This captivating story of dear Arthur Pepper, grieving widower, discombobulated father and disgruntled neighbor, is a lot like a soft, warm shawl. It will wrap its way around you, and you won't want to let it go. It is a tale about life, love and loneliness—and the
…more inescapable fact that we are never too old to change.
This is a feel-good book. There is no profound philosophical content that attempts to change the direction of the world, but this is just the book to have on your (electronic) bookshelf when you need it. It is what it is…and enjoy it just for that.
It has been one year to the day since Arthur Pepper's wife, Miriam, died. He has tasked himself with finally going through her things, and in so doing he finds a mysterious 18-carat gold charm bracelet that he has never before seen. But what do the eight charms—ranging from an elephant decorated with an emerald to a paint palette engraved with the initials SY—mean, if anything? Peering closely at the elephant, Arthur sees a telephone number engraved on it. So it calls the number…and it is answered by a physician in India. As far as he knows, his wife has never been to India. Or has she? Herein is the plot of the book as Arthur, so set in his ways and obstinately devoted to his daily routine, disrupts his life to find out the meaning behind each of the charms. As he takes on this strange, twisted and quite unusual journey, Arthur discovers much about Miriam's apparently secret life before their marriage—including something so utterly shocking to him that it has the potential (if he lets it) to destroy everything he cherished about her. And along the way, Arthur also discovers something else: Himself.
Beautifully written by Phaedra Patrick, this book offers a true appreciation of the human condition in all its foibles and frailties, and the double entendre of the title is just plain fun. It is a delight to be treasured.
Bonus: The ending is perfect. Just perfect. (less)
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