Reader be warned: this is a profoundly sentimental book about aging that will bring tears. The story is about an 89-year-old Swedish man, Bo, living alone with a dog as his sole companion, plus daily visits from caregivers (this is Sweden, after all). Bo’s wife has descended into dementia, adding to his isolation. Bo’s relationship with his deceased father and his son are complicated; stubbornness and flashes of anger prevent him from communicating what he feels which often is pride and love. Memories and dreams collide in his assessment of his imperfections. Overall, a magical reading experience
Category: relationships
On The Calculation Of Volume-I – Solvej Balle
This is a fascinating story about a groundhog day. For Tara, the 18th of November repeats itself, apparently endlessly. Does this improbability represent a fault in time? There are intriguing inconsistencies in time, in what stays and what disappears. What about her husband Tom? In fact, Tara remembers and Tom forgets. What is unique and compelling about this story are the psychological aspects. Does Tara have a future? Is there an explanation, a hopeful resolution? Can she escape or is this her new reality. Overall, this is an extraordinarily introspective story. Thanks Amy, for the gift of this book.
Foe – Iain Reid
This is a fascinating book, set in an unknown place in a somewhat future time. Junior and Hen(rietta) are married and living a quiet life on a farm. A stranger arrives with surprising news: Junior has been “selected” in a lottery to travel to a space station. What does this mean to their married relationship? Can a biomechanical replica replace Junior? The story creates unease, a really creepy feeling. At its core, this story is about relationships, with shifts in the balance of power creating compelling reading. Highly recommended.
Becoming Duchess Goldblatt – Anonymous
My good friend Karen recommendd this book by stating “It has been a long time since I dreaded the approaching of the end of a book”, and I concur completely although the story will not be for everyone. The anonymous narrator, a writer and single mother, creates a fictitious character named Duchess Goldblatt to post on social media. Why create a fictional persona? Is it for personal privacy? Is it to construct an alternative reality, a social construct that is a better person, kinder and more compassionate? DG becomes a bright light in the darkness of social media. In contrast, the anonymous narrator is extremely introspective with intense relationships with her late father, son, a brother with mental illness, and yes, even Lyle Lovett. Highly recommended for a challenging read.
The Homemade God – Rachel Joyce
Ms. Joyce is an exquisite writer, and this book is one of her best (along with The Music Shop). Four siblings travel to Italy because of the unexpected death of their father. At the Lake villa, they also meet the much younger woman their father has married recently. This is a relationship story, about fragile familial bonds, the paralysis of grief, about beauty and pain. The writing is beautiful and very evocative, so be warned: tears will emerge. Overall, this is a moving, insightful and imaginative story with a brilliant ending. Highly recommended.
A Table For Two – Amor Towles
Towles is a great writer of novels (A Gentleman in Moscow, The Lincoln Highway). This book features his shorter fiction. First, there are six short stories set in contemporary New York: art in the Metropolitan Museum, dining at Balthazar, music at Carnegie Hall – what’s not to love! These stories feature brief encounters and the delicate mechanics of compromise in a marriage. And second, the book contains a novella set in 1938 Los Angeles featuring Eve from Rules of Civility in a noirish role, in a classic crime caper. Towles writing is stylish and compelling, as always.
Three Days In June – Anne Tyler
Gail is a 61-year-old administrator at a girl’s private school who will attend the wedding of her daughter Debbie tomorrow. Then her ex-husband Max shows up unannounced, with a cat. This is a tender relationship book about love and marriage, both the current situation and the past. As always, Ms. Tyler’s writing is sublime: “Gail wonders why she has so many irritating people in her life”. It is the very ordinariness of the story and characters that is so attractive. In short, a delightful mix of pathos and humour, and yes, even empathy.
Intermezzo – Sally Rooney
Ms. Rooney (author of Normal People) has written another superb relationship book. Peter and Ivan are dissimilar brothers, 10 years different in age who are grieving the recent death of their father. The younger brother begins a relationship with an older woman. Meanwhile, the older brother has a complicated relationship with two women. Can you care passionately for an unsuitable person? The prose is exceptional with frequent stream-of-consciousness thinking. And there is a need for honesty, and for forgiveness by others and by oneself. Highly recommended.
The Briar Club – Kate Quinn
Consistent with previous Quinn books (The Rose Code, The Alice Project), this is a book about women and their female relationships. The context: Washington DC from 1950-54, so the era of paranoid McCarthyism and racism. Women living Briarwood House, an all-female boarding house, are united by the Thursday night Briar Club for potluck food and conversation. This book about female friendships and secrets makes for compelling reading.
What David Read 