Theresa Adams
February 28, 2011Henry remembered for priorities
March 2, 2011MY LIFE IN BOOKS
By PAT CONROY Doubleday, $25
Conroy pens a poignant love letter to books – to his mother, who introduced him, at age 5, to the joy of reading; and to Gene Norris, his remarkable English teacher, who turned him on to writing and became a lifelong friend. And, what a writer he became with bestsellers “The Prince of Tides,” “Beach Music,” “South of Broad” and many others. Then there’s the high school librarian who apparently never read a book, hated lending them out and suggested he read a book about football, “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”
As much as he loved his mother, he despised his father, a marine pilot, harsh disciplinarian and the model for the father in his book, “The Great Santini.”
DEAD LIKE YOU
By PETER JAMES Minotaur Books, $25.99
A serial rapist with a fetish for women’s high heel designer shoes is on the loose in Brighton, England, and Detective Superintendent Roy Grace sees a similarity to a 1997 case where the perpetrator was dubbed “Shoe Man.” Can he have returned, or is this the work of a copycat?
Grace has two very likely suspects, but must find the real culprit before he attacks again, and this time, murders his victim.
This is a riveting, frightening and suspenseful novel from one of the UK’s most popular crime and thriller novelists. This is James’ first American-published novel and I can’t wait to read his next U.S. release.
THE FALL of the HOUSE of WALWORTH
By GEOFFREY O’BRIEN Henry Holt, $30
True crime, especially murder, always fascinates, and when it occurs within members of a prominent American family, it is that much more intriguing.
Mansfield Walworth, a lawyer, prolific writer, and unstable husband, is shot to death by his 19-year-old son, Frank, in response to his father’s threats to kill his ex-wife, Frank’s mother. In this dysfunctional family, Ellen Hardin Walworth stands out as the epitome of sanity; an amazing woman, a founder of the DAR, who studied law to defend her son.
The effects of the murder shattered the family and exposed their most private secrets in bold newspaper headlines.
HADACOL DAYS
By CLYDE BOLTON NewSouth Books, $24.95
“Statham Wildcats on the Ball, They’ve Been Drinking Hadacol,” Bolton’s high school cheer and inspiration for the title.
For those too young to remember, Hadacol was a cure for whatever ailed you, (due undoubtedly to its 12 percent alcohol content.)
Bolton, who retired after 40 years as sportswriter for the Birmingham News and author of 18 books, casts his sharp-eyed observations on small town life in the ’40s and ’50s where malefactors were punished with ingenuity instead of paddle, as when a prankster let the air out of his teacher’s car and was made to re-inflate them with a hand pump.
GIVES TEENS A BREAK
By JOHN R. MORELLA, Ph.D. American Book Publishing, $22
What’s wrong with our teens? Could it be us: parents and other authorities that expect the worse when little Johnnie, that sweet 3-year old, grows up?
Very possibly says Dr. Morella, who believes we should give teens, the great majority of whom are quite normal, a break. Learn how to talk to teens in language they understand and listen carefully when they speak. In enlightening appendices, teens’ answers to confidential questionnaires are quite revealing and illuminating.
HISTORIC PHOTOS OF NEW ORLEANS JAZZ
By THOMAS L. MORGAN Turner Books, $39.95
Tom Morgan, jazz historian, writer and radio producer has assembled 200 rare images from the Louisiana State Museum’s Jazz Collection, covering jazz musicians from the 1890s to Preservation Hall to Jazz Fest, and wrote captions for all.
Louie, King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Louie Prima, Pete Fountain and even Sharkey Bonano and dancers, Pork Chops and Kidney Stew, appearing at the Blue Room of the Roosevelt Hotel are all here assembled with obvious great love and affection and a wonderful remembrance of great times.
YOUNG JESUS
By POPE HUVAL with Illustrations by Alex Tan Impressions-Print Design & Marketing, $12
Written for youngsters, it will intrigue adults as well. Ms. Huval illustrates a fictional (of course) incident in which Jesus, at age 13, offers respite to a family traveling to find a doctor for their ailing daughter. While they ask only for shade and drink, they receive an amazing gift from Jesus.
