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By Times Staff
Published November 4, 2004
Arvin, who lives part time in St. Petersburg, changed professions from producing records to writing when his first thriller, The Will, was published. His new book, The Last Goodbye, is about a disraced lawyer, a beautiful opera singer and people die after taking a revolutionary drug therapy.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: ". . . smoldering . . . vigorous and jet-propelled . . . anyone with a taste for sultry, devious, adrenaline-boosting suspense stories may want to cancel a few appointments before opening this one." - New York Times
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: A Question of Blood by Ian Rankin
JAMES M. AULT JR.To make a documentary about the growing influence of Christian fundamentalists, sociologist and filmmaker Ault spent three years at a Jerry Falwell-influenced church in Massachusetts. Narrative and analysis are combined in his book Spirit and Flesh: Life in a Fundamentalist Baptist Church.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Ault brings his whole person, not just his capacity for insightful abstraction, into the story - and into the quest to know not just his subjects, but also their God." - Publishers Weekly
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: The Way of Council by Jack M. Zimmerman and Virginia Coyle
DONALD L. BARLETT & JAMES B. STEELEThe Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper reporters, now at Time magazine, write in Critical Condition that the United States lags behind other Westernized nations in its quality of health care and life-expectancy. They argue for doing away with today's health care system in favor of a single payer plan.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "A devastating indictment, supported by excellent research." - Publishers Weekly
LIKE THEIR WORK? THEN TRY: Overdosed America: The Broken Promise of American Medicine by John Abramson
MARIANNE BERKESA retired children's librarian, Berkes lives in Viera, on Florida's east coast, and loves the sounds and sights of animals and nature. Her fourth children's book, Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef, is about sea creatures.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Marianne Berkes' children's books sing of nature!" - Palm Beach Post
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: A Swim Through the Sea by Kristin Joy Pratt
STEVE BERRYWhile researching his two novels, The Amber Room and The Romanov Prophecy, Berry, a lawyer, visited Germany, Austria and Russia. The Romanov Prophecy focuses on the restoration of the Russian imperial dynasty. An African-American lawyer travels to Moscow to help a man who claims to be descended from the murdered czar, leading to an international scavenger hunt.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Berry uses Russia - past and present - to excellent effect and makes sharp observations about the contemporary Russian scene, such as the racism Lord encounters throughout the country." - Publishers Weekly
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: A Death in Vienna by Daniel Silva
ANDY BOROWITZSatirist, television personality and actor Borowitz is the winner of the National Press Club's first humor award. Millions read his daily Internet column, The Borowitz Report. Some of those columns are collected in The Borowitz Report: The Big Book of Shockers. His other new book is Who Moved My Soap?: The CEO's Guide to Surviving Prison.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: The Borowitz Report: "Humorist Borowitz skewers the usual suspects in this amusing collection of short satirical pieces from his eponymous Web site." - Publishers Weekly
Who Moved My Soap: "Borowitz gives a pitch-perfect rendition of the vacuities of some business books . . ." - Publishers Weekly
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: Rationalizations to Live By by Henry Beard, et al.
KRISTINE BREESEAt 35, Breese, the mother of two young children, suffered heart failure and had a pacemaker installed. Her life-saving surgery gave her a chance to examine her priorities. Cereal for Dinner (& Other Shortcuts, Strategies and Sanity for Moms Battling Illness) targets women who experience serious illness while raising a family.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Breese's optimism is sunny and contagious, but she doesn't sugar-coat. For example, her suggestions for talking about death and dying are as realistic as they are inspiring." - Amazon.com
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: The Anatomy of Hope: How People Prevail in the Face of Illness by Jerome Groopman
ANDREI CODRESCUCodrescu is a poet, novelist, essayist, NPR commentator and professor at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. The title character of his new novel, Wakefield, one day finds the Devil at his door to tell him his time is up. The two strike a deal: Wakefield has one year to find the true meaning of life.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Codrescu has been railing against the demise of the real in our culture for some time, and Wakefield continues that campaign." - St. Petersburg Times
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris
MAUREEN DOWDPulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Dowd offers a take-no-prisoners analysis of the president and his father in Bushworld: Enter At Your Own Risk, a collection of op-ed columns.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Drawing on her columns, Dowd presents a comic-tragic look at the current Bush administration, the relationship between father and son presidents (the second set in U.S. history), and the incredible topsy-turviness of what she derisively calls "Bushworld.' Bush detractors will love Dowd's sharp analysis, but even his fans should acknowledge her wit." - Booklist
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: Worse Than Watergate by John W. Dean
MELVIN PATRICK ELYIsrael on the Appomattox: A Southern Experiment in Black Freedom from the 1790s Through the Civil War. Ely, professor of history and black studies at William and Mary and author of The Adventures of Amos 'n' Andy, writes about former slaves and their owners in Prince Edward County, Va., and the community the African-Americans built, Israel Hill.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "This is a well-researched and absorbing look at the history of freedmen and race relations from an angle that defies the conventional wisdom of blacks and whites at the time." - Booklist
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: Landon Carter's Uneasy Kingdom: Revolution Rebellion on a Virginia Plantation by Rhys Isaac.
A.H. FELMANFelman turned to writing fiction after a career as a pediatrician and professor of radiology at USF. In Legend of the Feather Pillow, Felman addresses conflicts between the traditional code of ethics and the realities of modern health care.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "A timely "behind the scenes' look into the often-veiled workings of medical enterprise. Relevant and eye-opening . . ." - Sharon Argov, director of information resources, American International University
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: The Mystery of Breathing by Perri Klass
FAWN GERMERGermer, a former reporter and editor for the Miami Herald and the Tampa Tribune and author of Hard Won Wisdom, has written her second self-help book, Mustang Sallies: Success Secrets of Women Who Refuse to Run With the Herd. It is based on interviews with more than 75 women - among them Hillary Clinton, Susan Sarandon and Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio - who, Germer says, "know how to use power, not fear it."
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Germer has written an engaging, provocative guide for women determined to charge ahead and succeed on their own terms." - Amazon.com
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: Hardball for Women: Winning at the Game of Business by Pat Heim
BOB GRAHAMIn Intelligence Matters, the three-term U.S. senator from Florida finds fault with America's national security apparatus and questions the competence of the intelligence agencies he has been charged with overseeing.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "We seem to have reached a state of affairs where presidents can get better intelligence from reading tea leaves than from consulting the FBI and CIA, but Sen. Bob Graham argues that something else is at work in the botches that led to Sept. 11 and the rude awakening in Iraq: "the politicization of intelligence' " - Washington Post
IF YOU LIKE HIS WORK, THEN TRY: Imperial Hubris: Why the West Is Losing the War on Terror, by Anonymous
MAX FRANKELFrankel, a former New York Times reporter, executive editor and a giant in journalism, has put his expertise to use in High Noon in the Cold War: Kennedy, Khrushchev and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Frankel, who covered the 1962 crisis, blends his own notes with recent testimony about one of the most dangerous times in American history.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: ". . . a great story, told from different vantage points and filled with drama . . . Frankel offers sobering lessons in leadership for the war on terrorism." - Publishers Weekly
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: Maximum Danger: Kennedy, the Missiles, and the Crisis of American Confidence by Robert Weisbrot
JOSEFA GONZALEZ-HASTINGS"In my Cuban family," writes Gonzalez-Hastings, owner and chef of the Habana Cafe in Gulfport, "two things were always certain - food and good times." The Habana Cookbook blends Cuban cuisine, her family's lore and nuevo Latino cooking.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Best Cuban Food in Tampa Bay Area" - Tampa Bay magazine, 1999-2003
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: Memories of a Cuban Cookbook: More than 200 Classic Recipes by Mary Urrutia Randelman
AMY GOODMANGoodman hosts the national radio and TV show Democracy Now! In her first book, The Exception to the Rulers: Exposing Oily Politicians, War Profiteers, and the Media that Loves Them, Goodman offers her perspective on world events and the hidden motives of those in power.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Provocative questions power Goodman's stirring call for a democratic media serving a democratic society." - Publishers Weekly LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: Imperial America: Reflections on the United States of Amnesia by Gore Vidal
SHARON HANBY-ROBIEHanby-Robie has been an interior designer for more than 20 years. Beautiful Places, Spiritual Spaces: the Art of Stress-Free Interior Design helps readers create a beautiful, serene space by conquering clutter and finding the colors that suit their personality and their spiritual needs. Hanby-Robie is the author of the bestselling My Name Isn't Martha . . . series.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "This is a Bible study to understand how to build and maintain a biblical atmosphere in our homes." - Christian Book Previews
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: The Simple Living Guide by Janet Luhrs
CHRIS HARRYHarry, a senior staff writer at the Orlando Sentinel, has covered the Buccaneers and the NFL since the 2000 season. Winner of the 2001 Football Writers Association of America award for feature writing, Harry is a graduate of USF. Tales from the Bucs Sideline is the story of the team from its woeful beginnings to world championship.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "For nearly a generation, they were the Yucks. Then they transformed themselves from frogs into princes. Tales from the Bucs Sideline is their story, warts and all . . ." - Amazon.com
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: Tales from the Patriots Sideline by Michael Felger
MICHAEL HETZERHetzer has written books for adults and children. His children's book No More Handprints is the story of a boy and his mother and how a blue handprint comes between them. Footprints on the Ceiling, also for children, is a story about an absent father's love.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: No More Handprints: "Breaks new ground . . . beautifully written and sentimental . . . the story's language is lovely. - Parent News. Footprints on the Ceiling: "A true family keepsake" - Amazon.com
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: Dancing in My Nuddy-Pants, by Georgia Nicolson
Hetzer's debut adult novel, The Forbidden Zone, is a thriller set in the Soviet Union in 1983. Hetzer, the founding editor of the Moscow Times, the first English-language daily newspaper in Russia, was witness to the huge changes that took place as Communism disintegrated.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Well-paced and exciting, with crisp dialogue, believable setups, and first-rate atmosphere: a page-turner in the best tradition of le Carre and Martin Cruz Smith." - Kirkus Reviews
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: The Unlikely Spy by Daniel Silva
AMY WARREN HILLIKERLittle One, God Made You, part of the Purpose-Driven Life series for kids, is a board book for ages 4 and under that tells how every child is made for God's purpose.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Amy Warren Hilliker, daughter of Rick Warren, wrote this charming board book inspired by Rick's bestselling book, The Purpose-Driven Life." - Amazon.com
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: Made for a Purpose (Purpose-Driven Life) by Dandi Daley Mackall, et al
JOHN IVANKOIvanko, co-author of To Be a Kid, To Be an Artist and the new Be My Neighbor, is an award-winning photographer, writer, conservationist and globetrotter. He left the corporate treadmill to journey around the world. One year and 29 countries later, he returned with over 15,000 photographs and stirring accounts of his journey.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: Be My Neighbor: "A visually enticing tribute to diversity and the number of bonds that unite us in a common humanity. . ." - Kirkus Reviews
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN READ: Extraordinary Girls by Maya Ajmera
EDWARD P. JONESThe Known World is Jones' first novel. It received the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the 2004 National Book Critics Circle Award. Set in the antebellum South, it is the story of Henry Townsend, a black man who owned slaves, and the community, black and white, that he is part of. The Known World explores the complexities of slavery as well as the bonds of humanity that join us.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Heartbreaking . . . fascinating." - Newsweek
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: Beloved by Toni Morrison
ALAN KAYKay, a history teacher at Dunedin High School, is the author of the Young Heroes of History series, novels for children and young adults that tell about the Civil War through the eyes of children.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "A great story, thoughtful writing, and a surprising amount of suspense. . . . (It) begs the reader to further discuss and reflect on their view of the impact of slavery on the American experience." - Kathy Hudspeth, Amazon.com reviewer, on Send 'Em South, Book I in the series.
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: The Heritage of Horror series, suspense novels for middle school readers by Tampa's Lynne Hansen.
JEFF KLINKENBERGLongtime St. Petersburg Times feature writer Klinkenberg brings together a collection of his columns in Seasons of Real Florida. He takes us away from the urban and suburban sprawl to a Florida mostly forgotten. He shows us that "real Florida" - the Florida of hidden swamps, forests, rivers, caves and characters - is still around, but in danger of being paved over.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "He writes about the kind of Florida characters we never even knew existed." - Sarasota-Herald Tribune
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: The Tropic of Cracker by Al Burt
ERIC KRAFTKraft, a former teacher and textbook writer, continues his series featuring the charming and eccentric writer Peter Leroy in his 10th novel, Passionate Spectator. In his latest adventure, Peter is eager to promote his current venture, Memoirs While You Wait.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Charming but never sappy, droll but never cynical . . . the literary equivalent of Fred Astaire dancing: great art that looks like fun." - Newsweek
LIKE HIS WORK? TRY THIS: The Egyptologist by Arthur Phillips
CHRISTOPHER LOWELLIn The Hassle-Free Host: Super Simple Tablescapes and Recipes for Stunning Parties, "super host" Lowell of the Discovery Home Channel puts forth his "You can do it" philosophy.Lowell's idea of entertaining - creating an environment in which everyone is comfortable, including the host - is covered in detail, from easy table decorations and recipes to theme entertaining.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Television's ever-upbeat designer and decorator Lowell shows in pictures and text how to throw a memorable party. In this volume, he expands his horizons to include food as well as decoration." - Booklist
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN READ: At Home Entertaining: The Art of Hosting a Party with Style and Panache by Jorj Morgan
STAN MACKMack pioneered a documentary style of cartooning with Stan Mack's Real Life Funnies, which ran in the Village Voice for nearly 20 years. Mack used this style in several nonfiction co-authored with his long-time partner and love, Janet Bode. His new book,Janet & Me: An Illustrated Story of Love and Loss, is an illustrated memoir.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Mack's tale of how his and Bode's easy companionship was derailed by Bode's breast cancer is unique for many reasons, but his improbably moving and downright funny illustrations drive this book right out of the crowded field of cancer memoirs." - Publisher's Weekly
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: Truth & Beauty: A Friendship by Ann Patchett
DANDI DALEY MACKALLMcKall's children's book Made for a Purpose, insired by Rick Warren's bestselling The Purpose Driven Life, tells of C.J. Jones, a young girl who doesn't want friends. Mackall has published more than 330 books for children and adults, often with emphasis on Christian values.
A CRITIC's VIEW: "C.J. learns that God is the ultimate architect with a design and plan for her life." - www.BookChristian.com
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions by George Barna
SUSAN C. McCARTHYMcCarthy's first book, Lay That Trumpet in Our Hands, told of her father's courage in cooperating with the FBI to help solve race Her new novel, True Fires, is also inspired by true events. When the sheriff removes two children from school in the small town of Lake Esther because of the color of their skin, he angers some of the town's women. Their actions reach across racial lines and change the town forever.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "A vivid portrait of mid-century corruption and of some brave enough to risk everything for justice." - Kirkus Reviews
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd: A Novel by Jim Fergus
DR. ROBERT NORMANIn The Woman Who Lost Her Skin (And Other Dermatological Tales), Tampa Bay area dermatologist Robert Norman talks readers through his patient's stories. Norman is a clinical instructor for several medical schools and has written 15 books and more than 200 medical and general articles.
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: The Perricone Prescription, by Nicholas Perricone
DAWSON PERKINSDawson Perkins' debut novel, The Team, is the story of a woman raped by a college basketball star. The book examines the problem of athletes and sexual violence from the victim's angle.
CRITIC'S VIEW: "Moving, funny and warm: executive-level African-American chick-lit, in which love helps put the past to rest." - Kirkus Reviews. LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: Gotham Diaries: A Novel by Tonya Lewis Lee, Crystal McCrary Anthony
TOM ROBBINSTom Robbins, internationally known for his offbeat, influential fiction, is the author of eight novels, including the underground classic Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and the recent bestseller Villa Incognito. Writer's Digest named Robbins one of the 100 best writers of the 20th century, but he claims his greatest honor was when Italy's legendary Fernanda Pivano called him "the most dangerous writer in the world today."
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Robbins . . . is to words what Uri Geller is to spoons: He bends sentences into playful escapades . . . Bottom line: Another bedside attraction." - People
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: Pattern Recognition by William Gibson
DIANE ROBERTSThe title of Roberts' latest book says it all: Dream State: Eight Generations of Swamp Lawyers, Conquistadors, Confederate Daughters, Banana Republicans, and other Florida Wildlife. A former St. Petersburg Times editorial writer, Roberts is a professor of English at the University of Alabama and can be heard on NPR. She has also written The Myth of Aunt Jemima: Representations of Race and Region.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "The author tracks her Florida family branches back some eight generations as evidence that the state's history is uniquely and often scandalously strange . . ." - Kirkus Reviews
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: Cigar City Mafia Scott M. Deitche
NANCY RUERue, a former teacher and church youth director, has written more than 60 books for young people, addressing topics from a Christian viewpoint. Rue's new series for girls ages 8-12 features Sophie LaCroix in the FaithGirlz! collection, created to empower tween girls as they begin to grow up.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: On Sophie's World, the first Faithgirlz! entry: "In the midst of her colonial American daydreams, Sophie learns one of the absolute truths: God loves you. Even if your circumstances may tell you otherwise, he loves you." - Amazon.com
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: The Care & Keeping of You: The Body Book for Girls, American Girl Library
E.ROSE SABINSabin is a longtime resident of Pinellas County and a former middle-school teacher who writes fantasy and science fiction. A School for Sorcery, her first novel, kicked off a young adult fantasy series and has been followed by a prequel, A Perilous Power, with a sequel When the Beast Ravens, scheduled for December.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "A tale that should appeal to fans of Harry Potter. Well-written, with memorable characters and a readable style, this title belongs in most fantasy and YA collections." - Library Journal.
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: Alphabet of Thorn by Patricia A. McKillip
ALEX SANCHEZSanchez worked for many years as a counselor to youth and families. He is the author of Rainbow High and Rainbow Boys, a Lambda Literary Award finalist and American Library Association best book for young adults. His latest book, So Hard to Say, is about the friendship between a teenage Mexican-American girl and a boy who thinks he may be gay.
A CRITIC"S VIEW: "Sometimes funny, other times sad, all the time touching, So Hard to Say is brilliant in the counterpoint views of a homosexual male and heterosexual female." - Children's Literature
LIKE HIS WORK? THEN TRY: Half-Life by Aaron Krach
TARA BRAY SMITHWest of Then: A Mother, A Daughter, and a Journey Past Paradise is a memoir about Smith's search for her mother, a drug addict who abandoned Smith when she was Smith's story about her flawed but beloved mother is interwoven with the bittersweet history of Hawaii.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "Flawlessly connecting her personal history and her mother's deterioration with that of Hawaii itself, Smith blends reportorial objectivity with the baring of her soul to sublime effect." - Booklist
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: Secret Life of the Lonely Doll: The Search for Dare Wright by Jean Nathan
EBONI SNOEWhen Everything's Said and Done is romance writer Snoe's first mainstream fiction, the story of three sisters, raised in St. Petersburg, whose loyalty to each other is tested by their passion for the same man.
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "The sisters' story is told by an old neighbor woman who talks to the spirits and dispenses potions, her narration adding yet another layer to this warmhearted but overburdened tale." - Publishers Weekly
LIKE HER WORK? THEN TRY: In My Dreams by Monica Jackson
CLIVE WYNNEIn Do Animals Think? Wynne, an animal expert and associate professor of psychology at the University of Florida, writes about animal behavior but disagrees with those who ascribe human attributes to them. His main point is simple: "We don't have to pretend that some species have consciousness equivalent to ours. They don't, and they don't need it to matter to us and deserve our attention."
A CRITIC'S VIEW: "It helps his arguments that Wynne is often as entertaining as he is erudite. . . . He seems to take delight in animals, and possesses great knowledge about them, yet he prefers them at arm's length. The constant message is that animals are not people." - Publisher's Weekly
LIKE HIS WORK?THEN TRY: Animal Talk: Breaking the Codes of Animal Language by Tim Freed
[Last modified November 3, 2004, 12:51:18]
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