Here are my thoughts on a few books I’ve read recently – my favorite being the one pictured above. Happy reading!
The Two Lives of Lydia Bird by Josie Silver
I finished The Two Lives of Lydia Bird in L.A. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book given the subject matter. The love of Lydia’s life, Freddie, dies in a car accident. In Lydia’s grief, she finds another world where she can be with Freddie and continue her life there. Lydia is torn between both worlds, this dream world and the real one, where her living family members and friends want her to be and heal. Lydia’s healing process was simply beautiful to read, and I loved the message in the end. I do recommend this book – be prepared for a journey full of emotions, but it’s worth it for the satisfying conclusion.
Last Summer at the Golden Hotel by Elyssa Friedland
This book was definitely readable, but not what I was expecting. I was hoping for some fun and quirky Marvelous-Mrs.-Maisel-in-the-Catskills energy with plenty of silliness and humor; instead, this book takes place in present day at the end of the Golden Hotel’s era. The two families who own the hotel, the Goldmans and the Weingolds, convene in the now-crumbling resort for what may be one last summer to discuss the hotel’s fate. The book is full of familial conflict, but wasn’t laugh-out-loud funny to me; I also didn’t find myself really connecting with the characters (though you might!). I wanted to be taken back to the height of success in the 60s, but was rooted in the somewhat depressing atmosphere of the present. Still, if you’re in the mood for a summer book with multigenerational family business drama, you will enjoy reading this one.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
This book was an absolute delight to read. Elizabeth Zott is a chemist navigating the male-dominated world of science in the 50s and early 60s. After discovering true love with fellow scientist Calvin Evans, she too soon finds herself a single mother and working not in a lab as she’d prefer, but as the star of a TV cooking show in which she uses chemistry to ignite change in the lives of women. This book is quick and witty, sharp and dynamic. The dialogue and characters are well-written and endearing. I loved Elizabeth’s serious nature, dry humor, and blunt honesty as well as her utter refusal to be what others think she should be as a woman. I highly recommend this brilliant debut novel – one of my favorites I’ve read in a while!
I am headed to our annual summer vacation in Rhode Island – I’ll see you here when I return!
P.S. More book thoughts.
