Finding Margaret Fuller

Finding Margaret Fuller by Allison Pataki, 395 pages

In the late 1830s, an aspiring writer went to stay at the home of Ralph Waldo Emerson and over the next decade, became a sought after literary critic, founding mother of the women's rights movement, and bestselling author. Yet few today know of Margaret Fuller, who died in 1850 at the age of 40. This book tells her story, from that first visit to Emerson's home through her work becoming a literary critic and foreign correspondent covering Italy's bid for unification. Peppered throughout the book are many literary heavyweights including, Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Louisa May Alcott (who was a little girl at the time), Nathaniel Hawthorne, George Sand, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning.

I don't know much about the Transcendentalists, much less Margaret Fuller, but after reading this book, I can honestly say I want to learn more about her. The first half of the book felt very focused on the men around Fuller, which seemed unfortunate for a book about such a fiery feminist, though the second half (which roughly corresponds with when she stopped spending so much time at Emerson's house) finds Fuller finally in the spotlight, and as such, is a much better part of the book. I can only wish that the whole book had been that way, and that I could have heard more about her travels as a single woman (which was very risque at the time). I suppose I'll have to track down some of her own writings to learn more about that.

The Demon of Unrest

The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War by Erik Larson  592 pp.

Once again Erik Larson has taken a seminal event in history and delved into the deeper surrounding and causes leading up to it. This time it is the events leading up to the American Civil War that he has written about in details that the average person would not know. Gleaned from information taken from government documents, communiques, letters, diaries, and newspaper accounts, Larson has created a surprising readable account of the days beginning with Abraham Lincoln's election to the presidency and ending with the attack and surrender of Fort Sumter which began the war. The dissention in Congress over the issue of slavery and the belief of the slave states that Lincoln would abolish slavery, which was not his intention, led to the eventual secession of states from the United States. The main players in this book are Major Anderson, commander of Fort Sumter and a former slave owner, Edmund Ruffin who makes it his life's ambition to stir up violent pro-slavery excitement whenever possible, Mary Boykin Chesnut whose diary about the social details of the "Chivalry" of the South and Charleston in the days leading up to and during the Civil War, and Lincoln, the President who tried to prevent the war but was too often thwarted by his own Secretary of State, William Seward as well as the unreliability of long distance communication. The audiobook was read by Will Patton who does an adequate job but it could have been better. 

Kill for Me, Kill for You

Kill for Me, Kill for You by Steve Cavanaugh, 340 pages

It's been six months since Amanda's daughter was murdered and her husband, blaming himself, took his own life. Amanda and the police are sure they know who the killer is, but his wealthy and powerful family has kept him too well protected to make any legal moves. Amanda's sole motivation to get out of bed is to figure out a way to kill the man who destroyed her family. When a close call forces Amanda into court-ordered group therapy, she meets another woman, Wendy, who's in a similar situation — Wendy knows who killed her daughter, and is ready to make him pay.

Meanwhile, Ruth has been brutally attacked at home by a serial killer who she saw reflected in the dark window, and knows she'll recognize if she ever sees him again. But the police investigation has gone cold, leaving Ruth paralyzed by fear, unable to return home or even leave her hotel room.

When I first picked up this book, I thought it would be a sad imitation of Patricia Highsmith's Strangers on a Train. But it's more of an homage with lots of unpredictable twists, understandable (if crazy) motivations, and a delicate balance of grief and suspense. It's fantastic, and highly recommended.

In a Not So Perfect World

In a Not So Perfect World by Neely Tubati Alexander, 337 pages

Sloane has been single and unemployed for the last six months, but she's on the cusp of landing her dream job, if only she can design a video game prototype in 10 days. After randomly kissing a guy at a bar who turns out to be her hot neighbor Charlie, he invites her on a weeklong trip to Turks & Caicos, taking the place of Charlie's ex-girlfriend, who he thought was The One (she was instead a cheating meanie) and now just wants to make jealous with Instagram pics of his new "girlfriend." Seeing a chance to work on her game from a fancy hotel with an ocean view, Sloane agrees to go on the trip, not expecting to also fall for Charlie.

If that summary sounds a bit far-fetched, don't worry, I agree with you. I'm fine with fake dating tropes, but this one was about five steps too far. I couldn't buy into the premise at all, the characters made some really questionable choices (the first of which is naming a dog after the worst character in Buffy), and this was just all kinds of dumb. If you hate-read things, this might be worth your time. Otherwise, skip it.

Lagoon

Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor, 304 pages

When extraterrestrials arrive on Earth, they do so in the Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of Lagos, Nigeria. The wave formed from their splash landing pulls three people on Bar Beach into the ocean — a marine biologist, a soldier, and a rapper — changing their lives and tying them inextricably to the first contact chaos. And the being they meet is beyond anything they could have imagined. Adoyele, as the creature has named themself, has come with a message of peace, hoping to share ideas and a planet. But not everyone is as accepting of Adoyele as those first three people, and it seems their mission might be a bit harder to accomplish.

There are many, many first-contact stories, and this isn't even the first one I've read in which extraterrestrials land in Africa. However, it is the first I've found that manages to bring to life Lagos and imbue the story with traditional Nigerian storytelling styles. It's electric, thought-provoking, and just the sort of wonderfulness I've come to expect from Okorafor. Can't wait to see what the Orcs & Aliens say about it on Monday!

The Dinner List

 

The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle (2018) 273 pages

Sabrina is celebrating her thirtieth birthday, meeting her best friend Jessica at a restaurant. But Sabrina is surprised: this is not an ordinary dinner, it's a party of six, some living and some dead, from a list Sabrina compiled in college (and later edited a bit). The list includes Audrey Hepburn, because (of course) everyone wants Audrey Hepburn on the roster at their imagined six people at dinner. Also included is Sabrina's father, who was an alcoholic whom her mother kicked out when Sabrina was five years old. Her philosophy teacher, Professor Conrad, is included, too. As is Tobias, a man that Sabrina first met at an art show on the beach at Santa Monica Pier when she was in college, and later found again by chance in New York City years later. Sabrina feels that she and Tobias were meant to be. Their relationship, as well as the relationship between Sabrina and her father and Sabrina and Jessica come under the microscope. The fatherly Professor Conrad and the surprisingly motherly Audrey Hepburn help move the process gently along. 

I thought this was a well-done quick read, as we learn about Sabrina's life and her relationships.

Lady Tan's Circle of Women

Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See (2023) 352 pages

I read some books for pure enjoyment, and they don't need to be deep. Others, like this one, come across immediately as historically well-researched, and tell a deep and immersive story. We first see Lady Tan as an eight-year-old child in the year 1469 in China, learning at her mother's side what she needs to do to be a good wife (hint: produce sons for her husband). It doesn't matter that all my modern liberal views are shouting against the traditional role of Chinese women and the awful tradition of foot-binding ‒ the story stays true to the time and I just need to accept it. Tan Yunxian knows as a child what the expectations are. She will eventually leave her parents' home and become subjugated to her husband and to her mother-in-law as she attempts to make as many sons as possible for her husband.

However, this child has a unique story: after her mother's death, she was sent to live with her father's parents, both of whom were doctors. She soaks up the research bent of her grandmother, in addition to all of the medical knowledge that she can, and eventually she knows what she needs to know to help heal others, particularly women. She is saddened, as a fifteen year old bride, when her mother-in-law demands she not practice medicine, but over time, she is allowed to pick up parts of her practice, in conjunction with a childhood friend who is the daughter of a midwife. While both a doctor and a midwife can be present at a birth of the child, their roles are very different: the doctor does not touch blood or handle the baby.

This is the fascinating tale of a woman's life, and it is apparently based on the life of a real woman, a Chinese physician who actually wrote a book about her research. The Chinese traditions, both medical and cultural, are eye-opening. The differences in the the lives of upper class women, working class women, and concubines in China stand out. Highly recommended.

The Great Divide

The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez, 321 pages

In 1907, able-bodied people (mostly men) were flocking to Panama in search of work helping to build the long-promised Panama Canal. Along with the backbreaking work, the influx of workers also had to deal with malaria, mudslides, and a segregated social order that placed white Americans well above the people of color who worked hard to make their lives possible. This novel brings to life the atmosphere surrounding the Canal project, from the migrant workers to American doctors fighting against malaria to native Panamanians who struggled to balance their desire to earn money with their dislike of the not-quite-colonization of their country. It's a beautifully told meditation on progress and the impact it has on individuals instead of the world economy. Well worth a read.

None of This is True

 None of This is True by Lisa Jewel (2023, 400 pages)

Imagine you're out for dinner to celebrate your 45th birthday, and the woman at the next table over happens to be celebrating her 45th too! You two connect in the bathroom over your shared circumstances.

This is how Alis and Josie first met. Alix runs a podcast about successful women, and Josie feels like she has a story to tell about her own life that's about to change. What else do these two women have in common? What's different, or should I ask, appears to be different?

I listened to the audiobook, which I highly recommend because there are bits that are from podcasts and news broadcasts, and it's like actually listening to it! The book really lives up to its title, in classic Lisa Jewell fashion.

Fun mystery, but not a whodunnit but more like watching a tapestry being unwound in reverse. The bits and pieces come together and woven through. It's one of those books that you can sit back and not spend a lot of brain power on trying to figure it out before she tells us -- you can just watch it unfold. Good characters and eerie feelings, overall an interesting suspense book!

★★★★☆

The Golem of Brooklyn

 The Golem of Brooklyn by Adam Mansbach (2023, 272 pages)

Despite many pop cultures inclusions, golems are actually an ancient Jewish mythical creature. They are made of clay or mud, and their sole purpose is to protect the Jewish people from harm. It becomes animate and sentient with the inscription of the Hebrew word for truth written on its forehead. My favorite part included in some legends, and this book, is when the golem has completed its task, the creator removes the first letter of the word truth (eh-met אמת), to show the word death (met  מת) and it is returned to inanimate clay.

This book is written by comedian Adam Mansbach (who also wrote Go the F*ck to Sleep, to give you a perspective on his writing style). It starts with an art teacher stealing clay from his school over a long period of time, and eventually forming a golem. He didn't think it would work, but here we are. We then follow the shenanigans of the golem, his creator, and everyone who gets swept up on the way to a tiki torch antisemitic march.

Bonus points for great queer and Jewish representation and discussion. I thought it really encapsulates Jewish conversations around controversial topics, and the book didn't end with a solid answer. I really appreciate that. 

★★★★★