Audiobook Review: We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas

We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas (narrated by Mare Winningham; 20 hours 51 minutes) opens in Woodside, Queens in the home of young Eileen Tumulty. The daughter of Irish immigrants, Eileen is an old soul who faces adult issues at a young age as she watches her mother struggle with alcohol. She is also acutely aware of the fact that her family has not "arrived" and is striving to have enough and to better themselves. Eileen takes this struggle very much to heart and begins an upward climb to acceptance and respectability which she believes comes with financial security. As the book continues, she marries Ed Leary and gives birth to a son, Connell. Together they face the changing face of their neighborhood in Jackson Heights, a health crisis and the realization that, despite hard work and tenacity, the American Dream may remain that little bit out of reach. Beyond just Eileen's story, this novel is the story of mid century American life through to present.

Eileen's story begins as the daughter of Irish immigrants in Queens, NY. Her father, Big Mike, is well known in the neighborhood and the life of the party which is contrasted by her mother who is fragile and turns to alcohol to cope. Eileen identifies more with her father and aims to please him by being a good student and wanting to better herself. When her father tells her he dreams that she will one day own a home as opposed to renting as he and her mother have done, Eileen puts that goal in her sights and goes about achieving it. When she meets Ed Leary, she sees a man who can provide stability but also work with her towards her goals. They do ultimately buy a multi-family home in Jackson Heights but it is Eileen that is the driving force behind making that happen and she is dismayed at Ed's lack of drive towards the goal.

The theme of moving up continues as Jackson Heights begins to change - it becomes more urban and multi-cultural. Eileen sets her sights on Bronxville - an upscale bedroom community with stately homes.  Despite it being quite a stretch financially, the Leary's move to the new neighborhood but Eileen still doesn't feel comfortable - that reaching instilled in her at a young age is nearly impossible to satisfy. In this quote, Eileen considers her inability to find satisfaction:

 “The fact that they were there, that everything they owned wasn’t enough somehow, disturbed her, suggesting a bottomlessness to certain kinds of unhappiness."

 Shortly after their move to Bronxville, however, Ed Leary receives a devastating diagnosis which changes the family's trajectory and pushes the concerns about fitting in to the backseat.

My Thoughts
This powerful novel moved me and is one I won't soon forget. There is so much familiar to me in this book - from the locations throughout Queens (I also grew up in the borough) to Eileen's struggle to make her father proud by doing better than he did thereby making his sacrifices and hard work worthwhile. But as much as this book reflected my own personal experience, it is so powerful because it reflects the quiet drama of every family's lives throughout the years. There is beauty in the capture of everyday celebrations and losses (most especially the losses) and the words the author chooses to describe these moments provide insight you don't understand until you read it.

I listened to this book on audio - the fact that it is over 20 hours long but I found myself looking for more opportunities to listen is a testament to the powerful story told by the author. The narrator, Mare Winningham, is new to me but her voice was perfect for this story largely told from Eileen's point of view.  I do, however, think this would also be a good book to read in print - the sentences are so well crafted, it would be nice to re-read and savor them.  Whether in print or audio, this is definitely the best book I have read in 2014.

Note: Special thanks to Diane of Book Chick Di and Joanne of Lakeside Musing - they both recommended this book and I am glad they led me to it!

Review: Land of Dreams by Kate Kerrigan

Land of Dreams by Kate Kerrigan is the third book in the series which features Ellie Hogan who leaves Ireland and starts her life anew in New York. In this installment, Ellie ends up in LA after her oldest son takes off there to pursue a career in acting. While in LA, Ellie, now almost 50, reflects on her life to date and has some important revelations about how she has arrived in this point in life and what matters to her most.

When Ellie's son Leo runs away from his boarding school to follow an agent to LA to be part of the movies, Ellie's maternal instinct kicks in and she immediately packs up to travel across the country and bring her boy home. Recently widowed when her second husband is killed in Pearl Harbor, Ellie is alone again and her boys are all she has - they are her purpose and she must protect them. She intends to locate her son and immediately return to NY with him but when she sees her shy, reserved son come alive at the prospect of a career in acting she relents and decides to stay while Leo completes his contract with Paramount. Always one to gather a community around her, Ellie brings out the elderly Bridie, an Irish woman that has been like a mother to Ellie and a Nan to her sons, to live with her and the boys. She also takes in Freddie, Leo's down on his luck agent, and Freddie's vacuous girlfriend Crystal. Together they pass their days adjusting to life in sunny California at the fringes of the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle.

Despite swearing off men following the loss of two husbands, Ellie finds herself captivated and pursued by Stan, a Polish composer who writes scores for Hollywood films. Ellie is her own worst enemy in her relationship with Stan and tries to sabotage it at every turn but she can't deny her feelings for him and constantly finds herself back with him. While coping with her relationship with Stan, she is also facing the decline of her dear friend, Bridie. Bridie's tough exterior can't hide the onset of dementia and Ellie must dedicate herself to keeping Bridie safe while maintaining the older woman's dignity.

My Thoughts
I really enjoyed the first two books in this series (my review of Ellis Island and my review of City of Hope) so I was happy to "meet" Ellie again in this final installment. She is as feisty as ever but her fire is tinged with self awareness - she is now fifty and spends much of the book reflecting on the choices that have gotten her to this point in her life and seeing patterns in her behavior. This maturity in Ellie is appealing and tempers some of her more impulsive schemes. Perhaps my favorite part of this book is the relationship between Ellie and Bridie - tough Bridie tells it like it us but also is vulnerable as old age begins to take its toll.  She is aware that she is failing but is also fiercely proud and fights to maintain her dignity.  Ellie rises to this challenge and takes care of Bridie as she would if Bridie were her mother.  Bridie provides continuity in Ellie's story as she has been with her since she first arrived in the US and she also creates an opportunity for Ellie to show her gentler side as she cares for the older woman.

Although it is the third book in a series, Land of Dreams can stand on his own - the author references what happened in the first two books enough to make the connections to this story. But I feel the real strength in the book is Ellie and you can appreciate her so much more if you have read the first two books.  If you read Land of Dreams first, go back and read the other two!

Review: Delicious! by Ruth Reichl

Delicious! by Ruth Reichl: Billie Breslin is a young woman with an amazing sense of taste - she can identify even the most subtle ingredients in a bite of food. She leaves her home in California and arrives in NY to work at the preeminent foodie magazine, Delicious!. Her colleagues quickly learn about her special skill and it earns her their respect and some acceptance into her new world. Billie needs acceptance - she has lived in her older, prettier sister's shadow and considers herself awkward. When Delicious! is suddenly and abruptly shut down, Billie is thrown into uncertainty.  While figuring out her next steps, she discovers a series of letters sent by a young girl, Lulu, to James Beard while he was at Delicious! during WWII. Although only a young girl, Lulu has a lot of lessons for Billie and reading her letters becomes a way for Billie to face some things in her own life which she was tried to avoid.

Lulu lived in Ohio during WWII while her father was fighting overseas and her mother was working at a factory that made planes for the war effort. Although living with constant uncertainty about her father's safety and worries about getting by on the rationed food that was available, Lulu has a sunny outlook which comes right through the letters. With a passion for cooking and baking, she writes Mr. Beard for advice on recipes and ultimately their correspondence develops into one in which Lulu provides updates on her life and even reveals some of her anxieties about the fate of her father and her mother's ability to cope with it all. Billie looked forward to finding each letter (they had been hidden with cryptic clues by a librarian that had worked at Delicious!) and seeing what was happening with Lulu.  As Lulu matured and transformed, so did Billie.

My Thoughts
 This book offers a rich exploration of food, New York City, life during WWII and tops it off with the coming of age story of Billie Breslin.  Like a well-made dish, it has multiple layers and surprises you as you savor it. I was torn between whether I enjoyed the storyline with Billie in current day or the storyline with Lulu set in the 1940's more - both characters have something to hide which is ultimately revealed through the story and that kept me reading.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it will be on my Top 10 for 2014 for sure! I have not read the author's memoirs but I am certainly a fan of her fiction debut.

For other thoughts on the book, you can visit the blogs on the TLC Book Tour.

Giveaway: Someday, Someday, Maybe by Lauren Graham

I am a big fan of the show Gilmore Girls, including the character "Lorelei" played by actress Lauren Graham. The actress has gone on to play Sarah Braverman in the hit TV show Parenthood. Most recently, Lauren Graham has turned her hand to writing and her first novel Someday, Someday, Maybe  hit stores on April 30th.

Someday, Someday, Maybe
From Lauren Graham, the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and Parenthood, comes a witty, charming, and hilariously relatable debut novel about a struggling young actress trying to get ahead―and keep it together―in New York City.


It’s January 1995, and Franny Banks has just six months left of the three-year deadline she set for herself when she came to New York, dreaming of Broadway and doing “important” work. But all she has to show for her efforts so far is a part in an ad for ugly Christmas sweaters, and a gig waiting tables at a comedy club. Her roommates―her best friend Jane, and Dan, an aspiring sci-fi writer―are supportive, yet Franny knows a two-person fan club doesn’t exactly count as success. Everyone tells her she needs a backup plan, and though she can almost picture moving back home and settling down with her perfectly nice ex-boyfriend, she’s not ready to give up on her goal of having a career like her idols Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep. Not just yet. But while she dreams of filling their shoes, in the meantime, she’d happily settle for a speaking part in almost anything—and finding a hair product combination that works.

Everything is riding on the upcoming showcase for her acting class, where she’ll finally have a chance to perform for people who could actually hire her. And she can’t let herself be distracted by James Franklin, a notorious flirt and the most successful actor in her class, even though he’s suddenly started paying attention. Meanwhile, her bank account is rapidly dwindling, her father wants her to come home, and her agent doesn’t return her calls. But for some reason, she keeps believing that she just might get what she came for.

Someday, Someday, Maybe is a story about hopes and dreams, being young in a city, and wanting something deeply, madly, desperately. It’s about finding love, finding yourself, and perhaps most difficult of all in New York City, finding an acting job.

About the Author: Lauren Graham is an actress best known for her roles on the critically acclaimed series Gilmore Girls and Parenthood. She has performed on Broadway and appeared in such films as Bad Santa, Evan Almighty, and Because I Said So. She holds a BA in English from Barnard College and an MFA in acting from Southern Methodist University. She lives in New York and Los Angeles. Twitter: @therealLaurenGraham

Much loved for her portrayal of Loreli and Sarah Braverman, Lauren Graham is also getting praise for her first novel:

“Sweet, funny, and full of heart . . . a dazzling debut.”—Emily Giffin, New York Times bestselling author of Something Borrowed and Where We Belong

“Warm and funny, charming and smart.”—Diane Keaton, New York Times bestselling author of Then Again

“Graham deftly captures what it’s like to be young, ambitious, and hopeful in New York City.”—Candace Bushnell, New York Times bestselling author of Sex and the City and The Carrie Diaries


Giveaway
Thanks to Random House, I have 2 copies of this book to giveaway (US entrants only please).  The giveaway will close Sunday May 12th.  To enter, leave a comment below about what your "someday" dream is (or was!).  Please also leave a way to contact you.

Sunday Salon: Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon Wrap Up

What a gorgeous weekend it has been! Spring has finally arrived in NYC and I couldn't be happier to see the sun and warmer temperatures. This weekend is also Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon - I really wanted to participate but couldn't bear being inside all day yesterday so I headed out for a 6 mile walk with my headphones and audiobook. I stumbled on the Central Park Conservatory Garden - it always amazes me when I discover new things right in my backyard in the city. Here are some pictures of what I had to look at while I listened to The School of Essential Ingredients:

After coming home, I set to work on The Mystery of Mercy Close but I didn't make too much progress because I was flitting about on social media and checking on other readathon participants.  Either way, I had a fun day!  I was reading to support this cause and I raised $50 by reading the equivalent of 200+ pages (mostly via audiobook).  My company will match this for a total of $100. Thanks to all the organizers of the readathon - another job well done!

Hope you all have a great week!

Saturday Snapshot: October 20, 2012

Alyce of At Home with Books hosts Saturday Snapshot and asks participants to post any photo (just no random photos you found online). Stop by and see what others have posted!

The Fund for Park Avenue hosts a series of scuplture displays on the avenue throughout the year.  Currently, there are sculptures by Niki de Saint Phalle .

Review: The Wedding Beat by Devan Sipher

The Wedding Beat by Devan Sipher is a romantic comedy and it is unique in that it features a male protagonist. Gavin Greene writes the “Vows” column for The New York Times so his life is all weddings, all the time. Despite the healthy dose of skepticism for everlasting love given to him by his job, Gavin is a romantic at heart who is looking for true love and a partner. He has been unlucky in love but when he meets Melinda at a party he is finally compelled to overcome his insecurities and turn his luck around. Easier said than done - they part without making a real connection and Gavin is left to search the city for the one he believes will be his true love.

The Wedding Beat is humorous but with more serious truths weaved throughout. I enjoyed the sarcastic wit of Gavin and found myself chuckling throughout the book. For example, there is this comment as Gavin worries about losing his job at The Paper:

I also loved this exchange with his parents via cell phone - I have had almost the exact same call with my parents more times than I care to count:

“I’m putting you on speakerphone in the car. Can you hear us?”
“I can hear you. Where are you?”
“Gavin, tell us if you hear us”, she repeated.
“WHERE ARE YOU?”
“You hit the mute button”, I heard my father say. “That’s impossible", she said. “I don’t even know where the mute button is."

I hung up and called back. The phone rang several times before my mother picked up. There was much amplified jiggling throughout, as if the handset were being scraped against every surface in their vehicle.

While his parents’ relationship gives Gavin pause about lifelong partnership, his grandmother and her marriage to Bernie impresses upon him that it is important to have someone with whom to share your life. Of all of Gavin’s relationships, his relationship with his grandmother is the one I most enjoyed. She is a fun loving octogenarian who still goes for a daily run and Gavin calls her every day to check in. When his grandmother’s fourth husband, Bernie, is hospitalized, Gavin witnesses what it really means to care for a partner and he wants it for himself. Comedy aside, Gavin is truly looking for a partner and in this quote he reflects on his single on his single status:

I was happy she [his friend Hope] had found someone, but her success made me all the more aware of my failure. I knew that “failure” was not a politically correct or psychologically helpful word to use, but that’s what it felt like. I had failed in the most basic of life’s tasks. Oh I know: In our evolved, multicultural world all lifestyles are equally valid, but for the billion or so people who don’t watch Oprah, being alone violates societal and biological norms. From a macroeconomic perspective, living by myself in a Manhattan apartment was a waste of limited housing and energy resources. Taking an even broader view, according to Darwin (and Richard Dawkins), I was on this planet solely for the purpose of procreating, and to the best of my knowledge, I hadn’t done so. It was not longer a matter of losing out on two-for-one airline deals; I was letting down the species.

This serious side of Gavin is a nice balance to the humor and lighter fare in the book and keeps the novel from being superficial.

If you have ever spent Sunday morning perusing the wedding section of the Times or are a romantic at heart looking for a different take on the girl searches for boy tale, The Wedding Beat is for you. It is a fun novel peppered with keen observations of modern love.

 Thank you to Penguin for providing a review copy.

 

Review: Bond Girl by Erin Duffy

In Bond Girl by Erin Duffy, we meet Alex Garrett, a recent college grad with her heart set on following her father's footsteps into the world of high finance. She snags a job at the prestigious brokerage firm Cromwell Pierce and embarks on what she imagines will be a fast-paced, exciting career. Imagine her disappointment when she arrives at the firm and is assigned a metal folding chair (no desk) with her assigned nickname "girlie" emblazoned across the back in wite-out. Faced with lots of testosterone, outright sexism and grueling hours, Alex tries to make her way on Wall Street and enjoy her life along the way.

Alex is smart and tough but a little naive when she arrives at her new employers - she expects luxury but is met with crass male colleagues and absolutely no respect. It is clear she is going to have to prove herself both by performance in crunching numbers and also in her ability to shrug off the comments of her co-workers and show she can hold her own amidst their practical jokes. The metal chair is only the beginning - Alex is the dedicated pizza courier, she endures comments about her body and works long into the night on spreadsheets and formulas. At one point, Alex's boss Chick even sends her to the Bronx to procure a massive wheel of cheese as punishment for a mistake made in calling an order on the desk. Despite the humiliation and reminders that she is the low girl on the totem pole, Alex develops a collegial relationship with the guys at the office and starts to see them as big brothers.

There is one male colleague, however, that she does not see as a big brother but rather a love interest - Will Patrick. Despite the fact that inter-firm relationships have been strictly prohibited by Chick, Alex takes her chances and starts to date Will. Their relationship is casual - they meet up late at night for a dinner and spend the night together but rarely see each other on the weekends. Although the top secret nature of their relationship excites Alex, the fact that her "boyfriend" is never around for the simple things like helping to pack when she is moving starts to wear on Alex. She has begun to master life at the firm - she even has her own desk - but mastering this relationship with Will is proving much more difficult.  

My Thoughts  
 This was a fun read and reminded me a lot of The Devil Wears Prada - even the covers look similar with the red high heel. Both books feature a young, female protagonist working in the field of her dreams while being tortured in a hostile work environment. They both love life in the Big City and are intent to take on everything it has to offer. The fact that they are antagonized on a daily basis makes you as the reader root for them and want to see them succeed. The books differ, however, in the fact that Alex is paid handsomely for her trials and tribulations while Andrea (main character in Devil Wears Prada) barely ekes out a living for all her hard work. That mega salary and what Alex is willing to put up with in order to make it does erode a little of my sympathy for her as a protagonist.

With that said, Alex is a smart and sharp protagonist and reading about her adventures in the city is a lot of fun. I whizzed through this book in no time and it really took me away from the ho-hum of daily life. I would never have the guts the put up with Alex does but it was fun to watch her do it! 
   
Thank you to Chelsey at William Morrow for sending a review copy of this book