This book was brilliantly spine-chilling. I don’t want to talk too much about the plot because the less you know going into it the more I think you will enjoy it, but the story follows Corky, a famous magician, and his most famous act. Written by the author of The Princess Bride (who also wrote the screenplay for the movie), Magic pushes the bounds between reality and magic and what can happen when you cannot tell the difference. In addition to a wonderful story, I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of good writing. Goldman does a wonderful job of establishing strong characters quickly and giving everyone a voice of their own. The book also mixes first person diary entries with third person in a way that further twists the bounds between what is real and what isn’t. This is a quick read and one that I highly recommend.
Availability: USMAI
Review Submitted by: Lauren Grey, SMCM Alumn ’11
Rating: Highly Recommended
Life and Death in Shanghai by Nien Cheng is an autobiography about the author’s experiences during China’s Cultural Revolution. Before I read this book, I knew next to nothing about the Cultural Revolution. She not only makes it personal, but she includes some of the other history and the politics, so you really learn something from your read. The author is amazingly brave but at the same time, very human and relatable.
I picked up this book partly due to my interest in all things travel and I am always looking for new books discussing someone’s adventures abroad. This book was a little different since it was written in letter style. The main character wrote letters back to her best friend about her week-long cruise in Europe and talked about everything she did in general and how it related to the to do list her best friend gave her for her big adventure. Hijinks ensued and the book was a quick but enjoyable read.
Lisa Williams has won the monthly prize drawing for July.
