Reviews

The Berry Pickers by author Amanda Peters is a moving debut novel. The story begins in 1962 and follows an Indigenous family from Nova Scotia who travel to Maine in summers to do seasonal work. The youngest child, Ruthie, disappears from the field which devastates both her family and especially her brother, Joe, who was the last person to see her.

Two points-of-view helps the reader learn what happens to Ruthie and to Joe’s family. How can they carry on after such a traumatic event in their lives? Can recovery and forgiveness happen? The novel illustrates how life is not always easy, sheds light on what others have experienced and what families will do to protect each other.

This story is well-told and traverses almost 50 years of time in only 300 or so pages. It's the type of story that stays with you. The author has a connection to Mi'kmaq ancestors which adds authenticity and deference to events that could very well have happened.

Three short stories of women and men. Each subsequent story tells a darker tale of misguided behavior, poor choices, peril and even elements of horror. Each is a rather dark examination of how actions can change the course of one's life. Did the women elicit conduct directed toward them intentionally or unintentionally? What is the responsibility of the men?

Author Claire Keegan's prose is concise, descriptive, provocative and disturbing. So Late in the Day can be read in an hour as it is only 118 pages long yet might remain in your thoughts long afterward. This is a departure from her last two books but I like reading an author's work when it takes a different direction than expected.

The English Understand Wool by author Helen DeWitt is a 69 page novella that covers a lot of territory. It is told through the eyes and experiences of Marguerite, a young woman, not quite an adult, raised in wealth, culture, good tailoring and an expansive social life. Her mother cultivated savvy friendships and loyalty with her many business relationships and domestic staff. When her mother mysteriously disappears, a major family secret is uncovered. A book publisher soon courts Marguerite for the rights to her story. As the tale quickly unspools, she finds out that the world can be treacherous and underhanded. So, what is a 17 year-old girl to do?

Without giving anything more away, I found this novella delightful to read and finished it in an hour. Marguerite's narration is in a clipped, detached manner that makes the telling almost amusing and enhances the story. Its peculiar content is unexpected and wraps up neatly in a bow.

Readers may be familiar with author Helen DeWitt's earlier novel The Last Samurai.

Despite the heavy, challenging issues of racism, classism, immigration, poverty on several different fronts in 1930’s Pennsylvania, the book has an almost folktale flavor in the telling. Almost as if you were sitting around a table listening to the stories, told with wit, warmth and clarity. In this manner, author James McBride makes the characters stand out, rich and complicated, highlighting their stand on morals, some never wavering and some easily overlooked. Step into the lives of Moshe and his wife Chona, Nate and Addie and their nephew, Dodo, and many more who live on Chicken Hill in Pennsylvania. Stay with the story as it coalesces into its final conclusion.

Incorporated into the story is the real institution of Pennhurst State School and Hospital that finally closed in 1987 after decades of controversary about its questionable care.

This Heaven & Earth Grocery Store is for fans of James McBride, for those who would like to read about a group of people living on the outskirts who make a community to support each other. Its qualities remind me of The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead. This is the type of story that will keep me thinking about it for a long time.

Ride along with author Will Grant as he traverses the country from St. Louis, Missouri to Sacramento, California - from the comfort of home. Grant takes almost five months to make his way across the country whereas it typically took the original relay of riders ten days.

The historic Pony Express mail delivery service only operated for 18 months from April 1860 to October 1861 ending with the opening of the transcontinental telegraph. Yet its legacy lives on, its lore captivating the author into recreating the journey. The original riders rode through a wide range of terrain and weather, stopping at stations along the route that needed to constantly be stocked with fresh horses and provisions. Modern day obstacles provided challenges in a different way than what the Pony Express riders experienced. Grant needed to trailer his horses from his home in New Mexico to St. Louis then home once again. He had to have a support network in case of emergency, needed to pack his own shelter and provisions, needed to contend with highways and had to get permission to camp on private land. 

In his narrative, Grant does an excellent job of melding past and present. His unique first-hand perspective provides additional detail as not much logistical documentation has survived the test of time. If you are a "wannabe" cowboy or enjoy reading about history and adventure in the great outdoors of the American West, pick up a copy of this book.

The Dog of the North is a gentle, quirky story about families, how much we can handle, what we're willing to do for them and because of them, broken relationships and newly found ones.

Penny quits her job to move to Santa Barbara to help her irascible, unconventional grandmother. Her grandmother's accountant, Burt, has acted as a stand-in friend and confidante but now needs reinforcements. Once Penny arrives, chaotic, calamitous events happen in quick succession. Some are comedic, mad-cap and some have much more gravity. All are treated with tenderness. As we get to know Penny,  Burt, his brother Dale, Penny's sister, her father, her grandmother, her grandfather and why Penny needs to go to Australia . . . it becomes an adventure of the heart. 

This book is for fans of author Elizabeth McKenzie and her other novel The Portable Veblen. This title is also available as an eAudiobook on cloudLibrary.

Ramsey Lewis truly was a gentleman of jazz. A native Chicagoan, he made the decision to remain in Chicago instead of moving on to New York or the West Coast. The breadth of the book covers so much ground - how Lewis grew up, his musical influences, his parents who provided a strong foundation for him, his relationships with musicians, his family and children. His philanthropic side shines through as being a driving force for the creation of the Ravinia Jazz Mentor Program in partnership with Chicago Public High Schools. An interesting aspect of the book is that he includes commentary by others who may have had differing viewpoints on the same subject. 

At the 2023 AHML Lit Stroll, co-author Aaron Cohen eloquently spoke about his books including Gentleman of Jazz and his friendship with Lewis. Cohen made certain that he honored this great musical talent. His meticulous research references show that he cared about showcasing Lewis' vast body of work.

Gentleman of Jazz is for fans of music and for those who would like to learn more about a Chicago legend.

The Seed Keeper follows Rosalie, a Dakhota woman, as she discovers and recovers her ancestry. Sent into foster care at the age of twelve, she is separated from her family and culture. She marries a white man when she is young, both become a life raft for each other as they build a life on his family's farm. When Rosalie finds plant seeds that her husband's mother preserved and kept, she gradually learns how to grow her own garden. Living on a farm isn't easy and hardships come at them in many ways including paying the bills, environmental pollution and the pressures of newer corporate ways of farming.  

Seed keeping is a thread throughout the book that reintroduces Rosalie to tradition and eventually to family. Diane Wilson, the author, has Native American descent and provides a more authentic voice to the story, of history in Minnesota and what came after the painful, troubling Dakhota War of 1862 with its long lasting repercussions. This novel blends modern day and historical storytelling with compelling scenarios, a connection of the past to our present.

If you enjoyed reading Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, you may enjoy reading a fiction story that shows how important learning about history and nature is for all of us.

Isabelle is the daughter of Claire and Ward. Her father is a successful, famous author who Isabelle admires and tries to follow in his footsteps, but his selfish personality casts a shadow on her. The story progresses with a timeline that goes back and forth to key points, including how Claire and Ward met. As Isabelle struggles to write her first book, the unexpected death of her mother throws her into a tailspin. When she finds out what her mother left for her, Isabelle is faced with a life-changing decision. One constant for Isabelle is her steadfast friend, Brian, despite her worst behavior that takes him and their friendship for granted. 

A Likely Story is author Leigh McMullan Abramson's debut novel. This book will appeal to those who enjoy reading about family secrets, learning to take responsibility for your life, trying to erase past mistakes and don't mind an unlikeable character or two. 
 

The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb is suspenseful, unique and lured me into a world of classical music when a priceless violin is stolen from the main character, Ray. The story has many layers including the struggle to succeed despite his money-hungry family, other forces at work against him, his ancestors' painful history, the racism Ray still encounters and his drive to recover the violin his beloved Grandmother gave him. The same violin that belonged to Ray's great-great-grandfather.

All of Ray's hard work in practicing, learning and helping support his family is pointing him in the direction of the prestigious Tchaikovsky Competition held every four years. When his violin is stolen we learn about its history, what it means to Ray and can he earn a chance to perform at the competition with a different violin?

Slocumb made this story very readable and approachable. The author is, himself, a talented musician and a music educator. Certain situations in the novel are autobiographical, strengthening the narrative. As I read I listened to YouTube performances of classical pieces described in the book, enhancing the story even more for me.

Pick up a copy of this book if you like a mystery that has family drama, classical music and the intrigue of art theft.