Dear Great Book Guru,  I am looking for a book to throw myself into for this Valentine weekend.  I love courtroom dramas, but I would also like a story about family.  Any thoughts? Weekend Reader

Dear Weekend Reader, I just finished a short novel you could easily read over the weekend. THE FINAL CASE by David Guterson is about a father and son and is set within the justice system.  The unnamed narrator is a renowned writer who has stopped writing. It is not so much a case of writer’s block but more a case of world weariness so when his elderly attorney father, Royal, crashes his car and need a ride to his office and courthouse, our narrator is more than willing to help. He soon finds himself enmeshed in his father’s latest pro bono defense of a woman accused of murdering her young, adopted daughter. We learn of the child’s early life in war-torn Ethiopia, her time in an orphanage there, and her hopes for a “good life” in America.  She is adopted into a large family with a very strict code of behavior and sadistic punishments abounding. When the child dies, the court assigns Royal to represent the adoptive mother. The trial uncovers few surprises and we come to realize this novel is not so much about the crime but more about Royal’s respect for the law and his ability to see past human faults. By the end, our narrator sees his father as a truly heroic figure.  This is, at times, a hard book to read but ultimately worthwhile- recommended.

 Dear Great Book Guru,  As we are completing the second year of the pandemic, we all wonder how long will it last… and then I heard about a book written years ago that tells the story of a pandemic that lasted decades.  Do you know anything about it and- if so- worth reading?  Pandemic Weary

Dear Pandemic Weary,  Yes, the book is STATION ELEVEN  by Emily St. John Mandel and a TV series based on it has recently aired.   The story begins in Canada during a performance of “King Lear” and the actors we meet will reappear throughout the novel. As the play ends, a devastating virus attacks and millions of people quickly succumb – some whom we have just met. The survivors spread out over the United States and form unlikely communities- some live for decades in an airport, others form a religious cult, while actors from the original Shakespeare group band together in a “traveling symphony” that attempts to bring a touch of civilization in the midst of enormous despair.  There is a mystery that works its way throughout – a set of comic books that connects many of the survivors.  While the novel is terrifying on many levels, there is a sense that humanity prevails with the opening tragedy of “King Lear” giving way to the comedy of “Midsummer Night’s Dream. “ A difficult topic in difficult times but recommended!

 

Dear Great Book Guru, My friends and I would like to start a film/book discussion group and wondered if you had some suggestions as to where we could start.   Film/Book Buffs

 Dear Film/Book Buffs, What a great idea and I do have a pairing your group might want to begin with: THE LOST DAUGHTER. The novel was written by Elena Ferrante and the movie was just recently released to theaters and TV.   The novel opens with Leda, a middle-aged college professor vacationing in an Italian resort where she encounters a large, boisterous Neapolitan family.  Mother of two grown daughters, Leda is fascinated by Nina and her young child, Elena.  As Leda learns more and more about the family, we learn about Leda and her struggles as a young mother. Much of the time we are inside her mind, listening to her voice and observations, so we have to ask ourselves how reliable are these “facts.”   There is a prevailing sense of dread throughout as Leda struggles with her feelings about the past and the present.  While definitely a psychological mystery, the story is also a study of what it means to be a parent, particularly a mother.  The novel and movie follow one another closely but there are enough differences to spark lots of great discussion.

 

Dear Great Book Guru, This weekend would usually have been Mini Mart Sunday in Sea Cliff but – alas - not to be – a casualty of Covid concerns.  However, there are some smaller events planned such as the St Luke’s Fall Fair on Saturday.  Before heading over there, I will have time to get started on a good novel - not too long, maybe something about families.  Any suggestions?  Missing MiniMart

Dear Missing MiniMart, I just finished a book that came out last month - IMMEDIATE FAMILY by Ashley Nelson Levy I think you will find interesting.  The unnamed narrator has been asked to give the wedding toast for her brother and this 192-page book is in effect the toast - a long tribute and analysis of their sibling relationship.  The brother, Danny Larsen, is the only named character and this is not his original name. Born in Thailand twenty- five years ago, Boon-Nam Prasongsanti was adopted by the Larsens. Our narrator describes the years of anticipation as she and her parents plan for the child’s arrival.  He is not the infant they had expected but a three-year-old, malnourished, painfully shy, frightened child who is terrified in his new home.  The love that develops between the siblings is beautifully recounted but racism and bullying mar his early years and their repercussions are felt as he reaches adulthood.  The family adjusts and readjusts as we see the journey Danny and they have undertaken.  The book offers insight into family dynamics and the price everyone, especially Danny, must pay.  Recommended!

 

Dear Great Book Guru, as the year comes to an end, I was wondering if you had a list of your favorites for 2021?  It’s been a strange year and I wonder if I missed out on some good books. Do you have some you would particularly recommend?  Looking Back on 2021

 Dear Looking Back on 2021, Yes, I make up a list every year – it’s great fun to look back on all the books I have read and choose ten favorites.  My #1 choice by far was a work of non-fiction that reads like a novel: THE EMPIRE OF PAIN by Patrick Radden Keefe. Keefe was also the author SAY NOTHING our #1 choice for 2019.  The others are listed here in no particular order.

THE EMPIRE OF PAIN - Patrick Radden Keefe

TEN MINUTES AND 38 SECONDS IN THIS STRANGE WORLD - Elif Shafak

A GOOD MOTHER - Lara Bazelton

THE DAMAGE - Caitlin Wahrer

 THE VANISHING HALF - Bennett Brit

BROTHER, SISTER, MOTHER, EXPLORER - Jamie Figueroa

TOWER OF BABEL- Michael Sears

INTIMACIES – Katie Kitamura

BEFORE THE EVER AFTER - Jacqueline Woodson

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND - Ruman Alam

More information can be found about these books on greatbookguru.blogspot.com

Dear Great Book Guru, So much going on in Sea Cliff with the Children’s Library “Nutcracker”, the Scrooge Stroll, and the Holiday Lighting celebration at Clifton Park!  Everything was great fun, but now I need some down time with a good book - nothing deep- just a good story. Seeking Some Serenity

Dear Seeking Some Serenity, I recently finished a book you might enjoy but I’m not sure it makes for serene reading:  THE NEIGHBOR’S SECRET by L. Alison Heller.  This mystery novel uses an ongoing book club as its organizing principle. Every few chapters, we read a chatty message sent to the members of the club based in an affluent suburban community, and these messages are amusing and will be uncomfortably familiar to many book club members.  The novel introduces multiple characters - perhaps too many - with three of the women highlighted:  Lena - an older woman living alone and estranged from her daughter; Annie - a middle aged guidance counselor who is coping with a troubled teen age daughter; and Jen - a young mother dealing with the thought her son might be a dangerous sociopath.  Throughout the book, we fear the many secrets these women are hiding will somehow come together in an explosive finale and - of course - they do! In what seems to be tranquil but intellectually stimulating monthly discussions of the latest novels, we find a painful tale of lies and secrets bridging many generations.  A thought-provoking read and recommended! 

 

Dear Great Book Guru, We were with lots of friends and family for Thanksgiving – all in small groups - and everyone was looking for a good book to give as a gift this holiday season. Do you have any suggestions? Gift Seeker

Dear Gift Seeker, I just finished a great novel:  WAYWARD by Dana Spiotta. She has written four other novels in the last decade and all have been highly acclaimed with my favorite being her EAT THE DOCUMENT. This latest brings together many diverse topics: mother-daughter relations, aging, deteriorating marriage, the present political climate, the rewriting of history, and – yes - the  real estate market.  The book begins with Samantha falling in love with a decrepit house in a decrepit neighborhood of Syracuse, New York. Impulsively, she buys the house, leaves her husband and teenage daughter, and begins to rebuild the house and her life. Things quickly turn dark - in alternating chapters, Ally the teen daughter tells her side of the story, Samantha hers, and then a fictional historical character, Clara Loomis - a much revered local feminist whose legacy is coming under scrutiny. Throughout the book, we get powerful insights into Samantha’s struggles with her roles as mother, daughter, wife, and citizen of a world she finds more and more alien. With the decaying downtown Syracuse as the backdrop, we see Samantha’s story as having much larger implications than one woman confronting her mortality. Beautifully written and highly recommended!