Kari's Picks

KARI'S NEW PICK

In 1979, eleven-year-old Norman Ollestad becomes stranded alone in a blizzard after his plane crashes into the side of a mountain, killing his father and everyone else on board. Part survival story, part memoir, Ollestad recounts his 8,000 foot descent down the icy mountain and his relationship with his adrenaline-junkie father who taught him to push through fear and survive. This true account is told in compelling and quick prose and the book is truly one that I could not put down!

Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger is the 2008 winner of the Man Booker Prize. This dark novel is a series of 7 letters from Balram Halwai to the Chinese premier. In these letters, Balram tells the story of contemporary India, of caste and class, and of the story of his life - from innocence, to corruption, to murder, to entrepreneur. This book takes you on a trip through the underbelly of an India and highlights many of the problems that plague developing nations.

The Da Vinci Code for foodies! Author Elle Newmark brings to like 1498 Venice with rich descriptions of the aromas, tastes, and sounds of the city. It is a story of a young orphan begger and his struggle to survive in a world of mstery, murder, and intrique. The poverty of the street is balanced by glimpses into the world of the elite and reveals how they both need each other to survive. Luciano's journey out of poverty, aided by a secret society, is a story well told. A page-turning read!