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What We're Reading Now August 2016
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The Wangs vs. the world
by Jade Chang
Chang’s witty debut is a riches-to-rags tale—but only in terms of material wealth. Before Charles Wang’s cosmetics empire imploded, NYC artist daughter Saina, college student Andrew, teenaged Grace, and designer-clad second wife Barbra could afford to pursue separately unsatisfying lives apart. Now, everyone squeezes into the family’s aging Mercedes en route from California to their only housing option—Saina’s farmhouse in rural New York.
Chang employs alternating points of view (including that of the car) sharp dialogue, engagingly flawed characters, and themes of ethnic identity, cultural assimilation and globalism, and familial loyalty for a thoroughly enjoyable contemporary read.
Book groups, take note! LS
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The city of mirrors : a novel
by Justin Cronin
I finished reading The City of Mirrors, the much anticipated final book in Justin Cronin's trilogy. I greatly enjoyed parts of it (particularly Fanning's back story) but I felt as a whole it fell flat, and I wasn't thrilled with some of the main story lines resolutions . My husband tells me I'm judging it too harshly. He's enjoying all of it greatly, so some fans are completely satisfied.
HM .
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Unequal affections : a Pride & Prejudice retelling
by Lara S. Ormiston
What if Elizabeth Bennett had not refused Mr. Darcy’s first proposal? Had Elizabeth denied herself the satisfaction of retaliating for the gentleman’s earlier slights and instead offered a gentle, conditional acceptance, she could have achieved lifelong security for herself and her sisters. And, as Ormiston charmingly suggests in this P&P homage, love, honesty, and much witty dialogue would have still ensued. Thoughtfully and sensitively rendered—a perfect diversion for Austen fans.
LS
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June : a novel
by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
Every town has “that” house, the largest and most extravagant—that has always harbored secrets and generated envious town gossip.
This one, in St. Jude, Ohio, offers two narratives—one from 2015, as a 20-something artist inherits the neglected mansion and discovers that a deceased movie idol has left her millions in his will. The second thread, circa 1955, recounts the turmoil generated by the arrival of a movie crew shooting a historical movie on location around the town.
This Midwest-meets-Hollywood tale blends period detail, changing social mores, vibrant personalities, and shocking family secrets.
LS
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In the first circle : a novel, the restored text
by Aleksandr Isaevich Solzhenitsyn
A surprisingly funny read considering the subject matter, this novel tells the story of political prisoners in 1940s Soviet Union who are housed in an almost bearable gulag prison because of their respective technical skills.
Tasked with designing a device capable of identifying someone by a recording of their voice, a voiceprint instead of a fingerprint, all the ridiculous silliness of the Soviet fear-constrained hierarchy is dramatized with biting irony and wit by Solzhenitsyn, a former Gulag prisoner himself. Fun and illuminating.
EY
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By the numbers
by Jen Lancaster
I loved Jen Lancaster's By the Numbers; fans of her earlier novels and memoirs will not be disappointed.
It's a quick and funny read, with characters that are deeply relatable. HM
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Lily and the octopus
by Steven Rowley
Rowley’s wrenching story reminds us that the only companion better than a beloved dog is an elderly one, whose devotion and acquired wisdom now render her indispensable to her human’s happiness. The owner of 12-year-old dachshund Lily narrates the story; we experience his devastation as he realizes a change in Lily’s appearance--the octopus (because, for now, he can’t bring himself to name what it actually is).
Part magical realism, part grief-fueled fantasy pondering the human-pet bond, this tale of coming to terms with mortality will resonate with dog lovers.
LS
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The Last Days of Night
by Graham Moore
Available September 2016
Oscar winner (The Imitation Game screenplay) Moore again parlays history into entertainment; documentation from the Edison v. Westinghouse patent case yields a colorful narrative starring Paul Cravath, a twenty-six-year old recent law school grad with everything to lose.
The 1888 legal duel (imagine a one billion dollar lawsuit back then?) between Thomas Edison and electrical industry pioneer George Westinghouse had vast implications for today’s products and power grid. Moore’s observant, lively prose and historical research offer a “dramatization of history” that I highly recommend.
LS
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Lazarus. Volume one, Family
by Greg Rucka
This sophisticated graphic novel follows the trials and efforts of Forever Carlyle, an artificially grown “sister” dedicated to helping her family rule a massive portion of a dystopian future-Earth. The Carlyles compete with six families who combined essentially rule the whole world and each subjugate their few “citizens” (those deemed as having valuable skills) along with the rest of society who are simply considered “wastes”. A grim story with an incredibly endearing and compelling central character, this is great comic writing. EY
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We could be beautiful : a novel
by Swan Huntley
Catherine West is beautiful, wealthy, and frankly difficult to pity. And yet you will: the dream of husband and family eludes 43-year-old Catherine. A vast fortune has drawbacks: too many choices (one can afford everything), the fear of not being loved for oneself.
As memories unravel and psychological suspense mounts, even reticent book club members will judge uber-entitled Catherine, especially her response to this latest man. Hasn’t she heard that if something seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t? The most compelling protagonist I’ve encountered recently. LS
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Belgravia
by Julian Fellowes
This miniseries-worthy tale begins in 1815, on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo. Many male attendees at the Duchess of Richmond’s ball will be dead the next day, including Sophia Trenchard’s sweetheart.
25 years later, the Trenchards have amassed a fortune, but their happiness is marred by society’s failure to acknowledge them, Sophia’s early death, and a troubled relationship with their son and daughter-in-law. A chance remark by Lady Brockenhurst unlocks a Pandora’s box of secrets, long-abandoned hopes, plots, and ambitions—some devious, some honorable, all very diverting. This intricately plotted novel is sure to delight fans of Fellowes and historical fiction. LS
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Tell it slant
by Peter Ho Davies
Available September 6, 2016
From a 19th-century laundry worker-turned-valet to a 21st-century adoptive couple, Davies explores the Chinese-American immigrant experience in four distinctly immersive novellas.
Brimming with lively period and popular culture detail and memorable viewpoints, the stories are graced with cross references that lend continuity and depth to Davies’ theme.
Insightful, entertaining, beautifully written—a real find for literary fiction fans. Book groups should also take note!
LS
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Under the Harrow : A Novel
by Flynn Berry
In Berry’s grimly suspenseful debut, Nora arrives at her sister’s Oxfordshire home for a weekend visit only to discover Rachel’s bloody corpse. As the shocked Nora embeds herself in the local scene in hopes of finding the murderer, she learns that she is a chief suspect. And Nora’s first-person (and very candid) revelations are riddled with unsettling insights into the sisters’ troubled history.
Billed as a Gone Girl readalike, this story fell short of that standard, in my opinion. Berry solidly maintains atmospheric tension, but my interest lagged in the absence of a relatable character in which to invest. LS .
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The dollhouse
by Fiona Davis
What could be a more intriguing setting than the famous Barbizon Hotel for Women, once home to the likes of Lauren Bacall, Candice Bergen, and Sylvia Plath? But now, the Barbizon has gone condo. A reporter researching a “glory days” piece interviews original residents and stumbles upon an account of a mysterious death (fall from a balcony) involving a Barbizon girl.
Davis’ characters are, sadly, rather flat, but readers will appreciate the novel’s structure—alternating scenes from 1952, when a naïve Midwestern girl arrives at the Barbizon, and the present. And descriptions of the 1950s NYC jazz scene and the Barbizon culture are fascinating. LS
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Be frank with me
by Julia Claiborne Johnson
I did enjoy Julia Claiborne Johnson's Be Frank With Me. It was a sweet and charming read about a young woman who finds herself sent to live with a one-hit wonder, recluse author (a la Harper Lee with a bad attitude) to supervise the writing of this author's next (hopefully a hit) book and care for her mysterious son, Frank.
Frank is a character, and more than a handful, so naturally adventures ensue. It's a quick read with elements of mystery and romance. HM
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Equiano, the African : biography of a self-made man
by Vincent Carretta
Based on the autobiography of Gustavas Vasa, the life story of this inspiring man gives an incredible picture of the opportunities within the British Navy in the 18th century and the beginnings of the anti-slave trade and eventual abolitionist movement in England.
The choices and achievements of this book’s subject help illuminate the complications encountered by a nation turning away from the evils of slavery as well as how slavery in the Caribbean differed from what occurred in the United States. A very stimulating read.
EY
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First comes love : a novel
by Emily Giffin
Emily Giffin's First Comes Love, I have to say, was a huge disappointment.
The story had a lot of promise: how does a family move forward after the tragic and unexpected loss of their young son? The story unfolds between the two remaining siblings, rivaling sisters who unfortunately don't ever get developed beyond stereotypes and caricatures. Hard-core fans of Giffin's will no doubt love it, but it's not her best work.
HM
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Deep work : rules for focused success in a distracted world
by Cal Newport
Deep work is the ability to focus without distraction on a demanding task—producing mastery of complicated information and better results in less time.
Newport provides both a work of cultural criticism and actionable advice to cultivate a deep work ethic and make your life and career more productive. CS
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