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Critics' Opinion:
Readers' Opinion:
First Published:
Apr 2005, 224 pages
Paperback:
Mar 2006, 225 pages
From the book jacket:
The Year of Pleasures is about
acknowledging the solace found in ordinary things: a warm
bath, good food, the beauty of nature, music, friends, and
art.
Betta Nolan moves to a small town after the death of her
husband to try to begin anew. Pursuing a dream of a different
kind of life, she is determined to find pleasure in her simply
daily routines. Among those who help her in both expected and
unexpected ways are the ten-year-old boy next door, three wild
women friends from her college days, a twenty-year-old who is
struggling to find his place in the world, and a handsome man
who is ready for love.
Comment:
Berg's
first novel, Durable Goods, was named a Best Book
of the Year by the American Library Association. Since
then she has written a novel a year which have always
been well received by readers but not always by critics
who, from time to time, have used words such as
'sentimental' and 'predictable' when describing her
books. Her latest is no different, in that the hardcover was well received by readers but received mixed reviews from the media; for example:
'Berg's talents grow richer with each book....Poignant,
intimate, and hopeful, this is a novel to read, treasure, and
share. Highly recommended.' -- Library Journal
'The prolific Berg champions middle-aged craziness in an
impossibly sunny soap opera.' -- Kirkus Reviews.
Her latest, We Are All Welcome Here, about a polio victim and her 13-year-old daughter living in 1960s Mississippi, was published in hardcover a couple of days ago. Reviewers describe it variously as "a little too much melodrama for one book" (Booklist), "over-the-top, heartrending" (PW), and "a feathery feel-good story" (Kirkus); but Berg fans know what they like - on the day of publication it was one of the top 200 bestsellers at Amazon, and likely to rise!
This review was originally published in The BookBrowse Review in April 2005, and has been updated for the
April 2006 edition.
Click here to go to this issue.
If you liked The Year of Pleasures, try these:
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The Wren, the Wren
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Alfie and Me
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