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Fiction A to Z October 2019
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The last train to London : a novel
by Meg Waite Clayton
A tale inspired by the Kindertransports of World War II finds a Jewish teen’s life shattered by the Nazi takeover before he joins a member of the Dutch resistance in a life-risking effort to escape Germany.
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| Quichotte by Salman RushdieWhat it is: an homage to Cervantes' classic Don Quixote. Set in the modern day, a middling Indian crime writer invents a delusional traveling salesman who crosses the U.S. in search of the love of a TV talk show host, accompanied by a son who doesn't exist.
Why you might like it: it's a sharply humorous indictment of modern American culture.
Reviewers say: "brilliant" (Publishers Weekly); "dazzling and provocative" (Booklist) |
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| Carnegie Hill by Jonathan VatnerWhat happens: Thirty-two-year old Pepper Bradford is at loose ends, until joining the board of her Upper East Side co-op involves her in her neighbors' lives and gives her purpose.
Why you might like it: This witty comedy of manners offers a large cast of engaging characters, many of whom are struggling with marital dissatisfaction -- whether newly married or together 50 years.
Want a taste? "Unsure of the proper attire for a co-op board meeting, Pepper decided to err on the side of stuffiness." |
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Texas hold'em
by George R. R Martin
A group of high school musicians who have both strange abilities and looks aim to beat their rivals in a jazz competition in the latest addition to the series edited by the best-selling author of Game of Thrones
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| The Boat People by Sharon BalaFeaturing: Sri Lankan immigrant Mahindan, detained and separated from his young son and despairing of a new start in Canada.
Why you might like it: Though Mahindan is a sympathetic character at the outset, his prior actions in Sri Lanka complicate things; law student Priya and judge-advocate Grace are similarly complex characters.
Try this next: Sri Lankan stories, like Anuk Arudpragasam's The Story of a Brief Marriage, or refugee crisis novel Exit West by Mohsin Hamid. |
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| Rich People Problems by Kevin KwanWhat happens: In this 3rd in a trilogy about uber-wealthy Asian families (after Crazy Rich Asians and China Rich Girlfriend), matriarch Shang Su Yi is dying, prompting lots of political maneuverings to win her estate.
Why you might like it: Family drama is especially enjoyable when it involves dis-inheritances, public scandals, palaces, and extremely expensive fashion, travel, and real estate.
Our advice: Start at the beginning of the series to prolong this delectable read. |
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| Other People's Houses by Abbi WaxmanWhat do you do...when you witness a neighbor in a compromising position with a man who's not her husband? That's the question generally un-flusterable mom Frances Bloom must ask herself, raising doubts about her own marital relationship as well as those around her.
Read it for: the flawed, believable characters and enjoyable (if salty) humor.
For fans of: modern middle-class family dramedies, like Laurie Gelman's Class Mom or Maria Semple's Today Will Be Different. |
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The man who saw everything
by Deborah Levy
Staging a photograph in tribute to a Beatles album cover as a gift to his hosts in Communist East Berlin, a narcissistic young historian endures a near-miss that changes his life trajectory. By the award-winning author of Hot Milk. Tour.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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