August 3, 2009

It's Getting Hot Out There!

The temperatures outside are heating up, so here are two books to keep you cool...

"One Day the Ice Will Reveal All Its Dead" is a beautiful and poetic book by Clare Dudman that novelizes the true-life tale of German scientist Alfred Wegener whose theory of continental
drift would eventually revolutionize our perception of the world. His tale is one of unbelievable courage, endurance and perseverance against his peers who derided him, the scientific community which doubted him, and Nature herself who fought him every step of the way. One critic described this book: Dudman has clearly done her research, presenting a thorough, as well as a thoroughly intriguing, novel that beautifully portrays one truly fascinating man. Give this strange novel/biography a try. You'll learn something, you'll be transported to one of the coldest places on earth, and you'll feel for this extraordinary man who pursued his goals with great nerve and energy. 

Not in the mood for non-fiction? "The Tenderness of Wolves" by Stef
Penney is a great mystery, set in the frigid isolation of the 19th century Canadian frontier. The characters are finely drawn and Penney pulls you into this world with her amazing story. A young man disappears; that same day his mother discovers the scalped body of her son's friend. The murder draws newcomers to the small settlement, and suspects slowly begin to emerge. A journey takes place through cold and misery, and the truth is illuminated in wondrous prose and beautiful descriptions. Penney's writing is absorbing, convincing and complex. A great, many-layered story.

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