Dear Great Book Guru, In the depths of winter, my thoughts turn to summer, sunny beach days and – yes - a good beach read.  I’m thinking of something quick, with colorful characters, a familiar setting, and fun to read. Any thoughts?   A Devoted Beach Book Reader

Dear Devoted Beach Book Reader, No need to wait for summer - a good beach read is a treasure any time of year and here’s one you might enjoy: COBBLE HILL by Cecily von Ziegesar.  Cobble Hill is a neighborhood in downtown Brooklyn and home to the four families highlighted in this novel. They include a former rock star and his wife who pretends to be gravely ill; a flirtatious school nurse and her struggling musician husband; a mysterious performance artist and her inventor husband; and a bestselling British author struggling with a bad case of writer’s block and his high-power executive wife who is about to lose her job.  We follow these four couples and their children through a tumultuous year marked by arson, infidelities, cyber mischief, and multiple romances - all set against a Brooklyn Brownstone backdrop. The lives of all these characters intersect in complicated and humorous ways. But in the end, we realize the most endearing and enduring character is the quirky, picturesque  neighborhood of Cobble Hill

 

Dear Great Book Guru, We have just had an interesting week of holidays: Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day, Presidents’ Day, and Mardi Gras. Yes… all in one week!  Now that the festivities are winding down, I am looking for a novel - one with a good story line, generations of characters, and a lovely setting.  Any ideas?   Happy Holiday Enthusiast

Dear Happy Holiday Enthusiast, A long time ago I read a book that I enjoyed immensely and meets all your criteria: FAMILY ALBUM by Penelope Lively. The story opens in the present time as a young couple drive up to Allersmeade - a lovely somewhat shabby Edwardian family home outside London. They are greeted by Alison and Charles - parents of six grown children, each with an interesting story. Always present, always in the background is the family au pair/housekeeper, Ingrid. The story line swings back from present to past and back again many times.  We are there when Alison and Charles meet and decide to marry. We are present at the many elegant family parties Alison orchestrates, and we are there when the secrets that color the family ‘s history are finally revealed.  Throughout, we have Allersmeade - and Alison’s dream of a perfect home for the perfect family – obviously, the recipe for the perfect nightmare.  This is a fast weekend read, but a story you will find hard to forget. Highly recommended!

 

 

Dear Great Book Guru, I was with friends at a virtual Super Bowl party last week and a few people jokingly brought up a book they had read. They told me it takes places almost totally at a Super Bowl party set some time in the future and it was very disturbing.  Do you know the book and - if so - would you recommend it?   Super Bowl Partygoer

Dear Super Bowl Partygoer, I finished Don DeLillo’s THE SILENCE just as the game was ending.  While not a football fan, I did enjoy the irony of my timing. This short novel (117 pages) tells the story of five people gathering in an Upper Westside apartment to watch Super Bowl LVI in 2022.  Jim and Tessa have flown in from Paris and just arrived at the party. The flight had been tumultuous with strange electrical and mechanical problems. Jim is bandaged and shaken from the chaotic landing.  Max - host of the party - is a heavy gambler and totally focused on the outcome of the game. His wife Diane is a retired physics professor with no interest in the game. The other guest is Martin - a young high school science teacher who is fixated on the writings of Albert Einstein.  Shortly into the game, the screen goes blank, and everyone soon realizes that this is not an ordinary outage. People crowd the streets as the world slowly becomes aware of some widespread calamity.  Our five characters remain eerily calm as they discuss what it means to be human. A highly unusual book with many questions and answers to ponder…. recommended!

 

Dear Great Book Guru, My friends and I have decided to alternate fiction and non-fiction books for 2021.  We read your suggestion LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND for January so now we are looking for our February book.  Any thoughts?  February Book Searchers

 

Dear February Book Searchers, I just finished a rather controversial book:  WAR - How Conflict
Shaped Us, by Margaret MacMillan.  The author describes the many ways war has influenced human society, looking into how geography, politics, and ideology have impacted how and why we fight.  MacMillan asks the questions: when did the first war break out, are humans destined to wage war against each other, why is it warriors are almost always men, have there been peaceful cultures, are there any benefits to war?  The author insists that war is part of civilization, bringing death and destruction, but also educational advances, innovations in medicine, science, and technology.  In many ways this is a frightening book in that it sees strong warlike impulses as part of the human condition -from the games that young children play like “capture the flag” to video games such as the very popular “Call of Duty” to the many sporting events that mirror war with uniforms, awards, national anthems, and fierce partisan competition.  Crossing back and forth between centuries of wars, she paints a pessimistic portrait of humans engaging in a never-ending battle.  The final chapter hints that world peace is not unattainable but very unlikely.  A fascinating and ultimately tragic history of humankind’s greatest scourge - highly recommended!

 Dear Great Book Guru, I am still finding it hard to concentrate during the pandemic.  Is there something short and relevant you could suggest?   Distracted Reader

Dear Distracted Reader, I just read a remarkable book - BEFORE THE EVER AFTER by Jacqueline Woodson. It is a 179-page novel in verse told from the perspective of a twelve-year-old boy. ZJ is the son of Zachariah Johnson, a legendary professional football player beloved by all because of his prowess, warmth, and intelligence. He had to retire in his early thirties because of brain damage caused by the brutal pummeling he received throughout his career.  When we meet him, he is a shattered man with trembling hands, uncontrollable rages, and severe memory loss. ZJ alternated stories of their past happiness - his pride in being the son of this strong, kind, wealthy, handsome hero - with tales of his father not remembering his name, sleeping for days on end and fighting invisible enemies. Woodson captures the boy’s bewilderment and despair as each encounter brings more pain. She skillfully combines the personal tragedy of this man and his family with the overarching story of the exploitation of Black athletes. She has done a remarkable job in capturing the short-lived glory of the Before and the everlasting pain of the Ever After. Written to appeal to a teen audience, this book is a perfect choice for adults also.  Highly recommended!

Dear Great Book Guru, 

Over the holidays, I heard from a lot of my friends about their favorite new books and many have mentioned one they found horrifyingly prescient. It is set close to home – on the East End of Long Island with characters that are eerily familiar. Do you know the book and - if so - would you recommend?   Books for the New Year

Dear Books for the New Year, I recently finished LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND by Rumaan Alam - a truly terrifying tale.  Amanda and Clay leave Manhattan with their two teenage children, Archie and Rose, for a two-week vacation at a luxurious rental home in a secluded spot on the far reaches of Long Island. Their cell phones have notoriously poor service so there is little concern at first when they lose contact with friends back home. However, a late-night knock on the door reveals that the world as they knew it has come to an end.  The owners, George and Ruth, have fled New York City because a sudden blackout has swept the nation.  This affluent, sophisticated Black couple are viewed with suspicion and racial stereotyping, but each couple soon comes to realize their need for each other.   Loud sonic blasts fill the air and strange illnesses develop. With TV and internet down, it is impossible to know the nature of this disaster. Comparisons to the present pandemic are of course uppermost in readers’ minds.  A book you will not be able to put down - highly recommended!

 

Dear Great Book Guru, My friends and I have been watching and discussing lots of films over the last months and we all agree that Alfred Hitchcock’s are spellbinding.  We have decided to focus on his works on a weekly basis.  Do you have any books to suggest that will help us on our journey?                           Hooked on Hitchcock

Dear Hooked on Hitchcock, I have the perfect book for you: A YEAR OF HITCHCOCK by Jim McDeVitt and Eric San Juan.  The authors have organized this book into fifty-two chapters covering 68 works of Hitchcock.  Starting with his silent films (“The Lodger” and “The Farmer’s Wife”), they analyze his entire body of works, week by week, including some episodes of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” which appeared on TV from 1958 through 1961.  Each week follows the same format: key film facts, a synopsis, trivia, recurring themes, things to look for, awards, and a critical appraisal/ranking.  “Rear Window” and “North By Northwest” are mentioned as standouts in a career of spectacular successes, but each week offers insight into yet another of Hitchcock’s films.  Because it is chronologically organized, you can see the progression and development of common themes which the authors define in the appendix.  Like you, my friends and I are planning a weekly virtual Hitchcock discussion group starting in January and working our way through 2021… with this book in hand!