LEGEND by Marie Lu

Another in the current trend of dystopian fiction, this entry is set in Los Angeles, which is now the capital of the Republic. A war has waged between the Colonies to the east and the Republic to the west. All 10-year-olds in the Republic are given a test to determine their futures. June, one teenager telling the story, earns a perfect score. She receives lots of benefits, attends a good school, and has been recruited to be a leader of the Republic. Day, the other teenager telling the story, failed his test and leads a life hiding from the authorities. He has become a famous outlaw, kind of a Robin Hood figure, fighting for the poor. When June's older brother is killed and Day is named as the prime suspect, June hunts Day, trying to avenge her brother's death. The story is told from the alternating viewpoints of June and Day. When they finally meet, they discover that all is not as it seems. LEGEND is a top-notch dystopian novel. It has it all: romance, political intrigue, violence, suspense. A good read.

THE SHAKESPEARE THEFTS by Eric Rasmussen

The first edition of Shakespeare's printed works is called the "First Folio." Published in 1623, these books are some of the most valuable in the world. Rasmussen, the author, lead a group in tracking down and cataloging each First Folio in existence. A previous census conducted in 1902 found 160 copies. With this starting point, the group tried to find existing First Folios, determine the authenticity of the manuscripts, and trace the original owner and how the copy came to be in the hands of the current owner. Some of the copies have intriguing stories. For example, a couple who owned a First Folio died mysteriously in a boating accident. But the Folio was missing from their estate with no clue as to what happened to it. The book is an entertaining examination of the history of a very unique publication. We learn about Shakespeare, rare book collecting, and people who own and covet First Folios.