Reviews

Set in India, Jivan is a young woman trying to work her way out of poverty and the rigid, limited role she has in society. After a terrible attack on a passenger train in her city, she makes a very unfortunate decision to post a critical comment of her government on social media. This action sets in motion a chain reaction of unfortunate events. Will two people who could be character witnesses come through on her behalf? We meet her physical education instructor, PT Sir, who thought Jivan had potential when she was his student and Lovely, a young hijra who Jivan tried to help learn English. As we get to know these characters, we see the struggles they have and the compromises they make.

The way the author narrates the story left me surprised and shocked at the turn it takes. It becomes a tale as old as time told in a unique way . . . naivety, betrayal, graft, poverty, selfishness, looking the other way, power, and justice denied. This is author Megha Majumdar's debut novel and brings an awareness of serious issues. A Burning has left me still thinking about this compelling novel long after I read it.

Funny, irreverent and moving. This is a memoir about a Vietnamese family who barely got out of Saigon in 1975 as told through the eyes of Phuc, the older child in the family. I laughed, I cringed, I sympathized, I looked up words in the dictionary. As Phuc’s family settled into a small Pennsylvania town culture shock for his parents included difficulty in relating to their children now growing up in a country so far removed from Viet Nam. There are some harsh realities that happened as Phuc and his father clash with each other. As Phuc grows older he also has to contend with overt and covert racism around him. Middle school and high school years are challenging to navigate as he tries to find ways to fit in. By high school he has surrounded himself with friends who are supportive allies. This band of brothers also provides avenues for them to get into trouble with some comic retelling. Phuc found a way to fit in but also saw enough in himself to pursue higher education.

 Read Sigh, Gone by Phuc Tran if you enjoy reading about another person’s experiences. Fans of Born a Crime by Trevor Noah might also enjoy reading this memoir.

Witch trials. In Norway. In the 1600's. Based on true events but a story imagined on how events can lead up to such atrocity and how a community can turn against one another. Out of the blue, a massive, wicked, perfect storm occurred in 1617 that wiped out 40 fishermen from a small seaside town leaving mostly women left to carry on. Indigenous people and Norwegian women became scapegoats when a newly appointed commissioner arrived to oversee this tiny village. Rumors spread and were believed that the freak storm was conjured up by witchcraft. Author Kiran Millwood Hargrave gives us a glimpse of what life might have been like during this treacherous time, what might have happened within this hamlet of women: resilience, survival, friendship, love, short-lived independence and forced betrayal.

The Mercies has appeal for readers of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale and Madeline Miller's Circe.

Today, on a harsh, windswept promontory in Vardo, Norway, stands an incredible monument dedicated to those who lost their lives.

Math + family who moves to NY + bad behavior + more bad behavior + strained relationships + life + coming of age = Divide Me By Zero.

This is not a happy book that Lara Vapnyar has written but it does have humorous viewpoints in situations we all recognize and heartening moments. Told with un-sugarcoated honesty from a first-person point of view and interspersed with real photos to illustrate a point - this book made me wonder if it is fiction or an autobiography or a talented novelist toying with me, the reader. I am always impressed with authors from another culture grasping the nuances and vocabulary of the English language so thoroughly and so much better than I ever can. Readers who enjoy Gary Shteyngart's works may also enjoy Divide Me By Zero.

In Malcolm Gladwell's Talking To Strangers, he cites examples of government spies, law enforcement officials, wrongful incarceration, the college campus culture of drinking and date rape, Ponzi schemes and political enemies – real life stories that have been in the news and in history books. How is it that we can be so deceived and for so long that, in hindsight, it defies reason?  Gladwell refers to a theory called "default to truth" which prevents most of us from being able to readily detect deception. People are inherently very trusting. We may have doubts about a person or a situation, but we do not have enough doubts to make us change our opinion to outright suspicion and then action, for example, Bernie Madoff.

While the book does not have definite resolutions or a recipe to follow, it does provide something to seriously consider, reminding us to be cautious, even vigilant, while crossing the divide of talking to strangers but retaining our humanity.

Listening to the audiobook version enhanced the book for me. When available, Gladwell includes audio from actual interviews with key players or has actors reading testimony from transcripts.

Janelle Monae's "Hell You Talmbout" soundtrack often plays in background - a song I had to locate, listen and watch it performed – very memorable.

This book was an entire surprise to me. I almost put it down when what is depicted on the cover happens in the book, but I am glad I continued reading. Rough upbringing vs. rich upbringing, bad decisions, friendship, loyalty, loss, aimlessness and care-taking for unusual children that are really not really all that unusual in the end.

My favorite line in the book is on page 207: It looked like what love must look like, just barely there, so easy to extinguish.

Illustrator/author Charlie Mackesy has been a social media darling for the last year. His unexpected international online fans urged him to put this collection of his art into one place, a book, for us to enjoy. Kindness, love, acceptance and friendship are the themes shared within the pages. Each image has a message, sometimes conveyed without words.

For me, the illustrations and the messages create a calmness and quiet reflection, some with such simplicity they are inexplicably beautiful. Although classified as a graphic novel, I view the book more as a series of vignettes not defined for a certain age group. This is a book for everyone.

Sit down with a copy of The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse if you find yourself caught up in the harried bustle of busy days.

Gravity is the Thing is a self-help book, sort of, in fiction. Abi Sorensen is the owner of the Happiness Café and mother of four-year-old Oscar. She and several others have been invited to an all-expenses paid retreat to learn the truth about The Guidebook, something that all the participants have all been receiving in mysterious, out-of-sequence and puzzling chapters since they were teenagers. Abi has always associated this book with a tragic event from her youth and hungers for answers.

At first, the story may seem illogical or absurd but I found it to be a uniquely told novel about hope, trust, coping with grief and with motherhood. It is optimistic, sad, self-deceiving, bittersweet and romantic. Abi is taken on a long journey of introspection about past decisions and her belief that she was solely responsible for the emotional health in many of her relationships.

Author Jaclyn Moriarty has written several novels for young adults and children. This is her first novel for adults.

Erin Lee Carr is the daughter of New York Times journalist and author David Carr. In this case, the apple does not fall far from the tree. Erin is drawn to journalism and documentary filmmaking, her father is her guiding light. Preserved in emails and texts his advice to her is tender, loving, incredibly supportive, eloquent, direct, gruff, blunt, hard-hitting, spot-on and delivered with just the right touch whenever Erin reaches out to him.

Journalism is a competitive, work hard, play hard environment, constantly changing with breaking news and evolving with the rise of social media. Life is not easy. Both Erin and her father got caught in the trap of losing themselves to addictions and addictive behavior. How do you break free? Erin attributes her hard-won success to her father, leading her forward.  He opened some doors for her professionally but she had to do the work. She has spoken for a TEDx talk about her work and has directed two documentaries for HBO. After his sudden death when Erin is 26 years old, she is stopped short, forced to look at her life and actions closely without filters.

All That You Leave Behind is a candid, moving memoir to celebrate fathers, families and I think this is a good read for high school and college graduates.

In the author’s acknowledgements, she includes a thank you and directive to her readers: “YOU (for reading this; now go write someone you love an email).”

Actress Alba August is luminous portraying beloved children’s author Astrid Lindgren of the Pippi Longstocking series in this Swedish language film, Becoming Astrid. Her performance from gawky teenager to a young woman is convincing, tender and compassionate.

Bored and restless, Astrid lived with her large family in rural Sweden. At age 16, she began a job at the local newspaper, first writing up ads and obituary notices, then gained new responsibilities of writing articles. An attraction developed between her married editor and herself and Astrid is soon pregnant. This is really where the story begins. She is forced to move away from her family because of the social mores of the time, around 1926. When her child is born, she must leave him with a foster mother in Denmark. When Astrid finds out that the foster mother can no longer care for young Lasse, she must step up and bring him home. To comfort her son who she barely knows, we see the beginnings of her story-telling talent as she weaves tales to ease his anxiety of being separated from the only person he knew as his mother.

Though her burdens are great, there is a brightness and humanity in how all the actors depict these real-life individuals. It was especially heartwarming to see a reconciliation with her estranged mother. I highly recommend this movie; watch with a box of tissues close at hand.