Arrivals and Departures.

Book Review for “Hello Beautiful” by Ann Napolitano. Summary: "William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him. So it’s a relief when his skill on the basketball court earns him a scholarship to college, far away from his childhood … Continue reading Arrivals and Departures. →

New Stories about Old People.

Book Review for “Old Babes in the Wood” Stories by Margaret Atwood. Summary: "The two intrepid sisters of the title story grapple with loss and memory on a perfect summer evening; "Impatient Griselda" explores alienation and miscommunication with a fresh twist on a folkloric classic; and "My Evil Mother" touches on the fantastical, examining a … Continue reading New Stories about Old People. →

The Lie Detector.

Book Review for “Only May” by Carol Lovekin. Summary: "Listen. The bee walks across my finger, slow as anything and I can see through the gauzy wing, to the detail of my skin. 'You aren’t looking in the right place.' If you look her in the eye and tell a lie, May Harper will see … Continue reading The Lie Detector. →

Sisterly Scandals.

Book Review for “The Mitford Affair” by Marie Benedict. Summary: "Between the World Wars, the six Mitford sisters dominate the English political, literary, and social scenes. Though they've weathered scandals before, the family falls into disarray when Diana divorces her husband to marry a fascist leader and Unity follows her sister's lead, inciting rumors that … Continue reading Sisterly Scandals. →

… you’d be behind me.

Book Review for “Lucy by the Sea” by Elizabeth Strout. Summary: "As a panicked world goes into lockdown, Lucy Barton is uprooted from her life in Manhattan and bundled away to a small town in Maine by her ex-husband and on-again, off-again friend, William. For the next several months, it's just Lucy, William, and their … Continue reading … you’d be behind me. →

Radio WDOT Live!

Book Review for “Standing in the Rainbow” by Fannie Flagg. Summary: "Along with Neighbor Dorothy, the lady with the smile in her voice, whose daily radio broadcasts keep us delightfully informed on all the local news, we also meet Bobby, her ten-year-old son, destined to live a thousand lives, most of them in his imagination; … Continue reading Radio WDOT Live! →

Dreamy Vistas.

Book Review for “Small Eden” by Jane Davis. Summary: "1884. The symptoms of scarlet fever are easily mistaken for teething, as Robert Cooke and his pregnant wife Freya discover at the cost of their two infant sons. Freya immediately isolates for the safety of their unborn child. Cut off from each other, there is no … Continue reading Dreamy Vistas. →

A Bottled Family.

Book Review for “Marrying the Ketchups” by Jennifer Close. Summary: "Here are the three things the Sullivan family knows to be true: the Chicago Cubs will always be the underdogs; historical progress is inevitable; and their grandfather, Bud, founder of JP Sullivan's, will always make the best burgers in Oak Park. But when, over the … Continue reading A Bottled Family. →

An Entwined Family.

Book Review for “French Braid” by Anne Tyler. Summary: "The Garretts take their first and last family vacation in the summer of 1959. They hardly ever venture beyond Baltimore, but in some ways they have never been farther apart. Mercy has trouble resisting the siren call of her aspirations to be a painter, which means … Continue reading An Entwined Family. →

From Fame to Infamy.

Book Review for “Booth” by Karen Joy Fowler. Summary: "In 1822, a secret family moves into a secret cabin some thirty miles northeast of Baltimore, to farm, to hide, and to bear ten children over the course of the next 16 years. Junius Booth—breadwinner, celebrated Shakespearean actor and master of the house in all ways—is … Continue reading From Fame to Infamy. →