2004 United We Read Committee Comments

	Dear 2004 Selection Committee: Following are the nominations from you and your committee members. Please take time to go in and read reviews on these selections, talk with others who may have read the book, and as time allows read some of the selections. All nominations will be up by November 1st. It looks like we are really off to a great start. Susan
		All Over But The Shoutin' By Rick Bragg Committee Comments: - A great story of growing up poor and overcoming adversity, but it's been done in so many reading groups already. - The sections on Bragg's childhood and anything to do with his mother are wonderfully told. The sections on his professional success were less interesting to me, although in light of recent developments at the New York Times (and Bragg in particular), this selection could generate some interesting discussion on the role of a journalist. Author/Publisher Comments:
		The Buffalo Soldier By Chris Bohjalian Committee Comments: - Book has wonderful, discussable topics on family, trust, friendship and forgiveness. - Few "sex" scenes that might be questionable for high school but they were not graphic and a very minimal part of the novel. - I really liked this book. For a person who is somewhat jaded, this one caught my attention and held it. the issues of grief, adoption, self-esteem are good discussion points. -Very poignant book about love, life and loss. Deals with social issues as well as personal issues on outlooks about life. Reading groups love this book, most in our store have read or want to read it. Author/Publisher Comments: I heard back from Russell Perreault who is the VP/Director of Publicity for Vintage Books. He stated that Chris Bohjalian is very intereted in the project. He also said that Chris is an excellent speaker and a tireless promoter.
		Ghost Soldiers: The Epic Account of World War II's Greatest Rescue Mission By Hampton Sides Committee Comments: - I think this is a well-written history that would remind readers of little-known aspects of World War II. It does read like a novel. Author/Pubishers Comments:
		Letters for Emily By Camron Wright Committee Comments: -Excellent story about family and love. Emotions all over the board. Great for all ages, lots of words of wisdom for all walks of life. One of the best books out there this year. -Powerful book that would draw in the community as a whole. Characters and circumstances that everyone can identify with. Just an exceptional book - the best I have read in ages. Discussion of aging, divorce, depression, and family would all flow easily from this book. Author/Publisher Comments: Camron Write responded to our inquiry and is very excited about being in the final 10. He will work with us in whatever way he can if the book is chosen. He alwo directed us to a web site on the book. You can visit it at: http://LettersForEmily.com.
		Peace Like A River By Leif Enger Committee Comments: - This is a tranquil book with a nicely-realized child narrator. It taps into that same sense of quiet resolve that Plainsong captured; in fact, my only concern would be that this plains novel with a child narrator might not seem different enough from either Plainsong or The Year the Colored Sister. -Great book, but so much like the last two selections. Also it has been very popular with book clubs and may be overdone by our population. Author/Publishers Comments:
		Reading Lolita In Tehren A Memoir in Books By Azar Nafisi Committee Comments: - Good concept, but the book itself is a pretty intense read - Learned lots about oppression of women in Iran. - Exceptional book, but very, very difficult to read - would most likely loose the masses - Book jumps around a lot and is hard to follow - but a great book. -Great book! Too difficult for most general readers but a significant book about the condition of women in Muslim republics and a wonderful discussion of the nature of reading. -This is a stunning and intense text. While I love it and will suggest it to many of my friends, the novel requires too much knowledge of other novels (Gatsby, Lolita, Bovary, etc.) in order to be truly ocmprehensible. I am just not sure this book would work for an audience of individuals who may not have read all of the novels referenced in the book. For this reason, I would vote against it. Author/Pubishers Comments:
		The Speed of Dark By Elizabeth Moon Committee Comments: - Don't be fooled by the Sci-Fi label or the comparisons to Flower for Algernon. This is set in the not-too-distant future, the "sci-fi" element is a foreseeable consequence of the Human Genome Project, and the main character is a high-functioning autistic adult. Shortly after Lou was born, science found a way to prevent autism, so Lou is part of an ever-dwindling group. Unlike Flowers for Algernon, the main character here has a low opinion of the "normals" and when his new supervisor begins putting pressure on this austic employees to submit themselves to a "cure," Lou resists the sacrifice he feels he is being asked to make. Very topical in light of what is happening in medicine. The author is the mother of an austic teenaged son; so far, I am liking this even a little better than The Curious Incident of the Dog who Barked in the Night, and I really liked that. Author/Pubishers Comments:
		The Time Traveler's Wife By Audrey Niffenegger Committee Comments: - This is the best book I have read all year. Takes you from one end of the spectrum to the other. It really makes you use your imagination and tests your emotions. A few "sex" scenes but nothing too elaborate. - A great book but it is so very long. Author/Publishers Comments:
		Tortilla Curtain By T. C. Boyle Committee Comments: - Boyle is very dark and cynical. This would certainly be a challenging read for many people. It touches on undocumented workers and environmental issues and the California fires are a perfect lead-in. -I feel there is much to discuss in this timely book about immigration and our feelings and actions toward those wanting a better life. -Although the book is a good read and expresses the class differentiation between illegal immigrants and the priviledged class of Americans, I found it to be a depressing read. Graphic scenes of the worst traits of both Mexicans and Americans are encompassed in the book. Looks at the negative side with no redeeming characters or outcomes. Author/Publisher's Comments:
		When the Emperor was Divine By Julie Otsuka Committee Comments: - Very topical with our country at war - Seemed to me to be directed at YA - Although it is directed at YA, it is very topical about the treatment of perceived enemy aliens and very well written. - Excellent little book, took no time at all to read. Great information about a subject not a lot of people know about. Emotional. Informing. - Although this book is accessible for many YA readers, it should be noted that the book is not classified as a YA novel by the libraries or bookstores. In this case, the simplicity covers larger and more complex issues and emotions that go largely unspoken. As others have noted, this book addresses the notion of "racial scapegoating" at a time of national anxiety. - This was a remarkable read; while the novel can easily work for a student audience, it includes enough depth to work for an adult audience. The picture of the effects on the family and the community makes the novel especially appealing. Author/Publishers Comments:

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