Get Lost in a Book(store)

Books about books; one of my favorite categories of fiction.  I don’t know what it is, but I cannot resist a story about books or bookstores, particularly when there is a secret hidden in the shelves or between the covers. Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is a fun, modern romp through a mysterious bookstore as seen through the eyes of a young man who, while a little directionless in general, finds his place in the unusual realm of the unique store. With everything from tech solutions to obstacles that arise (via Google no less) to a secret society and a special set of books that only certain unusual characters can access, this is a fun story set in a colorful world grounded in books. Highly recommended for anyone who can’t spend enough time lost in books or bookstores.

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Come Fly With Me

The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin is a fascinating fictional look into the lives of the golden family, the Lindberghs, and is a solid piece of historical fiction. I vaguely remember hearing bits about Charles Lindbergh in high school US History classes: flying across the channel, helping bring about commercial air travel, his involvement in America First, etc. His accomplishments anchor this story too, but it is told through his wife’s eyes and focuses on her personal and their family life as well.

They married young but the way Benjamin tells the story, it was Anne's resilience and dependability that strengthened the match initially, more so than romance.  She became his navigator in the air and on the ground, learning how to be his copilot (the only one he ever had) and navigate by the stars, charting courses for their Asian exploration and more, while also coordinating their family, house, and more. Through impossibly tough situations like the kidnapping and murder of their first child, being pursued by paparazzi, and Charles’s relationship with Nazi Germany, the author takes you deep into Anne's perspective, involving you in the highs and lows of their high-profile life together.

A fascinating story grounded in American history, it is an enlightening journey through a strong woman’s life, and while not a biography, I ended the book with a sense of who she was, what her family was like, and also the course of the country through these pivotal decades. 

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Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

The Dinner by Herman Koch had been pretty steady on the best-seller’s list, so it made the cut of books for our summer adventure. I honestly wasn't entirely sure what to expect since the subject matter was hard to get a read on. The basic premise is that the story unfolds over the course of a dinner between two couples and that their children are somehow involved in something illegal. It turns out this is a very complex situation involving modern race relations, anchored by two well-off brothers, one of whom is a politician.

The twists and turns of navigating the modern world of over-exposure courtesy of technology and the issue of protecting children in cases of wrong-doing lie at the heart of this tale.  It frankly could have been ripped from the headlines: politics, money, race, blackmail, marital secrets and family drama all anchor this story in a realistic way. While the reader comes to know the full truth (or is given enough detail to feel like you've gotten the full story), the morality questions are not as clear even once the timeline has been pieced together. I appreciated this book as much for the issues it raised as the story it told, so if you are in the mood for something that will linger after you've finished, go ahead and crack the cover on The Dinner.

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Not So Sweet Revenge

As a fellow Cornell grad and a lover of The Devil Wears Prada, I was cautiously excited when I heard there would be a sequel: Revenge Wears Prada. Undoubtedly a good business move given the first book and corresponding movie’s popularity, I think this may have been a questionable writing decision. A quick read and fine for something lighter, the continued story of Andy Sachs and the infamous Miranda felt too forced and like it was occurring in a parallel universe.

Andy is now best friends with Emily, which in movie-form I would absolutely love since Emily Blunt was terrific as the sharp Brit, but in book form, felt convenient and as if the author had perhaps taken the cue from the movie itself.  Andy and Emily are also running a very high-end wedding magazine—Andy is the writing mastermind and Emily basically handles everything else. A legitimate division of roles, but I think I preferred imagining Andy’s return to normalcy after leaving the fashion world in the first book to the idea of her jetting around to cover celebrity weddings. Andy is all set to marry a publishing heir and clearly now runs in society-circles, whether or not she feels fully comfortable in that world. In-law troubles, a pregnancy and a buyout offer from none other than Miranda’s publishing house turn Andy’s world upside down and she is left to figure out the best path forward for herself.

The writing is light, the plot is fairly obvious, and the characters lacked some of the honesty I found in the first book, but if you want to try re-entering the world of Andy, Emily and Miranda, it’s worth checking out. Weisberger is always good for a light-hearted, fluffy read and while this is not my favorite of hers, if you align your expectations appropriately, you might enjoy the dip into this world.

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