Nonfiction

To understand Stieg's work, I said, one had to know who he really was.--pg. 185

I picked up this book yearning to learn more about the author who died before his novel legacy was even published. That fact in itself intrigued me; I just really wanted to learn more about Stieg Larsson's life from an unbiased source. With this relatively short biography, you get the straight facts--no beating around the bush, just the candid and honest facts--from the one constant presence in his life: Eva Gabrielsson.

For thirty-two years, Eva Gabrielsson was Stieg's life partner--no, they never married, though not for lack of trying. Job circumstances, politics, and then Stieg's untimely death prevented them from ever making their relationship formal and legal. Because they were not married, legally, Eva was left with nothing--she can only own half of her apartment, has no access to the bank accounts they shared, and could not legally take any part in or have control over the publication of Stieg's novels. But most of all, she just misses Stieg, her "soul mate".

A general overview of Stieg's interesting life: He was raised by his grandparents in a little cabin in Northern Sweden. He got involved in political activism at a young age, and consequently met Eva at a support meeting of the Front National de Liberation in Vietnam. Stieg had so many ideas, and Eva encouraged him to start writing about them and sending in his pieces to local newspapers. Thus, his journalism career exploded. He was involved in many controversial political arguments through the articles he wrote for many different newspapers and magazines all across Europe. Together, with a few others, he and Eva founded the magazine Expo, which wrote unbiased articles about the different political dilemmas they saw, as well as their own ideas. And because of his involvement in journalism and political activism, his life (and, consequently, Eva's too) was threatened on multiple occasions by multiple groups and gangs, compromising his physical safety. And yet:

"Without Stieg's battles and crusades, The Millennium Trilogy would never have seen the light of day. His struggle is the heart, brain, and brawn of that saga."--pg. 64

What I found absolutely fascinating is that almost every detail found in The Millennium Trilogy is autobiographical in some form or fashion, whether it be similar situations and problems Stieg dealt with in real life, or creating his settings based upon his favorite spots around town, or paying homage to important people in his life by literally naming a character after them. In many ways, Mikael Blomkvist is very similar to Stieg Larsson, from the way he dresses to his passion for investigative journalism to his obsessive love of coffee. And the addresses where all of the characters lived in his novels? They came from the many walks that he and Eva took through the parts of town where her architectural projects were taking place, or from the plans sitting in her office, or from her most current work. The Millennium Trilogy was born from the people and places in Stieg's life, and this book series (intended to be 10 novels) was the impetus in Stieg taking life slower and remembering how much he cherished Eva.

Yet, in spite of all of those fascinating details, the center of this biography/memoir, to me, is the emotional journey that Eva is forced into (and still faces everyday) when Stieg suddenly passed away in November of 2004. Her unconditional love and affection for her "soul mate" is so incredibly evident as she recalls his death, the preparations, the funeral, and the mythological cursing ceremony she holds for all of those individuals (work-related and political) that pushed Stieg into such a premature death. Her grief is such a prominent part of this entire biography, and you can feel her love for Stieg flow straight off the page. She includes snippets from her diary in 2005, where she kept epiphanies as well as accounts of the mundane daily life, saying that "the diary was a way of proving to myself that I was alive" (pg. 159).

A majority of what is published in this diary chapter deals with the legal aftermath of Stieg's death, and of his father and brother's hostile takeover of all of Stieg Larsson's estate, including The Millennium Trilogy. This part of the biography also describes the deep emotional turmoil Eva was left in after Stieg's death and how she learns to survive and to keep on living. All that she continually fights for is extremely inspiring to those who knew and loved Stieg, but also to those who got to know him through reading his works. Eva's struggles have gone global, and many people have joined up in her fight not only to gain control of Stieg's intellectual estate (books, articles, etc), but also to change the law so that other couples in their situation do not have to suffer through what she had--and still has--to go through.

"The Millennium Trilogy is not just a good story made up by a good author of good crime novels. These books talk about the need to fight to defend one's ideals, and the refusal to give up, to sell oneself, or to grovel before someone powerful."--pg. 195.

This is what Stieg Larsson did until the day of his death, and this is what Eva Gabrielsson continues to do to this day--to fight for what they believe in, and to refuse to give up.

This is an quick-read if you are looking for/needing to read a biography. But more importantly, like The Millennium Trilogy stresses over and over again, this biography gives you the truth about Stieg Larsson's life, about his death, and about what happened after his death, all told by the person that knew him best. What a heart-wrenching and interesting read that answers a lot of questions surrounding both the novels and his purpose for writing them. Fans of the novels should definitely read it! You will not be disappointed!

-JP

Check out the real story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the focus of the new George Lucas film, Red Tails:

Dogfights Season Two

Nightfighters

The Tuskegee Airmen

Please join us this Tuesday, Sept 20th at 7 pm, on the Plaza at the Hoover Public Library for an evening with River Jordan.

Her latest work is a nonfiction book titled, Praying for Strangers: An Adventure of the Human Spirit.

The stories behind this work are the culmination of a New Year’s resolution during a dark time. As 2008 wound to a close, Jordan learned that her two sons were to be deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq after the New Year. As she worked to manage her own emotions and plan the “perfect” family holiday, she felt called to pray for a stranger every single day.

Join us to hear the stories of strangers and the powerful impact this one resolution had on the author's life.

Sales and signings to follow.

Think back to 2006. Do you remember the first time you heard that a group of astronomers had decided that Pluto was not a planet anymore? Remember that sad feeling of “Oh, poor Pluto” or maybe you got angry and thought, “Why are they picking on Pluto? What did Pluto do to anyone?” Now you have someone to blame. Meet Mike Brown, the astronomer who discovered “the tenth planet”, which ultimately led to the downfall of Pluto. In How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming, Brown raises the question of what exactly is a planet. You think that the answer would be simple, but Brown raises several important arguments that might change your views on the former planet. How I killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming made me wish I had paid more attention in astronomy class in college. Who knew an astronomer could write so charmingly? By the end of the book, I was rooting for Brown’s cause. This story is filled with intrigue, backstabbing, love, and even a baby. Sandra Tsing Loh said it right when she wrote, “Mike Brown is the funniest, smartest, and most surprisingly poetic Caltech astronomer who ever made my daughters cry. Certainly their happy nine-planet childhoods were worth sacrificing for this truly fascinating and engaging read.”

Be sure to check the catalog and reserve your copy of How I Killed Pluto and Why It Had It Coming today!

-JW

You never know when you will meet an author. I meet Gary Ricketts at the Library's Nonfiction book club. I learned he loves photography and has published a small collection of his photos. He won three Emmys while working for ABC Sports and after seeing the book, A Photographic Exploration, I understand why. The photographs are mainly of New York and the Czech Republic. I am so amazed at the quality and beauty of the pictures and how interesting the information accompanying them is. Check out this lovely book.

Susan in Nonfiction

PS - Gary will be displaying his work in the Library Gallery in September. Come visit!

Are you interested in learning about composting and sustainability in your garden? Wondering how you can put those grass clippings to good use?

Local Gardening Superhero, Captain Compost (aka William Cureton), will be featured on the Plaza on August 7, 2011 at 2:30 p.m.

Cureton began his journey in sustainable gardening in 1997. Cureton and his wife Peggy worked their experimental farm until they had mastered the fine art of composting and other gardening methods. They have been farming for over a decade and currently can produce a ton of mature compost every 2-6 weeks.

The program is FREE and open to the public. Sales and signing to follow.

Join us Sunday August 7 at 2:30 p.m. on the Plaza!

Sometimes it is nice to know that even the greatest minds in history have failed at love. In his new book, Great Philosophers Who Failed at Love, Andrew Shaffer reintroduces us to great historical figures, but with a new twist. For example, did you know that French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre adopted his mistress as his daughter? Or that Henry Ward Beecher, one of the most famous ministers in America, was sued for having “criminal conversations” with another man’s wife? Shaffer’s book is brimming with juicy tidbits about scandals, murder, unrequited love, and maybe even a little mayhem. This light read will make you laugh and make you rethink everything you have ever been taught about some of the great figures in history.

-JW

A Singular Woman, the biography of President Obama's mother reads like a travel book. This book takes the reader from Ann Dunham's early childhood in Kansas, teen years on Mercer Island in Washington state, college at the University of Hawaii and anthropological field work in Indonesia. This is a fascinating look at the woman who President Obama says "was the single constant in my life."

-JR

The name is Baer, Bob Baer.

The Company We Keep by Bob and Dayna Baer, former CIA field operatives, reads like a Bond spy thriller. These two professionals are adventuresome, daring and self-confident. Their world is full of shades of grey. Life in the field is dirty and monotonous. There's no glamour in Tajikistan or Bosnia. Side trips to the Swiss Alps and the French Riviera lend a touch of Bond to their work. Learn more about Bob Baer's CIA career by reading his first book, See No Evil. -JR