Saturday, January 13, 2018

February 23, 2018, Book: 'Beneath a Scarlet Sky' by Mark Sullivan

Sam has chosen the February book: "Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel" by Mark Sullivan. Yes, it takes us back to World War 2. But ... in Italy. So, come on.

Description from Amazon.com:

Pino Lella wants nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. He’s a normal Italian teenager—obsessed with music, food, and girls—but his days of innocence are numbered. When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, Pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps, and falls for Anna, a beautiful widow six years his senior.

In an attempt to protect him, Pino’s parents force him to enlist as a German soldier—a move they think will keep him out of combat. But after Pino is injured, he is recruited at the tender age of eighteen to become the personal driver for Adolf Hitler’s left hand in Italy, General Hans Leyers, one of the Third Reich’s most mysterious and powerful commanders.

Some reviews:

“Exciting…taut thriller…Beneath a Scarlet Sky tells the true story of one young Italian’s efforts to thwart the Nazis.” —Shelf Awareness

“Meticulous research highlights this World War II novel of a youth growing into manhood…a captivating read…” —RT Book Reviews

“An incredible story, beautifully written, and a fine and noble book.” —James Patterson, New York Times bestselling author

April 6, 2018, Book Announced: 'Devil in the White City' by Erik Larson

Stacey has selected the April book: "Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair That Changed America" by Erik Larsen. A description from Amazon.com:

Erik Larson—author of #1 bestseller In the Garden of Beasts—intertwines the true tale of the 1893 World's Fair and the cunning serial killer who used the fair to lure his victims to their death. Combining meticulous research with nail-biting storytelling, Erik Larson has crafted a narrative with all the wonder of newly discovered history and the thrills of the best fiction.

A few reviews:

“Engrossing . . . exceedingly well documented . . . utterly fascinating.” — Chicago Tribune

“A dynamic, enveloping book. . . . Relentlessly fuses history and entertainment to give this nonfiction book the dramatic effect of a novel. . . . It doesn’t hurt that this truth is stranger than fiction.” — The New York Times

"So good, you find yourself asking how you could not know this already." — Esquire