Dear Great Book Guru, One of my favorite events occurs this weekend- the Sea Cliff Civic Association’s Community-wide Garage Sale on Saturday, June 4 from 9-4.  My first stop is always the Village Green where the Friends of the Library have their huge book sale and I can pick up a map/guide to all the sales.  While wandering about, is there a book I should be on the lookout for?

Seeker of Great Books

Dear Seeker of Great Books,  I heard there are over 120 families participating in this year’s Sale and-yes- there is a book I highly recommend you seek out:  INNOCENTS AND OTHERS by Dana Spiotta.  On the surface it is a story of three women told by each from the 1980’s until now. Woven throughout is a fascinating history of Hollywood and the art of filmmaking. Carrie, Meadow, and Jelly reveal different aspects of the glorious yet tawdry world of film- with all its underlying cruelties, compromises, and genius.  As we become involved in their individual lives, we wonder: are these characters in any way connected? Spiotta answers our concerns in an astonishing fashion, and this beautifully written, cleverly developed novel becomes ultimately a soaring tale of redemption- highly recommended!