| Universe of Two by Stephen P. KiernanWhat it's about: the life, marriage, and wartime work of mathematician Charlie Fisk, a somewhat reluctant recruit to the Manhattan Project who navigates his ethical ambivalence and guilt with the help of his flawed but supportive wife Brenda.
You might also like: Archangel by Andrea Barrett, Louisa Hall's Trinity, and other complex and character-driven stories that reflect on the intersections between history and scientific revolutions. |
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| Hamnet: A Novel of the Plague by Maggie O'FarrellWhat it is: the moving, character-driven story of William Shakespeare's wife and children, during and after the watershed moment when his only son, 11 year-old Hamnet, dies of bubonic plague.
Read it for: the lush and atmospheric writing; the focus on the complex and engaging portrayals of Shakespeare's increasingly independent family members, with the Bard himself taking a backseat as he spends more time in London than their home in Stratford-upon-Avon. |
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| Bonnie by Christina SchwarzStarring: financially struggling small-town girl Bonnie Parker, who becomes a legend for the infamous crime spree she would go on to commit with Clyde Barrow.
Why you might like it: This introspective characterization of Bonnie as a compelling yet flawed individual humanizes her and the people around her without glamorizing their actions or leaving the shadow of the Great Depression. |
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| The Orphan Collector by Ellen Marie WisemanWhat it's about: the devastation and resilience of an immigrant family living in Philadelphia during and after the 1918 influenza pandemic.
Featuring: Thirteen year-old Pia Lange, who becomes a caregiver to her younger brothers and will do anything to reunite with them after the children are separated under disturbing circumstances.
Why you should read it: this moving story could not be more relevant to our contemporary social and public health issues. |
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| Out of Darkness, Shining Light by Petina GappahWhat it's about: The harrowing 1,500-mile, nine-month journey undertaken by the African servants of Scottish missionary Dr. David Livingstone as they transport his body to the coast of Tanzania.
Narrated by: cynical Halima, the band's cook, and loyal Jacob Wainwright, educated by missionaries following his manumission.
What sets it apart: Livingstone is a minor character in Zimbabwean author Petina Gappah's novel, which "captures the diverse cultural milieu of colonial Africa with compelling detail" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| A View of the Empire at Sunset by Caryl PhillipsWhat it is: Award-winning British author Caryl Phillips imagines the life of Jean Rhys -- the author of Wide Sargasso Sea, the prequel to Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre -- who was born Ella Gwendolyn Williams and whose life began in the West Indies. Sent to Edwardian England as a teenager, she was consistently an outsider.
Further reading: For more biographical fiction about women authors, try The Dream Lover by Elizabeth Berg, Miss Emily by Nuala O’Connor, and Jane Austen’s First Love by Syrie James. |
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| The Island of Sea Women by Lisa SeeIntroducing: best friends Young-sook and Mi-ja, who train as haenyeo, divers in the all-women fishing collectives of Korea's Jeju Island. Closer than sisters, their bond is shattered by wartime betrayal.
Why you might like it: This lyrical and heartbreaking novel presents a detailed look at life in a matrifocal society whose ancient traditions are threatened by modernity.
About the author: From Snow Flower and the Secret Fan to China Dolls, historical novelist Lisa See is acclaimed for her moving depictions of female friendships forged in adversity. |
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| A Hundred Suns by Karin TanabeStarring: Jessie Lesage, the American wife of a Michelin heir who travels French Indochina with her husband and daughter to oversee the family's rubber plantations.
Read it for: the heady mix of glamour, scandal, and danger surrounding Jessie's new life, especially once she learns about the abuse and oppression the Vietnamese people endure under French control.
Reviewers say: "A smart, riveting psychological thriller" (Kirkus Reviews). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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