The Hunter by Tana French

 

The searing mind-numbing high heat of an exceptionally dry summer is a central character in French’s novel. Fifteen-year-old Trey has just come to terms with her father’s absence and not coping with her brother’s mysterious death in small-town Ireland, when Johnny Reddy, her father, returns with yet another scam to perpetrate on the villagers. Cal, a mentor to Trey and California import, is one of many who smell something fishy in the goings-on. The novel moves more languorously than French’s earlier work, but her signature fingerprint is here too. A first-rate mystery layered over a nuanced portrayal of teen angst. 

The Limits by Nell Freudenberger

 

Everything’s off-kilter during the early months of COVID. The children, especially, are not okay. Pia, the daughter of a French scientist who researches coral in the South Pacific, reluctantly agrees to be with her cardiologist Dad in New York. Dad, Stephen has his hands full with his expectant wife, Kate, who must be shielded from the pandemic. A school teacher, Kate struggles to bond with her stepdaughter while understanding the realities her teen students face. One of these is Athyna, afflicted by severe anxiety. The plot lines converge fluidly in a story that’s full of heart and a page-turner. A+

My Beloved Life by Amitava Kumar

 

The filling in of the blank slate of one man’s life against larger historical events is not particularly novel ground. But, in narrating the story of Jadunath Kunwar against the backdrop of pre-independence India, Kumar paints a moving portrait of an Everyman who lived in the shadow of sweeping historical events. The story, written almost in documentary form, traces the lives of Jadu and his daughter, Jugnu, while exploring the roles of caste and religion in the most nuanced ways. It’s deeply moving that Jadu, a student of history, situates his life squarely within its expansive frame. A surefire winner!

North Woods by Daniel Mason

 A catamount, a wild cat that once populated the western forests of Massachusetts, makes a cameo appearance in this absolutely spellbinding novel. Tracing the passage of time over centuries, one home in the woods fades in and out of the narrative, which narrates the stories of those whose paths walk over the same tracks over the years. The chorus of voices in different formats make for a delightful symphony. Mason’s writing is lush and gorgeous – a paragraph describing snow-laden woods alone is worth the price of admission – and the novel makes for a worthy contender for the Pulitzer. A must-read!

Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh: India's Lonely Young Women And The Search For Intimacy And Independence by Shrayana Bhattacharya

First there’s the engaging thesis: Learning about the reasons for Indian women’s crushes on the Bollywood superstar, Shah Rukh Khan, might be a common thread that could weave disparate stories across class and caste. This brilliant economics treatise couched as sociology and fangirling experiment really hits the mark in exploring the state of women in contemporary India. The author starts by describing her own unsuccessful attempts in finding a life partner and zooms out to explore how India’s economic boom and the increasing influence of cinema (and American TV) have left women in a muddled and precarious state. A must-read.

National Dish: Around the World in Search of Food, History, and the Meaning of Home by Anya Von Bremzen

Can you pinpoint one dish that speaks for an entire country? Despite the book’s bold title, the author finds that it’s hard to do so. But the more dishes, the tastier the repast. Blending travelog with history, this is a mouthwatering romp through the popular hits: ramen in Japan (influenced by the Chinese), Neapolitan pizza (which started as an inexpensive food to feed the city’s teeming population), and a melange of moles, among others. It’s hard not to be jealous of the author’s access to knowledgeable locals who grant her insider views. At least we can piggyback on the ride.

Fishing for the Little Pike by Juhani Karila

 “Elina Ylijaako had to catch a pike from a certain pond by June 18th every year. Her life depended on it.” So launches this utterly delightful romp through the middle-of-nowhere Finland where a boggy swamp defines the extremely remote village of Vuopio. Part of the mystery is exactly why Elina needs to catch the pike and what crime did she commit to have a policewoman on her tail. Strange creatures, many derived from local folklore, further complicate her task. Even if the ending is rushed and too confusing and riotous, the spirited protagonist and characters liven up a fun story. 

The Dissident by Paul Goldberg

 

In ‘70s Moscow, a lot is on the line in the lead-up to a visit from Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger. So when two gay men, one of them an American, are brutally murdered, the KGB is keen on solving the crime right away. Viktor Moroz, an engineer waiting to leave for Israel,  becomes an easy suspect. He can earn his freedom if he solves the crime. Ample doses of real history such as the Helsinki Agreement, are tucked into a vivid portrait of Moscow. The nonlinear plot lines leave frayed threads but the travelogue and snappy dialog compensate somewhat.

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa

 

Teenager Rintaro Natsuki is a hikikomori, a nerdy introvert who would like nothing better than the company of books. But the bookstore he inherits from his grandfather is dying and the teen must accept its inevitable fate. Or must he? One day a tabby cat appears at the bookstore pleading for Rintaro’s help: books are being mistreated and the teenager and his friend can help. The three set off on a series of such adventures (entering “labyrinths”) and the charming ending wraps up endearingly if a tad predictably. A warm and inviting story that will please ardent book lovers everywhere.

The Great Reclamation by Rachel Heng

 

With the ocean as their backyard, Ah Boon and his classmate Siok Mei grow up in land that becomes Singapore. Siok Mei gets swept up in anti-government activities but Ah Boon, having seen his own father lost to government atrocities, treads a narrow path. He joins the Gah Men, the repressive government authorities who doggedly destroy the seaside villages to create a new Singapore as part of the Great Reclamation. The two lovers’ paths are not linear and their motivations are not unselfish either. Heng shows a remarkable knack for juggling nuance and human complexity in a spectacular must-read debut.

The Librarianist by Patrick deWitt

 

“Part of aging, at least for many of us, was to see how misshapen and imperfect our stories had to be.” Librarian Bob Comet’s life has been misshapen by a singular tragedy: his wife Connie leaves him for his best friend, Ethan. Tracing the extraordinary story of an ordinary life, deWitt visits Bob in his retirement and back to a segment of his boyhood when he runs away from home. Heartwarming without eye-rolling manipulations is difficult but DeWitt delivers. An unsplashy marvel that celebrates the quotidian and highlights the many joys and scars tucked into the arc of a life.

The Best Possible Experience: Stories by Nishanth Injam

 

Injam captures the heartache of immigration without sappiness and includes ample doses of  dark humor. In the story “Summers of Waiting,” a granddaughter returns to India from Chicago to care for her elderly grandfather, whose life is ravaged by guilt. In “The Protocol,” an Indian immigrant and a down-on-her-luck Black woman agree to marry to get a green card in exchange for money. Humor abounds as well: All hell breaks loose when 12-year-old Vikas invites his classmate over for lunch, completely befuddling his poor parents. Filled with sharp  humor and unafraid of humanity’s dark underbelly, this is a promising debut.

The Fraud by Zadie Smith

 

The imprint of colonialism in Jamaica is one of the central themes of Smith’s novel which seeks to explain the meaning of authenticity. Mrs. Eliza Touchet, the abolitionist housekeeper of a Victorian home in eighteenth-century England, sees that integrity varies depending on who’s worth is being measured. The novel’s noble intentions are not enough to see the plot through as it gets tied up in multiple strands that stall momentum. The established authors featured here lack authenticity, foregoing lived experiences for glamorous stories that push copies. To them it doesn’t matter that “the poor don’t need literature, they need bread.”

Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World by Henry Grabar

 

Ignore the hyperbole tucked into the clever cover art. Parking does not explain the world but it does exacerbate socioeconomic inequality and exposes the problems of a car-centric culture. “Sooner or later, the commuter would have to get out of his car. He could leave it at home and take the bus. He could do it on the edge of a pedestrian downtown, though not without a handful of enormous public garages. Or he could do it in a privately held lot, right in front of his destination. In most American cities, that last option is more or less how things worked out.” A must-read.

The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

In the town of Pottstown, PA, Blacks and Jews have formed a comfortable alliance, thanks in large part to Chona, a kind Jewish woman who runs the Heaven Earth grocery store. As the dark clouds of fascism pervade Europe, their long shadows invade Pottstown as well. Despite the withering gaze of the Ku Klux Klan, Chona and her husband, Moshe set up popular businesses. When Dodo, a deaf Black child falls in trouble, a great escape for the boy is planned. A delightful novel, filled with delightful characters that affirms the power of community to overcome even the toughest odds.

Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton

Mira Bunting is a subversive who launched Birnam Wood, a ragtag group of activists who plant crops in unused land, often illegally, and distribute the results equitably. Their anemic acts of rebellion desperately need an infusion of the one thing they want to avoid: money. When billionaire Robert Lemoine funds their endeavors with an agenda of his own, the uneasy bed companions must play nice. But not everyone toes the line, especially Anthony Gallo, a struggling writer who sniffs shady goings-on unfolding. A taut pulse-pounding story of the various shades of greed that will likely lead to our collective downfall.

The Last Ranger by Peter Heller

The wolves have been reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park for a while now. Yet their existence is precarious, ensured only by strict anti-poaching regulations. The ranger in charge, Ren, spends his days striking a balance between managing park visitors and keeping an eye out for vigilante anti-government types. When Ren’s animal scientist friend is sidelined by a near-fatal accident, he realizes just how many shades of gray there are in maintaining a delicate ecosystem. The pace is a little too unhurried but the lush forests and wild habitats’ immersive descriptions are transportive and readers will root for the scarred hero.

The House of Doors by Tan Twan Eng

 

In 1921, Lesley Hamlyn and her retired lawyer husband are living in Penang, Malaysia and frequently host dignitaries. Among them is Dr. Sun Yat Sen, the Chinese revolutionary. Another is the acclaimed writer “Willie” Somerset Maugham. Willie is convinced there are many untold stories behind Lesley’s calm demeanor, fuel for future stories. We learn about the imperfect Hamlyn marriage and the murder trial of one of Lesley’s close friends, based on a true story. The discrete story threads–the murder plot, Dr. Sen’s visits to Malaysia, the Hamlyns’ infidelities–fall short of gelling neatly. Yet Eng’s writing is as magical as ever.

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

What makes a life? A sense of duty? An obligation to your loved ones? To take the path that has been proscribed for you? Dickie Barnes is the brains of the family, attended college at Trinity. But a tragedy has him setting roots in his hometown, anchored by a miserable marriage. What’s worse, the life he carves for his wife Imelda, is a step up from her childhood. A bee sting is metaphor for the troubles we navigate in life. The novel could use editing in the early chapters but the build-up to the spectacular ending is worth it all.

Empty Theatre: A Novel: or The Lives of King Ludwig II of Bavaria and Empress Sisi of Austria (Queen of Hungary), Cousins, in Their Pursuit of Connection and Beauty by Jac Jemc

Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. This adage certainly applies to the lives of cousins, Queen Sisi of Austria and King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Born into regal roles, they’d rather live lives that are not straitjacketed. Jemc relentlessly focuses on just a couple of aspects of each personality: a well-developed taste for art and struggles to hide his homosexuality for King Ludwig and Sisi’s boredom at being solely a wife and mother. At times the lives of one-percenters seems overly privileged yet one comes away with sympathy for souls crushed by the relentless burden of heavy expectations.

The Darkness Manifesto: On Light Pollution, Night Ecology, and the Ancient Rhythms that Sustain Life by Johan Eklöf and Elizabeth DeNoma

Even a full moon is too much light for some nocturnal animals who lie low on moonlit nights. Eklöf addresses an incredible array of delightful topics in his call for bringing back true nighttime darkness in our rhythms with nature. In crisp chapters, the book expertly explores the place of darkness in areas like ecology, health, philosophy, mythology and even tourism. Darkness tourism, where travelers seek out the night sky, is increasingly popular. Filled with anecdotes from his travels in his homeland of Sweden, this is a heartwarming call to action, a book that drives home its points without preaching.

Loot by Tania James

In the late eighteenth century, King Tipu Sultan of Mysore, India, commissioned “Tipu’s Tiger,” an automaton made in collaboration between the Indian and the French. That fact forms the basis for a raucous and entertaining tale about a teenaged Abbas, an artisan who discovers his potential under the tutelage of a French master, Lucien Du Leze. 

As Abbas wakes up to the wonders (and injustices) of the larger world as he travels, he abides by his cardinal rule: “do not look back. Forward, ever forward.” A winning story that confirms that no matter the class, race is the final ranking.

Arrangements in Blue: Notes on Loving and Living Alone by Amy Key

Gloria Steinem remarked that a woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle. The message is clear: Women don’t need men to lead fulfilling lives. While that’s true, Amy Key’s achingly raw memoir explores the emotional toll of becoming resigned to a lifetime without a partner. It’s a unique brand of melancholy, one Key explores creatively through songs in Joni Mitchell’s oeuvre. Your heart aches when the author recounts the imprints of her grandparents’ time together: “A still-warm cup in the sink. Or coming home to see a light on in the hall, home’s mood already animated.”

I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai

The long shadows of a classmate’s murder haunts Bodie Kane decades later, when she returns to her New Hampshire boarding school to teach a short course on podcasting. A Black instructor was wrongfully convicted and Bodie’s students want to look under previously ignored rocks for new leads. Makkai uses the murder of teenaged student Thalia Keith as a stand-in for the many cases, new and old, where women are consistently ignored, their voices stilled, the abusers free to strike again. At times these instances feel a bit forced. Yet they’re also the ones that lend the novel its devastating heft.

Fish Swimming in Dappled Sunlight by Riku Onda

Aki and Hiro are two of the fish swimming against the current in this surreal novel. The third is a travel guide who falls to his death when hiking in mountains outside Tokyo with the couple. Who is this strange guide? Why are Aki and Hiro so shaken by an accident? And who are the two to each other anyway? These are a few of the questions that the slow-simmering story addresses. Told in viewpoints alternating between Aki and Hiro, the narrative travels systematically back in time to deliver a mildly entertaining if not fully satisfactory resolution to the mysteries.

Winter in Sokcho by Elisa Shua Dusapin

 

In the South Korean  seaside town of Sochko, close to the border with the North, a young French Korean woman works as a hotel receptionist. When an older French comic book artist comes to stay for inspiration, the unnamed narrator is drawn to his promise of otherness. Forever judged by her looks by her mother and boyfriend, she hopes the Frenchman will truly see the person she is. The dimly lit hotel, the demilitarized zone, the harshness of the landscape in winter, add a layer of atmospheric vulnerability to this magical story. What’s escape for some is tedium for others. 

Antonio by Beatriz Bracher

 

Through the fractured perspectives of a few people close to them, Xavier and his son, Teo, come alive in this engaging if occasionally dense narrative. Coming from a rich Brazilian family, Xavier tries to break free from the ties that bind. But madness overtakes him and Teo. The disintegration of their lives is largely borne by their women. “Life is so hard on us, in one way or another, that we end up transforming ourselves, inevitably, into beings that are smaller than the destiny that youth promises us,” says a character in the novel. That sad fate unravels for all.

The Unseen by Roy Jacobsen

Along the Norwegian coast lies the tiny island of Barroy, home to a small family whose fortunes ebb and flow with the tides. Readers looking for a fast-paced novel should look elsewhere. But those who are willing to be soothed by the gentle patterns of life will find a treasure trove. By book’s end, Ingrid Barroy, who’s elementary school-aged when the story opens, has her family’s fate firmly in her able hands. There’s plenty of nuance in the gradual “progress” Barroy sees even if Ingrid’s father, Hans, had barely managed to keep the “rotting raft” that was their existence, afloat.

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

Sadie and Sam have a long history: they are childhood friends who grew apart but meet again when they attend college at MIT and Harvard. Once united by a love of video games, they decide to make their own while in college. The first is a runaway success and launches them into a production company with Sam’s roommate, Marx. The challenges of different players’ mixed priorities surface and brilliantly expose tensions between class and gender. An A+ story of  growing up, of the production of art and the many ways we hide our deepest selves from those we truly love.

The Swedish Art of Aging Exuberantly: Life Wisdom From Someone Who Will (Probably) Die Before You by Margareta Magnusson

Punctuated by whimsical illustrations,  this “life wisdom” is a warm and fuzzy memoir dispensed as advice. It’s a joy to hear from someone who has made peace with death. The advice ranges from “eat chocolate” to the philosophical—“take care of something every day.” Occasionally the book feels like a quickly cobbled-together follow-up to her bestseller about “death cleaning,” which I’ve not read. The nuggets are not profound but make an impact. I wonder if all aging people, including the poor, can use Magnusson’s advice though. After all, not everyone can afford the comfort of home or access universal healthcare.

The Curious Casebook of Inspector Hanshichi: Detective Stories of Old Edo by Kido Okamoto

It’s fitting that one of the Ukiyo-ye paintings of Edo graces the cover of this fabulous collection of short cozy mysteries set in 19th century Japan. Inspector Hanshichi is retired but he remembers the city of yesteryear, populated with a lively assortment of characters. The stories themselves are not complex mysteries but it’s the narrator, like Arthur Conan Doyle, that is the draw here. Peppered with descriptions of festivals and practically every small establishment in old Tokyo (called Edo), this 1910 masterpiece entertains more than a century later. You can almost taste the piping hot soba noodles and warm sake.

Forgiving Imelda Marcos by Nathan Go

As Lito undergoes endless rounds of dialysis in hospital in the Philippines, he wants to forge some measure of peace with his estranged son living in the United States. Knowing that the son is a journalist, Lito promises a scoop—an account of a meeting between politicians Corazon Aquino and Imelda Marcos. Hollowed out by cancer, Aquino insists Lito drive her to meet Marcos. An act of closure is on the books. While narrating the journey, Lito reminisces about his own damaged upbringing and regrets. Filled with weighty questions about forgiveness, this is also a moving portrait of the father-son bond.

Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro

 

I’ll cut to the chase: Read. This. Book. 

In the bedroom community of Avalon, retired physician Ben Zilf finds his life’s path repeatedly intersects that of his young neighbor, Waldo. Waldo is a boy genius who’s misunderstood at home but finds companionship with Ben. The Wilfs are United by a terrible tragedy they push under the rug that will haunt the (now grown) children for decades. Writing about families without a hint of melodrama is no easy task but Shapiro accomplishes it superbly. Passages worth rereading, not a misplaced word. I cried after I put the book down. A masterpiece.

Have You Eaten Yet? Stories from Chinese Restaurants Around the World by Cheuk Kwan

I was expecting a quirky and nuanced exploration of the mom-and-pop Chinese restaurant around the world. To some extent this book succeeds. But too often, it reads like an extension of a documentary series. The focus strays to how a particular restaurant got chosen, the tourist attractions in town, and the author’s own place in it all. The book misses the title’s promise by a mile. The early chapter on Noisy Jim, a diner owner in Outlook, pop. 1200 in Canada’s Saskatchewan province is delightful. Most of the rest of the fare though is edible enough but not lip-smackingly delicious.

Brotherless Night by V.V. Ganeshananthan

In a crumbling Jaffna, the epicenter of Sri Lanka’s decades-long civil war, seventeen-year-old Sashi comes of age. The war comes to a slow boil before she enters medical school and systematically tears her family—including her four brothers—apart. Unsure about her allegiances with the Tamil Tigers, Sashi tries to stay true to her shifting loyalties even as the world she knows crumbles. Expertly paced and nuanced in its telling of one of South Asia’s most volatile conflicts, this is one dynamite novel. That Sri Lanka is once again in dire straits because of its tumultuous economy, only reframes an anguished perspective.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

Demon Copperhead is the Appalachian equivalent of Dickens’ David Copperfield. Born to a drug-addicted mother, Demon goes through hell and back in the foster care system. Yet he retains his spirit that sustains him through the bleakest times. The horrors of Oxy-ridden counties manifest themselves in tragic ways yet a thread of hope sparkles throughout this heartwarming narrative. All it takes is occasional glimpses of kindness for Demon to eventually find his footing. The narrative might sag in the middle but Kingsolver has delivered a classic, reinterpreted with nuance for our contemporary times. Demon is himself the superhero he needs.

Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci

I’m not a huge fan of Stanley Tucci nor have I watched his wildly popular travelog plus cooking show. So I was not expecting to love this memoir much. But I got swept up in his descriptions of his Italian-American childhood in upstate New York. As Tucci describes his career, he keeps the focus unwaveringly on his personal religion—food. From the first quarantine shutdown to his struggles with cancer that temporarily robbed him of his sense of taste, this is an engaging memoir told in an entertaining (if occasionally too saucy) voice. I ate it up in two large bites.

The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama

If there’s a singular trait that’s Michelle Obama’s greatest asset, it’s her wisdom. It’s on fine display in this heartwarming book, where the ex-First Lady shares advice on making friends, choosing meaningful work, focusing on small goals and more. Mrs. Obama borrows from her own life experiences to share lessons learned. While I love the soothing nuggets of advice, I found the book’s structure—are we talking about resilience, the pandemic, or her Mom—to be a bit disorganized. It distracts from otherwise exceptional material. Young adults will especially appreciate Obama’s clear-eyed views of the world and our roles in shaping it.

Dinner With the President: Food, Politics, and a History of Breaking Bread at the White House by Alex Prud'Homme

 

A delicious idea for a book, Prud’homme tucks into the subject matter with gusto. The book acknowledges the role of slavery in the Presidential kitchen. It traces how food became a significant component of politics. Remember Arugula Gate? The early sections are understandably slim and sometimes unnecessarily compensate by digressing into adjacent material. A last section, covering a round-table discussion with experts about the topic, also feels tacked on. Nevertheless, from the vichyssoise that President Kennedy loved to the cottage cheese that President Nixon savored, there’s lots of fun behind-the-scenes peeks at what each President has brought to the table.

Close to Home by Michael Magee

 

Despite his college degree, Sean Maguire is in the same socioeconomic rung as his childhood friends who didn’t pursue higher education. “We were stuck in Belfast, working in a nightclub four nights a week, with no prospects, and no chance of anything better coming our way,” he says. Worse, Sean grinds away at hundreds of hours of community service because he uncharacteristically assaulted a stranger when provoked. Scraping by on the barest minimum during a recession and dealing with dysfunctional family, Sean is every disillusioned young man. A rich debut peppered with humanity, it ends on a sliver of hope.

Crook Manifesto by Colson Whitehead

1970s Harlem shows up in kaleidoscopic color in this sequel to Whitehead’s earlier novel set in the New York borough, Harlem Shuffle. Furniture dealer Ray Carney features here again and is trying to lead an upright life. But he gets enrolled in a sketchy endeavors when he goes looking for tickets for an upcoming Jackson 5 concert. Cutting through momentous time swathes of the ‘70s when America underwent a social catharsis of sorts, this novel retains much of the biting humor of the original. But the disparate periods lack a cohesive glue and so come apart at the seams occasionally.

Disorientation by Elaine Hsieh Chou

Twenty-nine-year old doctoral student Ingrid Yang is confined to the narrow definitions of a life she believes she must have. To get there she must finish her PhD dissertation first. Unfortunately the Chinese poet she is researching is not the most engaging subject Ingrid’s adviser believes him to be. As Ingrid gets pulled into a major reveal about the poet’s identity, she confronts racism and its many fallouts in the country. An incisive and nuanced exploration of contemporary life in multiracial society, all cloaked in generous doses of razor-sharp humor. One plot twist too many but still fun and illuminating.

Cocoon by Zhang Yueran

Childhood is complicated enough but friends Li Jiaqi and Cheng Gong’s lives are further muddied by the upheavals of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. “Maybe this was the truest representation of childhood. Walking through a fog made of secrets, stumbling along a path we couldn’t see, not knowing where we were going. Growing up felt like making it through the fog and seeing the world clearly–but actually, that wasn’t the case. We’d just wrapped that fog around ourselves, each of us spinning it into a cocoon,” Gong says. The mildly confusing denouement doesn’t detract from the rawness of this memorable novel.

Return to Valetto by Dominic Smith

If you’re looking for authentic Italy, of the crumbling villa variety, look no further. Valetto is a dying town–its population has dwindled to just ten. But Hugh Fisher has deep ties to the village in Umbria where his aunts live and has returned to celebrate the 100th birthday of his grandmother. As Hugh navigates recent losses of his mother and wife, he also confronts the brutal weight of history. Not one word out of place, saturated with imagery and atmosphere while paying homage to family ties, this is one masterpiece of a novel. I devoured it and so will you.