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Salt Houses: A Novel

May 15, 2017

salt

There are plenty of times when fiction ventures into territory that is unfamiliar—in fact, that’s one of the reasons I love it so much. But Salt Houses, the debut novel from Hala Alyan is about a subject that I almost can’t wrap my mind around. The fact of having been driven out, by force or war, from not just your home, but virtually every country where you’ve settled. For ... Read More...

5 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: book clubs, cultural, debut, family saga, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Middle East, war

Delicious Foods: A Novel

November 14, 2016

delicious foods

Everybody black knows how to react to a tragedy. Just bring out a wheelbarrow full of the Same Old Anger, dump it all over the Usual Frustration, and water it with Somebody Oughtas…Then quietly set some globs of Genuine Awe in a circle around the mixture, but don’t call too much attention to that. Mention the Holy Spirit whenever possible. If I were handing out book awards, ... Read More...

6 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: contemporary life, literary, racism, social issues

The Other Einstein

October 19, 2016

other einstein

Much is known about Albert Einstein, from his theory of relativity to his philosophical musings on peace, logic and the universe. There is less known about his first wife, Mileva Marić, but Marie Benedict opens the door to her life and her marriage to Einstein in her new novel, The Other Einstein. Mileva was Serbian and despite being born at a time when girls were not even ... Read More...

5 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: historical fiction, Sourcebooks, women

Commonwealth: A Novel

September 12, 2016

commonwealth

The Keatings and the Cousins turn into one extended broken family when Mr. Cousins decides to kiss Mrs. Keating at her daughter Franny’s christening. Two divorces and relocation follow and what were two distinct sets of children merge into one unruly tribe in Virginia every summer. This is Ann Patchett’s latest novel, Commonwealth, and it is a story as comforting in its ... Read More...

4 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: American life, book clubs, family, Harper, literary, marriage

Inventing the Rest of Our Lives by Susan Levine Braun

August 19, 2016

inventing

Yesterday, I had a milestone-ish birthday. 55, which means I can no longer say I’m in my early 50s. Boo to that. I’m not generally one to find age markers to be difficult—I thought 40 was a blast, but this one, for whatever reason hit me harder than any other in awhile. I decided I really needed to let go of the self-doubt and irritation that’s been dogging me recently and jump ... Read More...

19 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Non-fiction Tagged: midlife

Miller’s Valley

May 2, 2016

miller's valley

Miller’s Valley is both the title and location of Anna Quindlen’s new novel. It is a tiny community where Mimi Miller’s family has owned and farmed their land for hundreds of years. Now it’s under threat because the government has decided to use a dam they put in decades ago to divert the river, flooding the town and turning it into a reservoir and a source of hydroelectricity. ... Read More...

10 Comments
Filed Under: Book Reviews, Fiction Tagged: 1960s, book clubs, coming-of-age, family, Random House

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