Check Out a Book (& Giveaway): Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

The discovery: I think I first learned about Min Jin Lee's new novel, Pachinko, at BEA last year, so it didn't take much for me to say yes when offered a review copy from the publicist. I liked the setting and the premise and was impressed by the universally positive reviews. Here's the publisher's summary:

Profoundly moving and gracefully told, Pachinko follows one Korean family through the generations, beginning in early 1900s Korea with Sunja, the prized daughter of a poor yet proud family, whose unplanned pregnancy threatens to shame them. Betrayed by her wealthy lover, Sunja finds unexpected salvation when a young tubercular minister offers to marry her and bring her to Japan to start a new life.

So begins a sweeping saga of exceptional people in exile from a homeland they never knew and caught in the indifferent arc of history. In Japan, Sunja's family members endure harsh discrimination, catastrophes, and poverty, yet they also encounter great joy as they pursue their passions and rise to meet the challenges this new home presents. Through desperate struggles and hard-won triumphs, they are bound together by deep roots as their family faces enduring questions of faith, family, and identity.

Why I want to read Pachinko: I'm a sucker for a long family saga, and this novel, which spans the twentieth century, has all the promise of good story lines--an affair, a marriage of convenience, a struggle to find a place and identity. I also like the settings of Korea and Japan. I was unaware of the difficulties that Koreans have experienced after emigration to Japan, and especially in light of today's politics, I want to know more about this clash of cultures.

Reviews: Pachinko has won several starred reviews, and Kirkus calls it "An old-fashioned epic whose simple, captivating storytelling delivers both wisdom and truth." Publisher Weekly notes that although this is a character-driven novel Lee sets a strong historical foundation. Post magazine mentions the uneasy relationship between Korean immigrants in Japan, which (as I mentioned) informs this book.

Extra: The Chicago Review of Books interview with Min Jin Lee offers excellent contextual baground to both the author and the novel.

Data: Published by Grand Central Publishing, February 7, 2017; ISBN: 9781478967439. Lee's debut novel, Free Food for Millionaires was a London Times Top 10 Novel of the Year. Pachinko is an Indie Next Pick and has starred reviews from Kirkus and Library Journal.

The giveaway: Thanks to Grand Central Publishing, I am able to offer a copy of Min Jin Lee's Pachinko to one lucky reader with a U.S. or Canadian mailing address. All you have to do to be entered for a chance to win is to fill out the following form. I'll pick a winner via random number generator on February 16. Once the winner has been confirmed and the mailing address has been passed along to the publisher, I'll erase all personal information from my computer. Good luck.

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Check Out a Book: The Invention of Science by David Wootten

The discovery: I'm pretty sure I learned about David Wootton's The Invention of Science through a pitch from Harper Books. The description of the book caught my eye because I took a couple of history and philosophy of science courses when I was in graduate school. This book, despite its length, seems like a great match for me, and I'm drawn in by the subtitle A New History of the Scientific Revolution. Here's the publisher's summary:

We live in a world made by science. How and when did this happen? The Invention of Science tells the story of the extraordinary intellectual and cultural revolution that gave birth to modern science, and mounts a major challenge to the prevailing orthodoxy of its history.

Before 1492, all significant knowledge was believed to be already available; there was no concept of progress, as people looked to the past, not the future, for understanding. David Wootton argues that the discovery of America demonstrated that new knowledge was possible: indeed, it introduced the very concept of discovery and opened the way to the invention of science.

The first crucial discovery was Tycho Brahe's nova of 1572: proof that there could be change in the heavens. The invention of the telescope in 1608 rendered the old astronomy obsolete. Evangelista Torricelli's experiment with the vacuum in 1643 led directly to the triumph of the experimental method in the Royal Society of Robert Boyle and Isaac Newton. By 1750, Newtonianism was being celebrated throughout Europe.

This new science did not consist simply of new discoveries or methods. It relied on a new understanding of what knowledge may be, and with this came a fresh language: discovery, progress, fact, experiment, hypothesis, theory, laws of nature. Although almost all these terms existed before 1492, their meanings were radically transformed, and they became tools to think scientifically. Now we all speak this language of science that was invented during the Scientific Revolution.

This revolution had its martyrs (Bruno, Galileo), its heroes (Kepler, Boyle), its propagandists (Voltaire, Diderot), and its patient laborers (Gilbert, Hooke). The new culture led to a new rationalism, killing off alchemy, astrology, and the belief in witchcraft. It also led to the invention of the steam engine and to the first Industrial Revolution. Wootton's landmark work changes our understanding of how this great transformation came about, and of what science is.

Why I want to read The Invention of Science: I'm particularly interested in this book because reviews tell me Wootton believes those of us (including me) who studied Thomas Kuhn, Karl Popper, and other twentieth-century philosophers of science back in the 1970s and 1980s may not have a true appreciation for the significance of the Scientific Revolution. Because I haven't yet read the book, I'm not sure what the issue is, but I think it likely has to do with the context in which we view, reconstruct, and analyze history. In addition, I wonder how Wootton does or doesn't integrate modern discoveries, technology, and theories (especially in physics) into his discussion of research and its effects on our everyday lives.

Reviews: The reviews have been very mixed. Those written by experts in the field (see The Guardian), point out some of the oddities and contradictions in Wootton's conclusions. On the other hand, Kirkus gave the book a star, but because the reviewer is anonymous, we can't assess his or her background or perspective. Most reviews written by scientists mention that Wootton's arguments against Kuhn, Popper, and Wittgenstein get tiresome and may even have a bitterness to them. I'm looking forward to forming my own opinions.

Final thoughts: The range of reactions to David Wootton's The Invention of Science makes me all the more curious. I'm kind of sorry the book doesn't seem to be available in audio (though I suppose the many footnotes could be problematic in that medium) because I think I'd like to listen to the book, a chapter at a time. I'm going to keep this book on my shelves and hope to work my way through its 770 pages in short chunks. If/when I do, I'll be sure to tell you what I think.

Data: Published by Harper Books on December 8, 2015. ISBN = 9780061759529. Wootton is a professor of history at the University of York (in the UK) and has written about medicine, Galileo, and other topics.

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Check Out a Book: Twister by Genanne Walsh

The discovery: I learned about Genanne Walsh's Twister from a good friend (and the book's publicist), who thought this debut novel would be a good match for me. I like the general premise of how a major storm threatens not only to destroy a town but to expose the secrets of its citizens. Here's the publisher's summary:

By turns terrifying and humorous, clear-eyed and deep-hearted, Twister brings us into the center of a storm as a small Midwestern town mourns the death of a young soldier. Rose, the soldier’s fiercely independent mother, may or may not be losing her grip on reality, and we seek answers along with the constellation of family, friends, neighbors, and townspeople whose lives intertwine with hers. Each new viewpoint calls up singular memories and intrigue, raising stakes while the twister gathers force. As the storm drives into the heart of town secrets are illuminated, pasts are resurrected, and lives are shaken to the core. An unforgettable debut from a keen observer and chronicler of nature, people, and the ineffable.

Why I want to read Twister: I grew up in the Midwest in an area with seasonal tornadoes, so it can be hard for me to resist a good storm story. I'm sure the setting and circumstances will feel at least a little bit familiar to me, although my childhood in the suburbs was nothing like Rose's. Two aspects of this book are particularly attractive to me. I like stories that involve family secrets and also those that are told from more than one point of view. I'm also interested in learning how Rose copes (or doesn't) with the death of her son.

Extras: Awards--the novel was won the 2014 Big Moose Prize and was a finalist for the Brighthorse Prize. Excerpts of Twister have been published in magazines. Goodreads--the novel has a rating of 4.25. In the press--for more on Walsh and her novel, see the interview by TNB Fiction.

Reviews: Kirkus notes that Twister has "a surprising power." Other reviewers have mentioned Walsh's unique voice, wonderful descriptive prose, and subtle humor. Several readers said the pacing was steady and that Walsh takes her time developing the characters. However, once the plot points were set up, the story pulled them in and they were hooked to the end.

Data: Published by Black Lawrence Press on December 1, 2015. ISBN: 9781625579379. Debut novel. Trade paperback original.

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