Summer ’24 and the Reading is Easy
July 2, 2024
One summer long weekend behind us already! Hope you’ve been finding some reading delights. As is tradition, I’m here to share a few of my own summer recommendations. As is also tradition for a few years now, Amy of Redfern Book Review and I have cooked up a podcast version to listen to for full discussion of these books and some random meanderings. Come join us! You can tune in to anywhere you listen to podcasts or simply click here.
You Are Here by David Nicholls – The latest from the British writer best known for the novel and recently televised One Day. This focuses less on young love and more on the mature variety. The charming story follows two single middle-agers who through circumstances (and best intentions of friends) end up hiking through all manner of weather and emotional drama across Northern England. There is delightful and funny repartee and some pretty relatable predicaments. A blend of humour and poignancy along with some travel makes for an ideal summer escape.
Wives Like Us by Plum Sykes – Speaking of escape… and England … and humour. Check, check check! But quite different adventures. This one promises full on farcical fun. Set in the linked villages of Little Bottom, Middle Bottom, Great Bottom and Monkton Bottom for starters, a cast of Gucci-clad socialites gets wound up in all sorts of shenanigans. “Take a grand English country house, one (heartbroken) American divorcee, three rich wives, two tycoons, a pair of miniature sausage dogs and one (bereaved) butler; put them all into the blender and out comes the impossibly funny Wives Like Us, the new novel from the best-selling author of Bergdorf Blondes and Party Girls Die In Pearls, Plum Sykes.” Just add a beach if you wish and you’re set for an ideal summer read.
The Glass Maker by Tracy Chevalier – She’s back! Prolific historical fiction writer Tracy Chevalier has found a new milieu. Not Vermeer (Girl with a Pearl Earring) or textiles (A Single Thread, The Lady and the Unicorn) or fossils (Remarkable Creatures) or the underground railway (The Last Runaway) or … this time it’s Venice and specifically, Murano glassworks. The story follows a family of glassblowers from Renaissance times to present day, through rivalries and love stories and historical events that challenge the family and the women who work to keep their glass legacy alive. A writer with a talent for immersing her reader into exotic worlds of art and significant times in our history. Looking forward to the journey!
Sandwich by Catherine Newman – Catherine Newman cornered the market on honest new parenthood tales some years ago and has become a treasured voice we turn to for guaranteed hilarity and frank commentary along with a little heartbreak. She is a frequent essay writer, blogger (I find her contributing to Cup of Jo or on her own substack Crone Sandwich) and She recently wrote We All Want Impossible Things about the loss of a best friend which was an emotional rollercoaster (laughter! tears!) and a moving tribute to long term adult friendships and having to say an early good-bye. Sandwich is a novel that follows a mid-life menopausal mama through a week of the annual multi-generational family vacation on Cape Cod. And what a week it is. While working on hormonal anger management and empty-nest syndrome, she is also grappling with the reality of independent but aging parents. Her long-suffering husband and their marriage demand her attention too. Meanwhile, sandwiches need to be made! Humorous and poignant … sensing a theme yet?
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman – Unlike the other books on this list, Anxious People is not a new release. It was published in 2021 after Fredrik Backman’s other hits, A Man Called Ove and Bear Town perhaps the most familiar. Backman has great range in topics and deftly handles all aspects of the emotional spectrum. I was prompted to head to the back list after viewing the most hilarious video of the author presenting his thoughts on “Creative Anxiety and Procrastination” (click link to view) to a group of writers gathered by Simon and Schuster. It is comic gold.
And all the motivation I needed to order up Anxious People – the story of a group of people randomly taken hostage at a real estate Open House. A couple of retirees who may have outgrown one another, an overworked executive, confused expectant parents, an emboldened 87 year old woman, a realtor and a mystery man each struggles with their own challenges and emotions. Together they try to find a way through this highly anxious experience. Apparently, a similar encounter of his own prompted Backman to pen this one.
The Other Valley by Scott Alexander Howard – This squeaked onto the list at the end as it’s one I’d just recently read and enjoyed. Captivating and creative, kind of in a category of its own: a little time travel and fantasy with emotions tied to friendship and family and identity and big choices. This follows a young woman who lives in a community located in a central valley. A valley to the East and one to the West are populated by Life Past and Life Future and travel between is forbidden except in very special circumstances. Any movement is secret and tightly managed and monitored. When a visitor from a neighbouring valley is accidently noticed by our protagonist, she becomes part of an upper echelon and is swept up in a close friend’s family story. A debut Canadian author. Looking forward to what’s next already!
Let us know what makes its way into your book bag. Happy reading!
It’s Summer Reading ’23
May 26, 2023
(Art by: Peder Severin Krøyer, Roses, 1893, Skagens Museum, Skagen, Denmark)
The days are getting longer and so, too, are the lists of enticing books to enjoy on our travels or in our gardens. It’s a season that celebrates reading! I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share a few of the titles that are catching my eye and to join Amy Mair at Red Fern Book Review for our annual Summer Reads chat. Tune in to the Red Fern Book Review podcast episode here to listen to our conversation around the top six summer choices listed below. Looking forward to your thoughts too. Let us know what you’re choosing to read from this list, and beyond!
“Set in late 16th-century Africa, India, Portugal, and Japan, The African Samurai is a powerful historical novel based on the true story of Yasuke, Japan’s first foreign-born samurai and the only samurai of African descent—for readers of Esi Edugyan and Lawrence Hill.”
The boy begins life in a small African village but is taken and sold into slavery. Over time he becomes a skilled soldier who is later promoted to the role of personal protector to an Italian Priest and Missionary bound for Japan. When in Japan, he is caught up in a riot amid the Japanese civil war and ends up being “gifted” to the Warlord Nobunaga. The two men forge a bond and the young soldier and protector from Africa is controversially honoured by Nobunaga with the Samurai title and Japanese name, Yasuke. The fact that this enthralling tale actually took place will make this novel all the more entertaining to read. Author Craig Shreve is a likeable Canadian writer who is personally committed to researching and honouring Yasuke’s story in his novel. Really looking forward to this one!
Do hope you find something that interests you here and that you tune into Red Fern Book Review to hear more about these choices. I will be offering a few more titles to explore this Summer in a second instalment of Summer Reading ’23. Stay tuned!
It’s an Ambush!
July 21, 2022
THE AMBUSH OF A GOOD BOOK
A good novel is an invasion;
it marches in and you try
to resist, to put it down
but eventually you surrender,
and it burrows every word
into the thickest parts of you,
deploying characters
in an ambush of emotion
so that years later,
you think of them
not as characters at all,
but your own memories
of a life you got tricked
into believing
was your own.
~ Samantha Reynolds
Long time readers will know I’ve long been an enormous fan of bentlily, the daily poetry project by Samantha Reynolds. My first post featuring bentlily was on May 12, 2013 and I’m so pleased to report that all this time later, she’s still going strong with daily inspiration, laughs and, well, heart-sprongs, for lack of the right word. Poet I’m not. There is a rumour a book will soon appear. You can bet I’ll be back to report on that. In the meantime, couldn’t resist sharing this gem with you, fellow readers. I know you’ll get it!
Been ambushed by anything special lately?
Summer Reads 2022
June 17, 2022
Amy Mair of Red Fern Books Podcast and I recently sat down (in person this time) for our second annual Summer Reads tie-in. Read the highlights below and then listen to more in our conversation over here.
If Amy managed to execute some editing wizardry, you will miss out on an epic coughing fit as this guest-of-the-week almost combusted. Mic-off is a safer bet for (hack, hack) this gal. Otherwise, we had a really fun chat!
These six books are chosen with an eye to variety across eras and themes. My hope is that we’ll all get a fresh glimpse into new worlds through these pages and be inspired and entertained along the way. Now just add some sunny weather, a cool drink, and uninterrupted time to read!
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
By the time this blogpost/podcast hits the airwaves I have no doubt you’ll be very familiar with this choice. Lessons in Chemistry has spent all of its young life on the bestseller and recommended lists, far and wide, unanimously celebrated. Bonnie Garmus is a debut author (at 65 years old) whose story was picked up for publication in 35 countries – impressive! If you liked Eleanor and Bernadette of Eleanor Oliphant or Where’d You Go Bernadette? you’ll most certainly enjoy Elizabeth Zott of Lessons in Chemistry. Despite her quirky outspokenness and her identity as an advanced scientific researcher, Elizabeth becomes a reluctant TV cooking show personality of the early 1960s. You’ll delight in plenty of chuckles but there’s surprising poignancy and social commentary and personal growth in the story as well. Elizabeth has a charming supporting cast of characters including a very special dog. This is a great summer read – any time of the year!
You Had Me at Pet-Nat – A Natural Wine-soaked Memoir by Rachel Signer
I’m sure you may wonder at times how I narrow down my book choices, especially when the selection may be a little bit off the radar as this one appears to be. In this case, it was simple, I encountered the paragraph below and was had. I don’t think I can really improve upon it so I’m sharing!
“It was Rachel Signer’s dream to be that girl: the one smoking hand-rolled cigarettes out the windows of her 19th-century Parisian studio apartment, wearing second-hand Isabel Marant jeans and sipping a glass of Beaujolais redolent of crushed roses with a touch of horse mane. Instead she was an under-appreciated freelance journalist and waitress in New York City, frustrated at always being broke and completely miserable in love. When she tastes her first pétillant-naturel (pét-nat for short), a type of natural wine made with no additives or chemicals, it sets her on a journey of self-discovery, both deeply personal and professional, that leads her to Paris, Italy, Spain, Georgia, and finally deep into the wilds of South Australia and which forces her, in the face of her “Wildman,” to ask herself the hard question: can she really handle the unconventional life she claims she wants?” (Hachette) Cheers!
Letters To a Stranger: Essays to the Ones Who Haunt Us by Colleen Kinder
If you’re a regular reader of Bedside Table Books, you’ll know that I’ve been singing the praises of essay collections as a way to re-boot one’s reading or to embrace variety. I recently stumbled upon two terrific pieces of writing, independent of one another, and discovered that by chance they were both selections in this Letters to a Stranger collection. I knew instantly that the connecting themes of brief encounters/missed connections/moments of shared humanity would be perfect for deep Summer sighing and if these two examples were any indication, the reading would all be excellent. 65 great writers have shared their experiences with strangers – you’ll encounter names like Maggie Shipstead, Lauren Groff, Pico Iyer … Can’t wait to savour this collection!
We Measure the Earth with Our Bodies by Tsering Yangzom Lama
Another debut receiving a lot of positive attention, We Measure the Earth with Our Bodies is a multi-generational saga which begins in Chinese occupied Tibet of the late 1950s and follows a family’s refugee experience through to modern-day Toronto. Family connections impacted by displacement, threatened cultural identity, and the haunting of harsh experiences are the basis of this compelling story. While author Tsering Yangzom Lama was born and raised in Nepal, she has strong ties to Vancouver and a BA in Creative Writing & International Relations from UBC. She followed that up with an MFA (Columbia) These descriptives taken from a wide array of blurbs are pretty convincing that this is some very fine writing: “achingly beautiful” “symphonic” “transcendent” “a marvel” and “magnificently textured”. Wow. I’m really looking forward to this one.
Carolina Built: A Novel by Kianna Alexander
There is a particular delight in the discovery of a story that has been hiding away in the archives just waiting to be celebrated. Thanks to Kianna Alexander’s writerly curiosity, we are now able to enjoy a story inspired by one remarkable Josephine N. Leary. Leary was a freed black woman, born into slavery on a Southern Plantation in the 1800s. As a wife, mother, and entrepreneur, she overcame an incredible number of challenges but used her savvy financial management and investment skills to build an impressive real estate empire. A feat at anytime but particularly in the early 1900s. Kianna Alexander researched deeply into her fellow North Carolina native’s story and the result is this exciting new novel, based on Leary’s life.
I really don’t need to say much more than “Geraldine Brooks” to flag this one. Brooks has several hugely successful and popular reads under her belt and each one is a unique and fascinating tale based on extraordinary research. Think: Year of Wonders (worth re-visiting with present day pandemic context), Caleb’s Crossing, March, and People of the Book among others. Horse, released June 14th, 2022, grows out of more impeccable research, and links three stories through different eras all tied to the famous race horse “Lexington”. “A discarded painting in a junk pile, a skeleton in an attic, and the greatest racehorse in American history: from these strands, a Pulitzer Prize winner braids a sweeping story of spirit, obsession, and injustice across American history.” (Goodreads) As she has in previous novels, the author has provided a fascinating Afterword. Don’t skip those pages!
Palate Cleansers
June 10, 2022
So I heard a phrase the other day and it gave me pause. “Palate cleanser” but used with regard to reading. As in a palate cleanser between books. A way to refresh your reading mind. While in the world of fine dining this may manifest as a cool and citrusy taste distraction between heavier courses, in the book world, perhaps it is something more light and less demanding of one’s brain. Or simply a diversion from a particular course.
I read a few books (all good) back to back that each just happened to feature a quirky but charming older gentleman. It was time for something entirely different so I broke the chain with something lighter and featuring a quite different cast of characters, themes and mood. I’ve chatted with a few of you seeking respite from World War II themes, thriller mania, and celebrity memoirs. For others, those may be the “sorbet”! Have you fallen into a pattern? Do you find yourself reaching for a common theme? Maybe it’s time to cleanse and challenge yourself with something new!
A book that really stood on its own as almost uncategorizable and was hugely enjoyable for me was Miss Benson’s Beetle by Rachel Joyce. It was also one of my 2020 Holiday Book recommendations. Great palate cleanser potential! Any other highly palatable palate cleansers you’ve found?
A New Year
January 30, 2022
Is it? Still? A new year? I’m hanging on to the “new” in New Year and its associated sense of optimism and hope for as long as I can!
Gemma Correll‘s illustration, “Is this the most January January ever?”, made me laugh. There definitely seems to be a general malaise afoot as 2022 gets rolling. Conversations I’ve had with fellow readers have reflected this. Due to the mood, there is a prevalent sense of disappointment &/or frustration from an inability to focus on reading with the ease we have in the past. I’ve felt it too. I admire those who have been able to embrace a Pandemic pause in their lives to devour bigger books and more pages than ever. My books-per-month count may be way down but I have found a new appreciation for essays and short stories. It seems writers and publishers have as well – there are so many new collections on the shelves and more to come. If you’re struggling with getting into a novel, why not dip a toe into a book of essays or stories? There are many genres but here are a few that may lighten the mood or distract you with intriguing thoughts.
I Miss You When I Blink: Essays by Mary Laura Philpott – Sometimes when all the news articles seem to be too much one needs a little escape. This collection from a charming, self-professed Type A-overthinker, abounds with humour and poignancy. Philpott writes self-deprecatingly but honestly and often with a wink. Marriage, parenthood, big life moments, and more importantly, the little moments all feature.
The Souvenir Museum by Elizabeth McCracken – I’ve yet to read McCracken’s work but feel strongly pulled to dive in. She is the only reader Ann Patchett apparently trusts for input on a manuscript. Now that’s an endorsement for having an understanding of words! “With sentences that crackle and spark and showcase her trademark wit, McCracken traces how our closely held desires—for intimacy, atonement, comfort—bloom and wither against the indifferent passing of time. Her characters embark on journeys that leave them indelibly changed—and so do her readers.“
The Book of Delights by Ross Gay – “A volume of lyric essays” in which poet Ross Gay shares “a daily essay about something delightful – an essayette” . The Crow’s Ablutions, and Flowers in the Hands of Statues, Loitering, and The Sanctity of Trains just a few titles among the 102 included here. Plenty of quick little reads to make you pause with a gentle hmmmm or a giggle. Truly delightful. Perhaps this will serve as inspiration to slow our pace and notice the delights we encounter in our own days.
Midlife Bites: Anyone Else Falling Apart or Is It Just Me? by Jen Mann – Jen Mann is a popular blogger, known for writing with humour about home life with kids and the crazy-making expectations that bombard us. Her epic “Overachieving Elf on the Shelf Mommies” rant went wildly viral and gathered her a fervent following among the more “realistic” mom-set. Now Jen has taken her truth telling to the mid-life crisis and her wry humour is hitting a nerve yet again. “I inhaled this book in one sitting; it’s a must-read for anyone over forty. This should become the gift all girlfriends give one another.”—Zibby Owens, host of the award-winning podcast Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books
Binge: 60 Stories to Make your Brain Feel Different by Douglas Coupland – Feels like it’s been a while since we’ve had something from this creative thinking icon. I’m intrigued by the title alone and look forward to giving this a try. “The characters, of course, are Doug’s own: crackpots, cranks and sweetie-pies, dad dancers and perpetrators of carbecues. People in the grip of unconscionable urges; lonely people; dying people; silly people. If you love Doug’s fiction, this collection is like rain on the desert.” (goodreads)
The Joy of Small Things by Hannah Jane Parkinson – Happy focused vignettes by a young English writer on topics as wide-ranging as Finding Lost Things, Fonts, Pockets, The Smell of Wood and Being Inside When its Raining. Many of these pieces appeared in her very popular column in the Guardian newspaper. Hard to decide whether to fly through them all in one sitting or dole out just a few deep sigh worthy moments at a time.
The Most of Nora Ephron – Our beloved Nora wrote some of the most enjoyable, funny, challenging, and poignant essays of our time. Two collections, I Feel Bad About My Neck and I Remember Nothing are included in this recently released compilation of ALL of Nora’s writings. Screenplays, novels, essays, blogposts … they are all here in one “most” impressive collection. “Readers will admire their literary heroine even more when … they discover, or are reminded, of the brave positions she took, and of how far her preoccupations and her writing ranged.” —Francine Prose, The New York Review of Books
These Precious Days by Ann Patchett – I read this lovely collection over the holidays; it was a favourite gift. Ann always inspires with her way of seeing the world and some of these essays will remain with me always. A great thing about essays is that they are more easily re-readable. I can see keeping this on a nearby shelf and re-visiting on down the road and finding new gems that emerge with the passing of time and a change in perspective. Highly recommend.
Fall into New Books
October 8, 2021
The seasons are rolling by and today we have another tie-in with the Red Fern Book Review podcast, this time focused on an Autumn selection. Things got a bit giddy during our chat (Say what? Who doesn’t love PS. I Love You?!) but Amy Mair and I did manage to stay focused on discussing six new recommendations. Our Summer weather vanished quite dramatically this year and it definitely feels like time to curl up and sink into a good read. So tune into the chat with Amy at Red Fern and hear a bit more background to the great stories described here.
When I Ran Away by Ilona Bannister – This novel begins with an encounter between two people during their escape from the falling towers in New York City on 9-11. Their story travels from Staten Island, NY to London England and encompasses grief, family life, loss of identity, motherhood … all the big complex stuff! It has been described as a powerfully emotional novel, yet funny and “a big hug of a read” too. That contrast caught my attention! Ilona Bannister’s own life experience closely parallels the story and so it seems we can count on a level of authenticity. We’ve just acknowledged the 20th anniversary of 9-11 so this story may give us some insight into what post 9-11 life might have been for some of its survivors.
Brothers on Three – A True Story of Family, Resistance, and Hope on a Reservation in Montana by Abe Streep – As an accomplished journalist, usually in the realm of Sports for publications like Outside magazine, NYT, and The New Yorker, Abe Streep has an eye for a good underdog story. After coming across a billboard promoting a High School State Championship basketball game in a small indigenous community in Montana, Streep felt there was a story to be pitched. As he delved into the background and learned more about the players and the community, he realized this was more than an article, it was a whole book. The boys on the winning team take on legendary status in their small town and Streep follows their progress as they assume responsibilities and challenges beyond their years. While it’s a feel-good sports story (and we all love those!) it also provides a glimpse into life as an Indigenous youth in a modern world. Reviews say it’s “exquisitely written and meticulously reported”.
Sparks Like Stars by Nadia Hashimi – You may recognize the author’s name from her earlier book, The Pearl That Broke Its Shell Once again, Hashimi explores the experience of an Afghan woman. Sparks like Stars follows the story of a woman, adopted and raised by an American diplomat, as she investigates and comes to terms with the violent death of her parents during a coup in Kabul when she was a young child in the 1970s. With Afghan heritage herself, and a personal commitment to supporting Afghan women with their present day challenges, Hashimi writes with a deep connection to her character’s experience. As we watch the news reels from Afghanistan over the last few months, this is a timely and important opportunity to understand a bit more about the history of this region in an accessible way.
Island Queen by Vanessa Riley- I had never heard of Dorothy “Doll” Kirwan Thomas but once I learned that this historical fiction novel is based on her life, I looked her up and can assure you this will be an inspiring and entertaining read. What a character! Ms. Thomas was a free woman of colour who went from a life of slavery to becoming one of the most wealthy and powerful landowners in the West Indies. Vanessa Riley takes us on a fictionalized trip through 1700s Montserrat to Dominica, Barbados, and beyond following the brilliant schemes and adventures of a woman who lived a most remarkable life. Historical fiction is almost always in our wheelhouse here and this one promises to deliver great writing and an epically engaging story as we travel back in time.
My B(igg)est Mistake – Epic Fails and Silver Linings by Terry O’Reilly – I love the cover of this one. Just a hint at the creativity marketing guru Terry O’Reilly often exhibits. If the name is familiar (and his voice will be even more so) Terry O’Reilly is the entertaining host of the “Under The Influence” and “Age of Persuasion” radio programmes on CBC, also available as popular podcasts. If you are a listener, you will know that Terry shares the fascinating stories behind the scenes of big marketing campaigns and familiar brands. In this new collection, the stories are focused on the big blunders that turned into super successes. A green ink printing glitch gave the Hulk his hue, for instance – he’d originally been grey. Not sure a boring old grey Hulk would have been nearly as threatening or memorable! Along with juicy gems like that, there is a positive message about embracing the failures in life as they may well turn out to be the best thing going forward.
Freckles by Cecilia Ahern – Cecilia Ahern is the prolific author on whose novels movie RomComs like “Love, Rosie” and “PS I Love You” have been based. She has consistently been producing heartwarming, romantic tales, often with a dash of her native Irish charm, almost annually since 2004; 25 million copies of her books out there now! Her latest, Roar, was a bit of a departure from her usual Romance genre, being instead, a collection of short stories about women finding their inner power. Nicole Kidman and a few other big name actors are presently at work on it’s production for AppleTV. But, back to the newest news, Freckles! The inspiration for this story came from a conversation about the theory that each person is the average of the five people with whom they spend the most time. The main character in the story, nicknamed Freckles for obvious reason, is a bit of a lost soul and makes a move to the big city (Dublin) to create a new future. She applies the “Five People” hypothesis and the story follows her new connections and personal transformation. Warm, witty, endearing, touching and hopeful … all words that appear repeatedly in the reviews. Amy of Red Fern Book Review podcast may not have been as keen as I am on this genre but I firmly believe these heartwarming tales are a joy when they hit you at the right moment. If you’re having a moment, here’s the cure!
Tune in to the Fall Reading episode at Red Fern Book Review here.
Under the Covers
October 4, 2021
Under these covers, it’s all the same. Does the cover influence your decision to select and read a book? Just a little food for thought. These are books that all look good to me but I may be more inclined to choose one cover over another. Typically, the North American and the United Kingdom covers vary. And sometimes, the UK and Canadian versions are the same while the US version differs. And let’s not even get started on Down Under. It’s all a matter of marketing! Apparently, tastes are different in different parts of the world. Any preferences? Can you tell which is destined for which market?
Summer Reads ’21 – Part Two
June 7, 2021
As promised, I’m back with a few more titles to consider for your Summer reading pile. We’ll continue with glimpses into different worlds and special relationships but some of these six might be considered a little lighter. Chime in and let us know what you’ve enjoyed and if there is another title you’d like to share.
The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman by Julietta Henderson
Norman Foreman is a young fellow who’s just lost a best friend. The twelve year olds had been making big plans to take their comedy show on the road to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival when Jax died and Norman is determined to still make the trip in honour of his friend. However, Jax was the funny one so there might be some cringe at the Fringe. Norman’s other loss is a father he’s never known. Mom decides she needs to step up and help Norman with his grief and need for closure. Loading themselves into a Mini with a neighbouring friend, they set off on an epic road trip from Cornwall to Edinburgh that inspires and warms the heart. Another debut novel that promises to gift you a memorable, beloved character in Norman. “Tender and hilarious.” “Moving and funny.”
Come Fly the World: The Jet Age Story of the Women of Pan Am by Julia Cooke
This one might be well under the radar for most Summer read seekers as it’s located in the History and PoliSci section. However, this looks to me to be an enthralling read, any season. Journalist and travel writer Julia Cooke, whose father was a Pan Am executive, delves into the jet age heyday, the Pan Am brand, its significant cultural and historical contributions and the women who crewed and contributed to its success. Following the stories of a select few of these women, the author reveals a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of the iconic carrier and the time in history. (The Vietnam War, Operation Babylift, Women’s Liberation … ) While weight, height make-up and grooming guidelines were fierce and strongly enforced, at the same time, the Pan Am “stewardess” was sophisticated and seeking to make an impact on an international scale. “Throughout the 1960s, a full 10 percent of Pan Am stewardesses had attended graduate school — a stunning figure at a time when only 6 to 8 percent of American women even held a college degree.” So many trivia gems in this one I think! Kirkus Reviews writes: “An entertaining, insightful look into a gritty and glamorous era in air travel.”
“So now what?” That is the question to be answered by four women, each at a crossroads in her life. The women respond to a message saying “you are invited to the rest of your life” and gather at Willa’s Montana home for a week-long retreat to explore what lies ahead. Fears and regrets and indecision are overcome with the support of good conversation, friendship, and the great outdoors. Descriptions of the natural landscape are apparently beautifully depicted. Some readers have found the girl talk to be a bit much while others have been brought to tears by the poignancy of the story and give it rave reviews. If a little retreat to the country with the girls sounds appealing to you, Laura Munson will have written with an authentic perspective – she hosts writing retreats in Montana and has found great success doing so after overcoming some personal challenges of her own. “Willa’s Grove is an affirmation of creativity, sisterhood, and the power of belonging.” – Chelsea Cain
Let’s start with the back cover of this book: “The novel is sheer delight” “A joyous, exuberantly fun-filled novel of second chances” “Bracing, hilarious, and warm” “Pure unadulterated reading pleasure” A quick glance at all that cheer leaves this potential reader with high hopes for sure. A family in Dublin, Ireland is coming to terms with multigenerational shenanigans. Long out of work Dad is overwhelmed by his 83 year old mother who has a penchant for shoplifting and who’s fully committed to aging disgracefully. At the same time, one of the four children, a daughter, is up to some capers of her own and boarding school is looking like a likely option. A caretaker for Granny is hired to help improve the situation, however, she brings along a little hullaballoo of her own and grand adventures ensue for all the troublemakers. Light and fun methinks.
Mayflies seems to be the story that hits the heartstrings in a more emotional way. I heard a bookshop employee taking to the airwaves about the impact this novel had on him and I jotted down the title immediately; he couldn’t possibly have reviewed it more positively. Prizewinning author, Andrew O’Hagan atmospherically starts us off in 1986 with two friends in small town Scotland, graduating from school and vowing never to lead the lives of their fathers. They celebrate the dimming of their carefree youth with an unforgettable, magical weekend trip to Manchester. Music and film and youthful energy have bonded them and feature prominently in the tale. Years later, they are connected again but for less celebratory reasons. The story unfolds in essentially two parts, the exuberance of youth and the challenge of growing old. “A beautiful ode to lost youth and male friendship.” – Douglas Stuart, Shuggie Bain and from Hilary Mantel, “There is no page on which there is not something surprising or quotable or pleasurable or thought-provoking.”
Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson
Yet another debut by a young writer who’s putting her life experience to good use. The “Point” in Beyond the Point is West Point, the iconic US Military Academy. Author Claire Gibson, daughter of a military man, was born at West Point and spent a good part of her childhood on its campus while her father taught there. The experience had an enormous impact on her and, as a writer later in life, she knew she wanted to capture the experience but wasn’t sure exactly what that would look like. In 2013, Claire writes on her website, a friend from West Point contacted her and asked if she could share her experiences as a West Point grad and soldier with her. This initial conversation turned into multiple interviews with West Point women and Claire knew she had the inspiration for her novel. The story follows three West Point women and shines a light on their friendship and their courage as they share the demanding experience of military college and heartbreak in life in the world beyond. It’s a tribute to friendship and resilience. Claire’s website is fascinating unto itself; I can’t wait to read the book.
Wishing you all armloads of terrific books this Summer. Let’s circle back and share our thoughts after the pages have been flipped. Happy reading!
Great Minds
May 13, 2021
I’ve had a few “wait a minute!” moments of confusion at the bookshelves in recent times. On more than one occasion I’ve encountered an unfamiliar title or a new release and thought, “I’ve read about this one already” but alas, no. (And no, not middle age brain to blame for a change!) It seems that sometimes great minds of writers simply think alike. Here are a few newish books that look great to me and happen to have been inspired by a shared theme.
The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake
Vera by Carol Edgarian
“Set in San Francisco during the great quake and fire of 1906, this wonderfully compelling novel takes us deeply into the heart and mind of an unforgettable fifteen year old girl, one who must find her way alone through a mother’s neglect, through bordellos and corrupt politicians, through the debris and ashes of what was once “The Paris of the West.” Vera is that rare novel that you’ll want to buy for loved ones just as soon as you reach its shimmeringly beautiful ending. And its street-wise, resilient protagonist will stay with you for a very long time indeed.”
— Andre Dubus III
The Nature of Fragile Things by Susan Meissner
“In 1906, Irish immigrant Sophie marries a stranger and moves to San Francisco. There, she discovers a hidden connection to two other women — and when a devastating earthquake strikes, they must fight to survive. “Exceptional… Ingeniously plotted and perfectly structured, this captivates from beginning to end” (Publishers Weekly).”
– BookBub
Kentucky Packhorse Library Service
Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes
“Based on the true story of the Pack Horse Library initiative — a Works Progress Administration project that ran from 1935 to 1943 and turned women and their steeds into bookmobiles — Moyes’s characters travel into the remote Eastern Kentucky mountains to deliver learning to the most isolated residents….’Giver of Stars’ is a celebration of love, but also of reading, of knowledge, of female friendship, of the beauty of our most rural corners and our enduring American grit: the kind of true grit that can be found in the hills of Kentucky and on the pages of this inspiring book.
– Washington Post
Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson
“Kim Michele Richardson has written a fascinating novel about people almost forgotten by history: Kentucky’s pack-horse librarians and “blue people.” The factual information alone would make this book a treasure, but with her impressive storytelling and empathy, Richardson gives us so much more.”
– Ron Rash, New York Times bestselling author of One Foot in Eden and Serena
The Barbizon Hotel for Women
The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis
“Multigenerational and steeped in history, The Dollhouse is a story about women—from the clicking anxiety of Katie Gibbs’s secretaries to the willowy cool of Eileen Ford’s models, to honey-voiced hatcheck girls and glamorous eccentrics with lapdogs named Bird. Davis celebrates the women of New York’s present and past—the ones who live boldly, independently, carving out lives on their own terms.”
—Elizabeth Winder, author of Pain, Parties, Work: Sylvia Plath in New York, Summer 1953
Barbizon: the Hotel that Set Women Free by Paulina Bren
“With enough smoldering glamour to make Mad Men look dreary…Bren’s captivating book tells the story of this women’s residential hotel, from its construction in 1927 on Manhattan’s 140 East 63rd Street, to its eventual conversion into multimillion-dollar condominiums in 2007. But it is also a brilliant many-layered social history of women’s ambition and a rapidly changing New York throughout the 20th century.”
