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.

Riveting Murder Mystery

Posted on by Jan tramontano

Deadly Depths has all the ingredients of a great read. It has vivid, well-developed characters, twists and turns you might not see coming and great pacing. It is rooted in a dark history that has lived in the shadows.

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.

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.

The Evolving Dynamics of Family: The Other Mother

Posted on by Jan tramontano

This is a multigenerational tale of a mixed-race family that has many complications. Mixed race is only the beginning. Add into the mix a gay couple who has a baby via sperm donor in the time when AIDS was at its peak. The child, now college age, has many questions about his father and it is with this quest that the book unfolds. THE OTHER MOTHER by Rachel M. Harper, is a novel about l who can be a mother, the different configurations of family, and how the actions of family members may be well-intentioned but destructive..

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.

The Loved Ones: Healing an Inheritance of Grief

Posted on by Jan tramontano

If you think about the families in this story, the plot and its twists, or even the unlikely title for this book, you might wonder how in the world it fits together. And yet it does. Remarkably well. It is a story of unlikely attractions, where they lead, their consequences and how they shape lives. … Continue reading The Loved Ones: Healing an Inheritance of Grief