Dear Great Book Guru, While preparing with friends for Sea Cliff’s many celebrations of the country’s 250th birthday, I heard about a new book by a favorite author, Elizabeth Strout. Everyone was singing its praises - your thoughts? Fan of the Fourth..................................................... Dear Fan of the Fourth, THE THINGS WE NEVER SAY by Elizabeth Strout is indeed a wonderful book and a perfect read for any time of year. Just 208 pages, this beautifully crafted book captures so much of the mysteries of human existence. Art Dam is a 57-year-old high school history teacher. His best friend has just moved across the country, his adult son seems coldly distant, his wife is preoccupied, and the gatherings he attends are filled with superficial chatter. A highly esteemed teacher and respected by everyone, he expands the minds of his students, prevents classroom cruelties, and has a kind word for all he meets. Despite all this, he is extraordinarily lonely and when the book opens, he is in a state of great despair. How can we know so little about one another - even those closest to us, is every man an island - he asks. Throughout the book, we meet ever so briefly characters that he impacts and impact him. Small kindnesses are shown to have tremendous repercussions so that at the end we realize Strout has given us, in Art, a guide to living a good life, Highly recommended!

Dear Great Book Guru, I am very excited about Sea Cliff Arts Council’s first annual Film Festival. So many films and great Q and A’s afterwards! Can you recommend a quick, engrossing book to read during the week? Film Fest Fan .......................................................... Dear Film Fest Fan, I recently read A BETTER LIFE by Lionel Shriver. This is a darkly controversial novel set in Brooklyn’s Dimas Park - a neighborhood of lovely, large Victorian homes. Gloria is a recently divorced mother of three adult children. She is struggling with debts, and her aging house is getting more and more difficult to maintain. The story is viewed from the perspective of her youngest son Nico. Having graduated from college, he is living at home and making no attempt to find a job. When Gloria hears about a new city-wide program - Big Apple Big Heart - that pays homeowners to board recent immigrants, she sees a way out of her financial bind. From the start, Nico is not happy. When Martine arrives, she immediately bonds with Gloria and her daughters. Martine is the poster child for the program - eager to help with the household chores and great company. It is only when disturbing facts about her family emerge and inconsistencies in her story arise that we begin to wonder if Nico was justified in his hostile attitude. But we are also left to wonder if he is a reliable narrator. As the months go by and tensions build, we sympathize with Gloria and Martine but wonder if Big Apple Big Heart can possibly work. A disturbing story but recommended!