With titles in fiction and nonfiction, it’s a paperback parade
Vick Mickunas
Here are some worthy books just out in paperback.
“The Border” by Don Winslow (William Morrow, 720 pages, $19.99)
Don Winslow wrote “The Power of the Dog,” a novel about Mexican drug cartels, then a sequel, “The Cartel.” In the second book he killed off his cartel boss and he thought that was it — he was finished telling that tale. He wasn’t.
The last book in what finally became a trilogy, “The Border,” depicts power struggles that ensued in the leadership vacuum formed by the death of that cartel leader. Winslow takes his readers into the epicenters of political corruption on both sides of the Mexican border and he shows us through fiction the toll that is being exacted in violence, addiction, and the cascading chaos that is the byproduct of this seemingly impossible situation.
“Hunting LeRoux — the Inside Story of the DEA Takedown of a Criminal Genius and His Empire” by Elaine Shannon (William Morrow, 354 pages, $17.99)
The investigative journalist Elaine Shannon delved into the mysterious past of a criminal mastermind named Paul LeRoux and has written a gripping account of how LeRoux made millions selling pharmaceutical drugs online and then parlayed that fortune into increasingly shadier enterprises. When you read about this warped genius and how he was making deals to buy amphetamines from the North Koreans while conspiring to sell guided missiles to the Iranians you will surely wonder what could have happened if he had never been caught. DEA agents finally trapped him and the way they did it is beyond amazing.
“Storm Lake — Change, Resilience, and Hope in America’s Heartland” by Art Cullen (Penguin, 317 pages, $18)
Art Cullen is the editor of a small town newspaper in Iowa. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his editorial writing. Cullen is concerned about what he considers to be our destructive agricultural practices and he has suggestions on how we can fix our approaches to farming.
Cullen is passionate about our political process. He believes the Democratic Party has abandoned rural voters and if Democrats want to win the Senate or the presidency, they need to start showing up by campaigning in rural areas. “Storm Lake” is a thoughtful, inspiring read.
“The Widows” by Jess Montgomery (Minotaur Books, 346 pages, $9.99)
Jess Montgomery, the pen name of our Literary Life columnist Sharon Short, tells the story of Lily Ross, the first female sheriff in Ohio. The mystery is set during the 1920s and is based in part upon a true story.
“The Widows” will be read by a lot of people this year, it has been chosen as the featured read for “One Book, Many Communities,” a regional reading program currently underway with the participation of 22 libraries in the northern Miami Valley.