put to the test as World War II rages through Europe. Vianne, the oldest of the sisters, says goodbye to her husband Antoine as he heads to the eastern front. With an empty house, Vianne quarters a Nazi officer. Life is no longer what it was as Vianne's every move is watched, forcing her to act cautiously to protect her daughter Sophie. Vianne decides to make a bold move when the Nazis implement anti-Jewish laws in France. Realizing that she can't just stand by, Vianne does all that she can to make sure Jewish children are safe, even if it means risking her family's safety.

Younger sister Isabelle has always had the rambunctious streak. She doesn't sit by idly as chaos erupts. She's never been afraid to speak her mind, even if it gets her into trouble. Life in war-torn France is no different. Risking her life, Isabelle, known as the Nightingale, takes in downed airplane pilots. She doesn't just make sure they're safe from the enemy, she actually leads them over the Pyrenees to safety in Spain.

The Nightingale beautifully tells the tale of two women in the French Resistance movement. Kristin Hannah has the ability to paint the picture of just how desperate World War II made people in this heartbreaking, beautiful story.

Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West by Hampton Sides

Many Americans know little about the history of the American Southwest, other than the false impressions we have gotten through cowboy movies. In some of our minds, the fight for the Alamo was part of the Mexican-American war; “Manifest Destiny” was a righteous ideology justifying the absorption of western lands by the United States; the Indians were savages; and Kit Carson gets jumbled in with those other buckskin-wearing frontiersmen, Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett. The actual history of the area and its people is far more complicated and interesting than these stereotypes would make it seem. Blood and Thunder: An Epic of the American West by Hampton Sides is a well-researched, detailed, and entertaining history of the territory taken from Mexico by President James K. Polk as a result of the Mexican-American War. Basically a biography of Kit Carson-- hunter, trapper, explorer, guide, U.S. Army officer and both friend and foe of Native Americans—this book sets Carson’s life in the context of the greater American experience. And a violent and bloody experience it was, as emigrants from the East struggled to wrest New Mexico, Arizona, California and Colorado from the control of the indigenous people and residents still loyal to Mexico.  Later, after the discovery of gold in California and Colorado, and still later the Civil War, additional factions contributed to the turbulence in the area. Carson was at the center of much of the action. He lived in the vast wilderness west of the Missouri River from the age of sixteen and, although illiterate, could speak English, Spanish and various Native American languages. He became the go-to man when Santa Fe Trail merchants or the U.S. Army needed a scout or guide. He assisted John C. Fremont’s exploration of California. He was a scout and messenger for General Kearney, the first U.S. Army officer in the newly acquired territory. He was an agent for peace and war with Native American tribes, particularly the Navajo. And he was an officer in the Union Army, fighting in little known battles of the Civil War fought in New Mexico. The life of Kit Carson and the story of New Mexico are intertwined and filled with contradictions: cruelty and kindness, courage and cowardice, nobility and dishonor.  Blood and Thunder is fascinating reading, relaying an American history we should all be aware of. 

Happy Fourth of July!

The blog is taking a break today in honor of the Fourth of July holiday. Remember the West Allis Public Library will be closed July 3rd-5th. We'll reopen Monday, July 6th at 9 am.

The Girl Who Came Home: A Novel of the Titanic by Hazel Gaynor

Inspired by true events, The Girl Who Came Home: A Novel of the Titanic tells the story of Maggie Murphy, a seventeen year old Irish girl. Maggie, along with thirteen other members of her small Irish town, set sail on the maiden voyage of the unsinkable R.M.S. Titanic, in search of a better life in America. For Maggie, the trip is bittersweet as she leaves behind the man she loves.

Although the group of fourteen who set sail on Titanic from a small town in Ireland are third class passengers aboard the ship, Gaynor still paints a lovely picture of just how beautiful everything aboard the Titanic must have been. From the beautiful china with the White Star Line logo, to the description of the first class passengers, and the impeccable food served aboard the glorious ship, Gaynor makes the reader feel as if they're sailing on board with Maggie.

On that fateful night in April, when Titanic hit the iceberg, Maggie is the only one from her group of fourteen to make it aboard the Carpathia, and eventually to safety at a New York City hospital. With a bit of recovery ahead of her and no family with her, Maggie is unsure what to do next.

Fast forward to 1982, where Grace, a young journalism college student begins to drift after the unexpected death of her beloved father. That is until Great-grandmother Maggie tells the story of what happened aboard the Titanic the horrible night of April 15th, 1912. After hearing Maggie's story, Grace once again feels the fire to write. After having Maggie's story published, Grace's life slowly begins to rebuild itself. When the offer presents itself Grace and Maggie find themselves in Ireland. It's proof that you're never too old to go home.

With Gaynor's attention to detail and her ability to tell a story, this book will suit the reading interests of Titanic and historical fiction enthusiasts alike.

When Books Went to War by Molly Guptil Manning

World War II was a war that united the American population like no other. Young men enlisted to serve in the Armed Forces and civilians pitched in by making whatever sacrifices they could make: planting Victory Gardens, living with food and gasoline rationing, turning possessions into scrap (metal, paper, cloth), and donating books for the troops. Unfortunately, the book donation program was not entirely successful. Many titles donated were not of interest to young American men (knitting, theology, and foreign policy, just to name a few of the not terribly enticing subjects.) But an even bigger problem was the size of the books. Before the 1950’s, very few books were published in paperback. The hardcover books were simply too big and bulky for an infantryman to add to his already heavy load of over 60 pounds. A solution was proposed and accepted—small, lightweight books printed especially for the men in the Armed Services. ASEs (Armed Service Editions) were designed. Titles were chosen, printed and distributed to the far corners of the earth. And they were greatly appreciated by men in foxholes, in jungles, in deserts, on ships and in hospitals. Surprisingly perhaps, the most popular title was A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. Many soldiers and sailors wrote to her, describing the comfort they found in her story of a Brooklyn family, living an American life much like theirs. Second in popularity was Chicken Every Sunday by Rosemary Taylor, a memoir of life in her mother’s boarding house with many mouth-watering descriptions of good old American food. There were many other popular authors like Ernest Hemingway, Marjorie Rawlings, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Mark Twain and Charles Dickens, as well as histories, biographies, poetry and numerous other subjects. Many of the service men were readers who took solace in books. Others were introduced to reading for pleasure by the ASEs and returned home with a new interest in literature. Librarians and publishers fought shortages of funds, shortages of paper and, eventually, even censorship to keep the program running and, in the end, they were as victorious as the American Armed Forces.  Anyone reading a blog like this one can appreciate the contribution the ASEs made in the quality of life of the American G.I. When Books Went to War lists all the titles published by the program, year by year. Some of the titles are out of print, but, for the information of the omnivorous and curious reader, many are available in our library system.