9.13.2010

 

Last Call: The Rise & Fall of Prohibition


by Daniel Okrent, 376pgs, hardcover
Overall Grade: B+

If you're like me, you know little to none about the 18th Amendment establishing prohibition, except that it has the singular characteristic of being the only Amendment of the Constitution that's been repealed (21st Amendment). Okrent writes an incredibly readable account of the people and social factors that gave rise to the prohibition movement, the cultural of the US during Prohibition, and the people and social factors that eventually brought about its end.

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 7:17 AM
 

The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet


by David Mitchell, 479 pgs, hardcover
Overall Grade: B

Again I picked up a popular fiction novel... this time because it's set in Japan. The story revolves around a Dutch clerk Jacob de Zoet who has left his beloved Anna behind in the Netherlands to hopefully make his fortune on the island of Dejima. For those not up on their Japanese history, the Dutch were the only Westerners allowed by the shogun to trade with the Japanese for many, many years. Unfortunately for Jacob, Dejima is in dire straights having lost their previous year's trading ship at sea. Not only must he deal with the motley cast who makes up the company at Dejima, but his heart is distracted by the face of one of Dr. Marinus' pupils, midwife Orito Aibagawa.

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 7:09 AM
 

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo


by Stieg Larsson, 465pgs, hardcover
Overall Grade: A-
Series: the Millennium trilogy book 1

Incredibly catchy prose (wonder if that's from the translator or the author), this one. I'm not usually one for mysteries (or popular fiction) but this was definitely worth the read. Takes place in the early 2000's in Sweden, where the financial-critic/reporter protagonist has just been found guilty of libel. Along comes a mysterious freelance job offer from a reclusive former corporate CEO, who would very much like to know what ever became of his granddaughter who vanished back in the 1960's.
The minus is only because of some squicky violent bits.

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# posted by Cptn. Suz @ 7:03 AM

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