Each year the Michigan Notable Book list is released, featuring “works of fiction and non-fiction published during the previous calendar year that are about, or set in Michigan; or are written by a Michigan author.” There are 20 books on the 2020 list; six of which are reviewed here.

Watch our shelves during February for the remaining 14, as you’ll probably want to read them all.

“THE WOMEN OF THE COPPER COUNTRY” by Mary Doria Russell is an example of historical fiction that utilizes extensive research to incorporate the facts into the story. The author picks up the story of “Big Annie” Clements in 1913, when Annie is the 25 year-old wife of a copper miner in Calumet, Michigan. Readers are treated to a history of how company towns were set up in remote regions near the mines in which the company owned the land, the houses, and the store. Working conditions of miners were unsafe and the living conditions of their families were marginal. Annie Clements took a stand to improve safety conditions for the miners and to transform company profits into higher wages for workers. The resulting 1913 Michigan copper strike had consequences no one could have predicted.

“CAMERA HUNTER: George Shiras III and the Birth of Wildlife Photography” by James H. McCommons (921 Shiras) is a biography of George Shiras III, famous for inventing a way to take nighttime photos of wildlife with a tripwire and flash system. His photo collection was published in National Geographic magazine in 1906. You may see some of his work locally, such as the black-and-white photographs of whitetail deer, in public buildings around Marquette. Shiras was a wildlife conservationist who used his position as a lawyer and congressman to pass legislation culminating in the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

“The World According to Fannie Davis: My Mother’s Life in the Detroit Numbers” by Bridgett M. Davis (921 Davis) is a unique glimpse into the life of a perfectly respectable mother of four who was creative enough to run the numbers out of her home in the middle of Detroit. It was a secret held for years by the author and her family. For 34 years, from 1958 to 1992, Fannie Davis was able to support her family without calling attention to herself. It’s time for her story to be told.

“Teacher/Pizza Guy” by Jeff Kass (811.6 KA) is shelved with poetry books, even though the poems are autobiographical, providing commentary on the state of education in our current political climate. As indicated by the title, Kass, an experienced full-time English teacher who also managed to hold down a part-time job, had to deliver pizzas during the winter of 2017 to make ends meet. The poetry is personal and questions why teachers have been underfunded as a profession in a society that needs educated workers and skilled problem solvers in upcoming generations.

“Guardians of Detroit: Architectural Sculpture in the Motor City” by Jeff Morrison (729.5097 MO) contains 770 of the most amazing photographs of architecture from the 19th and 20th centuries. Even more amazing is that these buildings can all be found in Detroit, Michigan. By using telephoto lenses, the photographer captures sculptural details that can’t be seen from the ground. The history of each building takes about a half page of text, dedicating the rest of the space to photos. Readers will want to use the maps on pages 298-305 as a sightseeing guide of these magnificent buildings in the heart of the city.

“Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables” by Abra Berens (641.5597 BE) is just what it says — a book of basic cooking terms, including cutting techniques, hints for stocking your pantry, and an alphabetical list of recipes from asparagus to turnips. Behrens identifies each vegetable with clear, colorful photographs by E.E. Berger and proceeds to tell a personal story about each one, followed by simple recipes that highlight the best flavors of the garden.

By Lynette Suckow

Reference Assistant