Gods in Alabama: A Novel

Gods in Alabama: A Novel, by Joshilyn Jackson (2005)

Arlene Fleet has long since left her native Dixie for a new life in Chicago. When the story begins, she hasn't visited her home for some nine years. Arlene's childhood was not an easy one and her family is infuriating but as the story progresses it becomes apparent that Arlene harbors a terrible secret.

The cultural conflict of a Deep South family losing their girl to the North is played to the hilt here and provides some of the funnier moments in the book. Arlene's Aunt Florence has written her niece off to perdition even though the young woman remains a Baptist. Potentially more troublesome is Arlene's black boyfriend: while he is a successful lawyer and church-going man, interracial relations are still problematic for many in her home town of Possett, Alabama.

An old high school acquaintance begins to seek answers as to what became of their former classmate, the star quarterback. When this figure from a previous life crosses paths with the protagonist Arlene is forced to confront her confusing and painful past.

It's a testament to Jackson's abilities as a writer that a mystery novel could also be such solidly funny fiction. Witty and light, there are enough twists and turns here to hold the reader's attention throughout. Highly recommended, young adults and older.

Subscribe to Books @ LP Blog

Dear readers,

Books @ LP Blog gives you the option to track the site via RSS or e-mail. Using either of these features will allow you to be notified whenever we publish a new review.

To track us using RSS

If you have a My Yahoo! or My MSN account use the buttons provided to subscribe to Books @ LP Blog

Alternately, you may copy our feed address from the orange XML button. You can paste this address into your web-based or software-based feed reader

To track us using e-mail

Simply enter your e-mail address in the box provided. You will be directed to the RssFwd page where you will see a notification that you have been subscribed. You will be then be redirected back to Books @ LP Blog. Once you have registered your address, you will receive an e-mail whenever we publish.

Unscarred

Unscarred, by R.M. Hamilton (2006)

Hamilton makes his debut with this tale from a distant land named Eir. While this is his first book, the Chicago-area author’s biography includes some ten years of work in printing and graphic arts.

The fantasy begins with the gruesome toppling of King Jonathan’s empire by Marauder’s vicious henchmen, a battle that determines the entire fate of the land. Marauder’s order, The Eternal Flame, is a ruthless band that inflicts terror on all of their subjects. Shortly after the opening salvo, the reader meets Kyle, a farm boy whose relationship with the feared dictator becomes the central conflict in the story.

When Kyle meets tragedy he learns of his own mysterious lineage. The young farmhand is pulled into Marauder’s orbit following the death of his parents and he is forced to help the dictator find an ancient amulet that only Kyle can retrieve.

The reader meets Melinda, a barmaid, and her brother Adam, who together are proprietors of a successful tavern. They, along with Ellis, a nomad with a questionable past, figure in Kyle’s story as the protagonist finds his way.

The book suffers somewhat from lean editing, but this flaw rarely takes away from the enjoyment of a fast-paced novel. In sum, Hamilton’s debut is a swift-moving, action-packed tale that leaves the reader ready for more. The author is already working on his next novel, which will be the sequel to Unscarred. The graphic fight scenes make this book unsuitable for children; recommended for all other age groups.

Upton Sinclair and the Other American Century

Upton Sinclair and the Other American Century, by Kevin Mattson (2006)

Mattson, a history professor at Ohio University, has written a balanced profile of the author and activist who is best known for penning The Jungle. The landmark book was not a literary masterpiece but it did alert millions of readers to the atrocious conditions faced by immigrant workers in the Chicago meatpacking industry at the turn of the 20th century. Sinclair once said of his signature book, "I aimed for America's heart, and hit its stomach, instead."

Sinclair emerges as a man of contradictions. He started out an ardent socialist but as soon as he began to find wealth he moved to a palatial home in Southern California. The book tracks the author's move rightward toward mainstream politics, starting with his support for the first World War. He would later support World War Two and even the conflict in Vietnam at the end of his life.

In spite of his later embrace of the Democratic Party, Sinclair was never able to hide from his past: his own words were used mercilessly against him in a California gubernatorial run in 1932.

Mattson praises Sinclair for the fact that he took responsibility for his ideas. Even though he was often not taken seriously by them, he wrote governors and presidents in an effort to convince them to adopt his economic policies.

Mattson offers a frank criticism of Sinclair's writing, especially in regard to his works of fiction. Mattson points out that they didn't sell well for the simple fact that they weren't very good and Sinclair often struggled to sell his ideas to publishers. The author was rarely able to divorce himself from the activist and he simply didn't take the time to develop his stories and characters. He did however find success with his Lanny Budd series.

This short book is a quick and interesting account of Sinclair's life and it should appeal to a wide array of readers.

About Books @ LP

Launched in 2006, Books @ LP exists to provide reviews of new and recent books to a wide audience. The site is a part of LibraryProfessionals.com, a domain registered by Jason Cooper in 2001.

Jason is a librarian who lives in the Birmingham, Alabama metro area. He is married to Jacqueline Nazeri, who is also a librarian. Jason holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Indiana University Southeast and a Master of Library Science from Indiana University. He served on the Alabama Library Association's Author Awards Committee from 2004 to 2007.

Jacqueline Nazeri has over 10 years of experience in public and academic libraries. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Speech-Communication from Indiana University Southeast and a Master of Library Science degree from Indiana University. She is currently working toward a Master of Arts in English at the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama. Jacquie joined Books @ LP in 2007

Jason may be contacted at cooper(at)libraryprofessionals.com. Jacqueline may be reached at nazeri(at)libraryprofessionals.com.