"Matterhorn" by Karl Marlantes

Well, perhaps enough time has now passed by that we can finally embrace a brutally frank portrayal of the Vietnam War. Author Karl Marlantes’ recent novel ‘Matterhorn’ has been called the definitive novel of Vietnam. And it probably is just that. ‘Matterhorn’ is extremely well written and provides an unflinchingly realistic account of the war from the perspective of the Marine infantry and their officers.

Marlantes portrays the war on the ground with a frightening realism while at the same time illustrating tactical decision-making remote from the front lines which is often based upon political and career considerations that have little to do with what the troops are ultimately asked to deliver. For example, Matterhorn is a fictional peak where the Marines are asked to ‘dig in’ to fortify a key offensive and defensive location not far from Laos and the DMZ. Over the course of the novel, we see Bravo Company fully establish the Matterhorn base only to be asked to abandon it immediately upon completion only to, of course, be ordered to retake the same hill after it is occupied and fully defended by the Viet Cong – at great, great cost.

Bravo Company is a mix of new recruits and seasoned troops who carry with them very recognizable hopes, aspirations, fears, bad habits and prejudices – some which eventually explode with horrible consequences. But – in the midst of terrible battle conditions, shortage of food and supplies, oppressive weather, and almost impossible objectives - the men bond in a way that goes beyond easy explanation. And that bond propels them to battle to support each other in a land far away from global objectives that seem to have little relevance. However, by reading this great work even those of us not experienced in the awful reality of war come to understand some of that bond and their eventual courage in the face of probable death - even how they can ultimately give themselves completely to ‘the god of war within.’

The battle scenes are incredibly realistic and heart-pounding-ly, hard-to-stop reading. Marlantes skillfully builds the novel’s tension and fills in accurate details from his own experiences – leaches and more leaches, mud, jungle rot, depleted rations, lack of water in the midst of downpours, hungry tigers, and never-ending wet, mud and fog. We feel like we are there with him in the jungle, viscerally sensing the ever-mounting tension waiting for the next inevitable confrontation with the enemy and possible death.

Marlantes doesn’t preach but manages to fully convey the frustration, stupidity, and blindness that marked much of this war effort.

Karl Marlantes himself is a highly decorated Marine veteran who wrote ‘Matterhorn’ over the course of thirty years as he worked through his experiences from the war and his love for those he fought beside, memories still fresh today. He currently lives in Woodinville, Washington and graduated from Seaside High School before joining the Marines and attending Yale and then Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar prior to his service in Vietnam. Marlantas was an inexperienced Marine lieutenant much like Mellas, the main character of this outstanding novel, when he arrived in Vietnam. We are fortunate that he survived with such a dedication to share his story – and those of his comrades – so movingly in this great novel.

‘Matterhorn’ is a lot to take on emotionally. But, if you do, you won’t regret it.

"The Cookbook Collector" by Allegra Goodman

Allegra Goodman’s delightful new novel, ‘The Cookbook Collector’ is the tale of two very different sisters. Set in 1999 (pre-9/11 at the height of the high-tech ‘bubble’), Emily is the organized, ambitious, financially successful CEO of a high-tech start-up company while her younger, dreamy and impetuous sister, Jess, is a half-hearted philosophy student and ‘tree-hugger’ who works part-time in an antiquarian book shop. Emily has a well-established relationship with another high-flying, dot-com entrepreneur, Jonathon, whose start-up is headquartered on the east coast while Jess seems destined to fall ‘head-over-heels’ into relationships without a future.

The title of the book comes from an extraordinary opportunity that comes along for George, the book shop owner, when he is given the chance to inventory - and to possibly purchase - a large, unique collection of antique cookbooks which he employs Jess to evaluate and inventory. Ultimately, this brings Jess into an unexpected closeness with her much older, rumpled, and long solitary employer who has always harbored tender feelings for her. In this novel, it not the magic of cooking as much as the magic of a shared exploration of this vast cookbook collection which opens up unexpected possibilities between Jess and her employer.

While Jess’s personal life takes many emotional turns, it is the drama that unfolds for Emily that is the most unexpected in the novel. When the ‘dot.com’ bubble bursts and tragedy hits close to home, it is Jess who becomes Emily’s rock for a time. The author does a wonderful job of blending many personal stories that surround the two sisters with revealing relationships and events that provide context to the primary story lines.

‘The Cookbook Collector’ is beautifully written and an easy, somewhat romantic, read that also poses some significant questions the reader will ponder long after its last chapter. Why do we collect? What do our personal collections and the spaces we create say about us? Can a collection of material things nourish us spiritually? Can such a collection at times isolate us from others or from the outside world? How does a collection become personal? Why does it feel so wonderful to be surrounded by things of beauty and meaning?

Allegra Goodman is the author of a number of other novels – ‘Kaaterskill Falls’, ‘Paradise Park’, ‘Intuition’, and ‘The Other Side of the Island.’ She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts with her husband and children. I love this quote from Allegra. “These days I write while my four children are at school At times the year seems like one snow day, sick day, and staff day after another but somehow, slowly, my work gets done. I love my job. Each book teaches me something new about character and plot and structure. I am dedicating my life to learning how to tell a story.”

‘The Cookbook Collector’ is a lovely collection of personal stories that pose real questions about what is most meaningful and valuable in our lives.

"Faithful Place" by Tana French

On a bitterly cold winter night in Dublin, then nineteen year old Frank Mackey waits in Faithful Place to rendezvous with his beautiful girlfriend, Rosie. Their plan was to escape to England to marry and start new lives together. They are running to wider employment opportunities and running away from poverty and Frank’s dysfunctional family as well as his abusive, alcoholic father. But, unexpectedly, Rosie never arrives.

Frank, heartbroken but still determined to make a fresh start in life, walks away from Faithful Place and his family ties, not looking back, and starts his new life – but without his beloved Rosie. Frank tragically assumes that Rosie had last-minute misgivings about him because of a spectacular incident of drunken domestic violence exhibited by his family the night before and he is too hurt to ever try to find out what happens to Rosie. And, tragically, Rosie’s family simply believes that she has run off with Frank when they are both missing the next day. No one even speculates that something sinister might have occurred, assuming that Frank and Rosie have run off together.

But twenty years later when Rosie’s suitcase is found stuffed up the fireplace of a dilapidated abandoned building on the Place, the mystery of Rosie’s disappearance must finally be confronted and solved. And, Frank Mackey – now and undercover detective - is pulled back into Faithful Place to deal with his old family demons and to try to find his Rosie, still the love of his life - or her murderer.

In a typical Tana French twist, Frank is shut out of the official investigation because of his personal ties to those involved. And Frank’s memories and strong emotions can be an advantage as well as a liability. But his determination to find out what happened to Rosie is, ultimately, the key to breaking the case. In the meantime, Frank and the murder squad sift through old grudges and twisted family histories to find a motive and, eventually, the killer.

After the wild success of ‘In the Woods’ (French’s first novel which won the Edgar award for best mystery), this third installment of her Dublin murder squad novels was highly anticipated – and does not disappoint. Tana French is an expert at psychological layers of suspense and effortlessly creates the book’s distinctive setting with detailed word paintings of Frank’s old neighborhood and skillful Irish dialogue. And even though this is Tana’s third novel, her writing style is still fresh and delightfully original.

‘Faithful Place’ will keep you turning the pages until the mystery is finally solved. An excellent read!

Tana French grew up in Ireland, Italy, the US and Malawi, and has lived in Dublin since 1990.

"Caleb's Crossing" by Geraldine Brooks

Bethia is an inquisitive young woman who yearns for more than her station in life typically allows. But she continues to find creative ways to satisfy her hunger for knowledge while still fitting within the bounds of proper society – most of the time.

Geraldine Brooks’ new novel “Caleb’s Crossing” is brim-full of historical context in colonial Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts and early Harvard University in Cambridge on the Massachusetts mainland. The storyteller, Bethia, is the daughter of a caring Puritan missionary who has settled on the island primarily with the objective to convert its native Wampanoag people to Christianity. Although a Puritan minister, Bethia’s father is more open-minded and kindly than many in the church community and it becomes evident that their relative isolation on the island affords them less contact with the religious and political conflicts that predominate on the mainland.

Bethia’s natural curiosity leads her to explorations of the breathtakingly beautiful natural world on the island and to an encounter with Cheeshahteaumauck, the young nephew of a powerful native priest. Their friendship soon affords Bethia opportunities to learn much from her native friend about the natural environment of the island while they both clearly understand the need to keep their association a secret from their families. Soon Bethia’s sense of adventure even leads her to secretly witness and appreciate native ceremonies – an act for which she feels immediate guilt, even blaming herself for her mother’s death in childbirth because of this “transgression.”

The courageous kindness of Bethia’s missionary father leads to Cheeshahteaumauck’s conversion to Christianity and his grooming for a classical education at Harvard along with Bethia’s bother, Makepeace. Soon Bethia’s childhood friend is re-named Caleb and he applies himself with fervor to learning with the ‘long coats.’ Bethia is indentured to the Indian college at Harvard to repay a family debt and, while a very difficult personal circumstance for her, this allows Bethia to follow the scholastic advancement of her brother and her friend Caleb. At the same time, Bethia is able to soak up much of the educational herself since she deftly positions her duties so that she can overhear the lectures.

While the novel primarily tells the story of Caleb through Bethia’s eyes, the over-arching tale contains much more than the primary storyline. “Caleb’s Crossing” relates the story of a high-spirited and inquisitive young man who is persuaded to abandon his culture and native religion to take on the Puritan culture and its prized classical education. Ultimately, Caleb becomes an outstanding student and the first Native American to graduate from Harvard. But the dark side of the tale also speaks of the tremendous physical and spiritual toll caused by separation from a person’s cultural foundation and heritage. While it can be done, should it be done? And, if so, the cost is significant – perhaps even tragic.

Geraldine Brooks, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2006 for ‘March’ is also the author of “Age of Wonders” and “People of the Book.” “Caleb’s Crossing” is another wonderfully written novel set in a fascinating historical period with resonance for today. I highly recommend it to you.

"Room" by Emma Donoghue

   “Room” by Emma Donoghue has a very compelling (even chilling) premise. A young woman has been kept against her will in a small room for seven long years. Her child – born of the continued, forced sexual relationship with her captor – has just turned five and has never known a life outside of Room. In fact, Jack has no concept at all of life in the larger world outside. But as young Jack comes to realize that some of what he sees on TV actually exists in a life beyond their captivity and as her captor turns even more vicious toward her, his mother starts to think anew of how to escape with her son’s help. But can Jack play his necessary role to alert authorities when the outside environment is such a shock? How can his Ma fully prepare him to successfully escape? And can he rescue her in time if he does?

   While the plot of “Room” may sound like the book would be a grim, difficult read, surprisingly it is not. Since it is told in young Jack’s unforgettable voice, the story has a lightness and even humor as events are seen through his innocent eyes. And we are amazed by the resilience of his mother who has constructed a life for both of them within such a confined situation – providing for Jack’s education and even physical fitness development. Instead of succumbing to despair and depression, their daily schedule prevents boredom and provides enough variety and stimulation that both captives can continue on, day to day, until they devise a way to escape!

   But finally escaping brings its own difficulties and new challenges. How do you cope with life in the outside world and the bombardment of the media after living in such an isolated environment for so long? And how can you rebuild a life with friends and family who have moved on after seven long years, assuming that you were dead? How can a family accept a child born of captivity, cruelty and on-going rape? And how can Jack accept separation (even momentary) from his mother who has been a constant presence for his entire life? Both Jack and his mother have personal issues of adjustment in the big, outside world as they try to handle their newfound freedom. All of this inspires even more questions about society and fresh perspectives by those seeing our modern society after being shut away for so very long.

   “Room” was short-listed for the Man Booker prize and has received considerable critical acclaim. It is a work of fiction, inspired in part by newsworthy kidnappings in the international news.

   “Room” is a creative, thought-provoking book and a wonderful book club selection as it will prompt great discussions.

   It is a book like no other you have ever read. Don’t miss it!