A Pair of Aces by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray

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What an unlikely pair to team up to bring down the notorious mob boss, “Lucky” Luciano! First meet Eunice Carter, the first Black woman to serve as a Manhattan’s prosecutor and who was chosen to be on the DA’s team to eliminate the tyranny of the mob in the 1920’s and 1930’s. While she was at first generally ignored and pushed aside, her out-of-the-box thinking and utter ingenuity was the ultimate key to permeating the cracks in the mob’s defense. But she could not do this alone. She was smart enough to enlist the assistance of the most famous madame in Manhattan: Polly Adler. Polly, who came to NY, alone, as a twelve year old Russian Jewish immigrant and worked her way up after much trauma and determination, provided the ultimate material to be used in the trial. This story is the fictionalized version of their dramatic and dangerous teamwork.

Reflecting the teamwork of the actual story was the teamwork required to write this novel. The two authors wrote seamlessly to depict the strain and the challenges of each woman and her role in being caught up in this legal morass. We learn of the toll the investigation and trial took on Eunice’s marriage and family life, as she risked both physical and emotional danger. We also learn of Polly’s determination not to be engulfed by the mob’s plan to centralize all prostitution in the city, primarily because of the toll it would take on the women she was determined to protect.

I also love this narrative, as it demonstrates how we are stronger together. While both women had challenging lives in different ways, and both experienced prejudice and malice and mistreatment, and lived in entirely different worlds, they were able to come to understand each other’s challenges, grief, and resentments. They were able to put aside their differences to come together, to work together and to trust each other in order to accomplish a shared goal. This is a lesson for us all, I believe.

This is a dramatic story – based in actual history – that was meant to be told. I cannot think of two more capable women to do this telling!

Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict

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Luckily for Clementine Hozier, who came from modest means but had distinguished herself with her grace and wit, her benefactress was well-connected. At a fortuitous gathering of important guests, Clementine was seated next to the quirky but brilliant bachelor, Winston Churchill. And while Clementine had been engaged before, she never met anyone quite like this man; primarily because rather than being threatened by her intelligence and drive, he was enamored of both. She immediately became his confidant as well as his advisor, and of course, his wife. As she observed many of her peers being shunted into more traditional roles, she was always by his side, guiding him, calming him, and paving the way for him to succeed, even when he didn’t realize she was doing so.

This well-researched novel by Marie Benedict demonstrates how important women were during both world wars. While most history books highlight the men who brokered the strategies and ultimately the treaties, few reveal the role of the women working either alongside them or keeping the countries afloat when the men left for battle. Not only did Clementine Churchill ease the way for Winston to do what he did best, calming those who reacted to his brusque manner, but she also created opportunities for women to support the war efforts, both on the front and behind the scenes. She worked to pave the way for women to expand their possibilities.

We also see what foresight Churchill had about the threat of war and the dangers of certain allies. When no one was paying attention, he noticed the illegal build-up of the German army by Hitler and his Brownshirts. When no one was wary of Russia’s motives in forming an alliance with the US, he maintained his suspicions of their ultimate goal of taking over more territories. He was prescient and wise even when no one was listening.

There is a lot to learn from this novel. There were moments when it became a bit bogged down in the details, a bit repetitive. It was not Benedict’s most suspenseful novel. But it was definitely educational and I am happy I read it.

Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker

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When Don and Mimi Galvin started out, they believed they’d have a family like any other. While Don began his career in the Air Force and continued to be involved in government in an advisory role, Mimi took to her role as matriarch and could not be convinced, even at risk to her health, to not continue to have more babies. Even when she had to have noticed that her two older sons were constantly in conflict, that the younger ones were often casualties in these conflicts, her denial about their situation was stronger than her will to continue until she had given birth to ten sons and two daughters. Tragically, what was more unusual about this family was that six of the ten sons would go on to develop severe mental illness, most characterized as schizophrenia. The trauma that each family member experienced because of this was unspeakable, but was also a source of important medical information that would inform the small advances in the study of this devastating disease.

This non-fiction story provides a fascinating peek into a family plagued by mental illness in an order of magnitude that, to my mind, is incomprehensible. We are given an inside perspective not only on how an individual with schizophrenia suffers, but also how deeply those around these souls suffer as well. And while we learn of the onset and progression of each of the sons with the condition, we are also given the historical perspective on the attitudes toward and the treatment of this disease; one that has seen some progress but not nearly as much as one would hope for given all the time that has passed since this family (and so many others) have been studied. And we see how often the treatments are almost as harmful to these patients as the disease itself.

The writing here is quite good. In telling the story of this complicated family, there are many anecdotes that engage the reader and create an almost novel-like vibe to the book. Many times there are direct quotes from the family, as they have been interviewed extensively about their experiences. But there is also quite a bit of science, explained and simplified – but never dumbed down – to make it accessible to the common reader.

I believe this is an important read; one that explains the horror and the mystery around this complex and devastating disease. We all have a connection to those with mental health issues and I believe it is our duty to try to understand them, to become as knowledgable about them as we can, and to have compassion for those who suffer the most from having or living with those who have them.

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

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Natalie has created a perfect life – or at least this is what is projected on her viral Instagram presence. She is living off the fruit of the land, on a farm in Idaho with her beautiful husband and their many beautiful children, the two of them just living the simple all-American, Christian life. What is off-camera, is her large staff, those who are actually raising her children, homeschooling them, working the farm, and doing the work she is only pictured doing. One shocking day, Natalie wakes up and finds herself on a homestead that appears to be her home. It looks like her farm, but it is without any of the comforts she’s grown accustomed to – more like the farm that would have been present in the 19th century. Even the children are different. Where did her life go? As we hear from the Natalie in current times vs the one who finds herself back in time, we slowly learn how she came to be the person she is. And it’s not pretty…

This is an incredibly creative, sardonic commentary on social media – its influencers and bots and the falsehoods we come to believe. I am inclined to say that this is an extreme example, but I’m not even sure that is true. Natalie embodies the ultimate influencer: she has researched what folks become addicted to and finds her way to employ and monetize it. But she does this at the expense of losing her real life: she misses important moments with her children (except for those that are filmed), she misses moments for herself, and she misses finding a partner in life she actually loves and respects. Her whole life is a show, a photo op, a performance – but none of it is real. And the ones who suffer for it are everyone around her, but particularly her children.

I love the irony created when her husband, Caleb, becomes entrenched in absurd conspiracy theories on his social media sites. Natalie believes he is an idiot for believing any of it even while she is creating content that is similarly misleading. And all of it, Natalie’s and Caleb’s, is in the name of celebrating White, Christian values and preparing for the “big civil war” that is inevitable – even while this hate and this venom eats away at both of them from the inside.

I think this novel is thought-provoking, clever, and innovative – and has a powerful, cautionary message. I can see why it has become so popular and is on so many recommended lists.

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

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Ronnie can’t believe his luck. After waiting for Lindsay for hours in the town square, she’s finally come to join him. Even better, she has asked him to join her in a bit of a prank. You see, Lula Dean, nobody’s favorite, self-righteous snoop in the town, has set up a little box of “free” library books in front of her home. While she had led a crusade against “dangerous” books being available in the schools and the library of their small, Georgian town, she has decided to establish a more “appropriate library” for the townspeople to use. Unbeknownst to Lula, however, Lindsay has what she feels might be a creative solution to the problem of Lula’s book banning. However, she has no idea what she might have unleashed on the town from this little prank…

What starts off as vignettes about the various characters who borrow the books Lula has left out in her library evolves into a more connected, linear story about a Southern town afflicted by its sordid past. The town has celebrated, with a huge statue in its town square, its deep roots in the enslavement of Black folks and in the extremist groups fostered there. Some of the characters here feel threatened by any sort of change, any progression toward inclusiveness; on the other hand, there are many who seek to move on from their history, to do better. The message here is clear: those who read, open their minds, and learn about others, become more empathetic to the plight of those who have been marginalized for whatever reason.

This is a clever novel, with amusing characters as well as a surprisingly complex plot. My only complaint is that the ending is, once again, a bit too neat. Perhaps it is the hope of the author that by reading this book, one will open their minds and learn that doing so will lead to happy endings. A sweet message if perhaps a bit naive. (I may just be cynical, given our world right now, though.)

When We See You Again by Rachel Goldberg-Polin

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Late on October 6, 2023, after having Shabbat dinner with his family, Hersh Goldberg-Polin traveled south to join his friends at a festival celebrating love, light, music and dance. Little did anyone in their family suspect that this would be their last Shabbat dinner, their last hug goodbye, their last anything. Because early the following morning, Hersh would experience an invasion of radical Islamic terrorists whose mission was to kill, maim, rape, burn and capture as many Jewish victims as possible, including Hersh himself. Attempting to hide, Hersh sought refuge in a bomb shelter with many others, until the terrorists threw in the grenade that would blow off his dominant left hand. He would then be taken into captivity, starved, tortured, and kept in subterranean tunnels for hundreds of days before being shot and killed at close range by these terrorists.

Immediately on hearing of his being taken captive, his family sprung into action, meeting with anyone and everyone to try to advocate for Hersh’s release. Even in their fog of unimaginable pain from loss and terror for his welfare, they traveled the world, spoke both publicly and privately, trying anything to gain the assistance of anyone who might be able to get Hersh released. What this did to his mother, Rachel, is laid out here in all its pure, raw, raging agony.

I believe it is incumbent upon all of us to bear witness, through these poetic, philosophical, and agonizing words of Rachel Goldberg-Polin, to what happened on October 7, 2023. Because it has affected not just her but thousands of others all over the world. Because it affected Jews, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and Hindus. Because it affected people from Israel, Germany, Thailand, the US, Russia, and the UK. Because it was a demonstration of evil so public and so brazen that it changed the world. And because we are obligated to know, to comprehend the atrocities that occurred on that day as it affected individuals in order to understand the impact it has had on a global scale.

This is not just a MUST READ, but an obligatory one.

When We Left Cuba by Chanel Cleeton

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Beatriz has been waiting… stewing actually. She has had to flee the home she adored, has been mourning the untimely death of her twin brother, and has been trying to see a way to extracting revenge for all of it. While her sisters have taken to the society life in Palm Beach, Florida – albeit at a lower social situation than they were used to – Beatriz has held fast to the belief that she’d return to Havana, that Fidel Castro will be ousted, and that they will see Cuba return to better days. When she meets a tall, broad-shouldered, extremely handsome stranger at the ball she’s been made to attend, she is shocked by how he so quickly rocks her world. At the same time, she struggles to remain firm in her desire to pursue justice for her brother and for Cuba.

This is a beautifully written historical fiction novel that enlightened me about this piece of history about which I admittedly knew too little. Written by the author of Next Year in Havana (which I’ve not yet read. I know, I’m going in the wrong order!), this book centers on the aftermath of the revolution that Fidel Castro led, focusing on those who fled mainly to Florida. We are given a close, personal experience of what it was like to live through the Bay of Pigs with family who were affected, followed of course by the Cuban Missile Crisis. We learn of the subterfuge, the Communist agenda, and the complicated spy network that Castro spun in order to hold onto power, and we come to understand why there was suspicion of Castro’s involvement in President Kennedy’s assassination. I certainly knew bits and pieces of this history, but learning about it from the Cuban perspective is extremely helpful.

I am also enamored by Beatriz’s character. She is staunchly independent, resists the comforts she might have felt entitled to, even risks her life in order to do what she feels is right. Particularly for the time she in which she is living and the family she grew up in, she is unusual and admirable.

I highly recommend this book. It’s exactly what I love about historical fiction: the opportunity to learn important pieces of our past but in the most entertaining way.

For the Love of Labor: The Life of Pauline Newman by Cathryn J. Prince

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Born in the Jewish section of a small town in Lithuania in the late 1800’s, Pauline Newman spent her early years in a small but tidy house with her mother, father, and brothers and sisters. Although only a child, she already felt the frustration of being a girl in a world built for men. The boys were allowed to go to school while she was not; the boys were allowed more freedoms, while she was tasked with helping her mother with the housework. When her beloved father (who in fact did sneak her into the school while he taught the young boys) passed away, her mother suspected she’d be safer and have more opportunity as a single mother with children in America. Unfortunately, thousands of Jewish immigrants had the same idea, and opportunities were scarce. Because of the urgent need for a way to support themselves, Pauline was sent to find a job so that she could help contribute to the family, despite her very young age. It was there that she was exposed to the unimaginable work conditions in the sweatshops, there where her ideas on organizing and bargaining for improvements took root. These ideas would galvanize her to making improving life for workers – particularly women workers – her life’s work.

This non-fiction book reads like a novel, telling the true story of an American heroine. Before she was even through her middle teens, Pauline Newman established herself as a force to be reckoned with. Never one to shy away from conflict, her ability to speak and write despite her lack of formal education enabled her to organize women around the issues of the day: namely, the unsanitary, unsafe working conditions that she and so many other women and children endured while working in the sweatshops of the Lower East Side, including the notorious Triangle Shirtwaist Factory. Knowing that their only hope was collective bargaining, she organized groups to strike and bargain from the strength of unions. Little by little, she made headway, working with various organizations and writing for various publications.

Too often non-fiction can be laborious, but I found the writing in this book to be incredibly accessible and readable. I particularly enjoyed the more personal sections, those that focused on Newman’s private life. While often lonely and frustrated, Newman did manage to find love, albeit in someone who, because of their differences, broke her heart in some ways.

I cannot imagine the hours of research that went into this book – but the final product is a gift to those of us willing to read it. It is quite an American, real-life drama! (If you’re interested, you can find it at https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=c049552.)

Code Name Helene by Ariel Lawhon

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The dual timeline here:

1944: Helene (aka Nancy) finds herself being flown back into France, under the cover of night. From the get-go, she learns that the “rules” don’t count here on the ground and survival is what is of the utmost importance. That and arming, feeding, clothing, and paying the Resistance fighters she is here to safeguard.

1936: Nancy Wake her younger self, one who has boldly talked her way into a job as a journalist (no formal training), one of her first interviews having been with a then little-known, arrogant and aloof politician named Adolf Hitler. Soon after, we are with her as she bears witness to the evil work of his disciples, torturing Jews in a characteristic gruesome fashion in a public square in Vienna. She is immediately spurred on to do something, anything, to fight against this evil force. At the same time, she also attracts the gaze of one of France’s elite and most eligible young men. So as Europe gears up for war, Nancy is falling in love.

This is another magnificent work of historical fiction from the author of The Frozen River (reviewed here relatively recently). We follow larger-than-life Nancy Wake, an Australian national who lived in Paris before the war, just long enough to be tutored by her best friend in the language, the look, and the poise of the French. But Nancy’s accomplishments were all her own. She proved herself in the early days of the occupation by the Nazis, enough to be noticed by the right men in the right positions. Most impressive was the fact that Nancy was able to garner the respect, loyalty, and support of the thousands of men she led in their unofficial battalions of the French Resistance. It was a testament to her courage, bravado, and willingness to put herself in harm’s way for those fighting for justice.

This is most definitely a MUST READ, not only because it is an utterly addictive novel, replete with emotion and suspense, but because it is our duty to honor individuals (and particulary women, who are so often ignored in war stories) who fought so bravely for justice, civility, and democracy.

A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles

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I rarely reread novels because generally I feel there is so little time and so many books – but this one is an exception. I have already reviewed this novel previously (please search my former review), and I stand by my initial recommendation as a MUST READ.

There are few novels written with such insight, such kindness, and such a generous outlook on the foibles of mankind as this one. The character embodied in the Count is utterly endearing, for his humility, his wisdom, and his humor. While he has been accustomed to wealth and opportunity, he also, shaped as we learn by his grandmother, has a deep appreciation for everyone, no matter their station in life, no matter their role. And so, even as he is sentenced to house arrest (albeit in the nicest hotel in Moscow), he befriends most of the staff, the guests, and even finds a helpful role for himself so that he may be productive. Still we see his most tender aspect as we observe his interactions with the children he befriends and cares for. He treats even then with the utmost respect – and earns theirs in return (along with most others’ as well).

We can all learn so much from his character – and from this incredible novel that I might just read again at some point!

It remains one of my all-time favorites!