Adult Books for High School Students

Adult/High School–Alternating between the cliché and the brilliantly candid, Attenberg scrutinizes humankind’s deepest sentiment through the romantic ups and downs of Sara, Holly, Maggie, and Melanie–seen in girlhood and into womanhood–as each of theses quirky characters searches for a happy ending. Their stories are as much about love lost, unrecognized, or distorted as love found. The self-contained vignettes gradually overlap. Some were published earlier and are now woven together through the interactions of the main characters and their friends in common. Readers feel the loneliness and risks involved when looking for love. It is by no means instant and is often fleeting as each individual ponders that moment when everything changes in a relationship. This honest portrayal will be disorienting for some teens and reassuring to others.–Brigeen Radoicich, Fresno County Office of Education, CA

Adult/High School–Teens looking for a grand saga in which to lose themselves will appreciate this one set in late-20th-century China. General Long, well-respected by Chairman Mao, has two sons. Tan is born to his wife, and into a life of privilege; Shento is born to a rural mountain woman who commits suicide at his birth. This child’s life is full of depravation and cruelty, especially during his time in an orphanage. As the boys mature, Shento learns the identity of his father, but when he is rejected, he vows revenge. As the boys grow up, their paths cross, although sometimes unknowingly. Shento trains as an assassin and during the Cultural Revolution he kills Tan’s teacher. Shento is the first to meet Sumi and fall in love with her. Later, believing Shento is dead, she falls in love with Tan. Despite its sprawling nature, the novel is fast-paced, with chapters alternating among the characters, thus eliciting both sympathy and antipathy for each brother as he meets life’s challenges. As in Dickens, the numerous coincidences do not detract from the tale, but instead infuse it with a sense of inevitability. This story of revenge, adventure, and an explosive love triangle satisfies a taste for historical fiction as well as for a family saga.–Teri Titus, San Mateo County Library, CA

Adult/High School–A novel about the twists and turns of deceits, small and large. June, a cafeteria worker in an elementary school, learns that a man from whom she refused a ride has been arrested for the murder of the mother of a student in her school. As she begins to obsess about the fate she seemingly escaped, she visits the dead woman’s daughter, Cindy Hanks, pretending to be an old family friend. There is a rumor of incest in the family and June, who is childless, considers adopting the girl. Soon she has been given some of the dead woman’s clothes, but she also discovers a secret that jeopardizes her almost-perfect marriage. Clement is a master of plot surprises as the relationships among June, Cindy, and even Cindy’s uncle grow more convoluted. When the lies begin to unravel, June becomes aware of the danger in telling even well-intentioned untruths and learns the limits of responsibility. Her moral dilemma will appeal to readers as she attempts to balance her good intentions against the half-truths that she feels she needs to tell. Teens will appreciate the quandaries of an adult world that will soon be theirs.–Pat Bangs, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Adult/High School–Set in Laos in the 1970s, this is the third book in Cotterill’s exotic and engrossing series featuring Dr. Siri Paiboun, the 73-year-old national coroner; his nurse, Dtui; and Mr. Geung, a developmentally challenged morgue assistant. After a corpse is found entombed in concrete at the presidential compound in remote, mountainous Hiraphan Providence, Paiboun and Dtui are sent from Vientiane to the scene of the apparent crime to sort things out. They need to work fast because a large national celebration is scheduled to take place at the compound in just a few days. Aided by his status as a spirit host, Paiboun takes advantage of clues flowing directly from the dead. But this boon is offset by the endless red tape of the sporadically functioning communist regime. Meanwhile, Mr. Geung, through no fault or choice of his own, is engaged in a separate harrowing, prolonged, and near deadly adventure. Cotterill mixes several elements of mysticism, including soul-transfer, elaborate rituals, dancing (and disco music) for the departed with more conventional themes: racism, international relations, military and government bureaucracy, and romantic posturing. The supernatural happenings and unfamiliar location, time, and characters demand sophistication on the part of teen readers, but for those eager to explore new territory, the novel offers an excellent alternative to the typical American or British mystery setting.–Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–A young Arab-Israeli journalist moves from Tel Aviv back to his childhood village with his wife and baby daughter just in time to be caught up in a series of harrowing, dramatic events. In response to Israel’s military presence in the village, neighbors and relatives find themselves fighting one another in order to survive. The first-person narrative gives this novel the sort of immediacy often found in YA fiction; although the narrator is nearly 30, the short chapters and fast pace, combined with the memories of youth that his return home elicits, make for an easy fit for older teens with an interest in other cultures or current events. Some words or concepts are not explicitly defined, but are made clear in context. A real strength here is the unusual perspective; the novel relates the experience of those caught in the middle, the Arab-Israelis who are citizens but are separated from many of their countrymen by faith and heritage. The unspoken answer to the unnamed protagonist’s query about his own village: “Who are they anyhow?” is hinted at in the unsettling conclusion. A natural choice for teens who have discovered Albert Camus’ The Stranger.–Jenny Gasset, Orange County Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–Following up on his coming-of-age tale, Hairstyles of the Damned (Akashic, 2004), Meno has created a wry and somewhat surreal novel chronicling the adventures of Billy Argo, boy detective. Given a True-Life Junior Detective Kit by a relative, he becomes a local celebrity when he solves a string of crimes of a type unfamiliar to most mystery-book heroes. The story turns even darker when Billy suffers a breakdown following the suicide of his younger sister and fellow crime solver. By turns comic and strange, the novel follows Billy through his travails in the fictitious city of Gotham, NJ. Teens will gravitate to the weirdness of this place where city buses, wax museums, school yards, small headless animals, and evildoers with missing body parts abound. Billy’s dreamy encounters challenge his courage and inadvertently bring resolution to the mystery of his sister’s death. The characters along the way are memorable and the bizarreness builds throughout. Readers’ appetite for solving puzzles also increases as clues are dropped to help Billy in solving the big puzzle of the unknown. Always a challenge for adults, young or old, Meno is a talent worth following.–Thomas Fortin, Fargo Public Library, ND

Adult/High School–Here’s a fast-paced novel featuring a reality TV show that is like The Amazing Race and Treasure Hunt combined. Contestants have personal secrets and have been chosen specifically because producers hope that they will spill their guts for ratings. The action focuses on four characters. Justin and Abby are a married couple, a lesbian and a gay man who have renounced their “lifestyles” and proudly carry the banner of their newfound faith while they both struggle to remain straight. Although described as young, these two seem much older than their years in their pursuit of a traditional marriage. Meanwhile, the mother-daughter team of Laura and Cassie deals with the fact that the girl gave birth without anyone even noticing that she was pregnant. When she is given the chance to choose a different teammate–and does–emotions and rivalry ratchet up exponentially. Teens may well relate to Cassie, who feels alienated from her mother and unable to communicate about the most basic parts of her personality (most notably, that she is attracted to women). Laura’s reaction is that of love and guilt. Despite being rejected, she keeps trying to find a way to connect to her daughter. An over-the-top, dramatic ending leaves some loose ends, but there is satisfaction in the resolution for a couple of the characters. Older teens may find that this book presses just the right buttons.–Charlotte Bradshaw, San Mateo County Library, CA

Adult/High School–Total obsession with the lives of romantic telenovela characters unites three disparate young women who have come from Cuba to New Jersey in the 1960s, in this sometimes sad, sometimes funny tale. Coming from the warm, easy pace of their homeland, and now freezing on the way to work in a doll factory, the women find hope for tomorrow both for themselves and for the TV characters whose loves and friendships they endlessly discuss. Graciela, a beautiful single mother looking for romance and a way to better herself in America, is the object of Caridad’s and Imperio’s derision and jealousy. Santiago shows readers life in Cuba before and after Castro. History students will develop a personal feeling for this period, and teens will relate to the immigrant experience as it is portrayed here. Those who liked Julia Alvarez’s How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents (Plume, 1992) will also enjoy this novel.–Ellen Bell, Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton, CA

Adult/High School–This squeaky clean and straightforward suspense story is the third in a series featuring one of the extern (that is, public-meeting) nuns in a contemplative monastery in New Mexico. Sister Agatha, who drives a Harley with a sidecar that is frequently inhabited by either her former police dog, Pax, or Sister Bernarda, a former Marine, regularly lends assistance to the local sheriff. In this outing, a little girl who insists that she can see angels must go into hiding at the monastery after her mother is badly injured in a suspicious car accident. Subplots include the nuns’ entering the baking business to pay for their new roof, a tabloid news reporter’s trying to track down the child because of her putative connection to angels, and an ex-con from a previous case that Sister Agatha cracked. The pace is sprightly and rides along on the waves of almost-probable events. There are plenty of admirable characters who will appeal to teens who like old-fashioned cozies or inspirational fiction. The lives of the contemplative sisters are portrayed realistically and accessibly, adding a dimension for those who may wonder what such a life must be like in the modern world. Readers don’t need to know or care about Catholicism in order to be engaged by Sister Agatha’s adventures or the ethical issues that she and other characters raise.–Francisca Goldsmith, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–This is the personal history of the life and work of a strong and beautiful civil rights leader who continues to fight the good fight in the 21st century. The book traces Blackwell’s journey as the granddaughter of a man who was shot in cold blood by his white plantation boss to her ascension as the first black woman mayor in Mississippi. Her philosophy of “barefootin’” through life, in good times and bad, is one that the Buddha or the Dalai Lama would approve. There are many wonderful stories here of love and tolerance, such as when Shirley MacLaine took Blackwell with a group of women on a cultural exchange to China. The Chinese were so impressed with her that they invited her back on her own; she has gone to their country 16 times now and has hosted visits by them to her Mississippi town. The volume is full of wisdom.–Will Marston, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–Could loving to cook translate into being a professional under the tutelage of the famous chef of a three-star New York restaurant? Buford jumped at the chance to find out. This energetic account of his intense culinary education brings readers into the scalding kitchens where fine food is prepared by obsessive chefs for whom timing is critical and cooking is art. The author entwines the history of pasta with his preparation of it, and he visits the theory that it was the Italians who brought fine cooking to France rather than the other way around. Buford follows the example of his mentors as he travels to Italian villages to serve as kitchen slave to a master of pasta-making and as an apprentice to a butcher to learn to perfect that culinary craft. A journalist for the New Yorker, the author writes with the same gusto with which he cooks. Readers learn how physically demanding professional cooking is, how hard it is on the ego, and how satisfying it can be. This is the ultimate career book for would-be chefs, and a book that noncooks will savor until the last word.–Ellen Bell, Amador Valley High School, Pleasanton, CA

Adult/High School–This is a guidebook to the popular TV series in which contestants race around the world engaging in grueling tests of fortitude and stamina, while demonstrating the ability to get along with their teammates, with the hope of winning one million dollars. The humor and snide asides by the author make the book most appropriate for teens. Good for fans who might have missed a season or two among the eight covered here, it’s also entertaining for anyone who wants to know what the show is like but doesn’t want to watch it. Castro’s tendency to introduce a segment of each race by hinting at who will win or which team will not survive takes away some of the suspense. He also nicknames the teams (e.g., “Team Doomed”), and this removes some of them from contention for readers before the race has even begun. He dismisses an entire season of the race–the family edition–as weak and poorly conceived, and his sarcasm toward some of the participants here is even thicker than usual. There are entertaining interviews with some of the show’s most memorable contestants. The chapters recounting the smartest tactics and dumbest mistakes are enjoyable, as is the chapter on the show’s most enduring moments. An interesting twist on armchair adventuring.–Will Marston, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–Freedman began his 30-year career by covering municipal meetings in northern New Jersey. He went on to write books, teach at Columbia, and become a columnist for the New York Times. Letters is not simply his reminiscences, nor is it a screed about the decline of journalism, though he lets his feelings about certain publishers be known. The book is fundamentally a manual that addresses how to be a journalist and how to succeed in the business. The author’s experiences writing, reporting, and teaching allow him to compare different approaches to the newspaper business and to give suggestions for newcomers to the field. He offers valuable advice based on his experiences and the collective wisdom of his colleagues, including the need to adhere to such standards as trust, accuracy, and relevancy. Aspiring journalists can profit from this concise and purposeful guide.–Ted Westervelt, Library of Congress, Washington, DC

Adult/High School–Fourteen-year-old Lucas joined the Marines in 1942 by forging his mother’s signature on his enlistment papers. At age 15, he stowed away on a troopship destined for Iwo Jima, and a few days after his 17th birthday he threw himself on top of two grenades to save three fellow Marines and become the youngest soldier ever to receive the Medal of Honor. Indestructible is more than a wartime memoir, although the detailed recounting of the Battle of Iwo Jima and Lucas’s recovery from his wounds are the strongest parts of the book. Reading this straightforward narrative is like sitting down with one’s World War II veteran grandfather and hearing his stories. Despite meeting four U.S. presidents and being honored for his heroism, Lucas remains humble. His voice is proud and patriotic, but he also recognizes his own shortcomings and mistakes. Black-and-white photos from the National Archives and his family are included. This very readable volume would be a good complement to a curriculum on the war.–Sondra VanderPloeg, Tracy Memorial Library, New London, NH

Adult/High School–McPhee charms readers with an insider’s look at various forms of freight carriers, including trucks, trains, and ocean tankers. He describes his personal experiences of traveling with a handful of people who transport bulk cargo. A self-proclaimed “four wheeler with a tendency to ignore stop signs,” he identifies the exceptional talents and quirky personality of each driver, seaman, and conductor and wonders at the expertise of these unknown mavens. The captain of the SS Stella Lykes can parallel park a 700-foot ship in a 750-foot space without assistance. Pilot Mel Adams maneuvers a fully loaded tugboat four times longer than the river is wide, with as little as 10 feet of clearance where the river turns. Dan Ainsworth, chemical tanker driver, factors the weight of his fuel, the distance between truck stops, and the weight of his load to avoid exceeding the limit at weigh stations. A pleasure to read, each of the seven chapters is an adventure waiting to be taken individually or collectively. Students will learn of the danger, the technology, and the precision required to bring coal to heat peoples’ houses, goods to their grocery stores, and imports to their harbors.–Brigeen Radoicich, Fresno County Office of Education, CA

Adult/High School–Mr. Mxyzptlk vs. Superman. Voldemort vs. Harry Potter. Khan vs. Captain Kirk. This volume is a comprehensive reference guide to bad guys from Abomination to Zurg, tracking each villain through its various incarnations including film and television, comics, video games, and even action figures. The introduction explains the criteria for inclusion in this book; minor bad guys are not included. Characters from the comics get the most attention, from the Golden Age to contemporary nemeses. The entry on “Modern Age Supervillains (1980-present)” will help readers understand the evolution of villainy. The index will greatly assist readers looking for their favorite characters, who can appear in several categories. Venom, for example, has his own entry and also appears in “Arachnid Adversaries.” Color and black-and-white images of many characters make this an eye-catching read. This book will be an enjoyable and educational resource for fans of all ages, whether they’re teens just entering the world of comics or grown-up nerds who still haven’t moved out of their parents’ basements. A fascinating title that will provide hours of evil entertainment.–Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library

Adult/High School–An engaging account of a most undeservedly obscure figure. The book itself is a fortuitous happenstance; had a certain volume not caught Roberts’s eye during a “wander break” through the stacks on a library visit, the story of Lieutenant James Holman, known to his contemporaries as the Blind Traveler, might still be lost to a modern audience. Born in 1786, Holman began service in the British navy at the age of 12. The rigorous lifestyle ravaged him physically; by age 20, pain had left him nearly incapacitated; five years later, he was blind, ill, and strapped for funds. Holman pursued a course–travel–that proved the best remedy. The Blind Traveler traversed the globe, encountering a plethora of colorful characters and gaining short-lived fame, if not fortune, from his narratives and memoirs. Roberts re-creates each journey, both geographical and physiological, providing insights into 18th-century beliefs, mores, and worldly knowledge, along with a ghastly array of “cures” inflicted on Holman by practitioners of medicine. The admiration and respect that the author feels for his subject are unmistakable, but in no way diminish the accomplishments of “the most restless man in history.” Black-and-white reproductions show Holman as he was depicted by contemporaries during his travels. This volume is an obvious addition to any number of booklists, from biographies to “nonfiction that reads like fiction.”–Dori DeSpain, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

Adult/High School–For those travelers who have ever wondered what certain poles, signs, wires, markings, pipes, and other devices that line our streets, highways, and interstates are called and what functions they serve, this is the perfect book. More than 150 individual items, grouped in categories, are identified and concisely and understandably explained, often citing their unique characteristics and interesting facts. A small black-and-white photo of each device is included. The text is sufficiently detailed without being overly technical, and the information is often of that “Wow, I never knew that” variety. So if your readers want to know what a splice box is and how it works, or a traffic counter, radar gun, audible crossing signal, step-up transformer, or even a pump-and-stem-pipe flood-irrigation system, this book is for them. It is fun, informative, and easy to use.–Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–In the same way that Beatles music transcends generational, national, and language boundaries, the art inspired by the Fab Four is global and as alive today as it was in 1969. Collected here in full color are some 150 works by 100 artists. From doodles to paintings, from sculptures to digital creations, from whimsical to poignant, and from realistic to surreal, the range of expression is awe-inspiring. Many of the pieces address the Beatles as a group, and others focus on them as individuals. Readers see the band members in all phases of their development, from the early Cavern Club gigs to the post-Beatle years. A good number of the items focus on the songs and on general themes associated with the music: love, peace, fun, psychedelics, social justice. Several of the contributors share their thoughts on the impact their subjects had on them as people and as artists. Among those contributing multiple works are Jock Bartley (who also wrote an engaging foreword), Simon Birtall, Apolonio Herrera, Sergey Parfenuk, Ken White, and Peta Wright. This well-produced package–the editing and production are uniformly excellent–is sure to inspire and thrill teens discovering for the first time the range and magnificence of the Beatles oeuvre.–Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–Weinstein seeks to unwrap the politics and lay bare the facts of ecological destruction caused by American cello-wrapped consumerism. Global warming due to deforestation, chemical pollution of our water supply, and depletion of our natural resources through overproduction are just a few of the agricultural hot topics that he covers in the opening chapter. He goes on to provide an Earth-conscious eater’s guide to buying and preparing food. His ideas are simple: eat local, eat organic, and support ethical farming practices that respect workers, livestock, and the land. Each chapter is organized by food group, with a description of what to look for when buying, and several healthful Earth-friendly recipes. A lot of useful Web sites help readers find out more about the foods and agricultural practices described. The author is a trained chef and food writer who is passionate about educating Americans about their eating habits. His insights and suggestions are in stark contrast to the appetite of the average adolescent. This book may be an eye-opener and mouth-closer for many teens accustomed to fast food, and a natural extension of practical how-tos for those already influenced by Eric Schlosser’s Fast Food Nation (Houghton, 2001).–Brigeen Radoicich, Fresno County Office of Education, CA

Adult/High School–This is not the story of the fellow who invented skiing; instead, it is the account of a boy who reinvented his own life, since he might not have survived without his imagination and industry. Wolfe’s mother was a wild, beautiful, and dangerous woman who, for example, gave his sister a bite of egg knowing that she would have an allergic reaction. The girl was forever damaged, and there were times when the author worried for his own physical safety. His doctor father had a heart condition that caused him to push his family away, and that led to his early death. The author overcame these beginnings by learning to take care of himself and by paying attention to his surroundings. This awareness and eye for detail are what make his storytelling so engrossing and heartfelt. He writes of ordinary people and of extraordinary ones, and is able to make both compelling. Wolfe recounts life with his beloved horse and his experiences as a miner, forest firefighter, woodcutter, and slaughterhouse worker with humor and warmth. His stories fully engage readers, and they may help teens understand that they can endure their own difficult lives and emerge stronger.–Will Marston, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Adult/High School–Historically, the workings of the diamond industry, heavily controlled until recently by the De Beers cartel, have been filled with clandestine meetings and covert operations, and its mythos even pervades popular culture. Zoellner has traveled the globe learning about the remarkably large supply of diamonds both mined and manufactured for industrial cutting and the jewelry trade. In the countries where they are mined, they represent both auspicious wealth and abject poverty. The citizens have long been exploited by international corporate investors and bloodthirsty local warlords anxious to supply the public with a token of eternal love. Teens may be surprised to learn that the “must have” diamond engagement ring is the result of a brilliant 1930s De Beers marketing strategy, which sought to influence the thoughts, tastes, habits, and fashions of Middle America. Heavy promotion and forced scarcity continue to fuel our inclination for the gems. Readers will be alternately fascinated and reviled by this exposé, which is equally well suited to casual reading and research.–Brigeen Radoicich, Fresno County Office of Education, CA