Periodically, we will feature several recommendations from local book clubs whose selections Barrington Books has kindly shared with us -
Ava’s Man Rick Bragg
Bragg recounts the life of his grandfather, Charlie Bundrum, whom he never met. Big-hearted but flawed, Charlie was totally devoted to his wife and children, but a tenuous provider (a roofer by trade, he also cooked and frequently tasted his own moonshine) who fiercely defended his clan from trouble and hardship even as he occasionally brought it on them. Beautifully written.
Collected Stories Grace Paley
This volume gathers together more than 30 years’ worth of stellar stories and presents us with the full spectrum of Paley’s voices as well as her observations and interpretations of urban family life. Paley can just knock us flat with the force of her spirited language.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao Junot Diaz
Narrated in Spanglish, this story of Oscar de Leon, a 300 pound Dominican-American “lovesick ghetto nerd” follows three generations of his family. And then there is the small matter of the curse. 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner
The Moon in the Mango Tree Pamila Ewen
Set in Siam and Europe during the 1920s, the book is based upon the true story of Barbara Bond, a beautiful young opera singer from Philadelphia who is forced to choose between her fierce desire for independence and a deep abiding love for her faithful missionary husband whose work creates a gap between them.
Persuasion Jane Austen
This bittersweet story of love the second time around represents Jane Austen at her height of her powers. In the opinion of her fans and critics both, Persuasion is considered to be one of her finest books. It has the deep irony, the scathing wit, the droll and finely drawn characters of Austen’s other novels, all attributes long beloved of her readers.
