October 2014 - AudiobooksNow Blog

Surviving The Holiday….Winter Street, by Elin Hilderbrand

Winter Street is one of several beach novels written by author, Elin Hilderbrand, who, by some critics, has earned the title of “Queen of the Summer Novel”. The theme is a bit different than her other works in that it is still in her beloved Nantucket, but takes place during the Christmas holiday season.

Winter Street is the local Inn on Nantucket, and has the tradition of hosting an annual Christmas party for the island. Everyone is looking forward to the party except Kelley Quinn, owner of the Inn. His whole family is in a constant state of chaos and turmoil, beginning with his discovery that his wife has had a 13-year affair with the hired Santa. His personal finances are in trouble after spending his once very comfortable savings on an elaborate restoration of the Inn. The Quinn children have many problems all their own. In the midst of all the family mayhem, Kelley’s first wife and mother of the three children steps in to possibly save the day.

By the time the holiday is gone, the dysfunctional Quinn family will survive “a love triangle, an unplanned pregnancy, a federal crime, a small house fire, many shots of whiskey, and endless rounds of Christmas caroling”. Just a “simple” story about coming home for Christmas.

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Distance between Different Cultures and Desires…”The Hundred-Foot Journey”, by Richard Morais

Richard Morais is a former Forbes magazine correspondent turned author, when he wrote his first novel, The Hundred Foot Journey. An American who was raised in Switzerland, Morais has spent most of his life overseas, giving him an international perspective in his work. He now resides in New York City.

The Hundred Foot Journey began as the main character, Hassan, leaves India after tragedy strikes. He takes his family with him as they begin a long trip to find their niche in the world of culinary service. Eventually, they end up settling in a small village in the French Alps. In this village, they open an inexpensive restaurant infusing the sleepy little town with the spices of India. By doing this they incite a culinary war with the town’s famous French Chef. Eventually, she agrees to mentor Hassan, which leads him to Paris and the opening of his own restaurant. The Hundred Foot Journey refers to the distance between a new Indian kitchen and a traditional French one that represents the gulf between different cultures and desires.

The novel has been adapted to film and was released in August 2014. The director for the film is Lasse Hallstrom for DreamWorks Pictures (and others). The cast includes Helen Mirren and Manish Dayal as the French Chef, Madame Mallory, and the Indian chef, Hassan.

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Act of Assassination??? “Killing Patton”, by Bill O’Reilly

The host of Fox News Channels, The O’Reilly Factor, has added another novel to his list of intriguing books about important figures in history. Preceded by Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy, and Killing Jesus, author O’Reilly presents Killing Patton. Another in the series of riveting non-fiction novels about famous murders in history.

General George S. Patton, Jr. mysteriously died in the months following the end of World War II. In the seventy years since, suspicion has always surfaced that his death had been an act of assassination. The O’Reilly novel covers the final year of the war, and gives an accounting of the events surrounding Patton’s death. It gives the names of many powerful individuals who may have wanted him silenced. The narrative includes a description of a once very powerful man and he lays flat on his back in a hospital bed. “His upper body is encased in plaster, the result of a car accident twelve days ago. Room 110 is a former utility closet, just fourteen feet by sixteen feet”. There is a single chair for Patton’s wife, who sets by his side crocheting hoping he will soon awaken. The man laying in this German hospital is her husband, but he is also known as the brilliant General of the American Third Army whose crowning achievement was the Battle of the Bulge.

Co-author, Martin Dugard, is a New York Times bestselling author of several history-oriented books. He currently lives in Southern California.

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