GET LIT WITH LISA

I will Judge You by Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider—Last month I found a very apropos cartoon that I thought I would use on my blog but I just wasn’t sure I was allowed to do that, so I put on my librarian’s hat, found Grant Snider’s publisher and emailed them to ask his permission. He emailed me back within the hour and graciously allowed me to use the cartoon. He also told me that it was from a book he wrote…so I bought it. If you are a book lover (which I assume you are) you will appreciate the sometimes-awkward situations in which you may find yourself and the many types of books to which we’re attracted.

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng—This is a cautionary tale about an America, not much different from our America but “whose volume is turned up to 11” says Ng. It centers on Bird, a 12-year-old whose mother has to disappear when he is 9 years old because of a book of poetry she wrote years ago which has been adopted by anti-government protestors. In this dystopian world the US government has legalized PACT (The Preserving American Culture and Traditions Act) which basically codifies Anti-China (converted to Anti-Asian) laws. It also enforces censorship which shows up in the empty shelves of libraries. The worst part of PACT is the removal of children from their politically active parents.

After Bird’s mother disappears, her name is not to be brought up in the family, so Bird who is now called Noah, remembers little of his storytelling mother. But when he receives a postcard in the mail filled with images of birds, his curiosity is ignited, and he goes on a quest to find out about her and finally to find her.

Written in response to the 2016 election, the Anti-Asian racism and the rise of censorship, Ng nevertheless wants to show us that there is hope, hope through art, hope through simple acts of protest and finally through simple acts of love. If you have read Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, you may find some parallels. It is a beautifully written book and certainly one worth discussing.

Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri—This book is a patchwork of memories and mythology, of fiction and nonfiction and of adult and juvenile fiction. Khosrou (soon to be renamed Daniel) and his sister and mother leave Iran under threat of imprisonment or death, spend a year in a refugee camp in Italy and eventually land in Oklahoma. As the only Persian family in their small town, Daniel becomes the poet and living embodiment of the Persian culture. We learn about Scheherazade and the tales she tells to stay alive, which is what Daniel does. He weaves these ancient tales with the stories of his own life. Are these true? Memory is a tricky thing. But Nayeri (the author) claims that according to his own memory, they are.

His mother is the heroine of the story, having sacrificed her life in Iran for her Christian faith. And she never falters. But what of his father who stayed behind and of the stepfather in Oklahoma? Daniel will fill in their stories for the reader. Look for this title in Juvenile Fiction but whomever these stories are designed for, they are fascinating. Oh, by the way, I heard him speak at the National Book Festival…he was very engaging!

The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer—Clover has always been fascinated with death, she even majored in it at college. As an adult, she becomes a death doula. Yes, that really is a “thing”. She is on call to spend time with the dying, listening to their regrets, their advice, discussing the dying process, and helping with the family as well. She is very good at what she does, but does she know about life?

She lives in New York City, in the same apartment where she grew up with her grandfather, staying as far from the living as possible. It is only when she meets Sebastian, whose grandmother, Claudia is dying that her little world becomes bigger. And when a new neighbor moves in and literally pulls her out of her apartment, she begins to understand the meaning of friendship.

I wouldn’t call this a romance, it’s closer to a novel about letting go of your fears, getting out of your comfort zone and experiencing life before you experience death. As you read it you may think you know where it’s going…but do you?

Prom Mom by Laura Lippman—Whenever Lippman publishes a new book, I’m there and I’m always intrigued with her storylines, and this novel was loosely based on a true story. This is her COVID book. Every writer seems to have one.

Can you ever go home again? Amber Glass (labeled the Prom Mom) did, 12 years after she was accused of killing her newborn baby on prom night. She has no recollection of this event but took her punishment and made a new life for herself in New Orleans until she did go home again…looking for Joe, her prom date, the man she couldn’t get over. Her relationship with Joe is complicated, both of them trying to figure out what really happened on that fateful night and how it changed their lives.

Joe is now a real estate developer and married to Meredith, a plastic surgeon, but also in a very uncomfortable relationship with Jordan, a woman who will not let him go. He is also in big financial trouble.

So, we have Amber, Jordan, Meredith and Joe, quite a complicated little group, navigating their lives in the midst of the pandemic. My question is what do any of these women see in Joe? He’s very slimy, constantly playing the victim, telling himself that he’s doing this or that bad thing for a good reason. I will not reveal the ending but if you’ve read Lippman’s books you know it’s not a happily ever after. Actually 5 pages before the end, I couldn’t have predicted it…although I predicted something! Possibly a little too rushed. Okay, not her best book. But she wrote it during the pandemic and her marriage was ending. So, let’s give her a little slack.  

I will not review The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese because I’m only halfway through it…it is 700 pages after all, but next month I hope to do just that. I will say it’s the best book I’ve read this year. More next month. Enjoy the wonderful fall weather.

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai—Part mystery, but more than that, a reflection of the life of Bodie Kane as she returns to her boarding school to teach a two-week class. As soon as she arrives, she is sucked up in the memory of the murder of her high school roommate, Thalia and the man convicted of killing her.  As she ruminates about her life there, different perceptions of that fateful day sneak into the novel.

Makkai’s genre for this novel is a “literary feminist boarding school mystery”, as she herself attended a boarding school much like Bodie. You must know it’s not a Whodunit. It’s about crime, it’s about race, of course feminism, the #MeToo movement, and how flawed memory can color everything.

Read it somewhere quiet when you have time to think about it. It’s not a beach read.

Someone Else’s Shoes by JoJo Moyes—OK so you’ve heard about Moyes and probably read a few of her books, and possibly have put her in a specific genre…romance, mystery, women’s fiction. Well, you’re probably right but I’m here to tell you she writes a good story, a page turner even.

Set in London, Sam, a busy mother and wife, a printing executive with the worst boss ever, and a depressed husband who has just been fired, she has three important pitches to make that day, but first goes to the gym, where she picks up the wrong gym bag containing a pair of the fanciest shoes she has ever seen. They have a transformative effect on her.

Then we meet Nisha, the owner of said bag, who at first and second and even third glance is a rich entitled American who shortly finds out that losing her bag is not the worst thing that will happen to her that day. Her husband totally cuts her out of their life, and she is left stranded in a London where she is not treated with the kid gloves she is used to. With the help of Jasmine, a cleaner in the hotel where she formerly stayed, who sees something in Nisha, she slowly emerges as a real person. Eventually she finds Sam and with the help of Jasmine and other friends, they claw themselves out of the swamp that they’re both in.  I figured out the ending, but it was very satisfying…a beach book for sure.

On Earth as It Is on Television by Emily Jane—When alien ships land in various cities around the globe, and then several weeks later take off again without a word, life takes on a new meaning for everyone. We meet Blaine and his wife Alice and their strange TV addicted children, “Malibu” Heather and her stepdad Jack P., famous for his Jeopardy appearance, and Oliver, in a catatonic state for 20 years until the spaceships’ landings. And speaking of cats…after reading this very strange novel…you will have a new appreciation for these highly evolved creatures.  What do these three groups have in common and will they finally meet? Well, you have to read this absurd (mostly from Earthlings) and very funny debut novel to find out. This comic novel reminds me of Christopher Buckley, famous for his humorous political and occasional alien novels. Best if read near your highly intelligent cat, possibly named Pumpkin…

Before You Knew My Name by Jacqueline Bublitz—Two women arrive in NYC, Alice an 18-year-old from Wisconsin and Ruby, 36 from Australia. Alice narrates the story and foretells her own death, so I have no trouble telling you that piece of information. But it’s how they meet that is the crux of the story. Ruby is trying to get out of a bad relationship and is kind of drifting through life. Alice, also fleeing a bad relationship and a sad childhood, is determined to make something of herself and nearly does. She wanders around NYC armed with a Leica camera she stole from her boyfriend and the many tales of NYC she’s learned from Noah her new landlord and savior.

This narrative is as much about finding yourself in New York as about women and men and crime and love and lost and found and death and eventually life. It is a beautifully told tale which I think would make an interesting book discussion. (Read it on the subway)

And here’s something from my Gaithersburg Gazette (RIP) “Check It Out” column from last century (1998) proving I hope that old books and old columns are just as readable.

A Patchwork Planet by Ann Tyler—Welcome to Tyler country, where characters desperately try to get their lives in order. Barnaby Gaitlin, 30, is the self-proclaimed ne’er-do-well son of the wealthy Gaitlins, to whom he is a constant disappointment and financial strain. He is also the father of a 9-year old. Barnaby works at Rent-A-Back, helping elderly customers move heavy objects, pick up their dry cleaning and just listen to them. A dead-end job to some, Barnaby loves the seniors, and they ultimately show their support for him.

Into his life comes Sophia, the “angel” who is going to fix his problems. The question is whether she loves him because she sees the good in him or because she is attracted to his “bad-boy” side.

Tyler is remarkable at bringing alive eccentric characters. She also does an admirable job of understanding his elderly clients.

Enjoy your August and try to stay cool.  

We are the Light by Matthew Quick—Lucas Goodgame has survived a terrible disaster, one which has become all too common in this country. The Majestic Theatre in his town of Majestic, Pennsylvania, was attacked by a mentally ill young man, and many were killed, including Lucas’s wife, Darcy. Lucas watches as all the dead become angels and fly away, except for his wife who stays close to him.  We read this novel from Lucas’s point of view through his letters to his psychiatrist, Karl. And through these letters we learn how Lucas is coping, mostly through the kindness of his friends, and eventually through his kindness to a lost teenager, Eli. They plan to make a movie and not only bring the survivors together but restore the theatre as well.

Lucas shows us how he not only survives, but grows as well, and with lots of help, comes to realize the truth of what happened that fateful night. It’s a beautiful story of grief and love and forgiveness.

The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Merriweather Post by Alison Pataki—Most of us know about this incredible woman through Post breakfast cereal or by her Hillwood Estate and Gardens. But this novel fills in all the blanks. The daughter of C W Post, she grew up mostly under the tutelage of her father, learning the business and as the business got bigger, she became richer and then richest! This novel covers her life, her many adventures, her love of art, her involvement in the business, her philanthropy and her four marriages, often in haste while repenting at leisure. It’s a fascinating read, leaving my book group with much to discuss.

Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn—When this book was suggested to me, all I could picture was Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Diane Keaton and Candace Bergen…with guns. But it was actually more serious and more into the thriller genre than that. Billie, Natalie, Mary Alice and Helen were all recruited into “The Museum” in 1978 as assassins of former Nazis and then generally bad people. 40 years later at age 60 they retired, given a nice pension and treated to a cruise. It is then that they realize they themselves are the target of an assassination from the Museum. They use their honed skills and add the skills of being 60-year-old women, often invisible, to their advantage. They must figure out why they are targeted and how to survive. It’s a good read…certainly a good beach read and surprisingly a page turner.

All That is Mine I Carry with Me by William Landay—It is 1975 and 10-year-old Miranda Larkin comes home to an empty house. Her mother, Jane, has vanished and there are no clues about what happened to her. Her family is questioned, specifically her father, Dan Larkin, a clever lawyer and the chief suspect, but nothing is ever proven and the family lives on in a life of doubt. Most everyone thinks that Dan is the killer but there is no evidence and no body. Twenty years later, the bones of Jane Larkin are found, and the case is reopened. We read this story from the point of view of several of the family members, including a family friend and even Jane herself.

Yes, it is a mystery, but it is also the story of a family torn apart. You may recognize William Landay from Defending Jacob and remember a family torn between love and truth. This is the story of a family torn apart by love and doubt.

The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening by Ari Shapiro–If you are a National Public Radio listener, and tune into All Things Considered, you will recognize Ari Shapiro and his distinctive voice. And now through his new memoir you will learn all about him and the fascinating people he has met along the way.

Born in Fargo, ND, part of the only Jewish family there, Ari and his brother would tour all the classrooms with a dreidel and a menorah and explain Judaism to their classmates. His journey from Fargo, through Portland, OR to Washington DC and NPR where he meets and interviews people from all walks of life is an interesting one. And by the way, he also sings with a band called Pink Martini. Is he a journalist or just a personality? He is both. He has stories to tell, about himself and others that will make you want to keep reading.

Enjoy the beach, the mountains, your porch (hopefully screened in) or wherever you are traveling, but bring along a book!

Once again, I attended the ever more popular and ever more crowded GBF, but this year it was a very enjoyable 70 degrees. Yes! And here are my picks to write about. And once again, full disclosure, I have not read the books that the authors discussed, but I’m impressed enough to want to.

Empress of the Nile: The Daredevil Archaeologist Who Saved Egypt’s Ancient Temples From Destruction by Lynne Olson—I am a big fan of Elizabeth Peters and her Amelia Peabody series and when I first heard of Christiane Desroches-Noblecourt, the French archaeologist, I was convinced that Amelia Peabody was written with Desroches-Noblecourt in mind. I could be wrong, but she was indeed quite a woman. Lynne Olson author of 9 books about World War II, found her story while researching for a book and knew that Desroches-Noblecourt deserved a book of her own. In the 1930’s, archaeology was certainly a man’s club and when she tried to break into it she was not welcomed. But she persisted. And not only served as a resistance worker, sending messages from France to the Resistance network, but actually saving the Rameses II and the Abu Simbel temples from inundation by the Aswan High Dam, Nasser’s symbol of modernization of Egypt. She learned Arabic, she cared about the workers in her digs, she fought against the men who tried to take credit for her work and she never rested. Desroches-Noblecourt was active until her 70’s, and in January 2008, was presented the Grand Cross of the Légion d’honneur, the highest decoration in France.

The Old Lion: a Novel of Theodore Roosevelt by Jeff Shaara—Theodore Roosevelt, certainly an icon of America as well as a memorable president has been thoroughly documented and researched. Why write a novel about him? We need to hear TR’s voice, and he has a very distinctive one. Narrated from his deathbed in his last interview, Roosevelt tells the story of the life which we all are familiar, but in his singular voice.

 Shaara has done his research and it shows. This is a book for hungry historical fiction readers that want to hear the real Theodore Roosevelt and not a lot of dry historical facts. Certainly, listening to Shaara made me want to read this novel.

Jackie & Me by Louis Bayard—After reading Courting Mr. Lincoln and loving his prose, I am eager to read his newest novel. Again, the title is perplexing…Jackie and who? Jack Kennedy? Louis Bayard? No, the “me” is Lem Billings, a close friend of Jack Kennedy who became a close friend of Jackie’s. As an honorary Kennedy, his duty was to make sure that Jackie Bouvier would become Jackie Kennedy. But the more he got to know her, the more doubts he had about their relationship. The novel is narrated by Lem as an older man, looking back on his and their life. If you are a Jackie fan this may be a perfect beach book. Bayard has a way of making history into very readable historical fiction.

The Long Alliance: The Imperfect Union of Joe Biden and Barack Obama by Gabriel Debenedetti—When I think about presidential/vice presidential relationships, it is often about how they didn’t get along. Historically, starting with George Washington, it was a political relationship and often presidents ignored or even embarrassed their VPs…once even threatening to hang them…but I won’t go into that.

The Biden and Obama relationship was certainly an anomaly. It was Obama who was responsible for having weekly lunches together and spending sometimes 7 hours a day together. But their “bromance” was not perfect and far more complicated. They disagreed about Afghanistan and often Obama did not take Biden’s advice. And when Biden was deciding about whether to run for president, Obama was not an early supporter. But their relationship has lasted far longer than the eight years they served together. Gabriel Debenedetti, a correspondent for New York magazine has researched their relationship and given us some answers to the question…were they really friends?

Power Players: Sports, Politics, and the American Presidency by Chris Cillizza—Now here is an interesting premise for a book: which presidents were athletic and involved with sports and how did that affect their personality and their presidency? Chris Cillizza, former CNN correspondent, discusses which presidents were more athletic, which presidents were good sports and which presidents weren’t athletic but understood sports and knew how to use it, and which presidents were definitely not good sports. The answers may surprise you.

The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening by Ari Shapiro—I’m not going to discuss this now because I’m in the middle of reading his fascinating memoir. Check in next month for my review.

Enjoy this beautiful weather, specifically with a favorite book and I’ll be back next month.

The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri—This is the story of the aftermath of war, love, grief, blindness, and healing. Nuri and his cousin Mostafa ran a successful beekeeping business before the Syrian war destroyed their life there. Afra, Nuri’s wife was blinded by the bomb that also killed their son, and they slowly make their way from Northern Syria through Greece and improbably to England. Nuri seems to take care of his wife every step of their journey, but as the story progresses, we wonder who is taking care of whom, who really can see and who is blinded by their tragedy.

In this beautifully written novel Lefteri describes the tale of not just Syrian refugees but all refugees, based on her parents escape from Cyprus in 1980. She chose to write about the plight of refugees in fictional form rather than reporting it and we are glad that she did.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt—Van Pelt draws together Tova, a grieving mother, Cameron, a young man searching for his father and Marcellus, a remarkably bright octopus who somehow helps them both. Thirty years ago, Tova’s son died mysteriously in the Puget Sound and Tova has never figured out how it happened. To fill in the time after her husband passed away, she took an evening job cleaning at a local aquarium and that’s when she meets and bonds with Marcellus the restless octopus who is always trying to escape.

Meanwhile Cameron, having just been fired from his latest job and thrown out by his latest girlfriend decides to leave California and head up to a small town outside of Seattle to try to find (and potentially profit from) a man who he thinks might be his father. His mother is long missing, and he only has some old pictures for clues.

We also hear directly from Marcellus who would like nothing more than to escape from his captivity. He is bored and perhaps decides to help Tova with information which he is privy to, to alleviate his boredom. His world-weary voice is wonderful.

 It may have a predictable ending, but I loved everyone in this captivating story…especially Marcellus. I listened to it, and it was a great way to experience this tale of love, loss and friendship.

In the Bleak Midwinter by Julia Spencer-Fleming—Other than the fact that I can never remember the author’s name, this series has been a perennial favorite of mine since I read the this first volume of the Rev. Clare Ferguson & Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries probably 15 years ago. Some of it has to do with the fact that it takes place in upstate New York, where I’m from, but most of it comes from the very strongly defined characters in the small town of Millers Kill. Rev. Clare Ferguson is the first female priest assigned to this tiny parish and she arrives in the middle of winter in a convertible wearing the wrong shoes, facing a congregation not ready for her…  But Clare as a former Army pilot.is never one to back away from a fight. Soon enough, a baby is left on the doorstep of her church and the mother was found murdered in a nearby park. That is when she meets Chief of Police Russ Van Alstyne who has never met a woman Episcopalian priest and doesn’t even know what to call her. That’s where the story begins. 9 books later we are still learning their back stories and there are lots of them.

The crimes are often grisly, the themes dark and the sexual tension is so taut it can be cut with a knife. And the winters are so cold. And that’s why I love this mystery series.

Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving by Mo Rocca—If you have never heard of Mo Rocca, here’s some background. Rocca is an American humorist, journalist and podcaster. You may have seen his work on CBS Sunday Morning as well as numerous children’s shows.  The title tells it all. It is not about their deaths, it is about their lives. He covers famous people, but aspects of their lives that you have never heard about.  Did you know that Marlene Detrich was not only a famous German film star of the 1940’s and 1950’s but was an strongly anti-Nazi activist, even though the Nazi government offered her money and fame to return to Germany?  She not only performed for the American troops but risked her life as well. 

His “Mobituaries” also cover historical figures like the names behind the rest stops on the New Jersey turnpikes (amaze your friends next time you’re on a trip!)  and the death of movements and fads like Disco and the codpiece. And he does not leave out the celebrities who died on the wrong day, i.e. Audrey Hepburn who died on the same day as Bill Clinton’s inauguration, or Farah Fawcett whose death was eclipsed by Michael Jackson’s death. Rocca has much to say about this overlooked actress.

I listened to the audio version, and it was a treat to hear him narrate this fascinating book. I have often been asked for interesting audio books while traveling. This would be a perfect choice. And if you are spurred on for more of Mo Rocca, try https://www.mobituaries.com/the-podcast/

A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny— This is the 18th book in the Inspector Gamache series. If you haven’t read any, start from the first book, Still Life. You won’t regret it.

Three Pines is not just a sweet village outside of Quebec where all kinds of interesting and quirky characters gather, it is Inspector Gamache’s sanctuary, a place where he and his family can feel safe and try to forget all that the outside world throws upon him. But when Fiona and her brother, reminders of a crime committed by them but also on them many years ago, are invited into this sanctuary, this world starts to disintegrate.

This is a very difficult book to review, because it is not just about one crime, but several and how they intersect. It’s about women and their historical mistreatment and the Ecole Polytechnique Massacre which actually took place in 1989 where 14 women engineers were murdered. It’s about a serial killer whose only thought is revenge. It’s about the history of Three Pines and eventually about forgiveness.

I can’t explain it…you’ll just have to read it. Read them all and enjoy this beautiful spring weather!

The House on Tradd Street by Karen White—Do you like haunted houses? Communicating with dead people? Being involved with two different men…one obviously the perfect one? Solving a historical mystery? Well if you do, you’ll enjoy the House on Tradd Street and many of White’s other haunted works.

Melany, a sharp realtor in Charleston, South Carolina, is not at all interested in old houses, but somehow inherits a beautiful but run down house. With her architect friend and various helpers including a handsome rogue, she begins to fall in love, and not only with her house.  I enjoyed it, but there is a glaring factual error. Wonder if you’ll catch it.

And now for something completely different…how to explain this book…Entitled: Life Isn’t Easy When You’re a Book by Cookie Boyle– This is a novel narrated from the point of view of a book. We first meet “The Serendipity of Snow” (the title of our book) as she sits on a San Francisco bookstore shelf waiting for her life to begin…and what a life it turns out to be. Did you know that books can talk to each other, but only in terms of their own story.  They can even have a sort of sex or love which I found a bit over the top. And they can even move themselves a bit. But all our book wants is a cultured loving owner who discusses her at a book club.  By the end, our book has acquired several owners and has flown to Paris and London.

As her “story” gets rewritten for a screen play, she is adopted by yet more writers and begins to understand the most important part of her life. Yes, it’s a strange book, yes, it’s pretty weird, but definitely worth the read…if only to figure out what will happen.  

White Horses by Alice Hoffman—I am a big fan of Hoffman, especially her magic series and when I discovered a very early work of hers I was intrigued. (if you haven’t read my blog about her, you may want to…it’s in the “Sliding into Summer” chapter). White Horses was written in 1982 and you can see her magical writing start to blossom and where some of her ideas came from.

Dina grew up in the Southwest with tales of the Aria, dangerous cowboys with special powers. She passed this lore to her daughter Theresa and decided her son, Silver was one of them. Women followed him, including Theresa. And Silver waited and watched as Theresa grew up. Their relationship was certainly odd if not incestuous. And she knew that no matter what trouble he was in, he would always be there for her.  But Theresa also had a sleeping problem. She would sleep for hours, or days, and only her mother or brother could help her. Can Theresa learn to live without Silver? It is not the Hoffman you expect but you can see the precursor of her later works.

The Love Scribe by Amy Meyerson–Alice, although disavowing love herself, seems to have a knack for helping others. She starts out by writing a helpful story for her lovelorn best friend, Gabby, but when Gabby meets the “perfect” guy as soon as she reads the story, word gets around and Alice now starts a business as a love scribe. Is there magic in these stories? No one seems to care as long as they find love.  But do these relationships last? Or should they?

I thought this would be a much lighter book, having placed it in the “light romance” category in my head. It’s actually quite a thoughtful look at relationships and not everyone ends up in the happily ever after column.

Replay by Ken Grimwood—This has to be my favorite time travel book. A man dies at the age of 41 and then wakes up at 18 knowing and remembering everything he knew before; And then he repeats this again and again, changing his life every time he goes through the process…kind of like Groundhog Day only in years instead of one day. But what happens when he meets a woman who seems to be going through the same sequence? It was written in 1986 so it is a bit dated, but “travels” very well and certainly worth the read. It won the 1988 World Fantasy Award for best novel. Go ahead and try it!

We are really and truly into Spring now so take that book and sit outside or walk with it. Your book will appreciate it.

The Lions of Fifth Avenue: a novel by Fiona Davis—Known for her novels about historic New York City addresses, the New York Public Library is no exception. In 1914, the Lyons family moves into a special apartment in the library as Thomas Lyon becomes the superintendent. Laura, his wife, has other aspirations though. She wants to become a journalist and against all odds, she enrolls in the Columbia University School of Journalism and gets a taste of feminism.

The narrative then switches to 1993 as Laura’s granddaughter, Sadie, also working at the NY Public Library in the Berg Collection, attempts not only to find out more about her family but to solve the ongoing theft problem.

It’s a very interesting look into historical New York, complete with mystery, romance and the early 20^th century women’s rights movement.

Seasonal Work: Short Stories by Laura Lippman—Whatever you are expecting from Laura Lippman, you will be surprised. The Queen of Baltimore mystery series and stand-alone psychological thrillers has inserted a little of everything into these stories. In the title work we meet a family down on their luck who pops up in a different city every Christmas to milk the public and it works until an overly interested journalist discovers the real story. Some of the stories feature murders, but not all and not who you would expect, as the murderer or the victim. We meet Tess Monahan the heroine of her detective series, and even Tess’ mother. But every ending is different! I loved it…but then I’m a Laura Lippman fan from way back!

The Stars are Fire by Anita Shreve—Grace Holland lives with her husband and two children in a loveless marriage. The place is a coastal town in Maine and the time is post WWII. The weather is rain, showing no sign of stopping, and then the weather is dry showing no sign of rain. But there is also the threat of fire, and then there is fire. Grace’s house, along with most of the other homes in her neighborhood have burned to the ground. After taking refuge on the beach, she and her children are saved. But her husband, who had gone with other men to try to stop the fire, doesn’t return. And Grace now tries to rebuild her life, even better than before. She gets a job and moves into her dead mother-in-law’s house. But will her husband come home? And if he does, what are her next steps?

This was Shreve’s last book before she died in 2018. Most of her books were about troubled marriages and/or bad husbands, so the plot will be no surprise.  What kept me reading was what does Grace do with her life? It kept me reading until 2 in the morning.

The Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik—If you want to learn about the incredible, quirky, brilliant life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, this may be a good place to start, although there are many other books by and about her.

Why would a brilliant, feminist associate justice of the Supreme Court from 1993-2020 become as popular as a rock star? She was given the title The Notorious RBG by Knizhnik, an attorney who worked with RBG at the ACLU. Carmon is a journalist for New York Magazine and together they came up with the idea for this book. It’s quirky, designed to appeal to young people with lots of pictures but very pertinent information.  We learn about Ginsburg’s early life, how she met the love of her life, Marty Ginsburg, also a lawyer and how she was one of nine women to graduate from Columbia Law School. How she continually fought for, not only her right to be there, but other women as well. How, when her husband became ill, she not only did his work but hers as well. She was the founder of the Women’s Right’s Project of the ACLU and argued before the Supreme Court. After being nominated to the Supreme Court by President Clinton.  She was awesome right until the moment of her death at 87. There are so many incredible facts about her, you must read this book.

There is also RBG, a Documentary (2018) which is a more personal way to learn about her. However you choose to learn about this amazing woman especially during Women’s History Month, you definitely should. And don’t be afraid of dull legalese language…not with RBG.

Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver–Bean Trees was not only Kingsolver’s first novel, it was also the first of her novels that I’ve read, after steadfastly refusing to read any of her works. I was an instant convert. Taylor Greer leaves her Kentucky home in a dilapidated car on her way to somewhere. When she stops for gas in Oklahoma, she rescues an abandoned Native American child named Turtle and continues on to Arizona. It’s a beautiful story and Taylor’s love for Turtle, her culture, the friends she makes along the way and the land she eventually appreciates, make this the foundation of Kingsolver’s works. Be sure to read the second part, Pigs in Heaven. And of course, all her other thought provoking and environmentally provocative writings.

Spring is upon us! Go outside while you can and take a book with you.

Lucy By the Sea by Elizabeth Strout—Elizabeth Strout is one of my favorite authors. She writes clearly and her characters are plainly drawn. She writes short sentences often about small towns. Her novels and short stories are frequently interconnected, and one can follow a character’s development from one book to another. Such is the case with Lucy By the Sea. Her first novel about Lucy was My Name is Lucy Barton who grows up desperately poor in Illinois and with the help of a teacher she is able to escape the bonds of poverty and attend college in Chicago, where she begins writing. When she falls ill, her mother visits her in the hospital and they begin to reknit the fabric of their family. Anything is Possible is a book of interrelated short stories set in her hometown but from the point of view of other townspeople. (this is perhaps my favorite book). Oh William, which I wrote about in another blog, explores her relationship with her ex-husband.

So now we are up to date. It is February 2020 in the early days of the pandemic and William, her ex-husband scientist, implores Lucy and their adult children to get out of New York City because, correctly, he fears for their health and possibly their lives. One daughter and husband move to Connecticut and the other stays in NYC with her husband. But Lucy and William journey to a small town in Maine where they will sit out the pandemic. We’ve all been through these last few years, so reading a novel about it is fascinating because their perspective is from the beginning. They don’t yet know the severity or how long it will last, and what measures they should be taking. But it is also about two people who have lived together, had children together, eventually break up, and live together again in a small house, with very few distractions.  It’s about Lucy, moving from Manhattan to a small town, much like the one in which she grew up, and how she slows down her life to fit her new circumstances. And eventually, it’s about family, as it often is with Elizabeth Strout. Read it, savor it, and find people with whom to discuss it…especially me!

Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney—Ever since I read Sometimes I Lie, I have understood Alice Feeney’s writing style. There is a term called “Unreliable Narrators” where you learn not to trust everything or indeed anything that the person narrating the story is saying. The narrator is Daisy Darker.

Daisy Darker was born with a broken heart, literally. Her life was lived from doctor to doctor, in a family so dysfunctional that you wondered how she grew up at all. The only person who loved her unconditionally was her Nana and it is there on Halloween and her Nana’s 80th birthday that the whole family and Connor (a family friend) meet to celebrate, but it turns out there was no celebration, as one by one, each member of the family is murdered, and each in a very personal way. Who did it…and why? Listen carefully to Daisy as she narrates the novel and I’m sure by the end, you will have your own idea. In a nod to Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, this is a “locked door mystery”.

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig–Nora Seed has come to a dead end in her life and then, to make matters worse, her cat dies. All her dreams have been dashed. She could have been an Olympic swimmer, a glaciologist, a singer in a band and now she was fired from her job in a music store. She sees no future and decides to end it all. But at midnight, she is transported to a library where all the books are about the many alternatives of her life. Nora can “try out” these different lives but must eventually decide on the right one for her. Her favorite librarian, Mrs. Elm is there to guide her through this process. If you have ever wondered what your life would be like if you’ve turned right instead of left, this is the perfect book for you. It’s a quick read and a good book to discuss.

The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell—Maggie O’Farrell is an Irish writer but so much more: she’s at heart a feminist, and not afraid to try different genres, even nonfiction. She can weave a story and make her characters shine.

It is 1561 and Lucrezia is 15 years old, an artist and a free thinker when she is married off to a duke from a neighboring duchy after her older sister, who was supposed to marry him, dies. He is handsome and seems to really understand her. But there is another side to him: ruthlessness and he must always be in control.  Her foreboding begins immediately when she is sure he is going to kill her in some fashion, but she later finds out that impregnating her is his most important purpose First, though, she must pose for a portrait. This story is taken from a Robert Browning poem about the life of Lucrezia de Medici, written with some literary license. This is life in 16th century Italy for a young woman. It’s not for the squeamish.

Rebel with a Clause: Talks and Tips from a Roving Grammarian by Ellen Jovin—If grammar is something you think about, argue about, and worry about, then this is a book you will enjoy. I originally thought I would skim a few chapters…how interesting could it be…but when she discusses the Oxford comma, lie vs lay, further vs. farther and the use of contractions, I was hooked. Jovin and her husband traveled the country setting up a grammar table in each city. Hungry grammarians would stop by and ask questions and I loved the exchanges. She is the coolest grammarian I’ve ever met. And the least judgmental. And definitely the funniest! I listened to the entire book. But if you want to read it, there are reference tables that can be quite helpful during those grammar squabbles. Either way, you will enjoy it more than you expect…and learn something as well.

No matter what the temperature is outside, it’s always a good time to read…inside.

Now before I begin, this is an article that I wrote circa 2012. Hope you enjoy it and remember, if you haven’t read the book (or this article) it’s new to you.

Did you ever read a series of books that at first glance bears no resemblance to each other but the more you read, the more similarities become apparent? Well, that’s what happened to me as I read the following titles:

Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy, Interviews with Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. (2011) These conversations took place in March of 1964, barely 4 months after JFK’s assassination. Although it comes with both book and CD, I mostly listened to the CD version. (Oh, dear that is a long time ago) At first, I just marveled at Jackie’s voice, as it flooded my memory with thoughts of those lost years. And her voice is almost hypnotic, as well as charming and cultured. Listening to her speaking about “Jack” and their relationship was not just romantic, it was very dated as she spoke about the role of a wife and how submissive she should be. Apparently, she did change her mind in later years. It was somewhat difficult to listen to, knowing what we know about JFK’s lifestyle.

Their conversations range from the staff in the Cabinet, Congress, foreign heads of state, and friends. Having the book nearby helped to identify the myriad of people that she and Schlesinger discussed. And they do mention many people and not all in a positive light. It still amazes me that her family made the decision to publish these seemingly private conversations.

My advice is to listen to these conversations and let me know what you think about Mrs. Onassis after you’ve finished. And then, read Robert Caro’s new book about LBJ, Passage of Power (2012) and compare notes.

And that is a perfect segue into Stephen King’s latest time-travel novel, 11/22/63. (2011) Jake Epping, a high school teacher finds a portal from 2011 back to 1958—it is always 1958 and it is always the same day. Under the tutelage of a friend, he is urged to stop the JFK assassination. Along the way, he prevents other accidents and murders, finds a job, falls in love (he has to fill in the time between 1958 and 1963) and gives the reader a wonderful travelogue of life in the late 50s and early 60s. We learn more about Lee Harvey Oswald and all his cohorts and as all good historical fiction, it was well researched. As good science fiction the fight between changing the past and the past itself was very engaging. Yes, it is long—849 pages—it is Stephen King after all, but I found it fascinating reading, so don’t give up. You must read it until the end.

Which leads me to Cell (2006), also by Stephen King.  Clayton, a graphic novelist, has finally sold his book and at 3:00 pm is standing in Boston Commons, reveling in the fact that he will finally have enough money to rebuild his life with his ex-wife and son, when he starts noticing bizarre behaviors. Anyone using a cell phone immediately becomes a zombie, complete with “Night of the Living Dead” attributes and appetites. He bands together with two other “non-phoners” and together, after exhausting their options, they make their way to Maine to find Clayton’s son, Johnny.  The trip, of course, if fraught with peril as the phoners band together and develop a hive-like mentality and begin to evolve in true King-like fashion.  I am intrigued with the idea that cell phones are used as a tool of destruction or terrorism. This book, possibly a cautionary tale, was written in 2008. Imagine what would happen now as virtually everyone uses cell phones…all the time. (But of course, now everyone texts!) I also found it interesting that we only know what is happening to Clayton and his friends. We never see or hear any news of the rest of the world or even the country. No one of course will pick up a phone or tries to connect with the internet or television after that. This is a page-turner, and you have to keep reading until the climactic ending.

And then I read The Leftovers by Tom Perrota (2011). In what can only be described as a Rapture, ordinary men, women and children suddenly disappear, leaving behind their baffled and grief-stricken families and friends. However, those that disappeared are not the good Christians one would expect from a Rapture-like disappearance. They are simply taken at random. Three years later, strange cults have appeared: The Barefoot People, a hippie-like group who just seems to party all the time, The Healing Hug movement, complete with a guru who likes teenage girls and is awaiting the birth of the cosmic child to usher in a new age. Not so benign is the Guilty Remnant, who wear white and smoke constantly (whether they want to or not). They simply stare at others and wait for the end of the world. The story is tied together by a group of family and friends in the small town of Mapleton. Don’t look for an explanation of these unexplained disappearances. The author is more interested in what happens to the “leftovers”. This was my first novel by Tom Perrota, but it won’t be my last.

The Leftovers reminded me of the families of the 911 victims, which brought me to The Submission, a novel by Amy Waldman (2011). When the 911 Memorial Commission holds a blind submission contest for a suitable memorial and chooses a winner, they discover that he is a Moslem American. And then politics take over. We see everyone’s point of view from the families, the architect himself, the political movers and shakers, the anti-Islamists and the Islamists themselves. Most poignant is a young Afghani widow. There is no clear-cut hero or villain in this novel. This is an important book to read and discuss as we look into the diverse future of this country.

Happy New Year! May next year be better than this year! And may next month be filled with new books!

The Ride of Her Life: The True Story of a Woman, Her Horse and Their Last-chance Journey Across America by Elizabeth Letts—If you know me and many of you do, you know animals and pets are not my “thing”. So when this book was chosen for my book club (thanks Kathy) it was not my first choice. But being a loyal book member, I gave it a chance. Here’s the story: Annie Wilkins a 63-year-old farm owner from Maine, decided because of her failing farm, and failing health, she was not going to live the rest of her life in the county home. She had always wanted to see California and the Pacific Ocean. So she bought a horse with the little money she had and took her dachshund and set out in the middle of winter and headed to California. The year was 1955 and she had no idea how to do it…but she did and guess what… it was an unexpectedly charming book.

Letts shows how different America was then. Taking on a geographical and historical journey from Maine to California. Annie had to contend with the weather, rely literally on the kindness of strangers, making sure she and her “boys” remained healthy, and they didn’t run away, and balancing the fact that she had little money, with her overwhelming desire to not take advantage of anyone. And people were there for her, for the most part, willing to have her stay with them. Whole towns feted her, and although the weather didn’t always cooperate, humanity mostly did. Like I said, I didn’t expect to like it, but there were tears in these hardened eyes as I followed Annie Wilkins across the country. And this is why book clubs are important.

Normal Family: On Truth Love and How I Met My 35 Siblings by Chrysta Bilton—Talk about dysfunctional families…Deborah was a woman who never let the impossible get in her way. As a lesbian in the 1980s, she saw that conceiving a child was going to be a problem, so when she walked into her hairdresser’s and saw Jeff, a tall blue-eyed handsome young man, she knew that he was going to be her child’s father. They decided on a price, and he gave her his sperm. When Chrysta was born, Deborah then decided for another price, Jeff would show up occasionally and play daddy. And that’s the beginning of Normal Family. Through incredible wealth and abject poverty, through drugs and get rich schemes, Deborah loved her daughters…yes Caitlin was born to Jeff as well…and decided that nothing was too good for them, even if there was no money for it. Chrysta sometimes became the de facto mother, as her real mother could never face reality for too long. And then there was Jeff, who decided the money was too good in the sperm donor biz to pass up more donations. When Chrysta learned of her 35 half siblings that actually formed a Facebook group, that became another decision in her life. This was not a literary masterpiece, but it certainly was a fascinating insight into what can make a family, normal or not.

All Things Aside: Absolutely Correct Opinions by Iliza Shlesinger—Another book that I shouldn’t like but ended up liking…Shlesinger is a standup comedian. As a 39-year-old millennial, her memories are much different than mine, and I kept thinking as I listened to her that my daughters would certainly identify with this book more than I did. But her language was captivating and her straight out strong opinions about women, pregnancy, child raising and all manner of life problems during and after the pandemic, made me keep listening and laughing and groaning and identifying, no matter what my age.

Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson—One of my favorite authors, she has captivated me from Scenes from a Museum to Life After Life, along with her Jackson Brodie detective series. Her latest, an actual roman a clef, which takes place in the seedy side of London in 1926. Nellie Coker, a ruthless woman, owns several night clubs, most of them shady, all run more or less, by her somewhat competent adult children. Chief Inspector Frobisher, apparently one of the only honest members of the police force, has his eye on Nellie, ready to arrest her for any number of crimes. And he also has his eye on Gwendolyn Keeling, a former librarian, who he employs as a spy in one of Nellie’s clubs. But she is also on the lookout for 2 run-aways, 14 year old girls who want to become famous. Through these characters we are ensconced in the nightlife of 1926 London.  As in all of Atkinson’s novels, we need to read carefully, very carefully to truly understand what happens.

The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid: A Memoir by Bill Bryson–Bryson began his career as a journalist but went on to write books about nearly everything: Shakespeare, science, history and travel. His most famous is A Walk in the Woods. But this book takes us to Iowa where he grew up in the 1950’s and it is as much about Iowa and the 50’s as it is about his life, especially the early years. He is funny, he is intelligent and sometimes he’s very serious. I have enjoyed many of his books, but I think this one the most. If you grew up in the 1950’s as many of my readers did, including me, then you will identify with the total optimism of that decade. Post-war US was much different than post-war Europe. We had all the groceries, the sparkling new appliances, especially television, and baseball. But Bryson had more than that. After finding a very old sweater with a thunderbolt on it, he realized that he was from another planet and could actually zap irritating people and see through whoever he wanted. And that is the Thunderbolt Kid. I’d advise listening to it because of his wonderful soothing voice.

And now, something completely different:

I attended a lovely retirement party the other night where the new retiree made a heartfelt speech about her journey in our library system. And I realized that although my retirement party was a never to be forgotten experience, I didn’t get the chance to actually put into words my feelings after working for 35 years. And it came to me that I have a platform to do this now…my blog! So here it is after a year and a half of retirement, for those that attended my party and even for those that didn’t.

Being a librarian was like being in a marriage. We had our own language, our own way of thinking and communicating. It began for me on the bookmobile where we considered ourselves the MASH unit of the system, forming relationships with our customers, being literally on the road, dealing with broken down machines and learning what it was like to help people choose books to read. It was where I became a Readers Advisor. Moving on to actual libraries, I learned to fit into the community because each library had its own culture.  And each of my accomplished managers over the years had something to teach me, but the most important was that we were a community unto ourselves.

But my very smart, very caring coworkers were the best teachers. We listened to each other, we advised, we laughed and cried, and of course sang, and we never let each other forget that we were all important. Yes, I miss my customers, I miss the readers advisory part of my life (I’m actually still doing that) but I do miss that day-to-day contact, and the language only we understand.  Thank you.

And thanks for reading.