What Have I Been Reading?

The protagonist Eilis Lacey is a character we met in the author's previous book "Brooklyn". In this story she is confronted with the decision made by her husband's family to raise a child he had with another woman. She goes back to her home in Ireland to wrestle with the choice and her options and finds herself reconnected to a former love and a life she left decades ago. When her teenage children join her to learn more about her family, she is faced with decisions that will impact their future.

Through a series of tragedies and disappointments, Violette Toussaint finds herself serving as the caretaker of a cemetery in Bourgogne, a job that suits her. As the novel unfolds, we uncover the connections between the characters she encounters, the fondness she has for the dead, and the grieving and space she creates for both. A story of love, longing, heartbreak, and healing beautifully revealed as she reflects on the events that have shaped her life. 

The well-known story of Jim and Huck Finn traveling down the Mississippi River as told from Jim's perspective. While still suffering from the indignities of slavery, Jim is highly literate, writes and reads works by  philosophers who shape his thinking and give him strength. A reminder in this divided country of the harm caused by our biases. We all share the same hopes and dreams with a deep desire to be free to make the decisions that shape our destiny. 

Known for her best-selling fiction this was an unexpected work from Amy Tan, showcasing her artistic skills as she shares her essays and sketches of birds that inhabit her backyard. Overwhelmed by the state of the world in 2016 in a country full of divisiveness and misinformation, she sought peace in the birds outside her window. Her drawings and the commentary she includes on her observations of the birds behavior are a reminder of the need to stop, breathe, and observe the beauty around us. 

A well-documented account of the influence of the Klan in Indiana in the 1920's, led by a charlatan who grew the organization to record numbers in just two years, controlling politics, religion and business practices while striking fear in anyone in their path. The Grand Dragon is eventually taken down by one of his powerless victims, exposing the horrendous secrets of this insidious movement. Chilling in its alignment with current political fervor. 

This short novella packs a powerful punch and left me breathless. Written before Russia's invasion of Ukraine it is an even more haunting story now. Russia's military disorder and brutality are conveyed through the eyes of a 20-year-old conscript desperate to escape while on the trans-Siberian train. He finds an ally in a 35-year-old French woman fleeing her Russian lover. While unable to communicate, they collaborate on a escape plan while hurtling through the vast and harsh landscape.

Woody, an aging centenarian, is scrambling to record his adventure of driving two giraffes cross country over 80 years ago. Based on a true story this odyssey attracted a great deal of interest in 1938 as they made their way through small southern towns enroute to the San Diego Zoo.  He travels through a past he hoped to put behind him and encounters many characters along the way, one in particular who is the motivation for the telling of his story.   

Enger's poetic writing immerses you in the charm of the North Shore and Lake Superior. There is a folksiness to Rainy and his wife Lark, even as you pick up hints they are living in a dystopian future. Their idyllic life is soon shattered and Rainy takes to the lake in an old sailboat longing for the magic he and Lark experienced years ago. What transpires is a bit far-fetched and unsettling, but Rainy's determination and resilience saves himself and others on his journey to reconnect with Lark.

Using her well-honed research skills, Doris shares the story of the role her husband, Dick Goodwin, played as a speech writer for JFK, the support he gave to LBJ and how he helped subsequent Presidential Candidates.  The boxes of documentation he saved provided insights into the triumphs and tragedies of those tumultuous years.  Doris and Dick had front row seats to the political events of this decade adding rich perspective to our own memories of those years.  

The incredible story of Elizabeth Packard's perseverance when her husband and doctor committed her to an insane asylum on the grounds that her intellect, independence and willingness to express ideas contrary to popular beliefs clearly proved her insanity.  In her fight for her own freedom and that of others, conditions in the asylums were greatly improved.  She also battled tirelessly to change laws throughout the country that kept wives subservient to their husbands.  

The story of a New England property told through the inhabitants over 3 centuries. The land is initially tamed by a fellow obsessed with growing apples who leaves the property to his spinster daughters.  The house holds secrets that are discovered by a succession of owners and visitors.  The story brings together history, our attachment to the outdoors, and the connections we have to those who have gone before whether we know it or not.  

A recent widow settles into the Claremont Hotel to live out the rest of her days in the company of an eccentric group of characters doing the same.  She falls while out walking one day and is aided by a destitute writer who she passes off as her grandson.  We might all find ourselves in need of such company as we live out our days, as Mrs Palfrey does, in a charming place filled with interesting people.   

A young woman abandoned by her mother as an infant and who shortly thereafter loses her food obsessed father goes on to become the legendary host of a high-priced secretive pop-up supper club. Each of the chapters is focused on a different character and a signature dish. It all comes together when her mother's number finally comes up on the years-long wait list and Eva prepares a menu reflecting all the stages of her upbringing. 

The author provides deep insight into her experience growing up under the watch of her strict Rastafarian father.  She finds her outlet in poetry and her love of language flows through her prose.  Her Mother's commitment to her education and the sacrifices made on her behalf, allowed her to achieve her ultimate independence.  She writes this memoir to process her own experience, for her mother and for all the woman who came before and will come after who have to fight for their identity. 

This book was initially published in 1990 and while it has a reputation of being a difficult and complex read, I found it to be an absolute masterpiece. The author weaves together mystery, feminism, intrigue and romance as modern day academics work to uncover the relationship between two Victorian poets. To accomplish this feat the author includes pages of invented letters, journal entries and original poetry which adds  richness to her prose. 

A young woman passionate about cartography becomes estranged from her father when she discovers an old gas station map while they are both working at the New York Public Library.  Anyone in possession of this map has access to a small town found only on this version of the map.  This hidden town and those who are determined to access it hold the secrets of a group of college students who long ago devoted themselves to creating the "Dreamers Atlas". 

This book has been on every recent best seller list.  It opens in 1972 when developers discover a mezuzah and a skeleton at the bottom of a well.  You are then taken back to 1925 and the story of a diverse collection of characters who band together to protect a young orphan boy.  Themes of inclusivity, love and acceptance are woven throughout this rich account of the interwoven lives of the residents of Pottstown, PA.    

A well documented account of the role women played in uncovering the actions of emerging  global terrorist groups, inspite of their expertise being dismissed and devalued. Their sacrifices and courage in persevering to bring down bin Laden and other national threats is brought to light through the harrowing stories that are  profiled in this book.   

A beautifully told story of a successful Reykjavik restaurant owner in his mid-70's who closes his doors at the start of the pandemic.  He travels to Japan in the hopes of reconnecting with a woman he met in London 50 years ago.  Launching  his adventure with no certainty of what he will find when he gets there, drawn to discover why she suddenly disappeared so many years ago.  

A cleverly told story about Deaf culture, language access, and the side effects of cochlear implants told through the eyes of a teenage girl navigating the challenges of adolescence and finding her own voice.  The novel incorporates A.S.L. and lessons that provide transformative awareness and empathy for this community.  

Another absolutely engaging work by Abraham Verghese, set in Kerala and spanning three generations.  The author once again weaves his medical knowledge into the telling of a story of people afflicted with the "condition" resulting in deaths from drowning.  Their course of history is set by people who enter at opportune times. 

This book is about so much more than a shipwreck.  Grann's research into this event puts him in the company of murderers, madmen, ego maniacs and people determined to justify their actions. The ultimate story of the perils of leadership and the battle over the truth.    

I haven't read a Barbara Kingsolver book since The Poisonwood Bible decades ago.  This thinly veiled David Copperfield adventure is set in the mountains of Appalachia.  Demon's journey to adulthood is fraught with disappointments and setbacks but he perseveres against all odds.

This book by Tilar Mazzeo provides additional insight into  the life of a woman many people got a glimpse of in the musical "Hamilton".  She was a remarkable and resilient woman who suffered a great deal while supporting of her husband and his legacy.  As Alexander himself said, she was "Best of Wives, Best of Women".