The Book of Lost Names

 

As I wrote in my last blog post, I am a member of a couple of literary Facebook groups. This title, The Book of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel, is another book that came highly recommended by these forums. Here is where we meet Eva Abrams, an 86-year-young librarian and a lifelong bibliophile living in Florida.

The story begins when Eva sees a picture in a newspaper of a special book, a book that meant everything to her. She claims to be the rightful owner of the book and wants it back.

From there, we are transported back over 60 years to German-occupied Paris where Eva lives with her parents. Since they are Jewish, they live with the relentless threat of the Nazis. After her father is taken by the Nazis, Eva and her mother sneak out of Paris with fake identification documents that Eva masterfully created. They embark on an adventurous journey to freedom, but Eva is determined to return to Paris to help her father escape.

Along the way, Eva meets a Catholic priest or should I say he finds Eva and tells her they can help each other. Apparently, his church is part of an escape network that assists those fleeing from the Nazis. He sought Eva out to work in their operation using her paper falsifying skills. In exchange, he would help free her father. This proposition presents a moral dilemma for Eva – Should she stay long-term to work with the priest OR should she leave to rescue her father.

Upon her return to Paris, Eva witnesses the horrific conditions in a Nazi internment camp. Deeply disturbed by the sight, she knows she has to do something about the atrocities. So, Eva starts working at the church as a forger.

In the meantime, she meets a handsome stranger named Remy who also produces false documents for the network. He will eventually become her love interest. Together, they will form a hidden “forgery bureau” in the church’s secret library. 

Doing this work, it became important to Eva that individuals’ true identities weren’t lost forever, especially those belonging to children. She didn’t want a whole race of people to be expunged from history. To honor this wish, Remy invented a complex coding system to keep track of children's real names and their fake identities, which would be hidden in an ancient book about Catholic Masses – The Book of Lost Names. This is the same book Eva sees in the newspaper 60 years later.

At this point, Eva decides to stay on indefinitely working at the church despite her mother’s disapproval. The narrative suggests that she will come to regret this decision. So, I'm curious to continue reading to see what her fate will be.

As I draw closer to the end of the story, I sense sadness coming. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think I am.

One part of the story that really struck me is when Eva befriends one of the little refugee girls named Ann. Like Eva, Ann loves books. The two of them have some heartfelt discussions about the books they have both read. Eva learns much about the importance of hope from these conversations with Ann.

If you like historical fiction, The Book of Lost Names is a wonderful choice. With a page-turning ending full of suspense, intrigue and danger, it’s a novel that’s extremely well written. Its description of the impact of books is movingly beautiful in a relatable way. Books changed the world is what Eva believed. If you’re reading this blog, then I'm sure you would agree.

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The Day the World Came to Town

 

I belong to a couple Facebook groups dedicated to books and reading. One particular book came highly recommended. It’s The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede. It’s a compilation of true stories of what happened in Gander, Newfoundland on September 11, 2001 and the days that followed. These stories express the fear and confusion that were felt on 9/11 as well the goodness in humanity demonstrated by the people of Gander in the days after it. It was inspired by the Tony nominated Broadway Musical Come From Away.

On that day, the air space over the United States was shut down due to terrorist attacks using airplanes. Thirty-eight jetliners headed for the U.S. were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland, a town whose existence is based on the aviation industry. Approximately 12,000 passengers, or the “plane people”, converge there creating what would seem to be a logistical nightmare regarding how to accommodate these unexpected visitors. This book spells out in some detail how the basic needs of the plane people were met during their unplanned stay in Gander.

To understand how it was accomplished, I think you have to know what the citizens of Newfoundland are like. They are friendly, cooperative people who are always willing to lend a helping hand. Specifically, Gander is the type of small town where residents keep their doors unlock and think nothing of it. The hospitality illustrated in The Day the World Came to Town was simply amazing - just an extraordinary effort by the citizens of Gander. Reading about it was fascinating and fabulous.

As for the author’s writing style, DeFede describes the events and colorful characters captivatingly and with a bit of humor when appropriate. There is also an edifying discussion on aviation and the unique challenges that were faced on 9/11 as well as the art of air traffic control.

However, the most important lesson from these stories is the importance of kindness, community and genuine human connection. At a time when there is so much emphasis on maintaining good mental health, these 3 simple things are often overlooked. If you're looking for a book that will restore your faith in humanity. I suggest you take a gander at this one. Do you see what I did there?

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The Golden Couple

 

I do love a good psychological thriller. I was excited when I heard about The Golden Couple, co-authored by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. It sounded like a great book, making for a great blog post.

Avery Chambers is a psychotherapist who recently lost her license to practice because she used extremely unethical approaches to treat her clients, but that hasn’t stopped her. No longer held to industry standards, Avery is now free to apply unconventional methods of psychotherapy. She's a shrewd cookie when it comes to human behavior. Her insightfulness is throughout this book, which makes for enlightening reading. She takes on Marissa and Matthew Bishop – the golden couple. In their first session with Avery, an infidelity is confessed.

In the first few chapters, we are quickly immersed into Avery’s personal life. She's a young widow, but is dating someone, has a stepdaughter and adopts a dog. She's also made some dangerous enemies along the way. Because of this, Avery has to be extremely careful about her personal security – something that heightens this narrative’s suspense.

Likewise, a lot is learned about the Bishop family. They have an 8-year-old son name Bennett. Matthew is a lawyer. Marissa is a small business owner. They too have secrets of their own.

Avery’s techniques for treating Matthew and Marissa are indeed intriguing. She tells them that she needs “free reign in your lives”. What that means is that Avery does some independent detective work or snooping to find out more about them. She literally spies on Marissa and Matthew aggressively and uses the intel during therapy sessions. Avery senses the Bishops are a couple with many complexities. More so than most of her clients. She has to dig deep into their lives to gain more information about them.

Diving into these 3 characters’ lives and their interactions with each other, I sense something major is coming – a big twist. I'm paying close attention for clues. There are several secondary characters to keep an eye on as well.  All kinds of crazy scenarios about how this will play out are running through my mind. However, as I continue to read, I grow impatient waiting for this surprise to happen.

Inching towards the end of the story, the tension slowly, but surely escalates. Then, finally, secrets about Marissa and Matthew’s relationship are revealed.

While The Golden Couple is a bit slow in the middle, it has a gripping ending that kept me engaged and wanting to read more – a true psychological thriller with a conclusion fitting for this genre. Honestly, it kept me guessing until the end, particularly, about the true nature of these characters and their motivations. If you liked The Silent Patient or Girl on the Train, then I think you will really enjoy The Golden Couple.

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Home to Chicory Lane

 

Judging by its description, Home to Chicory Lane by Deborah Raney is not the type of book I would normally choose to read, and even as I start writing this blog post, I'm not sure if I'm going to stick with it. I expect it to be kind of corny predictability, with not a lot of intrigue, but I'm willing to be proven wrong – I guess.

Audrey and Grant Whitman are about to open the Chicory Inn when their daughter, Landyn, shows up unexpectedly at their door with an U-Haul packed with all her belongings. Landyn’s marriage is in disarray and she has nowhere else to go. To follow his dream to be a professional artist, her husband, Chase, has made some decisions about their lives without consulting Landyn. She strongly objects to Chase’s choices and leaves him to go home to her parents.

Landyn’s sudden appearance is not good timing for Audrey and Grant since they are expecting their first guests at the inn in a few days. Three weeks go by and Landyn is still not going back to Chase. Her parents grow frustrated and want her to gain control over her life. The truth is, Landyn is at a crossroads and she doesn’t know which direction she should take. At this point, I am curious to see what Landyn does.

Told with much hokeyness, this is basically a story about a newlywed couple who aren’t managing their lives too well. Landyn and Chase must figure things out – and in a hurry, but life’s challenges and complications are getting in their way. We’re privy to their thought processes, and believe me, it doesn’t make for enjoyable reading. Much of this book is conversations about their situation, which can get monotonous and doesn’t do anything to advance its plot.

How far does someone go to support their spouse’s dreams is a major theme in this story as well as family strife, discerning God’s will and finding gratitude in difficult circumstances.

There are a few surprises in store for Landyn and Chase towards the end of the story, but nothing too compelling to say I was riveted. Home to Chicory Lane is the first book in a series. I don’t see myself continuing with this series.

It’s hard to find books to be enthusiastic about, which is why I'm constantly seeking recommendations for this blog. If you know of a book that would be a great topic for a future post, please e-mail at mariabookbanter@gmail.com.

 

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Finding Chika

 

I’ve been familiar with Mitch Albom as an author and a sports commentator for many, many years, but I’ve never actually read any of his books – until now.

Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family is Albom’s personal story of how he and his wife completed their family with a terminally ill, yet highly spirited little girl from the orphanage they operate in Haiti. This book lovingly describes the time they spent with Chika, their experience with the American healthcare system for pediatric cancer patients, trying unconventional treatments, and parenting for the first time when they were in their late fifties.

Although he has a complicated relationship with God, Mitch Albom’s faith is evident all through the book. This, for me, was admirable and aspiring. In one section, Albom writes about his life before and after he penned the worldwide phenomenon Tuesdays with Morrie. Not only did it shed light on who Albom was and is as a person, it also gave subtle, but important insight on the human condition. Although I never read the book, I imagine that is what Tuesdays with Morrie is like, a book filled with life lessons. Likewise, there are plenty of nuggets of wisdom in Finding Chika as well.

In another part of the book, Albom briefly mentions the utilization of wheelchairs. He uses the word “confined” to describe someone who is in one. As a wheelchair user myself, I found this terminology unfortunate. However, like many of us, Chika saw her wheelchair as just another mode of transportation – a way of getting from one place to another. Again, this is only a very minor part of the book, but as a disabled person, I feel like I should comment on it.

Throughout the narrative, Albom perceives Chika appearing to him and encouraging him to write this book and tell their story. Admittedly, these were not my favorite parts of the book, but I did eventually learn to tolerate them.

Albom writes about Chika’s final days and months so touchingly that I couldn’t help but to be moved by the end of the book. I, of course, listened to its audio version, which was narrated by Mitch Albom himself. Happy, sad or amused, anyone listening can hear his feelings in his voice as he reads. This display of emotions only adds to the telling of this heartbreaking and heartfelt story.

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Where The Light Enters

 For my next blog entry, I read Where the Light Enters: Building a Family, Discovering Myself, by First Lady Jill Biden.

While not a political memoir, like most autobiographies, it’s an honest look at life’s triumphs, tragedies and adjustments that we all must face. As a wife of a politician, Dr. Biden has had her share of all three. It was published in 2019. So, the 2020 election and beyond are not covered.

Much of this book is about meeting and marrying the future president and their lives together, but also Dr. Biden discusses her years as an educator. She talks about teaching students who were disenfranchised because they received a segregated education. She also taught English and History in a psychiatric hospital. When she became Second Lady, she took a position as a professor at a Virginia community college. She tells how her Secret Service detail would disguise themselves as students to blend in with the college atmosphere.

There were many compelling stories throughout this memoir, including ones about Dr. Biden’s work with military families and the death of her son Beau, but the chapter on her teaching career, I found to be especially enlightening and was one of my favorite parts of the book.

Another memorable story is when Dr. Biden as Second Lady visited The Congo with her granddaughter in 2014. She met with a doctor who had a hospital that treated females who were victims of horrific violence by tribal soldiers.  Instead of despair, this hospital was a place of safety, strength and courage. The lesson learned there was that you have to look at humanity worst evils to experience the heights of our compassion, hope and love, as Dr. Biden writes.

I was also moved by how the Bidens kept the memory of their sons’ biological mother alive and how they maintained a wonderful relationship with her family.

Additionally, reading about Senator Biden being nominated for Vice President in 2008 and eventually winning that election was pretty interesting too.

Would I recommend Where the Light Enters? I'm neutral on this matter. Sure, there were a number of moments of inspiration throughout the book, but a lot of it was just details of the Bidens’ family life – maybe a little too much for my taste. If you’re the type of person who likes to read about political families, then this book could be for you.

Where the Light Enters was recommended by a good friend of mine. I thank her for the suggestion. If you have any suggestions or feedback for this blog, please e-mail them to mariabookbanter@gmail.com.

Apples Never Fall

 Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty is a mystery told with an enjoyable, stunning wit that I’ve come to expect from a Moriarty novel.

On an ordinary evening, a young, pretty woman randomly knocks at the door of retired tennis instructors Joy and Stan Delaney. This stranger, Savannah, claims she is a victim of domestic violence and has nowhere else to go. The Delaneys take her in and give her a place to stay indefinitely. What is Savannah really doing there was the question in my mind. 

A year after Savannah’s arrival, Joy goes missing and Stan is the prime suspect in her disappearance. Their marriage was on the rocks at this time. The detective handling the case, Christina Khoury, noted that the scratches on Stan’s face look like defensive wounds. Also, it was two of the Delaney children who reported her missing, not Stan, which also made Christina more suspicious of him. She interviews each of the Delaneys and senses the deep dysfunction within the family.

As the story unfolds, we learn about the Delaneys’ marriages, temperaments, betrayals, resentments, former tennis students, family dynamics and disappointing tennis careers. Although they are an interesting bunch of characters, much of the book is this - making me feel like the mystery of Joy's disappearance is lost in the family history. On the other hand, maybe the solution is hidden in all these details.

Halfway through Apples Never Fall, a piece of information about Stan’s family life is revealed. I believe this is key in knowing who Savannah is and why she’s there. I really thought I had it all figured out, but the more I read, the more I had doubts, which is a credit to Liane Moriarty’s writing. Just when you think you know what's going on, she throws you a subtle curve that keeps you guessing.

Finally, when the truth came out about Savannah. It was nothing that I imagined it would be, as hard as I tried. My initial reaction to her motivation was that it's sort of silly. However, by the time I finished the book, it made more sense to me. Additionally, the revelation that came out as a result of Savannah’s disclosure, I didn’t buy either at first, but after reading more and giving it some thought, I could see where the situation could be plausible.

And then, at last, the truth about what happened to Joy Delaney is revealed. It is somewhat of a surprise to me, I suppose. Honestly, I was too busy wondering what the deal was with Savannah that I really didn’t think about solving Joy’s disappearance.

While not a perfect book, there is more than enough there to recommend it. There were many moments - even at the height of its drama - when I found myself laughing out loud. Also, because it kept me guessing, I wanted to keep on reading.

I also have to acknowledge Caroline Lee, narrator of the audiobook. She truly makes a Moriarty novel a fun experience.

On a final note about Apples Never Fall, its story ends at the beginning of the pandemic. Moriarty’s writing about this period of time is spot-on and so eloquent, and of course, done with a little bit of humor too.

E-mail: mariabookbanter@gmail.com