Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen

The Tarahumara Indians of the Copper Canyon in Mexico may be the world's greatest long-distance runners, and they do it without technologically advanced shoes and the other accoutrement of the modern world.

Christopher McDougall's search for the Tarahumara introduces a cast of loners, misfits, rogues and other interesting characters who populate the world of ultramarathons. His quest for their secrets reveals that we may be who we are because our ancient ancestors ran. And his sharp and fun style make for a fascinating and fast-paced read.

Request Born to Run from the Saint Paul Public Library today! -- John L.

The School of Essential Ingredients

Erica Bauermeister's first novel is a feast for the senses. And torture if you are hungry while reading it. Through the chapters you meet all the members of a cooking class taught by an extraordinary restaurateur. One night they make ravioli "no thicker than paper, their edges crinkled, their surfaces kissed with melted butter, scattered with bits of shallots and hazelnuts, like rice thrown at a wedding." Bauermeister captures moment after moment of her characters being healed by the intersection of food and emotions. For fans of Like Water for Chocolate and The God of Small Things. -- Jenny H.

Request a copy of The School of Essential Ingredients from the Saint Paul Public Library.

Say You're One of Them

Say You're One of Them by Uwem Akpan is a collection of 5 short stories set in different countries in Africa. The stories are tied together in portraying the difficult circumstances of life for children in Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and western Africa.

Elegant writing is used to tell stories of heartbreak and horror through the eyes of the children involved, as they are forced into slavery, to leave homes and friends behind, or bear witness to massacre.

Some of the stories are tough to take, but you will never forget them, nor will you look at the troubles of sub-Saharan Africa in the same way again.

Request a copy of Say You're One of the Them from the Saint Paul Public Library. -- John L.

Dark Roots

A collection of short stories with a darkly humorous angle.

The stories are mostly set in Australia, although they really could be happening anywhere, and are usually told from the vantage of likable narrator. We may not make the choices our narrator does, but by the time we have read her story we can certainly empathize with and understand her decisions.

You'll want to tear through the stories all in one go, but each one bears careful reading. --John L.

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A Carrion Death

This first book in a new mystery series by Michael Stanley introduces Detective Kubu. "Kubu" is the Setswana word for hippopotamus, and a fitting nickname for this large but tireless employee of the Botswana Criminal Investigation Department. Kubu loves opera, food and drink in large quantites, and his wife Joy. Kubu dislikes being yelled at by his supervisor or his sister-in-law, but it happens with alarming regularity.

A deceptively slow pace brings the reader to the edge of her seat in this intricately plotted story featuring diamond smugglers and bushmen of the Kalahari. The details of modern life and landscape in Africa are worthy of any travel book.

Michael Stanley is the pen-name for the duo of Michael Sears and Stanely Trollip. Trollip divides his time between South Africa and Minneapolis--hence this first Detective Kubu story was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award. --Jenny H.

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The Terrorists

Set in Stockholm, Sweden, this is the tenth and final installment in the fabulous Martin Beck series of detective novels by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö. Martin has finally left his wife and taken up with a charming new woman. Sweden is usually perceived as an eternally cold country, but in these thrillers, Sweden is hot, hot, hot! Martin and his colleagues would love to take their long annual vacations but have to stay in town to prepare for the visit of an American senator. The policemen thwart the foreign terrorists, who’ve set up shop in Stockholm and are intent on assassination. Sadly, Martin Beck and his associates are unable to stop a disaffected domestic assassin. Although the authors took turns writing alternate chapters, transitions between them are seamless.--Barb P.

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Echoes from the Dead

This thriller by Johan Theorin is set on the remote island of Őland, Sweden. Julia Davisson’s little boy Jens disappeared into the fog years ago and was never found. Julia is slowly recovering from the loss of her son with the help of her father Gerlof and a policeman named Lennart Henriksson. She isn’t going through nearly as many bottles of red wine as she had been while she was living in Stockholm. This thriller jumps about in time from shortly before World War ii to the present. All signs point to Nils Kant, the local villain, having kidnapped and killed little Jens—the only problem is, he died ten years before Jens’ disappearance. So what happened to Jens and will Julia finally find closure?--Barb P.

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