Frederic Colier, Author at Books du Jour

Author du Jour: Alan Jacobson

03/02/201703/02/2017 by Frederic Colier

March 2017. Only six weeks have elapsed since Trump took power, and what a contrast with the previous administration. The country seems to have been seized by the invisible hand of hysteria and neurosis. In recent memory, never a concentration of angry and vocal citizens has been so strident and quick to gather. In this time of uncertainty, it is always wise to take a deep breath and step to the sideline to better understand what is happening. Are we deluding ourselves with this new administration? Is the threat real? Or are we just venting the seething resentment that has been cementing since the beginning of the Great Recession and, why not, the costly Iraq War? This month’s selection provides reflections on our national and chaotic mental states.

“The Darkness of Evil,” by Alan Jacobson

(Open Road Integrated Media, pp 488, $16.99)

Sanity can be regained in many ways. While there are those who go to great lengths to analyze a person’s psyche to better penetrate it and spend a great deal of time to suggest curative solutions by trial and error, there are also those who advocate the more expeditive fire-by-fire approach. Divergent psychologies imply different perception and understanding of humankind. This is where Alan Jacobson (a truly underrated author) situates himself. Not that he necessarily believes in the latter approach, but in terms of thriller writing, his willingness to throw his characters into the darkest recesses of the human mind makes his story feel like boarding a hell-train from page one. His new Karen Vail’s novel, “The Darkness of Evil” is beautifully layered for this reason.

Think for a second if you woke one morning and found out your father was a serial killer. What would you do? What would you say? This is what happens to Jasmine Marcks, one of the protagonists. Is it possible to love a father who tortures innocent young women? Can a sadistic killer be a good father? Whose allegiance should a daughter have in mind, the community or her father? No easy answer, no matter who we are. But here the novel addresses the question in an original way. Jasmine, who turned her father in to the police, has written a book about him. But the incarcerated serial-killer father manages to escape and now seeks revenge. Karen Vail must protect Jasmine from her own father. But what is Jasmine now going to do about it? . . . “The Darkness of Evil” is a brisk, surprise-filled twisted ride, which will drain every ounce of darkness out of you and make you feel like a sober angel.

Author du Jour: Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Douglas Abrams

04/01/201702/27/2017 by Frederic Colier

“The Book of Joy,” by the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and Douglas Abrams

(Avery, pp 356, $26.00)

A major contradiction lies at the heart of Western societies. The constant pressure towards the quest for happiness. It is no secret that the pressure to be happy creates more anxiety than happiness. Tons of books from fields as varied as sociology, psychology or self-help, have attempted to deal with this issue. Often providing short-time relief with Band-aid remedies, which, as their names indicate, never last over time. Even before pre-Socratic thinkers it was known that happiness never comes from achievement or success, or wealth, or even fame for that matter. And yet, our Western societies keep on promoting these values, with disastrous results on its members. Depression, neurosis, feeling of inadequacies, feeding an endless loop of existential FOMO, and so on, abound around us.

“The Book of Joy,” is one of those timeless books that aims at cutting straight through the glut of daily self-pressured drives and bad self-talk. Written by the Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama, with Doug Abrams, “The Book of Joy,” details their conversations, which took place over a one-week period in Dharamsala, India. The goal of the book, beyond reuniting the two spiritual leaders, was to teach the world that the quest for happiness is precisely a futile endeavor, because it is ephemeral. They profess instead to rely on joy, at any moment in life. Especially in time of tragedy and great suffering. Both of whom are living proofs, having witnessed countless atrocities. “Every tragic situation can become an opportunity.” Abrams own Eastern interest and proficiency with the material translate the teaching into accessible pertinent lessons. The message is clear and easily absorbed. But like all disciplines, mastery requires a daily practice. No way around it, no matter how much in a rush you may be.

Author du Jour: Eric Beaumard

02/20/201702/20/2017 by Frederic Colier

“The Wines of My Life, ” by Eric Beaumard

(Abrams pp 280, $45.00)

“The Wines of My Life” is a very important book for two reasons. First it was written by, perhaps, the most influential sommelier in the world, Eric Beaumard, who from humble origins and a major road accident that left him physically impaired (he lost an arm), but which only fortified his spirit, hoisted himself to the top rank of the wine tasting industry. For years, Beaumard was head sommelier of “Le Cinq” the prestigious restaurant located inside the Four Seasons George the Fifth in Paris. The second reason is more prosaic. BJD contributed to the translation of the book in the US.

Eric Beaumard narrates his tribulations around the world where he visits established names in red, white and champagne wines, Chateau Petrus, Dom Pérignon, Rothschild, to name a few, as well as discovers new upcoming crus and grapes. The present book portrays 75 exceptional wines. Beaumard goes to great lengths to describe why these wines standout from the rests. He traces their origins, history, and evolution through time, meaning winemaking process, traditional or scientific. His meditations are a nose-filled journey through the memoirs of deep musty echoing cellars, the wafting scents of fermentation-stained barrels, and the climbs of steep arid and muddy hills. Whether you are a wine aficionado or not, “The Wines of My Life” will seduce your palate so much that you will not be able to reject the indelible notes this man is offering you.

Author du Jour: K. J. Howe

04/14/201702/08/2017 by Frederic Colier

As the inauguration of our new president promises to take us into unchartered territory, I pondered on how this month selection could reflect the unknown of the coming months. Per chance many books finding their way to bookstores fail to find their way to readers, and this is where a perceptive book review can help. This month selection offers a wide range of topics. We have a first timer riding side by side with worldwide spiritual celebrities, and, in between, uncanny voices of the present.

“Freedom Broker” by K. J. Howe

(Quercus, pp 374, $ 26.99)

At “Books du Jour,” we pay special attention to first-timers. They are an important step to the continuity of the book business. Reviewing established authors calls for a safe stance. Taking risks on new voices entail careful scrutiny and measured endorsement. But most often than not, intuition rarely betrays. K. J. Howe is one of those safe bets. You know upon reading the first chapters of her novel, “Freedom Broker,” that you are in the presence of an enormous potential. The writing is brisk, the tone confident, and the story not only eye-popping original but also riveting. It is one of those (forgive the cliché) can’t-put-downers as you get enmeshed in the world of K&R. K&R said you? Yes, indeed, which stands for Kidnap and Rescue (though Ransom could have worked too). K &R is not an agency or an LLP, but the world revolving around a professional elite dealing with the kidnapping of hostages (estimated at 40,000 a year) and their rescue operations. Given the uncertainties around the globe, kidnapping has seen a huge increase over the last ten years and can target, not just the rich and famous, but anyone.

The hero of “Freedom Broker,” Thea Paris, the only woman kidnap negotiator in the field, is forced to live through a family tragedy, when her father, Christo, is kidnapped from his yacht off Santorini, and this while his crew get slaughtered in the assault. Thea sets to tasks to discover the who and why, investigating her father’s past and numerous enemies. But remember, when originality strikes, it does so with delightful surprises. In Howe’s novel, the kidnappers demand nothing. No ransom, no political prisoner exchange, except sending enervating Latin quotes . . . which, for Thea, initiate a perilous journey to settle long-standing family score. Be the first one to discover K. J. Howe.

Author du Jour: Miroslav Volf

02/06/2017 by Frederic Colier

“Flourishing: Why We Need Religion in a Globalized World,” by Miroslav Volf

(Yale University Press, pp 304, $28.00)

Do religions still hold value in our lives in an age of globalization? There is indeed a paradox in the reactionary violent stance with religions given that both globalization and religions aim for universals. This simplistic vision leaves aside a profound gap: that religions impact us internally whereas the leveling force of globalization shapes us externally. Needless to say that materialism and morals do not mix well. A case well documented in “Flourishing,” where Miroslav Volf first notices that our world is increasingly torn by religious conflicts, often stemming from the threat that globalization brings in its wake.

Volf, a professor of theologian at Yale, is an advocate for bridging the gulf separating the two opposite worlds. What is at stake here is life quality itself and the meaning of being human. The book’s narrative becomes how to find an appropriate balance. In other words, how to live well in a world demanding more and more endless adjustments, which conflict with our disposition, values, and morals. Volf’s solution is spirituality, and though he does not hide that his approach is Christian in nature, his argument is both inviting and needed. In a world increasingly devoid of relevant meanings, God can be the gift and the bridge to connect with others.

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