An Array of New Books Showcased at Saratoga Book Festival

Posted on by Jan tramontano

The third annual Saratoga Book Festival took place this past weekend. Heartfelt congratulations to the many people who made it happen. Over four days, more than 25 festival events featured big stage interviews, more intimate conversations, and panel discussions. It was hard to choose which events to go to. Many intrigued me. The sessions I attended were varied and I was introduced to some authors I was familiar with and those who were new to me. I want to share with you some of the books and introduce you to some of the writers that were showcased. I plan to read them and hope you'll give them a look.

The In Between: A Lyrical Immigrant story

Posted on by Jan tramontano

There is little new to learn about the immigrant experience in Small Worlds. It does not explore unfamiliar, unknown ground. The protagonist has no dreams for his future that isn’t experienced in many coming of age stories. The protagonist, Stephen, born in England to Ghanian parents, articulates a story universal to immigrants everywhere in the world. He wants to find his place in the world where he is accepted and free to be himself. However, what sets it apart from other similar stories is how it is absorbed through the senses. I would describe it as an exquisite meditation on the immigrant experience.For the most part I felt I was like I was in a boat, gently rocked through rich imagery and the distinctive repetition of a ballad.

Do Tell: A Tale of Old Hollywood

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Hollywood was in the news last week but not forthe usual glamor, gossip and new movie roll outs. Actors joined writers, for the first time in sixty years, in calling a strike to address some of the new issues of our changing media world. They seek to protect themselves from the emerging threat of AI in co-opting their likenesses and desire to get a meaningful piece of residuals in the new age of streaming services. I thought it interesting that this new novel, DO TELL, was released the very same week. To give some historical perspective, it looked back at the Hollywood studio system of the 1930s and 40s. I think its safe to say it was set in a time when actors and writers clearly had no agency at all.

When A Satire Needs Some Air…

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Paris California is a small coastal town. There had been little change there for years. As in many small towns, Paris's mom and pop stores slowly went out of business. However, the longterm residents were content, the beach was open to everyone, children played freely, the old carousel building was at its heart, and it had the friendly feel of small town America.

A MODERN TAKE ON MRS. DALLOWAY

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Ana Turns is loosely based on the Mrs. Dalloway concept. A day in the life of a woman reckoning with her past and present in order to live a richer future.  Although the most notable tribute was Michael Cunningham’s, Pulitzer prize winning THE HOURS, written in 1998,  in many ways, this story is a fresh take on the Virginia Woolf story. With grace, perception of what makes us tick and originality, this book was a wonderful read. It's Ana’s sixtieth birthday. And what are birthdays for (especially the milestones) but to think about the rest of our lives. Her life has been complicated and she understands that if she is to find happiness in her future, she must make peace with her past. Unlike Clarissa, she did not plan her party, which may be part of her overall problem.

WINTERLAND

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Sometimes a very good book comes to you by surprise. I was scrolling through Libby, the library's digital book app, looking for an audiobook for my daily walks. Not finding anything I'd heard of readily available, I spotted Winterland by Rae Meadow. The blurb compared it to Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips, a riveting Russian … Continue reading WINTERLAND

A World War II Drama Drawn from the real Elephant Angel of Belfast

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Some novels are unevenly written. While the story may be compelling, the background reads like a text book. Or the setting and background are riveting and the characters are not well developed. The Elephant of Belfast is one such book. The history is informative and well done, the flow of the story not so much. You may have surmised by now, that I love to read historical fiction. As debate rages about what is appropriate historical material to teach in the classroom, this genre can provide a wide open window to slices of history that may be new to you. To badly paraphrase a quote from author Pam Jenoff (The Orphan Tale, The Lost Girls of Paris, Code Name: Sapphire): history is not a list of facts and dates, it is the choices people make when their lives are at risk. How true that is.

TWO NOVELS EXPLORE HISTORY THROUGH THE LENS OF FICTION: Are they at risk?

Posted on by Jan tramontano

In reading the two books I will discuss, the threat of censorship was with me on every page. As I read, I was thinking of historical fiction as a source of understanding and new knowledge.What we might learn from the adage...walk a mile in my shoes. Personal stories that shed light on who we were, what we've done, and perhaps, why we are in the state we're in now.

Posted on by Jan tramontano

I don't typically read dystopian novels. Too dark for me. The very meaning of dystopia warns me away. It is an imaginary place in which everything is as bad as possible (Oxford dictionary). In the dystopian fiction world, societies are generally characterized by class divides, environmental devastation, and loss of individuality. Set in a near future, they are allegories to generate a sense of urgency to change our ways. Today is my first foray into this world. I read two dystopian novels this week set in an imaginable future that described a degraded world for all of us, but Asian Americans in particular. As the Chinese New Year began, with its horrific violence, it seemed fitting to immerse myself in these worlds. We have a long history of Asian American discrimination in our country, now exacerbated by the pandemic. Both books have Asian American protagonists.

AMERICAN DIRT: A STORY OF TERROR, DISPLACEMENT AND LOVE

Posted on by Jan tramontano

A book like this is why fiction can have an impact on how we view and think about subjects we may know about, but never personally encounter. And it is a great discussion starter.