A Murder at Rosamund’s Gate by Susanna Calkins
Lucy, a somewhat unconventional chambermaid living in seventeenth century England, gets caught up in a murder investigation of one of her friends who has been brutally slain. She battles the rough terrain of London, perseveres through a plague, and even dabbles in a bit of love and courtship.
What’s great about this book is that the author manages to convey realistically how it was like to live during this era. Great detail is woven into the narrative to explore the attitudes about women and working class people at the time and also how rumors and news gets circulated in small areas of the city. It was also interesting to read about what families did and had to sacrifice in a crisis, especially if word of a plague had broken out.
Susanna Calkins, a historian and professor of history, took nearly ten years to complete the manuscript for this debut novel, and I really looking forward to her next book in the series coming out next year. The novel is available at Acorn in our New Books section.
-Judy, Reference
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel
Neutral Milk Hotel, one of the most celebrated indie rock bands of the '90s, recently announced they will reunite for an international tour. It will be their first tour since the follow-up to their 1998 album -- In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. The news inspired me to listen to that strange and wonderful album and, luckily, Acorn is one of a handful of libraries that owns a copy. The album definitely has devoted fans, but it’s not for everyone. Jeff Magnum’s nasal, often shrill voice, the full horn section, and the surreal lyrics make for a unique and interesting sound. If you haven’t heard of Neutral Milk Hotel and you’re interested in independent rock music, check it out.
-Mike, Reference
The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner
I'm currently reading this novel, and it's just blowing me away. Pun intended. Reno, our quietly fearless protagonist, finds her way through the curious intersection of motorcycle racing, art, mercurial Italian aristocrats, and subversive politics. Set in the mid-1970s and careening through rough-hewn Nevada, a seedy, teeming NYC, and Red Brigades-era Italy, Kushner's writing crackles with a nervy vitality that perfectly captures both the idealism and inevitable destruction of the time. Acorn owns The Flamethrowers, and you can request it through SWAN.
-Megan, Reference
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