It seems a little strange — like so many things do these days — to write about books when you can’t actually check out a physical book from the library. Perhaps you can make a list of things you’d like to read once the library re-opens. If you are OK with reading digital books, you might soon also be able to check out these books at either Hoopla or Kansas Digital Book eLending.
One of the season’s most anticipated novels is “Apeirogon” by National Book Award winner Colum McCann. An unexpected friendship develops between two men: an Israeli who lost a daughter in a suicide bombing, and a Palestinian man whose daughter was shot and killed by an Israeli border guard. Israeli Rami and Palestinian Bassam were raised to hate one another, but find themselves connected by their losses. Although a novel, McCann based this book on the real-life story of two men he met, both of whom cooperated with him as he was writing it.
In “Eight Perfect Murders” by Peter Swanson, bookstore owner Malcolm Kershaw is visited by an FBI agent. Eight years ago, Kershaw made a blog post listing what he believed were the eight murder mysteries where the murderer came up with the most clever ideas to baffle investigators. Now someone seems to be using that list as a guide to their own murder spree. They wonder if Kershaw has any leads for them—but Kershaw initially doesn’t reveal that he knew one of the victims. Author Swanson says he came up with the idea for this book while taking a walk, and not just the premise but pretty much the entire book.
If you like humorous books, you might want to try “Been There, Married That” by Gigi Levangie, a send-up of Hollywood marriages. Author Agnes Murphy Nash returns to the home she shares with husband Trevor, a movie producer, to find that her pass code at the gate no longer works. Climbing the gate, Agnes is tased and informed by the security guard that Trevor is filing for divorce. He also cancels her credit cards, tries to sell the house, and gets her shipped to rehab for her almond habit. Agnes calls in reinforcements: a lawyer and, more importantly, her ex-con sister, and it’s on. Together they contrive to get the best of Trevor.
If you’re mourning the premature end of the NCAA basketball season, maybe John Feinstein’s look at the previous season will help fill the void. Feinstein has written a number of popular sports books, including most notably “A Season on the Brink.” In “The Back Roads to March,” Feinstein again writes about college basketball, but this time the “unsung, unheralded, and unknown heroes.” He takes the reader into the “mid-major” teams who operate without the money and attention of the major powerhouses of NCAA basketball. Feinstein is a wonderful storyteller and this book looks to be another masterpiece of the genre.
