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Fiction A to Z November 2018
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The Waiter
by Matias Faldbakken
What it's about: The finely tuned balance of a grand European restaurant The Hills (which has seen better days) is irrevocably upset by a beautiful and well-groomed, yet unexpected, female guest.
Starring: a middle-aged waiter who takes pride in the unchangeable aspects of his job: the well-worn uniform, the ragged but solid tablecloths, and the regular diners.
Is it for you? "Faldbakken paints The Hills’ interiors, the waiter’s psyche, and diners’ interactions with a deep, often-funny theatricality. For those who love encapsulated novels with a touch of the absurd." (Booklist)
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Evergreen Tidings from the Baumgartners
by Gretchen Anthony
What it's about: Formidable matriarch Violet Baumgartner learns the hard way that no family is perfect when her daughter reveals a shocking secret in front of two hundred guests at Violet's husband's retirement party.
Reviewers say: "This is a complicated novel full of subtle humor, multidimensional characters, and unexpected twists. An intricately satisfying story about love and understanding that is full of both nostalgia and surprising optimism." (Kirkus)
Try it if you liked: The Nest by Cynthia D'aprix Sweeney.
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| Friday Black by Nana Kwame Adjei-BrenyahWhat it is: a complex, compelling debut story collection that tackles hot-button issues (from Black Friday shopping to racism and hate crimes) in unexpected ways.
Accolades so far: author Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah received the National Book Foundation's 5 Under 35 honor; authors George Saunders and Colson Whitehead are fans; Friday Black has been long-listed for the 2019 Carnegie Medal for Excellence. |
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| Virgil Wander by Leif EngerWhat it's about: the rebirth (of sorts) of middle-aged Midwesterner Virgil Wander, who barely survived the accident that submerged his car in Lake Superior.
Don't miss: Virgil's interactions with Rune, a Norwegian looking for the son he never knew about (and who disappeared ten years previously); his regaining of the language skills he lost in the accident.
For fans of: the characters and depressed industrial towns of Richard Russo's novels. |
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Mina
by Kim Sagwa
What it's about: Crystal toils day and night to earn top grades at her cram school. She's also endlessly texting, shopping, drinking, vexing her boyfriends, and fantasizing about her next slice of cheesecake. But her nonstop frenzy never lets her do the one thing that might change her tragic fate: open up about the pressures that are driving her to the edge.
Reviewers say: "Kim’s first novel to be translated into English is a powerful portrayal of teenage angst, confusion, and the surmounting pressures on Korean teens to achieve. Her poignant and very detailed exploration of the complex and unstable emotions of adolescence will keep readers rapt until the end." (Booklist)
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| Bitter Orange by Claire FullerStarring: anxious, lonely Frances; her unexpected neighbors for the summer, the hedonistic Peter and Cara; and a dilapidated, decaying English country house.
Why you might like it: Though much of the action takes place during one hot summer in 1969, the events are narrated after 20 years have passed, creating an aura of uncertainty and tension.
Read it for: a vivid, lush atmosphere; a sympathetic if potentially unreliable narrator; a twisty, explosive plot. |
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Eat, Drink, and Be Merry (Or Not)
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| The Last Days of Café Leila by Donia BijanWhat it's about: Reeling from a broken marriage, expat Noor returns to her native Iran for the first time in decades, with her rebellious teenage daughter in tow. There, she finds a changed Tehran and a father in ill health.
Read it for: strong family ties, mouthwatering Persian cuisine, and multiple perspectives on Iran's recent history.
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| Women in Sunlight by Frances MayesWhat it's about: For Camille, Susan, and Julia, traditional retirement communities hold no appeal; on a bit of a whim the four near-strangers decide to rent a Tuscan home for a year, where they meet a younger American expat and become fast friends.
Why you might like it: an upbeat, engaging novel, Women in Sunlight features lushly described settings and meals -- bringing Tuscany's best to your living room. |
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| Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan StradalWhat it is: a collection of chronological short stories told from different perspectives, illuminating the influences on young Midwesterner Eva Thorvald, whose path to culinary stardom is crooked.
Who it's for: foodies...and those who love to satirize foodie culture.
Why you might like it: This charming debut novel is a bit like Elizabeth Strout's Olive Kitteridge, but with a lot more quirky humor. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Winfield, IL 60190
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