Betty
Betty is the fearless leader of our Lunchtime Book Group.
GROUNDSKEEPING is one of those rare debut novels, written with such sensitivity and growth that I’m ready to start it again. It is set in Kentucky, technically not a slave state, but where very conservative views still smolder. Owen, born there, is uncomfortably back home resetting his life and hoping to become a writer. Alma, his Bosnian girlfriend and established writer, is always questioning Owen about his family, his goals and his beliefs. A mismatch? No because tenderness, fun, and intellectual compatibility drive the book. If a novel is written beautifully and teaches you something along the way, then you’ve discovered a gem. This is one.
Told through “recordings” of an older man reflecting on his early life in Florida.
Harley Mann and his four siblings are saved by the Shaker Community near where Disney’s kingdom will ultimately appear. But the family’s life in the colony is no joy ride.
Strained by a strict code of behavior and tested by human will, this story of forced faith covers passions and ambitions that are amusing, stirring, and always worthy of reflection.
With Russell Banks’ deft telling, The Magic Kingdom enchants and teaches.
I was totally captured reading this book by Sadie Jones. Three couples, best friends, purchase two farm lots in England and decide to live communally. Through the eyes of the two oldest children, from two of the families, we are told the story of their experiment. Amy and Lan traverse their lives jumping in mud, helping with their siblings and loving the land--at once completely innocent and very observant and knowing. As tensions grow, the idyll unravels, but not before we have been taken on a wonderful, articulate ride.
I loved this book.
In Brooks's deft hands this story of animal love, of race, and of our undeniable history is a must read. Settle back and let this tale take you by the hand back and forth through time. You will root hard for the characters, equine and human, and you will marvel at the science that supports the narrative. Brooks has added beautifully, memorably to her library of prize-winning novels.
Both stories of passing as white tell of a uniquely American phenomenon where a person of color hides herself by trying to pass as white. In both cases the catalyst is largely financial...both Stella and Clare see that an easier life can be had in the white world. And both are light-skinned enough to attach themselves to men who don’t look beyond the surface to understand their wives, even as they harbor racist attitudes.
The Vanishing Half tells a longer story of twins who leave their hometown to escape the servitude that’s forced on them at age 16. One twin returns home 16 years later fleeing an abusive husband, with a very dark child. It is this child, June, who carries much of the story as she moves from coast to coast and becomes a doctor. The other twin, Stella has a white daughter who lives a restless life and tries to understand her mother;s lies and choices.
The Vanishing Half explores identity, race, loneliness and the desire for connection.
It poses interesting questions and now belongs to a small canon of books about hiding and revealing race.
Passing marks its place as an early entry in this canon and is a deeply psychological moment in time in a dramatic friendship.
Reading them together is a powerful experience
I was caught in The Cage for most of yesterday and it was thrilling. Kistler clearly knows her law; she traps her heroine, Shay, in a seemingly unwinnable box when she and her superior board an elevator and one of them does not survive the trip down. Shay’s down-on-her-luck story accelerates as her resources expire and she’s forced to use her wits (which are considerable) as she sits in jail and plans her strategy. If you want to escape the news, the pandemic and your life for some wonderfully cunning hours, this is the book for you.
You must read this book. Hamnet supposes a pre story to one of the world’s most famous plays by giving us the fictionalized family from which the playwright emerges. While the plague is the backdrop here, the emphasis is on a free spirited mother, her cherished children, and the unique bond of twins in a difficult time in history. This home is both loving and tough and its family rhythms will steal your heart. Gorgeous, emotional, and important, this is a book you will read twice.
Amor Towles can really tell a story as proven by his new novel, The Lincoln Highway. Three mates sprung from a correctional facility, with an 8 year old brother, set out on the ultimate road trip. With the goal of reaching Ca., they actually head east from Nebraska and caper and reminisce their way to NY. Thwarted in their efforts by car trouble, money woes, and hijinx they make their way through a tale that will keep you riveted and your head shaking. Once again, Towles has proven he is a master with characters you will hold close long after the book is finished.
The narrator is your guide for this poignant story of a cohesive Japanese family living in California when Pearl Harbor happens. Nothing is ever the same for them as they are isolated in Manzanar and then released to Chicago, which is even less hospitable. The gumption of the sisters makes the story. It’s billed as a mystery, but it’s so much more.
This 12th century tale is a vehicle that showcases the inner strengths of women, especially when they’re deprived of physical comforts. Groff's creation, based on a real woman, is imaginative, illuminating and employs a first class vocabulary. Here’s one more reason to be in awe of Lauren Groff.
Morningside Heights is that perfect New York City novel that you can't wait to read. It has everything: the Upper West Side; charming, zany characters; intellect and sadness; and a very real story. When Pru falls for her professor (she seems to prefer older men) it's because of his Vespa, not just his classroom manner. And so the tangle of this tale begins. There’s a brilliant daughter and a wacky stepson. The writing propels you and then sadly it’s over. I hope Joshua Henkin keeps writing.
I just finished a book that imagines a different story for Hillary Rodham and Bill Clinton. It is fabulous. Starting with their meeting at Yale Law School in the 70s through Hillary’s illustrious political career, this story takes unexpected turns that make sense. Hillary seems like the Hillary we’ve come to know, but with a more human side. While some may wonder about the current of feminism, I applauded it, and actually found it read like a dream come true. Completely unpredictable, Sittenfeld’s Rodham will keep you reading.
If you want to feel the terror of having to flee your home in Acapulco with your 8 year old son, if you want to understand the plight of migrants who sense danger all around them from the government, marauders, and opportunistic monsters, if you want to get inside the head of these people like you and me, then American Dirt will take you there. Following Lydia and her son Luca through the labyrinth of escape you come to feel their frightening reality. Through beautiful language and wonderfully drawn characters, this story is no longer a headline, it is real. I could not put this book down, and once I did, I felt bereft in the best read a great book way.
This epic homage to trees is both alarming and beautiful. In a US narrative with historical touchpoints, Powers delivers disparate characters who come to a collective understanding of the imperiled state of the forest. Their interwoven stories charm and arrest the reader and crescendo along to a stunning end. The trees in the book are the real stars in their majestic, resilient life giving ways. You will never look at a tree the same way after reading this book. The Pulitzer seems a most apt prize.
In Richard Russo's new novel, three best college friends gather on the Vineyard some 45 years after their graduation and a life-changing weekend they had spent together. As close as they had once been, each harbors secrets which Russo skillfully weaves into a suspenseful plot. Piecing together that fateful weekend they reveal themselves and it's a toss-up whether character or narrative wins the day. Richard Russo is such great company to keep; this novel will remain with you.
Ask Again, Yes is the perfect drama. Neighbors where both Dads are on the NYPD and the kids are best friends can be a picture of suburban bliss. Or not, when a dramatic event tears everything apart. Suddenly their lives are disrupted, the adults scatter, but the kids (a boy and girl) are emotionally intertwined. Years pass and as lives knit back together we discover that the elements that caused the fracture might still be in play. This very satisfying story is well told and has charm and humor along with its heart-wrenching moments. I'd like to read it again right now.
This is a beautifully written ode to libraries wrapped around the true unsolved mystery of who set the devastating 1986 LA Central Library fire. Orlean, known for her skill with non fiction subjects, gives us a compelling story including wonderful Library characters, unknown processes of a Library, and a most interesting history of LA. I read and reread her prologue and last chapter, they were so moving. Give yourself the treat of buying and reading this book.
What could go wrong when Andrei Kaplan leaves an inhospitable New York academic scene and heads to his native Moscow to look after his aging grandmother? The internet he relies on to teach his PMOOC courses is iffy, his grandmother occasionally can't remember who he is, and his money is quickly running out due to enormous Russian inflation. With ingenuity, dogged determination, and self-effacing humor, Andrei creates a life for himself. And when spring arrives and Russia opens itself to him, the narrative soars. Gessen has written a must read; don't miss it.
Tara Westover has written of her upbringing as the youngest in a Mormon family whose livelihood comes from her father's junkyard. Her early skills included stripping fuel tanks from cars and scrapping metal, but not books, arithmetic, or spelling. She eloquently tells the raw story of her wrenching development, which includes making a break from her own history and family. It's both fascinating and horrific and it is a must-read. I don't recall when a memoir has meant so much to me.
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In this wonderful, evocative novel, we are told of the intimate love affair between Eleanor Roosevelt and Loretta Hickok. With tenderness and a sharp eye, Hick recounts living in the White House and the responsible, yet playful, life of the First Lady. The history alone is worth reading, and the remarkable characters who crowded their lives make this a very satisfying novel. In the end, what stays with us are the feelings two independent women shared, in a much earlier, less accepting time than our own.
Discouraged by their sub-par law school and the crushing debt they've incurred to study there, three law students set out to maximize their legal skills. Their acts turn into more than a caper when they are unmasked. Still they almost manage to run faster than the law in what is a charming new John Grisham tale. Perfect for reading by a fire, the book has pace, charming characters, and just enough grit.
Shaker Heights was planned as an orderly suburb of Cleveland, a model for community planners everywhere. When Mia, an artist, and her daughter, Pearl, move to town, a series of unplanned, and combustible, events unfold. Drawn by Ng's sure narrative hand, there are wonderful 3D characters within this unconventional domestic drama and a pace which will keep you breathless. I loved Ng's Everything I Never Told You; this book is even better.
Ah, a new Louise Penny! This one is a real maze of intrigue, and I thought one of her better mysteries. Gamache puts his reputation on the line when he hatches a plan to thwart and capture a drug cartel or two and stem the tide of opiates that are ruthlessly killing people in Canada and the US. The usual cast mix with a group of millennials to confuse the reader in a most satisfying way. A little darker and more psychological, this is one of my favorites in a very good series.
When the British, French, Israeli, and American intelligence services are cooperating with each other, you know they're up against something truly evil. This time the bad guys are mixing drugs with the terrorism, and keen minds will have to strategize to wipe them out. Gabriel Allon is once again the shrewdest and the "games " of intrigue play out in a devious but clever and satisfying way. If you're looking to end August with a bang, this is the book for you.
Tonight (sadly) I finished A Gentleman in Moscow. As with Rules of Civility, Towles has written a very satisfying book. The combination of several beautiful love stories -- the Count's for his homeland, the father's for his daughter, and the willowy actress -- all serve to soften the tale of the brutal transitions of early to mid 20th century Russia. Like an exquisite, and often hilarious, jigsaw puzzle, the pieces of this book fit together perfectly. We come away with a sweeping history lesson and characters we cannot let go of. What a treat!
Another wild ride from thrill master Silva, where ISIS is the enemy and the danger feels very real. Gabriel Allon embeds an Israeli doctor in the caliphate in an attempt to learn ISIS plans and thwart an attack. We go with the stunning Doctor as she penetrates the enemy and seems almost to become them. Of course chaos ensues with a complicated set of twists. Silva has written many Gabriel Allon books and they all terrify, then satisfy. This is a perfect "don't look up from the page" book.
I first met Roxane Gay through her collection of essays titled Bad Feminist. I love her writing which is direct when its called for yet lyrical in its way. Whether writing about Scrabble tournaments, or examining feminism as a personal mantle, Gay is a writer to cherish. Clear, entertaining and thought provoking, Bad Feminist may introduce you to one of your new favorite writers.
Since his earlier book, The Master, Tóibín has been my favorite Irish novelist. Nora Webster, his new novel, secures his place. The story of a too early widowed mother of four is both elegant and reserved. Nora is forced to return to work, cope with her young sons and reestablish herself all under the watchful, small-town eyes of her neighbors. Nora's spirit emerges in unusual ways, keeping her tale both surprising and rewarding.
Texas can be just like anyplace when it comes to family, community, unspeakable acts and redemption. This book, one of my favorites of the year, is a warm and wrenching tale of a family whose connection defies attack. The brothers are so perfectly drawn, you'll think they are your own children. Johnston writes like a dream.
If, for some reason, you have missed Donna Tartt's earlier works, now is the time to jump on board. The Goldfinch is a sweeping tale that begins with a blast at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and courses through the days of young Theodore Decker as he copes with a parentless world. The characters he meets along the way will be indelible in your mind. This amazing book is an accomplishment both in the writing AND the reading.
Who isn't intrigued by identical twins? Curtis Sittenfeld delves into the lives of twin sisters with a twist or two. Set in St. Louis, MO, Sisterland is an entertaining tale of lives affected by family, scholarship, ESP, and magnetic attractions. The central focus is a predicted earthquake that does its damage well before its arrival. Charming and well-paced.
Brutality and healing live side by side in rural North Carolina. Wiley Cash's debut novel explores religion,passions and brotherhood in a way that compels the reader to see it all. Does the church heal? Are sons like their fathers? Are children innocent? This is an amazing story. Wiley Cash's characters will make you cry, and this novel will echo in your heart for a long time.
Elizabeth Graver's new novel, long overdue, is a wonderfully unfolding artichoke of a book. It is a story of a family during WWII (and beyond) told through three different sets of eyes. Affluent and advantaged, the Porter family's issues tend to be emotional -- terrain in which Graver has proven herself quite skillful. This is a book well worth reading; the only abiding question is with which character will you find yourself most sympathetic?
If you love New York City, and if you swoon at a classic romance, and IF you are taken by gorgeous prose and lyrical images that linger, then you must read Mark Helperin's new novel. Starting after the war, in 1946, this is a pas de duex between a WWII paratrooper and a young singer he encounters. You will savor every phrase.
Manhattan, 1938, is the setting for this wonderfully satisfying tale of the rich -- and the not so rich! Amidst the glitter of New York are some unforgettable characters and a story that dazzles and lingers. We couldn't put it down.
A book I have often heard about, The Tender Bar was every bit as good as had been reported. J.R. Moehringer's memoir about growing up fatherless in Manhasset, Long Island is more than a coming of age story. It is a wonderful amalgam of unusual characters, dysfunctional family life, striving and setbacks, and a love affair with writing. Guided by his single mother, JR ricochets between her ambitions for him and the influence of Dickens the bar that dominates the story. The writing is gorgeous and the plight of a boy trying to define himself is a compelling one.
Tracing the interwoven lives of four Smith College friends during and after college, Commencement is a (less edgy), more appealing updated version of The Group. It is especially delicious to read about the college rituals and Sullivan gets the atmospheric details just right. Commencement has a great narrative thrust and wonderful characters. You will find it a great way to spend a few days caught up in the lives of others.