Book Reviews - Who is Maud Dixon? Alexandra Andrews - These Precious Days: Essays; Ann Patchett and Trust; Domenico Starnone

 

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Well we made it through a wonderful Thanksgiving gathering with family and everyone was healthy (we hope).  A few COVID scares in the granddaughter's classrooms but, they have each received their first booster and remain healthy - thank goodness.  For those of you who were able to be with family and friends - wasn't it special? It felt so good to be together, even the turkey seemed like one of my best (LOL).  We celebrated my son's birthday which always falls around Thanksgiving.

This weeks - Reading

I finished (3) books over the past week - all worth reading IMO.

Who is Maud Dixon?; Alexandra Andrews

Little Brown & Co - 2021

(library download - 9 hours 11 min)

Maud Dixon is a pen name for an author whose first book was a success but, just who is this very private author? 

Florence Darrow wants to be a novelist but, that dream seems unlikely especially after being let go from her job at a New York publishing house.  Suddenly, Florence seems to get the opportunity of a lifetime. She is hired as a writing assistant to "the Maud Dixon"...A.K.A.  Helen Wilcox.  Florence sees this as a chance to learn from real talent and Maud/Helen is only a few years older than Florence as well.

When Florence learns that the two of them will be traveling to Morocco she goes along with the idea, after all she is single and this seems like a dream opportunity.  From this point on the story that started out slow picks up speed and takes on a darker and sometimes even a comical turn. This was a wild read, both women were unlikeable characters but, I liked the unexpected twists and enjoyed the ride, even if I had to suspend belief from time to time. The audio read by Therese Plummer was excellent.

Rating - 4/5 stars

These Precious Days; Ann Patchett

Harper and Harper Audio - 11/2021

Ann Patchett is an author I automatically read. This recent release is a series of personal essays made me feel like the author was a close friend by the time I fished the final offering. 

My favorite essays in the collection were: Three Fathers: this was a touching story ~ her father who wanted her to be a dental hygienist and a step father who supported her writing aspirations.  I also enjoyed: How Knitting Saved My Life, Twice - A story about how this knitting helped her to kick a smoking habit as it's pretty hard to knit and smoke at the same time. (Knitting - was also key to my own daughter quitting smoking about 10 years ago). My Year of No Shopping was another essay that resonated with me because I tried this and failed miserably after a month. Don't we all have much too much stuff and don't we buy things that we already know we have but sometimes can't find? There is also an essay about moving from Montana to MA for a writing fellowship at Ratcliffe.  In There Are No Children Here - we learn about her decision to remain childless.  For me the most powerful essay is the title essay: These Precious Days. In this story she and her husband Karl invite Tom Hank's publicist, Sooki, into their home just pre-COVID as she was undergoing pancreatic cancer treatments in TN.  This story tells so much about the type of person the author is.

I really enjoyed this collection.  One or two of the essays felt slightly familiar to me like I may have read them before - perhaps in magazine. The author comes across as a caring partner and friend, the kind of individual that finds the good in all people and, don't we all know we need more people like this around? The take away for me after finishing this collection was: make sure you make good use of the time we have left as we never know what time we have left.

I had both the audio and eGalley. The audio is read by the author and although it was fine, I switched to the eGalley which, for me, was preferable.  

Rating - 4.5/5 stars

The eGalley was provided to me free of charge by Harper Publishing and Edelweiss and the audio was downloaded from by public library system.

Trust; Domenico Starnone

Europa Editions - 3.5/5

I enjoyed (2) previous books by this author: Ties (2017) and Trick (2018) so I was so looking forward to the latest release.  Pietro Vella and Teresa Quadraro are a couple who met when he was a teacher and she a former student.  They were in one of those love/hate relationships; one day they are hot for one another, then they fight, they break up and they get together again.  One day to help solidify their commitment to one another they agree to share a deep, dark secret about themselves that neither has shared with anyone else.  This turns out to be a huge mistake since as soon as they do this they break up for a final time.  

Each moves on in life - Pietro marries Nadia and fathers a daughter, Emma. He feels dissatisfied in his marriage and in his career as a literature teacher while Teresa becomes a success as a scientist and professor at prestigious MIT.  Despite the time that has passed Pietro remains haunted by the secret he confessed years earlier but, is it really the secret that leaves him distressed?  Surprisingly, Teresa holds a kind of power over Pietro despite the fact that their paths have only crossed a few times in decades.

The story is divided into three parts - Pietro's story is the most telling, we also hear from his adult daughter Emma and finally Teresa's voice.  The story was expertly translated from Italian by Jhumpa Lahiri and although I enjoyed this one, I was left wanting just a bit more.

The eGalley was provided to me by Edelweiss and Europa Books at no cost in exchange for my unbiased review.

Rating - 3.5/5 stars

Book Review - WIsh You Were Here; Jodi Picoult

 

Wish You Were Here; Jodi Picoult

Ballantine Books and Penguin Random House Audio - 11/30/2021

Wish You Were Here is a story that begins just before COVID has shut down the world.  Diane and Finn are a young couple living in NYC. Diana hasn't had the best childhood but, her life feels near perfect now. At 29 she works for Sothebys and Finn is a surgical resident at a New York hospital.  The two have planned a romantic getaway to the Galapagos islands and, Diana is pretty sure the Finn is planning on asking her to marry him.  Right before the couple is planning to leave, Finn gets word that all hands on deck are needed at the hospital and no one can take time off.  He encourages Diana to take the trip alone since the trip is already paid for and non refundable.  She decides to go alone (Big Mistake) and it isn't long before things go from bag to worse.  I can't say too much more about this novel without spoiling it for perspective readers but, this just may be my favorite Picoult novel yet and, I've read all of her books except for her previous one. 

I went into this one without reading reviews -- do yourself a favor and just go into this one blind - you will be glad you did.  The story is told from Diana's POV with later input from Finn. The story is well-written, a perfect story set in COVID times that did not feel too depressing.  It's a story about relationships, reassessing priorities and figuring out what is really important in life. I loved this book.  The audio version was read by Marin Ireland who, as always, did a fabulous job.

Rating - 5/5 stars

Happy Thanksgiving

 

Thanksgiving Wishes to All Who Celebrate

I love celebrating Thanksgiving, it is my favorite holiday. No gifts to buy, and just a wonderful time to be with loved ones.  I am thankful for each precious day, a wonderful husband, an awesome son and daughter, special daughter-in-law and great son-in-law, and (3) delightful granddaughters. We have a nice warm home, plenty of food and everything we need to be happy and feel secure.  

I am also thankful to those you who find my blog interesting enough to stop by now and then to share their love of books.  Be Well!

2 books that left me a bit disappointed - The Hotel; Pamela Kelley and Still Life; Sarah Winman

 

The Hotel; Pamela Kelley

Piping Plover Books - 2021

The Hotel is a novel that takes place in Nantucket, a place and setting that is hard to beat.   In this story The Whitley Hotel is the most famous and luxurious hotel on the island and, it has been in the family for years. Set on white pristine beaches, the hotel and surrounding cottages are about to undergo a management change.  Cousin Andrea is out as general manager due to her abrasive personality and granddaughter Paula who had less of a presence because of her accounting role is now moving to the general manager position. In addition, grandfather Whitley has hired David as a consultant to aid in the transition.  There is also Nick, a chef and brother to Paula as well as Bella, a Hollywood superstar who is staying at the hotel somewhat discreetly.

The chapters alternate between the characters and what started out promising and had a picture perfect setting, the one-dimensional characters and under developed yet predicable story left me disappointing.  I found lots of irritating details like what an Etsy store is and what Lyme disease unnecessary and, I wished the author devote more time in plot line and character development.  The audio book was read by Leslie Howard who did a fine job but, overall this story itself was disappointing.

Rating - 2/5 stars

Still Life; Sarah Winman

G.P Putnam - 2021

Still Life was another book that had so much promise and although many readers seemed to love it, it just was a struggle for me. 

Still Life begins in Florence and spans the years 1944 - 1979.  At the heart of the story is a young British soldier and globe maker named Ulysses Temper and 64 year old Evelyn Skinner, an art teacher and historian and possible spy.  The two meet in the midst of war as Ulysses hides out in a wine cellar. He is a kind and gentle man who is easy to like and one people are quickly drawn to.  As the war ends and Ulysses returns home, we meet wife Peg, a marriage of convenience, as well as a quirky cast of characters including an Amazonian parrot name Claude who quotes Shakespeare. 

 I started with the audiobook which is read by the author, but, I found it very difficult given the author's heavy British accent and multiple characters (8+) to follow. I switched to the hardcover and although this was easier, the hefty novel overall still wasn't a great fit for me and I found myself skimming sections.  I felt some of the characters were very well written but, I think my biggest pet peeve was that there was quite a bit of dialogue and the author did not use quotation marks. Unfortunately, I guess I haven't had the best luck with this author as I see her novel Tin Man was not a winner for me either - review HERE.

Rating - 3/5 stars

These Precious Days: Essays - Ann Patchett - First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

 

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon.  Today's selection is another book by a favorite author of mine, Ann Patchett. I decided to include the first paragraph from the introduction, as well as, the first paragraph from the first essay.

These Precious Days: Essays; Ann Patchett

Harper - 11/23/2021 - release day

Introduction

Essays Don't Die

The first time I remember seriously thinking about my own death, I was twenty-six years old and working on my first novel, The Patron Saint of Liars.  No matter where I went, I carried the entire cast of characters with me--the heroines and heroes and supporting players, as well as the towns they lived in, their houses and cars, all the streets and all the trees and the color of the light.  Every day a little bit more of their story was committed to paper, but everything that was still to come existed only in my head.  Remembering things is how I work. I didn't have outlines or notes, and because of that, I was hounded by the thought of stepping off a curb at the wrong moment, or drowning in the ocean (this second scenario was more likely, as I was living in Provincetown, Massachusetts, where I swam in the freezing water and was prone to cramps).

Three Fathers

Marriage has always proven irresistible in my family.  We try and fail and try again, somehow maintaining our belief in an institution that has made fools of us all.  I married twice; so has my sister.  Our mother married three times.  None of us set out for this.  We meant to stick our landing on the first try, but we stumbled.  My parents divorced when I was five. My mother and stepfather Mike had their final parting when I was twenty-four.  She married Darrell when I was twenty-seven, and they stayed together until he died in 2018, when I was fifty-four.

I can't wait to dive in an earlier book of essays: This is the Story of a Happy Marriage (2013) was a favorite read of mine.  What do you think of the intros?

Book Review - The Family; Naomi Krupitsky

The Family; Naomi Krupitsky

G.P. Putnam and Penguin Audio - 11/2021 - (9 hrs. 53 min.)

Narrator - Marin Ireland

Set in the late 1920s in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook,  The Family, tells the story of two best friends whose fathers, Joey and Carlos, were part of the Italian Mafia.  Sofia Colicchico and Antonia Russo were best friends from a very young age, their families even had Sunday dinners together. The girls knew their fathers worked together but what they did was a mystery.  When Antonia's father Carlos goes out one night and never returns, it is Joey who steps up and takes care of the fatherless Russo family.  As the girls grow, marry and become mothers their lives take a much different turn and fissures in their relationship begin to show but, they remain friends.  

What happens when someone wants out of the "family?"

I wasn't sure this book was going to be for me but, I found it to be a rather powerful coming of age story.  The husbands of Sofia and Antonia added much interest to the story as well (Antonia marries a Jew). I liked the time period: prohibition, the Great Depression and WWII.  I also enjoyed the background on how the Mafia and the protection aspect first came into play.  I  found some parts of the book to be a bit repetitive and I knew the ending would be somewhat shocking or surprising at the very least. I wasn't disappointed.  This book seems to have sequel potential as well.  The audio book was read by Marin Ireland who did an excellent job.  I think this debut is worth reading and was happy I tried it.

Rating - 4/5 stars

First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros - Wish You Were Here; Jodi Picoult

Welcome to First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Yvonne @ Socrates Book Reviews. Each week readers post the first paragraph (or 2) of a book we are reading or plan to read soon. 

 Wish You Were Here; Jodi Picoult

Ballantine Books - November/2021

One

March 13, 2020

When I was six years old, I painted a corner of the sky.  My father was working as a conservator, one of a handful restoring the zodiac ceiling on the main hall of Grand Central Terminal --an aqua sky strung with shimmering constellations.  It was late, way past my bedtime, but my father took me to work because my mother--as usual--was not home.

I started this one yesterday and I am finding it hard to put down.  Hope you enjoy the intro. The book releases in (2) weeks on November 30th.