Sunday, November 20, 2016

Ashley Weaver

Ashley Weaver is the Technical Services Coordinator for the Allen Parish Libraries in Louisiana. Weaver has worked in libraries since she was 14; she was a page and then a clerk before obtaining her MLIS from Louisiana State University.

Her new novel, A Most Novel Revenge, is her third Amory Ames mystery.

Recently I asked Weaver about what she was reading. Her reply:
I’m currently reading Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. I bought the book before I succumbed to Broadway’s Hamilton craze, but having fallen in love with the musical I finally picked up the book and started reading. I’m still in the early stages of the 700+ page biography, but I’m already captivated. The wonderful writing and the non-stop dynamism of the subject are putting this book on course to be one of my favorites of the year.

While I’m loving the Founding Fathers’ story, it’s another era of history that is occupying my attention recently. I often get into phases in my reading, and my current subject of interest is WWII. I’m currently enjoying two books on this theme. The first is Agent Zigzag by Ben Macintyre. This is the fascinating true account of a British criminal and con man that became a double agent during World War II. It reads almost like a spy film, and it’s such a pleasant mix of history, adventure, and even a dash of humor.

The second WWII book I’m enjoying is When Paris Went Dark: The City of Light Under German Occupation, 1940-1944 by Ronald C. Rossbottom. This is an excellent account of what life was like in Occupied Paris, and the author does a fantastic job of covering everything from the everyday life of Parisians to the workings of the Resistance.

A recent fiction favorite was Red Rising by Pierce Brown. The first in a post-apocalyptic trilogy set on Mars, it follows a young man’s rise from the lowest social order to its most elite through a harrowing and violent journey. This page-turner was both compelling and thought-provoking, and I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!
Visit Ashley Weaver's website.

--Marshal Zeringue