Fair Food: Growing a Healthy, Sustainable Food System for All

Citizenship. Policy matters. Any citizen interested in public policy should consider reading Oran B. Hesterman’s book, Fair Food: Growing a Healthy, Sustainable Food System for All. I notice that I seem to eat better in the summer, when the Farmers’ Market offers lots of choices, and my CSA box arrives with fresh produce every week. In the middle of this bounty, I occasionally think about what food choices are made by others, producers and consumers, and what the consequences of those choices mean for society. Hesterman has been involved in food policy for decades. In this book he describes problems with our current food policies and practices, and proposes ways to change. Foodies and elites are not the audience for this book. Hesterman talks plainly and clearly to all of us and lays our ways in which anyone can become involved in building a healthy food system that works for everybody. Rating: Four-star (Highly Recommended) Click here to purchase Fair Food from amazon.com.

Mission to Paris

Atmospheric. Alan Furst is back with another World War II spy novel that plunges readers into the place and time with lush descriptive language and sharply drawn heroes and villains. Mission to Paris is set mainly in Paris in 1938 and the protagonist, actor Fredric Stahl has arrived there from Hollywood to make a movie titled, “After the War,” referring to World War I. Furst describes the fears of the émigré community in Paris who experience the organized and diligent work of the Nazis as they prepared to conquer Europe. Stahl finds himself in the thick of things and also falling in love. Readers who like spy novels with lots of descriptive language are those most likely to enjoy this book. Rating: Three-star (Recommended) Click here to purchase Mission to Paris from amazon.com.

The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection

Deceptions. The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency has a lot of work to do in the thirteenth installment of the series, a novel by Alexander McCall Smith titled, The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection. In addition to a large cast of characters familiar to readers of this series, a surprise character appears in this one: Clovis Andersen, author of the reference book The Principles of Private Detection, which Precious Ramotswe and Grace Makutsi refer to when they need guidance about detective work. What Smith does so well in this series and in his other books is present a version of human nature that we recognize and understand. There is evil being done, but the forces of good always prevail, and we understand the reasons for each character’s behavior. Readers looking to read an entertaining novel that proceeds at a relaxed pace with interesting characters should consider this book, series and author. Rating: Three-star (Recommended) Click here to purchase The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection from amazon.com.

The Maid: A Novel of Joan of Arc

Mystic. The story of Joan of Arc is a familiar one to all readers. For those who like historical fiction, a debut novel by Kimberly Cutter titled, The Maid, presents this remarkable character from many different perspectives. Cutter uses vivid imagery to take readers into the troubled mind and courageous life of a young woman. The mystical elements of Joan’s story, from feeling chosen by God to hearing voices, are presented with imagination and some perfectly chosen phrases. Readers who like historical fiction are those most likely to enjoy this novel. Rating: Three-star (Recommended) Click here to purchase The Maid from amazon.com.

Snatched

Quick. Crime fiction fans looking for something quick and entertaining to read should consider the Kindle Single from Karin Slaughter titled, Snatched. This novella features Will Trent, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent who has appeared in full length Slaughter novels. The action in this book takes place at Atlanta’s airport and kept me absorbed in the fast-paced action from beginning to end. Readers looking for something short and fun to read are those most likely to enjoy this novella. For Slaughter fans, it’s a great appetizer before opening her latest novel. Rating: Three-star (Recommended) Click here to purchase Snatched from amazon.com.

It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism

Broken. The best preparation for engaged voters ahead of the party conventions and the Fall campaign is to read a sobering book from Thomas W. Mann and Norman J. Ornstein titled It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism. Mann of the Brookings Institution and Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute are scholars who understand our political systems and processes. When they say that the legislative process is broken, we should listen. In the first part of the book, they present a diagnosis of the current dysfunction, and in the second part they propose some ideas on a remedy. Whether you agree or disagree with their assessment and proposals, if you are interested in public affairs, you should listen to their thoughtful analysis. Rating: Four-star (Highly Recommended) Click here to purchase It’s even Worse Than It Looks from amazon.com.

Talulla Rising

Delicious. Were it not for the violence, gore and explicit sex, I think that Glen Duncan’s Talulla Rising would be a perfect selection for high school English students to read to recognize the difference between good writing and bad. Paired against any other horror genre novel, Duncan’s work will stand out. The likeable werewolf protagonist Talulla Demetriou goes to every possible extreme to protect her newborn children from harm. Duncan engages readers from the beginning to the end of this fast moving novel. The opportunity for another installment is clear at the end, so fans can look forward to even more from this fine writer. Rating: Three-star (Recommended) Click here to purchase Talulla Rising from amazon.com.