Staff Choices

1970's Bronzeville was in many ways like every other neighborhood during that time. Three young girls playing, gossiping and dreaming about their futures in this historic south side neighborhood, all third-generation daughters of the Great Migration, growing up in the shadows of Chicago's skyscrapers. One of them, the author, goes on to college, marriage, and a successful career as a journalist. These essays began during her time as a writer for the Chicago Tribune as a way to help her work through the heartbreak and despair she felt.

Her sister Kim and her best friend Dawn take divergent paths that sadly end in death for one, and prison time for the other. In writing about these experiences, Dawn Turner tries to understand the haunting question of what happened in between their innocent childhood, and the broken pieces of adulthood? This riveting memoir celebrates friendship and sisterhood as it delves into race, class, environment, addiction, resiliency and forgiveness.

Chapter One opens with a captivating sentence: "Stranger, whoever you are, open this to learn what will amaze you."

Author Anthony Doerr has created a novel that is vastly different from his last major work. This one stands unique on its own. Reading this book required a time commitment; however, the narrative easily flowed along and pulled me into the stories of Konstance, Seymour, Zeno, Omeir, Anna and, of course, the book within a book, Cloud Cuckoo Land. From Constantinople to Idaho to Korea and to the future, Anthony Doerr's new novel is an invitation to "time travel", to connect the dots on how an ancient manuscript can play a role in so many lives. During the course of centuries, the main characters within the pages endure hardship, heartbreak, exploitation, disappointment, strife, war, love - basically, life. People who have endured these challenges inspired others around them to learn and to wonder and to crave understanding. I found this book to be intriguing and philosophical.

The author's note says that this novel is intended as a paean to books. This is the best kind of tribute.

For fans of Anthony Doerr and those who enjoy reading an uncommon novel.

New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins has written various young adult fantasy and romance novels. She recently starting writing adult psychological thrillers as well. The Wife Upstairs is one of my favorite 2021 reads and I am looking forward to her upcoming novel Reckless Girls. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the witchy romcom I picked up by Erin Sterling was the pen name for Rachel Hawkins.

The Ex Hex is a lighthearted, quick read to get you in the holiday spirit. Think Sabrina the Teenage Witch, with a little bit Hocus Pocus and Practical Magic thrown in. The story centers on Vivi, who after a summer fling with Rhys ends badly, curses the man who broke her heart using a Bath and Body Works candle. Vivi moves on with her life until Rhys waltzes back into her life 9 years later and it just happens maybe Vivi's curse worked after all.

This second chance romance includes humorous banter and steamy chemistry. While the plot could be predictable at times, I still found this is a great read for getting into the spooky season, and perfect for anyone who needs a good light romcom.

Several People Are Typing by Calvin Kasulke is a book set very much in the present; in particular, with the methods that office employees now communicate with their coworkers via electronic apps and devices. It is reminiscent of epistolary fiction with a modern-day twist. Those who use these services will recognize and relate how a conversation thread can be derailed and its meaning quickly lost by multiple people responding in quick succession and in different channels. Add in some drama with one of the staff members being "drawn" into the app itself, one of their public relations firm's accounts files being diverted/deleted, working from home, text abbreviations, emojis and the humor begins. Enjoy the escapades and disjointed conversations of Gerald, Pradeep, Doug, Kerolyn, Tripp, Beverly, Lydia and Slackbot.

This is a quick read for those who enjoy topical humor and a sense of the absurd.

"Dear Friend" starts the first of 50 or so letters in this intimate and intriguing book. These letters are written by the author, Edmund De Waal, to the now deceased Comte Moïse de Camondo, a neighbor of the authors family. The Count, an avid collector of art and objects in France in the early part of the 20th Century, lived in a wealthy, fashionable area of Paris where he and others felt removed from rising anti-semitism in Europe at this time.

After his son dies in WWI he turns his spectacular home and collection into the Musée Nissim de Camondo. The opulent mansion is brimming with gilded 18th-century French furniture, Sèvres porcelain, rare wines and books. The author uses this epistolary book to lovingly describe the details of each room, and the meticulous care taken to preserve each piece.

Even with this magnificent gift to France, and his sons sacrifice, he felt the cultural disdain for his family from those who saw them as not "truly French". The Count died before the horrors of WWII ravaged his adopted country and his beloved family. The book tells his history in a way that honors the remarkable contributions the Count made to France, but also the memories and grief that cast long painful shadows. The Musée Nissim de Camondo is still in Paris, and stands as a testimonial of love from a father to his son. I loved reading about these remarkable families, and look forward to researching more history about them.

Razorblade Tears by S.A. Crosby is a moving, but brutally violent novel about revenge and redemption, as two ex-cons set out to get justice for their murdered sons. Ike is Black, a former gang member who now lives a respectable life; married and owning his own landscape business and home. Buddy Lee is a Cracker, self-proclaimed white trailer trash and barely functioning alcoholic, who nevertheless manages to have a charismatic sense of humor. The men officially meet after the joint funeral for their sons, Isaiah and Derek, who had married and had a young daughter, but were gunned down execution style on their anniversary.

The riveting plot takes second place to the evolving relationship between Ike and Buddy Lee, who must both come to grips with their mutual grief, magnified a thousand times over by the crippling guilt and regret of not accepting their sons while they were alive. The men must confront their shared homophobia, and Buddy Lee his inherent racism, just as the city of Richmond, VA slowly shifts from an old South town to a more modern city where two gay men can have an interracial marriage and raise a child together.

Each scene in the novel is so vividly drawn and described that it feels cinematic, and the dramatic tension carries through to the very end. I'd be very surprised if the movie rights haven't already been snapped up. Again, a warning that this novel is graphically violent (which is never my thing ). But the writing, emotional weight, and witty banter between the two men made it possible for me to push through the gore. 

Longtime friends, Cole, Bart, and Teddy are partners in a struggling business called True Triangle Construction. When a mysterious and intriguing woman comes into their lives seeking to hire them to build a house for her in a remote Wyoming location, they can't believe their good fortune. The catch is the unrealistic deadline. The trio is reluctant at first until her generous monetary bonus changes their minds. Once the project begins, unexpected challenges and delays cause pressures to escalate until a breaking point is reached causing a tragic turn.

Author Nickolas Butler has a way of writing about realistic, ordinary people facing obstacles in their lives. The book is about friendship and is also a study of how greed can take you down a dark road. A solid story.

If you have read any of the author's other books, you may also enjoy Godspeed; the word's definition is an expression of good wishes to a person starting a journey.

Finding inspiration from a stack of letters written by her grandfather, Louise Erdrich gives us another stellar novel based in her Native American culture. The title character Thomas Wazhashk is a night watchman at a factory where the women of the Turtle Mountain clan make parts used by the Defense Department as well as Bulova watches.

Like her grandfather, Thomas takes it upon himself to write letters to the US Government to fight a "Termination" bill in Congress that would eliminate all tribes, forcing them to assimilate. He is a hard worker who prides himself on his penmanship and work ethic. A dedicated husband and father he finds himself taking the cause of his people all the way to the Capitol. The Washington Post points out that " Erdrich's career has been an act of resistance against racism" and this book is no exception.

The story also revolves around Pixie, a factory worker with dreams of her own, struggling to put food on her families table. Hunger and shame are a part of her life as she and her Mother keep her violent father from drinking her meager earnings. The nightmare making headlines of missing Native American women plays a role in the book as Pixie goes in search of her older sister.

There are many more rich characters and stories told in this remarkable novel. The author reads the audiobook, giving it another sublime layer of depth of character, and strong sense of place and history. The Night Watchman being awarded The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for 2021 is no surprise. It is moving and inspiring. In her final words she writes "If you should be of the conviction that we are powerless to change...let this book give you heart"

Women’s fiction is a genre that continues to evolve and provide us a window into the lives of strong female protagonist.

Jamie Brenner’s newest novel, Blush, is a complex, domestic, multi-generational, family drama centered on the Hollander family.  It's a story of 3 generations of women who are trying to save their family vineyard. Leah Hollander, a NYC cheese shop owner, is visiting her family home, Hollander Estates Vineyard, when she abruptly finds out that her father needs to sell. Her own daughter, Sadie, shows up unexpectedly for the weekend at a crossroads in her life.

Sadie finds a secret journal detailing her grandmother's long-ago romance book club and begins to read these 80’s "trashy" novels along with the other women in the family. They soon come to realize that the book’s characters show them a whole different way of being a strong woman.

This was a terrific story, backed by excellent writing. Brenner develops characters with such a sense of immediacy and familiarity that you feel like you know these women and are part of their journey. Blush is perfect for a lighthearted book discussion and end of summer beach read. Don’t forget to pair it with a good glass of wine and cheese!