REVIEWS BY JULIE HALE

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted
Popular African-American novelist E. Lynn Harris has won a wide readership with his edgy, provocative tales of modern-day romance. In his best-selling memoir, he reveals some of the sources for his fiction and recounts the experiences that led him to writing. Harris is forthcoming about his turbulent childhood in Arkansas, his violent father, his battles with depression and his experiences as a gay man. One of the first black students to be accepted at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, he went to work for IBM in Dallas after college. His account of the difficulties of dating and the death of close friends from AIDS is timely and poignant. Readers will relate to his experiences and root for him as he moves from tragedy to triumph, finding real love at last and learning to accept himself. Harris' journey of self-discovery is inspiring, touching and beautifully recounted.

What Becomes of the Brokenhearted
By E. Lynn Harris
Anchor, $13.95
288 pages, ISBN 0385495064



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The Known World
Readers of Edward P. Jones' Pulitzer Prize-winning novel are likely to find it nothing short of revelatory. The foundation of the book—the institution of slavery as practiced between blacks—is a little-mentioned bit of history that makes the South's tempestuous past seem even stormier than before. Set in 1850s Virginia, the novel focuses on Henry Townsend, a free black man, and his wife Caldonia. The two buy a slave to serve as overseer on their new farm—an odd transaction for Henry, himself a former slave, but one Virginia society seems to take in stride. The book features a broad cast of characters that includes Sheriff John Skiffington, who opposes the owning of slaves but doggedly fulfills his duty of apprehending those who escape, and William Robbins, Henry's vicious former master, who has fallen in love with a black woman. Conflating traditional notions of freedom and bondage, Jones offers a unique vision of history. A reading group guide is available online at www.harpercollins.com.

The Known World
By Edward P. Jones
Amistad, $13.95
400 pages, ISBN 0060557559



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Under the Banner of Heaven
Tackling a force as formidable as any nature might offer, Jon Krakauer explores the nature of religious belief in what may be his bravest book yet. In this national bestseller, he traces the history of the Mormon religion from its beginnings in 1830 in New York state to the founding of its Utah-based headquarters in 1847 to modern times. But Krakauer's real focus is on modern-day groups of fundamentalist radicals who have split from the denomination's mainstream due to doctrinal differences. The rebel Mormons' story, dotted with incidents of violence, abuse, pedophilia and murder, forms the core of Krakauer's surreal report from the American West. This darkly fascinating account of Mormonism is thoroughly researched and engaging. A reading group guide is available online at www.randomhouse.com/anchor.

Under the Banner of Heaven
By Jon Krakauer
Anchor, $14.95
400 pages, ISBN 1400032806



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The Dogs of Babel
When his wife Lexy falls from a tree and dies, linguistics professor Paul Iverson is determined to find out exactly what happened. Was the tragedy an accident or suicide? The family dog, Lorelei, witnessed the fall, and Paul tries to teach the animal to talk so that he can find out what really occurred on that fateful day. Parkhurst skillfully presents Paul's story in brief chapters, alternating between his attempts to teach Lorelei to speak and memories of his relationship with the beautiful, impulsive Lexy, an artist who made masks. The book has moments of old-fashioned romance, but it's also disturbing. Parkhurst's depiction of a secret group of scientists who conduct illegal experiments on dogs is chilling. Unforgettable and original, this one-of-a-kind debut was a Today show Book Club selection. A reading group guide is available online at www.twbookmark.com.

The Dogs of Babel
By Carolyn Parkhurst
Back Bay, $13.95
288 pages, ISBN 0316778508



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