Return to Dragon Mountain
By Jonathan D. Spence
There are few historians today who can present their work with the vibrancy and page-turning language of a novelist. Jonathan Spence is one such writer, and his chosen subject—the complex and fascinating history and culture of modern and ancient China—make his work even more compelling. In Return to Dragon Mountain, Spence chronicles the life and experience of Zhang Dai, a man who enjoyed the luxuries and splendor of the Ming Dynasty, and then had to reinvent himself after the dynasty fell. It’s a remarkable tale and an in-depth, exhaustively researched look at 17th Century China. Click on the image to buy now!
 

The Fourth Bear
By Jasper Fforde
Take Greg Maguire’s penchant for twisting popular fiction and fairy tales around; add a generous portion of whimsy and off-beat humor; and sprinkle in a little absurdity; now you’ve got yourself a Jasper Fforde novel. The Fourth Bear is certainly off-the-wall: the Gingerbreadman is a notorious mass murderer: Punch and Judy are paradigms of spouse abuse; and Goldilocks is a journalist hot on the trail of a story so bizarre you might have to shelve all reason to accept it. It’s a bit hard to keep up with all the characters, acronyms, and plot twists, but the wordplay between fairytale protagonists, real people, aliens and talking animals is generally quite amusing. Click on the image to buy now!