Revenge by Taslima Nasrin

Publisher: The Feminist Press at CUNY

Release Date: August 2010

Revenge by Taslima Nasrin is a delicious fable that reminds readers of the sexist reality many women still face. Jhumur, the heroine of this tale, has a physics degree but is expected to stay within her husband's home to cook and take care of his family – she is expected to uphold the standards of contemporary Bangladesh. Jhumur pushes her personal desires aside for Haroon, who appears to be the ideal mate; however, when she becomes pregnant he is convinced the child is not his own. He devolves into a paranoid, callous man who is convinced his wife has disgraced his family and does what he can to reverse the 'damage' Jhumur has caused. The once loyal and loving Jhumur finds she can no longer embrace her husband's caresses after being doubted and begins to plot the ultimate revenge. She continues to play the role of a proper wife of the house while she continues her duties as a daughter-in-law. Part of her revenge involves frequenting the neighboring apartment below.

Following the birth of a son, Jhumur takes back her independence with an unexpected announcement that leaves her husband shocked and powerless to protest. Her tale ends with a sense of accomplishment – she has become an independent woman who is no longer the property of her husban. Instead, she has elevated herself to his equal, while achieving revenge for the injustices she faced earlier in her marriage. Revenge leaves the reader content – the ending is appropriate and empowering. Nasrin's fable feels complete, and Honor Moore's translation is top notch. Revenge is a well written book that shows the life and thoughts of an educated woman who must rebel against her husband in every way possible to gain financial independence and emotional closure.

Ribbit Rabbit by Candace Ryan

Due to the 'depressing' books I have been posting recently, here is a cute one to share with your tots! It will make anyone smile.

Publisher: Walker Children's

Release: February 1st, 2011

Ribbit Rabbit by Candace Ryan is a close examination of what happens to friends that don't like to share. Sticking to a fantastic rhyme scheme that is easy to read, Ryan effectively conveys that friendship requires cooperation. Frog and Bunny break up because of a tug-of-war battle over a robot, resulting in Bunny and Frog retreating from each other with a piece of the disembodied toy. They are lonely and realize playtime is no fun without each other. To reunite, Frog and Bunny wrap up their respective pieces of the robot and exchange gifts. The reassembled robot represents their delicate, but important friendship. Without each other they cannot fight monsters or enjoy peanut-butter sandwiches.

The adorable sounds throughout Ribbit Rabbit are the result of skilled word-play on behalf of Candace Ryan. Her fantastic and emotional story is complemented nicely by Mike Lowery's illustrations that are simplistic but thoughtful. It is obvious when Frog misses Bunny, and we can see Bunny struggle as he wraps his 'gift' for Frog. The color scheme is gentle on the eyes; blaring white pages are nowhere to be found. Ribbit Rabbit is a must for any Kindergarten classroom.

Rape New York by Jana Leo

Publisher: The Feminist Press at The City University Of New York(CUNY)

Release Date: February 2011

Rape New York by Jana Leo is an exploration of the harsh realities of life in New York City. The book opens with the author returning home, only to discover she has been followed to her apartment door by a gunman. She gives all of the vivid details of the home invasion – her begging the armed man if she could keep a dollar to asking him to wear a condom. Jana Leo spends some time introducing us to her life, explaining why she lived in Harlem and how she hoped that her and her white boyfriend would fit in because they were impoverished. She didn't want to be viewed as someone who was determined to push out the resident population. She devotes a section of the book to a method of gentrification: how violence is Harlem is being used to devalue the buildings which are then bought and demolished to make room for condominiums. She also discusses how apartment buildings are left unsecured, allowing criminals to travel rooftops undetected. Understandably, rape altered the life of Jana Leo. It became the focus of her studies and her life. Rape is not an uncommon event that happens in a foreign location – it often happens in or around the victim's home.

For a female reader, Leo's book is frustrating. She acknowledges that strict fire safety codes are in place for buildings, but no enforced codes to protect tenants from criminal activities. There are basic regulations pertaining to secured lobbies, windows, and gates; however, such regulations are poorly enforced. The book spends a great deal of time expressing the disinterest the police showed in Leo's rape. They did not place surveillance around her former apartment, they were uninterested in where the rapist lived, and they didn't care that the rapist intended to kill her if she reported his crime. Although odds were not in her favor, Leo did not give up on finding justice. With Rape New York, we are with Leo from beginning to end. We see her as a victim and as someone fighting for her value as a human being.

Leo's book truly dissects New York City and shatters the Hollywood image it carries. It reveals a New York where slumlords reign while residents work minimum wage jobs and fear for their safety. Her book addresses every fear a woman could possibly imagine. Every female reader will have an easy time relating to the concerns addressed by Jana Leo. Rape New York is a well composed book that reads quickly – it will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very end. If Leo intended to leave a bitter taste in the mouths of readers, she certainly has succeeded. The reality of life in New York is horrifying.

Trapped: When Acting Ethically is Against the Law - John Hasnas

Publisher: CATO Institute

Release: March 2006

Trapped by John Hasnas examines the evolution of court rulings and laws that allow prosecutors to circumvent the personal rights of defendants. He uses the 1906 case of Hale v. Henkel as his jumping off point to discuss the state of corporations under law. Prior to 1906, a corporation could not be criminally liable for any action because corporations were not viewed as entities. It was the outcome of Hale v Henkel that allowed corporations to be viewed as beings and thus could be charged with criminal intent. The courts did not, however, revisit the rights granted to individuals and so the Fifth Amendment was never applied to corporations. Hasnas outlines neatly how a prosecutor could easily force self-incrimination upon an individual without any roadblocks from the Fifth Amendment. He also discusses how broad statutes allow the indictment of high-profile executives who publicly declare their innocence of offenses they are not charged with based upon said claims of innocence.

In the second section of his book, Hasnas explains how white-collar crime laws force businesses to make unethical decisions. If your assistant is being charged with a white-collar crime and you are certain of his innocence, what would you do? Ethics dictates that you would defend your employee and even aid him with legal fees; however, the law makes this illegal. As a manager you must decide to help your employee, or to help your stock-holders. If you aid your innocent employee, you risk the entire firm because any affiliation with the employee is considered obstruction of justice. Instead, as a manager, you must fire your loyal employee and help prosecutors convict him even if you are certain of his innocence.

Hasnas concludes that ethics and compliance do not co-exit in the realm of white-collar laws. His book reads like college level political science text, but is filled with information if the reader is patient. I suppose this book would work best as an assigned reader in a college level course, and it would be a great addition to the libraries of the politically inclined. I consider myself a bit more politically 'aware' than the 'average' Joe and this book made sense to me, especially when I applied the examples to real world encounters(such as the Anonymous tip lines corporations provide for their employees). This book will shatter the security of anyone who believes they can report corruption with the protection of anonymity.

Ophelia by Lisa Klein

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Release Date: December 2007

Ophelia by Lisa Klein is perfect for those who love Shakespearean fantasies. Ophelia is an early feminist who must battle her conscious, the orders of her father, and the ambiguity of her husband. The novel begins years before her father finds employment at the royal court. Klein invites us to see the contrast between country life and the lives led in the suffocating Elsinore castle. We see Ophelia as a little girl who happily rolls in the dirt, wrestles her brother, or swims in the river. Her scandalous, tom-boy behavior lands her a position as one of Queen Gertrude's women; however, she must first master the proper behavior of a Lady. Upon Hamlet's return from studying abroad, he is instantly captured by Ophelia's feminine transformation and her wit. Following a clandestine marriage are the familiar events as they unfold in Shakespeare's play. The tragic events that take place in Elsinore's halls are shocking and Ophelia must escape Denmark or risk death at the hands of tyrant King Claudius.

Ophelia is a close re-examination of Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, from a woman's view. Shakespeare wrote from the sphere of men, while Lisa Klein uses Ophelia's character to discuss courtly matters, oppression, and the dangers of womanhood. Ophelia is a well-written novel that will please a wide range of readers. Lisa Klein effectively breathes new life into an old story.

Miles from Nowhere by Nami Mun

Publisher: Riverhead Books

Release Date: April 25, 2009

Miles from Nowhere by Nami Mun is a chaotic narrative that reflects the disordered life of a junkie who runs away from home. Joon's tale of her life is not in chronological order. Instead, it feels like she is with us, telling us her life to the best of her ability. Joon's life is the tragic story of a family crumbling apart because of parents that never stopped to think of their daughter. We witness a pre-teen Joon running away from home and experiencing drugs for the first time in an abandoned building. A section later we watch Joon sit with a book while she should be working as a hostess in a sleazy club. There are also moments in which Joon dreams of having her own apartment with her very own toaster. Her humble fantasy of a toaster and a place to lay her head truly excite the emotions of the reader. Miles from Nowhere allows us to watch through a swarm of memories a lonely battle on the streets for one girl's attempt at finding peace.

Nami Mun does a fantastic job of teasing her readers – just as soon as we think we know Joon, the narration ends and we're brought to another chapter of her life. It is impossible to form an intimate relationship with the narrator. We only get to see what Mun and Joon want us to see. One walks away from Miles from Nowhere with a sense of frustration and sorrow. It is a well written book with an experimental style that I would like to see used in other novels. Often times, it feels as if we are simply peeking into Joon's life from a fire escape window. This is a great book and it reads very quickly. It would best suit those with a strong stomach.

Haunting Violet by Alyxandra Harvey

Published By Walker Books for Young Readers

June 21, 2011

Alyxandra Harvey's Haunting Violet is a fantastic period placed novel that contains both mystery and romance. Violet Willoughby doesn't believe in ghosts because of her deceptive mother, a self-employed fraudulent medium, who takes advantage of mourning families for financial gain. Lord Jasper, a wealthy Spiritualist, invites Mrs. Willoughby to his estate to perform a séance. As usual, Violet must take part in her mother's schemes or face starvation and homelessness. At the same time, her mother takes on the typical role of a nineteenth century woman by forcing her daughter onto Xavier, a wealthy young man who begins courting Violet, unaware of her peasant origins. Violet's opinion of the spirit world quickly changes when the ghost of a murdered heiress, Rowena Wentworth, begins to haunt her. Sixteen-year-old Violet must accept her talents and bring justice to the restless Rowena while trying to break a love triangle between herself, Xavier, and Colin – an orphan boy she grew up with who now assists her mother.

Haunting Violet is deliciously funny, with a witty narrator that properly serves as a nineteenth century heroine. It is a book with enough mystery and romance to grip any reader's attention until the very last page. Although at times the language isn't accurate for a tale set in 1872, Haunting Violet will please any fan of historical fiction. Those well versed in Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century literature will blush at all of the names and references peppered throughout the thoughtfully composed book.

This can be pre-ordered through Amazon.