The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield
Random House • $25 • ISBN 9780385344081
July, 2011

Best Book I have read so far this year! Even for this slow reader, that’s still #1 among 40+ other books!

Summary (provided by Publisher):  Every first Sunday in June, members of the Moses clan gather for an annual reunion at “the old home place,” a sprawling hundred-acre farm in Arkansas. And every year, Samuel Lake, a vibrant and committed young preacher, brings his beloved wife, Willadee Moses, and their three children back for the festivities. The children embrace the reunion as a welcome escape from the prying eyes of their father’s congregation; for Willadee it’s a precious opportunity to spend time with her mother and father, Calla and John. But just as the reunion is getting under way, tragedy strikes, jolting the family to their core: John’s untimely death and, soon after, the loss of Samuel’s parish, which set the stage for a summer of crisis and profound change.

In the midst of it all, Samuel and Willadee’s outspoken eleven-year-old daughter, Swan, is a bright light. Her high spirits and fearlessness have alternately seduced and bedeviled three generations of the family. But it is Blade Ballenger, a traumatized eight-year-old neighbor, who soon captures Swan’s undivided attention. Full of righteous anger, and innocent of the peril facing her and those she loves, Swan makes it her mission to keep the boy safe from his terrifying father.

Why I loved it: One word: Characters! I fell in the love with the Moses and Lake families. This is not to say that any of the characters were perfect—they all had their own little quirks—but of course, that’s what made them round, human and sympathetic.

The Setting:  A one hundred acre farm in 1950’s Arkansas. From a woman who spent practically every summer in the 1960’s in Mobile, Alabama, this novel sang with authenticity—and charmed with shared memories. I couldn’t help but compare “Moses Honesty’ with what my family calls an “Onie Lie” (not a lie, technically, but not the whole truth, either…) However, even readers my folks would’ve called “Yankees” will relate to this book’s portrayal of a simpler life and times. Of course, there were many elements that still ring true today: a former bread-winner, now unemployed; the “other woman” out to get your guy—even if that guy has no intention of straying; and frustratingly willful children. I guess you could say these are timeless occurrences…

It reminded me of: East of Eden for the same strong theme of “Good and Evil”; To Kill a Mockingbird for the decidedly adult story (partly) told from an intelligent and precocious child’s point of view (we trade Scout for Swan); Water for Elephants for its portrayal of brutal spousal and animal abuse; Secret Life of Bees for its depiction of a parentless child who climbs up into your lap and soon has a hold of your whole heart  (again we trade Lily for Blade); The Help for its ability to both celebrate and expose Southern community connections—and disconnects; and finally, South of Broad for its easy Southern storytelling style with a plethora of compelling characters.

Discussable Themes: Book clubs will have a field day discussing themes of Family; Community; Southern Living; Good and Evil; Suicide; Spousal and Child Abuse; Animal Cruelty; Loyalty, Trust and Honesty; Alignment of Beliefs vs. Behavior;  Faith, Redemption and Miracles; and lots of Paradox. Whew—better bring lots of Chardonnay on the night you discuss this novel—y’all are gonna be there for a long time!

Keeping the Faith:  I’ve read some reviews in which they label this book as “Christian Fiction.” Although it is a book about Faith, I believe that would be like calling the Harry Potter series “books for Wiccans,” or saying that any book about the holocaust is one that “only those of the Jewish faith would be interested in.” Please don’t allow labels to keep you from reading this book. People of all faiths will enjoy the novel!

Discussion Questions Available: You can find seven pre-crafted questions on the Random House website. But your own questions written around the themes listed above are probably your best bet for a meaty discussion!

I hope you enjoy Jenny Wingfield’s debut novel as much as I did. “Homecoming” is a real winner!

Cheers,

BCC

This week marks the 150th anniversary of the outbreak of the War Between the States—the war between brothers—and a war in which the technology of warfare outgunned the technology of medicine. It is this latter aspect of the war that Robin Oliveira makes the focus of her debut novel.

My Name is Mary Sutter, by Robin Oliveira

Summary: Mary Sutter, a skilled mid-wife by trade, is denied entry into medical school because she is not a male. She falls in love with a handsome young neighbor, but she is not pretty enough, and he becomes enamored with her beautiful twin sister. Paradoxically, the door that opens opportunities for Mary is the  same one that ends the lives of so many others, The Civil War. And during the young country’s struggle to hold itself together, Mary strives to old herself together as well. Mary leaves her home in Albany, New York to answer Dorthea Dix’s call for nurses in Washington  DC, where she is again rejected—this time because she is not old enough. Due to sheer determination and persistence, she falls under the tutelage of two separate surgeons, who both fall in love with her, but more importantly, help her pursue her dreams. But sometimes you must be careful what you wish for…

The writer’s attention to historical details and her seamless weaving of fact and fiction makes the war come to life in this instant Civil War classic. I had to go take a shower to wash the gunpowder out of my hair.

A Favorite Passage: The author helps to demonstrate the dire state of medicine—as well as supply lines—in the mid 19th  century with the following lines of dialogue between Mary and Dr. Stipp during the early days of her work with him,

“This one can’t breathe.”

“Give him whiskey.”

“This one can’t walk.”

“Give him whiskey.”

“That one can’t stop itching.”

“Give him whiskey.”

“This one has got diarrhea.”

“Haven’t they all?”

“We’ve run out of quinine.”

“Give oil of turpentine.”

“We’ve run out of turpentine.”

“Then boil some willow bark and put it in whiskey and give it to him.”

“We’ve run out of whiskey.”

Characters: The strong female character of Mary Sutter will put you under her spell—just as she cast one on Dr. William Stipp, Dr. James Blevins and the hospitals and battlefields full of men who grow to worship her.  Although completely rounded with necessary human foibles, Mary casts a long shadow and one cannot help but admire her courage, pluck, chutzpa, tenacity and will to both survive and succeed. I haven’t met a character this compelling since Jeannette Wall’s Lily in Half Broke Horses.  Be prepared to fall in love with Mary Sutter.

Whether saving babies, “sorting soldiers” (you’ll have to read the novel to know what I mean here) or sewing up amputees, Mary embodies the struggle of the “women of the nation who braved disease, despair, devastation and death to nurse in the Civil War hospitals…Nearly twenty women became physicians after their experiences nursing in the Civil War…” as described in Oliveira’s acknowledgements.

In addition to Dorthea Dix, we encounter the personal side of other real-life characters such as President Abraham Lincoln, his secretary, John Hay, and Clara Barton. But the author adds them for authenticity, not to take the focus off Mary’s story.

Mary’s family—in addition to the aforementioned pair of doctors—serves the role of rounding out the cast of characters—especially her mother, Amelia, who is a strong presence.

Themes: The author plays with Paradox and Irony. For example, showing how doctors used the carnage of war as an opportunity for research and practice of their craft and technique;  and how patients were more likely to die of dysentery, or secondary infection than from their original bullet wounds. She also deals with the struggle between Personal vs. Professional allegiances; issues of Family, Love, and Loyalty; Grief, Despair and Hope; and War, Politics, and Military Strategy. Overarching themes include Gender Roles and Medicine. The latter being defined as much by what that body of knowledge did not encompass (such as washing hands between patients) as by what it did (which was theoretically and not practically taught in medical schools.)

Why Book Clubs will Love it: Of course, one of the reasons book clubs love historic fiction is because you can learn so much about history when following a story of a compelling
character. Book Clubs will enjoy not only revisiting the well-known stories of the Civil War, but also gobbling up the well-placed background details and
motivations of those who fought it. All of the themes outlined above will make for fine discussion.

My Name is Mary Sutter has just been added to Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain , Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind, and Geraldine Brook’s March as one of my all-time Civil War fiction favorites!

Cheers!

BCC

Details and Links:

My Name is Mary Sutter, by Robin Oliveira

Penguin Books

Historical Fiction

ISBN: 978-0-14-311913-5

Author interview

Reading Group Guide available

The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain

Summary:  Welcome to the romantic world of 1920s Paris—filled with artists, flappers and ‘The Lost Generation’. And who is our host? The un-glamorous , old-fashioned, yet steadfast Hadley Richardson Hemingway—first wife of the infamous bigger-than-life writer, Ernest Hemingway. And that’s just the first of many paradoxes to come.

Although McLain covers some of the same territory as The Movable Feast and to a lesser degree, The Sun Also Rises, this fictional account allows the author to show us some of the couple’s interior lives. Heavily researched, including the author’s digestion of thousands of their love letters, this account takes us from their whirl-wind courtship, to their flight to Paris as newlyweds, and their humble-beginnings in a small flat as they meet the literary royalty who held court in their salons—and we get to be the fly on the wall. We jet-set along with them not just from Chicago to Paris, but also to the bull-fights of Spain, and the ski-resorts of Austria. And since most of you already know “Hem” had three other wives after Hadley, it won’t be a spoiler if I tell you it ends with Hadley marrying Paul Mowrer—to whom she remained happily married until his death in 1971.

Writing Style: “Papa” would be proud of the clean, direct prose the author employs to tell the story of his early days. However, her background in poetry is evident in her delicate choice of words. The most remarkable aspect of the book, is how the author was able to withhold judgment and just tell the story—or have Hadley do so. And all the while Ernest is making choices that make the reader cringe, the writer somehow is able to separate the man from the poor choices, in a way that treats this deeply flawed character in a sympathetic way.

She shows this tender understanding—and almost forgiveness—toward “Hem” in  one of my favorite passages: “We called Paris the great good place, then, and it was. We invented it after all. We made it with our longing and cigarettes and Rhum St. James; we made it with smoke and smart and savage conversation and we dared anyone to say it wasn’t ours. Together we made everything and then we busted it apart again.

There are some who said I should have fought harder or longer than I did for my marriage, but in the end fighting for a love that was already gone felt like trying to live in the ruins of a lost city. I couldn’t bear it, and so I backed away—and the reason I could do it at all, the reason I was strong enough and had the legs and the heart to do it, was because Ernest had come along and changed me. He helped me see what I really was and what I could do. Now that I knew what I could bear, I would have to bear losing him .”

Characters: The author demonstrates this same even-handedness in both of her main characters. Although, these young newlyweds are certainly a study in opposites attracting. Ernest is as exuberant, sophisticated, and young as Hadley is quiet, un-worldly, and almost passed her marriageable shelf-life for that era. Hadley is as selfless, loyal and sturdy as Ernest is narcissistic, deceitful (to his wife, his friends, and unfortunately even to himself) and moody. It would be simple in the hands of another writer to assume that your family dog had more personality than Hadley—or that Ernest was simply a bi-polar egotist with a bad medical plan. However, in McLain’s hands, we find Hadley charmingly conventional and consistent—the kind of person you would want on your side; while we see Ernest as a smart man who makes stupid choices. Over and over again. But we never abandon him—instead we just  keep rooting for him to make better choices the next time.

Who else is invited to this wild and crazy Parisian party? How about Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, Ezra Pound, Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald (was she really crazy or just eccentric?) and James Joyce—just for a bit of name-dropping. This supporting cast isn’t just famous—many are carefully drawn even if we are not as sympathetic to their plight. And, of course, there’ s finally the femme fatale—who we love to hate—and who betrays Hadley and steals her husband—but then, you knew that was coming…

Themes: Of course, McLain threads many themes throughout her tale: Childhood Trauma, Marriage and Relationships, Loss and Forgiveness, Search for Identity, Ambition and Desires, Living Abroad, and the Consequences of Fame.

Why Book Clubs will Love it: It’s Paris in the 20’s—need I say more? Probably not, but you know I will, anyway. In addition to the themes listed above,  the most discussable aspect of this story, is all of the relationships: Hadley and Ernest to their parents and siblings while growing up, to their friends in Chicago, to their new-found friends in Paris, to their son, Bumby, to the city of Paris, and of course, to each other. So be sure to bring an extra bottle of wine to book club that night—the discussion is gonna go late.

Random Rants: If the book is about 1920’s Paris—why do we find a 50’s housewife (Ok-40’s at the earliest) on the cover? Is this the only photograph Ballantine could find? Where is the joie de vivre of 1920’s Paris? This dust jacket disconnect is similar to the last book I reviewed, The Four Ms. Bradwells whose cover is adorned with a beautiful double strand of ivory pearls—it’s absolutely beautiful. Too bad the infamous pearls from the book were black pearls! Don’t the graphic artists responsible for the cover ever talk to someone who’s actually read the book anymore?

Pick it up—it’s a compelling read your whole club will enjoy!

Cheers!

BCC

Details and Links:

The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain

Ballantine Books

Historical Fiction

ISBN: 9780345521309

Author interview

The Four Ms. Bradwells by Meg Waite Clayton

Summary: On the eve of Betts potential confirmation as a Supreme Court justice, she retreats with three of her former law-school classmates—and best friends—to their popular Chesapeake island getaway. Along with the summer house, they also revisit their memories of a tragic spring weekend spent there that changed their lives completely. Their memories of that weekend—some shared and some withheld—and the decisions they will make this weekend will be just as life-changing as the last time they were there. As they share secrets they’ve kept for over 30 years, the mystery of what really occurred comes to light. Told from the alternating points of view of these four friends, the narrative also flashes back and forth from the present to that fateful spring break in 1982. Although the time and perspective transitions are well-marked, readers must stay on their toes not to miss them.

Characters: I love a good “girlfriend” novel—and “Bradwells”, like its predecessor, “The Wednesday Sisters” did not disappoint. The main characters are the four former law students: Mia “the Savant”—an unemployed journalist, Betts “the funny one”–a college professor and Supreme Court nominee, Laney “the good girl”—an attorney and candidate for the Georgia state senate, and Ginger “the rebel”—an attorney turned poet. In addition, their mothers and daughter play strong supporting roles. In particular is Ginger’s mother, Faith, (an attorney in an era when most women didn’t even work—much less hold professional positions) who enjoyed playing mentor to all of the “Ms. Bradwells”. Don’t be put-off by all of the lawyers running around—that element does provide intelligence to the characters—but they still walk around with both feet on the ground.

Themes: In addition to Friendship—and all of the jealousies, complexities and tenderness that implies, the Mother/Daughter theme is strong throughout. The author skillfully juxtaposes the daughter in one generation, later playing the mother in the next, and through this role reversal she gains insight into her own mother’s motivations and sacrifices. Also the theme of Feminism is strong—sexual politics, gender power, and the abuse and discrimination that can result from the same. Love and Loneliness, and Secrets and Truth are explored as well.

Why Book Clubs Will Love it: In addition to the very discussable themes already outlined, at its core the novel is also a page-turning mystery—with suspense continuing to build until the very end. It almost has a vibrant “Who shot JR-type” thread running throughout—without the trashy melodrama—making it a compelling read.

It is also an intelligent novel—without trying to be too high-brow, and it’s clever without trying to be overly “wink, wink”. Meg is witty with her details such as: the way in which the women are dubbed “Ms. Bradwells” their first day in law school; the name of Faith’s boat: the Roe v. Wade; and the alumni news that she inserts as an epigraph in many of the chapters, e.g.: “Law Quadrangle Notes, Spring 1992: Ms. Helen Weils (JD ’82) and her husband Will Robeson are happy to announce the birth of their third child: Ginger Elsbieta Mary Robeson, a.k.a. Ms. Gem Robeson-Bradwell.” (She was named after the other three Ms. Bradwells: Ginger, Betts, and Mia)

There was only one small scene at the end that I found to be over-the-top (this from the queen of over-the-top) and not in sync with how the characters would respond—but that was a small distraction from on overwhelming enjoyable read.

I predict this will be a popular book club title—pick up a copy when it releases tomorrow, March 22!

Cheers!

BCC

Links and Details:
The Four Ms. Bradwells by Meg Waite Clayton.
Ballantine Books, $25.00 (336p) ISBN 978-0345517081
(March, 2011)
Author’s Website: www.megwaiteclayton.com
Author’s Blog: megwaiteclayton.com/1stbooks

Pride and Persistence in the Pacific

Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand.

Summary: Louie Zamperini, Olympic track miler (Berlin 1936) and star USC runner, joins the Army Air Corps at the outbreak of WWII. After his plane plunges into the Pacific Ocean, he survives 47 days on a disintegrating raft, only to spend the rest of the war being starved and tortured in a series of Japanese POW camps.

Characters: Although Louie is the main character in this story, there are many other brave men and women who play a supporting role. Also, a couple of cameo appearances by famous people such as Jesse Owens and Adolf Hitler add to the drama.

Themes: Louie’s story is one of Persistence, Bravery, Redemption, and Forgiveness.

Why Book Clubs Will Love it: The author’s depth of research and attention to detail is evident by the over 50 pages of footnotes she includes. But her writing is not just factual—it’s also compelling and heart-breaking. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes historical non-fiction—and even those who don’t often read non-fiction. The author writes in such a beautiful narrative voice, there’s certainly no danger of mistaking this for a text book!

Cheers!

BCC

Links and Details:

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, by Laura Hillenbrand.

Random House, $27.00 (496p) ISBN 978-1400064168

(November, 2010)

The Power of Love

        

          In her tenth novel, Solomon's Oak, Jo-Ann Mapson crafts a story of life, loss and the redeeming power of love. From almost the first page, we move into Glory’s rustic farm house along with her foster daughter, Juniper, and just make ourselves at home.  Told from the perspective of Glory, Joseph and Juniper—each struggling with his or her own abandonment issues due to death, divorce and parental desertion—we experience their anger, fear and struggle to pull themselves out of the mire their lives have become.

          In the back-to-nature setting Mapson has created, we can smell the goats, feel the horses wet coats, and snuggle—and laugh—with the dogs, humorously named Edsel, Cadillac  and  Dodge. And the healing power of nature is most symbolically embodied in the famous oak on their property. When Glory’s sister Halle remarks, “…your house reminds me of one of those Christmas cards put out by Leanin’ Tree. Everything is so homey and cozy and Western…” It was meant as a put-down, but the scene that Mapson creates is so homey and cozy and you want to curl up on the couch along with them.

          If Solomon's Oak is Mapson’s tenth novel, I have nine new books to add to my TBR list!

Cheers!

BCC

A Rose By Any Other Name

         

           In her debut novel,Juliet, Anne Fortier weaves two tales separated by centuries. Both set in Siena, Italy, one tells of two lovers and their feuding families in the fourteenth century—the real-life romance from which Shakespeare crafted one of literature's most famous tragedies. The other is a modern-day story of a young woman seeking her fortune in a strange new land. Woven into both accounts is an adoration of Siena and an homage to Shakespeare.

           Julie Jacobs's life is about to change. When her great-aunt Rose dies, she inherits the key to her new life—literally and figuratively. Tucked inside an antique box lies the key to a safe-deposit box in Siena and the revelation that she is a direct descendant of the Juliet of Shakespearean fame. Armed with a new passport bearing an ancient name, Giulietta Tolomei begins a quest to discover her past and forge her future .

            Fortier builds some interesting characters in this mysterious romance—and an especially sympathetic one in Julie/Giulietta. Her clever dialogue and humorous asides amuse while keeping the reader firmly grounded in the story. "Cars had never been a passion of mine, primarily because they usually came with a guy attached," comments the determinedly anti-romantic heroine. Fortier creates such a strong sense of place that as we stroll (well, sometimes we run for our lives) through the streets of Siena, the city becomes one of our favorite characters. Despite the somewhat uneven pacing, which lags in the middle of the ancient story and rushes at the end of the modern one, this mystery is a pleasing variation on an old familiar theme. Students of Shakespeare will appreciate this Italian adventure—and fans of Follett will enjoy the numerous plot twists. Will the star-crossed lovers finally reunite? "The better part of valour is discretion"…

Cheers!

BCC

Links:

Juliet, by Anne Fortier.

Ballantine Books, $25.00 (464p)
ISBN 978-0-345-51610-7

 (August, 2010) 

A Fine Vintage

          Most families have their pigeonholes and identities. Coming from a family of three girls, I know first-hand about family roles and labels.  My oldest sister, Linda, was “The Smart One”; my middle sister, Sheri, was definitely “The Pretty One”; so as the baby, I had to do something to get everyone’s attention (albeit not enough to get any pictures in the family photo album) so I became “The Funny One.” In Allegra Goodman’s sixth novel, The Cookbook Collector, the two sisters, Jess and Emily Bach are defined as “The Creative One” (read “flighty” “irresponsible” and “granola-natural”) versus “The Responsible One” (read “solid”, “grounded” and “practical”) respectively.

 

         So, while Emily is cast as a heavy Cabernet Sauvignon with gripping maturity, Jess is more like a fresh summery Sauvignon Blanc. But, both sisters are a fine vintage you will want to spend your time sipping and savoring. This is the perpetual Jungian struggle and in this case, as in Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, the contrast provides much of the comedic tension in a wonderful tale of love and fortunes won and lost. We sense much sisterly affection along with some slight competition:

”’I’m taking the Berkeley, Locke, Hume seminar, and logic and philosophy of language…’Jess paused to sip her mango lassi. ’And working and leafleting …for Save the Trees. And I’m also taking Latin. I think I might be as busy as you.’ Emily laughed. ‘No.’ She was five years older and five times busier. While Jess studies philosophy at Cal, Emily was CEO of a major data-storage start-up.”

          Like Austen, Goodman has an excellent grasp of personality types and the human psyche, and clearly captures the personal emotions of pain, loss and love. But combine that with a Dickenesque ability to build quirky characters and weave them into the plot in surprising ways—and, well, you’ll just have to read this romp to find out how it all ends. (Although I will warn you that the author cheats a bit at the end and pulls a ‘Wilde’ hare out of her hat reminiscent of The Importance of Being Earnest. But it is so skillfully done, that we quickly forgive this amusing trick.)

          This story is part fairytale and part a cynical treatise a la Wall Street on the temptations of greed and ambition. Set in 1999 amidst the heady pre-dot.com bubble, and continuing through the fall of the Nasdaq—followed by the twin towers—Goodman takes us on a rollercoaster ride along with the dramatic stock market dips and dives. But hearts beat along with the ticker tape, and what could’ve been a depressing story of doom and gloom—come on, we all know what’s coming—is actually an optimistic story of love and hope.

          Combine the industries of computer software, education, religion, antiquarian books, education, and environmental charities—and you have a pretty interesting mix of work settings—all well-researched by Goodman. It reminded me of an irreverent bumper sticker one of my friends drove around with for years, “Nuke the Gay Whales for Jesus.” But the various viewpoints, instead of causing confusion—like the aforementioned bumper sticker—provide a story of rich perspectives, competing motives, and an interesting study in contrasts.

          In addition to contrasts, Goodman has a good time playing with ironies—we can almost see her at her keyboard with her tongue firmly attached to her cheek. First there’s Jess’s tree hugging activities, which contrast with her actual job which is selling books—a product which requires pulverizing those same trees in order to be printed. Then she writes of Emily and Jonathan’s relationship which seemed to be fueled by their individual success as CE-somethings of competing software companies—the same companies that required that they live 3,000 miles away from each other. Also, I wondered at some point if their relationship was based more on the excitement their companies’ IPO were providing than they contributed to themselves. Finally, we read the plethora of letters Emily and Jess’s late mother wrote to her daughters—one to be opened on each of their birthdays until age twenty-five—which would indicate a strong desire to communicate with her little darlings, while meanwhile conspiring with her father to keep them in the dark about significant family secrets.

          Like a fine wine maker building complexities into her vintage, the book deals with the struggle for balance: Work and Home life, Trust and Doubt, Getting and Spending, Ideas and Ideals, and the value of the Material versus the Immaterial. Additional themes include the Morality of both businesses and non-profits; Finding Meaning and Identity; and heady Appetites for Love, Sex, God, Money, Food and, of course, Fine Wine.

          Goodman’s full-bodied characters are as satisfying as the buttery California chardonnays they sip.

          Jess is a perpetual student working on chalking up some more ‘incompletes’ on her doctoral degree in Philosophy. At 23, she also works part-time at Yorick’s Rare and Used Books, part-time leafleting for Save the Trees, and part-time charming the leaders of both. She has an optimistic approach to life. After getting drenched in a rainstorm she tells her sister, “I’m hydrating.” At another point, Goodman writes, “She had a theory about everything, but her ideas changed day to day. It was hard for Emily to remember whether her sister was primarily feminist or environmentalist, vegan or vegetarian. Did she eat fish, or nothing with a face?”

           Jonathan is the least likable character—as bloated as his company’s stock price. Although we know his back story and admire his persistence, we never fully trust—or like him. We don’t dislike him for who he is, it’s just that we’re disappointed because he could be so much more. The only time the story lags is when Goodman spends too much time on the East Coast with ISIS, Jonathan and his cohorts there. But just as you begin to miss California—and the sisters—Goodman switches us back to the main event—and we find the absence has made us grow fonder—if that’s possible.

          To mix Austenian metaphors, George, the owner of the antiquarian book store, is our Mr. Darcy. Goodman gives us a succinct bio on him:

 “He was old money, a Microsoft millionaire now returned to Berkeley where he’d gone to college in the seventies, majoring in physics with a minor in psychotropics…George retired, traveled, and donated to worthy cause. But he was eccentric as well. He was a reader, and autodidact with such a love for Great Books that he scarcely passed anymore for a Berkeley liberal. Previously anti-war, at thirty-nine his new concern was privacy. He grew suspicious—his friends said paranoid—of technology, and refused to use e-mail or cell phones. He…boycotted the very products with which he made his fortune, and called Microsoft the Evil Empire, although he still owned stock. In the eye of the internet storm, George sought the treasures of the predigital age.”

          ‘Cookbook’ feels like historical fiction not only due to the Dickensian, Austenesque and magical fable-like qualities, but also the sharp details Goodman uses to conjure a world—though only a decade ago—markedly different from today including: dial-up connections, economic confidence, and Republicans in office. Her tone remains optimistic amidst tragedy, loss and disappointments: “Sometimes sadder, sometimes wiser, laid off programmers returned to graduate school to finish their degrees, or joined The Peace Corps, or scrambled for money to start new companies, as seedling grow in rings around a redwood struck by lightning.”

          Like a fine wine, I predict this delectable book club selection will hold up over time. With notes of hope, faith and love, The Cookbook Collector is sure to satisfy discriminating palates. With upfront characters, and realistic optimism, it is a well-balanced combination of sweet and sour with a lasting finish. Yes, 2010 looks like a good vintage for Goodman.

Cheers!

BCC

         

About the author: New York Times bestselling author Allegra Goodman, has previously written the novels, Kaaterskill Falls (1999; a National Book Award finalist), Intuition (2006) Paradise Park (2001), and The Family Markowitz (1996); a short story collection, Total Immersion (1998); as well as a young adult novel, The Other Side of the Island (2008). Her fiction has appeared in The New Yorker and Best American Short Stories. She is a winner of the Whiting Writer’s Award and a fellowship at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. She lives with her family Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Links and Details:

The Cookbook Collector, by Allegra Goodman

• Release: July 6, 2010 from The Dial Press (Hardcover)
• 394 pages
• Author’s website link: www.allegragoodman.com
• Publisher’s website link: dial-press.atrandom.com
• Source: Completed copy from Publisher

A Summer Adventure for

Your Book Club

        

           Is your book club looking to go on a grand journey this summer? You need go no further than M.L. Malcolm’s international adventure, Heart of Lies. Fans of Water for Elephants will enjoy the historical aspects of the book. Devotees of Shanghai Girls will love the inside glimpse at the exotic settings—including Shanghai, Budapest, Paris, and Manhattan. Followers of Ken Follett, Jeffrey Archer and David Baldacci will love the political intrigue angle. And admirers of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet will love the fact that Heart of Lies is also an old-fashioned love story.

            Born a Hungarian peasant, Leo Hoffman leverages his good looks, wit, and a gift for languages and social mimicry to become a rich and powerful man, only to have circumstances and naive choices from his past threaten everything he holds dear. 

            Set in Europe, Asia and The New World, Leo’s escapades sweep you across the globe. The tumultuous history of the time period—1920’s and 30’s—helps to drive the plot. As many of you know, I love this period of history between the two World Wars, and Ms. Malcolm sprinkles some wonderful tidbits plucked from history into Leo’s story, such as the Hungarian counterfeiting scandal of 1925, the manipulation of the rubber market in 1926, Chiang Kai-shek’s weakening hold on China, the bombing of Shanghai in 1937, and the Japanese invasion of Shanghai, the rise of Hitler’s power, and the Jews fleeing from Germany and Europe…Whew! OK—maybe she does more than ‘sprinkle’…There’s definitely some meat to the history piece!

            Although Malcolm tells a fast-moving adventure story, it is not at the expense of the characters, dialogue or prose. Ms. Malcolm’s vivid descriptions and meticulous research are reflected in the language of Leo’s story. Here’s what she writes as the soldiers returned to Hungary after their defeat in WWI:

“Honor and country had called them to the battlefield of Europe and then abandoned them there, where a weary grayness drifted into their eyes, settled into their hearts, and wrapped around their souls, souls that had been slit open and sucked dry by the beast of the Great War.”

            Besides Leo, you will root for the two loves of Leo’s life: his wife, Martha, the great beauty with the lovely voice, and his daughter, Maddy, with her infectious laughter and gift for music. You’ll also meet two characters you will love to hate: Amelia, the scheming temptress, and Lui Tue-Sheng, the powerful head of the Chinese mafia who has a secret hold on Leo’s life. Although Leo denounces his heritage and reinvents himself time after time, he seems to be unable to leave his past behind him—which threatens his future and that of his family.

            And though the book is set up for a sequel to follow, I felt the major plot pieces were suitably closed so that the reader feels satisfied, and yet eagerly awaiting that next book for more of Leo and Maddy’s exploits. (Watch for Heart of Deception releasing next year.)

            Ms. Malcolm deals with themes that book clubs will want to discuss such as Survival and Perseverance; Deception and Forgiveness; Passion and Love. There are reading group questions and an author’s interview in the back, and the author is available for a visit or phone call to your book club. 

            Be prepared for your book club to fall in love with Heart of Lies. I sure did.

Cheers!

BCC

Links and Details:

Heart of Lies: A Novel by M.L. Malcolm

• June 8, 2010 release from Harper Paperbacks
• 336 pages
• Includes a Readers Guide and Author Interview
• Author’s Angle column M.L. wrote for Book Club Cheerleader.com earlier this year: www.bookclubcheerleader.com
• Book’s website link: www.heartoflies.com/
• Publisher’s website link:  www.harpercollins.com
• Source: Advanced Readers Copy from Author

 

Better Than Room Service!

Have you ever stood in the lobby of a 5-star metropolitan hotel speculating about what really goes on within such a sumptuous establishment? Did you wonder if it might be even remotely possible that someone similar to you has checked into that penthouse suite? Well, place those musings into Manhattan’s Four Seasons Hotel and you have the premise of Based upon Availability, a recently released novel by Alix Strauss, a lifestyle trend writer who appears on national morning and talk shows.

 

In Availability, Strauss takes you into the lives of eight very different but equally compelling women; all of whom are connected in some way to Morgan, the hotel’s seemingly “got it all together” general manager and the book’s central character. The author uses her “lifestyle trend” expertise to describe each character’s individual struggle to establish truthful, meaningful human connections.

 

In addition to the aforementioned Morgan, who is still grieving for the sister she lost over 20 years ago, we meet Louise, a drug-addicted, faded rock star attempting rehab in the hotel’s Suite 2410; Anne, a sad and lonely hotel concierge suffering from OCD; and Ellen, a decorator whose self-worth is irretrievably tied to her ability—or lack thereof—to conceive a child. And not to be overlooked are Robin and Vicki who manage to take sibling rivalry to a whole new level. Are you hooked yet?

 

          You’ll be sorry if you dismiss this novel as merely another shallow beach read. While Availability is without question imminently entertaining, it is also an insightful and engrossing character study of eight women not so very different than you or I. Looking past their superficial differences, you will find yourself identifying, in at least some small measure, with each and every one of them—like it or not! Who cannot relate to feelings of isolation—whether it be in the middle of Manhattan or simply at a family gathering? And who among us has not had to face the heartbreaking reality that the object of our deepest affection—be it lover, sibling or friend—doesn’t share that emotion?

 

          Availability is smart and unpredictable, and alternately dark and humorous. Strauss’s writing is superbly crafted as evidenced by how she conveys each character’s story in a manner that is simultaneously concise, yet complete. I found that the ties she established between each character to Morgan and the Four Seasons were incredibly clever, yet totally believable. The primary strength of this novel, however, is Strauss’ ability to not only cause us to relate to these characters but to also make us care what ultimately happens to them—yes, even Lou, the druggie!

 

          Availability is a natural choice for book clubs. Members will relish hashing over the all-too-real trials and tribulations of these Manhattan ladies. And when these individual scenarios are played out in the suites, offices, bars and restaurants of a swanky Manhattan hotel, you’ve got one truly satisfying read—on or off the beach!

by Kay Hodges,  (The Other) BCC

Links and Details:

Based upon Availability, by Alix Strauss

• June 8, 2010 release from Harper Trade Paperpack Original
• 352 pages
• Author’s website link:  www.alixstrauss.com
• Publisher’s website link:  www.harpercollins.com
• Source:  Advanced Readers Copy from Author

 

The Outside Boy Simmers

with Inner Conflict

Jeanine Cummins has written a beautiful coming of age story about a motherless gypsy boy, who struggles to discover who he is in a rapidly changing world—1950’s Ireland.

This story is told in the unique and intuitive voice of a 12-year old Irish Pavee boy, “Christy”—short for Christopher. They call themselves “Travellers.” Unkind town folks, or “Buffers” call them “Tinkers”—you would know them as “Gypsies.”  At this point you’re probably starting to hum as Cher’s rendition of Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves begins to swell in the background… However, Cummins’ s sympathetic treatment of these members of society’s fringe, may cause you to want to join their merry band—painted wagons, campfire songs, and all… Christy provides an excellent point of view for us to learn about his Pavee culture, and the react  these outsiders get from the townspeople—both the inclusive and the cruel.

Although Christy is the primary character, we come to care about many of the other supporting cast-members that make his world go round.  In fact, two family members that take up a lot of energy in his mind and space in his heart, are deceased—a term our young narrator notes is “a nicer word than dead’.” His “Mam”, who died during childbirth, and thus causes him to carry around huge tinker-buckets full of guilt, and his “Grandda” whose passing provides the drama for the prologue, setting the stage for how Christy’s life will drastically change. Christy’s Dad, Christopher, his cousin, Martin, his Aunt and Uncle, their other children and “Granny” make up the small family of Travellers that take us on Christy’s journey of self-identity.

Although The Outside Boy is a character-driven book, their development is strong enough to move the plot forward in a well-paced story. And while the paperback hefts at over 350 pages, you’ll turn them quickly—so don’t worry about that. The ending promises some surprises and difficult choices for Christy, but still manages to satisfactorily tie up most loose ends.

Cummins’s novel addresses universal themes such as Freedom and Belonging, Pride and Prejudice, Books and Education, Identity, Family and the Concept of Home—all in a way that makes us, the reader,  reflect on our own family values. You’ll have tons of topics for your book club to discuss! And yes, there’s a Readers Guide in the back.

Christy’s distinctive voice is innocent, insightful, and honest—and he makes us not just see, but feel what he is experiencing as the plot unfolds. He describes his Granny’s anguish at the death of her life partner in this way:

 “The keen she let up was so thick and tender I could nearly see it coming out of her, her breath spiraling out violently in torrid colors, defeating the darkness and drenching the camp with grief.”

          And he tells us about his brotherly relationship with his cousin, Martin, with this description of the two of them as they huddle together in a blanket watching their Granny:

 “Martin squirmed in even closer beside me, and I could feel his elbow stuck between two of my shivering ribs, like we was twins for minute, instead of cousins, We was joined at the eyes and ears, joined at the dread. Everything was silent and stretched—only the tidal rhythm of our shared breath pushed the seconds forward….”

           It’s a voice which also reflects his life’s paradoxes:  his love for books and reading combined with his spotty formal education; his common sense approach to life—with just a touch of the dreamer.

Yes, I wanted to adopt Christy from the beginning to the end. I mean, who can resist an Outside Boy looking for his home. And—trust me—he’ll be at home in your book club. Read it!

Cheers!

BCC

Links and Details:

The Outside Boy, by Jeanine Cummins

• June 1, 2010 release from NAL Trade Paperback Original
• 360 pages
• Includes a Readers Guide
• Author’s website link: http://www.jeaninecummins.com/
• Book’s website link: www.theoutsideboy.com
• Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YC1j7XDYoA4
• Publisher’s website link:  us.penguingroup.com
• Source: Advanced Readers Copy from Author

The Book That Fell to the

Top of My Pile

Recently I received an Advanced Readers’ Copy of a debut novel, The Girl Who Fell from the Sky, by a yet-unknown-to-me author, Heidi W Durrow.  It had recently received the Bellwether Prize for Fiction for best fiction addressing issues of social justice. Intriguing—but not really why I read it right away. The great Barbara Kingsolver wrote the cover blurb—again, not a real reason to read it next. I read the authors bio—and  not only does she have a kazillion degrees—somewhat like my Handsome Husband—but she has won way too many awards to remember—eh, still not a reason to give this book cuts—I was sure it was a nice, polite book which could wait its turn in line. As many of you know I have a to-be-read pile that “Save a Tree” activists would love to flog me for. But in reading the book jacket, the premise of this book was so compelling, I just had to pick it up and read it. Right then.  Am I ever glad I did!  This book was such a treat—not because it was a light, fluffy and happy book—indeed it is quite disturbing in parts. But because Heidi Durrow takes you inside this young girl’s head and makes you see another side, another life, another world.

This fresh coming of age story is alternately narrated by several unique voices—and in this way, dark family secrets are slowly revealed to the reader. We see the story unfold from: Rachel, the title character; her late mother, Nella, by way of journal entries; a neighbor boy, Brick (aka: Jamie); Nella’s supervisor, Laronne; and by Rachel’s father, Roger, in a solitary, yet insightful entry.  Rachel’s voice is by far the strongest. Her honest words resonate with quiet wisdom as she struggles with such themes as: racial identity, love and loss, affection and sexuality, abandonment and belonging, and growth and survival. Durrow also addresses gritty themes such as alcoholism and recovery, and abuse and caretaking. In a skillful counterpart, Brick struggles with many of these same issues as Rachel.

As a sixth-grade girl, we hear Rachel describe her new grandmother: “This is the picture I want to remember: Grandma looks something like pride. Like a whistle about to blow.” Later, as a freshman in high school, we hear Rachel lament “...the other black girls in school think I want to be white. They call me an Oreo. I don’t want to be white. Sometimes I want to go back to being what I was. I want to be nothing.” Or as James McBride’s mom would’ve described it, “the color of water.”

Rachel is a broken soul and in order to try to make sense of her outward self, she stuffs her feelings: anger, sadness, hurt—and anything she believes may not be acceptable to those around “the new girl”—into what she visualizes as an internal blue bottle with a stopper to keep all of her “bad” feelings in…Heartbreaking, and yet in Durrow’s sparse prose, so clearly seen and felt.

The ending was a bit unsatisfying, but the powerful story, the haunting prose, and the idiosyncratic, well-developed characters overshadow this tiny flaw. Hey—didn’t Margaret Mitchell end Gone With The Wind with “Tomorrow will be another day?” Book Clubs will certainly have plenty to discuss.

Coming of age, coming to terms with loss—without completely coming undone…Rachel’s story will yank at your heartstrings. This cheerleader gives Heidi Durrow’s freshman novel a two pom pom cheer!

Yay, Heidi!

BCC