Bedside Table Books

Autumnal greetings! It’s a big book season and there are soooo many new titles to consider. I narrowed down a lengthy list to the following six for a podcast chat with Amy Mair, host of Red Fern Book Review. If you’re familiar with our past posts and discussions, you’ll know the drill. If not, read here and hear there! Tune in to our conversation at redfernbookreview.com

The Leftover Woman by Jean Kwok

Previous novels by Jean Kwok include Searching for Sylvie Lee and Girl in Translation. Each of these, along with this new novel, feature elements of the immigrant experience and are written with remarkable emotional depth. I guarantee you will remember scenes from her books for years to come. In a good way! The Leftover Woman, releasing on October 10, 2023, is a family drama featuring two mothers of an adopted daughter. The birth mother was forced to surrender her child due to China’s One Child policy while the adoptive mother has raised the child in her extraordinarily privileged New York City environment. When the birth mother bravely makes her way from China with little to no means of support, leaving a controlling husband behind, she is on a collision course with the adoptive mother who is enmired within crises of her own. Words like “atmospheric” and “profound” and “suspenseful” describe the mystery that unfolds. Jean Kwok moved to Brooklyn, NY as a young immigrant herself and went on to study at Harvard and Columbia universities.

The Class – Memoir of a Place, a Time and Us by Ken Dryden

Ken Dryden is a name familiar to most Canadians; he is in the history books both for his Stanley Cup successes in goal for the Montreal Canadiens and for his time in politics as an MP and Cabinet Minister. He has also written hockey history books: The Game, Home Game and four others. As a young student, he joined a cohort of 35 in a “Selected Class” who remained very closely together throughout their studies. It was the post-war era and a time considered to be of “boundless possibilities” There was little contact among the students following graduation and Dryden takes us along as he connects with his former classmates and discovers what those possibilities turned into. A great glimpse into a period of history and a reflection on the different opportunities and choices made by the individuals in the group. I’m really looking forward to this one.

A New Season by Terry Fallis

T’is the season for a new novel from Terry Fallis! The Best Laid Plans launched his writing career and we’re all grateful he’s continued with a variety of warm and humorous tales. This particular story may have a bit more pathos within but I’m certain the funny bits will still be there too. It is the tale of a fellow, recently widowed, who has lost his emotional footing. He has a supportive gang of fellow ball hockey teammates and a loving son but it’s a bit of “gumption”, mystery, and serendipity in Paris that brings him back. “…sometimes, making a change in your life can save your life.”

The Golden Gate by Amy Chua

So here we have a debut novel … but not a debut writer. Amy Chua is author of the wildly successful, iconic even, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother which dominated headlines for months in 2011. But today we’re talking about her new novel which is gaining traction for its merit as an historical thriller. The scene is set at a spooky landmark setting (Berkeley’s Claremont Hotel) when a homicide detective is perchance on the scene while a Presidential Candidate is murdered upstairs on hotel premises. As our officer digs into this crime and the political enemies around the deceased, he discovers there is a history of unfortunate events at the hotel, with ties to a privileged local family. From the publisher: “Chua’s page-turning debut brings to life a historical era rife with turbulent social forces and groundbreaking forensic advances, when race and class defined the very essence of power, sex, and justice, and introduces a fascinating character in Detective Sullivan, a mixed race former Army officer who is still reckoning with his own history.”

A Clouded Leopard in the Middle of the Road – New thinking about roads, people and wildlife by Darryl Jones

(Bonus) Crossings: How Road Ecology is shaping the future of our planet by Ben Goldfarb

I’ve posted before about the publishing phenomenon of synchronistic releases – two (or more) books on the same topic published very near to one another in the calendar. This latest example is focused on the topic of Road Ecology. A topic which may seem dry to some of you but fascinating when you delve a little way in. There are 40 million miles of roadways on our planet, reflecting growth and prosperity of communities. And yet, these paved ways have an enormous impact on our planet’s surface, waterways, plants, and the wildlife with whom we share it. Perhaps you’ve heard of the Tunnels of Love in Australia which allow animals to pass under the roads? Or the overpasses in the Rockies providing the same service? These explorations of an important global topic will appeal to the non-fiction readers among us but will also intrigue anyone wishing to understand more about Earth’s well-being and how we can become more mindful of development’s effect. Both of these books are rating extremely generously among reviewers.

Talking at Night by Claire Daverley

And now for romance. A debut UK author receiving great acclaim, Claire Daverley’s writing has been described as evocative of Sally Rooney’s. High praise for Sally fans. I’ve just begun the story and have to say there is a quiet tender tone to the writing that easily draws the reader in and creates space to absorb and appreciate the dialogue and characters as they reveal their stories. Will and Rosie are utter opposites in the high school pecking order and yet establish an unexpectedly deep interest and bond with one another. Tragic circumstances prevent them from being together and, as the decades pass, they come close to reuniting, again and again. However, missed opportunities abound. It’s an emotional see-saw, poignant and hopeful. “It’s the story of the many loves we have in a lifetime.” and “It’s about the people we meet who change us irrevocably and who we always carry with us.”

As always, dig in and let us know what you enjoy most. Happy reading!