| Bestselling author Thrity Umigar provides a unique perspective on the plight of the immigrant in this new release, THE STORY HOUR. I've read many of her books including THE WORLD WE FOUND and THE SPACE BETWEEN US, both poignant and profound reads. I expected THE STORY HOUR to be an absorbing read and was immediately captivated by the disarming characters and riveting storyline. Don't miss this brilliant twisted tale! (Nothing like a brilliant twist....) THE STORY HOUR by Thrity Umrigar | |
Lakshmi Patil is lost in the sadness of her life. Dr. Maggie Bose is adrift and in danger of ruining her marriage. Brought together by Lakshmi’s suicide attempt, both women begin to see life from a new perspective, and realize their lives are more than what they perceive and can be more than what they thought. They begin their relationship as patient and doctor, and end up in a weird quasi-friendship from which neither can walk away. TO ORDER THE STORY HOUR IMMEDIATELY ( Yes, right now! ) CLICK ON THE AMAZON SEARCH BOX IN THE SIDEBAR. |
MY LATEST READ (August 2014)
AMERICANAH...... (August 2014)
I send out a monthy newsletter to blog followers, friends, family and anyone whose email I possess that may be a reader...This month I received responses from several recipients recommending AMERICANAH by Chimanda Ncozi Adiche.
It was released in March to rave reviews and is a five hundred page powerful story of race and identity in Anerica and Nigeria. AMERICANAH takes place over a fifteen year period and is primarily about a Nigerian woman named Lfemelu and her first love. Racism is a recurring theme as is life in America for black Americans and non-American blacks.
Adiche is a gifted writer and her observations are painfully acute. There are great insites into Nigerian life and observations about racism that are astounding. Adiche describes AMERICANAH as a love story and it's the central theme, but primarily AMERICANAH is a mix of sadness, laughter and brilliance.
HALF A YELLOW SUN, another novel by Adiche is a vivid portrayal of Biafra before and after the war. It dramatically portrays the strength and endurance of the human spirit..a must read along with AMERICANAH.
Order now on Amazon by clicking on the Amazon Search Box in the Sidebar. All proceeds go to charity.
Order now on Amazon by clicking on the Amazon Search Box in the Sidebar. All proceeds go to charity.
AUGUST PICKS
I can't believe we're halfway through August! There's still some highly anticipated books debuting on a daily basis. A special thankyou to blog readers who submitted the following comments.
WE ARE NOT OURSELVES BY MATTHEW THOMAS
WE ARE NOT OURSELVES by Matthew Thomas Is Destined to be a classic, this “powerfully moving” (Chad Harbach, The Art of Fielding), multigenerational debut novel of an Irish-American family is nothing short of a “masterwork” (Joshua Ferris, Then We Came to the End).
Born in 1941, Eileen Tumulty is raised by her Irish immigrant parents in Woodside, Queens, in an apartment where the mood swings between heartbreak and hilarity, depending on whether guests are over and how much alcohol has been consumed.
When Eileen meets Ed Leary, a scientist whose bearing is nothing like those of the men she grew up with, she thinks she’s found the perfect partner to deliver her to the cosmopolitan world she longs to inhabit. They marry, and Eileen quickly discovers Ed doesn’t aspire to the same, ever bigger, stakes in the American Dream.
Eileen encourages her husband to want more: a better job, better friends, a better house, but as years pass it becomes clear that his growing reluctance is part of a deeper psychological shift. An inescapable darkness enters their lives, and Eileen and Ed and their son Connell try desperately to hold together a semblance of the reality they have known, and to preserve, against long odds, an idea they have cherished of the future.
Through the Learys, novelist Matthew Thomas charts the story of the American Century, particularly the promise of domestic bliss and economic prosperity that captured hearts and minds after WWII. The result is a riveting and affecting work of art; one that reminds us that life is more than a tally of victories and defeats, that we live to love and be loved, and that we should tell each other so before the moment slips away.
With Grace, wisdom, and incredible compassion, Thrity Umrigar has woven together the lives of two seemingly dissimilar women who must learn - against steep odds - to forgive each other and themselves. Lakshmi's voice and stories found their way quickly into my heart and didn't let up, or let go. I dare anyone to resist her or this wonderful novel.
WE ARE NOT OURSELVES BY MATTHEW THOMAS
WE ARE NOT OURSELVES by Matthew Thomas Is Destined to be a classic, this “powerfully moving” (Chad Harbach, The Art of Fielding), multigenerational debut novel of an Irish-American family is nothing short of a “masterwork” (Joshua Ferris, Then We Came to the End).
Born in 1941, Eileen Tumulty is raised by her Irish immigrant parents in Woodside, Queens, in an apartment where the mood swings between heartbreak and hilarity, depending on whether guests are over and how much alcohol has been consumed.
When Eileen meets Ed Leary, a scientist whose bearing is nothing like those of the men she grew up with, she thinks she’s found the perfect partner to deliver her to the cosmopolitan world she longs to inhabit. They marry, and Eileen quickly discovers Ed doesn’t aspire to the same, ever bigger, stakes in the American Dream.
Eileen encourages her husband to want more: a better job, better friends, a better house, but as years pass it becomes clear that his growing reluctance is part of a deeper psychological shift. An inescapable darkness enters their lives, and Eileen and Ed and their son Connell try desperately to hold together a semblance of the reality they have known, and to preserve, against long odds, an idea they have cherished of the future.
Through the Learys, novelist Matthew Thomas charts the story of the American Century, particularly the promise of domestic bliss and economic prosperity that captured hearts and minds after WWII. The result is a riveting and affecting work of art; one that reminds us that life is more than a tally of victories and defeats, that we live to love and be loved, and that we should tell each other so before the moment slips away.
THE STORY HOUR BY THRITY UMIGER
With Grace, wisdom, and incredible compassion, Thrity Umrigar has woven together the lives of two seemingly dissimilar women who must learn - against steep odds - to forgive each other and themselves. Lakshmi's voice and stories found their way quickly into my heart and didn't let up, or let go. I dare anyone to resist her or this wonderful novel.
AND A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE PICK......
EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU by Celeste Ng
I am stunned that this is Celeste Ng's first novel. I was instantly drawn into this book, with its beautifully drawn characters and superb writing. On its surface, the story is a mystery: What led to the death of Lydia Lee, a sixteen-year-old honor student with (supposedly) everything to live for? In reality, the mystery goes far deeper, into the lives of each member of the family. By the end of the book, the reader is fully in sympathy with each character.
The novel, which takes place in the late 70s, begins with Lydia's death. Was it murder? Was it suicide? Or was it something else? The reader spends most of the novel thinking one thing, only to be surprised at the end with the truth. The author delves into the lives of each family member: James, the father, who never felt really at home in any situation; Marilyn, the mother, whose dreams were shelved by the demands of marriage, family, and the times; Nathan, the older brother, whose brilliance is overlooked; Lydia, the golden child burdened with all the frustrated aspirations of her parents; and Hannah, the overlooked afterthought of a child, a silent but keen observer of everyone in her family.
The novel, which takes place in the late 70s, begins with Lydia's death. Was it murder? Was it suicide? Or was it something else? The reader spends most of the novel thinking one thing, only to be surprised at the end with the truth. The author delves into the lives of each family member: James, the father, who never felt really at home in any situation; Marilyn, the mother, whose dreams were shelved by the demands of marriage, family, and the times; Nathan, the older brother, whose brilliance is overlooked; Lydia, the golden child burdened with all the frustrated aspirations of her parents; and Hannah, the overlooked afterthought of a child, a silent but keen observer of everyone in her family.
Don't miss this intriguing read.....
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TRENDS FOR FALL (08/2014)
I hate to think that Fall is fast approaching, although on a positive note, Fall book releases are looking positive. Publishers Weekly included a list of books by some familiar authors. Below find some brief comments....
The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell (Random, Sept.) - Channeling multiple lives and chance encounters, as in Cloud Atlas, Mitchell's ambitious new novel is called "a thing of beauty" by PW.
A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James (Riverhead, Oct.) -An engrossing epic that explores the tumultuous world of Jamaica over three decades and the attempted assassination of Bob Marley in the late 1970s. PW says "this novel should be required reading."
Lila by Marilynne Robinson (FSG, Oct.) - This third of three novels set in the fictional plains town of Gilead, Iowa, follows Gilead and Home; it's called a "masterpiece of prose" by PW.
AND.....watch for a new release by Haruki Marakami ....
Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami (Knopf, Aug.) - Murakami follows the life of a loner years after his group of best friends told him they didn't want to see him any longer--and reveals the secrets of their entwined pasts.
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