Three Days in June -- Anne Tyler

A sweet fun read, which is just what I needed. Gail Barnes is kind of a misfit who is at a crossroads in her life. Her daughter is getting married, her ex-husband Max has just shown up with a cat needing a home, and she may have just lost her job. The story is told in three days where Gail struggles to reconcile her past and open up to her future. If you like bittersweet family stories, Gail and Max's will be right up your alley. 

Perfection -- Vincenzo Latronico

Perfection is an odd and fascinating book. I have not read Things: A Story of the Sixties by Georges Perec, which it is based on, but in reading of a description of that novel, it is obvious that Latronico followed the structure of the earlier work. Perfection describes the lives of  Anna and Tom, new arrivals in Berlin. There is no  dialog in Perfection, but we are given an in-depth look at the couple's world through the lens of their things, their space, and their work. While I can't say I really cared about Anna and Tom, I was intrigued by them and their surroundings. Taking place in the twenty-tens, Berlin comes clearly into view, as does the hollowness of their dilettante existence. Is it lucky to have the means to work on your own and live a self-contained life, or is it really an empty way to be? This book is on the shortlist for the International Booker and I can understand why..Latronico makes you think. 

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

It's the 100th anniversary of The Great Gatsby and I finally needed to read Fitzgerald's masterpiece. What a whirlwind. For such a short book, I had to keep circling back to make sure I had all the pieces straight. Fitzgerald's writing is beautiful, and the tawdry story of Gatsby, Nick, Daisy, Tom and Jordan is engrossing and depressing, but in the way good work can make you think. I read an article that said: The Great Gatsby is a classic of illusions and delusions. I agree. 

The Mouse and the Motorcycle - Beverly Cleary

When David told me this was one of his favorite books when he was a kid, I just had to read it. What could be better than a talking mouse named Ralph riding around a hotel on a toy motorcycle?. Like all great kid's books there are lessons to be learned. Ralph ponders growing up, bravery, resourcefulness, trust and families. I spent a fun few hours with Ralph the mouse and his friend, the little boy Keith. 

Everything is Tuberculosis -- John Green

I'm not usually a non-fiction reader beyond the occasional memoir, but when I saw that John Green's latest book is about tuberculosis, it called out to me. My college sweetheart, a kind, smart, lovely guy, died of drug-resistant TB 12 years ago. He had been living in Thailand for years and he died there. This book helped me understand how an educated, well-off  and well-meaning person can die in a poor country. Would the outcome had been the same in the US, who knows? But, as Green so clearly states, poverty, greed by drug companies, and the state of our health care systems throughout the world are now the primary causes of death by TB, not an inability to recognize and cure the disease. Green is a wonderful writer and his book is full of individual stories as well as facts. It is an upsetting read, but I think an  important one. We are far from a world where health care is available to all.

Happy Hour -- Marlowe Granados

The book descriptor for Happy Hour, a debut novel from Marlowe Granados, is "coming-of age," and this is certainly a story of youth. You have to be 21, resourceful, smart, and brave to live the lives of Isa and Gala during their New York summer. Not able to legally work due to their status, they manage to eke by through entrepreneurship, cunning, personality, and beauty. Isa, the narrator, especially enjoys the good things in life, and has learned the essence of good taste. Gala is more wily. I was especially taken by Isa and really loved her voice. She is a great observer who had me chucking out loud at the behavior and pretention of those around her. If you were a little wild in your youth, Isa will speak to you. Even if you were a good girl, there are things to be learned from having your wits about you. 

Live Fast - Brigitte Giraud

An everyday life is cut short in a motorcycle accident in this brief, autobiographical novel of grief. Winner of the French  Prix Goncourt award, Brigitte Giraud's intense exploration of "what if" is a moving meditation on the small details and decisions we make throughout a day. As the moments in Claude's day unfold, his wife imagines all the ways a move in different direction may have changed the outcome. 20 years later, Claude's wife still tries to grasp how a life can end, and a how life can continue. I was fascinated by the structure of this novel, and I was impressed by the descriptive prose. Some may be put-off by the desire to change the past, but I was mesmerized. 

Dream State -- Eric Puchner

Dream State is a buzzy book right now. Kind of Franzen-like, but not quite as deep, or as captivating, but pretty good none-the-less.  CeCe, Garrett, and Charlie are tied in a knot of their own creating. Needy, idealistic, and all somewhat selfish, they are interesting, but not totally believable or likeable. I was in the mood for a big messy family story, so I enjoyed this novel. On another day, it may have had too many loose ends and holes. 

When Women Were Birds — Terry Tempest Williams

 My friend Cathleen recommended this book, and I read it on a plane ride from Sarasota to Dallas. A plane might not be the best place for this book that is so full of nature and life, but 3 uninterrupted hours were just perfect. Terry Tempest Williams’ memoir is meditation on mothers and daughters, creativity, nature, love,  birds, religion, and lots more. Heading to see my mom for her 92nd birthday, it was the perfect read. 

My Darling Boy - John Dufresne

A Florida story about a father searching for his addicted son. Olney, the dad, is a retired journalist, Cully, the son, is deep into drugs. Their story is filled with all types of unlikely characters and diversions. Think old Florida trailer park types mixed with doctors, crazies, and other odd balls. As the book wanders between stories, Olney goes in search of Cully. It's a meandering book. I didn't really like it, but I was fairly eager to keep reading.