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Books matching: intersection of past and present

7 result(s)

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Showing 1 - 7 of 7 
  1. #1

    What Is the What by Dave Eggers
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    'What Is the What' by Dave Eggers is a powerful and heart-wrenching fictionalized memoir that follows the life of Valentino Achak Deng, a Sudanese Lost Boy who flees his village during the civil war. The book combines the experiences of many Lost Boys into one person's history, sharing the struggles and resilience of Deng as he navigates through violence, starvation, chaos, and despair on his journey to freedom. The story alternates between Deng's childhood in Sudan and his new life in America, providing a compelling narrative that is both heartbreaking and inspiring.

    The book is written in a captivating and informative style that effortlessly weaves together the past and present of Valentino Achak Deng's life. Through the first-person narration, the reader is drawn into Deng's harrowing experiences, his search for survival, and his determination to start anew in a foreign land. The alternating timelines, engaging characters, and rich descriptions of Sudan's history and culture make this novel a poignant and eye-opening exploration of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

    I have no reason not to answer the door so I answer the door. I have no tiny round window to inspect visitors so I open the door and before me is a tall, sturdily built African-American woman, a few y...

  2. #2

    The Lake House by Kate Morton
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    The Lake House by Kate Morton is a captivating mystery novel that weaves together the stories of Detective Sadie Sparrow and elderly crime writer Alice Edevane. The plot revolves around a 60-year-old unsolved missing persons case that tore apart the Edevane family. With intricate storytelling, alternating perspectives, and a mix of past and present timelines, the novel delves into family secrets, suspense, and the art of plotting the perfect crime. Set in Cornwall, the book explores themes of love, loss, family relationships, and the unraveling of mysteries, creating a compelling and suspenseful narrative.

    Clouds covered the moon, a stroke of luck she didn’t deserve, and she made her way through the thick, black night as quickly as she could. She’d come earlier to dig the hole, but only now, under veil ...

  3. #3

    The Wicked Girls by Alex Marwood
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    "The Wicked Girls" by Alex Marwood is a gripping novel that delves into the lives of two women, Kirsty and Amber, who were convicted of a murder as children. The story alternates between their past as young girls implicated in a heinous crime and their present lives under new identities. The narrative unfolds as the women's paths unexpectedly cross again, intertwining their past and present in a suspenseful manner, while exploring themes of redemption, secrecy, and the haunting effects of their childhood actions.

    Martin checks his watch. It’s nearly ten o’clock. She’ll be going to work soon. The neon lights on the roller coaster at Funnland have been switched off, the halogen arc lights they flood the park wit...

  4. #4
    The Butcher
    Book 3 in the series:Creep

    The Butcher - Creep by Jennifer Hillier
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    'The Butcher' by Jennifer Hillier follows the story of Matt, who inherits his childhood home from his grandfather, retired Police Chief Edward Shank. As Matt delves into the past, he uncovers dark secrets about his family, including the revelation that his grandfather was the notorious serial killer known as The Butcher. The plot unfolds with suspense and tension, as Matt's girlfriend, Sam, investigates her mother's murder, suspecting a connection to The Butcher. Despite knowing the killer's identity early on, readers are drawn into a gripping narrative filled with twists and revelations, culminating in an epic ending that ties together various pieces of the story.


  5. #5

    The Book of Sand by Jorge Luis Borges, Norman Thomas di Giovanni
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    The Book of Sand by Jorge Luis Borges is a collection of surreal short stories that explore the concept of time and being. The stories delve into themes such as books and libraries, nameless strangers, intersections of the past and present, bards and skalds, Christianity's pagan roots, architecture, mathematics, and unreliable first-person narrators. Each story in the collection shares a reflective and somber tone, often leading to a sense of resignation in the face of the inscrutable universe. The title story, "The Book of Sand," tells the tale of a man who encounters a mysterious book with infinite pages, leading to a series of philosophical questions and a sense of being trapped by its endlessness.


  6. #6

    We Love You, Charlie Freeman by Kaitlyn Greenidge
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    'We Love You, Charlie Freeman' by Kaitlyn Greenidge is a novel that delves into the complex dynamics of a family hired to teach sign language to a chimpanzee named Charlie as part of an experiment at the Toneybee Institute. The story unfolds through the viewpoints of various characters spanning from the 1920s to the present day, exploring themes of race, family relationships, isolation, and the dark history of the institute. The writing style is described as clear, descriptive, and engaging, with a focus on creating a rising sense of dread as events unfold.

    Outside of the car it was dark and hot and early morning August in Dorchester. Through the crack of the window, I could smell every part of the city—every slab of asphalt, every rotting plank of wood ...

  7. #7

    The Night Swim - Rachel Krall Investigation by Megan Goldin
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    In "The Night Swim" by Megan Goldin, Rachel Krall, a true crime podcaster, travels to a small North Carolina town to cover a rape trial for her latest season. While reporting on the trial, she starts receiving letters from Hannah, who seeks help in solving her sister's murder from 25 years ago. The book weaves together timelines of the trial, Rachel's investigation, and letters from Hannah, creating a compelling narrative that delves into themes of justice and uncovering hidden truths.

    The story is told through multiple perspectives, including Rachel's investigative journey, the letters from Hannah, and snippets of Rachel's podcast episodes. As Rachel delves deeper into the rape trial and the cold case of Jenny's death, she uncovers shocking secrets and connections between the two cases, leading to a suspenseful and thought-provoking exploration of small-town secrets and the quest for justice.

    It was Jenny’s death that killed my mother. Killed her as good as if she’d been shot in the chest with a twelve-gauge shotgun. The doctor said it was the cancer. But I saw the will to live drain out o...

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