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.