A Town With Half the Lights On by Page Getz

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Sid Solvang does not want to discuss why he has come from Brooklyn, New York to the tiny town of Goodnight, Kansas with his wife and daughter. He just knows he must find some way to make enough money to get them back to Brooklyn, and the sooner the better. It just cannot be anything involving a kitchen or cooking – he is done with all of that. Certainly, the locals would be more than happy to see these “outsiders” leave as well. His wife, Scarlet, has been selling off what she can find in the ancient Victorian house and barns she inherited from her recently deceased father, but that will only go so far. However, when the rundown diner, the central gathering place of the town is up for sale, Sid can’t help but think they might be able to help the town by rescuing the diner. Once they begin to get to know their clientele, and the folks get to know him, at least some of them begin to understand that kindness can break down many barriers.

Not only is the plot of this story original, but the telling of this story, exclusively via emails, journal entries, and newspaper articles is unique as well. The writing, with its acerbic wit and gritty imagery, is fantastic. The characters are ornery and angry, and yet warm and sincere, and they will inevitably work their way into your heart. We come to love the wild friend of Sid’s daughter, Disco, known for her glitter, her blue guitar, and her love of country music. While she is ostracized by all of her peers, she has a heart of gold and is the only one who welcomes Sid’s daughter Harlem to the town. I also love the hardened waitress of the diner who keeps everyone in line but has a soft spot for anyone who is kind (including Sid).

While there is some predictability, there are also many surprises. And the beauty of each of the characters wins out over all. You will laugh out loud, choke up, and root for the town in a way that will likely surprise you.

A wonderful read! Very highly recommend this one!

The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Addie Baum has been asked by her granddaughter to relay her life story, and, as this is her favorite granddaughter (Shhh! It’s their secret!), she of course complies. She begins her tale with the story of her own parents as they immigrate from Russia, bringing with them trauma that continues to hangs over them and their children. In searching for an outlet from this stressful home life, Addie finds her way to the Saturday Club, a weekly gathering of young girls of varying backgrounds and cultures. When they head out for a weeklong escape to Rockport, MA, Addie sneaks out of her home to join them, and forms friendships that last her lifetime.

What I love most about this tender and heartfelt story is the voice through which it is told. Between the expressions and the phrasing, I can literally hear my own Jewish grandmothers speaking the words written here. The way Addie expresses her love for her granddaughter, the way she excuses herself when she feels she’s behaved, perhaps, unexpectedly, or when she speaks of something she feels guilt for – it all rings so sweetly familiar.

But it’s also a common, generalizable, second generation experience. Addie feels a constant tension between respecting and seeking the approval from her mother, in particular, and needing to reach outside the family for love, guidance, and a way to find her true self. She carries her mother’s trauma because her mother can’t let it go and she simultaneously cannot live with it because it is toxic. Fortunately for Addie, she does find both mentors and friends who she can rely on for safety, advice, and sheer reason, and she learns to navigate through life, utilizing these connections to help herself and to help others.

It’s a truly lovely story. Highly recommend this one!

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Meddie feels a bit like she’s lost herself. She knows when she was in college, she was her truest self, at her most independent. There, free of her “Ma” and her aunties, she was able to speak up for herself, to pursue love, and explore her passions. But somehow, on moving home, her drive and ambition became swallowed up in the dynamic of her mother and her aunties. So much so that when her mother poses as Meddie on a dating app, she actually goes along with it and goes to meet the guy. Big mistake, as it turns out… and one that leads to another, and another and another…

This is an outrageous, madcap romcom that is just pure fun. Once you are able to suspend disbelief and just go with the absurdity, you will not be able to resist the humor, warmth and the joy here. The characters are kind, the plot is dizzying, and there is a chuckle on every page.

I love that Meddie is repeatedly torn between being annoyed by her interfering aunties and being just bowled over by their loyalty and love. We cannot miss how they, for all their hilarious quirks, misguided actions, and internal feuding, are also eternally devoted to each other. I suspect many of you will be able to relate to this, no matter your background, your culture. I think parental/family guilt is often an expression of love, part of what makes the world go round in so many cultures. If we don’t laugh at it, we are doomed to over-pathologize it. And then we miss out on that love that is likely underlying it.

If you’re looking for an escape – and who isn’t right now??? – this is your answer! Enjoy!

Paris for One by Jojo Moyes

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

This compendium of short stories, including a short novella, Paris for One, is a delightful collection of stories about love: discarded and reborn, withered and blossoming. In the story Paris for One, we find Nell as she is poised for her romantic weekend with Pete, her boyfriend whom she’s convinced to join her for her first impulsive move ever: a weekend away in Paris. Not surprising to anyone who cares about Nell, Pete doesn’t show up to the airport and Nell finds herself alone in a city where she knows no one and doesn’t speak the language. Nell surprises especially herself when she, in fact, makes the very best of it! And in each story, there are similar, fun twists that will keep you guessing and turning every page.

My favorite story is the one called Between the Tweets. It is short, hilarious, and fully unexpected. It is, in my opinion, an example of the perfect short story!

While it is certainly a mix, and some stories are better than others, this is a wholly entertaining, satisfying book of short stories. [Of note, there is one that is the seed for a novel that I’ve actually written about here in this blog… but I’m not going to give away which one!]

If you’re into love stories, and/or short stories, this is for you!

Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

At the tail end of a vacation from the Argentinian boarding school where he is teaching English to high school students, Tom Michell is walking on a beach in Uruguay and has stumbled upon a hideous scene: hundreds of penguins lying dead, washed ashore, having been essentially suffocated by an oil spill. Rather than immediately recoiling and turning away, Michell feels drawn to witnessing further this terrible crime, and further surveys the devastation. As he looks around at all these carcasses, he notices in the corner of his eye a brief movement – just one out of all of these many, many poor birds begins to move and lift its head. After running back to his hotel to grab a bag and other equipment (what does one use to rescue a penguin???), he runs back to the spot where he had seen the surviving bird and mangles him into the bag and somehow gets him back to his hotel. Once the penguin sees that this human is not out to hurt him but is actually trying to help get him cleaned of the residual oil and tar that has clung to his feathers, the penguin suddenly becomes docile and friendly. And so begins an unlikely and beautiful friendship.

This memoir is just utterly delightful. I have not yet seen the movie, which I know was released a few months ago, but the book is pure joy. The story of how Michell brings the penguin, ultimately named Juan Salvado (or Salvador), over the border to Argentina, is both charming and outrageous. His acceptance by everyone around him on campus highlights both the generosity of spirit of those who are at the school and the personality of the bird himself. And what the bird brings to both the children and the adults around him is so beautiful to witness, even vicariously. While the bird requires work to keep him, it is clear that everyone who helps care for him absolutely benefits so much from the honor. And there is so much to learn from this.

There have been a number of stories here in this blog that have highlighted the relationship between people and their pets/animal friends – but this one, I believe, takes it to the next level. The fact that the care of Juan Salvado became such a communal effort was of such deep psychological benefit to both the penguin – who demonstrated joy at every human interaction – but also to those who visited him, fed him, washed him, and cleaned his terrace. Anyone who came to see him literally spoke to him as if he were human, confiding in him, even asking advice. It is not a reach to say that we clearly benefit so much from our fellow creatures, and that we must care for both them and the world they inhabit.

This is a beautiful story throughout. Michell has given us a gift, sharing his experiences with Juan Salvado.

Monogamy by Sue Miller

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

After her first marriage that was over almost before it started, Annie is surprised when she meets Graham, who is so gleeful, so larger than life in every way. She can not help but be taken in by his joy, his thirst for life, friendship and love. At the same time, she fears being swallowed up somehow by this enormous personality, and she clings to her own pursuits, her photography, her tiny bits of independence, even as she struggles to find success. When tragedy hits, she realizes that in spite of her efforts, she’s relinquished more than she’d realized, or perhaps just less than Graham was willing to.

I found that this was one of those books that upon completing I wondered, ‘well, what was the point of that one?’

Yes, it is clearly a contemplation on the worthiness of the institution of marriage, of vowing to be with one person for all of one’s life. It calls into question whether it is for everyone – and it may just not be. It also raises the issue of trust; of the understanding that one has agreed to this arrangement and if there is a break in that bond, that it will be handled with honesty and respect. When this doesn’t happen, when there are different expectations on either side, it can break hearts into pieces. Sometimes irrevocably.

But this is stating the obvious. And the obvious is what we see happen in both Annie and Frieda (Graham’s first wife with whom he stays uncomfortably close). And we see this happen in exquisite (and almost painful) detail. The problem is that beyond this, and of course the one major event, almost nothing else actually happens in the story. Truly. Not much of anything else. (One might consider renaming the title Monotony…)

Quite disappointing. And yes, NOT a must read…

Three by Valerie Perrin

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Nina, Etienne, and Adrien can barely remember a time when they were not inseparable, when Nina was not in the middle, Etienne was to her right, Adrien to her left. While they each have their respective family challenges – Nina being raised by her grandfather, Adrien being raised by his single mom, and Adrienne never feeling approval from his father – they promise to always be there for each other. As they grow into their teen years, when those around them expect they’ll drift apart, they remain steadfast, tolerating Etienne’s many girlfriends, Nina’s eccentricities, and Adrien’s quiet. When two tragedies strike on the same day, quite suddenly, life takes a dramatic turn, and their friendship is tested, bringing misunderstanding and miscommunication to a whole new level.

I loved this novel. The construction of the plot is ingenious, as if the author has created a puzzle, or rather, a maze that she is guiding us through. But as the plot unfolds, we are also getting to know the characters as well, and we bond with each of these quirky but lovable, heartbreaking characters as they are bonding with each other. And as we go back and forth in time, between the mid-1990’s and 2017, the plot builds in a way that is not only engaging but also utterly surprising. The story we think we know becomes a completely different tale that we learn anew.

I am refraining from describing it in too much detail because I do not want to give too much away, so I’m leaving it at this. I encourage you to read it, in spite of its length. (Don’t let the over 600 pages scare you – it flies by!) Read this MUST READ and allow yourself to love these characters, worry for them, perhaps even cry a bit. Isn’t that what fiction should do?

The Art of Vanishing by Morgan Pager

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Claire cannot believe her fortune – although she is merely a cleaner in this small but packed museum, she has the opportunity to be surrounded, for the first time in her young life, by all this beautiful art. With the exception of Linda, her supervisor, she is virtually alone with these stunning paintings every night. And while she knows she needs to focus on the cleaning, as Linda keeps insisting, she cannot take her eyes off some of the paintings, particularly the one of Matisse’s family, the one with his handsome son. And then when something magical happens, her life changes in ways she could never have imagined.

This book is imaginative, creative, one might even call it playful – but honestly, in my opinion, incredibly boring. Once the magical idea is revealed, it feels like the author isn’t quite sure what to do with it and the story meanders, repeats, and flounders. The characters are as flat as the paintings they are caught up in and have woefully less color. Jean, Claire’s love interest, is annoyingly perfect, and none of the other characters are developed beyond what is absolutely necessary for the miserly plot line.

Once again, I feel we have a clever idea tragically executed. A magical disappointment!

Elegy for Eddie: A Maisie Dobbs Novel by Jacqueline Winspear

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Maisie Dobbs is back at it, having been requested by her old school chums to investigate the untimely death of one of their own, a young man who was crushed by a gigantic paper roller in a paper factory. Of course Maisie set out immediately to help, pouring her resources, her staff, and her intelligent mind to untangling the knot of deceit and coverup that she gradually finds. But is it all for evil intent? And does the ends justify the means? As Maisie sorts out the mystery, she finds she learns more about the world at large in 1933 as well as more about herself.

I really enjoy these mysteries, as they are a combination of mystery and thriller-lite and historical fiction. Maisie is an endearing character, coming from a humble background, she has inherited a great fortune, but she remains modest and struggles with her newfound identity among the elite. She also struggles to maintain her independence even as she is courted by an American with means who loves her for who she is but also wants more from her, which she is unsure she is willing/able to give.

The other small thing that I appreciated from this narrative was how traumatized Europeans were from WWI when they entered into WWII. So many were still reeling from their initial trauma, whether they’d fought themselves, were wounded, were related to someone who’d been on the front lines and had experienced secondary trauma, or had just lived through the incredibly difficult period that defined the era. And the thought of having to fight another war for the exact same values was utterly daunting. But as Maisie’s dear friend put it, he would, again, fight to protect the right for his boys to have the freedom to play, to run wild, and to get into trouble as boys do.

At the same time, I believe this is not the strongest in this series, with some of the others being more suspenseful, less contemplative. This one was a bit more meandering, somewhat fragmented in the way things came together.

That said, I will keep reading these, as they are enjoyable, relatively light, and well-written. I do keep saying that I will read these in order one day – but I haven’t done so. One day I will listen to my own advice…!

Distant Shores by Kristin Hannah

Posted on by marjorieseidenfeld

Elizabeth and Jack have been having marital disconnect for some time now, but it’s been easier for Elizabeth to just go along and ignore it rather than have to confront what facing it might look like. She knows she loves him – or at least she loves what they’ve had, but things are different now that their girls are out of the house. She’s feeling unappreciated, unseen. When Jack suddenly has an opportunity that turns around his 15-year career slump, Elizabeth sees this as an opportunity for her to begin to explore her own options as well. And while this may bring them apart, it may give them time to begin to really see who they’ve both grown to become.

This is a tender, often sad, novel that many women may relate to. It is so often that smart, talented women have been expected to relinquish their own dreams and goals in order to empower their husbands to achieve theirs. Often women have stayed home to raise children, or even if they do work, it is often on a lesser track so that they can still be around to take care of the running of the household AND earn a salary. While some women may choose this and feel fully fulfilled by this balance, others may not. It may be tainted by a husband who does not value his wife’s hard work, and/or who treats her as the housekeeper/ babysitter/chef, and when he does not find titillating conversation beyond what the children have accomplished that day, the husband may selfishly look elsewhere for stimulation. I believe what this novel suggests is that in a healthy relationship, both individuals have to be given space to be their full selves, supported in their pursuits, and given the time and respect, if financially possible, to explore their possibilities.

But communication is also key. Whereas one might blame Jack in this scenario, as he has wandered and been untrue and has been forgiven, and still takes advantage of his trusting wife, Elizabeth has also not been completely honest. Elizabeth has been stifled by her fear of change, her lack of confidence in her talent, and her general inability to face her emotions. She has not stood up for herself and expressed her anger, her resentment, or even her actual goals for herself. So in truth, blame is to be found on both sides, as is usually the case.

Of all the Kristin Hannah novels I’ve read – and discussed here – I believe this is not her best, but it is still an interesting, engaging one that is relatable, accessible, and ultimately sweet.