"The Forgotten Man"
by Robert Crais
The Forgotten Man is the 10th Robert Crais novel featuring L.A. private investigator Elvis Cole, but fear not - reading the other nine is not required in order to 'get' this installment.
The story opens as Elvis is awakened by a late night phone call. A homeless man has been found shot in an alley, and before he died, he claimed that he was Elvis' father. Elvis never knew his father - his mentally ill mother had an unfortunate habit of just 'taking off' for extended periods of time, during one of which, Elvis was conceived. The only clue he has ever had to his father's identity was that his mother claimed he had been a human cannonball in a circus. The drive to find his father has always been strong for Elvis - in fact, his childhood attempts to find him led to his career path as a P.I.
Obsessed, Elvis starts a relentless search through the past to discover the dead man's true identity. Unfortunately, his search alarms the man's killer, who promptly targets the unwitting Elvis as a threat who needs to be eliminated.
Suspenseful and well-written, with crisp dialog and superb pacing, "The Forgotten Man" is elevated above the average thriller by its excellent characterizations. The people, and their purpose in life, are what set this novel apart from the rest. Readers will care about what happens to Elvis and his cohorts. A caution - if occasionally violent (but not gratuitous) writing isn't your cup of tea, you may want to give this book a pass.
"In the Rose Garden of the Martyrs: A Memoir of Iran"
by Christopher de Bellaigue
Every day, we are bombarded by news about the Middle East - the war in Iraq, the Palestinian situation, and, now, the nuclear aspirations of the Iranians.
For the past 20-odd years, since the Islamic revolution there, U.S./Iranian relations have been frosty at best, nearly explosive at worst. The average American, remembering the embassy hostage situation, may think of the Iranians as religious zealots, slavishly devoted to their various Ayatollahs. How accurate might such an impression be - or not be?
"In the Rose Garden of the Martyrs" is a fascinating look at the lives of ordinary Iranians from a wide range of society. The author, Christopher de Ballaige, is a writer for "The Economist" who lives in Iran, has an Iranian wife and speaks fluent Persian - but he is still very much an outsider in this ancient, complex culture.
To put the current social situation in context, de Ballaige gives a history of the Islamic Revolution from its origins under the rule of the Shah, through the hellish years of the Iran/Iraq war, to the current day. His interviews with average Iranians reveal how Islamic fervor is waning for many, especially among the more educated people who are disillusioned with the rule of the mullahs and want more freedoms.
The interviews also do an excellent job of revealing the day-to-day life of the citizens of Iran; their hopes, dreams, trials and tribulations. An absorbing, thought-provoking read about a culture and people still very much a mystery to the majority of Westerners.
Preschool Story Times will continue at their regular time at the Capitol Hill Branch Library, every Wednesday morning at 10:30 for a half-hour. Join us for stories, songs, play and fun!
Katie Hilles is a librarian at the Capitol Hill Branch Library. Her column appears regularly in the Capitol Hill Times. She can be reached at editor@capitolhilltimes.com
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