NEW BOOKS: JANUARY 2009


	An Army in Skirts: The World War II Letters of Frances DeBra, by Frances DeBra Brown More than 150,000 women served in the Women's Army Corps (WAC) in World War II, including Frances DeBra from Danville, Indiana, who worked as a draftsman at American headquarters in London and Paris. An Army in Skirts contains the letters that Frances wrote to her family and letters from family and friends to Frances. The letters vividly detail her World War II service.

	Catalog: An Illustrated History of Mail-Order Shopping, by Robin Cherry Designers, armchair cultural anthropologists, and retro-graphic freaks alike will love thumbing through this well-illustrated look at the American mail order catalog, from its advent in the late 19th century to the present day. Cherry, who worked in direct marketing for more than 18 years, has put together a fascinating book. Bob Dylan ordered his first guitar from catalog. Read an interview with the author on the Ephemera blog.

	Chicago & North Western Railway, by Tom Murray By the time it was merged into the Union Pacific in 1995, the Chicago & North Western was one of the nation's oldest surviving railroads, a testament to the Midwestern stoicism with which it had gone about its business since 1859. This illustrated history chronicles how C&NW emerged from a collection of regional carriers to become a strategic link between eastern railroads and the West.

	Driftwood: Stories Picked Up Along the Shore, paintings and companion stories by Howard Sivertson In this newest collection of tales and original paintings, storyteller and artist Howard Sivertson shares his "stories pickup up along the shore" using his folksy wit and colorful style. In this fifth art book of the series, he offers history, adventure, and glimpses of family life told with his well-known mirthful spirit.

	Facing North: Portraits of Ely, Minnesota, photographs by Andrew Goldman, essays by Ann Goldman, foreword by Jim Brandenburg Ann and Andrew Goldman offer a revealing portrayal of the unique people who call Ely home. Featuring more than one hundred portraits as well as vivid essays, Facing North tells the story of life in this Northwoods community: its breathtaking beauty, surprisingly diverse character, and complex history. A thriving destination area, Ely is a changing community, yet its traditions remain vibrant and strong.

	The Genius of C. Walton Lillehei and the True History of Open Heart Surgery, by Daniel A. Goor, M.D. A brilliant heart surgeon whose discoveries paved the way for generations of other doctors in his field has his career and reputation torn apart. Armed with fresh and thoroughly researched information on one of the most influential - and enigmatic- figures in medicine, Goor's fascinating, insightful biography combines an understanding of both science and the politics involved in the history of the repair and healing of the human heart.

	In Cod We Trust: Living the Norwegian Dream, by Eric Dregni A vivid portrayal of modern Norway through the eyes of a fourth-generation Norwegian American from Minnesota. Dregni’s Scandinavian roots do little to prepare him and his family for the year in Trondheim eating herring cakes, obeying the conformist Janteloven (Jante’s law), and enduring the mørketid (dark time). Read a review on the Minneapolis Observer Quarterly.

	Jews in Minnesota Politics: The Inside Stories, by Robert (Bob) Latz; foreword by Walter F. Mondale Robert (Bob) Latz profiles leaders in the Minnesota Jewish community—among them Geri Joseph, Arthur Naftalin, Hyman Berman, Rudy Boschwitz, Paul Wellstone, and Norman Coleman—who have worked to shape public policy that has affected our entire population. He also discusses the careers of nationally-prominent Jews with Minnesota roots such as Thomas Friedman, Al Franken, and Norman Ornstein, and explores the role of synagogues and other Jewish community organizations in advancing the cause of social justice.

	The Leper, by Steve Thayer A veteran of World War I, John Severson becomes a school teacher in a tough, working-class St. Paul neighborhood where a high school diploma is a rarity. Severson has dreams, aspirations. But something had happened to him during the war, something awful. And it follows him home and changes every part of his life. John Severson becomes a leper. Instantly he is torn from his dreams, disconnected from his beautiful plan, ripped from the woman he loves. But Severson is determined to reclaim what he lost, to overcome the horror that is leprosy, to dream again. Read a review on MinnPost.com or on the IPL Staff Reviews blog (Indianola Public Library).

	Spirits in the Grass: A Novel, by Bill Meissner In Spirits in the Grass we meet Luke Tanner, a thirty-something baseball player helping to build a new baseball field in his beloved hometown of Clearwater, Wisconsin. His chance discovery of a small bone fragment on the field sets in motion a series of events and discoveries that will involve his neighbors, local politicians, and the nearby Native American reservation. Luke’s life, most of all, will be transformed. His growing obsession with the ball field challenges Luke’s assumptions about everyone, especially himself. In this beautiful and haunting novel, baseball serves as a metaphor for life itself, with its losses and defeats, its glories and triumphs. Read a review on the Armchair Interviews blog.

	Three Gay Tales from Grimm, freely translated and illustrated by Wanda Gág Bound by a common thread—a serene foolishness cropping up in many a character and absurd situation—the three charming tales in this long unavailable book are not as well-known as they deserve to be. Wanda Gág’s interpretations of “The Clever Wife” and “The Three Feathers” are exceptionally funny, while “Goose Hans” is particularly hard to find in Grimm collections. Gág’s uniquely American translations and her equally enchanting illustrations will provide sheer delight for the young and old.

	Walks on the Beach with Angie: A Father's Story of Love, by Don Warner, with Marly Cornell Warner describes his relationship with his beloved daughter, Angela, who had cystic fibrosis. The devastating loss and overwhelming grief Don and his wife experience prompts him to search for meaning in his daughters death and ignites a powerful desire to create a lasting legacy in her honor. Read a review on the Armchair Interviews blog.

	A Way of Living: The Simple Life and Extraordinary Craft of Landscape Painter Don Koestner, by Bill Hakala Readers of all ages and interests can draw inspiration and instruction from the consistency and fullness of Don Koestner's long and productive life. To Koestner, art is like walking and breathing—a natural response. He says, "I didn't find art, art found me."