Four Reviews from Leslie Madsen-Brooks '97 ..

Leslie Madsen-Brooks is the Coordinator for Faculty and TA Programs at The Teaching Resource Center at U.C. Davis and a Grinnell alumna, class of 1997.

The Children's Hospital by Chris Adrian. San Francisco: McSweeney's Books, 2006
Smith Memorial PS3551.D75 C55x 2006
What happens when the entire world floods and all that remains is a specially-equipped, floating children’s hospital with 700 sick children, some of their families, and hospital staff? This book offers one vision of a post-apocalyptic world. It’s a long and quiet read, not a page-turner, but is especially thoughtful on the role of families (and their tragedies) in shaping people’s lives.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. New York: Riverhead Books, 2007
PS3608.O832 K58 2007
One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Not for the faint of heart, this novel begins in 1960s and 1970s Afghanistan and takes us almost through the present day from the perspective of women and children.

Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier. New York: Random House, 2006
Smith Memorial PS3556.R3599 T48 2006
I’m halfway through this one. It’s a pleasure to read. The scope and detail of Frazier’s research is impressive as he tells the tale of a man who has lived long enough to meet John C. Calhoun and complain about cars roaring by on the road in front of his house.

Everyday eBay: Culture, Collecting, and Desires. Edited by Ken Hillis, Michael Petit, and Nathan Scott Epley. New York: Routledge, 2006.
Fascinating stuff about collectors--their seeking, buying, and communities. Definitely recommended for material culture lovers and anyone who collects, well, anything.