NANCY RANDALL

 I was so enthralled with The Story of Edgar Sawtelle ($25.95) that I didn't want it to end.  Edgar is a mute who lives with his parents on a farm in northern Wisconsin.  His family breeds and trains "Sawtelle dogs"—outstanding dogs who understand both spoken and signed commands.  When his Uncle Claude moves in, Edgar's idyllic life comes to an abrupt end.  I cannot rave enough about David Wroblewski's debut novel; it is beautifully written with memorable characters.  Edgar and his dogs stayed with me weeks after reading the last page. 

 Speaking of dogs, The Art of Racing in the Rain ($23.95) pulls off a near-impossible task.  Garth Stein's main character and narrator, Enzo, is an insightful, philosophical canine.  Enzo's story is also the story of his owner, Denny, and his family.  Denny is a race car driver whose world is shattered when his wife dies and he is forced to fight for custody of his young daughter.  If you are willing to suspend rational thinking, you will find this novel funny, heart-warming, and the perfect read for dog lovers.  Take note!  The Art of Racing in the Rain has just been chosen by the Winnetka-Northfield Public Library as the book to be featured in its 2009 “One Book, Two Villages” program. 

 It has been nine years since Sandra Gulland wrote the Josephine Bonaparte trilogy, and her new historical novel, Mistress of the Sun ($26), was well worth the wait.  In it, she describes the life of Louise de la Valliere and life in France in the 17th century.  Although Louise is neither beautiful nor wealthy, King Louis XIV, The Sun King, is fascinated by her intelligence and her equestrian skills.  Louise eventually becomes the King's mistress and gives birth to four of his children.  Once again, Sandra Gulland portrays a unique woman in historical France, who because of her social standing and gender must accept whatever life offers her.

JULIE JACOBSON

 Early on in The Condition by Jennifer Haigh ($25.95), a “perfect” family discovers that young Gwen has Turner’s Syndrome, a condition that stunts her physical growth and development.  Most of the book’s action takes place 21 years later and follows each family member’s method of dealing with Gwen and their own special conditions.  The characters are all well drawn and appealing, and we applaud as they each find their way to happiness.

 I became totally engrossed in Ethan Canin’s latest novel, America America: A Novel ($27).  It also starts in the 1970s and jumps forward to the present.  The narrator, Corey Sifter, is a young man from a working-class family who is embraced by the Metareys, a powerful  politically connected family.  He becomes a crucial member of the household staff and close friend to the family’s two daughters, thus obtaining a front-row seat to the spectacle of Mr. Metarey’s promotion of a presidential candidate.  Looking back on the 1972 election from his current perch as a newspaper editor, Corey reflects on the clash between public integrity and personal failures in the candidate.  A fine read in this election season.

The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff ($26) is an incredibly well researched novel and fascinating look into the very private world of polygamous Mormons.  There are parallel tales, each involving a 19th wife.  The historic story is about Ann Eliza  Young, the rebellious wife of Brigham Young, who crusaded to end polygamy.  In the present day tale, a young boy who has been banished from his Mormon community returns to help solve his father’s murder and exculpate his mother.   In both cases, a religious group that is often seen as a threatening curiosity is humanized.

ELISE BARACK

Dick Meyer, author of Why We Hate Us ($24.95), believes that the American public has a common enemy and it is “us.”   Who are we that  make our lives and ourselves miserable, at times, all in the name of seeking the “good life?” Meyer proposes that the prevailing culture is our common enemy. Looking for authenticity we accept easy answers in disparate forms ranging from conservative Christianity to rampant materialism, from environmentalism to “celebrity cannibalism”, as Meyer calls it.  “Social and political maturity is tested when we are called on to make difficult choices for ourselves and society,” states the author. A thoughtful yet entertaining portrait of who we are now and who we might yet become, this book seems just right for our times.

The challenge for a first-time novelist lies in the creating of a unique narrative voice, one that will leave an echo in the reader’s head long after the book is finished. Amy Shearn, in her wonderful debut novel, How Far Is the Ocean from Here ($23) accomplishes that task successfully. Susannah Prue is a young surrogate mother, hired to create a family for an infertile couple while desperately seeking connection to someone or something that can give her own life meaning and value. Escaping in the last weeks of her pregnancy to the Southwest, she discovers in the desert that “geography could be more than a metaphor,” that life thrives in a fertile heart.

The ‘70s proved to be a weird and soul-searching decade for many, including the family of Daniel Truitt, youthful protagonist and narrator of Porter Shreve’s satiric novel, When the White House Was Ours ($12.95). The Truitt family sets out to establish an alternative school in Washington D.C. with little or no start-up capital and very sketchy educational qualifications. Daniel, an American presidential history buff, provides a running commentary on the actions of his idealistic parents and their rather feckless co-educators as the dreams of creating an American Summerhill evaporate in the face of virtual anarchy. Based on the actual experience of Shreve’s family, the novel is a delightful coming-of-age story