I finished The Leavers by Lisa Ko before our long weekend away in the North Carolina mountains—which is why you didn’t see a Bookshelf post last week. It’s a story about the separation of a mother Polly/Peilan and her son Daniel/Deming. Deming’s an interesting character. He never gets over the separation because he doesn’t know why …
Last week, I finished Men We Reaped, Jesmyn Ward’s memoir about her poor, rural, black southern community, her family, and, most of all, the five young men who died within four years when she was in her mid-20s: her brother, cousin and three friends. Her writing makes you feel like you’re eavesdropping from the corner …
Book review: Lady’s Maid by Margaret Forster Four stars or five stars? I couldn’t decide. I ended up giving Lady’s Maid five stars because it’s stayed with me. Days after finishing, I keep thinking about Lilly Wilson—the protagonist. Plus, it’s given me a new perspective on life back in Victorian times—the 1840s or so until the …
Grabbing the Gusto 