The Governor, The Voice & More Mystery Thrillers & Stocking Fillers

LEADERSHIP AND CRISIS

By Gov. Bobby Jindal Regnery Publishing, $27.95

Jindal tackles the biggest crisis of his administration in the first chapter: the BP oil spill disaster and President Obama’s failure to cut through governmental red tape to force BP to take immediate action to clean it up.

According to the governor, “the federal government’s delays and bureaucracy made problems in the disaster even worse,” much like its response to Hurricane Katrina. In that instance, then-Congressman Jindal did some tape cutting of his own, advising volunteers to ignore government requirements for, among other things, proper boat licensing.

He reveals his journey from Hinduism to Christianity and even becoming an unexpected midwife by delivering his third child. In the final chapter titled “Now What?” He lists changes needed at the federal level and urges readers to “Take your government back, get involved, even run for office.” Is he telling us something he plans to do?

Wait and see.

FRANK The Voice

By James Kaplan Doubleday, $35

I believe Frank Sinatra was the greatest pop singer of all time, but have never read anything as well written and informative as Kaplan’s take on the man.

The book begins with Frank’s birth when a doctor’s forceps left him marked and apparently dead until someone ran ice-cold water over him and he started to howl. Ol’ Blue Eyes was never quiet again, determined to be a singer, landing a job with Tommy Dorsey (the only person other than his mother that he was afraid of) then leaving him in a bitter separation.

Sinatra’s first marriage to Nancy produced three children, but Frank seldom saw them and, when he found Ava Gardner, he was not going home. The public finally tired of him and he attempted (half-heartedly) committing suicide. Then, after winning an Oscar for his role in “From Here To Eternity,” his star rose again, never dimming until his death.

THE CONFESSION

By John Grisham Doubleday, $29.95

Grisham returns with a page-turning, nail-biting thriller about the impending execution of a black high school football star convicted of the rape and murder of a white cheerleader. Although her body was never found and police have only the accusation of an anonymous caller, they browbeat a confession out of the boy, who later recants.

Now with just hours to go, a Lutheran priest, accompanied by an ex-con parolee who admits to the murder, race 400 miles to stop the execution, as the clock inexorably keeps ticking.

Grisham files his brief against capital punishment.

SIZZLING SIXTEEN

By Janet Evanovich St. Martin’s Press, $27.99

Stephanie Plum’s fans will welcome this one with open arms as she and her wacky sidekick, Lulu, try to ransom her cousin Vinnie, who’s been kidnapped and held by a violent bookie until he’s paid the nearly $800,000 owed him.

Neither her boyfriend Morreli, nor alternate boyfriend Ranger, can help raise that kind of dough, so Stephanie and company come up with an elaborate and hilarious scheme to rescue Vinnie. Trouble is an even nastier criminal wants to grab them all.

The gang’s funnier than ever.

NEW ORLEANS What Can’t Be Lost

Edited by Lee Barclay; Photography by Christopher Porche’ West University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press, $30

This fascinating collection of 88 stories by notable writers who include Jason Berry, Rick Bragg, Chris Rose, Joshua Clark, Errol Laborde and many more, write movingly of what each feels is so intrinsic to the heart of the city, it can’t be taken away from New Orleans: the food, music and, especially, the resilience of its’ people, reflected in 92 striking black and white photographs.

Proceeds from the book go to the nonprofit “Sweet Home New Orleans.”

SPECIAL FOR COOKS: “2010 Christmas with Southern Living” ($29.95) features decorating ideas as well as recipes.

Holly Clegg returns with another “Trim & Terrific” title, “Too Hot in the Kitchen,” told in her light and breezy style (Softcover, $24.95).

In The Louisiana Seafood Bible, (Pelican, $25) the Horsts n Jerald and Glenda n focus on crabs: boiled, deep-fried, grilled, stuffed and soft shelled. Mais, just looking at dem pictures make my mouth water.

And, last, but sho not least, is Todd-Michael St. Pierre’s, “Who Dat Cookin’,” (Pontchatrain Press, $14.95) tempting recipes for tailgating to fancy dinners and inviting cocktails.

RASCAL

Ken Wells is back with a delightful book, “Rascal, A Dog and His Boy” (Knopf, $16.99) that tells its story from the dog’s viewpoint. It’s ostensibly written for young adults, but I’d recommend it to anyone who loves dogs … or a doggone good story.

Clever, funny and even includes a glossary of Cajun expressions.