You Know When The Men Are Gone
By Siobhan Fallon, hardcover, 227 pages; Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam, list price: $23.95
In eight loosely connected stories, Siobhan Fallon microscopically examines the lives of women left behind at Fort Hood when the men deploy. While these women are not technically "real", their stories, which reflect what life is like on a military base when the men leave and the women and children are left to fend for themselves, certainly feel genuine. There are women who have trouble waiting and others who worry about their husbands' fidelity. There are men who have adapted so well to war that it makes more sense to them than being home and others who don't trust their wives while they're away. Then, of course, there are those who return wounded or not at all. Not only do you know when the men are gone, you also know when the men are home — and the stories about when they return are just as compelling as those about their absence.
22 Britannia Road
By Amanda Hodgkinson, hardcover, 336 pages; Pamela Dorman Books, list price: $26.95
In Amanda Hodgkinson's debut novel, survivors of World War II try to reconstruct a life as a family in a new country. A husband, wife and son are reuniting after being apart for six years. On the surface, the three have all the ingredients for a happy ending: The wife and child are safe, and the husband has a job and a house for them. But nothing is ever so simple. Neither husband nor wife is the same person that each knew before the war; each has secrets about what happened during those long years apart. The house at 22 Britannia Road offers hope, and yet it can't protect its residents from the secrets they keep. Hodgkinson has a talent for introducing complicated characters who tear at your heart and keep you worrying and wondering about them. She also knows how to let secrets simmer and boil over in surprising ways.
World Without Fish
By Mark Kurlansky, illustrated by Frank Stockton; hardcover, 192 pages; Workman Publishing Company: list price: $16.95
In World Without Fish, Mark Kurlansky ponders what the world would be like without fish and how we got ourselves in this predicament. He presents information and proposes actions to remedy the problem and does it all in a visually appealing book that includes beautiful drawings, large and colorful text describing the issues and even a graphic novel that winds through the book. While there are three main causes for the problem — over fishing, pollution, and climate change — Kurlansky is the first to admit that reversing the trend is complicated. Nonetheless, he offers some ideas and bestows his faith in the next generation to accept the challenge. Ostensibly for young adults, World Without Fish is a primer and a call to action for readers of all ages.
Swamplandia!
By Karen Russell; hardcover, 320 pages; Knopf, list price: $24.95
Karen Russell's debut novel centers on Swamplandia!, a fictional 100-acre theme park in Florida that is run by the alligator-wrestling Bigtree clan. As is the case with most good entertainment, much of Swamplandia! and the Bigtree family is all smoke and mirrors. The head of the family, a man called Chief, has absolutely no Indian heritage; rather he is descended from Ohio coal miners. His wife, Hilola knows how to charm an alligator and an audience, but when Hilola dies, business literally goes to hell as tourists switch their allegiance to the World of Darkness, a competing park. As it follows each member of the Bigtree family and how they try to save the family business, this wonderfully wacky work of Florida fiction becomes a poignant examination of family relationships.
The Poison Tree
By Erin Kelly; hardcover, 336 pages; Pamela Dorman Books, list price: $26.95
Erin Kelly's novel The Poison Tree starts with a car speeding away from somewhere, someone or something. Then, it's 10 years later, and a woman and her daughter are on their way to prison to pick up the woman's husband and the girl's father. You know there's a murder, and you even know who committed it. Most of all you know there's lots you don't know about how we got to this point. Clues that only hint at the truth keep you riveted and remind you that you'd better pay attention. As the details unfold, the characters get more complex, as Kelly keeps the surprises coming until the very last page.
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