December reads to hunker down with during the holidays

Only truly dedicated readers are reading much during the holidays. This month includes books for them. No mass-market easy reading, but some rewarding, thoughtful, tomes.

 

“Natural History” by Andrea Barrett. This author became one of my favorites in 2013 with her “Ship Fever” story collection. Her new book is also short stories, but they are connected and form a rapidly moving larger story centered on people in central New York state. Her characters are largely scientists and naturalists, but this is ultimately about people, their attendant emotions and motivations.

 

“If I Survive You” by Jonathan Escoffery. This debut publication is also related to short stories originating from his own family who immigrated from Jamaica to Miami. His writing is a bit uneven, but when he gets it right it is excellent. There will be more to come from this talented writer.

 

“Signal Fires” by Dani Shapiro. How families are affected by tragedy, loss, love, and secrets. Every family harbors some degree of dysfunction. This is a look at one. Shapiro’s control of the writing prevents this story of heartbreak and redemption from being mawkish.

 

“Sugar Street” by Jonathan Dee. Told in first person by a man clearly fleeing a crime, this tale is a lesson in how to avoid detection in our closed circuit camera, GPS monitored society. A quirky, short read.

 

“The Hero of This Book” by Elizabeth McCracken. I have loved all of her books, all of them a tad eccentric. This one is a memoir of her tenacious and brilliant mother. This loving and honest tribute to a remarkable woman makes a delightful read.

 

“Swann’s War” by Michael B. Oren. Set during World War II on a tiny fishing island off the New England coast. There is a POW camp for Italian soldiers and a small Army post. But when a POW is found murdered, the island deputy must launch an investigation. She is only filling in for her husband who is fighting in the Pacific Theatre. Good story, great, atmospheric writing.

 

“Late City” by Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Olen Butler. An elderly and dying Chicago newsman unfurls his personal history in a “conversation” with God as he lies in his nursing home bed. He gains some insights in his final days about his parents, his relationship with his son, and evolving societal behavior.

 

“Wise Gals” by Nathalia Holt. Nonfiction. A detailed account of the origins of the CIA and four women who were instrumental in the creation of that agency. All displayed incredible intelligence, persistence, and dedication to the country, often to the detriment of their personal lives. This book pairs well with “The Woman Who Smashed Codes” by Jason Fagone about Elizabeth Smith Friedman who developed the field of cryptology in WW I and with her husband gave birth to the NSA.

 

“Fox Creek” by William Kent Krueger. Set in the cold of Minnesota and featuring Cork O’Connor as the detective who is part Ojibwe and part Irish, reflecting the mixed heritage of the region. A missing medicine man and Ojibwe healer, a woman seeking healing, and

O’Connor’s wife are being hunted by murdering criminals for unknown reasons. O’Connor needs to find all of them.

 

“Fire Season” by Leyna Krow. Spokane Falls in 1889. Devious, scamming, grifting, characters populate the region. Every man and woman for themselves. Dark with pops of humor, this is an entertaining and satisfying read of the Western frontier.