Author: Edwidge Danticat

Seven-year old Claire is celebrating her birthday the night a local fisherman goes missing. The search for him brings the whole town to the beach. Claire’s mother died when she was born and Claire’s father finds a wet nurse in the village for her first few days. Claire went to live with relatives for three years and then came back to her father. On the night of her birthday the woman who nursed her finally agrees with the father, after he has asked many times over the years, that she will take the child. The rest of the book is more or less a collection of connecting short stories that revolve around various characters from the village.

This was a recommendation from a Facebook group I follow.

Goodreads Rating: * *

Author: Anna Byrne

Anna is an acquaintance and when her book first came out I didn’t read it. Pat sent it off to Kathryn and both of them gave it a good review. I thought that was the end of it. Anna is now offering a three-week Book Circle based on her book and I decided to join. Although I’ll get a copy of the book at the first session I borrowed a copy from the library so I could get a head start.

Anna was diagnosed with cancer when she was in her early 30’s. She received treatment and was in remission but the cancer came back three more times. The book is a memoir of her cancer journey as well as the story of her work as a hospice volunteer as she visits Eleanor, a patient in the last month before her death.

Preparing for the Book Circle takes some time. Each session we will be reviewing specific sections of the book with thoughts on what is lost when you die, what of you remains after your death, and how those answers guide you in how you live the rest of your life.

Although I didn’t particularly enjoy the book I’m looking forward to the Circle.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Theodore Dresiser

I was made aware of this title from a Facebook group I belong to. It was listed as a classic but I’d neither heard of it nor had I heard of the author. Both Dad and I read a lot of classics but maybe this one was too new for him to consider – it was published in 1900.

The story has three main characters – Carrie, Drouet. and Hurstwood. For the times it was considered quite racy as Carrie is persuaded to live with Drouet without marrying him (although with a promise of marriage) because he could afford to give her a better life than she was used to living. Hurstwood too took advantage of Carrie without telling her he was already married. Carrie leaves both men behind and survives by her own merits.

The book isn’t small – almost 500 pages to the story and then almost 200 pages of notes. Reading the notes was interesting as the novel went through many revisions before it was accepted for publication by a few publishers over a number of years. This Pennsylvania Edition is as close as we will ever get to the original work of Dreiser.

Goodreads Rating: * * *

Author: Kent Haruf

I was made aware of this author earlier in the year so when I saw the book mentioned in a Facebook group I belong to I ordered it from the library. I noticed that there was a movie based on this book starring Jane Fonda and Robert Redford and I thought I would really like to see it. I wasn’t far into the book before I realized I had already seen the movie.

Neighbours Addie and Louis both lost their spouses several years ago. Addie approaches Louis and suggests they spend their nights together as she is very lonely and hates the nights. Louis is also lonely and they begin their non-sexual relationship. Despite opposition from friends and family they continue sharing their nights and enjoying days together.

Overall it is a lovely story with a sad ending.

Goodreads Rating: * * *