Notes From Your BooksellerDavid Baldacci is a mystery mastermind, and here he takes it closer to home than ever before. A Calamity of Souls is based on his own childhood during the desegregation of the South. Blending the personal connection with his usual dose of dynamic characters and propulsive plot makes for a read that will win over new fans and continue to endear him to his usual readership.
The host of “Top Chef” narrates her memoir as if she’s telling her story to a trusted friend. She sounds expressive and vulnerable—revealing mistakes with a tone of regret, letting her love shine through the voices she creates for beloved family members, and enthusing about her passion for food, fashion, and travel. Lakshmi slips in and out of accents as she moves through her childhood in India and the U.S., her modeling career in Europe, her marriage to Salman Rushdie, her move into the world of food and “Top Chef,” her struggles with endometriosis, and the relationships that led to the birth of her daughter. While aspects of Lakshmi’s story have been celebrity gossip fodder, this well-crafted memoir will have broad appeal to listeners interested in remarkable lives. A.F. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
