The Wonders by Elena Medel

The Wonders by Elena Medel

Published by Algonquin ISBN 9781643752112

Hardcover, $26.95, 240 pages

March is Women's History Month and if you are looking for a great read, you can do no better than Elena Medel's brilliant and moving novel, The Wonders. Some of the book is set during the Women's March in in Madrid 2018.

Medel takes us inside the lives of two women- Maria in 1969 and Alicia in 2018. Maria works as a housekeeper and caregiver, scraping out a living in the few ways available to her. She left her hometown as a teenager after becoming pregnant by an older married man and giving birth to a daughter.

Maria is forced to leave her baby Carmen behind in the care of her disapproving parents, with her sister Soledad and 13 year-old brother Chico who help as well. Chico splits his time between working at a bar and caring for his niece.

Maria works hard, visits Carmen when she can, which is not often enough, She dreams of the day she has enough money to be permanently reunited with her daughter, but even as hard as she works, that opportunity slips further away with each passing each day.

We see Maria as she grows older and becomes politically active, beginning with her neighborhood association, trying to make her neighborhood safer. Eventually she started meeting with other women to discuss things important to them, but not to the men, in their lives- divorce, abortion, physical and emotional violence. Over the years, Maria found her voice and became a leader to other women.

I was particularly struck by this passage:

"No one can know the truth about these women. Their enemy is the boss: the one with more money, more power, the one who changes their shifts without bothering to ask, who's always looking down on them."

In 2018, Alicia is working her night shift at the convenience store. She prefers that shift, leaving her days free. Her husband Nando wants her to work days so they can spend time doing the things he likes but Alicia does not- cycling trips, beach days with his mother, dinner at the same restaurants with the same couples and their young children.  She "molded her life to his" and that is not enough for her.

In her unhappiness with Nando, Alicia has begun having one-night stands with strange men. Alicia's mother is Carmen, Maria's daughter. We are privy to Alicia's upbringing, and once again Chico has played a big part in the lives of the women in his family helping raise Alicia after her father's suicide. Chico is a caring, kind man, a balance to the other selfish, self-centered men in the novel.

As Alicia walks through the crowds of the women's protest, we wonder if she will meet up with her grandmother Maria- would she even know her if she saw her?

"Money's the thing: not having enough is the thing." Society does not value the work women do, from caring for children to caring for our elders, and money means freedom for those who have it. 

Medel is a Spanish poet and as such, every word in is carefully chosen for maximum inpact in this slim yet powerful 240-page story. We know Maria and Alicia's lives intimately in these few pages, a true accomplishment. If you read and loved Elena Ferrante's novels (or if you thought those books were too long for you), Elena Medel's debut novel The Wonders is your next read. I give it my highest recommendation.

Thanks to Algonquin Books for putting me on Elena Medel's tour.

Friday 5ive- February 18, 2022

Welcome to the Friday 5ive, a weekly-ish blog post featuring five things that caught my eye this week.

1)  Last week was Valentine's Day and Today With Hoda & Jenna had a segment on Valentine's Day Romantic Reads. My favorite author Adriana Trigiani gave two recommendations, one of which is my all-time favorite romantic read- Time After Time by Lisa Grunwald. It's a time travel story set in Grand Central Station that's so beautifully written that every time I'm in Grand Central, I look for the main characters, Nora and Joe, there. My review of the magnificent book is here. You can watch the Hoda & Jenna segment here.  

2)  While flying home from Florida, the woman in front of my seat put on this headband right after takeoff. Although we flew out of Sarasota, I'm guessing she visited DisneyWorld. Shout-out to Maleficent.

3)  We did a Zoom wine-tasting with the Reagan Library and Caymus Vineyards. The Reagan Library is hosting three vineyards, one each month, and since Caymus Cabernet is one of our favorite wines, we were excited to hear their story. Charlie and Jenny Wagner, whose family has owned Caymus for generations, spoke about the origins of their family vineyard. Like many older California vineyards, they started out as orchards growing fruit and pivoting to wine making in the 1970's when California wines really came into their own. We tasted their The Walking Fool red blend, which features their great-grandfather on the label. 

4)  One of my goals is to watch the movies nominated for Academy Awards. I watched Denzel Washington's stunning Best Actor nominated performance in The Tragedy of MacBeth on Apple TV+. It's an amazing film, shot in black and white, with great cinematography and directing in Joel Coen's adaptation of the Shakespeare tragedy. Frances McDormand is fantastic as Lady MacBeth. Watch this one with the closed-captioning to get the most of out this Best Picture nominated movie. 

Also on Apple TV+ is CODA (Children of Deaf Adults), which may be my favorite movie in a long time. Emilia Jones plays Ruby, the only hearing person in her family. Troy Kotsur plays her father, and he is the first male actor who is deaf to be nominated for an Academy Award. (Marlee Matlin plays her mother.) Ruby's family depends on her to communicate with everyone around them, and when Ruby's talent for singing means she may be able to attend a music school away from her family, she has to make a decision. It's a humorous, heartwarming family story with great music. 

5)  I got a lot of reading in lately. I was on a TV memoir binge, having read three of them in the past few weeks. Directed By James Burrows is the story of the legendary TV director James Burrows, who takes us through his stellar career as the premiere director of TV pilots. We get backstage stories of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newheart Show, Taxi, Cheers, Frasier, Friends, and Will & Grace. If you are a fan of television sitcoms of the past forty years, this is a great read. It publishes in June. 

We go from TV sitcoms to TV dramas. Sharon Gless's memoir Apparently There Were Complaints shares her story from her days as one of the last contract players at Universal Studios to her days as a TV superstar on Cagney & Lacey, through her alcoholism and tumultous marriage to Cagney executive director Barney Rosenzweig. It's a honest portrayal of a fascinating person. 

Most people recognize Molly Shannon from her years on Saturday Night Live during the Will Ferrell days. Her memoir Hello, Molly! begins with the traumatic experience at age four of losing her mother, younger sister, and cousin in a car accident caused by father who had been drinking heavily at a family party. Molly and her six year-old sister had to deal with the tragedy growing up without a mother, and with their father's wild mood swings. The story of her and her friend sneaking on a plane as children (back when you could do that) in Ohio and spending the day in New York City with no money in the 1970's alone is worth the price of the book. The grit and determination she showed as she made her dream of performing come true is inspiring, and she has some great SNL stories. 

And finally I read a fabulous novel- Allison Pataki's The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post. Most of us know the name Post from our favorite breakfast cereals, but I did not know anything about this fascinating woman. Pataki fictionalizes the life of Marjorie Post who, as brilliant as she was in business (she brought frozen foods to our tables through her strategic purchase of Birds' Eye foods) was not as successful in her personal life, marrying and divorcing four men. You'll read this one saying "She knew who?", "She did that?" and "How did I not know of this woman?" 

Stay safe and warm in this crazy weather, until next time.

The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird

The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird

Published by MIRA ISBN 9780778332101

Trade paperback, $16.99, 352 pages

In the prologue to Kristen Bird's intense suspense novel The Night She Went Missing, Emily is found face up in the water of the harbor. Who is she and how did she get there?

Emily is the teenage daughter of Carter and Catherine, who recently moved from their home in Oregon to Carter's hometown, the island of Galveston, Texas. The family moved because Catherine did something scandalous and it was thought best to make a fresh start.

Carter's imperious mother Rosalyn is the grand dame of Galveston. She pretty much owns the island, no one, not even the sheriff, does anything without her permission. Rosalyn is thrilled to have her son back home, and she attempts to bring Catherine into Galveston society whether she wants it or not.

Emily is angry she had to leave all her friends and school behind because of her mother. Many of the students at her new school resent her, including Anna, the reigning Queen Bee at school. Anna's former boyfriend Alex, the star athlete, is attracted to Emily and they become friends. 

Alex was accused a few years ago of sexually assaulting a female student, something he vehemently denied, and while he was cleared of the charges, there is still a cloud of suspicion surrounding him. When Emily disappears after a gathering where Alex was with her, once again people believe he was involved- even his mother Morgan has her doubts about him.

Much of the book takes place during the ten weeks that Emily was missing. Carter and Catherine are beside themselves, Emily's twin little sisters are distraught, and Rosalyn is determined to turn over every stone to find her granddaughter.

Emily's car was found by the gulf, with her keys and cell phone inside, but no sign of her. After an exhaustive search, the pervailing belief was that Emily drowned, but Catherine will not give up hope that Emily is alive.

We meet the people of this insular community- Anna's mother Leslie, who is Rosalyn's right-hand woman, always there to organize school functions and push her daughter to be number one. Alex's mother Morgan is divorced and her doubts about her son eat away at her. Robert Steele is the handsome, hardworking doctor who supports his widowed sister-in-law Leslie after his brother died, and he dates Morgan.

After Emily is found, the next step is to discover where she was all this time. Anyone who is a careful reader of suspense novels will probably be able to guess who is responsible for Emily's disappearance even though the author throws in some red herrings, but you may have to suspend disbelief for some of the other plot revelations. 

 I found Catherine's scandal back home an interesting twist, it's unusual to have such a big character flaw in a protagonist. Emily's ability to hold her faith as well as her belief in science shows a mature intellectual capability which is refreshing. The island community of Gavelston was also a unique setting, I can't remember reading a novel set there. Fans of J.T. Ellison will enjoy this one.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on Kristen Bird's tour.

Friday 5ive- February 4, 2022

Welcome to the Friday 5ive, a weekly blog post featuring five things that caught my attention this week.

1)  I finally had an opportunity to visit the new Trader Joe's in my neighborhood. I read that the best time to go there was Wednesday morning, so off I went. It is a beautiful store, and so spacious. The other Trader's Joes in NYC have very crowded aisles, it's hard to shop. It was easy to move around and shop, and there was literally no line at the cash registers. Luke, the cashier, praised my choice of Sour Cream Donuts and after tasting one, I have to agree with him. I also enjoy their greeting card section- only 99 cents each and the cards are so pretty.

Photo from patch.com

2)  I walked by this window on my way home from running errands, and I was happy to see that the Book of the Month person was back. I haven't seen the display in the apartment window in awhile, so I am glad that the fellow reader is back. You are not alone my friend.

3) The snowstorm that hit NYC last Saturday meant that the public library was closed, and so was the Book Cellar where I volunteer. I was able to hop on a Virtual Book Club for Reese's Book Club with Alka Joshi (The Henna Artist, The Secret Keeper of Jaipur) in discussion with Thrity Umrigar about her novel Honor. I read Honor recently and it is such a stunning, moving book about Smita, an Indian journalist who leaves her home in the US to return to India and cover the story of Meena, a young Hindu woman who married a Muslim man. Meena's brothers murdered her husband and severely burned and disfugured Meena in what they called an "honor killing". The discussion was one of the most fascinating ones I have listened to, I learned so much about life in India from these two brilliant writers. I highly recommend reading Honor, it is a difficult subject but a very important one. 

4) We watched the movie House of Gucci this week. Lady Gaga does an amazing job portraying Patrizia, an Italian working class woman who falls in love with wealthy Maurizio Gucci, played by Adam Driver. Patrizia pushes Maurizio to become more involved in his family business, and she shows a real aptitude for the fashion industry. She loves the good life, and her husband, but when he wants a divorce, Patrizia spirals downward and hires hit men to kill him. The movie is a bit of a slow start, but once it picked up the pace and they became involved in the family business it gets more interesting. Word is that Lady Gaga and an unrecognizable Jared Leto may be up for Oscars for their performance. The movie is available for purchase On Demand through your cable system or Apple TV, Google Play, or Amazon Prime Video. 

5) I read two terrific books this week. The first is Will Leitch's mystery How Lucky. Daniel is a 26 year-old man who has SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy), a debilitating disease that leaves him unable to speak or move (other than his left hand) and using a wheelchair. He works monitoring a Twitter account for customer service for a small regional airline, and lives on his own in the college town of Athens, Georgia. His childhood best friend Travis and an immigrant home health aide Marjani help care for him. One day Daniel witnesses a young Chinese student get into a man's car and she disappears. Daniel has to figure out how to get help for the young woman. This book has it all- great characters, a fast-paced story, an interesting setting, a mystery to be solved, and How Lucky is nominated for an Edgar Award for Best Novel. I highly recommend it. 

The second book is also a mystery- Katherine Faulkner's debut novel Greenwich Park. Helen is pregnant and meets Rachel, an intense young woman, in her childbirthing class. Rachel keeps turning up wherever Helen is, insinuating herself in Helen's life. We're left to wonder what Rachel is up to when she moves into Helen's home, and things go missing, like Helen's husband's laptop. There are a lot of characters to keep track of in this gripping story- Helen and her husband, Helen's brother Rory and pregnant sister-in-law Selena, her brother Charlie and Helen's best friend Katie, but Faulkner weaves it all together in an expert manner that will keep the reader guessing just what Rachel's secret is. It has a definite Girl on the Train vibe, and I recommend it. 

Stay safe and warm everyone.

This post was shared with The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader's Weekend Cooking blog posts.

Penis Politics by Karen Hinton

Penis Politics by Karen Hinton

Published bysartoris Literary Group ISBN 9781736211694

Hardcover, $29.95, 252 pages

Karen Hinton's career in politics began in her small Mississippi town of Soso (population 408) as she recounts in her memoir Penis Politics. She grew up a child of the 70s, with a core group of three best girlfriends (called The Coterie).

 When she was 14 years old, her father, a successful commercial contractor with a 8th grade education died, and that devastated her. When she was 16, one of her best friends was raped by their basketball coach, and swore her friends to secrecy. Those two events shaped her life.

One thing I find interesting is how Title IX, the federal law that banned sex discrimination in sports for schools who received federal funding, was a game-changer for so many young women. If schools offered sports for boys teams, there had to be an equal number of sports teams for girls. Many women who went on to do great things did so because they had sports in their lives, Karen included.

Karen went on to college at Ole Miss, which at that time was filled with mostly rich white kids. Karen came from a small, poor community and had a tough time fitting in. The movie All The President's Men inspired her to join the student newspaper where her tenacity and willingness to question authority led her to a bright future.

At the University of Mississippi, Karen met many literary luminaries. Willie Morris was a professor she bcame close to, and he brought in visiting writers like Winston Groom (Forrest Gump), George Plimpton, and William Styron to speak with students. Hinton has a particularly interesting interaction with a very drunk William Styron.

Following college, Hinton got a job at the Jackson Daily News where she climbed the ladder, looking for any interesting story she could sink her teeth into. I found this section of the book the most fascinating. Hinton's doggedness and search for justice intrigued me. It did not, however, intrigue her editors, one of whom killed an important story about the police chief who shot a Black man in the back at a campus protest years earlier. 

Whenever anyone used the word "can't" with Karen- "you can't write that story, you can't run and gun in the game", it only reinforced her determination to prove them wrong.

Hinton became involved in politics as Press Secretary to Mike Espy, the first Black man since Reconstruction to get elected to Congress from Mississippi. From there, she made connections and got to know people like Ron Brown and Mike McCurry. Eventually she ended up as Press Secretary to Andrew Cuomo when he was Secretary of HUD in the Clinton administration.

Her description of Cuomo's demeanor and actions do not differ much from what we have recently learned about him. He fits her definition of "penis politics"- "a man in a position of authority using gender to control and dominate".  

Hinton goes on to work (briefly) as Press Secretary for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who frequently sparred with then Governor Andrew Cuomo. Hinton was caught in the middle, and often blamed by De Blasio for his own missteps. 

"In politics there's a toxic brew of ego, entitlement, power, testosterone and a "bro culture" that is especially difficult for women to navigate", according to Hinton. Her timely book about her experiences in that arena shines a light on that pervasive culture.

My only real criticism is that I felt she spent too much time in the book on her youth and high school life, and she uses explicit sexual graphic language that some may find offensive. I would recommend the book for anyone who likes a memoir about a woman who defied expectations in a tough business. Her story will inspire other young women.

Thanks to TLC Tours for putting me on Karen Hinton's tour.

The Liz Taylor Ring by Brenda Janowitz

The Liz Taylor Ring by Brenda Janowitz

Published by Graydon House ISBN 9781525806476

Trade paperback, $16.99, 384 pages

I always enjoy a good family story with realistic sibling relationships, and Brenda Janowitz's latest novel with the enticing title The Liz Taylor Ring fits that bill perfectly.

When Lizzie falls for her older sister's former boyfriend Ritchie, her parents and sister are not happy. Ritchie doesn't seem to be able to keep a job, yet he always seems to have money. Add on the fact that Lizzie is infatuated with all things Liz Taylor (including her stormy relationship with Richard Burton), and Lizzie feels that it is destiny that she and Ritchie belong together.

We see their courtship and eventual marriage. Their marriage has its ups and some serious downs, including a nine month separation after Ritchie's gambling addiction comes to light in a bad way. Ritchie convinces Lizzie to take him back and gifts her with a huge diamond ring, similiar in style to the ring Richard Burton gave Liz Taylor.

After running through a series of jobs, Ritchie opens an inexpensive clothing shop that becomes successful in part thanks to their eldest child Addy's creative ideas. Eventually the store is being run by Addy's husband Gary and her brother Nathan. Their younger sister Courtney is still trying to get work as an actress, but she has problems of her own.

Following the death of their father, the siblings receive word that their father had a safety deposit box in the Cayman Islands no one knew about. Inside the box was the ring he gave their mother, which they had always believed had been stolen years ago. The three siblings disagree on what to do with the ring- keep it in the family (and who should get to keep it) or sell it and share the profits.

As the oldest sibling, Addy feels she deserves the ring. She has always felt that she doesn't get enough credit for making the store the success that it is. Nathan believes his husband Diego is cheating on him. Courtney has a drinking problem, and she and Addy fall right back into their troubled sibling relationship, with Nathan having to play peacemaker.

The siblings have to deal with the reality of their parents' marriage, their father's addiction, and how that all affected them in adulthood. Brenda Janowitz does a great job with the complicated sibling dynamics, it feels real to anyone who has siblings. She shows how adults fall right back into their old childhood ways with the people who know them best.  

The characters are all so well-drawn, from the siblings to Nathan's husband Diego and Addy's husband Gary to Lizzie and Ritchie to Addy's teenage daughters, I cared about all of them. I highly recommend The Liz Taylor Ring. 

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Winter 2022 Women's Fiction Blog Tour.

My review of Brenda Janowitz's novel, The Grace Kelly Dress is here.

Woman Last Seen by Adele Parks

Woman Last Seen by Adele Parks

Published by MIRA, ISBN 9780778312048

Trade paperback, $16.99, 384 pages

Much like her last novel, Just My Luck, Adele Parks latest novel, Woman Last Seen, has twists and turns that the reader may not see coming, even if she is an experienced domestic suspense novel reader.

Leigh is a young woman who sees a handsome man with his young sons at a park. When the younger son falls off a slide, Leigh rushes to his aid when it appears the father is unable to render help. Leigh accompanies the family to the hospital and soon she and Mark, the father, begin dating.

Flash forward, Leigh and Mark have been married for years, and Leigh is a loving stepmum to the two boys. She works out of town three days a week, returning for four days to care for her family. They have a comfortable, happy family life until the older son, Oli, has become surly and angry with Leigh. Is it just typical teenage behavior or something more?

After Mark and Leigh have a fight, she heads off out of town for work. When she doesn't return on Thursday, and the family can't reach her by phone, they call the police. DCI Clements and her eager partner come to investigate, but get nowhere.

Soon another man, a wealthy Dutch businessman living in London, calls the police to say that his wife Kai has disappeared. DCI Clements handles this case as well, and begins to believe that there may be a connection with Leigh's disappearance, although her boss thinks both women just ran away from their lives, and tells Clements not to waste any more time.

The reader is drawn into this mystery of the two missing women- is there a connection?  Both women have secrets they are keeping from the their husbands- is that the connection? The police usually suspect the husband, did either of these men have anything to do with their missing wives either separately or together?

As the story unfolds, there are several red herrings, and the reader will try and put the pieces together even after a big twist in the middle of the story, and a surprise ending that some may find jarring. If you're a fan of the shows on the ID Channel, or a dedicated Dateline watcher, Woman Last Seen is a page-turner of a novel that you will find irresistable. (Note- contains graphic sex scenes and explicit language.)

Thanks to Harlequin Books for putting me on their Winter 2022 Winter Reads  Blog Tour.

Friday 5ive- January 28, 2022

Welcome to the Friday 5ive, a weekly post featuring five things that caught my attention this week. We're preparing for a Nor'easter storm here in NYC, we'll see if we get one inch of snow or 8-12 inches of snow. Either way, we have enough wine and books in our apartment to survive.

1)  Everyone is playing the new Internet game sensation Wordle, and so I gave it a try this week. Once a day, a new puzzle is released. You get six chances to guess the 5 letter word of the day (you can only play once a day, which I like). I've only been doing it for four days, and each day I got the word in four tries- until today, I needed all six tries to get the word. You start by guessing a random five-letter word. If a letter is in the correct place, the tile turns green. If the letter is in the word but in the wrong place, the tile turns yellow. If the letter is not in the word at all, the tile turns black. It's a lot of fun and it really makes you use your brain power. You can play or get more information here. This is my Wordle from the other day.

2)  I saw this ad from McDonald's for their new "off the menu" items, specialty items you can ask for that aren't featured on their regular menu. When I saw their Surf 'n Turf- which appears to be a Big Mac with a Filet O' Fish stacked inside- I thought it was a joke. I'm guessing perhaps it was created by someone who had the munchies after smoking something. 

3)  I joined in on two terrific online book events on Wednesday evening. The first was Buzz Books Editors Panel, presented by Publishers Lunch and the American Booksellers Association. Six editors each presented a book they were excited about in a short conversation with the authors. The Buzz Books Editors Panel was always one of my favorite events at the late, lamented Book Expo, and I really like the new addition of hearing from the authors as well. I'm most excited to read Robin Peguero's debut legal thriller With Prejudice from Grand Central Publishing (publishing May 17th) and Take My Hand, a historical fiction from Dolen Perkins-Valdez (publishing April 12th from Berkley).

The second event was William Morrow's Summer Fiction Showcase. Tavia from William Morrow was our delightful host as authors from six novels publishing this summer introduced their books in taped pieces. Interspersed in the event were short messages from popular authors- Christopher Moore, Paul Tremblay, Susan Wiggs and more- who gave us a quick peek at their upcoming books. It was so well done and moved so quickly, they covered a lot of books in a short time. The ones I am most intrigued by are Shirlene Obuobi's On Rotation, (publishing June 21st) a novel about a Black female medical resident in Chicago, and Kirsten Miller's The Change, (publishing May 3rd) a "feel-good feminist revenge fantasy". You can watch the presentation on William Morrow's Crowdcast channel here. My To-Be-Read list expanded exponentially this week.

4)  We watched the first part of season four of Ozark, all seven episodes over the weekend. Things are winding down for the Byrde family, and not in a good way. It's reminding me more and more of Breaking Bad, as these people are in way over their head, and the tension is racheting up moment by moment. I find it interesting that the women are leading the way- Wendy Byrde is very scary, her daughter Charlotte is becoming a mini-version of Mom, Wendy's archenemy Darlene Snell is seriously unhinged, FBI Agent Maya Miller is walking a dangerous line, and Ruth, oh dear, Ruth, what will happen to you? We can't wait for the second part of season four, the end of the story (or do we already know the end???) 

5)  I read three good and very different books this week. My favorite was Steven Rowley's novel 

The Guncle, a sweet story about Patrick, a gay man who opens up his home to his young niece and nephew for the summer after their mother (his best friend from college) dies and their father (his brother) has to go to rehab. Patrick made his fortune as an actor on a hit TV sitcom, and left LA for Palm Springs once the show was over, leaving acting behind. I absolutely loved the characters and the relationship between the children and Patrick.  (His Guncle Rules are delightful.) This book made me smile as I read it, and you can actually feel your heart opening up to bring these characters inside. I hope this becomes a movie, because I heard Dan Levy's voice (Schitt's Creek) as Patrick as I was reading. He would be perfect! This is a truly feel-good book, albeit tinged with some sadness. Kind of like life, right? 

I read a thriller by Adele Parks titled Woman Last Seen. Leigh is married to Mark and stepmum to his two sons. The older son has become surly and angry with her, and Leigh doesn't know why. It hurts her that Mark doesn't defend her to his son. When Leigh fails to return home from work, Mark contacts the police. At the same time, a woman named Kai, who is married to a wealthy Dutch businessman, goes missing as well. DCI Clements is investigating the women's disappearance, which she believes may be connected even if her boss thinks both women are runaways. This book has a huge twist in the middle that shakes up the whole story. My full review publishes on Sunday. 

The third book I read was Brenda Janowitz's fascinating family story The Liz Taylor Ring. When a young Lizzie marries her sister's former boyfriend Ritchie (against her parents' better judgement), they have their ups and downs, and Ritchie doesn't seem to be able to keep a job. When Lizzie and Ritchie separate and reunite after nine months, Ritchie gifts Lizzie with a huge diamond ring like the one Richard Burton gave Liz Taylor after their separation. The ring resurfaces after the death of Ritchie many years later and that causes their three children- Addy, Nathan and Courtney- to fight over what to do with the ring. This is a wonderful family story, a love story between Lizzie and Ritchie, and there is much here that people will be able to relate to- sibling relationships, parental loss, and issues of addiction. My full review publishes Monday. 

 

Stay safe and warm everyone.

Three New Books to Dip In and Out Of

Reprinted from auburnpub.com:

One of the side effects of being cooped up inside for so long is that our attention spans have shrunk. After binge-watching episode after episode of the latest Netflix craze, we need a break. When it comes to reading, the thought of tackling a big novel or doorstopper of a biography can be too daunting. This month’s Book Report has three suggestions for books you can dip into and out of to give your self a break.

Todd Doughty’s book Little Pieces of Hope had its origins on March 11, 2020 when he began to make a list of “happy-making things in a difficult world” and posted the list with a photo on his Instagram account (@todddoughty). That was the day the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic. 

The post became the basis for his book. Most of his lists are a single page, so this makes it the perfect book to just grab when you have a few minutes and want something to bring a smile to your face as you recognize things that brought you joy as a youngster or give you hope today. 

He lists things like “Staying up late and hearing “Live From New York, it’s Saturday Night!”, “A day at the state fair”,  and “Ripping open the presents” that evoke a visceral memory for so many of us. He has pages titled “Bucket-List Suggestions” (seeing a Red Sox- Yankees game at Fenway), “Things You Might Consider Doing Today” (make Ina Garten’s weeknight Bolognese), and “That Moment in Life When You” (realized your parents are people too). 

There are many things in this delightful book to make you think, make you smile, make you nostalgic. Sometimes it’s just one word- “Kevin!” (from the movie Home Alone), or his Mixtape pages of songs that will have you rushing to make a Spotify playlist to dance to that bring you happiness. I particularly like his lists of characters from my favorite TV shows of yore, or books I Ioved. His name-checking of famous paintings and photographs had me Googling them to take a look. 

Little Pieces of Hope is the kind of book you’ll want to take a highlighter to so you can refer back to your favorite sections, or call your siblings or best friends to ask them if they remember this or that. It will bring a smile to your face and earn a permanent place on your favorites bookshelf.

Ann Patchett’s book of essays These Precious Days compiles some of her best pieces of nonfiction writing where she asked herself “what mattered most in this precarious and precious life.” The first essay, “Three Fathers” is a beautiful homage to the men her mother married, including her own father, and recalls what each brought to her life. She shares a lovely photo of her with the men at a family wedding in 2005, shortly before she began to lose them. 

In “Flight Plan”, Ann relays her doctor-husband’s love of piloting his plane, and how even though she worries when he takes off, she knows how much joy it brings to his life. The title essay, “These Precious Days” is the best of the book. Ann met Tom Hanks’ assistant Sooki at an event and was drawn to her right away. 

Sooki had a serious illness, and one of the medical trials for her condition was taking place in Nashville, where Ann lived. Ann’s husband was able to get Sooki into the trial, and Ann insisted Sooki stay with them during the trial. Shortly after Sooki arrived the pandemic hit, and she ended up staying with Ann for much longer than expected. Sooki staying with Ann and her husband changed their lives, and this essay is one of the most moving I have ever read.

Crime fiction writer Laura Lippman’s short story collection Seasonal Work is filled with unforgettable characters, mostly girls and young women. “Seasonal Work” is the first and strongest story, about a family whose van filled with their Christmas gifts is robbed on Christmas Eve. “Snowflake Time” is a sly story about “the woke culture” and how it affects a television news personality. People spying on others is a theme- a woman thinks her neighbor is up to no good, a wife finds her husband’s secret burner phone- and it doesn’t always end well. Even though you can read one story at a time, I admit I devoured this delectable collection in one day. 

Little Pieces of Hope by Todd Doughty- A 

Published by Penguin Life

Trade paperback, $16, 245 pages

These Precious Days by Ann Patchett- A

Published by Harper

Hardcover, $26.99, 336 pages

Seasonal Work by Laura Lippman- A

Published by William Morrow

Hardcover, $26.99, 336 pages

Friday 5ive- January 21, 2022

Welcome to the Friday 5ive, a weekly-ish blog post featuring five things that caught my attention this week. It's been a cold week here in NYC, and the weekend is supposed to be even colder. It's a good time to stay inside and read.

1) Last week we were in Florida, where the weather was warm and sunny. I spent one perfect day at the beach, not too hot, no breeze, just sun and sand. 

2) I've been trying to cook more now, and I pinned some recipes from The Washington Post 's Top Ten Most Popular Recipes from 2021. I made Aaron Hutcherson's Baked Chicken Thighs with Butter and Onions, and it was hit. Next up is the Leslie Brenner's Classic Ragu Bolognese. They all look really great.

I also made Katie Lee Beigel's Banana Cake after I saw an episode of The Kitchen on the Food Network. If you ever thought "You know what would make this banana bread better? Cream cheese frosting", then this recipe is for you. My husband loved it.

3) There's a new type of 15 minute grocery delivery service in New York City. They have small store fronts filled with things like diapers, water, fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, poptarts- lots of stuff. You place an order on an app, and within 15 minutes (or so), your order is delivered. I passed by Fridge No More in my neighborhood and I am curious. It's great if you're home and need something quick for a recipe or you're not feeling well and don't want to go out. There's no minimum order, and the prices seem pretty reasonable compared to the grocery stores. I haven't tried it yet, but I may just to see if it works.

4) One of my favorite books is JR Moehringer's memoir, The Tender Bar, it's always on my Staff Recommends shelf at the Book Cellar. I've been waiting for the movie based on the book to hit Amazon Prime Video, and we watched it this week. George Clooney directs the movie, with Ben Affleck playing Uncle Charlie to JR, who is played by Daniel Ranieri (as a young boy), and Tye Sheridan (as a young man) All of them are very good. JR is being raised by his single mom, played beautifully by Lily Rabe. They moved back in with her parents, brother (Affleck), and various other siblings and nieces and nephews who seem to come and go depending on circumstances. It's a lovely movie about family, and having a mom who believes in you. I adored the 70's music, I hope I can find the soundtrack. You can watch the trailer here.

5) I read a fabulous book this week.  Adriana Trigiani's upcoming novel, The Good Left Undone is an epic, sweeping story about a family of artisans in Tuscany, Italy. The Cabrelli family has been creating and selling beautiful jewelry for generations, and now Matelda, the elderly matriarch, is reflecting on her life as her 25 year-old granddaughter Anina is questioning the choices she has made in her own life. The story is told in present day and in the days leading up to WWII where Domenica is a young nurse who runs afoul of the local parish priest and is sent away from her family to Marseille, France to work with nuns in a hospital. She meets handsome Scottish sea merchant captain John McVicars there and quickly falls in love. 

As war approaches France, Domenica is sent to Scotland, and then Liverpool, England, where Italians are sent to an internment camp because the British government feels they can't be trusted, as Mussolini has aligned Italy with the Nazis. Trigiani once again gives us a fantastic generational family story, and layers in a historical lesson that many of us did not know- Italians (many whom had lived in England and Scotland for years) were rounded up and imprisoned based solely on their heritage. (Susan Elia MacNeal's The King's Justice dealt with this topic as well.) This is similar to what the United States did to people of Japanese descent after Pearl Harbor.

One of the best things about reading an Adriana Trigiani novel is that it is a treat for all of your senses.You can hear the tents snapping in the wind at Carnevale, smell apple strudel baking, taste the delicious cherry cake (I would love that recipe!), and see in your mind's eye the beautifully crafted jewelry "glistening like ribbon candy" in its case. 

As someone who grew up attending Catholic school, I appreciated the nuns in the story. The care they provided as nurses to their charges, the kindness they showed to Domenica, the strength they exhibit, these are the women I grew up knowing. One of my favorite scenes occurs when Anina and her fiancé go to their parish priest for advice. The priest is a wise man, who listens to their concerns and relates his best advice- "Forgive.Forget.Repeat."

At a time when we have all missed seeing our family- parents, grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles- falling into this big, beautiful book about, as Matelda says, how "a family is only as strong as its stories" will encourage us to share our own family's stories with each other. And as Father Fracassi says, we must "reflect on the past, (and) make peace with it. You cannot control the evil done to you. You cannot turn back and right the good left undone." There is so much to ponder in The Good Left Undone, it's the kind of book that once you turn the last page, you want to immediately begin to reread it. I give it my highest recommendation. It publishes in April, preorder it today from your favorite bookseller.

I hope you all stay safe and healthy and warm.