The Book Report: Ron Charles, Washington Post critic (June 2)

By Washington Post book critic Ron Charles

Here are four popular new books to read this summer.

You may know Claire Messud from such fantastic books as “The Emperor’s Children” or “The Woman Upstairs.” Her new novel, “This strange story full of events” (WW Norton), uses the broad outlines of his own family to tell the story of three generations swept across the world from World War II to the 21st century.

Determined to be a writer one day, the narrator watches as her father struggles over many unhappy decades to match her father’s example.

This beautifully written book examines how family secrets are protected and family myths polished.

Read an excerpt: “This strange eventful story” by Claire Messud

“This strange story full of events” by Claire Messud (WW Norton), in hardcover, e-book and audio formats, available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and bookstore.org

clairemessud.com

I see a very fun novel in your future: “The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley (Simon & Schuster). This charming mix of historical fact and science fiction is about a secret British agency that rescues condemned people from the past.

The narrator is a young woman who serves as a guide for current life. Her first assignment is with the very appropriate Commander Graham Gore, who died on Franklin’s Arctic expedition in the mid-19th century.

Imagine if “The Time Traveler’s Wife” had a romance with “A Gentleman in Moscow.” You’ll love it.

Read an excerpt: “The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley

“The Ministry of Time” by Kaliane Bradley (Simon & Schuster), in hardcover, e-book, and audio formats, available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and bookstore.org

Speaking of bringing in people from the past: Fifteen years ago, Michael Crichton died before he could finish his story about a volcano in Hawaii.

Well, life finds a way! Now, in the most striking partnership of this summer (or perhaps any summer), James Patterson has completed Crichton’s manuscript.

The result of this combination of best-sellers is “Rash” (Little, Brown & Co.), an explosively campy thriller about a volcano that’s about to send millions of tons of lava through Hawaii and possibly threaten all life on Earth. Put on your oven mitts – this one is hot.

Read an excerpt: “Eruption” by Michael Crichton and James Patterson

“Rash” by Michael Crichton and James Patterson (Little, Brown & Co.), in hardcover, large print, e-book, and audio formats, available June 3 from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and bookstore.org

michaelcrichton.com

jamespatterson.com

In early 1986, the space shuttle Challenger took off into a clear blue sky. Seventy-three seconds later, the ship exploded, killing all seven crew members.

The outlines of that tragedy are well known, but Adam Higginbotham finds new lessons in his exhaustively researched new book, “Challenger: A true story of heroism and disaster on the edge of space” (Simon and Schuster). Explore the culture of overconfidence that led NASA to ignore warnings and press ahead as if space flight were routine. It wasn’t then and (as this sobering book reminds us) it still isn’t.

Read an excerpt: “Challenger” by Adam Higginbotham

“Challenger: A true story of heroism and disaster on the edge of space” by Adam Higginbotham (Simon & Schuster), in hardcover, e-book and audio formats, available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and bookstore.org

adamhigginbotham.com

For more suggestions on what to read, contact your local librarian or bookseller.

That’s it for the book report. I’m Ron Charles. Until next time, keep reading!

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For more reading recommendations, check out these previous Ron Charles Book Report features:

Produced by Robin Sanders and Roman Feeser.