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!
I love when a book is an escape to another place, particularly when it is described authentically. Shelley Read takes us to Colorado ranch country in Go As A River and as a fifth generation Coloradan, captivates us with beautifully vivid descriptions of scenery she knows and loves. This novel, inspired by real events, follows the story of Victoria Nash, a young woman forging ahead to survive with incredible courage when tragedy strikes and she loses her home and all she’s known. It’s a tale of love and friendship and personal growth. (Comparisons have been made to the character Kya in Where the Crawdads Sing – high praise!) And here’s an example of the “stop for a moment and savour” writing: “The landscapes of our youth create us, and we carry them within us, storied by all they gave and stole, in who we become.” It’s ready to read next on my bedside table and I can’t wait!
For the cozy mystery lovers among us, this one is a fun mashup of a lively round of the board game Clue and The Great British Bake Off. How’s that for great summer entertainment?! A widely followed baking competition is being filmed at an impressive estate in Rhode Island when things go off the rails with some sly shenanigans and then an actual murder. Certainly more serious than a soggy bottom! The cast of entertainingly eccentric characters are all suspect and the hostess herself may not be all she seems. Its publisher describes The Golden Spoon as “a brilliant puzzle filled with shocking twists and turns that will keep you reading late into the night …” On your marks, get set, read!
I am so eager to delve into these pages. Literary escapes can take place within the walls of a museum too, and in this case, not just any old museum, but the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, aka “The Met”. Patrick Bringley, an accomplished writer at The New Yorker, seeks distraction and comfort during a difficult time in his life by finding work at the Museum as a Guard. He stayed in the role for ten years and was able to observe, as an insider, all the behind the scenes workings of the museum. He also gained privileged insight into the art and installations and became part of a special community of Museum staff members. And now, he’s sharing his story and his observations with us. This will be worth the price of admission!
In all its international iterations, this cover wins the prettiest category. Very summery too. India Knight has long been a popular newspaper Lifestyle columnist in the UK and has written earlier novels that might be categorized as “Domestic Fiction” – good natured and downright funny portrayals of women seeking balance in motherhood and life in general. This newest novel is a bit of a departure but I’m sure will be as engaging. Inspired by the 1945 classic “The Pursuit of Love” by Nancy Mitford, the tale of an upper class English family and specifically one daughter’s desperate focus and obsession on finding big love, is brought into the modern age with all the cell phones, Instagram and trips on the Eurostar to be authentic. India Knight’s version is described as “a razor sharp, gloriously funny re-telling” of Mitford’s original story. There are Great Gatsby-esque vibes in the tale and I’m sure this clever new story will delight. Book Clubs could tackle the two novels, The Pursuit of Love and Darling, and compare. Or, look for the recent mini-series of The Pursuit of Love starring Lily James on Prime Video; period costumes and soundtrack to complement your reading.
Nancy Horan will be a familiar name to those who’ve read her groundbreaking fictionalized memoir, “Loving Frank” based on the life of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. We’ve missed her but she’s returning on June 6th with a dive into the times of President Lincoln. Story lines featuring intense personal struggles are narrated by Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, their Portuguese immigrant “house girl”, and a Minister and barber to Lincoln with personal involvement in the Underground Railroad. These voices enable us to sympathize with the challenges of the changing times and complicated race relations through the Civil War and up to 1908’s Springfield Race Riot. I am certain this will have been a deeply researched novel that will allow us to experience a fascinating look into a dramatic period in American history and give us a perspective on some of the news headlines of today as well. A good historical dive with this one that may end up inspiring more reading about the era.
Mark your calendars so you don’t forget this one; it’s due for release on August 1st, 2023 in Canada. Better yet, pre-order a copy! It’s an epic tale based on an actual historical figure that’s been mythologized through anime and a documentary but whose story has never been told in the form of a novel before. Great time travel and culture crossing with an extraordinary character.
“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!
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!
Summer Reads ’21 – Part one
June 3, 2021
Here we are again … it’s Summer reading time. Whatever that means! I know you enthusiastic readers read all year long but there’s something about the permission we give ourselves to sink into a book on a summer day that feels different. We seem to plan and think about our reading more in the warm months. Only so much room in a beach bag so we need to be efficient. Great big classic? Light and frolicky? What’s your leaning? Let us know if you have a list of your own going and if you have any interesting titles bookmarked.
Amy Mair and I met up again virtually for another fun blog/podcast tie-in chat about books on her Podcast, Red Fern Book Review. Tune in here to listen to us talk about summer reading and the background to these first six titles. Selections were narrowed down from a list of fifty-three! Finalists were chosen for the ability to broaden our horizons in a well-written, entertaining way. Hope you enjoy any and all journeys you choose!
Finding Freedom – A Cook’s Story: Remaking a Life from Scratch by Erin French
Just to be clear, this is not the Royal tell-all featuring Harry and Meghan. While they may also be Finding Freedom, this is not that. This is a memoir by the admirably successful Chef, Erin French of The Lost Kitchen fame. The Lost Kitchen is a renowned farm-to-table restaurant in the tiny town of Freedom, Maine and the inspiration for the cookbook, The Lost Kitchen – Recipes and A Good Life Found in Freedom, Maine: A Cookbook. While the restaurant itself could fill pages with it’s own iconic story, Chef Erin’s personal story is where this memoir focuses. Raised on a Maine farm, Erin spent her youth working in her Dad’s diner, developing a proficiency and love for making special meals. She set off for Medical school and then was faced with the reality of an unexpected pregnancy. This change in plans brought her back to the kitchen and then an unpleasant marriage and divorce, addiction to prescription drugs, loss of her first restaurant and just generally rock bottom. This is Erin’s story of finding her passion and courage to overcome while discovering success and happiness again. Lots of warm hearted reviews for this one and it will likely to appeal to lovers of Tembi Locke’s “From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home” which I adored and Jackie Kai Ellis’ “The Measure of my Powers: A Memoir of Food, Misery and Paris” Also good and a little grittier.
Here’s a glimpse into the fraught world of real estate development, set in London’s old SoHo district. This apparently reads like “a great night out in a city that never sleeps” and features an array of strong characters: a real estate maven who wasn’t expecting the strength of conviction and solidarity among the sex trade worker, drug addict and alcoholic residents of the building she’s seeking to turn into condos. While a strong message about the spirit and heart of a city being compromised by development exists in the story, with an air of Dickens, it also manages to keep an “ambitious, clever, brilliant, very funny” tone. Author Fiona Mozley was on the Booker Prize shortlist with her first book, Elmet, so is considered an accomplished writer.
Under the Wave at Waimea by Paul Theroux
Author Paul Theroux has been a resident of Hawaii for some 30 years so it can be assumed he knows the world he writes about in this new novel. He is, of course, known for his earlier works, The Mosquito Coast (soon to be a new movie, again) and Riding the Iron Rooster along with a great number of other significant travel stories. Under the Wave at Waimea follows the story of an aging surfer, who’s “a man who’s come undone” and is struggling with his lost step in the surfing scene he previously dominated and with the tragic results of a drunk driving incident. His girlfriend, who happens to be a nurse, makes it her mission to try to set him right again. The story does follow along on some travels to the mainland but also delves into the sub-culture of the homeless in Hawaii. This is not a superficial travelogue but rather a dive into the deep essence of Hawaii and its social cultures. “A dramatic, affecting commentary on privilege, mortality, and the lives we choose to remember. It is a masterstroke by one of the greatest writers of our time.”(HMH)
Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by Deepa Anappara
“Unpredictable, cheeky and moving” ” Endearing and engaging” Those reviews sound like the types of reads we like! Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line follows the story of a young boy, living in an unnamed slum in a large Indian city. He loves the Police reality shows he watches on his family’s prized television and fancies himself a bit of a detective. When a child goes missing in the slum, our narrator sets off to solve the mystery but this isn’t Harriet the Spy, the crimes become greater in scope and more grim. It’s a detective story, a coming of age story and a social commentary. Writer Deepa Anappara is an award-winning Indian journalist who has extensively covered the impact of poverty in her country. In every review I’ve read, her incredible ability to capture and convey the very essence of the world in which her novel takes place is commented upon with admiration. I, personally, am not drawn to the new paperback cover but will not judge a book. I will however, take into account that the New York Times, Washington Post, and Time Magazine all deem this read one of the best books of the year.
The Music of the Bees by Eileen Garvin
This debut novel takes us to rural Oregon where three lonely souls find one another and a common love for beekeeping. A unique friendship forms and the likeable characters learn to overcome their grief and losses to become a sort of family to one another. The bees feature prominently and when their existence comes under threat, the friends strive to take a stand. “Eileen Garvin’s beautiful descriptions throughout this lovely novel immerse the reader in the seasons, the weather, the trees and the flowers, the river and the land and the rhythms of small-town life, but it’s the bees, with all their wonder and intricacy and intrigue, that make this story sing.”(Laurie Frankel) Eileen Garvin is a beekeeper herself in rural Oregon and has managed to share a “moving, warm and uplifting” story from her world. So looking forward to this. So many sources have named this as a “Favourite” for the season and beyond. Note that Eileen Garvin is scheduled to appear on an upcoming episode of Red Fern Book Review podcast.
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams
Author Sara Nisha Adams is a mere 26 years old, lives in England, and is no doubt enjoying the release of her debut novel. The Reading List created a feeding frenzy among International publishers and is said to be “emotional and uplifting” as well as “an absolute joy” and “will make you fall in love with reading” The main character is a quiet widower who makes his way to Temple and to the shops in the west London suburb of Wembley and spends a great deal of time worrying about his bookworm granddaughter. Seeking a way to connect with her, the grandfather makes his way to the library where he finds guidance from another teen, a young girl working there. She has discovered a crumpled up list of novels tucked in the back of a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird and has found great solace in exploring the books. She suggests the grandfather tackle the list as well and they begin to forge a special friendship around their reading. This book is a five-star-worthy read on almost every reviewing platform. Wonderful to see a young author achieve such great success. Can’t wait to join the legion of fans! (Releasing June 8th, 2021)
Fifty-three titles and a still growing list – it doesn’t seem fair not to share at least a few more titles with you. Stay tuned for an addition to Summer Reading 2021 in a separate post coming soon!
Meanwhile, tune in to Red Fern Book Review!
Debbie Travis – A New Chapter
July 23, 2020
Twenty or so years ago, the creative home improvement reality shows we’ve come to love were just getting started on TV and the initiator of them all, the Belle of the Ball, was Debbie Travis (The Painted House to start …). She brought her effervescent personality and her zesty sense of humour to the mix along with her sponges and designer’s eye, providing the perfect formula for the legions of others who followed in her footsteps.
Not only did Debbie (along with her husband Hans) create an empire of TV production, home decor and paint products, books, speaking engagements etc., she, at the same time, was mother to two busy little boys. When she noticed an increased fixation among her fans on how she was managing family and firm, she responded by writing a wonderful book called Not Guilty: My Guide to Working Hard Raising Kids and Laughing Through the Chaos. I think the title says it all!
Just because we haven’t seen Debbie on TV as often in recent years, doesn’t mean she hasn’t been her usual busy and creative self. In fact, she had a bit of an epiphany and had an utter reinvention. In short form, inspired by Frances Mayes’ Under the Tuscan Sun, Debbie and Hans purchased a rundown villa in Italy and set to restoring it as a boutique hotel with a vision to Debbie hosting themed women’s retreats for starters. Of course, they’ve done it all beautifully. See Tuscan Getaway for a glimpse. I see now that Olive Oil, Lavender products and Wine sales have evolved from the groves, fields, and vines. Ever the business mind!
Fortunately for us, Debbie was again inspired to share the knowledge she gained along the path. The new book (recently released in paperback) is called Design Your Next Chapter: How to Realize your Dreams and Reinvent Your Life. It is a very personal account of her own recognition, in her early 50s, that she needed a change. The tools and exercises she (and her important friends and guides) found to help her choose and forge a new path are offered in the book. Stories of others who’ve dreamt and then pursued new directions are also featured. It’s a delightful memoir, a workbook and an inspiring self-help guide all in one! I would say, beyond her boisterous Brit humour, Debbie’s best qualities are her honesty and her easy-to-relate-to demeanour. You’ll read this and feel like you just walked the seawall with a best pal – the advice is that good and the tone that encouraging!
A bonus and a perfect companion read, Frances Mayes’ recent novel, Women In Sunlight, may well be inspired by one of Debbie’s women’s retreats. And if all of these gorgeous descriptions of the Italian people and countryside still aren’t enough for you, read the newest travel guide releases by Mayes called See You In the Piazza: New Places to Discover in Italy and Always Italy with Ondine Cohane.
Coffee Table Summer Travels
June 16, 2020
These are beautiful coffee table books through the pages of which we can vicariously travel to traditionally dreamy domains of Summer. Coffee Table Books are not easy on the wallet, unless you compare them to the cost of the tickets to travel, yet they are a wonderful way to savour beautiful photography and design. I have a healthy little collection focused on travel and design and art and I enjoy visiting the titles often. They are indeed “trippy”! I don’t put them on my coffee table, however, lest someone spill the coffee.
Summer to Summer: Houses by the Sea is a new one, being released today in fact. It features the stories and photos of a selection of gorgeous homes along the North East Coast of the United States. The area really is a mecca for stunning Summer home architecture. Even if you are lucky enough to visit the region, you can’t always get inside the homes – through these pages you can! “All we need to do is settle back, kick off our shoes, and let the sun-kissed pages of Summer to Summer wash over us.” (publisher)
Summertime is colourfully filled with images that represent the epitome of an ideal summer; 46 different photographers share places that are lodged in their summer memories. Evocative quotes and summery reflections by literary icons are sprinkled among the photographs and there is true sense of nostalgia throughout. Joanne Dugan, the editor of this lovely book, writes: “It turns out that my first summer love was not a person but a place.” Read a mood-setting excerpt here.
Summer Houses by the Sea: The Shingle Style focuses on perhaps the most iconic design of a traditional summer home. Shingled summer homes “are an expression of the romantic longing for the sea.” (publisher) While this one may be more of an architectural study than a seasonal celebration, its photographic pages will still give you a sense of summer days spent in some treasured historic homes as well as in some newer shingled havens. You’ll learn a little in this one but the dreamy summer journey will be there too.
Summer Reads 2020
June 9, 2020
Art by Charlie Mackesy
The Summer Reads list is a bit of a tradition here at Bedside Table Books and started as a way to help you make choices to fill your seasonal book bag. You won’t find Dostoevsky on this list (sorry, Fyodor!) but you will hopefully, without too much effort, travel the world a little bit with some interesting folks, learn a little here and there, have a good laugh and maybe even get a chill down your spine. I’ve researched and narrowed down a mountain of choices to these few. I’ll be digging in soon and hope you’ll join me. If you have found an ideal Summer Read yourself, feel free to share it with us.
The Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell – A memoir of a young man and his penguin. How’s that for a unique start?! A young Englishman heads for South America to teach at a boarding school and on a weekend adventure finds himself rescuing a penguin who insists on sticking around.
When All Is Said by Anne Griffin – An elderly Irishman spends an evening at a hotel bar, making five toasts to five influential people in his life. This one might be your rainy day read as it seems reflective and bittersweet but by all accounts features a well written character who will remain with you. “If you had to pick five people to sum up your life, who would they be? If you were to raise a glass to each of them, what would you say? And what would you learn about yourself, when all is said?”
Last Days of Cafe Leila by Donia Bijan – There are many tales of people leaving Iran but few telling the story of returning. In this novel, a woman leaves San Francisco to return to Tehran and her family and the restaurant that has been their business for three generations. She brings her teen daughter and together they explore themes of change and family. Refinery 29 says, “… a love letter to family, food and culture.” I thought it interesting that the author is an award-winning Chef and former restaurateur – so many reviews mention how beautifully the Persian food features.
The Summer Country by Lauren Willig – This one travels in time and location, to Victorian era Barbados. A family saga, epic in scale, set in the Caribbean of the 1800s. Comparisons to the Thorn Birds had me convinced if the gorgeous cover art hadn’t already. A young woman surprisingly inherits, from her grandfather, a sugar plantation that no one even knew existed. The plantation, or what remains of it, has stories (romance, ghosts!) that must be explored. So many good reviews and apparently one to really sink into and savour.
Searching for Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok – I absolutely loved the author’s first book, Lost in Translation, and so am really looking forward to this one. A Chinese immigrant family’s hidden story is revealed as a younger sister goes looking for her elder sister who’s mysteriously disappeared in the Netherlands. Suspense and secrets and sisters … sounds simple but it’s complicated!
Wild Horses of the Summer Sun by Tory Bilski – A group of women, initially unknown to one another, meet annually to escape from their regular lives to ride horses in Iceland. The author recounts stories of her annual trip, her companions (four footed and two) and the extraordinary setting while exploring themes of identity, aging, friendship, freedom … “Filled with adventure and fresh humor, as well as an incredible portrait of Iceland and its remarkable equines, Wild Horses of the Summer Sun will enthrall and delight not just horse lovers, but those of us who yearn for a little more wild in everyday life.” Paperback will be released in August. I’ll be in line!
Grown Ups by Marian Keyes – Beloved Irish writer, Marian Keyes, takes on life and all its foibles with equal doses of humour and poignancy in her fiction and non-fiction. This one is a big juicy novel featuring a fancy family who becomes a bit unraveled when one member’s concussion causes her to become a little too unfiltered. The revelations cause the extended family to have to “grow up”. Along with the hilarity is some complexity in the lives of well-crafted characters.
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett – Already an accomplished author of The Mothers, Brit Bennett’s newest book was released on June 2nd into a world that could not be more ready to receive it. By all accounts this is an impressively written and important book. Identical twins escape their small town together but choose different paths in life, one as a black woman and the other, passing as white. The story moves forward through the 1950s to the 1990s, on to the next generation, and boldly examines the historical and social influences on their lives. Book clubs are going to be leaping for this one.
We Came Here to Shine by Susie Orman Schnall – You may recall Susie’s last book, The Subway Girls, appeared on a previous Summer list. Susie takes inspiration from a moment in history, does extensive research for true authenticity, and weaves stories featuring intrepid heroines. The historical inspiration for this latest book was The 1939 New York World’s Fair. Two feisty young women are working at the Fair, both in positions beneath their aspirations and limited by the biased environment around them. They form a friendship which provides support and gives them courage to face their challenges. Susie describes the Fair meticulously and more than one reviewer described the book as “cinematic” with the Fair itself acting as a prominent character.
Beach Read by Emily Henry – This seems poised to be the runaway beach bag hit for the summer. Very generous reviews and apparently more depth to it than the cover might suggest. An acclaimed writer of Literary Fiction is spending the summer at a beach house. Next door is a bestselling Romance writer. Each is suffering from severe writer’s block and so begins the tale of them challenging each other to bust out of the creative doldrums. The witty banter, Lake Michigan in the summer, and a little romantic frisson evidently adds up to excellent summer entertainment.
Saturdays at Noon by Rachel Marks – “Endearing, emotional and uplifting” The reviews for this book are outstanding. Circumstances bring a father and son to an Anger Management class where they engage with a young woman, also enrolled. Neither adult is especially fond of the other but a bond develops between the young woman and the boy who happens to be on the Autism spectrum and the story evolves from there. This is Rachel Marks’ first book and her inspiration came from her struggles in understanding her own son’s autistic behaviours. She writes exceptionally well and also from a place of true empathy for the characters’ experiences.
The New Girl by Harriet Walker – This is the goosebumps contribution. A psychological thriller in which a freelance journalist is brought in to cover the maternity leave of an accomplished fashion magazine editor. The temp plays at assuming the so-called perfect lifestyle of the editor in her absence while the new mother, responding to a few triggers, becomes highly suspicious and paranoid. Is it an innocent game or is something sinister at work?
Don’t Make Me Pull Over!
July 14, 2018
The title and the cover of this recent release convinced me it was most worthy of a summertime post. What could be more appropriate for a season when so many Canadian families hit the road than a book subtitled “The Informal Study of the Family Road Trip”? I couldn’t help but laugh at the title. What kid hasn’t heard this at some point? What parent hasn’t been known to utter the same?
Reviewer Andrew Ferguson (Land of Lincoln, Crazy U) writes: “A book with a title as good as Don’t Make Me Pull Over! has a lot to live up to, and somehow Richard Ratay manages to deliver. It’s a memoir, a work of popular history, and a love letter all in one. Books this wise are seldom so funny; books this funny are rarely so wise.”
Powell’s Books has a fun piece on its site by the book’s author Richard Ratay which includes a playlist of some of the music that forms the soundtrack to his travels. This article alone had me fondly recalling the songs we would croon at the top of our lungs, with windows down, on trips with my parents and brother and then later with my husband and our boys. Abba, anyone? Johnny Cash? Jimmy Buffet?
“… When things hit a lull after long hours on the road, I’ll flip this tune on and our car suddenly turns into a downtown club. My wife and two boys seamlessly spit every lyric, while I add “mad hype” and sing the female backup parts in a ridiculous falsetto. Because I’m the dad and that’s what dads do.” (Richard Ratay)
While this book is an engaging social study, there is no doubt it will be a popular nostalgia trip for its readers. I’d offer to read it aloud but I’m afraid I’m one of those passengers!
Enjoy your road trips this summer, be safe, and … sing your lungs out!
Karin Jurick – Beautiful Reading
June 29, 2015
Somewhere in my travels through the world wide web, I came upon an image of a painting by Karin Jurick. I was smitten. Her use of such vivid colour and the ability to capture moments of pure relaxation delighted me. As I explored more of Karin’s work, I noted a commitment to featuring readers. She does it so well, I simply had to share with you. Learn more about Karin here on her Bio page. Karin also writes a daily blog, A Painting Today – the Results of the Life of a Paintaholic. Tune in and enjoy her prolific talents. Meanwhile, I do hope you are savouring moments like those featured in Karin’s work.
Enchanted …
June 23, 2015
So here’s an enchanting prospect …
The Enchanted April by Elizabeth von Arnim, has been considered a beloved classic since its publication in 1922. Successful theatre productions and an award-winning film followed, based on the story of four London-based women, initially unknown to one another and all in varying stages of disgruntlement, who travel to Italy and share the cost of lodgings in a seaside castle for the month of April. Each is changed by the experience for the better, and for the reader’s enjoyment.
Skip ahead nearly a century and writer Brenda Bowen has taken inspiration from the original to create an “enchanted” experience for us herself, this time set in summery New England. In Enchanted August, four modern-day women escape their less than satisfactory New York lives for a reminiscent experience of house-sharing with strangers in an idyllic locale; personal adventures, enlightenment, and transformation ensue. A pretty new edition of The Enchanted April has been released in honour of the publication of its new relative and Brenda Bowen has even written the Introduction. I have an old edition but will have to find a way to read this new Intro.
I think these would be great companion reads – perhaps a Summer book club challenge to read both. The Enchanted April created a surge in tourist travel to the Italian Riviera, Enchanted August may do the same for New England shores. Vicarious travel from your beach blanket works too! Apparently if you enjoyed Beautiful Ruins, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, or Downton Abbey, these are for you. Alrighty then, I’m ready to be enchanted!
Summer Books 2015!
June 8, 2015
(Art by Suejean Rim)
Well, fancy meeting you here! Longtime readers of this blog will know that a few times during the last five and a half years, this writer has gone AWOL. Poof! Thanks to the encouragement of a number of devoted supporters, I’m back. And back with the annual summer reading list!
In the past, some of you have taken this list to heart and committed to working your way through all the titles over summer vacation. Others have used it as a general guide and randomly tried a title here and there. A few have bookmarked the entry until being called upon to offer a Book Club selection. This list is for ALL of you. Here’s hoping there are some gems in here – I’ll be reading right along with you. We can compare notes. Click on the covers to be taken to websites which will offer you more details. The recipe for this booklist involved a few doses of exotic locales, a dash of good humour, a pinch of creative thinking, and a wee bit of visiting with interesting characters. Here’s hoping we can cook up a summer of great reading …
