At the beginning of Aftermath, Harald Jähner poses the question: How did West Germans, after twelve years of Nazi dictatorship and four years in historical limbo without their own state—“a kind of no-man’s-time,” he calls it—“gradually become ordinary citizens again?” He seeks the answer in the “bitter education” of everyday life in the early postwar […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/12/22/adenauers-bargain-aftermath-harald-jahner/

No regular reader of Cormac McCarthy will be surprised to find that The Passenger begins with a corpse. Or two corpses, really, one of which has gone missing. The one we see, in the italicized, single-page prologue with which the book begins, is of a frozen golden-haired girl found hanging “among the bare gray poles […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/12/22/language-destroyer-of-worlds-the-passenger-cormac-mccarthy/

The evening I received a copy of Weasels in the Attic, I heard noises in my attic. I told my wife it was probably a squirrel. I knew it was not a squirrel. “Listen, when you think about buying a house, give it some real thought, okay?” says Saiki, a fortysomething man in Hiroko Oyamada’s […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/12/22/houses-of-holes-weasels-in-the-attic-hiroko-oyamada/

Is anyone a Björk fan for life? Beginning with her 1997 album, Homogenic, the Icelandic singer and producer has put out records of such uncompromising intensity that it can be hard for even the most ardent fan to maintain enthusiasm over several years. If Björk’s early hits had the exuberance and ephemerality of the London […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/12/22/the-hunter-fossora-bjork/

If you’re searching for the perfect, alarming symbol of our perfectly, alarmingly divided polity, you might look to the 142nd district of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, which lies northeast of Philadelphia and just west of Trenton, New Jersey. It is the home of the Sesame Place theme and water park, wedged in between the […]

Original source: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2022/12/22/looming-questions-for-the-democrats-michael-tomasky/

Delightfully narrated by Thomas Judd, The Case of the Disappearing Beaune by J. Lawrence Matthews is a delightful novella with a mystery you won’t want to miss. Grab your earbuds and curl up by the fire for this holiday mystery.

The Case of the Disappearing Beaune
by J. Lawrence Matthews
Narrator: Thomas Judd
Genres: Mystery
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate

Rating:
Narration: 5 cups Speed: 1.3x

Beaune [bōn] noun: a red Burgundy wine from the Côte de Beaune region of France.

Christmas morning 1902, London, England. A bottle of fine French wine from the Côte de Beaune region of France, intended as a gift from Mr. Sherlock Holmes to his old friend Dr. Watson, is found to have been drained of its aromatic spirits during the night and filled with sand. But not just any sand….

Thus begins this sweet short holiday mystery from the author of One Must Tell the Bees: Abraham Lincoln and the Final Education of Sherlock Holmes

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I am always on the lookout for different holiday reads/listens for the Ho-Ho-Ho readathon and was delighted to be offered a Sherlock Holmes Christmas Mystery.

It’s Christmas morning in 1901 at the residence of Sherlock Holmes on Baker Street. Sherlock presents Dr. Watson with a bottle of French Beaune after declining to attend Christmas dinner. However, the wine has been replaced with sand and Sherlock is convinced something is afoot. In fact, he suspects it means a threat to the newly crowned King of England.

This was clever and entertaining. I don’t want to reveal too much, suffice is to say, I am not wholly convinced Sherlock wouldn’t have solved it quicker, but I throughly enjoyed his theories on a plot against the King and loved watching him and Dr. Watson investigate.

The story was well written, capturing both characters and their friends. I couldn’t have asked for a better mystery for the holidays and will certainly listen to more of Matthews’ stories.

Thomas Judd narrates and truly did a wonderful job of giving voice to both Watson and Sherlock. He enhanced the overall tale and listening was a pleasure.

Perfect for fans of Sherlock Holmes and short mysteries looking for a Christmas story with our detective.

Amazon* | Audible

*available in KindleUnlimited

The Case of the Disappearing Beaune by J. Lawrence Matthews, narrated by Thomas Judd, delivered a festive holiday mystery for Sherlock & Holmes to solve. #audiobook #AudiobookReview
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Reading this book contributed to these challenges:

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Original source: https://caffeinatedbookreviewer.com/2022/12/the-case-of-the-disappearing-beaune-by-j-lawrence-matthews.html

The Lost Siren by Hermione Lee starts out with one of the most beautiful settings I have read in a book so far! Aquila is a young, beautiful, and enchanting Siren of the sea. Unfortunately, she wakes up on an iceberg alone, scared, and without a memory of her past. She’s bruised and cut up but finds her way to an island, where she is rescued by a young sorcerer named Everard.

Everard and Aquila fall in love with each other quickly. He takes care of her and answers any questions she has. He doesn’t like it when she has questions about the palace or the royal family. Everard, however, is not the knight in shining armor we all thought at first. He hurts and abandons Aquila, and she is rescued by a handsome king. Aquila quickly falls in love with the king’s kind spirit, but as she starts to regain her memory of her past, she isn’t proud of who she used to be. Finally, war comes to the palace, and Aquila must write all her wrongs to end the war.

I really did enjoy the creative aspect of the book. The world that was created by the author was unique and painted a good picture in my mind. It was well written with great detail. I loved the characters and their development throughout the story. I enjoyed reading about the magical powers they had in this world. An island full of magic creates such a beautiful picture. What I didn’t like about the book was how the relationships developed when it came to love; there was no build-up. I like falling in love with the characters; in this case, readers are not given much to build on.

The Lost Siren is a captivating teen and young adult novel with elements of romance. While there is a love interest, the story focuses on how Aquila deals with her emotions and the realization of who she is. It is perfect for teen girls struggling with who they are and want fantasy novels that focus on more than battles and wizards.

Pages: 158 | ASIN : B0BGPV6LWN

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/02/the-lost-siren/

In Herschel’s Wake by Michael Wohl is a memoir that recounts the author’s journey to his father’s burial. He is accompanied by his siblings on this trip. The style is very intimate, and the subjects are delicate as it deals with death, complicated father-son relationships, grief, and forgiveness. The author’s realization of who his father was might remind the reader of The Stranger by Camus, in which the main character only comes to understand his mother when approaching his own death. This memoir belongs to a larger group of works wherein complex parent-child relationships are only understood when it is too late. It also explores dynamics between siblings which can be tough to navigate as well.

The strength of this book is how honest it is and raw. The reader will feel as though they are reading the author’s personal diary, which might be uncomfortable but also makes it even more beautiful and easy to read. It is truly a page-turner. Although the subjects that are tackled may seem heavy, the tone is humorous at times and make it easier to read. This is an emotional and profound memoir; any reader will find elements that will resonate with them and that they might relate to.

In Herschel’s Wake is an eye-opening memoir about family and relationships. It should be noted that it might need a trigger warning for people with a challenging relationship with their own family that they have not resolved. However, it is definitely a book I would recommend to someone who has gone through grief and has come to terms with it.

Pages: 258 | ASIN : B0B8PCKNZG

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/02/in-herschels-wake/

Masterly Misled A History of Deceit by Gregory Bathgate is a thought-provoking and intriguing book that explores the conspiracy theories floating around the circumstances of the clash between the Australian cruiser HMAS Sydney and the German auxiliary cruiser HSK Kormoran off the West Australian coast on November 19, 1941. In this book, the author has explored every bit of evidence present at the time of the clash, plus the committee’s rulings. Then, the author explores this case in great detail using these facts and some assumptions.

Author Bathgate provides a collection of data ranging from charts and images to interview snippets and records of the investigation, which I found to be interesting and almost like watching a documentary. However, I did feel that the author’s writing came off as a report conceived to state the facts in their basic form, making me feel like I was one of the investigating officers.

The data collected is arranged topic-wise and presents the arguments to the audience without much ornamentation. I would’ve liked a little more drama to the story and maybe have the investigation reports mixed with a particular form of storytelling or more narrative. However, many details and data are provided, allowing the reader to form their own opinion and try to solve the case alongside the author. This book comes off as a factual read, but I was captivated by all the data and evidence.

Masterly Misled A History of Deceit is a historical look at the mystery of what happened on that day, November 19, 1941. With detailed facts and evidence obtained by the author, readers will be able to come to their own conclusions as to what ruling is correct, if either. I recommend this book to those who enjoy watching detective shows where evidence is provided and the reader ventures alongside the investigator to solve the crime. For readers venturing into this book to search for an interesting conspiracy, this book is for you.

Pages: 351 | ASIN : B0BJ1SXSD3

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/02/masterly-misled/

The Literary Titan Book Awards are awarded to books that have astounded and amazed us with unique writing styles, vivid worlds, complex characters, and original ideas. These books deserve extraordinary praise and we are proud to acknowledge the hard work, dedication, and writing talent of these brilliant authors.

Silver Award Recipients

Visit the Literary Titan Book Awards page to see award information.

Original source: https://literarytitan.com/2022/12/02/literary-titan-silver-book-award-december-2022/