The World of Yesterday by Stefan Zweig

Earlier this year, Wes Anderson could be heard discussing the life of Stefan Zweig (1881-1942), whose literary works helped shape the storyline of Anderson's movie The Grand Budapest Hotel.  Whether you see Zweig's influence or not, Anderson did a great service in promoting a long neglected writer.  In his time, Zweig was a widely read and popular author with an international following.  An Austrian-Jew, European culture was the center of his world, a world that collapsed with the rise of Nazi-socialism.  Zweig fled to London, then New York, and finally to Brazil where he committed suicide.  His posthumous autobiography, The World of Yesterday, was published in English in 1943.  It's a book in which Zweig holds a mirror to the past, recounting a changing society, remembering friendships from Herzl to Freud, and sharing, with nostalgia and grace, a world lost forever.  Europe's fate, and his own, is inescapable and suggested in the closing paragraph:  "Homeward bound I suddenly noticed before me my own shadow as I had seen the shadow of the other war behind the actual one.  During all this time it has never budged from me, that irrevocable shadow..."

For anyone interested in the life and legacy of Stefan Zweig, there is no better place to start than The World of Yesterday.  Then read the novellas, the short stories, the biographies and the essays of Stefan Zweig.  More and more of them are being republished as readers rediscover one of the most universally admired writers of the early 20th-century.

Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel

When Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall was published in 2009, it won the Mann Booker Prize.  When the sequel, Bring Up the Bodies, was published in 2012, it also won the Mann Booker Prize.  The final issue of the projected trilogy, The Mirror and the Light, is scheduled to be published in early 2015.  There is great anticipation - and expectation - for any book to follow such acclaimed predecessors.

The subject of this trilogy, which is biographical fiction, is Thomas Cromwell, a minister to King Henry VIII.  Cromwell rose from humble origins to become the right-hand man to Cardinal Wolsey and then succeeded Wolsey as the king's most powerful minister (1532-1540).  In the shark-infested waters of the English court, Cromwell is never

allowed to forget that he was born the son of a blacksmith.  But with pragmatism, intelligence and talent he manages to navigate through the turmoil of his time:  a king's divorce, a king's marriage, a queen's beheading, the Reformation.

As one who prefers biography to historical fiction, I found Mantel's novels to be an extraordinary achievement - a total immersion in 16th-century England with an exacting knowledge of personalities and conflicts.  The bonus here is the level of writing, writing to be read again, read aloud, read to be shared.

The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances by Matthew Inman

Inman uses his self-deprecating humor in a perfect way, turning what could be an uninteresting topic for non-runners into a humorous, enjoyable story for everyone. For those who also run, there will be many moments where you will find yourself laughing out loud, agreeing, "Yes! He's so right." Plus, the tale of the giant Japanese hornets is worth reading all by itself. The graphics and coloring are simple but vibrant, and there is no confusion figuring out the flow of the text and pictures.

This is a great graphic novel for those who are new to the format. As a hilarious sports memoir, it is highly recommended for adults and teens alike.

China Dolls by Lisa See

Taking place in San Francisco during the years leading up to and during World War II, two hopeful Chinese women and one pragmatic Japanese woman passing as Chinese take jobs as dancing girls. Jealousy and betrayal abound as these women compete with and against one another for the top showbiz spotlights. After years in this stressful environment, the characters become jaded and have periods of boredom despite their glitzy surroundings. Eventually, it comes to light that one of the women is Japanese, and she is taken away to an internment camp to wait out the war. But who betrayed her?

This is a great historical read for highlighting the raging showbiz leading up to and during WWII as well as the Japanese internment camps. Take a look at more books by Lisa See.

Legends of Red Sonja by Gail Simone and others

Simone creates a genius overarching plot for this collection of stories, where men in pursuit of Red Sonja come across various characters, who regale the hunters with their own experiences of the red-haired heroine, or in some stories, villain. These diverse tales create the perfect setup for the differing voices and impressions of Red Sonja readers will see from multiple writers. The individual stories vary from cringe-worthy ridiculous to the truly wonderful, and naturally, the artwork differs just as much. Novice readers of Red Sonja will not be left behind as this collection relays Red Sonja's supposed origins and history.

But what I really love is that Simone was able to hand pick female talent to tell the tales of this legendary woman. Check out all of Simone's Red Sonja series.

Superman/Wonder Woman: Power Couple by Charles Soule

Soule does a fantastic job of weaving in the story and plot from both Geoff Johns' Justice League and Brian Azzarello's Wonder Woman into a new storyline focusing on the relationship issues of the appropriately named "Power Couple." Readers new to these characters might find some segments a bit jarring without having first read the Justice League series by Johns, but fans of any of the Justice League characters should be just fine. Soule's take on the take-charge Diana, who rightfully thinks of herself as a goddess and refreshingly has no self-confidence issues when it comes to men, is long past due. Even Superman has more appeal than his usual goodie-goodie, small-town farm boy persona generates. This pairing of Superman and Wonder Woman is perfectly suited for the restart of the DC Universe and is an invigorating change from the usual Superman and Lois Lane match - even if this "Power Couple" doesn't last. The artwork by Daniels is superb as always and makes this tale near perfect.

Ultimately, this is a fun, romantic twist on the traditional superhero fare. But don't worry, there's still plenty of epic action scenes to satisfy all superhero fans.