Translated Fiction

Mother's Instinct by Barbara Abel

Translated from the French by Susan Pickford

The Brunelle’s and Geniot’s live next door to each other and are best friends. Their sons are also best friends. But what happens when one son dies? And who is to blame?

This intriguing thriller sets a quick pace with short chapters that follow the dissolution and destruction of these once-close friends. Mothers Leticia and Tiphanie go into each other’s houses, share everything, and treat each other’s kids like their own, but when Tiphanie’s son falls from a window and dies, she turns her anger and grief on Leticia. Does grief turn to revenge? Or is paranoia running rampant? 

At the funeral, Tiphanie lashes out at Leticia. Then as weeks and months go by, strange things begin happening to Leticia and her family including a family friend being murdered on their street. 

Finally, Tiphanie seems to be getting over her grief and awkwardly invites her neighbors to dinner. But while they’re there, Milo (Leticia’s son) is rushed to the hospital after eating Doritos.

Did Tiphanie intentionally put poisoned powder on them or was it a mistake (she left herbal powder where Milo could reach it). This push/pull dance goes on – Leticia doesn’t know whether or not she can trust Tiphanie – until the surprise conclusion which leaves a permanent ending to Leticia’s family.

The husbands have no real role in the story. Both are passive and accepting of whatever comes their way. While the mothers have always been striving to be perfect mothers, the fathers don’t feel the need to compete in child rearing.

This book would be good for people who like thrillers and family drama.

Read-alikes:
Let Me Lie by Clare MacKintosh
The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes
Keep Quiet by Lisa Scottoline

Lori Ludlow, Babylon Public Library



The Wind That Lays Waste by Selva Almada
Translated from the Spanish by Chris Andrews

SIDE NOTES: Never read a book in translation before. That said, I liked looking up all the places in Argentina that the author has mentioned in her book. Some include Rosario, Buenos Aires, and Patagonia.

APPEAL: For those interested in religious fiction, small town/rural setting, family drama, and character development.

This story opens with a Reverend and his teenage daughter Leni stuck at a mechanic shop, waiting for their car to be repaired before moving on to their destination of a friend’s house in Castelli.

Both the Reverend and Leni are invited to stay for dinner since the process of fixing their car will take some time. During their time at the shop, we learn a lot about the Reverend (Pearson), Leni, Gringo (Mr. Brauer) the mechanic, and his young worker Tapioca. The Reverend attempts to share Christianity beliefs to Mr. Bauer and Tapioca, but they are reluctant to listen about religion, or at least Mr. Bauer is reluctant because he believes in the nature of things and that religion is for people to hide behind God. Pearson became a Reverend after his miraculous baptism and his mother encouraged him to share his journey while learning and teaching biblical messages.

Leni thinks her father is a bit forceful when it comes to his teachings and is a bit apprehensive when first meeting the Gringo and Tapioca. She eventually loosens up and mocks her father’s way of sharing the Bible. She admires her father but disapproves of his approach. We learn of her mother who seemed to have a love for her and the Reverend. However, one day, as they were traveling, Leni heard them arguing. He grabbed her mother’s suitcase, brought it to her, and left her on the side of the road crying. We do not learn of how and why this has happened.

Tapioca’s background is just as sad as we are told that his mom took care of him until he was 9 yrs. old. They both show up at the mechanic’s shop and she explains to the Gringo that Tapioca is his son. She  tells him that this is too much to do on her own and she needs to find work so she leaves him with the Gringo who has agreed to care for him. Though Tapioca is scared at first, he becomes friendly with his dogs and becomes acclimated to his new living environment. The Reverend does get through to Tapioca a.k.a. Jose (his real name).

Half way through the story, the Reverend finally has a chance to speak with the Gringo, explaining how well he has raised Tapioca (Jose) but his religious education is lacking. The Gringo didn’t want to listen to anything about religion so the Reverend left him alone. Tapioca, on the other hand, was definitely moved by the Reverend’s words and felt that he was sent there for a reason. The Reverend decides he is going to persuade the Gringo in taking Tapioca to his next visit and then bring him back.

Just as the car becomes fixed, a storm rolls through and the Reverend and his daughter are unable to leave. While waiting out the storm, Gringo and Reverend have a deep conversation about their past, telling memories of how they grew up and particularly talking about death. As they grow in their bond, the Reverend finally asks the Gringo if Tapioca can come along on their next visit. They have a physical fight over this and the end result is that the Gringo gives in and allows Tapioca to go.

The ending falls flat in that the Reverend, Leni, and Tapioca all drive away with no interaction but their own thoughts and each character is meant to see something, but the “something” is never explained. The story does not go on and we are left pondering what happens to the characters. There are also many unanswered questions such as what happened to Leni’s mom.

Quote that I enjoyed:
“We’ve been on the road long enough to know that patience is a good counselor. There’s a reason for every turn of events, even if we don’t know what it is.” ~ Reverend

Read-alikes:
Brickmakers and Dead Girls by Selva Almada
Our Share of Night by Mariana Enriquez
Noah's Wife by Lindsay Starck
The Boys by Toni Sala

Liana Coletti, West Islip Public Library



Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
Translated from the Swedish by Neil Smith

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman is a delightful and heartwarming novel that skillfully weaves together humor, empathy, and human connection. The story revolves around a failed bank robber who inadvertently finds himself in a hostage situation during an open house apartment viewing. As the police attempt to unravel the mystery behind the events, the novel takes readers on a captivating journey exploring the lives and anxieties of the diverse group of characters involved.

The novel is a celebration of human imperfections and the profound impact that understanding and compassion can have on individuals facing their own struggles. Backman's writing is both insightful and humorous, creating a narrative that effortlessly balances laughter and introspection. The characters are richly developed, each with their quirks and vulnerabilities, making it easy for readers to connect with and care about them.

The power of empathy, forgiveness, and the unexpected ways in which people can come together to support one another are themes throughout the novel. The novel is a testament to the idea that even in the midst of chaos, there is room for kindness and understanding.

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy character-driven stories with a blend of humor and heart. If you appreciate novels that explore the complexities of human relationships and the resilience of the human spirit, this is a must-read. It's a touching and uplifting tale that will leave you with a renewed sense of hope and a smile on your face.

Read-alikes:
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty
Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley

Nanci Helmle, The Smithtown Library, Commack Building



Text for You by Sofie Cramer
Translated from the German by Marshall Yarbrough

Two years after her fiancé Ben died, Clara is still trying to piece her life back together. As things at work get hectic and she's on the verge of losing her job do to downsizing, she decides she's going to text Ben's old phone as a way to talk about her feelings and hopefully figure out how to move on. Unbeknownst to her, Ben's phone number has been reassigned to a man named Sven, who is now receiving her text messages. At first he thinks it's strange, but the more messages he receives, the more he's intrigued by the sender. Being a journalist, he does some research and eventually tracks her down. What starts as simple curiosity turns into a first date and Sven not being honest with Clara as to who he is.

The book takes place over several months and in that time we see Clara come out of her grief and find herself again. We learn more about Ben and how their relationship wasn't perfect and we see how grief can effect a person on a tremendous level. Clara's best friend and Sven's co-worker make for fun interactions in what is overall a sad book, and an eventual coming of terms leaves the reader hopeful for Clara and Sven. 

While not the best romance book ever written, Text for You is a pleasant story and pulls at the reader's heartstrings. It's setting in Germany also makes for an interesting read, leaning about the towns where the two main characters live as well as their lives and customs. This book would be best for romance readers who don't mind a slow read and a good cry as long as there's a happy ever after.

If interested, this book was made into a Netflix movie called Love Again starring Sam Heughan and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. The general story is still the same, but some of the details have been changed including the character's names, having Celine Dion, playing herself, help in the search for "Clara", and it's no longer set in Germany.

Read-alikes:
The Last Goodbye by Fiona Lucas
Someone Else's Bucket List by Amy Matthews
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver

Azurée Agnello, West Babylon Public Library



The Boy and the Dog by Seishu Hase
Translated from the Japanese by Alison Watts

There are endless stories about the spiritual bonds formed between people and dogs. Seishu Hase’s The Boy and The Dog, translated into English from the original Japanese by Alison Watts, explores all the different forms this bond can take. Hase uses a series of vignettes to tell the story of a dog named after a Japanese guardian deity, Tamon, traversing across the islands of Japan in search of family, in the aftermath of the devastating 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. Along this incredible journey, Tamon embodies all the different ways humans connect with dogs. As emotional support for someone in crisis, a family companion for a man struggling with money, as a guard dog for a thief hoping to go clean, or as a hunting dog for an aging widower; Tamon fits seamlessly into each person’s life before continuing his journey. Some of the stories are stronger than others, but each provides a unique glimpse into how people and dogs interact.

Hase’s writing style is laconic, but his economy of words still creates a fully formed world for each of the stories within the novel. Despite only staying with the human characters for short periods of time, they are all fully fleshed out, allowing the reader to connect with many of them instantly. Some readers might be thrown off guard with how flawed some of them are, but in a way, this just showcases how dogs can affect all kinds of people. Hase mainly writes crime novels about the Yakuza, and it shows in how some of these stories play out, but it does not detract from the overall charm of the book as a whole. In many ways, Tamon’s presence is what inspires these flawed characters to change. While the people are interesting and carry the plot forward, Tamon is the central figure of the novel. Although there is no fantastical element of hearing Tamon’s voice or thoughts, he still comes across full of personality, with his own unique character. For each of the people in the novel Tamon encounters, he always seems to find them at just the right moment in their lives; something any pet owner can relate too.

While the connection between people and dogs is the driving force of the novel, the other main theme is humanity in the aftermath of a disaster. The 2011 earthquake and tsunami have created an indelible mark in Japan. The novel begins just a few months after the disaster and continues years later, yet readers will still feel the long shadow that surviving such a cataclysmic event can cast over a person’s life. There is always a somber tone to the writing, with an undercurrent feeling that another disaster is never far away. Many of Tamon’s caretakers are experiencing extreme loneliness or PTSD. At no point is Tamon the perfect cure for these ailments, but in all cases, he is what allows the person to begin their healing process. 

On its surface, The Boy and the Dog could have been a simple and heartwarming story about a dog looking for his lost family. A Disney movie turned into the written word. Instead, Hase structures the novel in a way that challenges this straightforward approach, allowing him to explore the bond between people and dogs in a more meaningful and deeper way. Some readers may feel that the emotional climax of the story falls a bit short compared to what came before. Hase tends to tell the reader what they should feel, rather than allowing these emotions to come up naturally. This comes across in its strongest form at the end of the novel with the final vignette. Thankfully, the uneven ending does not diminish the beautiful stories contained within. For anyone who has bonded with a dog before, The Boy and the Dog will bring on strong emotions and remind us of the power of a dog’s love.

Read-alikes:
A Dog's Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron
The Dog Stars by Peter Heller
After the Quake by Haruki Murakami

Connor McCormack, Northport-East Northport Public Library



Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
Translated from the Japanese by Geoffrey Trousselot

At the Tokyo cafe, "Funiculi Funicula", if someone sits in a certain chair, if they are poured a cup of coffee, they are given the chance to travel to the past.  There are several rules that need to be followed, the most important of them being, you must return before the coffee cup cools.

Through four interlinked stories ("The Lovers; Husband and Wife; The Sisters; Mother and Child"), we read the emotional, heartwarming time-travel journeys of customers and employees.  This slim novel is compelling, engaging and the leisure pace allows the reader to focus on details and character development.

"At the end of the day, whether one returns to the past or travels to the future, the present does not change. So, it raises the question: just what is the point of the chair?" Can the chair change someone's heart?

In 2018, this book was made into a movie called Cafe Funiculi Funicula.

Read-alikes
The Book of Chameleons by Jose Eduardo Agualusa
Tales from the Cafe by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (book 2)
Before Your Memory Fades by Toshikazu Kawaguchi (book 3)
Shubeik Lubeik by Dina Muhammad

Sue Ketcham, Retired



Eastbound by Maylis de Kerangal
Translated from the French by Jessica Moore

Eastbound by Maylis De Kerangal, translated from French by Jessica Moore, explores the relationship of two strangers who come together in unlikely circumstances on a train heading east across Russia. As the work unfolds, we find ourselves drawn to the characters. Aliocha is a young Russian man, conscripted into the Army headed to his perceived certain doom. Hélène is a French woman who is fleeing an unfulfilling relationship with a Russian bureaucrat.

Hélène knows a few words in Russian, Aliocha no French at all. In a dance of pantomimes and broken explanations they communicate. The plot is simplistic – he is trying to desert an army he has not yet officially joined, and she is running away from, but not to anything or anyplace in particular.  
De Kerangal paints a bleak picture of Russia. Cold gray days and rampant alcoholism, lack of power in the lower classes, remnants of Soviet era bureaucracy, all conspire to create a young man with a visually stooped posture, already beaten down by a system that has fated him to serve in an Army of bullies. The train car in which he begins his journey is dark, damp, dirty and poorly lit. It reeks of sweat, cigarette smoke, and the prevailing feeling of fear. This is in stark contrast to the car he finds himself in with Hélène. The first-class car is spacious in comparison, clean, and although clearly large enough for two people, she is the only inhabitant.  

The two characters interact in a series of meaningful looks, hand gestures and a few words of broken Russian uttered by Hélène. A surprising accomplice arrives in the form of the provodnitsa (a woman who cleans and oversees the carriage), who both gives Aliocha information about the stations and creates a diversion when the train is being searched for the missing soldier.  

While there is just enough plot to move the story along, the real meat of this novel is in the character study and setting. De Kerengal paints a picture of Russia and leans weight to the import of the scenery when she uses the “Pearl of Russia,” Lake Baikal, as a visual turning point in the story. The train passes the lake and passengers are entranced. It is not long after this physical break in the bleakness of the story that we see the plot take a turn to a more hopeful path.

As the book concludes, we are left with a haunting view of Russia and how she treats her lower classes, and how the harsh landscape reflects, or perhaps, creates, a populace of downtrodden depressed citizenry. This is not a book with a plot tied up with a neat little bow, but rather a study in landscape, setting, and character.   

Although written in 2012, it is clear why Moore would choose to translate this book in 2023. As Russia continues to wield military power in Ukraine, the threat of conscription looms for the current generation. The style can be challenging to read with long sentences that require the reader to keep the subject and predicate in mind. Readers who enjoy descriptive writing and setting-driven work will find this book likable. 

Read-alikes:
Cafe Unfiltered by Jean-Philippe Blondel
Embers by Sandor Marai
The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Midnight Train to Prague by Carol Windley

Ellen Covino, Sayville Public Library



Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri
Translated from the Italian by the author

This short novel by acclaimed author Lahiri offers a unique reading experience that will appeal to a slim audience. Written using the present tense and a first-person point of view, the novel is composed of short chapters and short sentences. Since the novel lacks a plot, it is best described as a series of vignettes. The chapter titles capture the sketch-like quality of the book: “In the Waiting Room,” “At the Beautician.” The novel is more akin to poetry than to fiction is written as stream-of-consciousness. Furthermore, each character and location remain unnamed, including the protagonist. Curiously, the city where the book takes place, and which is a character in its own right, is never identified, although it is obviously Rome or another major Italian city. Lahiri herself moved to Rome from the United States, and Italian words pop up throughout the text, such as ciao, arrivederci, and signora. There are also references to ancient ruins. I believe the anonymity of the location and characters evokes the universality of urban loneliness. Nevertheless, this will be off-putting to most readers, particularly given the lack of plot. Sadly, many readers, me included, first fell in love with Lahiri’s work due to its generous cultural specificity. Her short stories capture details of the Indian American experience that are rooted in specific places, people, and events. Therefore, the vagueness of Whereabouts, if not disappointing, is at the very least disorienting and frequently confusing. For example, the protagonist mentions “my friend” in reference to a nameless character described earlier in the novel. The reader lacks the anchor that names provide. This is one reason why I believe this book rewards readers willing to consume it in one sitting. Indeed, despite the meandering plot, the short chapters keep you reading. They are lulling, almost hypnotic, and they often end with a punchy sentence that pushes you forward. Just as you would not read one stanza of a poem and walk away, so too in this case, the chapters must be read in one sitting to appreciate the wholeness of the work. 

The heroine, a nameless, solitary professor in her early 40s, is depressed. She has a cynical and bleak outlook and remains alienated despite her frequent interactions with friends and acquaintances. She is working through the issues and traumas of her youth: the death of her father, her estrangement from her mother. Walking with the protagonist through this listless fog of loneliness, the reader is rewarded by moments of poignant beauty. We share her delight in the rays of sunshine at a local park and celebrate the moment when she finds herself laughing “for the first time” (pg. 144). By experiencing the most mundane moments with the heroine, I grew to care for her with an empathy that most protagonists fail to elicit. By sacrificing plot, Lahiri offers a different way to connect with a character on a deeper level. 

I would describe Whereabouts as meditative, introspective, and poignant. I think most people, however, will find the novel confusing, depressing, and boring. For a certain reader, however, this book might be a revelation, particularly if they can relate to middle-aged, urban isolation. I would recommend this novel to lovers of contemporary poetry, someone who wants a book to savor, or those who seek to inhabit the Italian setting. 

Read-alikes:
In Other Words by Jhumpa Lahiri
Roman Stories by Jhumpa Lahiri
My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout

Emma Yohannan, Central Islip Public Library



The Last Wild Horses by Maja Lunde
Translated from the Norwegian by Diane Oatley

Author Maja Lunde has written other novels that address the effects of climate change—specifically, The History of Bees and The End of the Ocean. But her latest entry in this topic-connected series focuses on the Przewalski horse, or the takhi—the last living wild horses that are thought to be the ancestors of the domestic horse that we know today. Lunde’s novel describes three distinct attempts at the preservation of this endangered species by including three diverse narratives, in three different time periods, depicting three different scenarios.

The story opens in the year 2064, after what is referred to as “The Collapse.” The effects of climate change have reduced humankind to a dystopian existence based solely on resourcefulness and survival. The reader is introduced to Eva and her daughter who are living on what remains of their wildlife farm. And because Eva is determined to save the last specimens of wild horses that they have living on the farm, she refuses to leave her property to join others who have fled north to a more inhabitable environment—in spite of the fact that her daughter urges her to do so. As supplies dwindle, Eva travels to the docks to barter for food and comes upon a “wanderer” who appears to be in distress. She offers her a ride and refuge for a few days at the farm, only to have days turn into weeks, and weeks into months—changing the dynamic at the farm in unforeseen ways.

Next, the reader is introduced to Mikhali, a zoologist in 1881 St. Petersburg. Having been informed that the skull of the infamous Przewalski horse had been found in Mongolia, an expedition is arranged to find, capture, and return some of the elusive animals to the zoo in Russia, with the ultimate goal of preserving the animal’s bloodline. The excursion not only provides a physical challenge for the zoologist, but it also tests his understanding of his identity and his heart.

Finally, in 1992 Berlin, a veterinarian dedicates her life to preserving the tahki horse by breeding them and then returning them to the wild in Mongolia. As we read about her latest effort to transport a group of horses to their final destination in Mongolia, we witness the complex relationship she has with her son, who has had an unsteady recovery from drug addiction.

Seamlessly alternating narratives throughout the novel, Lunde creates a compelling atmosphere in each scenario that will absorb the reader from the beginning of the book to its reflective conclusion. The characters are thoroughly fleshed out, and the reader’s emotions will authentically coincide with those depicted in the story. Beautifully written and provocative in its portrayal, the characters may live in different time periods, but all display an extraordinary commitment to preserving a small slice of nature. You don’t have to love horses to enjoy The Last Wild Horses, as it makes a powerful statement about humanity, the various forms love can take, and the lengths to which people will go to preserve the connection between themselves and the natural world.

Read-alikes:
Horse by Geraldine Brooks
Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
Extinction by Bradley Somer

Deborah Formosa, Northport-East Northport Public Library



The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina
Translated from the Italian by Lucy Rand

Summary:
This a story about grief, sadness, hope, and love inspired by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated many coastal areas of Japan in the Toholu region. Yuri, the main character is a young radio show host who lost her mother and daughter to the tsunami. Through her phone-in radio show, she learns about a wind phone where people go to have one-way conversations with their deceased loved ones. When she arrives at Bell Gardia, where the phone booth is located, she meets the garden’s curator and the two become friendly. Each month she makes the hours long trip to the mountains and each time she sees a man. After several months they also become friendly. They share their tragedies, she about losing her mother and daughter, who although they followed instructions and sought shelter on higher ground still perished as the tsunami was greater than expected.  He, Takeshi, tells her about his wife’s terminal illness and the trauma that caused his daughter to stop speaking. Their relationship deepens as they continue to visit the wind phone each month.  On many of these occasions they meet others who are mourning their own loss. There is the father whose son is swept out to sea in a rubber raft after accepting a dare from a friend. The father is both sad and angry at his son’s carelessness. They also meet a young student who talks to his mother and gives weekly updates about the rest of the family, and finally a young man who speaks candidly to his father that is still very much alive.  Although she has visited Bell Gardia for years, Yui cannot bring herself to speak into the phone.  

After a time, Yui and Takeshi’s relationship becomes romantic. He invites her to live with him and his daughter and she moves in. All seems well until he proposes, and Yui has to decide whether or not she can leave her old life behind and move forward with a new family.

Review:
I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was well written with elegant sentences that border on poetry. The characters felt real and each one made you feel their pain. Because this story was inspired by real life events, it was especially meaningful, and many times brought me to tears. The beautifully described setting felt otherworldly and made me want to travel to Japan someday. This novel would make a great book discussion and I would recommend it to patrons looking for something special for their next book group. The book includes a glossary and helpful notes that speak to the uniqueness of this magical place.

Read:alikes:
What Are You Going Through by Sigrid Nunez
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver
Death and Other Holidays by Marci Vogel

Karen McHugh, Harborfields Public Library



An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good by Helene Tursten
Translated from the Swedish by Marlaine Delargy

An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good is a fun collection of 5 mystery/crime short stories written by the well-known Swedish crime writer, Helene Tursten. Her most famous books are the  Detective Inspector Irene Huss series and have been dramatized as movies and tv series. An Elderly Lady is completely separate from that series and is centered around Maud, an 88-year old woman who lands on the opposite side of the law.

When reading stories with an elderly protagonist, we might assume the character is hard of hearing, weak in the legs, and fuzzy in the mind. This is definitely an ageist trope, and the author uses that stereotype to her advantage. Maud, our elderly protagonist, is well aware of the ways that younger people view the elderly and uses that to her advantage--performing feats that mentally and physically she is still capable of and then covering up her actions by pretending to be a fuzzy little old lady. I don’t want to give away all the details as that would spoil the surprises, but suffice it to say that she gets into all sorts of trouble that she ultimately benefits from and gets away with it. She’s the complete opposite of Miss Marple.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes crime fiction or mysteries. I would also suggest it to anyone who enjoys a rather subversive, feminist fiction read. It’s a short, sweet collection that reads quickly but leaves ones interested in reading more about Maud in the sequel, An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed. It’s a bit like a good appetizer --you eat it quickly, and it gets you ready for your next meal.

Read-alikes:
A Tidy Ending by Joanna Cannon
The Old Woman with the Knife by Byeong-Mo Gu
Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn

Carolyn Brooks, The Smithtown Library - Commack Building

Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir

Your Table is Ready by Michael Checchi-Azzolina

This book is marketed as a food memoir written by a man who worked at some of the most famous restaurants in New York City and was once lauded as the “top Maître D'” in the city. The tantalizing title and marketing leads the reader to expect a book chock-full of tales of fine food and fine wine, the challenges and creativity associated with working with famous chefs, and exciting encounters with celebrities served by the author. Unfortunately for the reader, the book reads more like an encounter with a random drunken stranger at a bar who spends the evening recounting his sexual and drug-filled exploits in college rather than an interesting story of the ins and outs of the restaurant industry in NYC.

Michael Cecchi-Azzolina grew up in Brooklyn in a deeply mob-connected single-parent household. He started off as a thieving altar boy, graduated to selling stolen pastries off of the back of a truck and working the counter at his local diner (skimming money off the till with his fellow workers), and eventually headed off to college in Florida where he could get an English degree done with as little work and as much partying as possible. He lands back in NYC in an attempt to break into the acting biz. As many wanna-be actors do, he made ends meet by becoming a waiter. The next eighty percent of the book is a recollection of all the sex, drugs, and rock and roll that he experienced in the rollicking seventies, eighties, and nineties. He is very graphic in his language and describes every drug and sexcapade he and his fellow workers got into. The last twenty percent of the book actually addresses his life as a full-fledged and well-known Maître D' who helped to make some of the most famous restaurants successful. This was the most interesting part of the book and what I had expected to read from the blurbs.

This book is quite shallow and self-aggrandizing. Cecchi attempts to go for a rough and tumble Anthony Bourdain-type atmosphere, but it just reads as a tawdry list of parties and adolescent actor shenanigans. He touches briefly upon a number of topics in the book that could have led to deeper and more interesting reflections on society at the time (the AIDS epidemic in the 80’s and its effect on his colleagues, his life as a director and actor, the misogyny and mistreatment of women in the business, and the general mistreatment of workers in the restaurant industry), but rather than exploring those depths he turns back to crass party stories. I would not recommend this to most readers because the percentage of worthwhile content doesn’t balance out the graphic language and stories of sex and drug use.  

Read-alikes:
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain
Heat by Bill Buford
Blood, Bones, and Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton

Carolyn Brooks, The Smithtown Library - Commack Building



The Escape Artist: The Man Who Broke Out of Auschwitz to Warn the World 
by Jonathan Freedland

Broadly speaking, biographies of historical figures tend to fall into two major categories. The first is the straightforward recounting of an individual’s life, from their childhood to their death. The second, and the category that Jonathan Freedland’s masterful book The Escape Artist: The Man Who Broke Out of Auschwitz to Warn the World falls into, is when an author uses a single individual as a reader’s window into a broad historical event. Freedland’s account of Rudolf Vrba’s (born Walter Rosenberg) escape from Auschwitz and attempts to stop the Holocaust in progress, is a brilliant work that gives readers a first-person point of view of one of humanity’s greatest crimes. 

The most gripping sections of the book detail how Vrba was first able to survive within the camp and his subsequent escape. These chapters give readers an in-depth look at Auschwitz’s complex hierarchy, both among the prisoners and their tormentors, the day-to-day life of those spared from the gas chambers, and how Vrba, only 19, used his unique position to plot his escape. However, the escape from the camp is only the beginning of Vrba’s complex life. His main reasoning for escape was not purely for personal safety, but to spread the news of Germany’s mass murder to those who he believed could put a stop to it. The final sections of the book show how Vrba’s message repeatedly and agonizingly fell on deaf ears, and how Vrba, who lived until 2005, dealt with what he perceived as a failure to save hundreds of thousands of people from their fate. 

Freedland, who also writes thrillers under the pseudonym Sam Bourne, paces the story well while still taking time to pause the narrative, in order to paint a wider picture of the events surrounding Vrba. Even though readers will know at the start that Vrba’s escape is successful, the tension is palpable as he and his fellow escapee, Alfred Wetzler, hide under a stack of lumber for three days as SS patrols search for them. Most importantly, the book does not shirk from showing Vrba’s own failings after the war. Vrba’s escape helped prevent some 200,000 Jewish people of Hungary avoid extermination. Yet Vrba himself would be the first to tell anyone that he was not a hero, despite his heroic act. He is human. He is angry and combative, even with those who want to help him, arrogant at times and consistently sarcastic. It is hard to discern if his extreme paranoia is a product of his experience living for two years in Auschwitz, or if that paranoia was what allowed him to survive and escape. In his own words, Vrba did not fit into “the survivor clichés manufactured for the taste of a certain type of public.” 

The Escape Artist is not a typical Holocaust biography, which means it is not for all audiences. It does not contain many stirring messages of hope; there are no reassuring lines like the immortal words of Anne Frank: “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.” Instead, many readers may be left shaking with rage when Freedland reveals how not only did leaders of both the remaining Jewish communities within Europe and the Allied war effort, ignore Vrba’s warnings, but how some of them actively suppressed the information. Vrba himself would have to reckon with this fact all his life, and only decades later would he achieve some sort of peace.  

The Escape Artist is a very dark but immensely rewarding read. It does a wonderful job of not just documenting the Holocaust through Vrba’s eyes, but the complex nature of Holocaust remembrance, especially among the survivors.  

Read-alikes:
The Nazis Knew My Name by Magda Hellinger & Maya Lee
Inside the Gas Chambers: Eight Months in the Sonderkommando of Auschwitz by Shlomo Venezia
I Escaped from Auschwitz by Rudolf Vrba

Connor McCormack, Northport-East Northport Public Library



The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl

Lead singer of the rock band Foo Fighters tells tales of Grohl's childhood and how much music meant to him once he was introduced to punk rock, as well as his rise from unknown drummer, to his years in Nirvana, and finally to the lead singer of a band that has put out 11 studio albums, won 15 Grammys, and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. 

Grohl's story begins with hanging out with childhood friends, getting into small amounts of trouble, and always loving music. As he's starting his teen years, he's introduced to punk rock by a cousin and this leads him on his journey to become a drummer. With the unwavering support of his mom, Grohl practices playing drums on his pillows, saves enough money for just one lesson, and eventually lies his was into a band and goes on tour with them right after graduating high school. 

Grohl's memoir moves on to his early days touring in a crappy van and sleeping on people's floors to get by. He eventually makes it out west and leaves the band that gave him his start to join Nirvana. His time in Nirvana had a huge impact on him especially once they found fame and became popular. He talks about what that did to the band, especially Kurt Cobain, and how his death was a blow to the music industry. The latter part of the book is dedicated to founding the Foo Fighters, finding love, starting a family, and the different experiences and honors he's be part of on his rise to the rock star we know today.

Grohl is very respectful of the people and musicians he's met, played with, fanboyed over, and worshiped. There's no juicy gossip, telling of tales, or revealing of secrets. Instead what the reader finds is a heartfelt dedication to the craft and those who've spent their lives chasing their dreams. If you're looking for what it's like to meet Paul McCartney, Elton John, and Little Richard; win a Grammy; be asked to drum for Tom Petty on Saturday Night Live; or collaborate with Joan Jett while she reads bedtime stories to your daughters, this is the book for you. Slow at times but definitely comprehensive of Grohl's life, The Storyteller is a book for lovers of music, rock, down-to-earth musicians, and family with a bit of drugs and a lot of cursing thrown in.

Read-alikes:
Surrender by Bono
From Cradle to Stage: Stories from the Mothers who Rocked and Raised Rock Stars by Virginia Grohl
I Found My Friends: The Oral History of Nirvana by Nick Soulsby

Azurée Agnello, West Babylon Public Library



Spare by Prince Harry

If Prince Harry had to boil this book down into one sentence, I expect it would be, “I will remain devoted to my mother forever, and I despise the paparazzi to the very core of my being.” That would be an accurate description of this book, but it does leave a lot out.

Harry talks about his education (not distinguished), his relationship with his brother and father (alternately loving and heartbreakingly cruel), his time in the military (action-packed), his time spent in Africa and the charitable work it led to (inspiring), his relationship with his grandmother (close), and much more.

As much as Diana and the paparazzi dominate the book, the writing really comes alive when Harry departs from those topics. One example is when he talks about the military. The part that really shines is less his descriptions of his time in war zones, and more his thoughts about what being in the military meant to him, and his frustration that his title prevented him from seeing much action. The narrative also comes alive when Harry describes meeting and falling in love with Meghan, who of course becomes another major theme in the latter half of the book.

But surrounding all that is Harry’s loathing of the paparazzi, and he doesn’t mince words about it. He details story after story that come out in the British tabloids (and even some more reputable news outlets) that are just plain lies, recounts his battles with the palace about how to respond to them, and suggests more than once that certain people within the palace are feeding information to the press. The palace’s unwavering policy of not responding, even to the tabloid stories that were clearly untrue, along with Harry’s suspicions of a leak in the inner circle, led to a major breach between Harry and Charles and William.

Of course, we have only Harry’s side of the story here, and as Goethe tells us, “One man’s word is no man’s word; we should quietly hear both sides.” But the palace continues its policy of silence, and it’s unlikely that any further developments happen quietly. So, we have to take Harry’s word for it, for now, which is very easy to do after reading this candid memoir.

Read-alikes:
Bad Mormon by Heather Gay
Growing Up Biden by Valerie Biden Owens
More than Love: An Intimate Portrait of My Mother, Natalie Wood by Natasha Gregson Wagner

Mara Zonderman, Westhampton Free Library



All In by Billie Jean King

Civil rights, women’s rights, gay rights, racism, equal opportunity, equal pay—what could these movements have in common with tennis? In a name, Billie Jean King. She is one of the world’s greatest all-time tennis players, but political activism was her life’s calling as much as the game. Her role as an acclaimed global athlete provided her with a platform to spearhead some of the most significant societal and cultural changes that many of us may take for granted. 

From a very early age, Billie Jean Moffitt had an awareness that there were inequities in the world. Why were all the participants in the local tennis clubs only white, and male? She wondered why she was relegated to sitting behind the courts to eat her bagged lunch, while the tennis club treated the boys? Why weren’t there any varsity sports teams for girls? Why did a club advisor feel perfectly comfortable telling her that she may go far in the sport because she was ugly, and then bar her from being in a team photo because she was wearing shorts instead of a skirt? The inequities became even more evident to her as her tennis career progressed. 
Tournament-title-winning women were not allowed to compete in sanctioned tennis matches. They were told by tournament organizers that no one was interested in watching women play. And when they were allowed to play, their winnings were a fraction of what the men were awarded.

Billie Jean had no patience for the disparity in her beloved sport, so she embarked on a campaign to right the ship. Hence, the formation of the “Original Nine”—a group of nine courageous women that were willing to forfeit their careers by breaking away from the men’s circuit to establish their own tour schedule. Today, women are not only included, but equally compensated. This is due, in great part, to the efforts of Billie Jean King.
Billie Jean not only advocated for the women in professional tennis, but for women in all sports and all walks of life. She was a driving force behind the passage of Title IX; she sparked the creation of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA); she has been a champion in the advancement of civil, women’s, and gay rights; and she has promoted countless social and educational initiatives. Through the years, Billie Jean has been instrumental in accomplishing many societal milestones with a laundry list of world leaders, celebrities, and everyday people—including President Obama, Vice President Biden, Nelson Mandela, Gloria Steinem, Elton John, Martina Navratilova, and so many others.

All In is the biography of a trail-blazing woman who set out from a very young age to right the wrongs in the world. The narrative, which traces her entire life to date, is written in the first person making it an easy read. The book tells the story of a sports legend and a political activist. The only caveat is that fans of tennis may glean more from certain parts of this book than non-tennis enthusiasts, as it contains detailed descriptions of matches and opponents. On the other hand, the balance of the book presents a fascinating account of Billie Jean King’s entire life—her life-long commitment to social change; her struggle with coming out as gay; her involvement in the infamous “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match. Ultimately the book draws the portrait of a human dynamo who proclaims that she will never rest as long as there is injustice, on or off the court. 

Read-alikes:
Tennis:
Open by Andre Agassi
The Master: The Long Run & Beautiful Game of Roger Federer by Christopher Clarey
You Cannot Be Serious by John McEnroe

Women's Struggles in Sports:
When Women Stood by Alexandra Allred
Good for a Girl by Lauren Fleshman
Who Let Them In by Joanne Lannin

Deborah Formosa, Northport-East Northport Public Library



We Were Dreamers by Simu Liu

This memoir is about a celebrity actor who dreamt about the life he thought he could never have, but eventually achieved it through many hardships along his journey. Simu Liu, star role in Marvel’s Shang Chi, begins his story by sharing the early life of his parents, growing up under Mao Zedong’s rule in China and the difficulties they went through to gain an education. During their schooling in China, his parents met each other, keeping their relationship a secret as it was frowned upon to date. Once they graduated, they married and had a plan to go to university in Canada. However, Simu’s mother became pregnant with him, and plans changed. With a full scholarship, his father started in North America, eventually earning enough money for his mother to join him in Canada and leaving Simu behind in the care of his grandparents. By the time Simu was 4 years old, his dad came over to China to pick him up and move him to North America, and this left Simu sad to leave his grandparents and extended family.

When he arrives in Canada, the whole family must adjust to this new setting. For Simu, he no longer needs to boil water to take a hot shower. His mother realized her mistake when she left him at home for 30 minutes to go run an errand. When she came back, Simu was crying at the top of the steps. Unfortunately, adjusting to this new lifestyle becomes worse as his parents become strict on manners and education, often leaving Simu sad and angry through the abusive situations that occurred. For lying, he was locked out of the apartment at the age of 7 to reflect on his mistake. For dating a girl from another school, he was slapped across the face. Simu was always searching for love and affection, but there came a point in his life where he just gave up pleasing them. By the time he is a senior in high school, he puts his mind to his academics with the underlying thought that if he gets into a college far from home, he wouldn’t be under his parents’ rules. He achieves just that and winds up going to Northwestern University.

In his first year, Simu does the bare minimum, but is able to get good grades. He partied, slacked off, and was a bit of a showoff, trying to fit in with the rest of the crowd, looking for the love he never received. By sophomore year, he started failing. Just getting by in college, Simu tried to achieve an internship in accounting but getting a 55 in one of his classes prohibited him from achieving it. Instead, he went to a career fair and landed a job in marketing for Wonder Bread. He was on the set for a commercial shoot, and this was his first exposure to meeting an actor and seeing the spotlight for the first time.

Simu graduates college, masters the interview process, and lands a job at a top firm. While working there, he felt accomplished but at the same time bored of his work; not to mention not knowing how to do his job from failing so many classes. During his year and a half there, he never improved, playing hooky one day to be an extra on a movie set. They let him go from his job in April of 2012 and he felt like a failure, especially to his parents.

Craigslist became Simu’s friend as he found job after job as an extra on a movie set. Eventually he landed small roles all the while, his parents were not happy with his choices, and he wasn’t speaking with them. He realized he needed to go back to school for acting if he wanted to make it in the big leagues, so he used whatever money he was making from these small acting jobs to pay for schooling and was basically broke. As a side job, he was Spiderman at birthday parties as well as doing flash mobs to sell products. Money was tight but he was determined to fulfill his dream.

A big turn of events occurred when he landed the role on Blood & Water, a Canadian TV series. His parents started talking to him again. After completing this role, he found an agent in Hollywood who said he would need a US visa to work in the states but since it was costly, he went back to Canada and landed two roles at once. One role was for Kim’s Convenience about a Canadian convenience store run by an Asian family and another for the TV version of Taken.
While on set, he was advised to apply for the visa and just go for it in America because there were very few Asian actors on the market.

In trying to score an American movie while obtaining his Visa, Simu was shot down many times for various roles including the lead in Crazy Rich Asians. He felt terrible but his parents kept his spirits up by saying they raised him to never give up. Eventually he connected with Ken Jeong who mentored him and introduced him to other actors.

As the book comes to a close, he reflects on his biggest success of all, playing the lead actor in Shang-Chi, making it to the top and experiencing the love from the Marvel community. I recommend this title to a person looking for a coming-of-age story because as the book progresses, we see the maturity and growth in Simu as he achieves his dreams of being a star actor. This is a good story for those looking to learn more about Asian family life and assimilating to the cultures of North America. The underlying message of this book is essentially to find your dream and fulfill it. Don’t fall back on something that is going to bore you for the rest of your life.

Read-alikes:
Never Grow Up by Jackie Chan
Making a Scene by Constance Wu
How to American: An Immigrant's Guide to Disappointing Your Parents by Jimmy O. Yang

Liana Coletti, West Islip Public Library



Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks by Stephen Davis

Gold Dust Woman is the newest biography about one of rock’s leading ladies, Stevie Nicks. The book begins in the early 1970s when a young Stevie Nicks and then boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham are writing songs, playing gigs in sunny California, and trying desperately to get a record deal. In the book, we learn about young Stevie’s nomadic life. Her family moved around a lot in order to support her father’s corporate ladder climb. Eventually they settled in Northern California where Stevie meets Lindsey and the two begin dating and collaborating on music. Stevie, a deeply sensitive and thoughtful person, always kept a journal nearby so she could write poems, keep notes and drawings. All of these became inspiration for music. As luck would have, Stevie and Lindsey got the opportunity of a lifetime when mega British rock band Fleetwood Mac invited them on tour. The band was losing steam and needed something new to revitalize them and Mick Fleetwood thought that Stevie and Lindsey were just the thing to bring the band back to greatness. This book blatantly describes the life and loves of Stevie Nicks and at the same time wonderfully documents her collection of songs. In it we learn the true inspiration and backstory of many of her and the band’s most popular and successful hits. However, there is a dark side to this thrilling rollercoaster ride. Stevie and the rest of band lived a sex, drug, and booze fueled existence. The relationship between Stevie and Lindsey was volatile. Lindsey was prone to violent fits and there were reports that he attempted to strangle Stevie until Mick Fleetwood intervened. There were also torrid affairs taking place between members of the bands and others. It was a whirlwind ride and yet through it all Stevie survived. 

The second half of the book is devoted to Stevie’s success as a solo artist after a breakup with the band. It seemed that everyone was unhappy and getting on each other’s nerves while touring. That said, Stevie always remained loyal to Fleetwood Mac and would tour on and off for years. The tales of Stevie’s love affairs are legendary. Stevie had deep feelings for many men, most were musicians. She was involved with Don Henley, Tom Petty, and Mick Fleetwood, who was said to be smitten with her for years. They all fade in comparison to Joe Walsh who Stevie said was the “one.” The one she would have married and changed her life for. The book goes on to document many nights spent in the studio creating the music we love her for with a variety of legendary musicians, sound engineers, producers, and backup singers. Stevie is truly a gifted musical legend with over 40 years of writing, singing, and performing for the masses and whose ability to weather musical taste changes over the years remains incredible. 

I really enjoyed this book. I loved learning about the music industry and was impressed at the level of skill and passion that goes into recording a single song. I think it is monumental task to select just the right producer, engineers, musicians, and singers to make a reality of what began as a scribble on a piece of paper. I learned so much about the relationships that Stevie had with members of the band both personal and musically. I enjoyed learning about the world of the music business and the colorful people who make it all happen. When I was reading this book, I was also watching the Prime TV series Daisy Jones and the Six. What a joy ride though the 70s. This book is for anyone and everyone who loves listening to music. 

Read-alikes:
Jennifer Juniper: A Journey Beyond the Muse by Jenny Boyd
The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl
Mirror in the Sky: The Life and Music of Stevie Nicks by Simon Morrison

Karen McHugh, Harborfields Public Library



Code Name Blue Wren: The True Story of America's Most Dangerous Female Spy and the Sister She Betrayed by Jim Popkin

Arrested 10 days after 9/11, Ana Montes’ story did not make the cover of any newspapers. From 1985 until her arrest in 2001, Montes spent 17 years moving up the ranks to more and more classified positions within the United States’ Defense Intelligence Agency while simultaneously feeding top secret information to the Cuban government. 

Written by an investigative journalist, this in-depth biography definitely picks up the pace as Montes’ identity as a mole gets closer to being revealed to her co-workers and would be a good suggestion for those who enjoy stories about espionage and/or true crime.

Read-alikes:
The Quiet Americans: Four CIA Spies at the Dawn of the Cold War -- A Tragedy in Three Acts by Scott Anderson
Life Under Cover: Coming of Age in the CIA by Amaryllis Fox
Fair Game: My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House by Valerie Plame Wilson

Jessicca Newmark, The Smithtown Library - Smithtown Building



Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships 
by Nina Totenberg

An excellent biography and autobiography of two well-known, powerful women in the political and legal arena and the enduring friendship between them.

When Totenberg, as NPR’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, was covering the first major Supreme Court case that addressed discrimination based on gender, she felt she needed a mentor who could explain the issues to her. She made a cold call to Ruth Bader Ginsburg, then a law professor at Rutgers University. Ginsburg spent an hour on the phone explaining to her how the Fourteenth Amendment applied to all people; that discrimination based on gender was unconstitutional because it denies equal protection. She quotes Ginsburg as saying about that conversation, “We have been close friends ever since.”  
In writing about her life, Totenberg discusses the progressive stand of NPR in hiring more than “token women” and of sexual harassment in the professional world where, as she puts it, “they gently fended off unwanted advances”. They were less able to recognize and report sexual harassment than women who entered journalism just a few years later.    

The relationship between Ginsburg and Totenberg is poignant and powerful… and there is much to enjoy about politics and friendships with a helping of Washington gossip included.  

Dinners with Ruth would appeal to older teens and adult men and women.

Read-alikes
Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage by Nathalia Holt
The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama

Grace O'Connor, Retired



I'm Possible: A Story of Survival, a Tuba, and the Small Miracle of a Big Dream 
by Richard Antoine White 

I’m Possible is an inspiring memoir about a boy who struggled in Baltimore and grew up to become the first African American to receive a Doctorate in Music for Tuba Performance. 

Born prematurely to a teen mom who struggled with alcoholism, Richard Antoine White dealt with hardships from the beginning. For the first four years of his life, Richard and his mom did not have a house to call their own, but they had each other. Even at a young age, Richard thought he could look after his mom. Richard recounts many memories of himself as a preschooler being on his own at night finding a safe and soft spot under a tree to sleep until his mom returned in the morning. This was his life until one day at four years old he almost died searching for his mom in a blizzard. Richard’s mother selflessly gave up her rights to give Richard a chance. He was taken in by his adoptive grandparents, where he would live for the remainder of his youth.

Transitioning to a stable household was a big adjustment for Richard. There were rules and routines, and grandparents who had to teach discipline. Richard was not a great student in his elementary school years. He struggled with math and reading. School started to get better in 4th grade when he was able to join the band. Richard and his friend chose the trumpet because “it only has three valves, so it’s easy”. Quickly, Richard fell in love with playing music. He discovered talent and a sense of purpose when he played. When he moved to middle school, he saw a sousaphone in the band room and was in awe. He quickly switched to this instrument and his passion for music grew even more. He was accepted into the Baltimore School for the Arts high school and then to the Peabody Conservatory. As he continued his education, Richard began to see the racial and socioeconomic disparities in the music world and in life as one of the few Black students in his programs. 

With perseverance and teachers who saw the spark in him, Richard worked hard to reach his dream of becoming a professional musician. He secured a coveted spot in the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, helped build the New Mexico Philharmonic, and became the first African American to receive a Doctorate in Music for Tuba Performance. Now a professor, mentor, and motivational speaker Richard Antoine White shares his story through his memoir, and a 2018 documentary, R.A.W. Tuba. 

This remarkable memoir shows that with a dream and determination, anything is possible. The audiobook starts each chapter with little tuba interludes performed by the author. This is a must read for people looking for a memoir that roots for the underdog, or someone who has a passion for music.  

Read-alikes:
Every Good Boy Does Fine by Jeremy Denk
Purpose by Wyclef Jean
Words Without Music by Philip Glass

Nanci Helmle, The Smithtown Library - Commack Building

Debut Authors


Followers by Megan Angelo

This book is slight realistic fiction and slight sci-fi because it is set in two different time periods. It opens in 2051 and changes off to the past in 2015.

We meet Orla in 2015 working for a blogging company writing about celebrities and wanting to become a big author someday. Her roommate, Floss, whom she found on Craigslist, wants to become a popular singer someday and is always out partying.

Jump to 2051 and we meet Marlowe who lives in a closed off California town called Constellation, set in a futuristic world with robots. Constellation was launched at the dawn of the new government after an internet catastrophe called “The Spill” happened in 2016. This town is unlike the rest of the world in that some past celebrities live there and are always on camera. Their lives are being filmed for the rest of the world to see, morning, noon, and night. The more followers you have, the more fame you have. We learn later that Marlowe’s parents, Floss and Aston, were two big reality stars before the spill and Floss happens to be Orla’s roommate from 2015. All who live in Constellation take a pill called Hysteryl to regulate their movements and language on screen. This science-fiction setting reminds me of movies like the Truman Show or EdTV where cameras are constantly in your life, and you are always on display.

The turn of events happens when Marlowe’s story script says she is to have a baby with her unloving husband.  Since this is a futuristic time, you can decide the sex of your child along with its features and brain quality.  When they are in the process of making up Marlowe’s child, a friend looked into her genetic makeup and realized the father Marlowe grew up with is not her biological father. She manages to flee to find the truth about her birth.

Simultaneously we learn about Orla and Floss. They make it big when they are hired to do a reality show with this hit YouTuber Aston. Aston and Floss are in love and Orla is the third wheel roommate. Fame hits them fast and Orla’s life spirals out of control, especially when she reconnects with an old fling from high school.

People magazine says it best, “This dark, pitch-perfect novel about our dependence on technology for validation and human connection is as addictive as social media itself.”

Read-alikes:
The Circle by Dave Eggers
People Like Her by Ellery Lloyd
Touch by Courtney Maum

Liana Coletti, West Islip Public Library




Country of Origin by Dalia Azim

A story about an Egyptian family from the 1950s to 1980s and how its history affects today’s children of immigrants.

Halah Ibrahim is 14 when Egypt is on the brink of revolution. Her schooling ends and she is forced to stay at home. When her parents attempt to arrange her marriage to a much older man, Halah rebels, running away to marry Khalil, one of her father’s military acquaintances, whom she barely knows. This act irreparably damages her relationship with her family.  

They travel to New York where Khalil will attend medical school. After Halah has a daughter, she tries to make amends with her father. Then, during a visit to Egypt a few years later, she disappears and never returns.   Her family is left to discover what became of her and their stories show how they come to understand her influence and their connections to their Egyptian past.

Read-alikes:
The Daughter Who Walked Away by Kimia Eslah
The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
Disoriental by Negar Djavadi

Grace O'Connor, Retired



The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

In a perhaps slightly futuristic and dystopian country,15-month-old Harriet is left home alone for two hours, while her mother, Frida, runs out for a coffee. Harriet is fine, but a neighbor called CPS after hearing her screaming and now Frida must go to school to learn how to be a good mother while Harriet lives with her father and his new girlfriend.

Most of the story takes place at the school, where it is nearly impossible for a mother to excel. Mothers are given robot children to care for – robot children who transmit data about their “mommies” to the school administrators and counselors. 

At the school, all personal items are surrendered. It is like being in prison, with guards, uniforms, cameras, roommates, and bad food. They cannot leave. No one can visit. Phone call privileges are taken away at random. The mother’s mantras are: “I am a bad mother, but I am learning to be good” and “I am a narcissist. I am a danger to my child.” Frida is a bad mother for “violating the new code of maternal ethics.” She shouldn’t think of herself as a friend, daughter, employee, sister, lover, wife, or anything else. She’s a mother – that’s it. 

The story ends when Frida loses all parental rights to Harriet. She can never see her again unless Harriet reaches out when she turns 18 years old. 

This is a dry, third-person read. The little people against “the Man.” I felt no sympathy for Frida.
I didn’t feel close to her; didn’t really get how she was feeling. I did, however, know how much she wanted to sleep with one of the “bad fathers” who was at the neighboring school. Voice was very matter-of-fact and robot-like. The pacing was odd, as the narrator would tell us something, then go back in time for just a minute, then come back to the present. I would’ve preferred a more linear pacing.

A scary read because it’s easy to imagine this happening in the near future.

Read-alikes:
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Blue Ticket by Sophie Mackintosh
The Mother Fault by Kate Mildenhall
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng

Lori Ludlow, Babylon Public Library




The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot by Marianne Cronin

Seventeen-year-old Lenni lives in the terminal ward of the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital. In her short time on earth, she learns that it’s not what you make of life that matters, but who you share it with. Dodging doctors’ orders she joins the art class for octogenarians in the new art room of the hospital where she meets 83-year-old Margot. The two bond instantly as they realize they have lived a combined one hundred years. Lenni and Margot set out to paint the stories that represent each year of their lives. They tell stories of love and loss, growing old and staying young, kindness, and finding the person who means everything. Lenni and Margot discover that friendship becomes family.

Despite the tough topic of terminal illness, this novel is full of life. Readers will travel from Glasgow in the 1940s to London in the 1960s to Sweden in the early 2000s. Lenni also spends time in the hospital chapel where she befriends Father Arthur, a kind and thoughtful man. He tries to answer Lenni’s questions with honesty and often finds that he is still searching for the answers himself.  

This was a touching novel. The topic is heavy at times, such as the looming end for Lenni and Margot, but readers learn that Lenni and Margot are not just sickly patients, but humans who have lived full lives in their collective one hundred years. Their intergenerational friendship and love for each other is heartwarming. This book would be a great book club pick. 

Read-alikes:
The Red Address Book by Sofia Lundberg
The Brilliant Life of Eudora Honeysett by Annie Lyons
We Are the Light by Matthew Quick

Nanci Hemle, The Smithtown Library - Commack Building



Faye, Faraway by Helen Fisher

Faye, Faraway is a story of love, loss, faith and, oh yes, time travel. If the reader is willing to suspend belief for just a little while, this novel will transport them into a world where the unbelievable becomes believable and the notion that, if given the chance, we can change how the events in our lives have unfolded. And who among us would pass up the chance to go back in time to see a long-lost loved one once again.

Faye is 30-something with an idyllic family—a husband who’s training to become a vicar and two beautiful daughters. And Faye wants nothing more than to provide a loving and secure environment for her children. She has first-hand knowledge of the important role a mother plays in a child’s life, because when she was 8 years old her mother died, and that loss has consumed her ever since. So, when Faye’s husband finds an old tattered box that had once contained a toy from her childhood, she strongly objects to the suggestion that it be discarded. Eerily, Faye had recently found an old photograph with that same box in the background, and it flooded her with memories of her childhood, and of her mother. Nostalgically putting the box in the attic for safekeeping, Faye accidentally breaks an overhead lightbulb and to avoid stepping on the shards of glass, she steps into the box. Here is where the fantastical story takes off. The box turns out to be a portal to the past, sending Faye whirling through time back to the year 1977. She’s able to see the neighbors that raised her after her mother’s death, and she even sees her childhood self. But above all, she gets to see her beloved mother again. And when she does, she not only gets to experience all the wonderful things she remembers, but she also learns some things about her mother that she never knew. Deceitfully concealing her true identity, Faye interacts with all of the people from her past, always wondering if she can change the course of her personal history. But the thought that constantly haunts her is if she will be able to return to her own time, home, and family that she left behind. It turns out that she can, but that tragically puts her in a position where she must lie to her husband—something she’s never done before. She cannot fathom that he will ever believe what she has experienced—he might even think she was insane.

The novel follows Faye and the various dilemmas that she faces as she straddles her two worlds. Questions about grief, belief, and betrayal provide much for discussion. And then there’s the classic conversation about the effect that a person can or cannot have on subsequent events by traveling back in time.

The writing style makes for an easy, page-turning read. The narrative is in Faye’s voice, and she engages readers by speaking directly to them from time to time. A rainy day or a day at the beach would be the perfect setting to delve into this engaging debut novel. 

Read-alikes:
She Wouldn't Change a Things by Sarah Adlakha
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffennegger
One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle
Three More Months by Sarah Smith
This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub

Deborah Formosa, Northport-East Northport Public Library



The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

Twenty-six-year-old Nella Rogers is an editorial assistant at publishing powerhouse Wagner Books in present day New York City. After being the only black associate contending with white privilege and a steady stream of microaggressions for the last two years, she is thrilled when her company hires another black woman, Hazel. However, it becomes apparent that there is something a bit off about Hazel. Is it the way she conducts herself around their white coworkers? Is it how quickly she has become the office favorite? 

Then, the notes start to appear on Nella’s desk. “Leave. Wagner. Now.” 

Told from different viewpoints, with Nella’s voice being the strongest, I would recommend this sharply written, fast-paced story to adults that are interested in thrillers, dark humor, and social satire. 

Read-alikes:
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour
When No One Is Watching by Alyssa Cole
Imposter Syndrome by Kathy Wang

Jessicca Newmark, The Smithtown Library - Smithtown Building



The Cloisters by Katy Hays

After suffering the loss of her father, college student Ann Stilwell escapes from the small town of Walla Walla, Washington to the East Coast to start a summer job at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Unexpected circumstances (or is it fate?) replace that chance with another - working at the Cloisters, The Met’s medieval museum, instead.

During her time at the Cloisters, Ann is drawn into the darker underside of academia. Her associates are obsessed with the idea of the mystical, specifically tarot and fortune telling in medieval Italy. Patrick, the director of the Cloisters, and Rachel, a fellow researcher, dive deep into the realm of shady acquisitions and midnight fortune telling in their obsession to find the truth and make their name as art historians. The addition of Ann and the shady gardener Leo create a strange 4-sided love/rival triangle that ends up crashing and burning in a series of disasters that destroys all of them.

While the description of this book leads to high expectations of dark academia and magical shenanigans, the book itself does not stand up to its description. The pace is glacial, and the plot is almost non-existent for the majority of the book. The story is mostly the tortured inner monologue of a recent graduate combined with the selfish machinations of rich Manhattan academic elites. It is somewhat akin to watching a soap opera play out on the decks of the Titanic as it sinks… excruciatingly slowly. The art history and magical sides of the story are lost in the interpersonal drama, and it is hard to understand the significance of the tarot which plays a large part in the plot when you have no previous knowledge of it. It would have been helpful to know before reading that there is a guide to the cards in the back of the book. Any mystery that occurs in the book plays a backseat role to petty drama and backbiting. It also presents a particularly ugly view of the academic world of NYC.

Although this is marketed as an adult book, I feel like it would be good for older YA readers, especially those who are going to college. They might appreciate reading about the experiences of a recent grad and the struggles of adapting to a new life and job across country. I also think it would be good for people who like interpersonal drama, as this book is mostly based on the relationship of the characters.

Read-alikes:
Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
The Animals at Lockwood Manor by Jane Healey
The Oxford Inheritance by Ann A. McDonald 

Carolyn Brooks, The Smithtown Library - Commack Building



The Fortunes of Jaded Women by Carolyn Huynh

Three adult sisters at odds with each other and with their elderly mother make a mess of their lives as well as the lives of their daughters in this modern, generational tale that began with an ancient family curse.

Mai Nguyen is the eldest daughter, or so she thought, until a lost sister comes back into the picture and takes the house she thought was rightfully hers. This causes not only a rift between Mai and her mother, but also between her mother and her other two daughters, and between all of the sisters as well. After doing everything her mother wanted, including marrying a man she didn't like, Mai vowed that she would never do the same things to her three daughters. However, life hasn't worked the way she thought and none of her daughters really speak to her or each other either. None of them are happy, their relationships are failing, and the traditional Vietnamese culture that their grandmother and mother still believe in has passed them by as first generation American born children. The same has happened to Mai's two sisters and their daughters as well.

After Mai makes her annual visit to her psychic, she tries to patch up her relationship with her mother and sisters. Unfortunately, her mother dies soon after and it's up to the sisters to put their family back together. In a series of mistakes, mishaps, and meddling, the sisters slowly repair their family, find love, and break the curse that has followed them for generations.

This book is a quick read as it's filled with lots of dialogue that sometimes goes on for pages. The bickering between the sisters and cousins is annoying at times, as is the "chorus" of other people in the community who gossip about Mai and her family throughout the book. The novel is mostly told in the present, but it does delve into the past to explain the curse, how the family migrated to California, goes into each woman's childhood and relationships to each other and their significant others, and eventually how each one heals and tries to fix what's wrong in their lives. There are a lot of characters in the book between friends, family, neighbors, etc., but there's also a family tree at the beginning of the book to help keep the generations straight. Overall this is a good read, but I would only recommend it to someone who enjoys generational sagas and messy family relationships.

Read-alikes:
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
Peony in Love by Lisa See
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan

Azurée Agnello, West Babylon Public Library



Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers

The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers is a coming-of-age story about Maddie Sykes, a young girl who through no fault of her own is abandoned by her mentally unstable mother. Because of this, Maddie is sent to live with her favorite Aunt Etta, a popular dress maker in the town of Bright Leaf, North Carolina. The town’s main industry is tobacco.  
Maddie soon meets David, and the two immediately hit it off and a romantic relationship ensues. Not too long after Maddie arrives her aunt becomes ill with measles and is admitted to the hospital. Maddie is invited to live with Mitzi, the wife of Mr. Winston, the president of a big tobacco company.  Because Maddie was taught to sew by Aunt Etta, she is now charged with finishing all the gowns for the tobacco wives in time for the annual gala while Aunt Etta recovers. At one of the appointments Maddie accidentally picks up a confidential report from the town’s medical doctor, Mr. Hale to Mr. Winston. It states that tobacco use among pregnant women is harmful and can cause miscarriages and low birth weight. Distressed by this news, especially since Mitzi suffered a miscarriage in the past and is now pregnant, Maddie confides in David. The two hatch a plan to confront Dr. Hale, claiming that they overheard some workers talking about the report. All goes well until Maddie slips that she read the report. Dr. Hale threatens Maddie by discontinuing the lifesaving treatment for her Aunt Etta.  Maddie is beside herself and finally resorts to telling Mitzi. When Mitzi confronts her husband, she must choose whether to truly go public and destroy her marriage and give up her comfortable lifestyle or remain silent. The decision she makes would impact an entire town and its people that depend on the revenue generated by the tobacco industry. 

Ultimately, Mitzi finds a compromise that allows the women of Bright Leaf to become more involved in the tobacco industry while remaining silent about the health risks. Maddie is so upset about Mitzi’s decision to withhold the report that she leaves town. Many years pass and Mitzi requests a meeting with Maddie who is now married to David with a family. Even after all this time, Maddie is committed to lobbying Congress to enact a truth in advertising law that would prevent tobacco companies from lying about the health risks associated with smoking. Mitzi gives Maddie the report and tells her it is now up to her to go forward and reveal what she could not do all those years ago. 
Review
I really loved this book. It is one of those fast-paced books that keeps you interested every step of the way. The characters were well developed and likeable. I learned so much about the tobacco industry in its early days. The author was influenced by two grandmothers who dressed and did the makeup of the wealthy tobacco wives during that era. The book also touches on themes such as race and sexual identity. Overall, I would highly recommend to readers who are interested in historical fiction with strong women figures.

Read-alikes:
The Last Train to Key West by Chanel Cleeton
The Seamstress of Sardinia by Bianca Pitzorno
The Daughters of Erietown by Connie Schultz

Karen McHugh, Harborfields Public Library



Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

As is the case in most small towns, everybody who lives in Sowell Bay, Washington knows at least a little about everyone else who lives in town. And everybody knows that Tova Sullivan's son, Erik, died when he was 18, but nobody quite knows how or why, except that he was on his boat, and many suspect that he took his own life. Tova never believed that, though, and 30 years later, she has no more answers than she did the day he died.

Marcellus knows a little bit about what happened to Erik, or at least where his body is. But Marcellus is a Giant Pacific Octopus and can't exactly share that information. He is, as the label by his tank reads, a remarkably bright creature, and prone to escaping from his tank. When Tova finds him stuck in a tangle of electrical cords, she helps him back in his tank, and a friendship is formed.

Cameron has never had good luck. His mother abandoned him when he was nine, and although his aunt gave him a loving home, he's never been able to live up to his potential. When a class ring and a photo suggest that wealthy real estate developer Simon Brinks is his father, he heads to Sowell Bay to find out. 

Chapters go back and forth among these three characters (and yes, Marcellus is obviously the best narrator). Cameron's arrival in town sets off a chain of events that will connect the three characters and provide some closure for all of them. The way their stories come together will not be a surprise for most readers, but the journey with these characters is so pleasurable that no one will mind the predictable ending. Readers will be rooting for each character to find their own kind of happiness, and will appreciate the way they do.

Read-alikes:
The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery
The Shell Collector by Nancy Naigle
The Dolphin House by Audrey Schulman
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein 

Mara Zonderman, Westhampton Free Library