Bookmarks

0 Comments | Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jun 14, 2009

Here are some books that have crossed our desks recently.

HARDBACKS

"IN DEFENSE OF THOMAS JEFFERSON: The Sally Hemings Sex Scandal," by William G. Hyland Jr., Thomas Dunne Books, $26.95 (nf)

The belief that Thomas Jefferson had an affair and fathered a child (or children) with slave Sally Hemings -- and that such an allegation was proven by DNA testing -- has become so pervasive in American popular culture that it is not only widely accepted but taught to students as historical fact.

William G. Hyland Jr., though, contends this "fact" is nothing more than the accumulation of salacious rumors and irresponsible scholarship over the years, and that those historians have the wrong Jefferson. Here Hyland traces a different line and presents his own set of evidence.

"ROADSIDE CROSSES," by Jeffery Deaver, Simon & Schuster, $26.95

A sadistic killer is using personal information from his victims' online profiles and blog posts to tap into their deepest fears. The killer prefaces each attack with a roadside cross, marked with the date of a future attack.

Kathryn Dance (who appears in two previous Deaver novels) needs to use her expertise in kinesics (the study of body language to detect lies). Dance traces the attacks to a recent car accident that killed two teenage girls.

The driver, a shy boy named Travis Brigham, survived but becomes the target of cyberbullies who blamed him for the accident. Dance discovers that each of the murder victims had recently attacked Travis on a popular blog. Did the bullying push the boy over the edge?

"SEALING THEIR FATE: The Twenty-Two Days That Decided World War II," by David Downing, Da Capo Press, 368 pages, $27

This book is a unique look at Nov. 17-Dec. 8, 1941, during which events in Africa, Russia and the Pacific would eventually determine the outcome of the war. This book contends that pivotal actions took place early in the war, before the United States became involved. Downing's perspective is that the war was not won with superior skill, planning and manpower, but rather lost by a few governments that failed to see the larger picture.

More hardbacks recently released:

"Building a Home With My Husband: A Journey Through the Renovation of Love," by Rachel Simon (nf); "The Last Trials of Clarence Darrow," by Donald McRae (nf); "Perfection: A Memoir of Betrayal and Renewal," by Julie Metz (nf); "The Bird Catcher," by Laura Jacobs (f); "Gary Jennings' Apocalypse 2012," by Robert Gleason and Junius Podrug (f); "The Rise and Fall of Communism," by Archie Brown (nf); "Singing Was the Easy Part," by Vic Damone with David Chanoff (nf); "The Memory Collector," by Meg Gardiner (f); "The Tehran Conviction," by Tom Gabbay (f))

PAPERBACKS

"A BUMP IN THE ROAD: A Novel from Happy Hour to Baby Shower," by Maureen Lipinski, St. Martin's Press, 304 pages, $13.95

Clare is a 27-year-old event planner, better known for her blog, which gets 20,000 hits a day and is making her kind of famous. She and her husband, Jake, aren't planning on having kids until they're in their 30s, but Clare unexpectedly gets pregnant. Now she has to transition from a party girl to dealing with maternity wear, not drinking, dragging her husband home from keggers, keeping peace between her two best friends who hate each other (both of whom want to throw her a baby shower), and listening to a conservative mother- in-law who is scandalized by Clare's every choice.

More paperbacks recently released:

"Oxygen," by Carol Cassella (f); "Love Today: Stories," by Maxim Biller (f); "Do Not Deny Me," by Jean Thompson (f); "Lover Man," by Genevo Holliday (f); "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Twins: A Step-by- Step Program for Sleep-Training Your Multiples," by Marc Weissbluth (nf); "The Spies of Warsaw," by Alan Furst (f, reprint); "Origins: A Memoir," by Amin Maalouf (nf); "The Unit," by Ninni Holmqvist (f); "Songs for the Butcher's Daughter," by Peter Manseau (f, reprint)

YOUNG READERS

"GONE WITH THE WAND," by Margie Palatini and illustrations by Brian Ajhar, Orchard Book, $16.99; ages 4-8

Having a bad wand day isn't so bad when you have friends. This charming picture book features a story about friendship and finding one's place in life. Beautiful illustrations are the perfect companion to zany characters and hilarious wordplay. -- Jessica Harrison

"PEACE, LOVE, AND BABY DUCKS," by Lauren Myracle, Dutton Juvenile, $16.99; ages 12 and up

Carly, a 15-year-old, is sick of her cushy life in the Atlanta suburbs. The only person she can stand being around is her sister, Anna. But when 14-year-old Anna turns plastic-perfect-pretty over the course of a single summer, everything starts to change. It takes Carly and Anna -- and a trio of baby ducks -- hitting rock bottom before things can be made right.

More recently released books for young readers:

"Chasing the Bear: A Young Spenser Novel," by Robert B. Parker (young adult); "Dragonbreath," by Ursula Vernon (ages 9-12)

Compiled by Kari Morandi