New books worth checking out

Thomas McGuane is the author of 10 novels including “Nothing But Blue Skies,” Nobody’s Angel,” “Panama” and “Ninety Two In The Shade,” three collections of nonfiction essays and two previous collections of short stories.

His latest collection is “Crow Fair” (Alfred A. Knopf) and is gathers 17 stories that have been previously published over the last few years. The stories are set in Montana and McGuane’s characters are deeply troubled and deeply human.

A cattle breeder is tempted by the possibility of easy money; a middle-aged man takes in his aging over-weight father; and a once thought perfect relationship and home begins to crumble into irreconcilable conflict.

Impeccably crafted and laced with ironic wit and sardonic humor even in the bleakest of emotional situations, McGuane’s prose evocations of the human comedy are populated with folks we all know and are simply a joy to read.

Like McGuane, Dennis Lehane has published several novels including “Gone Baby Gone,” “Mystic River,” and “Moonlight Mile.”

“World Gone By” (William Morrow) is his continuation of the story told in “Live by Night” his previous novel—a page turning thriller—and building upon characters who first appeared in his novel “The Given Day.” It’s the story of a once-upon-a-time Boston crime boss who has relocated and is flourishing in Florida in 1943.

A little over a decade has passed since his wife was gunned down, prohibition has passed and he’s prospering as a consigliere to a crime family.

But then rumors start surfacing that there’s a contract out on him. In trying to find out who’s put out the contract, and do something about before the two week deadline passes, skeletons from his past begin to float into the present.

Lehane’s prose is both elegiac — evoking the perils of living by a somewhat dubious previous code of honor among thieves in changing times — and hard driving as his protagonist wanders through this tightly wound narrative.

Mark your calendar’s for the first of the city of Fallon’s free in-the-park concerts which is coming up on June 20. The show will feature Cajun and Zydeco music with Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys.

We’ll have more info on the concert, and other activities going on in the park that day, in the coming week

Kirk Robertson covers the arts and may be reached at news@lahontanvalleynews.com