Dear Great Book Guru,   Next  weekend is going to be extraordinarily busy here in Sea Cliff. On Saturday, Oct 26 there will be two major  events: the Second Annual Pet Parade at 11am and then the Good of the Village's Second Cemetery Walk at 4pm. And, yes- Jack Pierce  and the Fire Department will be collecting canned goods for Mutual Concerns in front of the Fire House.  On Sunday,  October 27, the Civic Association hosts its annual Cider Social with  songs, crafts, costumes, and tasty treats at Central Park at 3pm. Despite this busy weekend, as always,  I will need something to read.  Any suggestions?   Happy  Halloween Reader

Dear Happy,  My suggestion for you is a collection of short stories: NINE INCHES  by Tom Perrotta.  Each story stands on its own so you can stop and start as your busy schedule allows. This is an extraordinary collection with a common theme of community life. Little League games,  school dances, leaf raking, teacher evaluations, college applications, tree ordinances-  all mirror life in a small 21st century community. Each story shares a common theme- one tiny misstep and your life changes forever- no second chance- no forgiveness …. but wait-  was that a  single misstep or perhaps a  deep character flaw just waiting to be unearthed ? In many subtle ways these stories mirror James Joyce's collection of short stories "The Dubliners" in which each story reveals a character whose bad judgment reflects his own failings and even more so- Dublin's  intrinsic corruption . Perrota's people also are products of time and place. A disturbing but worthwhile read!