We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, is the haunting new novel by Karen Joy Fowler. Told by Rosemary, a 22 year old undergraduate at UC Davis, she recalls her early life with her older brother Lowell, and her sister Fern, neither of which she has seen in over a decade.

The story of this unusual family becomes more mysterious as it unfolds. Fowler is a brilliant writer. She has created a story so complex and rich in detail, that it is impossible to separate the beauty and joy from the pain and heartache; they are all tightly woven strands of a rich and colorful tapestry.

I loved this novel, yet also found it highly disturbing. Not a book that will be soon forgotten.

The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing

I never read The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank when it was wildly popular a decade ago. I just recently picked it up, and it is as funny and relevant now as it was then.

It is written as a series of connected short stories featuring young, single Jane Rosenal trying to make her way through the treacherous territory of dating, family relations, work, etc.

Bank's writing is funny and insightful. I laughed all the way through this book.

The Happiness Project

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin tracks a year of Rubin's life where she sets out very systematically to become happier. I really wanted to like this book, but I couldn't relate to most of Rubin's thoughts on how to pursue happiness. It was not until the end of the book that she even considered changing her own attitude, and then only begrudgingly.

She has methods and systems in place to help others set up their own Happiness Project and a blog you can follow as well. She has a pretty happy life to begin with, which she admits, so this isn't a book aimed at truly unhappy people. I liked the idea, but nothing here really resonated with me. Others, however, might find some insight here.

Where'd You Go, Bernadette?

Where'd You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple is one of the most original books I've read in years. Told from the point of view of Bernadette's fifteen year old daughter Bee, and written mostly in email correspondences, the book could have been nothing more than a gimmick that didn't really work.

However, due to Semple's wit and clever writing style, the story flows seemlessly through countless emails, memos, police reports etc. We meet Bee's mother, Bernadette, a brilliant architect who has been in hiding for the past 20 years, then literally goes missing in Antarctica.

The story is original, funny, entertaining and heartfelt. A surprisingly deep novel that captures the emotions of all three family members searching for something that has been lost.

Semple is a brilliant writer. I loved this book.

Corfu

Corfu by Robert Dessaix is a novel loosely based on the life of little known Australian writer/actor Kester Berwick. 

The main character, also an Australian actor and traveler, finds himself in Corfu and rents Berwick's house for a few months while he is away. While there, he meets up with the local ex-pat community, puts on plays, and reads Berwick's books, letters and other writings. His own life begins to mimic Berwicks, as he tries to navigate his way through failed love affairs and contemplates heading back home.

This is a novel for travelers. Anyone who has spent a great deal of time away from home will appreciate Dessaix's observations and longings. A beautifully written novel.

A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea

A Teaspoon of Earth and Sea is the debut novel by Dina Nayeri  The novel tells the story of Saba and her twin sister Mahtab, growing up in 80's Iran after the revolution. When they are 11 years old, a terrible accident happens, and Saba is unclear whether Mahtab is alive or dead. Her only memory is seeing her get on a plane to America with their Mother.

After Mahtab and her Mother disappear, Saba begins fashioning tales of their life in America. She grows up with her wealthy Father in a small village outside of Tehran, and fills her world with illegal tapes of Western music, movies, and magazines. She learns English on her own and is determined to go to America one day and find her Mother and sister.

Nayeri is a wonderful storyteller, and I felt transported to a small village in Iran. The story is told from many perspectives, including the village women who stepped in to help raise Saba after her Mother disappeared.

A sad, yet beautiful novel. Highly recommended.

The Shoemaker's Wife

The Shoemaker's Wife, the latest from Adriana Trigiani, is a sweeping family saga following the lives of two Italian immigrants at the turn of the century who move from their small villages in the Italian Alps to NYC, meet, eventually fall in love and start a new life together in Minnesota. This story is based on the lives of Trigiani's grandparents.

Being the grandaughter of Italian immigrants myself, I loved this story. It tells the tale of hardworking immigrants trying to make a new life for themselves in a new place, all the while sending money home to Italy to help build a better life for their families there. This is a well researched novel full of beautiful details that bring the places and people alive.

I've always enjoyed Trigiani's novels, but this is my favorite so far. Recommended as a great summer read.