Once again, I was lucky enough to spend a lovely day with no rain and just the right amount of sun with our rapidly growing literary community. I have not read any of these books but spent an hour listening to each of these talented authors discuss their latest works. Here is what I’m bringing home this year:

Keeper of Lost Children: a Novel by Sadeqa Johnson—This is a bit of cultural history that we seem to have forgotten about: the biracial children parented by Black GIs and German women who were sent to orphanages in post war Germany. Sometimes they were children of casual relationships but often they were children of people in love who were not allowed to stay together. Three characters are presented: Ethel, wife of an American officer stationed in post-war Germany who discovered these abandoned children and is determined to find homes for them. Ozzie, a volunteer for the desegregated postwar army who meets a German woman, and Sophia, a young Black woman in 1965 who discovered a secret while she is attending an all-white boarding school.

Based on the writing of African American journalist Mabel Grammer who brought this serious subject to the forefront, Johnson has turned this into a novel worth reading.

Good Grief by Sara Goodman Confino—This novel is not about grief but about hope. Barbara Feldman, after burying her husband and raising her children by herself, sends her mother, who had been helping her, home to her own life. Barbara is ready to fly solo. But there is a knock at her door and Ruth, her mother-in-law, a widow and grieving mother herself, appears with five suitcases ready to move in. It may be one thing to live with your mother and confront her, but living with your mother-in-law, is quite different. And when Barbara decides the best alternative is to find a husband for her, Ruth has possibly made the same decision for Barbara. Will both women find a new man, and can they live with each other without coming to blows? Read this hopeful novel about living beyond grief.

Grace & Henry’s Holiday Movie Marathon: A Novel by Matthew Norman—Both Grace and Henry have lost their spouses and dealt with the accompanying grief while raising their children. It’s been a year and while their family feels they are ready to branch out and start dating, they are not sure they’re ready yet. But what Henry is sure of is that he is ready to revisit his family tradition: the Christmas movie marathon. Grace does not have this tradition but will join them this year. What is this leading to? We can all imagine.

Matthew Norman feels the grief, feels the hope, and has told us that if he as the author doesn’t feel the emotion, then his readers won’t. I think we can feel his emotion.

Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free by Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson—Women of our generation and those before us probably do not understand or appreciate how much we have to thank Claire McCardell, who invented activewear for women. Whenever we wear comfortable, easy to put on and take off clothes, use a zipper or put your hands in pockets while strolling in ballet flats, we need to say a silent thank you to McCardell for her ingenuity.

Born in 1905 in Frederick, Md, McCardell moved to New York City where she founded her own studio and changed the face of fashion using breathable fabrics including demin. She opened the way to ready to wear and sports separates.  Her clothes mirrored the modern life to come where women would have an active role without having to wear corsets. If you’re interested in seeing some of her ideas, you don’t have to go very far.  You can visit Claire McCardell | Frederick Art Club.

Selling Opportunity: The Story of Mary Kay by Mary Lisa Gavenas—Reflecting on women in business, we turn to Mary Kay Ash. Born in 1918 in Texas, married at 16 years old, Ash was always working but it was not until her second husband died, that she was able to turn her business ideas into a new reality of direct selling. Whether the idea of hiring women to sell skin care was brilliant or a ploy for using them, it was a brilliant business idea and a way to earn money for at home women.

The 3-time divorcee and twice widowed wife could be a character in a novel. She led that kind of life. I would personally like to thank her because I used Mary Kay products for years…and not a wrinkle in sight!  And the answer to your question is Yes! Mary Kay is still in business.

The Gaithersburg Book Festival has never disappointed me. Even if I don’t see an author I recognize, I always find someone that fascinates me, even if it’s not my genre.

Flesh by David Szalay—If I were going to describe this 2025 Booker prizewinning novel, I would start with “spare”. The writing is spare and the dialogue is spare. We follow Istvan, a Hungarian boy of few words, who was seduced by an older woman when he was 15 years old. and becomes obsessed with her. I won’t give that part away, but the novel continues. We follow his life as he grows, joins the army, moves to London, and on and on. The novel moves quickly from year to year. I cannot say I enjoyed it, but I looked forward to finding out what happens to him next. It is up to the reader to figure out what this antihero feels, or indeed if he feels. If any of you read it, I would love to hear your opinion.

A Great Country by Shilpi Somaya Gowda—Immigration is the watchword for this very readable novel. The Shah family emigrate from India to southern California to achieve the American dream, and after working hard have moved to a wealthy neighborhood. When their tall 12-year-old son, Ajay, decides to try out his handmade drone in the local airport, he is apprehended by the police because it is illegal to fly near a restricted zone. He is beaten up and booked as an adult. That is the premise. But there is much more. We learn about their family, including their two daughters, each with their own agenda and what propels them. Mayah is an upwardly mobile sixteen-year-old who will do almost anything to belong. Her older sister is quite different, rebelling at every turn and identifying with other immigrants and progressive causes. When the Shah family have to come together for Ajay, that is when they learn to become a family. I recommend this very intuitive novel for an interesting book discussion.

Life: A Love Story by Elizabeth Berg—Flo Greene is dying and it will only be a matter of weeks. She’s not surprised. She is in her 90’s after all. But she has a letter to write, property to disperse and matters to settle. Somehow in this barely 200-page novel, Flo figures out some things. And so do we.

 If you’ve never read anything by Elizabeth Berg, you really should. Although it’s not really my genre, everything I’ve read by her I enjoy. She is just on the edge of “a little too sweet” for my taste but never crosses it. Indulge. We can all use “a little too sweet” right now.

 The View from Lake Como by Adriana Trigiana—Trigiana, another author that I have looked back with fondness, especially her earlier book series Big Stone Gap is set in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Somehow it included a bookmobile and that’s what first attracted me.

In this new book her characters live in Lake Como, New Jersey in a large loving Italian American family where Jess, our heroine is trying to live her own life while not being smothered by her family, or her husband. She makes some big life decisions and leaves her husband and while living in her parents’ basement, makes plans with her uncle to visit Italy, the center of their lives. But life doesn’t always follow plans, and she must make these arrangements by herself. And she does.

But it is not all about Jess. We meet her family, all of whom have something to say about her life, especially, her mother, who when she is annoyed tends to put people on an “island”. Staying off the island sometimes is a full-time job. But somehow Jess survives as does her family.  

Apostle’s Cove by William Kent Krueger—Cork O’Connor, former sheriff of Tamarack County, Minnesota, has a 25-year murder case which he has never been comfortable with, sending Axel Boshey to prison. But when Cork’s son, Stephen, a lawyer working for a nonprofit dedicated to freeing unjustly imprisoned inmates tells him that Boshey is innocent and Cork is compelled to open the case. But Boshey has found a life in prison and has no interest in opening up this case to a life he has no interest in remembering, and there are many that agree with Axel. But if you’ve read any of the other 20 books in the O’Connor series, you know that Cork never turns his back on a case, new or old. Part Irish, part Anishinaabe Indian, Cork is caught between two cultures, and the series reflects that. Part crime series, and a big dive into Indian tribal life, this novel has something for everyone.

I hope you enjoy these very different books and soon you can put away that coat. This is my backyard this morning.

Train Dreams by Denis Johnson—This novella follows Robert Grainer, a logger and railroad worker with a life that follows the story of America. It’s beautifully told with the tragedy and beauty of a life worth living. I enjoyed learning about the people he’d met and narratives of his life. But it is the writing that I fell in love with, making Grainer’s life come alive.

If you’re interested, watch the movie, which just came out in November, 2025 and is now streaming on Netflix.

The Tell: A Memoir by Amy Griffin—To look at Amy Griffin, she appeared to have led a perfect life. She grew up in Amarillo Texas, in a loving family. But throughout her life, even when she met her husband John Griffin, got married and had four children, there was something missing. One of her daughters actually said to her, “Mom you’re here but you’re not here. Where are you?”

It was only when she took part in MDMA-assisted psychotherapy that memories floated to the surface about continued sexual abuse at the hands of a teacher when she was in middle school. And the more she was involved in therapy and MDMA, the more she remembered. No one else had known about this, including her parents and sisters. She hired an investigator even though the time had passed for her to press charges.

As I have read this memoir, I see how Amy has changed her life, how perfectionism isn’t paramount anymore, but honesty with her family is important. She journeys to Texas but is unable to find anyone to collaborate her story. At the end of her memoir, she understands that she can never bring this man to justice, and she is ready to live with that.

She published this book in March 2025 and it became part of the Oprah Winfrey Book Club. But because no one could actually collaborate her story, and was helped by MDMA, there has been some doubt about her story.

If you are looking for an account of sexual abuse, this is certainly an interesting tale. Believe it or don’t . It wasn’t my favorite, but it was an interesting story.

The Correspondent by Virginia Evans—Epistolary novels are one of my favorite forms of literature. Reading a letter can open a channel to someone whether it was the letter writer or the receiver. Characters show who they are with just a few targeted words.

Sybil Van Antwerp had been writing letters all her life. She thinks it may have started with the letter that Sybil’s birth mother wrote her before she left her with the woman who adopted her.  The reader finds out about Sybil’s life in small increments. You think you’ve missed something, but you haven’t. You just haven’t found the full story yet. I so enjoyed this novel.

The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bishop—This book sounds like a one of those tell all Hollywood memoirs. But I don’t care what it sounds like. I’m a Kelly Bishop fan dating from way before the Gilmore Girls. “A Chorus Line”, the Broadway musical sensation in 1975 was Kelly Bishop’s portal into Broadway where she won the Tony Award for her portrayal of Sheila.

 I was captured from the first line of her memoir. Bishop herself narrated the audio version and talked about her life so naturally, including the The Gilmore Girls era and what it was like in that iconic show and that iconic role. If you are a musical fan or a Gilmore Girls fan, or even if you’re not, read it or listen to it and enjoy Bishop’s odyssey.  

Theo of Golden by Allen Levi—Theo, an 87-year-old man moves to Golden, Georgia for a short stay and becomes an intricate part of this small town. He walks into the local coffee shop and notices many portraits of local people on the wall and wonders who these people are and why their portraits are there. He decides to find out and buys the drawings, only to give them to the people whose faces are on the wall. We meet Minnette, Asher, Basil, Ellen and many others.  But who is Theo and why is he there?

This novel probably needed some editing, but it was written with love, and you will fall in love with the townspeople of Golden as well as Theo. And I dare you to finish this book with dry eyes.

I think we’ve gotten through the worst part of winter. Relax with your own captivating book and we’ll get together for more engrossing reads.

First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray—Marie Benedict, bestselling author of historical fiction, particularly centering on women has teamed up with Murray, a Black author who has written 30 novels, including Personal Librarian with Benedict.  Their latest collaboration portrays the real friendship of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt with Mary McLeod Bethune. Bethune was a civil rights activist and a powerful feminist symbol of African American education.

Bethune’s friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt was a subject unknown to many, even now, but then it was almost scandalous. They worked together silently to create an anti-lynching bill (amazing that there had to be a law to make it illegal) and during World War II, to allow Negro soldiers to fight alongside white soldiers. Sometimes their biggest obstacles were the president and his surrounding advisors.

Every other chapter is narrated by Eleanor or Mary which brings into focus each of their views. This fascinating novel is after all fiction, with a lot of facts, so remember to check which is which.

The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick—Four women in an elite suburb of Washington, DC in the early 1960s (not in their sixties which is what I originally thought) decide to start a book club. Margaret, who always wanted to be a writer but is now a house wife with three children and a husband who doesn’t seem to be the man she married; Charlotte, an artist with an oft absent husband and two children, who is never afraid to say what’s on her mind; Bitsy, a horse afficionado with a veterinarian husband, trying to start a family; and Viv, mother of six and former nurse.

They start the book club reading The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan, and their lives change little by little. They call themselves The Bettys and read and discuss other feminist titles while facing their own battles. This is not great literature, but it is a very interesting novel, taking them to places in their lives I didn’t expect. If you think of where your mother was in the 1960s, it might be a good pick for a book discussion.

The Names by Florence Knapp—If you like books with alternate endings, then this could be your next good read.

Cora, at the last minute, decides not to name her son after his abusive father. Instead, with her young daughter’s urging, he is named Bear. In the second alternate life, she names him Julian, and in the third, she gives in to his father and names him Gordon. Each name leads to a different life. But no matter how his life turns out, the effect of domestic abuse is always in the background. I found it fascinating. It reminded me of the movie Sliding Doors about how missing her subway stop or not, changes her life.

Old Man’s War by John Scalzi—I heard John Scalzi speak at the Gaithersburg Book Festival and although I am not a Sci-Fi reader, I decided to try one of his early books. I was not disappointed.

John Perry, at the age of 75, and a widower, joins the Colonial Defense Force knowing he will never return to earth, but armed with a new body, will fight aliens in space and if he is lucky and lives, he can retire on another planet. With Scalzi’s inimitable sense of humor and vision, while questioning the motivation of these wars, Old Man’s War will keep you reading and reading for 7 sequels.

James by Percival Everett—One of the best reads of 2024 and 2025 (that’s not just my opinion) James is a retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but from the point of view of Jim, the runaway slave whom Huck befriends. The two sail down the Mississippi River together, both escaping from their lives. But this time, we hear it in the true voice of Jim, not the way most white people hear him speak. Many of their adventures stem from Twain’s original Huck Finn, but there are others we learn about anew, the importance of a stolen pencil is one that stays in my mind. Watch for the surprise ending!

You don’t have to read the original, but if you do, I suggest reading Huckleberry Finn first. However you read it though, James is a book everyone should read.

So now we’re in 2026 and we are all hoping it will be a better year for all of us. Keep warm and always have a book close by.

Let’s wander down memory lane and revisit what we were reading 25 years ago…at least what I was reading. I unearthed 2 years of reviews I’d written for the Rockville Library newsletter “must read” from 1999-2001 which began my illustrious? book review career. For those Rockvillians of a certain age, I have many “must reads” if you’re interested. Thanks to all those involved in the creation of this wonderful publication!

Most of the titles that I reviewed are available at your local libraries but if they’re not…don’t forget Interlibrary Loan!

Empire Falls by Richard Russo—Just as Anne Tyler is the queen of dysfunctional families, Richard Russo is the king of dysfunctional, falling apart, small towns. His venue is mostly in upstate New York, namely my hometown and his, Gloversville (as you all know), (which he has dubbed “Mohawk”). His most recent novel is set in Maine, in a city where literally the empire (textile mills) has fallen. But call it Mohawk or Empire Falls, it really does not matter. The theme is the same: life in small-town, blue-collar America where the prospects are few and the future is dim.

Miles Roby, divorced father of teenaged daughter, Tick, tries to deal with post-marriage life in a town where everyone knows his secrets. Russo’s cast of characters includes a deadbeat father,  frustrated ex-wife, plus her incredibly obnoxious boyfriend and Francine, the diabolical widow who still owns most of the town.

If the story were only about life in present day Empire Falls, it would still be a good novel. What makes it a great novel are the flashbacks to Empire Falls at an earlier time. We meet CB Whiting, reluctant inheritor of the mills and Miles’ mother, an ethereal character whose life is changed by one vacation with her young son.

And the secrets: everyone has them and Miles is always the last to know. Will Miles ever get out of Empire Falls?

Abe: A Novel of the Young Lincoln by Richard Slotkin—Think about all the material out there about Abraham Lincoln. Do we really need to read another book, especially a novel about our 16^th president? Our Rockville Book Discussion Group read it, and I think most of the members would have to say “yes”. Slotkin has approached the subject of a young Abe through a Huck Finn perspective. How did a young man growing up in the backwoods come to develop the anti-slavery perspective for which he is known? Like Huck Finn, Lincoln took a trip down the Mississippi River (actually two in real life) where he saw first-hand what slavery was really like. And although we see Abe develop his notable sense of humor, incredible strength and his love of reading, he is not infallible. He makes mistakes, but muses over them and learns from them.

Slotkin writes in the language of the time and like Mark Twain, uses the vernacular including the “N” word which is off-putting for many readers. But it does place the reader squarely in the 19^th century.

And there is no better way to learn about river rafting than reading about Abe’s trip down the Mississippi. A must read for American history buffs.

The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan—This is the story of Ruth, always coping with her difficult mother Lui Ling, now afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. When she discovers her mother’s journal, Ruth learns the true story of her mother’s life. She also discovers her own voice, identity and the love that she has previously blocked out of her life.

Once again Tan succeeds in writing a story of mother and daughter that translates into every language and culture. Even the second part of the book, where we read Lui Ling’s journal set in China, is also a story of mother and daughter. Tan includes wonderful tidbits about growing up with an immigrant parent when Ruth, as a child, becomes the translator for her mother and realizes the power that she wields.

Code to Zero by Ken Follett—You can imagine my pure pleasure at finally picking up a new Ken Follett novel and really, truly enjoying it. Now, nothing may be as wonderful as Eye of the Needle but this is as close as he has come to a page turner for more than 20 years. He is back in the genre that made him famous in the first place: spy thrillers!

The premise begins simply: the year is 1958. A man wakes up in the bathroom of Washington’s Union Station dressed in cast off clothes, not knowing where he is. (Oh how I love “amnesia fiction”) The rest of the book is how Luke figures out his identity, why men are following him, what his role in the rocket launching at Cape Canaveral is and his relationship with the beautiful Billie. As Follett takes us hour by hour through these two important days, he also takes us back to Harvard and the war years where all the main characters first met. It’s a quick, fun read which will make you want to reread his earlier works. A must read for diehard Follett fans.

The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood—It is impossible to sum up this multilayered saga of life in Canada from the Depression to post WW2 years. Suffice it to say it is a story where none of the characters get what they want.

Laura and Iris Chase, two sisters brought up in the rarified air of their rich father’s museum of a house, are unprepared for real life after his factory is burned down and the money runs out. Iris is married off to a rich industrialist, while her younger sister is sent to private school. That is the bare bones. But throughout the novel we also read in alternating chapters, the story of “The Blind Assassin” about an illicit love affair between a rich married woman and an idealistic young communist hiding out from the law. Each time they meet, he narrates a science fiction tale about a blind assassin and his love for a condemned woman. We then jump to the present and meet Iris as an older woman, writing the tale of her and Laura’s tragic life so that the public will finally learn the truth.

Once again it is Atwood’s incredible writing style that kept me from putting this sometimes very confusing novel down.  Her woman characters are so finally drawn, we can even picture Winifred, the evil sister-in-law, scheming in her green lizard shoes.

A must read for dedicated Atwood fans, but many critics were not pleased with her latest novel.

Hope you’ll enjoy these “must reads”. Next month we’ll be back to new books or at least newly written reviews…but as always, if you haven’t read them, they’re new to you. Can’t believe that I’m saying this so early, but Happy Thanksgiving to all.

The Fury by Alex Michaelides—On first reading The Fury is a murder mystery. Narrated by Elliot, a close friend of Lana Farrar, a very famous movie star, it is the story of a murder, love gone awry, a tale of revenge and a plot that has gone terribly wrong. As Elliot tells the story of Lana’s invitation to her Greek island, we begin to doubt this unreliable narrator. But who are the prime suspects, and actually who is the murder victim? Could it be Lana’s best friend Kate, jealous of Lana’s career and her marriage, husband Jason, cash poor and desperate for Lana’s money, Lana’s son Leo, ready to become an actor but without his mother’s permission, her maid Agathi, protective of Lana’s life and of course, Elliot who knows everyone’s secrets.

If you’ve read The Silent Patient, you will know that there will be twists and turns in the plot. So don’t even try to guess. Just buckle up and read.

How to Read a Book by Monica Wood–Harriet is a widow and a former teacher who leaves her comfort zone and leads a book club in a woman’s prison. She is told not to get involved with her group members but ignores this sage advice. Everyone in the group has a back story, but we learn the most about Violet. She is the youngest, who was leading a good life in a small town, until she got involved with a man who ruined her life. We meet Frank, the widower of the woman who is killed in a drunk driving accident, which Violet was heavily involved in.

All three characters are at the center of this heartwarming story. We learn about defining family, grief, love, beginning life again and opening life to others. Yes I heartily recommend it.

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister—It’s Cam’s first day back to work after maternity leave. She takes her 9-month-old to her nursery school but strangely doesn’t hear from Luke, her husband, who left home very early that morning. After leaving messages for him, she assumes he is in the middle of a new book. But when the police arrive, she is informed that he is instead in the middle of a hostage crisis. He is not one of the hostages though. And that is just the first few pages. Cam is left without a clue. As time goes by, she must find her own clues. Who can she trust? Read this page turner and follow the plot twists.

Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall–It is 1963 and feisty 9-year-old Starla has had enough of her mean grandmother and is ready to run away from her Mississippi home to Nashville to be with her aspiring singer mother who she is sure is waiting for her. When Starla meets up with Eula, a young Black woman with a big heart, she doesn’t realize that Eula has even bigger problems. Their journey together opens up a new world for Starla as she learns about life on the other side of the color line. And when they finally arrive in Nashville, life becomes even more problematic. Family is not just defined through bloodlines.

Hansel and Gretel Retelling by Stephen King, illustrated by Maurice Sendak—If you are a fairytale fan, a Stephen King fan or a Sendak fan, this deliciously scary tale of a brother and sister lost in the woods, cast out by their evil stepmother and imprisoned in a delicious house, may be the perfect pre Halloween story for you, and possibly your grandchildren.

Sendak’s illustrations complement the writing. Looking at each of the characters makes the story come alive. And together, it’s a wonderful read.

And, by the way:

Enjoy the fall weather with a book at your side. See you next month!

Shy: The Alarmingly Outspoken Memoirs of Mary Rodgers by Mary Rodgers Guettel–This is a book is for all those Broadway musical aficionados, and for all the New York City dwellers, East Side or West Side. But who has really heard of Mary Rodgers? She was, in fact, the daughter of Richard Rodgers, of Rodgers and Hammerstein fame and Dorothy Rodgers (inventor of The Johnny Mop and other inventions). Mary grew up an angry child, mostly at her mother but managed to become a writer, composer and philanthropist.  

She wrote Once Upon a Mattress, a wonderfully resilient Broadway play and the original Freaky Friday children’s book. And we all know how that turned out.

So that is the bare bones of Mary Rodgers, but SHY is much more than that. She knew a lot of people, a lot of famous people and was not afraid to tell all, about them as well as herself. She collaborated with NYT theater critic Jesse Green, who finished the memoir after her death.  

I listened to the audiobook and was privileged to hear Christine Baransky narrate it. Jesse Green narrated the footnotes, with some comments of his own, and also read the last part of the book. It was fast paced, funny, sarcastic, self-deprecating, sad and a good read.

The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson: Mabel and Arthur had been married for many years. He was a good husband, a dependable man who loved Mabel, no matter her faults, and he loved to make lists. When he died, his last item was “Find D” and Mabel was determined to honor that request. Dot was Mabel’s best friend who disappeared from her life before they got married and Mabel never stopped thinking about her.

But Arthur had another item on his list… he wanted to make sure that Mabel would be well cared for, so he hired a woman to help her in the event of his death. And through that woman, who became her friend, she made other friends, and they all joined Mabel on her quest. Will Mabel and her friends find Dot? You must read it to find out.

This is a story of love, marriage, friendship and the realization that life goes on even as we age. This is the second Laura Pearson book that I’ve read, and I enjoyed this even more…not so preachy.  It was a good beach book.  

.

If it Bleeds: New Fiction (actually novellas) by Stephen King—You’ve heard my Stephen King raves. He is a grand storyteller with sometimes just a hint of horror and those are his books that I enjoy.

“Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” features a young boy who works for an older gentleman and together they form a friendship. Craig was 9 when he first met him and was determined to drag him into the 21st century and finally did by giving him an iPhone. And when Mr. Harrigan passed away, the iPhone became very useful.

“The Life of Chuck”, now a motion picture, shows the life of Charles Krantz, not necessarily in chronological order and his impact on the world. It’s magical.

“If it Bleeds” brings us back to King’s Mr Mercedes and his heroine, Holly Gibney, now older and working for a detective agency. When a nearby school is bombed Holly becomes obsessed with the news reporter who seemed to arrive too quickly. The theme of good vs evil, a common one of King, plays a big role here. (and one a little too close this week)

“Rat” is about an ambition haunted writer and the lengths he will go to finally write a novel. If you’re interested in the way a writer writes, it’s a creepy but fascinating piece.

The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnson—Fred Fife is a down on his luck 82-year-old when he stumbles upon a wheel chaired elderly man, obviously to him anyway, very dead. In an accident, the wheelchair gets loose, plunging the dead man into the river along with Fred’s wallet. Fred somehow is mistaken for who we now know is Bernard, a resident of a nursing home. Much as he tries, no one believes Fred….and the food is so good there and the bed so comfortable and the staff and clientele so friendly. What is he to do?

What starts out as a case of mistaken identity and a silly farce, becomes a story of the power of one man to make a difference and the reconciliation of father and daughter, the father she never really knew and the daughter he always wanted.

I fell in love with Fred, and you will too. And hopefully, you’ll be able to watch this story on Netflix. Keep a box of tissues nearby.

Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera—I found this book in the Lucky Day Collection at my library and indeed it was a lucky day for me. I chose it because all the blurbs on the cover were written by my favorite authors: Liane Moriarity, Stephen King, Alice Feeney and Alex Michaelides (my next book club book). I love novels where the main character isn’t perfect, where she’s the “bad” girl. And this is it.

The first sentence of the novel is: “A podcaster has decided to ruin my life, so I’m buying a chicken.” Intriguing…

Lucy, living in LA, is waiting for her boss to fire her and her boyfriend to kick her out. All because she’s widely assumed to be the murderer of her best friend, Savvy. And it’s all there for people to listen to in the latest crime podcast, Listen for the Lie. When Lucy’s grandmother summons her home to Plumpton, TX for her birthday party, Lucy must go. And she must confront Ben, the podcast guy. Did Lucy kill Savvy? We don’t know and Lucy doesn’t remember. But going home to a town full of people that are sure she is a murderer cannot be easy.

This first adult novel for Amy Tintera is funny and sad and scary with some sex thrown in (by practically everyone in Plumpton) It’s a perfect beach book and I finished it very quickly. And of course they’re developing it for a TV series. If you like Joshilyn Jackson, another of my favorite authors, you’ll definitely enjoy Listen for the Lie.

As we roll into September, enjoy my most favorite weather and get ready for under the blanket reading. Which type of reader are you?

My Friends by Fredrik Backman—If you have read A Man Called Ove, Britt-Marie was Here or other Backman novels, you know that life in Backman’s world is never easy and some of the characters are broken. My Friends is no different.

Louisa is almost 18, fresh from a life in foster care and all she wants to do is see the painting that has had an impact on her life. What follows is a journey, where Louisa learns the story of four friends.

25 years earlier, four friends, almost 15 years old, spent a summer together in a seaside town that will change their lives, but never change the love they have for each other. All are broken from families that are broken. Joar, Ted, Ali and “The Artist” have a plan to make sure The Artist paints a picture that will get him into a competition which he will certainly win and give him a wealthy and happy life.  Almost nothing goes the way they thought it would and almost nothing in the novel does as well.

I don’t want to reveal the whole story, but I will say, there are tears and laughter and you will remember all these strange characters forever, including your 15-year-old friends. I sure did. Backman always writes from the heart.

So Many Steves: Afternoons with Steve Martin by Steve Martin and Adam Gopnik—I have been a Steve Martin fan, I guess since he appeared as The Wild  and Crazy Guy on SNL many decades ago. I’ve read his books and even saw the play he wrote: “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” on Broadway!

But this is not a tell all memoir. It is a deep dive into his soul, mind and spirit. Adam Gopnik, author and writer for the New Yorker, and a friend and admirer (of Steve’s, not me), rode his bike on many afternoons, across Manhattan to Martin’s apartment, to interview him and they produced this wonderful audiobook.

And the title couldn’t have been more appropriate. He is best known for his comedic roles. But he is deeply into music, particularly banjo, acting, writing, art collecting, and at the heart of it all, philosophy.

This audiobook (and it is only available on audiobook) is sprinkled with conversations between he and Gopnik, along with comedy bits, movie excerpts and musical interludes.  It was thoroughly entertaining. I finished it feeling like I know the essence of Steve Martin. What a pleasure.

Speak to Me of Home: A Novel by Jeanine Cummins—After Cummins’ previous best seller American Dirt, she decided to write about her own background in Puerto Rico. It is a novel, but this time no one can accuse her of cultural misappropriation. This is her story, and much is based on her family. We begin with Rafaela, brought up in San Juan in a rich family, until they weren’t anymore. As a teen, she is sent to Trinidad to work and it was there that she meets Peter, an Irish American whom she marries. After their children Benny and Ruth were 9 and 7, Peter decided to relocate their family to Missouri. It was then, because Benny could never pick up English, that they banned the use of the Spanish language in their home. Rafaela became very unhappy, but Ruth embraced the American life. And as she raised her own children, 20 years later, she considered her family “white”.

The novel is not linear. Each chapter is a different year, with a different perspective. But the first chapter is in 2023, when Daisy, Ruth’s daughter, moves back to San Juan and reclaims her Puerto Rican heritage. It is in the middle of a terrible hurricane that 18-year-old Daisy was hit by a car and falls into a coma. The rest of the book is about the family history, especially her mother and grandmother, rushing to her side while contemplating their own lives.

I was entranced by the story of a multicultural family, how they identified themselves and how they adapted. When Ruth attends college and goes to the cafeteria on her first day, she must decide where to eat, because the tables were seemingly divided into White, Black, Asian and Latino. But Ruth was mixed, didn’t speak Spanish and was brought up in Missouri. She had no place to go. This was based on Cummin’s life and obviously made an impression on her.

A Bookseller in Madrid by Mario Escobar—Barbara Spiel is a young German woman full of love, ambition and a passion for books. Unfortunately, she is growing up in the wrong place and the wrong time: 1930’s Germany. Working in a bookstore owned by Jews, the bookstore is attacked but she is helped by a handsome (of course he is) Spaniard with whom she develops a relationship.  She realizes that she must flee Germany and moves to Spain where with a limited knowledge of the Spanish language, she plans to open a bookstore, selling primarily German and French books. No one thinks it’s a good idea, and with our 2020 hindsight neither do we.

But move she does and therein lies the fascinating history of 20^th Century Spain and the complex politics that lead to the Spanish Civil War. If you are a fan of books (and you are), the Spanish Civil War, feminist fiction and adventure, then this may be the book for you.

The Hunter by Tana French—Irish crime fiction, that’s where Tana French lives. The Hunter (part 2 of the Cal Hooper series) brings us up to date in the village of Ardnakelty where Cal Hooper, former detective from Chicago has retired. He and Lena, a nearby widow have formed a relationship. He fixes up old furniture and takes Trey under his wing, a teenage girl with lots of issues including an absent father and a missing/dead brother. When Trey’s father shows up, no one is eager to see him, especially Trey, and when he presents a scheme, this time involving gold and a rich Englishman, Cal, and just about everyone else, is sure he is up to no good. And just when Trey is starting to get her life on track, her father seems to set her on the wrong path.

And then there is a murder. But who is the murderer? Certainly no one in Ardnakelty will talk about it. All the villagers will do what they can to protect themselves and Cal and Lena will do whatever they can to protect Trey. And who is Trey trying to protect?

I love the characters and can still hear their Irish brogue in my head.

I hope you enjoy these worldly books from a seaside town in Sweden, New York City, Madrid, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Ardnakelty, Ireland!

I’m off to the beach, trying to keep my mind on the ocean and soft ice cream and off of politics. Stay cool.

The Sentence: A Novel by Louise Erdrich–Tookie has a history. Years ago, she made a big mistake and ended up in prison for what she thought would be 60 years. The sentence was commuted after 10 years, and she dramatically improved her life. She married Pollux, the sheriff who had turned her in, and used her degree in literature to run an Indigenous bookstore in Minneapolis with a staff of devoted followers. Pollux’s daughter arrives with a new grandson, Jarvis, and Tookie’s life is transformed, not just by Jarvis but by COVID, as well as the George Floyd murder protests which of course were very local as well as national.

But that’s just the beginning. After an annoying customer dies, Tookie is haunted by her ghost and at turns, comically and sadly tries various methods to get rid of her spirit.

Erdrich’s portrayal of an indigenous family caught up in this crazy period is alternately amusing, heartbreaking, spiritual and political. And I couldn’t put it down.

As a librarian, the importance of books and running a bookstore during the pandemic was very interesting to me. Don’t forget to read Tookie’s bibliography at the end. Oh…and look out for Louise Erdrich’s cameo as the bookstore owner. She actually owns a bookstore, Birchbark Books & Native Arts in Minneapolis.

Come to Me by Amy Bloom—Short stories and even shorter stories abound. The theme is relationships, both loving and perverse, families, both wayward and accepting, sometimes in the same family. Most stories stand on their own, but some are interconnected. A woman who is about to be married, concludes that her husband-to-be cannot compare to the strange life she has lived with her parents’ relationship as a throuple. A stepmother and her loving stepson become a little too loving. A young boy, who accidentally kills his cousin, is rescued from his father by his caring aunt and uncle. Transformative therapy sessions change a woman’s life. Oh, there are many more.

You may not approve of these characters, but you will find it difficult to stop reading. Bloom’s straightforward writing style will entice you to try more of her books. Check out In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss about Bloom and her husband’s difficult solution to his Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Clean Up on Aisle Three by Jordan O’Halloran—Lucy McBride is a senior in high school, living with her crazy mom and nurturing boyfriend, Chuck. But one day, after discovering Chuck’s father dead in their grocery store, everything changes for her. Narrated by Lucy and sometimes, Chuck, we become part of Lucy’s life. We begin to understand her and how she copes with her bipolar disorder, her boyfriend’s autism and the friends and family, including her long-lost aunt, that surround her with love and support.

It is told with such naivety that with all her problems, there is still time to laugh as well as cry with hope that her life will change.

This young adult novel is just the right combination of mystery, coming of age, and trauma, sprinkled with teenage wisdom and humor. I enjoyed it and hopefully so will you.

Frozen River by Ariel Hawhon—Martha Ballard is a midwife, living with her husband and children in 1789, near the Kennebec River in Hallowell, Maine. It is November and the river is already frozen for the winter. When a suspected rapist is found dead in the river, no one is unhappy. But Martha, who is the first one to examine the body, knows that this man was hanged before he was thrown in the river.

This novel, which spans six winter months, tells the story of the town affected by the births and deaths in Hallowell. And Martha is more involved than just helping with the births.  With her trusted journal at hand, she is a key witness to murder, rape and illegal dealings in Hallowell. She’ll be the feminist you never knew existed. But she did. And Hawhon tells the story based on the real-life diary of Martha Ballard. We learn about her family, her patients and some true villains. I picked up this book and didn’t put it down.

A Kid from Marlboro Road by Edward Burns—Edward Burns is a writer, director, film maker and actor. You will remember him from The Brothers McMullen, his first film which he wrote, directed and starred. He also wrote a memoir of his filmmaking career. But this is not a memoir (although it really could have been) it’s a novel about a 12-year-old growing up in an Irish Catholic family in Long Island in the 70s. The story, written during COVID, is a love letter to his family, particularly his mother who shared so many memories.

We see him beginning to understand life and death in this coming-of-age story. He attends his grandfather’s funeral, witnesses his brother’s separation from the family, his parents distancing from each other, his desire to grow up and not be the momma’s boy, even when she needs him the most.

I was convinced that this is a memoir and I’m sure the novel was based on his family. I read somewhere that this may be part of a trilogy. I’m very interested to see how this young boy grows up, especially what happens to his mother…and does his brother ever become a decent person?

I hope you enjoy these selections, I certainly did. And now as we march into summer, find a cool place to sit and read…and avoid the news, please.

Once again, full disclosure, I have not read the books which the authors discussed, but I’m impressed enough to want to.

When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi. He is one of those science fiction writers I probably never would have read if I hadn’t wandered into his tent, looking for a chair and some shade. And there he was with his many devoted followers who knew way too much about all his novels including his blog. He has won numerous awards and likes to muddy the lines between truth and fiction, which seems to be what many science fiction writers do. But he does it better.

What attracted me was his humor and his strong feelings about billionaires. So, this is for all my family and friends who are SciFi readers. He has come to the book festival to discuss his newest book, When the Moon Hits Your Eye. The premise is simple: the moon has turned to cheese and the population of earth is answering the call.

An earlier book, The Old Man’s War, which I have been told is a good place to start, (OK that was from Amazon) takes place when Earth is trying to find an inhabitable planet…not so easy…and retirees are urged to join the Colonial Defense Force and stake a claim to some land somewhere. This is part 1 of 6. You’re welcome, my Sci-Fi friends.

The Wildes: a Novel in 5 Acts by Louis Bayard—Bayard is a historical fiction writer who looks for holes in history. The story of Oscar Wilde could be one of those holes. I’m sure that you’re aware of Oscar Wilde and his works, you may be aware of his famous trial and subsequent imprisonment for the crime of homosexuality, but did you know that he was married and had two sons? He dearly loved his wife Constance and their children but his affair with Lord Alfred Douglas brought not only him into the international spotlight, but his family as well. Bayard tells us what happened to his family as we get to know his wife, and what an incredible feminist she was. I’ve read Courting Mr. Lincoln, but apparently never wrote about it (about another hole in history) when Mary Todd meets Abe Lincoln, but also about his close friend, Joshua Speed.

What was most impressive was the amount of research he did, even interviewing Oscar Wilde’s son.

Speak to Me of Home by Jeanine Cummins–I am very excited that I had the chance to attend her book talk.

 If you’re trying to figure out where you’ve heard her name, just remember her novel, American Dirt, about Mexican refugees trying to get to the United States. This was a gripping novel which addresses the immigration issue from a different perspective. But you may remember it for a different reason. Cummins, whose family came from Puerto Rico originally, was demonized by LatinX writers who deemed it politically insensitive to tell a story about Mexican refugees when Cummins identified as “white”. Cummins shared with us her too real emotional turmoil as all her book events were cancelled. Well, they would have been cancelled anyway because of COVID but it only gave her detractors more time to demonize her online.

Cummins has used these five years to think about her identity and out of that came her newest novel: Speak to Me of Home about her Puerto Rican heritage. Rafaela meets Peter Brennan and uproots her life as they move to St. Louis, Missouri. I’m sure you’ve heard of the lives of immigrants, trying to acclimate to a new life. As her daughter Ruth grows up she has no trouble acclimating because she is American and puts aside her Puerto Rican heritage. When her granddaughter, Daisy returns to Puerto Rico and is critically injured during a hurricane, both mother and grandmother rush to her side. We learn of their life histories as both women sit by her side and finally come together.

I learned a lot about Cummins’ real family life and many of these characters are based on her family. I also learned that she grew up in Gaithersburg!

Anatomy of Exile: a novel by Zeeva Bukai—Another immigrant story, this begins in Israel when Tamar’s sister-in-law is murdered. It looks like a terrorist attack, but it is much more personal as it’s the result of a love affair between the sister-in-law and a Palestinian poet.

The family moves to New York to get as far away as possible, but life is starting to repeat itself when Tamar’s own daughter meets a Palestinian family who live upstairs and falls in love with the son.

Not only could this be a Shakespearian tragedy, but the story, once again, involves immigrants, acclimation, culture and of course divisive politics.

Zeeva Bukai was born in Israel and her own family immigrated to New York. How much this was about her own family, we don’t know. But it certainly is a fascinating concept. It’s on my TBR shelf.

Dancing Woman: A Novel by Elaine Neil Orr—Elaine Neil Orr is a child of white expat parents living in Nigeria.

Isabel and her husband, a very busy USAID worker are stationed in Nigeria in 1963. While she is trying to find herself and her art she becomes involved with the Nigerian culture including a very appealing musician.  Retreating to her little home, she finds a statue of a dancing woman buried in her field and she begins to put it all together against the backdrop of politics, war and suspicion.  

Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780 by Rick Atkinson–Pulitzer Prize winning author of seven works of military history, including a WW2 trilogy, and introducing the 2^nd part of his American Revolution trilogy, Atkinson has graced the Gaithersburg Book Festival.

OK, I’m not a military history fan but when an author can make American historical battlefields as well as figures such as Henry Knox (future first secretary of state) and British general William Howe, commander of the British army come alive, then you have my attention.

In conversation with James A. Percoco, a nationally recognized history educator, they both led us through the second part of the war. Atkinson’s research was done so thoroughly you could hear it, see it and smell it. And there will be a third part.

These authors are another reason to attend any book festival, but especially the annual Gaithersburg Book Festival. Thanks to the City of Gaithersburg for a “celebration of books, writers and literary excellence”.