The Golden State

The Golden State by Lydia Kiesling takes place in a little known part of Northern California in the fictional high desert town of Altavista. A young mom, Daphne, leaves her stable job in San Fransisco with her toddler to spend 10 days in her grandparents empty house that now belongs to her. Meanwhile, her husband is stuck in Turkey due to a "click of the mouse" error that wont let him back in the country.

We follow Daphne on a near breakdown as Kiesling addresses the strains of early motherhood, isolation, exhaustion, as well as family dynamics, racism, and a growing political divide even in a state as liberal and progressive as California. A well written, powerful and timely read.

The Genuine Stories

The Genuine Stories is a novel by Susan Smith Daniels. These linked together stories moving back in forth in time to tell the story of Genuine Eriksson and her unique healing abilities that fist showed up when she was a child.

Each story can stand alone, but taken together they paint a portrait of a truly original character. Enjoyable and well written, a small book that makes you believe that anything is possible

The Emissary

The Emissary by Yoko Tawada is a slim little surrealist novel set in Japan after an imaginary apocalypse. Old people live forever, but young people are born sick, barely able to walk as children, and aging each year. Everything is turned on its head.

At the heart of the story is young optimistic Mumei living with his constantly worrying great-grandfather Yoshiro. At times funny, at times sad, always full of heart. A witty, original read, not for everyone.

The Library Book

The Library Book by Susan Orlean is a fantastic story about Public Libraries. This is a non-fiction book about the fire that destroyed the Los Angeles Public Library in 1986, yet it reads like a mystery or a detective story, uncovering the truth bit by bit.

Written as only Susan Orlean could, this is a love song to Libraries, an ode to our last free public community spaces that do so much more than just check out books! It made me want to go back to school to become a librarian. Highly recommended.

The Lost Girls of Paris

The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff is historical fiction that tells the little known story of female agents sent into Nazi occupied France from England during WWII. Jenoff's novel follows the women from 1944-1946 as the tale of their training, bravery and often disappearance unfolds.

A fascinating subject, however this book is more fiction than history. I found the ending improbable and disappointing, but overall an interesting read.

Nine Perfect Strangers

Nine Perfect Strangers is the latest by Liane Moriarty. I've read and enjoyed all her books and I think she is a great writer. Although not my favorite of hers, I could not put this book down, nor will I soon forget it.

Nine people book a ten day cleanse at an exclusive health resort in Australia. The owner is a gorgeous, magnetic, if slightly odd woman. At first all is well, but things get stranger as the book goes on. Told from alternating perspectives, Moriarty keeps the reader captivated throughout; however, I felt dissapointed by the end, especially when comparing this book to some of her earlier novels.

Go, Went, Gone

Go, Went, Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck is a novel about African refugees in Germany. Translated from the German by Susan Bernofsky. A retired professor comes across a group of refugees living in tents in Alexanderplatz and becomes interested in learning more about them. He slowly befriends them and hears their stories.

This is both a beautifully written, poetic novel and a truly heartbreaking one, although ultimately hopeful. It couldn't be more timely as we are faced with decisions of how to treat refugees at our borders. These decisions are usually made with little or no understanding of the people whose lives are unimaginable to most Americans and Europeans. A profound and important book, highly recommended.