Recommended
New 
Books

October 2004

Snowleg
by Nicolas Shakespeare

Peter Hithersay, an English teenager, has an encounter with an East German girl in 1983. She begs him to take her back to the West but he is too frightened to help. This decision haunts him for years until one day, with Germany reunited, he decides to go back and look for her. A compelling love story. 

Political Animal
by David Mizner

Ben Bergin, a cynical speechwriter for a New York congressman, has lost interest in politics. He unexpectedly begins a relationship with the campaign volunteer coordinator, but his self-destructive streak soon gets in the way. A funny and smart look at the darker side of politics.           

The Weatherman
by Clint McCown

Taylor Wakefield was 11 years old when he witnessed his adult cousin Billy murder a local bar owner. Taylor is frightened into silence and eventually grows up to become an unqualified weatherman on one of the worst radio and television networks in Alabama. Cousin Billy, now a born-again attorney, is trying to pin the bar owner’s murder on a dead white supremacist. Taylor decides to use his television position to campaign against his cousin and finally bring Billy to justice.

The Fall of Baghdad
by Jon Lee Anderson

Anderson, who was on the ground in Baghdad before the invasion, recounts the anxiety of Iraqi citizens as they wait for the invasion. Anderson also provides an insider view of journalists as they scramble to cover developing events. A compelling and non-partisan read.

When Corruption was King: How I Helped the Mob Rule Chicago, Then Brought the Outfit Down
by Robert Cooley

Cooley, a former attorney, spent the 1970’s and 80’s as a Chicago Mafia “Mechanic.” This meant he regularly bribed judges, court clerks, and cops to keep his mob clients out of jail. Although he was well paid for his efforts, Cooley decided to participate in a federal sting operation that exposed the extensive ties between the mob and local government. A fascinating look inside the mob and law enforcement.

West of Then: A Mother, a Daughter, and a Journey Past Paradise
by Tara Bray Smith

Smith, who grew up in Hawaii, spent most of her adult life on the East Coast trying to distance herself for her dysfunctional childhood. She grew up with a drug-addicted mother who abandoned Smith when she was seven. In 2002, she returns to Hawaii to search for her mother who has gone missing. A touching memoir about one woman trying to come to terms with her past.