What teen is going to sit down and read a 656-page biography??
Well, I have to tell you, Steve Jobs is one of the most-requested nonfiction books in my library this year. Just yesterday, walking down the hall, a teacher asked if the library owned it. Sitting at my desk about half an hour later, a senior stopped by to ask if we had it. We do, we do! But it’s checked out to a science teacher, who has come by twice in the last week to tell me how much she’s enjoying it. A 9th grader read it over the holiday vacation. Just what is it about this man?
Obviously, there are hundreds of articles and reviews and interviews available concerning this book. After all, it was the #1 best-selling book of 2011 on Amazon.com. But the fact I found most interesting is that its author considers it only a first draft. Isaacson is considering an expanded version.
* ISAACSON, Walter. Steve Jobs. 656p. illus. photos. bibliog. index. notes. S & S. 2011. Tr $35. ISBN 978-1-4516-4853-9. LC 2011045006.
Adult/High School–Isaacson exhaustively details the life of one of the most iconic figures of our times. He conducted 40 interviews with Jobs himself as well as numerous interviews with Jobs’s business associates and friends. We hear loud and clear that Jobs sought to define Apple as “the company that thrives best at the intersection of artistry and technology.” The history of Silicon Valley and the technology industry is so intertwined with his life that they are almost one and the same. Isaacson does not spare readers the details of how difficult Jobs could be in dealing with friends and associates, but his ability to see beyond the cutting edge, coupled with his legendary “reality distortion field,” has produced some of the most innovative products of our times. Young adults of today, who have grown up immersed in technology, will gain an understanding of the arguments for and against open vs. closed systems and how they affect business decisions and outcomes. They will also be able to see the impact of quality design. Although longer than most biographies recommended to teens, this title is destined to be a classic. The dense details can be distracting at times, but readers who are particularly interested in technology will be hooked in the first chapter. Those who would like more information on the history of Silicon Valley may want to read John Markoff’s What the Dormouse Said (Viking, 2005).–Vicki Emery, Lake Braddock Secondary School, Fairfax County, VA
The Infernals is published as a young adult novel under a different title (Hell’s Bells) in the U.K. It is the second in a series, following The Gates (which is lucky enough to be published under the same title on both sides of the pond).
Much was made in the U.K. of John Connelly’s switch to young adult fiction, something that was obviously ignored in the U.S. by publishing these books for the adult market. I enjoyed this article from Scotland, published in The Big Issue, for its mention of The Book of Lost Things (Atria, 2006), which Connolly calls “probably the best book that I’m going to write.” He also shares his thoughts on horror and younger readers.
CONNOLLY, John. The Infernals. 320p. Atria. Oct. 2011. Tr $22. ISBN 978-1-4516-4308-4. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–Demons from Hell are once again plotting to destroy Earth. In this follow up to The Gates (Atria, 2009), Connolly gives readers Round two of the battle. A portal between Hell and Earth has been reopened courtesy of excess energy generated by the Large Hadron Collider. Mrs. Abernathy (a demon) wants to reestablish her position with The Great Malevolence, ruler of the underworld, who has been in mourning since Mrs. Abernathy failed in her previous attempt to destroy Earth. She is determined to capture the ones who foiled her plan: 11-year-old Samuel Johnson and his dog Boswell. Reminiscent of Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman’s Good Omens (Workman, 1990), this battle of good vs. evil is full of quirky characters including a variety of scary underworld denizens, Samuel’s demon ally Nurd, an ice-cream truck driver, and several dwarves on the run from the law. Told with unmistakable British wit, equal parts fantasy and humor, teens will enjoy the story’s elements of scheming, power struggles, and the wildly inappropriate behavior of the dwarves. The explanatory footnotes are funny but get to be a bit tiresome; however, they can be skimmed without detriment to the story. Although it is a sequel, The Infernals stands alone; Connolly provides a brief summary of the events in The Gates early on so that readers starting with this volume will still find it enjoyable.–Carla Riemer, Berkeley High School, CA
Only two month ago I posted a review of The Women of the Cousins’ War, the nonfiction book Philippa Gregory shared with historians David Baldwin and Michael Jones. Now she releases a novel based on the life of Jacquetta, one of the women featured there.
The Lady of the Rivers has many teen elements, from the author herself to story elements of witchcraft, romance and court intrigue, even Jacquetta’s connection to Joan of Arc. Given that this is the first in a new series from Gregory, it makes for a nice entry point for new readers, too.
GREGORY, Philippa. The Lady of the Rivers. 443p. (The Cousins’ War series). Touchstone. Oct. 2011. Tr $27.99. ISBN 978-1-4165-6370-9. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–Teen fans of historical fiction absolutely must have a Philippa Gregory book in their repertoire. In this title, the author of The Other Boleyn Girl (Touchstone, 2004) brings to light yet another woman unknown to most readers but whose very presence helps to set in motion events that impact history. As the latest in a long line of women with “the sight,” Jacquetta attracts the attention of the Duke of Bedford who marries her so that he can use her skill to help him reach the alchemist’s dream of turning iron into gold. This doesn’t happen of course, and after his death, Jacquetta, now Duchess of Bedford marries beneath her station for love. Richard Woodville is a faithful husband as well as a loyal subject of the insane King Henry VI. As lady-in-waiting to Queen Margaret (known to her subjects and history as a “she-wolf”) Jacquetta is at the front and center of what will later be known as the “Wars of the Roses.” Passion, adventure, and a touch of witchcraft keep readers on edge as court intrigue shifts and changes with the unpredictability of King Henry’s madness. As the first in an expected series, this title will make teens want to continue reading to find out what happens to the next generation. Recommend Gregory’s recent nonfiction effort The Women of the Cousins’ War (Touchstone, 2011) to those who are curious about the history.–Connie Williams, Petaluma High School, CA
Alice Hoffman’s new novel is, overall, a departure for the popular author which nevertheless retains her favorite elements. The Dovekeepers is weighty historical fiction that features strong women and a touch of magic. It centers on the Roman siege and tragedy at Masada 2,000 years ago, told in the voices of four women who tend the doves in the mountain fortress.
This is a special book for Hoffman, and she devoted years to its research and writing. For more on what inspired her interest in Masada, take a look at this letter to her readers or listen to her tell the story on video, including images of the dovecote ruins.
Obviously, this is not a book that will appeal to the majority of teens. But do offer it to those who enjoy history, those interested in what life was like during biblical times, mature readers who relish excellent writing, and fans excited to follow Alice Hoffman into new territory.
HOFFMAN, Alice. The Dovekeepers: A Novel. 504p. Scribner. 2011. Tr $27. ISBN 978-1-4516-1747-4. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–In 70 C.E. time is running out for the Jews holding against the superior forces of the Roman Army. Jerusalem has fallen, and now Roman attention is turned to the 900 Jewish rebels who fled to the mountain stronghold of Masada. Among the turmoil and anguish are four women assigned to be dovekeepers in this stark, fateful place. Yael is raised by a father who blames her for her mother’s death and refuses to acknowledge her; Revka arrives with her traumatized grandsons who no longer speak after the brutal death of their mother. Aziza, raised as a boy to become an accomplished soldier, walks a fine line between womanhood and her abilities as a warrior; and Shirah, born into a pagan world that celebrates women’s strength, spirit ,and magic, is now despised by priests and all who forswore pagan ways. These women struggle to accept themselves, even as desperate events force them to desperate measures. The story of the downfall at Masada is an amazing story of a people who faced down their enemies with the sheer force of their will. Hoffman succeeds in creating a cross section of characters who embody differing worldviews of the time, allowing readers to more fully understand the decisions each woman made as she found her way to the desert stronghold. This is an intense novel of history, women’s spirituality, desperation, Jewish culture, and survival. For teens who delve deeply into history or who think about religion, culture, or social customs, this is an excellent recommendation.–Connie Williams, Petaluma High School, CA
Jaycee Dugard’s memoir was an instant bestseller, and its teen appeal is obvious — Dugard was a teen for half of the time she was in captivity, and teens enjoy reading sensational, true stories. It is especially haunting that writing a bestselling book was on a list of goals she made while in captivity. Also interesting that A Stolen Life bears similarities to Emma Donoghue’s Room.
Most readers, including critics, seem to come away from the book genuinely impressed by Dugard’s ability to survive and rebound from her experiences. Dugard established the JAYC Foundation to help the families impacted by abduction, and just yesterday she was in the news again for filing a law suit against the federal government. Phillip Garrido, her abductor, was on federal parole for 8 years of her captivity. Any funds she might win in the suit would go to the foundation.
DUGARD, Jaycee. A Stolen Life: A Memoir. 273p. illus. photos. S & S. 2011. Tr $24.99. ISBN 978-1-4516-2918-7. LC number unavailable.
Adult/High School–Teens who have read about the girl who was kidnapped at age 11 and held captive for 18 years will be anxious to read this book. Written, as Dugard says, “in my own words, in my own way, exactly how I remember it,” the book provides details of her experiences. While it might not be as explicit as teens hoped, they won’t be disappointed: what is and isn’t revealed is thought-provoking. She discusses her past of being forced to hide in public to protect her abusers and her current need to hide to protect her children from media attention. Photocopied journal entries and lists are included along with grainy photographs. Many of the lists are like any teen’s and would be boring except for the context. For example, #1 on “Dreams for the Future” is “See Mom.” A list entitled “Affirmations” begins “1. Only I can make it happen. 2. I control what I eat. 3. Every day I become the person I want to be.” It’s disturbing to see how many encounters her kidnappers had with authorities and how long it took them to find her even with the entire “family” walking into a parole office. Some of the most interesting chapters of the book are at the end: Dugard’s rescue, reunification, and “free” life, and the huge burst of freedom and fear that brings. While other books explore the abuse and captivity, Dave Peltzer’s A Child Called It (HCI, 1995), Emma Donoghue’s Room (Little Brown, 2010), and Elizabeth Scott’s Living Dead Girl (Simon Pulse, 2008) to name a few, Dugard’s memoir is refreshingly innocent, kind, unsensational.–Amy Cheney, Alameda County Library, Juvenile Hall, CA
Angela Carstensen is Head Librarian and an Upper School Librarian at Convent of the Sacred Heart in New York City. Angela served on the Alex Awards committee for four years, chairing the 2008 committee, and chaired the first YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adult committee in 2009. Recently, she edited Outstanding Books for the College Bound: Titles and Programs for a New Generation (ALA Editions, 2011). Contact her via Twitter @AngeReads.
