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Weekly Words about New Books in
Independent Bookstores
October 14, 2018
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When Women Get Angry, the World Can Change for the Better
Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women's Anger by Rebecca Traister. Author and noted magazine contributor Traister has become one of journalism's leading feminist voices, and her last book, All the Single Ladies: Unmarrie
d Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation, was a national bestseller. With her new release, she explores the transformative power of female anger and its ability to, at times, transcend into a political movement. Not that it's easy - Traister notes that while men's anger is often seen as a positive attribute, women's is "the screech of nails on our national chalkboard."
Her review of female fury and its cultural significance demonstrates the long history of bitter resentment that has clouded women's slow rise to political power in America, as well as the ways that anger is received when it comes from women as opposed to when it comes from men. But there are historical examples of female anger converting to political fuel, and Traister presents them to provide hope and inspiration for current women's movements. Good and Mad is a thoughtful exploration of how women's rage has both suppressed and encouraged change, and it looks at complexities of feminine anger, including the treatment of women of color by white leaders within the movement. Above all, it is a call to action, exhorting individuals and the likes of the #MeToo movement to use anger as a tool for change and progress.
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Mystery Buffs Rejoice - Two New Books to Savor
The Witch Elm by Tana French. Taking a break from her hugely popular Dublin Murder Squad police procedurals, the Edgar-winning  French has produced a stand-alone thriller that has immediately hit bestseller lists. Here's a quick plot preview: Toby is a happy-go-lucky charmer who's dodged a scrape at work and is celebrating with friends when the night takes a turn that will change his life - he surprises two burglars who beat him and leave him for dead. Struggling to recover from his injuries, beginning to understand that he might never be the same man again, he takes refuge at his family's ancestral home to care for his dying uncle Hugo. Then a skull is found in the trunk of an elm tree in the garden - and as detectives close in, Toby is forced to face the possibility that his past may not be what he has always believed.
At 500+ pages, some readers get a little antsy at the outset, but French knows full well how to build suspense. Those who stick with it should be rewarded by a suck-you-in story and delicious plot twists.
Holy Ghost by John Sandford. He may be better known for his "Prey" book series featuring Minnesota cop Lucas Davenport, but I think Sandford's crime books featuring the  unorthodox Virgil Flowers are more entertaining. Davenport has over the years mostly stalked serial killers, and the stories are more straightforward police procedurals. Flowers works for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension as a kind of independent contractor on cases that are bit more offbeat. That fits Virgil just fine, because his detecting skills (which are quite keen) are somewhat idiosyncratic, which makes for enjoyable reading. In this installment, three people in a downtrodden small town are running a scam involving the Virgin Mary appearing at the local church. The resulting crowds has brought an influx of prosperity, but then a sniper starts picking off tourists. Flowers is called in to find the killer, which proves difficult, but that only gives Sandford time to showcase some engaging characters and witty dialogue. Great fun and a fast read.
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WHY THE COLUMN?
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Hi, I'm Hut Landon, and I work as a bookseller in an independent bookstore in BerkeIey, California.
My goal with this newsletter is to keep readers up to date about new books hitting the shelves, share what indie booksellers are recommending in their stores, and pass on occasional news about the book world.
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