Fiction: 2000-2003
My Only Story by Monica Wood. Chronicle Books, San Francisco: 2000. A refreshing story about a small town hairdresser's attempts to reunite her fiance with his young niece. Rita, a tarot reader and an owner of a small salon in her house, fortuitously meets Roger soon after she dreams about him. They become lovers and eventually engaged. Both Roger and Rita have difficult pasts which will influence the outcome of Roger's relationship to his niece. Set in New England, the author weaves a heart-warming story with surprising connections between characters. Monica Wood is a winner of the 1999 Pushcart prize for "Ernie's Ark", which was published in Glimmer Train.
The Elementary Particles by Michel Houellebecq. Translated from the French by Frank Wynne. Alfred A. Knopf , New York; 2000. A best seller and literary sensation from France. The novel chronicles the lives of two half brothers; one a sexually obsessed teacher and the other an introverted scientist. Both men are related through their mother, who abandoned them for an alternative life style of the Sixties. Each brother has a radically different outlook on life: the scientist observes all life in purely scientific terms, and the teacher perceives life as it relates to sexual activity. The novel elaborates in great detail about their separate childhoods; their eventual reuniting; the dissimilar paths of their adult lives. This is a masterful work of fiction, very European in its tone and reflection. The author received the Prix novembre award for this novel.
Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. Viking Penguin, New York: 2002. Set in the Civil Rights era of 1964, this stunning debut novel is the eloquent story of a white farm girl who runs away from her abusive father and finds refuge with a family of three black women. The book centers around Lily's unfulfilled relationship with her dead mother, who she may have killed accidentally at the age of three when her mother was attempting to leave her father. Lily wrestles with the possibility that her mother may have not wanted her, and she seeks maternal comfort and guidance with August, a beekeeper, who trains Lily in her profession. As tensions of the era encompass her, Lily comes to terms with both the loss of her mother and her estranged father. Rich in detail and tense dialog, The Secret Life of Bees is an excellent choice for bookgroups. Ms. Kidd has written the highly acclaimed memoirs, The Dance of the Dissident Daughter, and When the Heart Waits. The author has won a Poets&Writers award for the story that began this novel, as well as a Katherine Ann Porter award and a Bread Loaf scholarship. An excerpt from The Secret Life of Bees was selected as a notable story in Best American Stories. The author resides in South Carolina. Visit her website at Suemonkkidd.com
The Monk Downstairs by Tim Farrington. HarperSanFrancisco:2002. A monk leaves a monastery after twenty years and rents an apartment downstairs from a divorced mother with a young child. A romance ensues- one hampered by emotional baggage. The landlady, Rebecca, has ongoing issues with her ex-husband, a pot smoking surfer; Michael is struggling with his inner spiritual turmoil and tries to adjust to both his decision to leave the monastery and to the reality of his new relationship with Rebecca. This absorbing novel is woven in fluent prose; the relationships of its characters will strike a familiar note to many readers. One of the best novels of the year- and a refreshing reading experience.
The Last Promise by Richard Paul Evans. Dutton, New York: 2002. A refreshing romantic novel about two ex-patriot Americans in Italy. Eliana lives on a beautiful and spacious villa near Florence. She is unhappily married to her Italian husband, Maurizio, who is unfaithful and absent from the villa for weeks at a time. A new tenant, Ross, who is a museum guide for the Uffizi Gallery, rents a room on the villa property. A love affair ensues, Eliana eventually torn by the possibility of having to leave her seriously asthmatic son or losing the love of her life. Mr. Evans writes a heart warming and eloquently insightful tale about true love. He is the best selling author of The Christmas Box. His website is www.RichardPaulEvans.com.
CoastLiners by Joanne Harris. William Morrow, HarperCollins Publishers New York: 2002. An endearing tale about unresolved father-daughter issues, by the gifted author of Chocolat. A French woman, Madeleine, returns to the island where she grew up, Le Devin, after living in Paris. Her ailing father lives in the Les Salants village of the island, whose inhabitants eke out a bare existence. There is a mutual animosity between the residents of Les Salants and the inhabitants of the other more prosperous island village, La Houssiniere. The beach of Les Salants has washed away. Madeleine, however, collaborates with Flynn, an Irish ex-patriot living on Les Salants, to save the village's beach. Their efforts succeed, however, with a negative impact on La Houssiniere resulting in significant life style changes for Les Salants. The author has written Five Quarters of the Orange, and Blackberry Wine. Chocolat was nominated for the Whitbread Award. She is half French and half British and resides in England.
Final Arrangements by Miles Keaton Andrew. Thomas Dunne Books, St. Martins Press, New York: 2002. Casey Kight begins work at Morton-Albright, a family owned funeral home in a small town in Florida. This is the fulfillment of his life long dream of becoming a mortician. His co-workers soon find out that Casey has the "gift" for embalming. He feels welcomed by the family and falls in love with Natalie, the daughter of the funeral home director. Unfortunately, a national funeral home conglomerate may buy Morton-Albright. Casey's future is in jeopardy and he works with Natalie to find a way to keep Morton-Albright in the family. This is a wildly irreverent and funny book, which gives the reader an insider's view of the funeral home business. The author has worked in the funeral trade for over ten years. This is his first novel.
Deafening by Frances Itani. Atlantic Monthly Press :2003. A bracing debut novel set on the eve the Great War. Grania O'Neill, the daughter of Irish hoteliers in small town Ontario, is deaf due to a childhood bout with Scarlet Fever. Eventually, she is sent to the Ontario School for the Deaf where she is instructed in sign language and speech. After graduation, Grania works at the school where she meets her husband Jim Lloyd, a hearing man. Shortly after their marriage, he enlists in the Canadian Army as a stretcher-bearer and serves in Flanders. There are two strands of character development in the novel. One focuses on Grania's inner silence and her relationship with the hearing world; the other is a recounting of Jim's observations of the horror of war. Their separate lives meld together into a coping and loving relationship. This is a solid debut, an engaging read which appeals to a broad spectrum of readers and book groups. Frances Itani is a two-time winner of the Tilden ( CBC/Saturday Night) Literary Award, and a recipient of the Canadian Fiction Magazine's Best Short Story Award. The author has written four short story collections and has written stories, poetry, drama, and features for CBC Radio.
The True Life of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy. A haunting recounting of the classic fairy tale set in Poland during the Nazi occupation. Two Jewish children flee the Nazis and assume the names of Hansel and Gretel to hide their Jewish identity. They are hidden by a "witch" named Magda, who lives in a hut outside a small village. This is a riveting tale of heroism, survival, and kindness in the worst of times. Excellent book group choice. Ms. Murphy is the author of The Sea Within, and a children's book, My Garden. She is the recipient of a Witers Digest Award for poetry. Her poetry has been published in Soujourners, Commonweal and Bitter Oleande
The Master Butcher's Singing Club by Louise Erdrich. HarperCollins Publishers , New York:2003. A young German butcher, who was a former sniper for the German army in World War I, emigrates to the United States and settles in North Dakota. Fidelis Waldvogel builds a successful business in the small town of Argus, and eventually brings his wife, sister, and son to North Dakota. A local woman, Delphine, who is the daughter of the town drunk, works for Fidelis and becomes best friends with his wife, Eva. Eventually, the lives of Fidelis and Delphine are woven closely together by family matters, town events, and World War II. This is a masterful tale written by the National Book Award finalist (The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse) and National Book Critics Circle Award winner (Love Medicine). The author has also won the The National Magazine Award and her work is included in the O. Henry and Best American short story collections. An excellent book group choice appealing to a wide range of readers.
Willem's Field by Melinda Haynes. Free Press,( Simon and Schuster) New York: 2003. Willem, who has been struggling with a panic disorder for most of his adult life, journeys back to his childhood home in Mississippi, now hidden in a field on land owned by the Till family. Other subplots emerge at the time of Willem's visit. The marriage of Bruno, the eldest Till son, is foundering. Sonny, the younger son of the Till family, is obese, lazy, and is currently involved in a get-rich-quick scheme. The Till family dynamics meld with Willem's visit to create a rich work of fiction by the gifted author of Mother of Pearl, an Oprah Book Club selection.
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood.Nan A. Talese Doubleday, New York:2003. A provocative futuristic novel about the destruction of human civilization. The book's central figure is Snowman, who may be the last surviving person in the human race, which has left behind only remnants of its highly developed civilization. The story goes back and forth from the early life of "Jimmy", a.k.a. Snowman to the bleak present. We learn of events which lead to this end of days scenario. Crake moves into Jimmy's restricted "module" community populated by elite scientists and their families. They live in a world of bizarre genetically crossed bred animals and new technologies.
Trading Up by Candace Bushnell. Hyperion Books New York:2003. The best selling author of 4 Blondes and Sex and The City has written a spicy novel about a Victoria's Secret model struggling to rise in New York "Society." Janey Wilcox is a stunning blond who recently has become the top model for Victoria's Secret. She has greater ambitions, and tries to pursue a career as a movie producer. Along the way, she chooses the "right" husband, and associates with well-known New York celebrities. Her dubious past and insinuating manner eventually threaten both her career and her reputation. This is an entertaining and insightful book- told by a knowledgeable insider who has been a columnist for The New York Observer and a contributing editor for Vogue Magazine.
The Coffee Trader by David Liss. Random House, New York:2003. A historical novel set in mid 17th century Amsterdam. The fortunes of investment traders rise and fall in this burgeoning city, where two Jewish Portuguese brothers have sought refuge from the inquisition. Miguel Lienzo has recently lost a fortune in the sugar markets. He is humiliated and currently supported by the charity of his younger brother. A Dutch woman secretly offers him an opportunity to invest in a new market- coffee. Investment relationships between Jews and Gentiles are forbidden by the Ma'amad, which supervises the activities of the Jewish community in Amsterdam. Miguel could face banishment from the Jewish community if his new business relationship is revealed. He attempts to salvage his business reputation by gaining control of the coffee market in Europe. In order to accomplish this, Miguel must overcome devious traders who threaten his goal. This well researched book provides the reader with a glimpse into the Jewish life of 18th century Amsterdam, and the commercial climate within the city. The Coffee Trader is the second novel of the Edgar Award winning author of A Conspiracy of Paper. His website is www.davidliss.com.
The Interpreter by Suki Kim. Farrar, Strauss, Giroux, New York:2003. A Korean-American interpreter working in New York discovers startling facts about her family history during a routine deposition. She seeks to uncover the mystery surrounding her parent's murder by contacting their former employees, her estranged sister, the police, and shadowy figures in the Korean criminal underground. In the course of this harrowing search, we learn about her conflicted upbringing, her parent's checkered past, and her life as a mistress. This gripping debut novel is stylistically akin to Native Speaker by Chang Rae Lee. Ms. Kim immigrated to the United States at the age of thirteen. The author is a graduate of Barnard College and studied at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri. HoughtonMifflin New York Boston:2003. This absorbing novel chronicles the lives of a Bengali Indian couple who move to the United States. Ashima Ganguli and her husband Ashoke move to Massachusetts where he is a Ph.D candidate at MIT and eventually settle in a town outside Boston, where he is a professor of electrical engineering at a small university. It is very difficult for them to leave their family in Calcutta; both Ashima and Ashoke have conflicted feelings about their lives in America- unlike their American born son Gogol ( nicknamed for the Russian author, Nikolai Gogol) and their daughter, Sonia. The family story is told over the span of thirty years and details the changes in their lives as the parents and their children adapt their Bengali culture to America. This is the first novel of the exceptional author and the Pulitzer Prize Winner of The Interpreter of Maladies.
Swagbelly by David Levien. Plume (Penguin Group USA), New York:2003. Eliot Grubman is a self-made Jewish man who earned his fortune as a porn publisher. He is recently divorced, and is currently in a relationship with a young "model." Money has been the omnipotent force in Grubmans's life- although his sexual impotence, his tense relationship with his son- who is about to become a Bar Mitzvah- seriously test his life philosophy. DJ Levien is the author of the novel, Wormwood, and he co-wrote the feature film, Rounders. His website is djlevien.com. Fabulous Small Jews, is recommended to be read for contrasting characters.
Foiglman by Aharon Megged. Translated from Hebrew by Margarnit Weinberger-Rotman. TheToby Press New London, CT; London: 2003. A Parisian Yiddish poet, Holocaust survivor Shumel Foiglman, writes to Israeli historian Zvi Arbel regarding the latter's work on the Chmielnicki's massacres in 1648-1649, and sends Arbel a volume of his poetry. Foiglman visits the historian in Israel and an entangled friendship ensues. Eventually, Arbel devotes his time and resources to publishing Foiglman's poetry in Hebrew. Unfortunately, this has severe consequences for his marriage to Nora, a scientist. The book offers insight into the Israeli psyche, which the author deftly contrasts with the Jewish Diaspora frame of mind, as represented by Foiglman. This engrossing novel is an excellent choice for Jewish book groups. The author has been an important figure in Israeli literature since the 1950s. He was the president of the Israel Pen Center from 1980 to 1987. Mr. Megged is a long-standing of the Hebrew Academy, and has received the Brenner Award, the Agnon Award and the Israel Prize for Literature in 2003.
Seven Blessings by Ruchama King. St.Martins Press New York:2003. Two Orthodox Jewish Matchmakers living in Jerusalem have a central mission in life: arranging Jewish marriages. One of the matchmakers is Tsippi, a survivor of the Holocaust, who vowed after being liberated from Treblinka to champion the birth of new Jews by setting up new marriages. The other matchmaker, Judy, moved to Israel from America and seeks to arrange marriages for the men and women who sit at her Sabbath table. The central matchmaking focus of the novel is on Akiva and Beth. Akiva, 41, is a house painter who is afflicted with a rare nervous disorder, and has embraced Orthodox Judaism later in life. Beth 39, is American and was raised Orthodox. This enticing novel revolves around their courtship as it evolves in their lives as Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem. Excellent book choice for Jewish readers and those interested in Jewish culture. A reading guide is available. The author lived, studied, and taught in Jerusalem for 10 years. This is her first novel.
A Father's Affair by Karel Van Loon. Canongate Books, Edinburgh. New York: 2003. Translated from the Dutch by Sam Garrett. Armin Minderhout, the father of a 13 year old son, discovers that he has been infertile his entire life. His son's mother is now dead, and he begins a relentless quest to find the true of father of his son, Bo. On this path, he seeks to resolve ambiguous questions about the nature of true love. A surprising ending makes for a refreshing and thoughtful read. The author has written two best selling novels and a collection of stories which were short listed for the ECI Prize. Mr. Van Loon is a free-lance journalist and a television program maker. Sam Garrett is a journalist and a free-lance translator. He recently translated The Cave by Tim Krabbé and Silent Extras by Arnon Grunberg.
Forever by Pete Hamill. Little,Brown and Company, Boston, New York, London: 2003. The latest novel by the author. In 1740, Cormac O'Connor leaves his native Ireland seeking to avenge the deaths of his parents. He is in the midst of the tensions that exist between the Irish, the English, and the Blacks. Cormac is eventually wounded trying to aid an African Shaman. In return, the Shaman heals him and gives him the gift of immortality, on the condition that he never leaves Manhattan. Cormac continues to live through the decades, fighting in the Revolutionary War and working as a newspaper reporter in New York City. He witnesses the rise of the Metropolis, and the dawn of the new millenium. Only a mysterious dark lady will be able to help him break the curse and blessing of his eternal life. Forever, my favorite of the author's novels, is a passionate and colorful tale, woven into the history of New York. Mr. Hamill has written for the New York Times, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, the New Yorker, and Newsday. He is the author of A Drinking Life, and most recently, Snow in August.
Monkey Hunting by Cristina Garcia. Alfred A. Knopf, New York:2003. The most recent novel of the gifted Cuban-American author. A young Chinese man is deceived into leaving his homeland for Cuba and is forced into slavery. Chen Pan eventually escapes the sugar plantation where he is enslaved and begins a new life when he opens a successful antique shop in Havana. His story is interwoven with lives of his descendants in China, Cuba and the United States. This is a bracing and colorful tale, enriched with historical detail. Ms. Garcia was born in Havana and grew up in New York City. Her novel Dreaming In Cuban was nominated for a National Book Award. She has been a Guggenheim Fellow, a Hodder Fellow at Princeton University, and a recipient of a Whiting Writers Award.