Turning the page on summer reading

Looking for great literary escape in the waning days of summer? Check

out these page-turners from “Librarians Picks 2003,” gleaned from

reading lists of those who know books best at Newport Beach public

libraries:

Allison Pearson’s “I Don’t Know How She Does It” -- If you’re an

“alpha female” trying to do it all and then some, you’ll surely

relate to working mother and high-powered fund manager Kate Reddy.

With wit and humor, this evolved Bridget Jones juggles a

high-pressure job in London’s corporate world and the demands of

family in a timely, laugh-out-loud read.

Donald Harstad’s “Code Sixty-One” -- Be sure the nightlight works

before embarking on this chilling tale of a vampire invasion in a

depressed Mississippi river town. Launched by an apparent suicide,

the eerie yarn is both funny and insightful, albeit with a high body

count and a story line that demands serious suspension of disbelief.

Jacques Pepin’s “The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen” -- In a

poignant memoir, the man Julia Child called “the best chef in

America” recounts his journey from frightened apprentice to culinary

superstar. Beyond a coming-of-age tale, this is a captivating account

of a love affair with food that begins with a small circle of friends

and spreads to shape the food tastes of a nation.

Paul Greenberg’s “Leaving Katya” -- Bring together an exchange

student living in Leningrad in the early 1990s and an aggressively

ambitious Russian woman. Plunge them into an affair set against the

collapse of the Soviet Union. Bring cultural differences and

unrealistic expectations to the fore, and you have a bittersweet love

story that will appeal to 20- and 30-something readers.

Jane Smiley’s “Good Faith” -- Set in the greed-driven 1980s,

Smiley’s 12th novel is a cautionary tale of self-betrayal. On center

stage is Joe Stratford, a genial, divorced real estate agent. Drawn

into a seven-figure American fantasy and some not-so-smart romantic

affairs, he becomes a victim of his own making in this entertaining

indictment of a covetous era.

Oriana Fallaci’s “The Rage and the Pride” -- A noted Italian

journalist breaks a long silence with this post-Sept. 11 critique

that explores themes related to Jihad: the Holy War. Alongside a

hard-hitting diatribe against Islamic terrorism, there are personal

reflections and trenchant discussions of numerous topics related to

the incineration at the Twin Towers.

Kurt Corriher’s “Someone to Kill” -- In a thriller that takes a

determined protagonist across Europe, to the Greek Isles and back to

North Carolina, a first time novelist delivers an explosive tale of

grief-fueled revenge. After Joe Pavlak’s soon-to-be ex-wife and

4-year-old daughter are assassinated in a car bombing, the Vietnam

veteran and college instructor takes on the FBI and CIA in a chase as

twisted as his disagreeable nature.

Find more recommended reading under “Top Picks” at

https://www.newportbeach

library.org.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Melissa Adams in collaboration with

Susie Lamb. All titles may be reserved from home or office computers

by accessing the catalog at https://www.newportbeach

library.org.