NOVEL
CRITIC'S CHOICE
For more than 80 years the story of Zorro, created in 1919 as a serial-thriller hero by Johnston McCulley, has been revisited in books, films and on TV. In her latest novel, bestselling author Allende offers her own vivid retelling of the masked hero's tale. As recounted by Allende, Diego de la Vega, the man who would become Zorro, was born in California in 1795 to a half Shoshone mother and a Spanish nobleman. De la Vega is a product of conflicting cultures; raised to enter Spanish society, he prefers the lessons taught by his shaman grandmother. After witnessing the settlers' mistreatment of Native Americans, he develops a sense of justice that he hones in Barcelona, where his father sends him to finish his schooling.
Here de la Vega creates his alter ego Zorro—the masked hero who rescues victims of political tyranny with dazzling swordplay. His double life continues after he returns to California, where he battles a ruthless Spanish colonizer. But while Zorro is filled with daring missions and narrow escapes, it's no mere page-turner; as always, Allende's literary craftsmanship is impeccable. De la Vega is beautifully drawn, and Allende uses a lively narrative voice to create intimacy and suspense. Equal parts adventure, historical novel and family saga, Zorro is a moving portrait of a hero who is heartbreakingly human.
CRITIC'S CHOICE
For more than 80 years the story of Zorro, created in 1919 as a serial-thriller hero by Johnston McCulley, has been revisited in books, films and on TV. In her latest novel, bestselling author Allende offers her own vivid retelling of the masked hero's tale. As recounted by Allende, Diego de la Vega, the man who would become Zorro, was born in California in 1795 to a half Shoshone mother and a Spanish nobleman. De la Vega is a product of conflicting cultures; raised to enter Spanish society, he prefers the lessons taught by his shaman grandmother. After witnessing the settlers' mistreatment of Native Americans, he develops a sense of justice that he hones in Barcelona, where his father sends him to finish his schooling.
Here de la Vega creates his alter ego Zorro—the masked hero who rescues victims of political tyranny with dazzling swordplay. His double life continues after he returns to California, where he battles a ruthless Spanish colonizer. But while Zorro is filled with daring missions and narrow escapes, it's no mere page-turner; as always, Allende's literary craftsmanship is impeccable. De la Vega is beautifully drawn, and Allende uses a lively narrative voice to create intimacy and suspense. Equal parts adventure, historical novel and family saga, Zorro is a moving portrait of a hero who is heartbreakingly human.
By Alexander McCall Smith
MYSTERY
Precious Ramotswe, founder of Botswana's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, settles in for an afternoon nap only to realize there's an intruder under her bed. His trousers catch on a bedspring as he escapes, and the hunt for a half-naked scoundrel is on. Like the first five mysteries in McCall Smith's charming series, Ladies examines the mystery of human relationships and the power of goodness in our lives. The plot advances through acts of generosity—kindnesses that ripple outward with surprising and far-reaching effects, helping Ramotswe to put her first, abusive marriage further behind her and continue her newly happy life. She is a captivating character, and McCall Smith's Africa, land of mopipi trees and lebolobolo snakes, feels both exotic and deeply familiar.
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THE BREAKING POINT by Sue Shellenbarger: Good news about the "female midlife crisis": More women are redefining themselves—and finding joy—after 40.
THE FRIEND WHO GOT AWAY edited by Jenny Offill and Elissa Schappell: A compelling collection of true stories by women about winning—and losing—friends.
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NORTH OF ITHAKA by Eleni N. Gage
Subtitled A Journey Home Through a Family's Extraordinary Past, this memoir by PEOPLE beauty editor Gage chronicles her 10-month sojourn in Lia, Greece. There, she rebuilt the home where her grandmother was murdered during Greece's civil war.
- Contributors:
- Bich Minh Nguyen,
- Heidi Jon Schmidt.
Saved by the Bell Reunion
The hookups, the meltdowns, the memoires
The case reveals what was really going on what they think of each other now!
