After the Party

After the Party by Lisa Jewell (2010) 442 pages

Jem and Ralph have been together for eleven years, parents for three. In the years since they started their family, stresses have turned their once-loving relationship into a more perfunctory one. Ralph didn't really want children at the time, and agreed to it reluctantly, not putting much of himself into the day-to-day needs of the family. An artist by profession, he mostly retreats to his studio to paint, smoke, daydream. When Ralph tells Jem that he wants to travel from their home in London to visit his friend in California, she's outraged that he would leave her alone with their newborn and three-year-old for a whole week. She finally agrees to his trip, because she can tell he's as unhappy as she is: something's got to change.

The story initially flips from the starting point, back in time a year, and then catches up, showing their history, alternating between their points of view. The book is a full-length rendition of "Can This Relationship Be Saved?" Mulling over the trajectory of the book, is it reasonable? In some ways, it's spot-on. In other ways, I wonder.

Kaddish.com

Kaddish.com / Nathan Englander, read by Rob Shapiro, 203 pages

When Larry's father dies, it is his duty to recite the Kaddish for a year.  Unlike the rest of his Orthodox family, Larry is an atheist so he finds a service online who will take on his duty and pray for his father.  The belief is the prayer will pave the way to heaven.  Like many others, Larry finds his life and beliefs changing and so he has to figure out a way to recover his birthright and get the responsibility back from his Internet service. This book is a fantastic journey that we take with Larry.  Funny at times, reflective and philosophical at others. A fantastic story that is perfectly read by narrator Rob Shapiro.

Exit West

Exit West by Mohsin Hamid (2017) 231 pages

There are at least four reviews of Exit West on this site that compelled me to add the book to my "to read" list. I'm glad I finally had a chance to check it out. Two young adults, Nadia and Saeed, meet in their native land, an unnamed Middle Eastern country, while political turmoil is altering their country and endangering their lives. Eventually the couple decides to migrate, first to Greece, then to Britain, then to the US. Their migrations are almost magical, except that we see it often takes much waiting and concern before the time is right for them to go through the "doors" to other countries. Author Mohsin Hamid's power lies in his portrayal of the changing relationship of Nadia and Saeed. He packs worlds of meaning into what at first seem to be long, but simple phrases. One that particularly struck me:  "They slept on the slender single bed together without speaking, without touching... not unlike a couple that was long and unhappily married, a couple that made out of opportunities for joy, misery" (page 127).  Hamid also deals with evolving personal changes, e.g., one's changing inclination for prayer, or independence. This is a thoughtful work, filled with many instances of pithiness.