July 1, 2010: Summer books

SUMMERTIME BRINGS BEACH

SEASON.

BEACH SEASON MEANS BEACH

READING.

SO WITH SAND IN THEIR TOES

AND BOOKS IN HAND T BLOGERS

AND HOLY-- WE HAVE THIS

YEAR'S BEST SUMMER READS.

>> SO WHAT DO YOU THINK

MAKES A GOOD SUMMER READ.

>> I LIKE BOOKS THAT ARE

EASY TO CONCENTRATE ON, THAT

ARE ABSORBING AND THAT

AREN'T TOO LONG.

>> I LIKE A BOOK THAT IS FOR

THE SUM THEIR IS LIGHT AND

HAS GREAT PLOT, GREAT CA,

AND THAT TRANSPORTS ME.

I LIKE TO BE TAKEN AWAY.

WHAT I CONSIDER A REALLY

GOOD BEACH READ WOULD BE

SOMETHING LIKE THIS DIAMOND

RUBY BY JOSEPH WALLACE.

THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS

BOOK WAS A REAL WOMAN

PITCHER WHO PITCHED AGAINST

BABE RUTH AND STRUCK HIM OUT

WHICH I THOUGHT BOSTON FAN

WAS BE VERY HAPPY TO HEAR

THAT.

>> THE BOOK THAT I WOULD

HAVE LIKED TO HAVE READ ON

THE BEACH THIS SUMMER IS THE

THREE WESTMANS OF WESTPORT.

I JUST FINISHED IT.

A REALLY CHARMING COMEDY

ABOUT THREE WOMEN WHO ARE

HAVING A PATCH OF BAD LUCK.

A 75-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHOSE

HUSBAND HAS CAST HER OUT OF

THEIR APARTMENT AND THE TWO

MIDDLE-AGED DAUGHTERS WHO

ARE STRUGGLING IN THEIR

CAREERS.

>> MY CHOICE FOR MYSTERY

SUSPENSE IS THE SINGER'S GUN

BY EMILY ST. JON MANDEL.

I'VE HEARD THAT IT'S REALLY

GRIPPING AND IT WAS AN ENDIE

BOUND CHOICE.

>> THEY USUALLY PICK REALLY

GOOD STUFF.

>> THE THRILLER I PICKED WAS

61 HOURS.

PROT FAG-- PROTAGONIST IS-- IS

GOOD WITH THE LADIES AND

IT'S GREAT, FAST FICTION.

>> THIS IS MY NONFICTION

BOOK FOR THIS SUMMER.

STOP COMPULSIVE HORDING AND

THE MEANING OF THINGS.

I LOVE IT BECAUSE IT PRESENTS

THESE REALLY SALACIOUS

VIGNETTES INTO PEOPLE'S

LIVES THERE WAS ONE WHOM

WITHOUT WHO WAS AN ACTRESS

IN THE '50s WHO WAS

INDOCTRINE ATING IN A CAT

HORDS CULL AND AT ONE POINT

THIS EVIL PSYCHIATRIST

FORCED HER TO ADOPT OVER 100

CATS.

>> MY PICK FOR NONFICTION

FOR THE SUMMER IS MY RIVER

CHRONICLES BY JESSICA DULONG

WHO IS A JOURNALIST WHO LOST

HER JOB IN THE DOTCOM.

SHE ENS UP BEING A FIRE BOAT

ENGINEER IN NEW YORK CITY.

IT ALSO WON THE 2010

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF

JOURNALISTS AND AUTHOR AS

WORD FOR MEMOIRS BUT AGAIN

IT'S NOT ONE OF THOSE

MEMOIRS WHERE SHE IS GOING

INTO HER DRUG ADDICTION AND

SUCH IT IS NOT THE MEANWAR.

>> THIS IS MY LITERARY

FICTION PICK, A VISIT FROM

THE DONE SQUAD THAT FOLLOWS

A CAST OF CHARACTERS WHO ARE

LOOSELY CONNECTED THROUGH

THE SAN FRANCISCO PUNK SCENE

IN THE 1980s IT IS SO WELL

WRITTEN AND SO WONDERFUL.

AND IT MAKES YOU THINK THAT

LIFE IS VERY SHORT, WHICH I

THINK IS A GOOD LESSON TO

LEARN IN THE SUMMER.

>> MY PICK FOR LITERARY

FICTION IS INTO THE

BEAUTIFUL NORTH BY-- THE

BOOK IS SET IN A REMOTE

MEXICAN VILLAGE WHERE ALL

THE MEN ARE, HAVE GONE UP TO

THE UNITED STATES TO GET

WORK AND THEIR WOMEN ARE

LEFT THERE VULNERABLE.

WHEN THE WOMEN GET THE IDEA

OF WATCHING THE MOVIE THE

MAGNIFICENT 7, OF TAKING OFF

WITH SOME BUDDIES OF HERS

AND FINDING SEVEN MEN TO

BRING BACK TO THE VILLAGE TO

DEFEND THEM SO I THINK THIS

BOOK IS VERY ENTERTAINING

AND THE CHARACTERS ARE GREAT

SOICHLT THINK WOULD YOU

REALLY ENJOY IT.

>> LOOKS GREAT.

CAN I HAVE A LOOK AT IT?

>> ALL RIGHT, JOINING ME ARE

THREE AUTHORS WHO WOULD LOVE

FOR YOU TO PICK UP THEIR

BOOK, HOLLEY LeCRAW WHOSE

FIRST NOVEL IS "THE SWIMMING

POOL" STEPHEN McCAULEY, THE

AUTHOR OF "SIGNIFICANT

OTHERS" AND AMY MacKINNON

WHOSE DEPUT NOVEL IS

ENTITLED "TETHERED"

>> Rooney: THEY ALL SOUND

TERRIFIC.

I WILL PICK UP ONE FOR THE

WEEKEND.

HOLLEY STARTING WITH YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> Rooney: THIS IS BEACH

BOOK.

>> THIS MY BEACH BOOK.

>> Rooney: IT LOOKS A LITTLE

TETHERED.

>> IT'S WEATHERED AND IT'S A

LITTLE HEAVY BUT EVERY

SUMMER I GIVE MYSELF A

PROJECT AND MY PROJECT THIS

SUMMER IS PROUST.

SO I'M NOT SURE HOW MANY

PEOPLE WILL SHARE THIS, THIS

IS AN OLD, AN OLD VERSION,

THERE IS AN AMAZING NEW

TRANSLATION OUT AND THE

TITLE IS NOW IN SEARCH OF

LOST TIME WHICH IS MORE

ACCURATE BUT PROUST TO ME A

BEACH BOOK IS A BOOK YOU

READ ON THE BEACH SO THAT IS

MY PROJECT.

>> Rooney: ISN'T IT A LITTLE

DENSE.

>> CHEWY.

>> I FOUND THE FIRST 2,000

PAGES IT ACTUALLY BECOMES

VERY COMPELLING.

>> I LIKE TO FINISH MY

SUMMER FEELING LIKE I'VE

ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING.

>> Rooney: THAT IS AMBITIOUS.

I'M IMPRESSED.

WHAT HAVE YOU GOT FOR A

BEACH READ.

>> I HAVE A BEACH READ

CALLED GIVE-AND-TAKE WHICH

IS BY A WRITER WHO LIVES IN

CONCORD, MAINE, STONEA FITCH

AND THIS IS KIND OF A MODERN

RETELLING OF THE ROBIN HOOD

STORY.

ABOUT A GUY WHO IS A JAZZ

PIANIST WHO SEDUCES WOMEN

AND ROBS THEIR JEWELRY AND

THEIR EXPENSIVE AUTOMOBILES

AND DISTRIBUTES THE MONEY TO

HOMELESS PEOPLE AND VARIOUS

WORTHY CAUSES.

AND IT QUICKLY BECOMES A

KIND OF ROAD NOVEL WHICH IS

FILLED WITH GREAT AMERICAN,

YOU KNOW, IDEA.

AND IT IS VERY FUNNY.

IT'S VERY ENGAGING.

STONEA HAS A WONDERFUL

VOICE.

IT'S VERY JAZZY WHICH FITS

RIGHT IN WITH THE MUSIC.

>> Rooney: IS THAT A MAN OR

A WOMAN.

>> A MAN.

>> Rooney: YOU FIGURE,

ROBBING JEWELRY OFF OF --

>> YEAH, YEAH, IT IS VERY

ENGAGING.

THERE IS AN ADOLESCENT

CHARACTER WHO IS ONE OF THE

MOST CHARMING ADDRESS ENTS I

HAVE MET IN FICTION IN A

LONG TIME.

SO I RECOMMEND IT.

>> Rooney: AMY, BEACH READ.

>> I HAVE LUCY WHICH IS BY

LAWRENCE GONZALEZ.

HE IS THE BEST-SELLING

AUTHOR OF SUCH NONFICTION

TITLES AT DEEP SURVIVAL.

HE LECTURES AT M.I.T. AND

THIS IS HIS SECOND MOVE NELL

25 YEARS ABOUT A PRIMATEOLOGIST

WHO GOES TO THE CONGO AND

WHILE THERE SHE RESCUES A

15-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND BRINGS

HER HOME, SHE IS SEARCHING

FOR HER RELATIVES, FINDS SHE

HAS NONE AND BECAUSE OF THE

GENETIC TESTING DISCOVERS

THAT THE GIRL IS HALF HUMAN

AND HALF APE HAD.

THIS IS GOING TO BE ONE OF

THE BIG BOOKS OF 2010.

>> Rooney: SERIOUSLY.

>> YES, IT IS A FASCINATING

BOOK.

AND WHAT'S REALLY

INTERESTING ABOUT THIS TITLE

IS THE AUTHOR WHEN HE WAS

TELLING HIS GOOD FRIEND THAT

HE WAS THINKING OF WRITING A

MOVE OHL, CORMAC

MacC.A.R.T.Y TOLD HIM DON'T

BOTHER.

BUT I WILL GAERN TEE YOU

THIS WILL BE A BIG BOOK OF

2010.

>> Rooney: I BELIEVE YOU.

LET'S SEE HER, NEXT UP IS

THRILLER SLASH MYSTERY.

>> HOLLEY.

>> THIS IS THE ANGELS GAME

BY CARLOS-- WHO IS SPANISH.

AND IT JUST CAME OUT IN

PAPERBACK FOR THE SUMMER.

LAST SUMMER I READ HIS, THE

BOOK BEFORE THIS, THE SHADOW

OF THE WIND, IT WAS

FABULOUS.

AND THIS ONE IS SIMILAR, A

VERY GOTHIC THRILLER SET IN

BARCELONA.

AND IN THE EARLY 20s

CENTURY.

AND IT'S THE STORY OF A

WRITER WHO MAY OR MAY NOT

HAVE SOLD HIS SOUL IN ORDER

TO BE A SUCCESSFUL WRITER.

AND HE SORT OF IS GOING

CRAZY OR NOT THROUGHOUT THE

WHOLE BOOK.

AND THE BARCELONA OF THIS

BOOK IS ALMOST LIKE GOTHAL

IN 9 BATMAN MOVIES IT IS

VERY DARK AND TWISTY AND ARE

YOU NOT SURE WHAT'S REAL AND

WHAT'S NOT IT IS A COMPLETE

PAGE TURNER.

IT WAS WONDERFUL.

>> Rooney: REALLY, ALL RIGHT.

THE ANGELS GAMES.

WHAT HAVE YOU GOT FOR

THRILLER.

>> I'M NOT MUCH OF A

THRILLER READER, I HAVE GOT

TO ADMIT NOR MYSTERIES BUT

SOMEONE GAVE ME THIS.

USUAL LEIGH IF THERE IS A

BODY IN THE FIRST TEN PAGES

I COMPLETELY LOSE INTEREST

BUT THIS IS A MYSTERY CALLED

TOO BIG TO MISS BUT A WOMAN

NAMED SUANNE JAFF ARIAN AND

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS

MYSTERY IS THE WHO DONE IT

STUFF IS FUN TO READ AND

ENGAGING.

BUT THE AMATEUR ABSOLUTE IS

A PARALEGAL AND SHE'S A

WOMAN OF LARGE THIGHS, SHE

WEIGHS ABOUT 300 POUNDS AND

IT'S THIS PERSPECTIVE OF

WHAT IT IS REALLY LIKE TO BE

INSIDE THIS BODY THAT IS

THOUGHT THIS BOOK.

AND IT IS A VERY ENGAGING

VOICE.

AGAIN IT'S VERY FUNNY.

IT'S VERY COMPELLING.

BUT IT JUST GIVES A WHOLE

DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE THAN

WHAT I'M USED TO READING

ABOUT AND SOMETHING I DON'T

THINK ABOUT THAT OFTEN.

AND THE WAY THAT A WOMAN OF

THAT SIZE IS TREATED WHEN

SHE GOES INTO A STORE OR

GOES OUT ON A DATE.

I SKIMMED OVER A LOT OF THAT

STUFF.

>> Rooney: DID YOU IF.

>> BUT IT WAS-- IT DOESN'T

INTEREST ME, IT WAS JUST THE

PERSPECTIVE ON LIFE AND THE

CHARACTER THAT I WAS MORE

INTERESTED IN.

>> Rooney: FASCINATING.

>> IT IS, VERY GOOD AND ONE

IN A SERIES.

>> Rooney: ALL RIGHT.

AMY, THRILLER.

>> MY THRILLER MYSTERY IS

SOMEWHAT OF A MYSTERY IN THE

SENSE THAT ALL GOOD, GREAT

AMERICAN NOVELS ARE.

IF YOU LIKE CORMAC

MacC.A.R.T.Y F YOU LOVE JOHN

STEINBECK, YOU WILL LOVE

JOHN CLINCHES KINGS OF THE

EARTH.

IT'S HIS SECOND NOVEL,.

IS THIS IS THE STORY OF

THREE ELDERLY BROTHERS

LIVING ALONE WHEN ONE OF THE

BROTHERS DIES AND IT IS

DISCOVERED HE WAS

ASPHYXIATED.

SO THE MYSTERY IS HOW DID HE

REALLY DIE.

DID ONE OF THE TWO SURVIVING

BROTHERS KILL HIM.

I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET

MONEY THAT THIS BOOK WILL BE

IF NOT THE WINNER OF THE

PULL PITZER, A FINALIST.

>> Rooney: SHE IS OUT THERE

ON A LIMB.

WE'VE GOT TWO MORE

CATEGORIES.

>> WE HAVE TO MOVE ON.

NONFICTION NEXT.

>> HOW FICTION WORKS, IT'S

NOT JUST FOR WRITERS, IT'S

ALSO FOR READERS, JAMES WOOD

IS A PROFESSOR AT HARVARD.

AND HE IS A CRITIC WHO IS

READABLE BY ANY LAYPERSON

AND IF YOU LOVE FICTION,

THIS TELLS HOW IT WORKS.

IT'S REALLY, SORT OF-- .

>> Rooney: I'M NOT A FICTION

READER.

>> IT IS THE HISTORY OF

NARIVITY.

HE STARTS WITH THE BIBLE.

SO NARRATIVE IS IN EVERYONE'S

LIFE THAT'S MY BIG.

>> I'VE GOT JOHN WATERS BOOK

ROLE MODELS, HIS THIRD

COLLECTION OF ESSAYS, A

WRITER AND DIRECTOR OF HAIR

SPRAY AND PINK FLAMINGOS.

THIS IS A COLLECTION OF

ESSAYS IN WHICH HE DESCRIBES

PEOPLE OR THINGS THAT HE

ADMIRES IN LIFE.

AND HE'S SUCH A QUIRKY POINT

OF VIEW THAT EVEN WHEN YOU

THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING

ABOUT JOHNNY MATHIS OR

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS, HE FINDS

LITTLE ODD DETAILS THAT YOU

HAVEN'T THOUGHT ABOUT AND

YOU SEE THINGS FROM A VERY

DIFFERENT EYE AND I SHOULD

SAY THERE IS ONE CHAPTER

DEVOTED TO HIS TEN FAVORITE

BOOKS SO THERE ANOTHER

READING LIST IN THERE.

THEY ARE VERY UNUSUAL

CHOICES.

VERY ENGAGING.

COWRITE ABOUT ANYTHING AND

MAKE YOU CARE ABOUT IT.

>> ON AMAZON THEY CALLED HIM

THE GREAT AMERICAN ODDBALL.

>> PERFECT.

>> Rooney: ANOTHER BIG

WINNER WHAT IS IT.

>> JES CA, I KNOW THAT.

>> YOU KNOW INTERNATIONALLY

RENOWNED TER-- THIS IS HER

MEMOIR CALLED DENIAL WHICH

HAS RERECEIVED TWO REVIEWS

IN "THE NEW YORK TIMES" THIS

WEEK AND HER MEMOIR ABOUT

HOW SHE CAME TO BECOME

INTERESTED IN TERRORISM WITH

HER OWN EXPERIENCE.

>> Rooney: BEFORE IT WAS

FASHIONABLE.

>> HER OWN EXPERIENCE .

SHE ALONG WITH HER TEENAGE

SISTER WHEN THEY WERE BOTH

TEENS WERE RAPED BY A

STRANGER AND NO ONE BELIEVED

THEM.

FASCINATING.

YOU CANNOT PUT IT DOWN IT IS

UNBELIEVABLE.

I WILL LEAVE IT WITH YOU IF

YOU WOULD LIKE.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO READ THAT

ONE IT THAT UNDERS LIKE MY

KIND OF BOOK.

>> FICTION.

>> THE FAMILY MAN T IS OUT

IN PAPER NOW, THIS IS MY

HARDBACK COPY BY-- THE THING

THAT IS WONDERFUL ABOUT THE

BOOK IS THAT THEY ARE

AMAZINGLY PLOTTED.

GOOD HEARTED.

GENEROUS AND SMART.

AND I THINK IT'S HARD TO

PULL ALL THOSE THINGS OFF.

THIS IS THE STORY OF A MAN

WHO IS LONELY, HIS BEST

FRIEND JUST DIED, HE'S

DIVORCED.

HE'S GAY AND THEN HE FINDS,

RECONNECTS WITH A LONG LOST

STEPDAUGHTER AND OVER THE

COURSE OF THE BOOK ACQUIRED

THIS LIKE CRAZY BLENDED 25

II 1s CENTURY FAMILY THAT IS

WONDERFUL.

IT'S A GREAT SHALL BOOK.

>> AND VERY FUNNY.

>> VERY FUNNY.

>> VERY FUNNY.

>> WHAT DO YOU HAVE.

>> I GOT ANTHONY-- HE KNEW

HE WAS RIGHT.

LYING LIKE TO READ ONE

REALLY LONG BOOK BECAUSE

THERE IS SOMETHING

ABOUT-- BUT LISTEN, IT IS

NOT PROUST, I HAVE TO SAY.

HE IS VERY ACCESSIBLE.

AND IT IS VERY

STRAIGHTFORWARD PROCEEDS,

VERY ENGAGING CHARACTERS.

STORY OF A MAN WITHOUT

BECOMES OBSESSED WITH THE

FACT THAT HIS WIFE HAS AN

INAPPROPRIATE FRIENDSHIP,

NOT EVEN AFFAIR WITH AN

OLDERMAN.

AND IT DRIVES HIM CRAZY.

AND IT IS JUST A WONDERFUL

BOOK YOU JUST GET SUCK MOOD

THIS WHOLE WORLD QUICKLY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

OKAY.

>> ONE MORE BIG HIT.

>> ANOTHER BIG HIT, YOU

BELONG TO A BOOK CLUB YOU

WANT TO GET THIS BOOK IT IS

THE ESCAPE BY LYNN GRIFFIN

SHE LIVES IN SCITUATE.

SHE IS, SHE WRITES A LOT

LIKE ANNA QUINLAN, WILL YOU

LOVLIN GRIFFIN.

THIS IS THE STORY OF A

MOTHER DAUGHTER STORY ABOUT

A WOMAN, A MOTHER WHOSE

GRIEF MADE HER MUTE AND WHEN

SHE FELL INTO A STROKE SHE

WAS MADE EVEN MORE MUTE.

AND HER DAUGHTER REACHES OUT

TO HER, BONDS WITH HER T

THROUGH THE MOTHER'S HUSBAND

LOVE LETTERS.

IT'S AN ASTONISHINGLY, IT'S

BEAUTIFUL.

>> GREAT RECOMMENDATIONS,

AMY, HOLLEY,-- BY THE WAY,

ALL OF THOSE BOOKS AND THE

ONES IN THE PIECE EARLIER

WILL BE ON THE WEB SITE SO

YOU DON'T HAVE TO MADLY

WRITE THEM DOWN THIS REON

OUR WEB SITE AT "GREATER

BOSTON".ORG THAT IS IT FROM

"GREATER BOSTON."

A REMINDER TO TUNE INTO THE

NEW 89.7 FOR MY RADIO SHOW

FOLLOWED BY CALLIE CROSSLEY

AT 1:00.

AND AGAIN THOSE BOOKS ARE ON

THE WEB SITE AT

GREATERBOSTON.ORG.

WE'LL BE BACK TOMORROW NIGHT

AT 7:00.

I'M EMILY ROONEY.

GOOD NIGHT.