Arbitrary stupid goal

Arbitrary stupid goal/Tamara Shopsin, 324 pgs.

Kind of a memoir, ok, it really is a memoir but it is so much more.  Stories told of childhood, parents, siblings and more, Tamara Shopsin has lead an unconventional life.  But that is to be expected of children of an unconventional pair.  Tamara's parents Kenny and Eve ran a store then restaurant in Greenwich Village.  They had rules.  Mostly rules for customers.  If you anger the owner, you can't come back.  You are not allowed to copy someone else's order. No parties of more than four. No outside beverages.  In a world where most people are looking to promote themselves, this place would ban you if you gave out information about it.  Kenny wanted to be part of the neighborhood, not part of the tourist attractions of NYC.  But this is Tamara's story, not her dad's although it is clear he has had a huge influence on her.  Read about her trip to Paris, MO, the life of Margaret Petherbridge and the miniature golf course in a cave.  Really, that is my advice, just read.

Down the river unto the sea

Down the river unto the sea / Walter Mosley, read by Dion Graham, 322 pgs.

Joe King Oliver is a PI who used to be a cop.  He was setup on a bogus charge that landed him at Rikers Island where he was put in solitary to prevent other prisoners from killing him.  90 days later, charges were dropped but he could not go back to the force and his wife, who didn't stand by him, is out.  Ten years later, he is a private investigator but still a broken man.  He lives for his teen daughter and is doing an ok job of keeping it together.  When a young attorney comes to him for help, he sees a way to discover who set him up while helping another with a "bad cop" problem.  With a cast of interesting supporting characters, this is standard for Mosley which means better than most others.  Dion Graham's narration adds a lot to the story.

The marsh king's daughter

The marsh king's daughter / Karen Dionne, read by Emily Rankin, 310 pgs.

Helena is a pretty normal kid, she admires her father and follows him on hunting and fishing trips. She has no interest in learning to cook. She likes the outdoors and reading National Geographic.  She is not particularly close to her mother.  As time goes on, she starts thinking her live is a little odd.  After all, she has never seen any other people besides her parents.  She has only one outfit to wear. Her dad can be extremely cruel in his punishments.  One day when she is twelve, she finds out that her father kidnapped her mother and she is the product of a relationship not exactly built on love.  The cabin they live in was chosen because it is very isolated.  But present day Helena has a husband and a family.  She is making a living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  Her life really is pretty normal now.  But everything changes when her father breaks out of prison.  She knows she is the perfect person to track him and find him and that the authorities will have problems. This story turns into a heart stopping thriller.  The audio version is very good, the story is unforgettable.

A Gentleman in Moscow / Amor Towles, 462 pp.

It was a perfect pleasure to read this, Amor Towles' second novel following Rules of Civility, which I will request as soon as I have finished typing.

Count Alexander Rostov, with a long list of goofily elaborate honorifics after his name, becomes a Former Person (what a phrase!) following the Revolution and is placed under permanent house arrest in the lavish and sophisticated Metropol hotel.  There, like a hearty plant, he adapts and thrives in the rich soil of the hotel, among foreign diplomats, movie stars, Kremlin officials, and the hotel's humble but no less distinguished staff.  It is his relationships with Nina and Sofia, women born a generation apart, that set the course for the Count's life, and form the core of the story. 

A bit of spycraft, plenty of history, exquisite cuisine, charming banter, and loving friendships combine in a novel that displays a remarkable amount of erudition without ever losing its sense of fun.