Friday Reads: Gangsters, Spies, Monkees, Librarians

This has been a good week for books.

First, I tore through my friend Tod Goldberg’s long-awaited final work in the Gangsterland trilogy, Gangsters Don’t Die. I won’t spoil anything, but he absolutely nails the landing. I can usually see the end of most stories coming. And Tod still managed to surprise me. I’m a huge fan, and if you haven’t picked up all three books yet, then you are missing out on all the blood-soaked fun and heartbreak.

I also got to see Tod talk with David Ulin (pictured above) at the lovely and amazing Skylight Books. Even though I had to leave the Westside and drive for an hour-and-a-half, it was absolutely worth it. If you ever have a chance to catch Tod live, he’s funnier than most stand-up comedians and will also teach you something about writing and the literary life. He’s on tour now, so you’ve got a chance.

But that meant I missed another friend with a new book out this week. Boyd Morrison and his sister Beth Morrison launched their new novel, The Last True Templar, at my favorite local bookstore, Diesel. I’m sorry I wasn’t there, because I’m sure they killed it. They’re on tour now as well, so you can make up for my absence. (So many social engagements, so little time.)

Finally, one more note about a friend with a new book: fellow dad and teacher Tom Kemper has just released his well-researched look at the Pre-Fab Four: The Monkees: Made in Hollywood tells the full story of the fake band that became a real phenomenon in the 60s, and helped jump-start the 60s revival when their reruns appeared on MTV. The Monkees were the prototype for every boy band that came after, and changed the face of modern music. Tom is one of the smartest and most articulate people I’ve met, so read this if you have any interest in music and pop culture.

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I did manage to read something by someone I don’t know personally. Mick Herron released The Secret Hours, another look inside the secret world of British spycraft. This one isn’t directly tied to Herron’s more famous Slough House series, but it deals with some of the same characters and all of the same vicious, behind-the-scenes fights where office politics meet national security. Herron makes the tiniest, pettiest bureaucratic squabble as fascinating and readable as his moments of violence and espionage. Every office has its own little wars; in Herron’s world, these struggles often end with a real body count. The Secret Hours is as brilliant as all of Herron’s other work, and is filled with little reveals for the Slough House die-hards out there (like me).

I used to have a hard time imagining who could possibly be against public libraries. They have always seemed like an unalloyed good: a place where you can go to read books for free. Libraries were even considered boring once.

I don’t have trouble imagining the enemies of the public library anymore. I wish I still did. Libraries are being threatened with defunding, shutdown, and actual bombs. Libraries and librarians are literally under siege by forces of bigotry and intolerance.

Which is why I’m glad I know Emily Drabinski who’s been elected head of the American Library Association, and who’s doing her best to protect and support libraries for everyone who want to use them.

Here’s an interview with Emily, whom I’ve known since high school. She is a smart, kind, and deeply caring person. And this puts her on the opposite side of people who fear anyone reading anything that might challenge their vision of the world.

If you have managed to miss this controversy so far — I envy you a little — I urge you to read Emily’s whole interview so that you can see who she is, and what she really stands for. Now more than ever, we need to stand up for libraries. We need them. And I’m glad Emily is there, doing the hard work for all of us.

That’s it for this week. As always, your recommendations and reviews are welcome in the comments.