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    		•  February paperback releases offer good choices for reading groups

    REVIEWS BY JULIE HALE

    Cover The Master Butchers Singing Club
    Ojibwe author Erdrich continues to chronicle life in North Dakota with her eighth novel, a sprawling historical tale of a German family set in the early 1900s. Fidelis Waldvogel comes home from World War I to marry Eva, the widow of his best friend who died in battle. Together, they make a new life in Argus, North Dakota, where Fidelis works as a butcher and forms a singing club made up of the best male singers in the community. The Waldvogels have four sons, but when Eva falls sick and dies, Fidelis must struggle on without her as a single father. Enter Delphine Watzka, a kind-hearted vaudeville performer who gives the thick-skinned, angel-voiced butcher hope for the future. This is a wonderful story of friendship, family and community, written with wisdom and compassion by Erdrich, whose poetic style perfectly captures the desires, fears and hopes hidden in the human heart. A reading group guide is available in print and online at www.harpercollins.com/readers.

    Cover The Devil in the White City
    Providing a peek into the mind of a certified psycho, Larson's chilling bestseller is a work of true-crime reportage that's destined to become a nonfiction classic. In this Gilded Age period piece, Larson expertly reconstructs the stranger-than-fiction events surrounding the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, recounting the complex logistics of its construction and focusing on the bigwigs involved, including eminent architect Daniel Burnham and crotchety genius Frederick Law Olmsted. But the real star here is Dr. H.H. Holmes, a handsome, seductive serial killer who posed as a physician, built the labyrinthine World's Fair Hotel, equipped it with a gas chamber and crematorium, and lured tourists to their deaths. Larson captures perfectly the psyche of his villain—the practiced charm, the deviousness, the unnerving ease with which he snuffed out life. The most remarkable thing about this hard- to-believe tale, though, is that every bit of it is true. A reading group guide is available online at www.vintagebooks.com/read.

    Cover The Coffee Trader
    Liss' latest historical mystery is set in Amsterdam in 1659. Miguel Lienzo, a member of the city's Portuguese Jewish population, makes his living as a commodities trader. But when he loses his fortune in the blink of an eye, Miguel must join forces with a mysterious Dutchwoman to recoup his losses and clear his name. The plan: to manipulate the trading of a remarkable new product called coffee. Further troubles await Miguel, however, as a formidable enemy counters his every move in an effort to destroy him. Liss' thorough knowledge of history and finance lend this novel of deception a wonderful authenticity. Fact-filled, suspenseful and beautifully written, the book is a seductive page-turner that offers a detailed portrait of life in the 17th century. A reading group guide and author interview are included in the book.

    Cover Dancer
    This glittering biographical novel tells the story of Rudolf Nureyev, one of the 20th century's greatest ballet dancers and an international star done in by his own decadent lifestyle. Offering a kaleidoscopic vision of Nureyev, the book is narrated by the people who knew him, from Anna Vasileva, his first ballet instructor, to Victor, a gay gigolo. The book unfolds over the course of four decades, moving with ease from the Soviet Union and the upheaval of World War II to the excesses of '80s New York. Among the famous stars who make appearances are Nureyev's frequent partner, ballerina Margot Fonteyn; Andy Warhol and John Lennon. Energetic and stylish, McCann's book captures the mystery, genius and exoticism of Nureyev, a one-of-a-kind artist and celebrity whose legacy lingers. A reading group guide is available online at www.picadorusa.com.


    Has your club recently read an excellent book that sparked good group discussion? If so, BookPage would like to hear about it. Contact us at reading@bookpage.com with a description of the book and the reasons for your recommendation. We'll pass the top choices along to our readers.

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