The Postmistress

Single, 40-year-old Iris James is the postmistress in the small town of Franklin, Massachusetts, during the early years of WWII. She maintains order, doles out mail to the residents, and above all, she follows the rules.

Emma Trask is the wife of the town’s only doctor, Dr. Fitch. When he attempts to atone for a tragic medical event by volunteering to serve at a military hospital in London, Emma’s world is turned upside down. Before leaving for Europe, Dr. Fitch entrusts Iris with a letter for Emma in the event he never returns home. It will be Iris who will bear responsibility for delivering the news of his death to his young, pregnant wife.

In London, plucky radio correspondent Frankie Bard (who works with Edward R. Murrow) brings the heartrending details of the war to the living rooms of her American listeners. As she travels through Europe, she records the stories of countless displaced Jewish families, capturing the human spirit of so many affected by the war. When Frankie leaves Europe and travels to Franklin, the lives of these three female characters become intertwined.

I received this book for Christmas last year and finally got around to reading it. I’m glad I did (and I think you will be, too!). Sarah Blake has penned an impressive, heartstring-tugging debut novel, full of love, tragedy, hope and sadness. Sure, it’s another novel about WWII, but the approach she takes—focusing on the reporting of the news and its effects—makes the subject matter seem fresh. As I finished the book, it made me reflect on all the positive things I have to be grateful for in my life. Certainly worth adding to your list!







Clara and Mr. Tiffany

As someone who has always been fascinated by beautiful stained glass, I was pleased to see that one of my favorite authors, Susan Vreeland, had written a novel sure to mesmerize with the back story of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s breathtaking nature-inspired lamps and other works of art.

The inspiration for Clara and Mr. Tiffany came from a collection of personal letters discovered in 2005 that revealed a young woman named Clara Driscoll was responsible for the design and production of these lamps—which became synonymous with the Tiffany name—as well as other exquisite works of glass that brought Tiffany much fame and fortune during the early 20^th century.

Vreeland expertly brings to life the story of Clara Driscoll, a talented artist who moves to New York City to find work in the design studios of Louis Comfort Tiffany during the birth of modern America. Forced to leave her job when she married (Mr. Tiffany had a strict policy against hiring married women), Clara returns to Tiffany’s as a young widow and takes charge of the newly formed women’s department, as it was widely believed that women had a finer eye for color selection and the attention to detail that Tiffany’s stained glass projects required. A heroine of sorts, Clara is fiercely loyal to her “Tiffany Girls” during a time when the fight for women’s equality is picking up steam. Throw in an intriguing cast of eclectic, artistic characters who reside at Clara’s board house and I think you’ll enjoy Clara’s journey to find a balance between love, her career, and her relationship with Mr. Tiffany.

Looking back on this novel, I think it may be a bit tedious for some readers, given all of the details about the glass manufacturing process (which I loved). But if you enjoy a well-researched, well-written novel, I think Clara and Mr. Tiffany would make an excellent choice as we head into the cooler, leaf-changing days of fall!



One Day





After reading great reviews about David Nicholls’ international bestseller One Day, I decided to give it a whirl while on vacation. Alas, I was more than a bit disappointed. The story meandered along, leaving me thinking, “Where is this going?” with each turn of the page. Sure, I liked the clever premise—each chapter offering a glimpse into the lives of Dexter Mayhew and Emma Morley on the same July day of each passing year. But it was utterly predictable from the start. I think I was also distracted by the fact that Anne Hathaway (annoying) and Jim Sturgess (what?) are playing the leads in the movie. Did those responsible for casting even READ this book? If you’ve read it, I’d love to know what you think about the casting choices!

The story goes like this: Emma and Dexter spend a romantic night together in 1988 on the eve of their graduation from college. A close friendship develops, but it’s easy to see that both have deeper feelings for the other. As we keep up with the pair over the next 20 years, we witness the ever sarcastic Emma working at jobs that are completely beneath her and dating hapless men (poor Ian)—all while struggling to become an author. Then there’s Dexter. He’s the hot-mess host of some ridiculous British tabloid-style talk show who fills his days and nights with drugs, booze and beautiful women.

After trudging along for pages and pages (will Dexter and Emma just get together already?!?), tragedy strikes. I admit, I didn’t see this little twist coming. As I finished the final few chapters, I felt the book had somewhat redeemed itself. However, best to borrow this from a friend rather than pay for your own copy if you still insist on reading it!

Vaclav & Lena

I just finished Vaclav & Lena while vacationing in Michigan and it is one of those books I hated to put down. This debut novel by the talented Haley Tanner tells the story of a Russian family living in Brooklyn: 10-year-old Vaclav, his overprotective mother, his father (who drinks his weight in vodka on a daily basis), and Lena, a neighbor who has stolen Vaclav’s heart.

Vaclav and Lena are classmates who spend each afternoon at Vaclav’s home completing their homework assignments, eating dinner, and most importantly, practicing their magic act. Yes, Vaclav’s dream is to be a famous magician (how he admires David Copperfield and Houdini!) and he envisions Lena as the lovely assistant, always by his side.

But Lena’s home life is deplorable. An orphan, she lives with her aunt, an exotic dancer who has no time to care for a child (and doesn’t really want one around). With a profession like this, the reader can only imagine all of the unsavory elements Lena is exposed to. Vaclav’s mother, Rasia, realizes the tragedy of Lena’s situation and does what she can to make sure the girl is provided for and protected. But one afternoon, Rasia makes a shocking discovery, and because of her good intentions, Lena disappears from Vaclav’s life.

With each passing year, Vaclav (who’s still practicing magic) continues to hold out hope that he will be reunited with Lena. Will that reunion ever happen? Pick up a copy of this sweet and heartbreaking novel to find out for yourself. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

 

The Summer We Read Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is, in my opinion, one of the best books ever written. I’ve read it at least half a dozen times and seem to find something new each time I do. I’m also excited about Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming film adaptation, due out next year. Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby? Yes, please!

So, when I read a review of The Summer We Read Gatsby, I decided to pick up a copy. The story centers around half sisters Cassie (who also serves as the story’s narrator) and Pecksland (Peck) Moriarty, who reconnect one summer at the cottage they inherit from their eccentric Aunt Lydia.

This run-down little cottage in the Hamptons, known as Fools House, is a source of contention for the two girls, who give new meaning to the term “polar opposites.” Cassie, an introverted writer, wants to sell the house; Peck, a socialite of sorts, would do anything to keep it in the family. After all, Peck protests, the cottage represents the place where the two girls bonded each summer, even reading Gatsby for the first time.

Unfortunately, Danielle Ganek has created a predictable novel that never really picks up steam. Besides attending parties—including an elaborate Gatsby-themed bash—and learning more about themselves and each other (cliché), the book was void of any real intrigue (a plotline regarding a stolen painting, which may or may not be a Jackson Pollock original, never really develops). I was also really hoping for a stronger connection to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s literary masterpiece.

So, if you love Gatsby, skip this one and instead try Chris Bohjalian’s The Double Bind. It’s a fascinating tale that will make you feel as if Jay, Daisy, Tom and Jordan were anything but fiction.

Alice I Have Been

Growing up, I was in love with Alice in Wonderland. Nothing made me feel better when I was sick and home from school than watching the Disney classic. The colorful cast of characters, and, of course, Alice herself, made me wish I could chase the White Rabbit down the rabbit hole and embark upon my own magical journey in the oddly fascinating world created by Lewis Carroll.

Melanie Benjamin’s Alice I Have Been introduces us to Alice Liddell Hargreaves, the inspiration for “Alice” of Alice in Wonderland fame. This intriguing novel expertly blends fact and fiction as the life of Alice—from childhood through her twilight years—beautifully unfolds. As the daughter of the dean of Christ Church, Alice and her family befriend Charles Dodgson, a shy young don who teaches mathematics at Oxford. Dodgson grows quite fond of Alice and her sisters Lorina and Edith, often spending “golden” afternoons with the girls (chaperoned, of course) in the park or on the lake, entertaining them with fanciful stories that Alice insists he must write down (which, fortunately, he did, under the pen name Lewis Carroll).

Dodgson is also somewhat of an amateur photographer and with Mrs. Liddell’s approval (with whom Alice has a tenuous relationship), photographs the three girls on several occasions. However, it is during one photographic engagement that Alice, costumed as a young gypsy waif, realizes that something about the seemingly innocent picture-taking session isn’t quite right. I admit, I was a bit disturbed by Dodgson’s obsession with Alice and her level of reciprocation (conscious or otherwise). This event ultimately serves as the catalyst for the dissolution of the friendship between the Liddell family and Dodgson, even though the precise cause for the break in communication is never truly revealed. Nonetheless, the nature of Alice and Dodgson’s relationship, its demise, and all the events in between haunt Alice for the rest of her life. I think, right or wrong, Alice really did love Mr. Dodgson as he may have loved her.

Melanie Benjamin is one of the best authors to come along in a very long time. She has an extraordinary way with words—I couldn’t digest them quickly enough and honestly read every syllable! If you love Alice in Wonderland, I think you’ll be captivated by this novel. I highly recommend adding this to that stack of “must reads” on your bedside table!  

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand

Major Ernest Pettigrew is a conservative, proper Englishman who possesses a rather strong dislike for individuals who lack a proper sense of decorum. So, imagine his horror when he learns of the untimely death of his younger brother, Bertie, via a telephone call (poor form, indeed!). Of course, it is also at that precise moment that he chooses to answer his door to find the lovely Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the local widowed Pakistani shopkeeper, standing on his front stoop while he’s still clad in his bathrobe (the mortification!).

It is this encounter, however, that is the catalyst for the surprising friendship that forms between the Major and Mrs. Ali, an unlikely pair united by their grief — and fondness for all things Kipling. Unfortunately, the small town of Edgecombe St. Mary isn’t exactly welcoming of their budding relationship. To make matters worse, they hardly have the approval of Major Pettigrew’s dreadful, condescending son or Mrs. Ali’s ultra-religious nephew. Will they ever be able to make things work?

Helen Simonson has created a charming, old-fashioned love story that incorporates a slew of social issues without getting too preachy. I enjoyed the subplot regarding Major Pettigrew’s attempt to reunite two highly collectible Churchill shotguns (family drama!). It certainly makes the reader, along with Major Pettigrew, acknowledge that some items in life are worth saving and others must be let go in order to move forward and be truly happy. I think you’ll enjoy this one!