Memorial Day has passed (and with it zillions of bikers), summer is quickly around the corner - in fact, summer officially begins Saturday.
Summer, for many of us, means it's time to laze about in the sun, hunkered down with a good, page-turning book.
Books - especially paperbacks - seem to be maintaining their appeal in the iPod/electronics-on-the-go age, and certain genres, such as romances and thrillers, and anything that's fast-paced, can be termed a "beach read,'' according to Pamela Spengler-Jaffee, Director of Publicity, Avon Books.
"Summer is the perfect time for grab-and-go literature,'' she said. "And paperbacks are a very travel-ready format. They slide easily into whatever a person is carrying, and provide instant entertainment on the beach, or en route to something (or somewhere) more exotic."
And lucky for us - we don't have to travel anywhere because the beach is right here - so you can start your vacation - or staycation - anytime you want, especially as the we're-not-in-a-recession-according-to-the-president recession has put the squeeze on folks' road-tripping funds.
"Even if people are tightening their vacation budgets, they may be even more likely to travel vicariously through the pages of a book," said Spengler-Jaffee.
Many of our readers have been clamoring for us to ramp up our book and literature coverage, so, here's to you book-lovers, Surge has selected eight recently released books for the summer of '08 to sink your teeth into while chilling on the beach, by the pool or in your backyard hammock. This collection represents a smattering of styles and genres, including romance, murder mystery, crime, memoirs, how-to, non-fiction, and the Avant-garde.
-Kent Kimes, Editor
"The Art of Keeping Secrets"
by Patti Callahan Henry
Publisher: New American Library
Published: June
Pages: 349
List Price: $14
Synopsis: After two years of adjusting to the death of her husband Knox, Annabelle Murphy is suddenly faced with new details regarding his death. The wreckage of the plane that Knox was flying that fateful day was finally discovered by a group of hikers. Annabelle was somewhat relieved to hear the news until she found out the unsettling details.
Why it's a good beach book: This modern mystery combined with a warming love story provides the beach reader with familiar places and situations that will keep their attention long enough to soak up some rays. The novel travels through the Low Country of South Carolina and surrounding areas and recounts well-known events such as Hurricane Hugo that occurred in recent South Carolina history.
Details, details, details: Knox was supposed to be flying solo for his annual fishing trip to Colorado, but if that was true, why was a female's body also found on the plane with her husband? Who was this woman? Was he cheating on his wife and lying to his family? Annabelle now questioned the relationship she had with her husband, one that began more than 17 years ago when they were in college. Was he still the man she always knew him to be? After questioning everyone in town with no results, how was Annabelle ever going to find out the identity of this stranger? Sofie Milstead was one of the only people who knew the name of the woman who took that plane trip with Knox, and one day when Annabelle showed up in her small seaside town in North Carolina, she was forced to face unsettling details of her past. Before long, both Sofie and Annbelle will find out just how connected they are in each others' lives.
-Diana Fromal, Marketing Coordinator
"Bowie in Berlin: A New Career in a New Town"
by Thomas Jerome Seabrook
Publisher: Jawbone Press
Published: April
Pages: 272
List Price: $19.95
Synopsis: This book chronicles three years of musician David Bowie's life when he fled the drug-infused excesses of Los Angeles in 1975 for a more calming burgh and wound up in Berlin, Germany - a city that was literally divided at that time between Communist east quarters, and pro-capitalist west. The locale sparked a new found sense of creativity in Bowie, and while in Berlin, he forged working relationships with Iggy Pop, Brian Eno and Robert Fripp that made a major impact on his career as he helmed two albums for Pop and put out three of the most experimental discs of his career - "Low," "Heroes,'' and "Lodger.''
Why it's a good beach book: Because rock 'n' roll, sand, waves and hard bodies go hand-in-hand. If you're just posing, and not really reading, this book is sure to attract the music-lover on the beach and could be quite the ice-breaker. Just don't mention "Let's Dance.''
Details, details, details: If you're interested in what makes a musician tick or want an insight into the creative process, then this book is for you. Seabrook gives painstaking details about Bowie's recording and song structuring process, in addition giving the sessions surrounding "Low,'' "Heroes'' and "Lodger'' context by discussing what was going on around him in his personal life and other aspects of his career, such as public appearances and forays into acting. Many people may only know Bowie from his ultra-pop/MTV "Let's Dance'' days, but the man is one of the most talented musicians of the rock era, and he was on course to be a mega, mega star when he took pause to find himself again in Berlin and lose himself in the music-making process. If you're not familiar with, or don't own Bowie's so called "Berlin Trilogy,'' beware, this book will have you searching on iTunes and spending iCash to download "Low,'' "Heroes,'' and "Lodger," in addition to the Iggy Pop records "The Idiot'' and "Lust for Life.''
-Kent Kimes, Editor
"The Front"
by Patricia Cornwell
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons/Penquin Group (USA) Inc.
Published: 2008
Pages: 180
List Price: $22.95
Synopsis: "The Front" follows Massachusetts state investigator Win Garano as he goes on a special assignment from District Attorney Monique Lamont. D.A. Lamont has a new public relations campaign concerning declining neighborhoods and she sends investigator Garano to Watertown to dig up information on a murder that took place years ago (that Lamont is trying to pin on the Boston Strangler). Watertown is also the home of the FRONT, a group of police departments who team up so they won't have to depend so much on the state and in turn, Lamont. Garano senses that there is more to the story than Lamont is willing to tell and the more he investigates, the more mystery and intrigue he digs up. Nothing is what it seems.
Why it's a good beach book: Nothing like a good page-turning mystery to keep your mind off the heat and the fact that you are getting your butt sun burnt - don't forget to turn! The book is an intriguing page-turner with a pretty interesting cast of characters that does a good job of keeping your attention and is easy to come back to, if you have to put it down to take a water break or to go for a swim.
Details, details, details: I am a fan of Patricia Cornwell, in fact, I have read most of her Scarpetta Series -_based on a Virginia State Coroner. Cornwell pays close attention to detail and explains all the technicalities that a civilian may not understand about law enforcement and all that it entails and even if you didn't start at the beginning of the series with a group of characters, Cornwell has a way of filling you in so that you understand the personality that she has imagined for them. "The Front" features a newer set of characters (she introduced them in "At Risk") who are also in the law enforcement field, which I find interesting. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the ending - I felt it could have had another chapter so that every single detail wasn't explained in so few pages, plus, does everything always have to be explained? But overall, this is another thumbs-up for Cornwell. I always finish her books with a new appreciation for law enforcement and feel like I learned something in the process.
-Abby Sink, Art Director
"I Was Told There'd Be Cake"
by Sloane Crosley
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Published: April
Pages: 230
List Price: $14
Synopsis: Sloane Crosley, evidently in her late 20s or early 30s, turns her life's fumbles and misadventures into wry, humorous essays. Crosley's self-mockery lends a ring of truth. You can't make this stuff up.
Why it's a good beach book: It's funny and easy to follow. It puts everyday life at arm's length - exactly what you want at the beach. It views life, love, and jobs through humor-tinted glasses. Plus, it's paperback: easy to tote.
Details, details, details: In the essay "Fuck you, Columbus," Crosley tells the story of moving from a two-bedroom apartment in New York City to a studio apartment three blocks away. She locks her keys in her old apartment, and pays $280 for a locksmith. Later the same day, she locks her keys in her new apartment, and gets a whopping $20 reduction on the second bill. She amicably parts ways with her roommate. She "had the bonus of living with someone with a healthy penchant for childish pranks. Into our newly adult lives there crept the occasional short-sheeting of my bed or setting of my alarm clock for an obscure time. And then hiding it. Who would keep me on my toes now? You can't exactly scare yourself out of the hiccups or glue your own toothbrush to the ceiling." At times, Crosley is easier to understand if you've lived in a big city; at other times, she will be easier to get if you're female. But overall, these essays are down-to-earth and for everyone. I can't speak for Dave Sedaris' most recent book, but Crosley's "I Was Told There'd Be Cake" belongs on your shelf next to "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim."
-Colin Burch, for Weekly Surge
"The Judas Strain"
by James Rollins
Publisher: Harper
Published: May (paperback edition)
Pages: 529
List Price: $7.99
Synopsis: This action-packed thriller unravels the mystery of an ancient plague discovered by Marco Polo. Modern day terrorists aim to control the virus to create the ultimate bioterrorist weapon. Sigma Force, a top secret government operation, joins forces with deadly assassins in an attempt to stop the terrorists from destroying mankind. But, in order to stop the pending epidemic, they must not only face terrorists and exposure to the plague, but cannibals, ferocious animals, and the realization that many will have to give the ultimate sacrifice to save humankind.
Why it's a good beach book: Let's face it; it's hard to find a good testosterone-packed book. This page-turner is the exception, and is guaranteed to keep you sun-bathing studs out on the beach for hours upon hours. Its ability to hook you into the story and keep you reading will vastly improve your tan, not to mention your chances of meeting some bikini-clad women (we women love a man who's not afraid to been seen reading in public).
Details, details, details: The plot weaves historical fact and fiction together to create an eerie "what if" plot that will leave you thinking long after you've read the final page. You will find yourself questioning the long forgotten lore of Marco Polo, the fate of humanity, and will walk away just a tad more educated about human genes and ancient historical conquests. At times, the plot gets a little bogged down with scientific details to make the epidemic realistic, but even this does not distract from the action-packed story that Rollins has created. For anyone who enjoyed "The DaVinci Code" and "National Treasure," this book is a must read.
-Stephanie Necessary, for Weekly Surge
"Mama Rock's Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Houseful of Successful Children"
by Rose Rock and Valerie Graham
Publisher: Collins
Published: Spring 2008
Pages: 232
List Price: $22.95
Synopsis: Rose "Mama" Rock, mother of comedian Chris Rock, along with local writer, editor and Carolina Safari Jeep Tours owner, Valerie Graham, have written ten parenting lessons in ten chapters.
Why it's a good beach book: "Mama" Rock's no-nonsense approach to parenting is told in sometimes hilarious real-life anecdotes making this a fast and funny read about a local celebrity parent and her children. Rock, originally from Andrews, now lives in the area.
Details, details, details: There's no messin' 'round with Mama. Rock's resume includes teaching, administration and youth advocacy and she draws on that experience and wisdom retelling the tales of life in Brooklyn, N.Y., raising 10 kids and 17 foster children. She writes candidly about all her children including her internationally famous son and she has no problem separating the boy from the comedian. "Even with the kind of language Chris uses in his act, I know in my heart it is an act, an act on stage," she writes. "I don't know Chris Rock, the act. Who I know is Christopher Julius 'Chrissy' Rock, and he's not allowed to cuss in front of me or in my house." Rose Rock's practical spirituality is ever-present in the book and she is not ashamed of her commitment to and reliance on God, though she never really gets preachy. Chris Rock, who wrote the book's forward, was born in Andrews in 1965. "I first met Rose rock on February 7, 1965," he writes of his birth. "She claimed to be my mother and I had no identification or cash on me at the time..." Within each chapter "Mama's Mojo" is set aside as a mini-condensation of the chapter's themes. The book should appeal to Chris Rock's legion of fans and to just about everyone else who's ever been a parent or a child - and that covers most of us.
-Paul Grimshaw, for Weekly Surge
"Snuff"
by Chuck Palahniuk
Publisher: Doubleday
Published: May
Pages: 208
List Price: $24.95
Synopsis: From the vantage points of four comical characters, "Snuff" follows the decay of a porn queen, Cassie Wright, who seeks to cap off her career by performing with six hundred men in a row then offing herself. Each chapter puts forth reprehensible first person narratives of three male talents and Cassie's assistant, as she slowly calls each to perform. In the meantime, they wait in an overly crowded greenroom, recounting what brought them here. Mr. 600, an elder porn icon who is blindly ambivalent to his declining career, hopes Cassie's demise will rejuvenate it. Mr. 72 incestuously drools over Cassie, whom he believes to be his birth mother. All the while, Mr. 137 plucks flakes of dandruff from the black sweater of Sheila, Cassie's hardball assistant.
Why it's a good beach book: Readers are not left unsatisfied, as Snuff culminates in one of Palahniuk's trademark endings, a twist where the well-developed characters congeal to form a preposterous mess of plot. It's a quick read that begs to be finished in one sunbathing beach visit. Also, its interesting subject matter will have you dismissing the reddening of your skin from that inescapable sunburn. You'll be too concerned with what'll happen next and shocked by what did occur.
Details, details, details: Palahniuk, writer of "Fight Club" and soon-to-be summer blockbuster film "Choke," transports the reader through another taboo subject, again sprinkled with his researched trivia. Thus, Cassie dumps her mind of weird beauty secrets of old Hollywood. His sardonic dark humor returns as well. From numerous Kegel weights bouncing from under Cassie's spandex as she jogs to Mr. 600 relentlessly pruning himself until he nearly shaves off a nipple, Palahniuk followers will surely feel at home, laughing at odd events.
-Brandon Truett, for Weekly Surge
"The New Kid"
by Eliot Schrefer
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Published: 2007
Pages: 274
List Price: $25
Synopsis: This book is split into three main sections which focus on the intermingling lives of half-siblings, Humphrey and Gretchen. In the first section, Humphrey struggles with being the new kid and adapting to his new home of Haven, Florida. He's used to being the new kid in town as he's moved from town to town when his parents keep losing their jobs. But this time, he's at that age where his libido is causing more troubles than he can handle - and more questions at that, as he begins to experience desires he doesn't quite understand, including a sexual tension between him and his best friend Wade. The second section focuses on Humphrey's half-sister, Gretchen who escaped the family's troubles long ago and has just graduated from Harvard. Never having a real family, Gretchen struggles to hold onto the one thing she's found - her boyfriend Rajan and his family, no matter what daring steps she must take to do so. The third section brings the two together in a climatic conclusion that, without giving too much away, shows the risks that exist when we are always yearning for what's better out there.
Why it's a good beach book: As you cipher through the sordid lives of these two characters, you'll find yourself not wanting to leave - the result, a perfect summer tan.
Details, details, details: I first heard of Eliot Schrefer in Out Magazine when he made its annual list of notable LGBT people in January. Schrefer is also the acclaimed author of "Glamorous Disasters." Pleasantly surprised when I came across this new book by Schrefer when browsing the stacks at local Books-A-Million, I had to check it out. Schrefer's smooth writing style pulls you in to a story that keeps you on the edge. There are parts in the book that many will relate to, with issues of family, budding sexuality, love and betrayal. What price do you pay to get what you want? There's a newness that surrounds these two characters; a yearning for stability yet always looking for what's better on the other side. Face questions of morality head-on and delve into the lives of these two lost siblings. You'll be surprised at what you find out.
-Chris Rudisill, Graphic Designer/Columnist