The Oregonian is counting down its top 10 Northwest books of 2012. A new selection will be revealed every day until Dec. 15, and a complete list will appear in the paper on Dec. 16, along with a list of the top 10 national books of the year.
THE SECRETS OF MARY BOWSER
$15.99 paperback, 496 pages
"Leveen's narration starts when Mary is young. A house slave in Richmond, Mary lives with her mother in the attic of the Van Lew mansion, spending Sundays with her father, who is also a slave. Their lot might not be one with whips and chains, but it wasn't freedom either. House slaves always understood more than the whites thought, but it wasn't safe to show off that knowledge.
" 'A slave best keep her talents hidden,' Mary learned early, 'feigned ignorance being the greatest intelligence in the topsy-turvy house of bondage.' "
Schneider noted that Leveen "came upon the story of Bowser while researching her doctoral dissertation (and) demonstrates considerable skill bringing the historical period to life. Mary's world is nuanced and complicated, but the reader is thoroughly drawn into it, never lost. The narrative voice carries with it a seamless authority, rare in novels of this type."