Short chapters about numerous characters now and in the past around a river. Lots of jumping and drowning. The train track device worked better in Hawkins’ first book. 

Maya’s Notebook, Isabel Allende

Men portrayed as strong, caring characters. Refreshing. Maya is the story’s young tortured woman protagonist. Her quirky Chilean Grandma Nidia’s men are her heroes. Nidia’s husband is Maya’s beautifully drawn African-American Berkeley Grandpa. Her Popo. When he died I cried. Nidia’s lifelong Chilean friend, Manuel Arias is a stalwart in its remote archipelago, with whom Maya goes to stay. Both are loving forces who bring spirituality and magic to Maya’s world. Nidia’s best friend, an Irish social worker in Berkeley is a third influential male force in Maya’s life.  Good men and a good read.

 

The Perfect Prey, The Fall of ABN AMRO, Jeroen Smit

After the April 2014 tragic family murder-suicide by former CEO Schmittmann was reported in the NYPost, I did some research as an ABN AMRO Bank alum and former Managing Director. I found this paperback and it read like a novel. The story was well told and compelling- the demise of a once prestigious global financial institution. A lot of the players are known to me from my tenure at the Bank in San Francisco and Boston in the 80’s and 90’s. Lex Kloosterman, my former boss, went on to Fortis and was instrumental in the tale and ultimate sale with Mr. Schmittmann. Probably not a wide audience for this book. I would recommend it as an allegory- too big yet failed. A moral tragedy.

Communion Town, Sam Thompson

Loosely absurd. Allegorical characters in ten chapters depicting mortals, para-persons and monsters in parallel universes. Mostly. I think. Although well-written, it came off as a tad self-indulgent and lyrically pretentious. I kept searching for the thread that connected each piece. This intricately imagined City could have provided a perfect architecture for ten distinct yet intertwined short stories. It just didn’t. I guess Thompson was attempting the Persian rug as a foundational concept for his work. Each thread exists on its own. But, neither Sartre nor Camus is he. For me.

The Marriage Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides

College syllabi and relationships of the 80’s in Derrida deconstruction detail. Relevance was in. A mangled ménage à trois struggles with religion, manic depression, and feminism. They confront difficult life choices after college with compassion and strength of character. Liked the ending.

Table’s Edge, Carol Colitti Levine

Stories and favorite recipes of the people who created a dining paradise in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. Half history. Half cookbook. Hey. Don’t laugh. Edward St. Aubyn’s literary prize went to a cookbook author in his Lost for Words. Okay. It was a satire.

 

 

The Secret Life of Violet Grant, Beatriz Williams

1960’s era Vivian is a smart, independent Manhattanite journalist and her connection with Dr. Paul seemed both plausible and interesting until the plot just went berserk in a direction that even a soap opera would be ashamed to try. However, her “Aunt” Violet’s mysterious story from 2 generations past is compelling and kept me finishing the book.

The Paris Wife, Paula McLain

Ernest Hemingway’s early years after World War I when he lived in Paris, went skiing in Austria, and was married to first wife Hadley from St. Louis. During this period he frequently traveled to Spain where he became obsessed with the bullfighting corridas. When he wrote The Sun Also Rises and Death in the Afternoon. It’s hard to believe that Hemingway and all of the famous and notorious of the times could be as bland as portrayed in this novel. John Dos Passos, Gertrude Stein, Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald. Hadley & Ernest are drawn as two-dimensional, vapid lovers.

The Stranger’s Child, Alan Hollinghurst

Semi-famous gay mediocre poet who dies fighting for England in WWI. As generations evolve, other gay guys become obsessed with him. Writing and characters kept it worth the read.

A Hundred Summers, Beatriz Williams

Research and editing lacking. Smith College, Massachusetts was the heading of chapters as if it were a place. Later in the book, it correctly referred to Smith College as being in Northampton, Ma. Pancakes served at a nearby diner were said to be the best in the Berkshires. Smith and Northampton are not in the Berkshires. Beach book.

Bring Up the Bodies, Hilary Mantel

Had to read this as the sequel to Wolf Hall, which was wonderful and deserved the Man Booker in 2010. I disagree with this choice. Ann Boleyn boring? Seeing her through Cromwell’s eyes had so much more potential. Still.  Mantel can write better than most.

The Perfume Collector, Kathleen Tessaro

A bit contrived and predictable. Some redeeming value in Paris hotel settings, perfumerie and clothing. Like the cover. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Porch Lights, Dorothea Benton

Betsey Levine’s review:

Summer beach read and so much of it was familiar to me. Used to vacation on Pawley’s Island and eat at restaurants on Murrell’s Inlet so I was able to visualize the area. Also, when my great-grandson Henry was born said I didn’t want to be called Granny or Great Granny, I wanted the children to call me Glamma and little Charlie in the book called his grandmother Glam.  I was right at home from start to finish. Also, Dr. Steve’s last name was Plofker. If I didn’t cover pudding with saran wrap it would form a skin on top that my husband, Ellis, called plufker. Yup, I was right at home. In her acknowledgments the author admitted that she used the real names of her friends as characters in the book.  There really is a Steve Plofker. I figured that she wouldn’t have made that name up.