Weekend picks for book lovers
What should you read this weekend? Paste BN’s picks for book lovers include PT 109, a new look at a pivotal event in JFK's life, and Razzle Dazzle, an entertaining peek behind the Broadway curtain.
PT 109: An American Epic of War, Survival, and the Destiny of John F. Kennedy by William Doyle; William Morrow, 277 pp.; non-fiction
More than half a century after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the world remains endlessly fascinated by the man and his presidency.
But author William Doyle isn’t wading into the usual waters — JFK’s alleged affairs, conspiracy theories surrounding his death or even his political legacy. Instead, Doyle recounts the history of PT 109, a story of heroism in World War II’s South Pacific starring the future 35th president of the United States.
As the commander of the U.S. Navy patrol torpedo boat PT 109, the 26-year-old JFK was forever transformed over the course of a seven-day ordeal that began on Aug. 2, 1943, and, as a result, so was history.
On a mission that appears to have been hopelessly doomed from the start, JFK’s PT boat was rammed and virtually split in two by a Japanese destroyer. Two American sailors were killed on impact, while Kennedy and 10 other survivors found themselves left for dead in enemy waters. It was JFK’s “reckless” brand of bravery that made all the difference in their survival.
Paste BN says *** out of 4 stars. “Engrossing... has all the makings of a definitive account — the last word on the story.”
Razzle Dazzle: The Battle for Broadway by Michael Riedel; Simon & Schuster, 403 pp.; non-fiction
New York Post theater columnist Riedel transports us back to the 20th century, when giants roamed the theater district, and not just in the form of great actors, directors, and creative artists.
Paste BN says ***1/2. “Scrumptious… there is no mistaking the positive, infectious zeal at the core of Razzle Dazzle.”
Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff; Riverhead, 390 pp.; fiction
Two beautiful people meet in college. They have their own sorts of glamour: Lotto (short for Lancelot) is full of passion and charisma, destined for artistic greatness. A 2015 National Book Award finalist.
Paste BN says ***. “Absorbing…(written in) powerful and exotic prose.”
Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights by Salman Rushdie; Random House, 286 pp.; fiction
A postmodern fable in which a roughly contemporary New York becomes a battleground between warring factions of the jinn (amoral, incorrigibly randy magical beings of Arab and Islamic myth).
Paste BN says ***. “Pleasurably fanciful.”
The Lost Landscape: A Writer's Coming of Age by Joyce Carol Oates; Ecco, 368 pp.; non-fiction
In a new collection of autobiographical essays, the 77-year-old novelist explores the experiences that shaped her as a writer.
Paste BN says ***. “A wonderful and deeply personal book, filled
with perceptive observations and details.”
Contributing reviewers: James Endrst, Elysa Gardner, Eliot Schrefer, Kevin Nance, Carmela Ciuraru