Maeve Noonan - Bookseller in Saratoga Springs
Submitted by mnoonan@northsh... on Tue, 10/29/2013 - 6:02pm
"I live in a house that is held together by books - literally" - KMNoonan
This is an exquisite, wondrously crafted book. Much more than a novel, The Convert blends fiction and the history of actual 11th Century biographical documents of Norman noblewoman Vigdis, who defied society, faith and family to marry the son of a Rabbi for love. These documents were lost until their rediscovery in 1969, found in a deep well called "God's Oubliette " where certain documents no longer in circulation are consigned. ~ Reviewed by Maeve Noonan
There are times when you need a Storyteller like Erdrich who will spin a tale, keeping all the common ills of real life lessons yet infuse it with real magic ( day to day sincere episodes of grace.) Erdrich's stories resonate in the marrow and teeth of my bones where the tendon attaches. That is how the Night Watchman feels to me. Here recent history of the 1950's US policy of Native American Dispossession is wrapped in family sagas. Louise is at her best here. ~ Reviewed by Maeve Noonan
This novel was powerful, elegant, poetic, and philosophical. The novel reminds me of 19th Century stereoscopic views: imagery of a vista with two separate views repeated side by side and viewed through a viewfinder blend to create a unique 3 dimensional experience. In this novel spanning 2000 years of Roman History we have 4 lives in 4 different centuries and a fifth voice; a love-sick Devil experiencing slices of layered Time the reader can actually feel and smell the rich fetid moss covered land in the Eternal City; all exquisitely messily wrought ie. human. I love this book! ~ Reviewed by Maeve Noonan
This amazing work is a companion to, and elucidation of, the award-winning TED Talks on The Charter for Compassion. Armstrong's endeavor is to broaden and deepen the understanding of the Sacred Texts from the world's major religions; their origins, and their ancient manner of teachings. By delving into the neurolinguistic science of right/left brain learning and studying how various societies have changed from ancient to modern learning strategies, Armstrong calls for reevaluation of our treatment of the texts, and how we ascribe words like transcendence, intuit, creativity, fundamental, literal and interpretation. Brilliant! ~ Reviewed by Maeve Noonan
Eisen is uniquely qualified to write this book because, as U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia, he was one of the most recent occupants of the palace built in Prague the 1920s by Otto Petschek. Eisen weaves an incredible story of the palace and its occupants, from Ashkenazi to Hollywood royalty, Nazis, communists, heroes, villains, and victims. The book extends from the 1920s through the Velvet Revolution to the present. The plot twists would rival any mystery. Eisen's own existence, not just his ambassadorship, winds around the thread of his own mother surviving the Holocaust, the Russian invasion, and rise of Communism. This book is fascinating,insightful and timely. ~ Reviewed by Maeve Noonan
Northshire Manchester
4869 Main Street
Manchester Center, VT 05255
ph. 802.362.2200
ph. (toll free) 800.437.3700
Sun-Thu 10am-7pm Fri-Sat 10am-9pm
Directions to Manchester
Northshire Saratoga
424 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
ph. 518.682.4200
ph. (toll free) 855.339.5990
Sun-Thu 10am-7pm Fri-Sat 10am-9pm
Directions to Saratoga Springs