Erdrich Shines as Children's Book Author; Gelb rewards the patient reader

47. The Game of Silence, Louise Erdrich. Fiction, 5-19, p. 248

Like Carl Hiaasen, Louise Erdrich is as successful writing for children as adults.

Told through the eyes of a pre-adolescent Ojibwe girl, The Game of Silence is the sequel to her superb The Birchbark House. Erdrich combines a compelling narrative with a sensitive portrayal of native American life.

It’s a great book for children 10-12 years of age—especially girls, because the protagonist is such a strong, vivid character with both faults and special gifts.

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48. City Room, Arthur Gelb. Journalism, 5-21, p. 641

Dense at 641 pages, Arthur Gelb’s City Room requires, but ultimately rewards, a patient reader. Gelb spent his entire journalistic career at the New York Times, beginning as a copy boy and working his way up the managerial ladder, notably serving as metro editor for many years.

Gelb’s newspaper career began when a journalism degree was frowned on by reporters and editors. It ended as newspapers began to lose readers and advertisers to television and the Internet.

Gelb gives us an inside peek at Times’ operations as well as taking along on a personal tour of some of the major news events of the past half century. It’s a fascinating journey.