These non-fiction works are written so well they appeal even to dedicated readers of fiction.

Blind Man’s Bluff: The Untold Story of American Submarine Espionage by Sherry Sontag [359.9 SON] - This look at submarine espionage in the cold war era compares to a Tom Clancy novel. The author interviewed hundreds of men who shared hair-raising stories of their submarine service.

A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr [346.7303 HAR, CAS] - This true-life legal thriller by a respected journalist focuses on the plight of the residents of Woburn, MA, where a high rate of leukemia and other illnesses resulted from cancer-causing industrial solvents being dumped into the water supply by powerful corporations who refused to take responsibility.

Close to Shore: A True Story of Terror in an Age of Innocence by Mike Capuzzo [597.3 CAP] - This real-life Jaws story tells of the terror that gripped a New Jersey shore town during the summer of 1916 and of the pursuit of the sharks that followed.

The Cruelest Miles: The Heroic Story of Dogs and Men in a Race Against an Epidemic by Gay and Laney Salisbury [614.5 SAL] - In 1925 a diphtheria epidemic threatened an icebound city in Alaska. The formidable cold was too much for the airplanes of the era, so sled dogs and their owners relayed the lifesaving serum nearly 700 miles in less than 6 days, dealing with treacherous storms and fierce wilderness.

The Devil in the White City: Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson [364.15 LAR] - Larson tells the stories of two men: Daniel H. Burnham, the architect responsible for the fair's construction, and H.H. Holmes, a serial killer masquerading as a charming doctor. Burnham was forced to overcome the death of his partner and numerous other obstacles to construct the famous "White City" around which the fair was built. The sinister Dr. Holmes, who is believed to be responsible for scores of murders around the time of the fair, devised and erected the World's Fair Hotel, complete with crematorium and gas chamber, near the fairgrounds and used the event as well as his own charismatic personality to lure victims.

LifeLine: How One Night Changed Five lives: A True Story by Mary Schomaker [362.1 SCH] - Donald Mills was declared brain-dead after he was struck by a van as he was riding his bicyle. We feel the emotions faced by both Donald’s family and the families of patients waiting for desperately needed organs for their loved ones.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: A Savannah Story by John Berendt [975.87 BER, CAS, LP] - This real life murder mystery tells of the 1981 shooting of young Danny Hansford by a flamboyant antiques dealer and Savannah party-giver Jim Williams.

Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son’s First Year by Anne Lamott [813.54 LAM] - This is a hysterical account of Lamott’s first year as a single mom. She is brutally honest and always witty as she describes her first year with baby Sam and introduces the crazy characters who form her support network. This is not to be missed.

The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea by Sebastian Junger [974.45 JUN] - This dramatic story recounts the events of October 1991 when the fishing boat, the Andrea Gail, was caught in “the storm of the century.”

Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand [798.4 HIL] - Follow the Cinderella story of this special racehorse, who was on everyone’s mind in 1938. The author introduces us to the men determined to make him a champion and recreates the excitement of the Depression-era fans who followed the spirited underdog and his jockey.

Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table by Ruth Reichl [641.5 REI, CAS] - New York Times food critic Ruth Reichl has written a celebration of food as well as a candid and comical memoir. Reichl serves up stories of her childhood in Greenwich Village with a cooking-impaired mother and takes us on the road to her current love affair with food.

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer [289.33 KRA, LP] - Krakauer recounts the murder of a woman and her infant daughter by the Mormon fundamentalist Lafferty brothers, who claimed divine revelation led them to kill. The author distinguishes between extremist groups and the main body of the church.

Previous Issues of Book Notes
September/October 2004
November/December2004
January/February 2005
March/April 2005
May/June 2005
July/August 2005