Book Review: The Red Tent

Anita Diamont

This is one of my all-time favorite books! It is historical fiction set in Biblical times. It was written in 1998, so it has been on my favorite list a long time! Enjoy!

From Amazon.com:
"Little is known of the life of Dinah, daughter of Jacob and Leah, sister of many brothers, leaving plenty of scope for fictionalizing her life story. Those who know the Biblical stories of Jacob and his sons, Dinah's brothers, will recognize the framework that gives to the story of The Red Tent. Beyond that, Dinah's story, as told here, is fascinating fictional insight into the lives of the women of that place and time, their hopes, fears, practices and beliefs. The handling of female rites of passage, adolescent awareness of sexuality and motherhood, death and the clashes resulting from the attempt to marry differing belief systems, are just some of the life challenges this book deals with from the perspective of women living their lives in a patriarchal society."

(Reviewed by Ginger)

MPL Book Sale!

Marshall Public Library's Book Sale will be held next week on November 8, 9, and 10! It will be open at the following times:

11/8 9:00-11:00 a.m. ($10 early entry fee)
11/8 11:00-5:00
11/9 10:00-5:00
11/10 1:00-5:00

This year, it will be held across the street from MPL at the Marshall Municipal Court Building. We will have 1000s of books and other materials available for purchase!

Book Review: The Twenty-Year Death

Ariel S. Winter

A breathtaking first novel written in the form of three separate crime novels, each set in a different decade and penned in the style of a different giant of the mystery genre.
 
1931, Malniveau Prison, channels Georges Simenon as Chief Inspector Pelleter tries to deduce how a murdered prisoner escaped the prison walls.

1941, The Falling Star, is the Chandleresque story of a private eye, Dennis Foster, who’s hired to reassure a paranoid movie star and maybe take the rap for a murder. A recurring character in both books is Shem Rosenkrantz, an American writer who first seeks seclusion in France and then squanders his talents in Hollywood.

1951, Police at the Funeral, Rosenkrantz takes over the narration with the voice of a washed-up Jim Thompson protagonist, and, as he unravels, we see how the stories are stitched together. 

I found this book to be a neat surprise and thoroughly enjoyed the technique used by the author in capturing and paying homage to the distinct writing styles of Simenon, Chandler and Thompson.