The Original: A Novel
by Nell Stevens
Long-Winded in Parts, but What an Ending! (5/26/2026)
In “The Original,” Nell Stevens transports you back to 1899 to meet a forger named Grace and a cousin, Charles, or at least a replica of him, giving the title a quirky double meaning. You will spend a lot of time trying to figure out what is going on, who is who, and what is what, but it is fun.
Charles, whoever he is, is a mysterious character, and Grace cares about him but worries about what he will do next. This takes the reader along for the extended ride. Stevens teaches us about art, portraiture, and sexual identity as Grace processes these ageless topics as well. How difficult was it to be yourself in the late 19th-century Great Britain?
I went for long periods without knowing what was going on, then found one part very interesting. The overarching story about Charles’s identity remained at the forefront of my mind. A major shift in the narrative occurs near the halfway point of the story, revitalizing it and marking a significant departure from what the flap describes as the main plot.
The true sign of a great, multi-story book is when you start worrying about the other when reading about the first. Without revealing anything, I will say that you need both for it all to make sense. Without limiting Stevens to a genre, it works best as a character study of Grace as we try to live as a copyist.
I will recommend the book for its beautiful imagery and interesting take on the LGBTQ community at the time, despite its lengthy stretches of inactivity testing my patience and interest. Not everyone will be patient enough to learn, but its ending is a doozy that brings the whole story together in a way that helps you appreciate each individual character.
Brownstone: A Heartwarming Coming-of-Age Tale of Self-Discovery and Found Family?a Printz Award Winner
by Samuel Teer
Kids are Resilient (5/16/2026)
“Brownstone” by Samuel Teer won the Michael Printz Award in 2025 for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, and for good reason: it is a family tale that keeps you engaged. It goes about as well as you would expect for an American child living with a father she never met for three months when that parent does not speak English.
This is the quick read to end all quick reads, with few words per page. Almudena somehow could learn to fix up a house more quickly than she learns Spanish. The language barrier plays a key role, but learners of all levels of Spanish should understand what is happening. These interactions could lend themselves to stereotypes, and Teer avoids them admirably.
Almudena has relatable qualities, and I respected her unique situation. An absentee father would not waltz easily back into someone’s stable life as a teenager and expect a warm welcome. That does not replace familial bonds. When someone with blood ties is hurt, you hurt as well. Family and neighborhood remain a key part of who the proud characters are.
Since Almudena’s living arrangement is atypical of literature, you have limited expectations for what will occur. I could not relate to the split-home arrangement, but I still had empathy. The idea of cultural pluralism is real: people want to recognize all their cultures, which makes them feel they belong to none and struggle with identity.
As a father of three, I have trouble sympathizing with an absentee father; that said, Xavier was a likable, hardworking character, and Alumdena learns a great deal from him during her brief stay. The ending left me sad and full of joy at the same time, with hope for the future. My students make broken families work, and something tells me they will, too.
Broken Country
by Clare Leslie Hall
You Think You Know, and Then...BOOM! (5/6/2026)
“Broken Country” by Claire Leslie Hall is obviously fiction, but the characters seem real. The murder of a dog sets events in motion, but another tragedy lurks around the corner. Since so much depends on “the twist,” book clubs across America will discuss how a romance faltered and altered the future for all involved. Do not limit this to one genre, though.
The 50s and 60s serve as the backdrop to love, loss, and death. A farming community in Great Britain provides all of the claustrophobia that you would expect. I personally connected with the complicated relationships within the family and their past. Learning about Beth and Gabriel, exes reunited, reminded me why my mental health would have faltered if I had stayed in my hometown.
Character Development is an easy target when critiquing a book, but it flows without notice when done correctly. Once the plot changes dramatically around the halfway point with adultery and death, I felt bad for everyone, even those who brought the conflict on themselves. The book’s structure helps with this, since the lack of a true genre ensures that you don’t know what to expect.
I am very anti-spoiler, so I will tread carefully. Hall has a big task here since I loathe any attempt to glorify adultery. It almost took me out of the novel. The twist was strong enough that I came back, as always, fooled by my expectations for similar stories.
The ending will sadden and satisfy you, and you will anticipate the resolution the way you would with any thriller worth its salt. It had just enough intrigue that I did not want to put it down. It has four confirmed curveballs for the read, but each one stayed true to who the people were and how they usually acted.
Wild Dark Shore: A Novel
by Charlotte McConaghy
Slow Burn and then...BAM! (4/26/2026)
People have accused me of loving every book, but I appreciate it when a 5-star novel reveals the true capability of thought-provoking fiction, like “Wild Dark Shore” by Charlotte McConaghy. The author sets the mystery in motion almost immediately, as a stranger washes up on a remote island that serves as a seed bank. We have a lot to learn after that basic premise.
This is the kind of story that would work well with a book club, as there are many details despite few characters, and people would pick up on different things. One friend even told me I missed out on the audiobook experience, since the multiple-narrator format made for a rich, engaging listen to those who tried.
The fact that Goodreads labels this as a thriller means that stuff is going to hit the fan in ways that you do not see coming near the halfway point. As with every genre, nonetheless, once you care about the characters, almost nothing else matters, even when you receive a foreshadowing hint that one of the characters is about to go bad.
The best novels do not hit you over the head with their lessons and messages but rather make you think about them. Relationships and loss carry much weight. You will learn a lot about life and familial love, and understand the hardest decisions you can make for your family’s well-being, even if you are alone on an island.
To get the full effect, I highly recommend reading the author’s note and acknowledgments to find the inspiration for some of the events. McConaghy is a family woman, and that seeps through in her writing. “Slow burn,” as a genre, will turn off some readers, but I promise a very big payoff. More happens in Shearwater than you would think.
Time of the Child
by Niall Williams
Literary Fiction for the Uninitiated (4/16/2026)
“Time of the Child” by Niall Williams has a very slow start, establishing its universe in the fictional Irish town of Faha. The plot remains secondary to the quirky people. The story from the flap begins around page 60, so we learn a lot about the importance of a town doctor and a local priest in Ireland.
Faha is a congested town, both metaphorically and literally. They are struggling through their day-to-day and cannot handle much more, or so they think, until a baby randomly arrives and alters their routine. The importance of daily monotony in literary fiction lies in making the unexpected event have a greater effect on the fully developed characters the author has created.
I broke my own rule and asked AI a question when part of the plot confused me, and our imaginary friend had a lot of extra facts to share about symbolism for melancholy. Apparently, Williams wrote several metaphors about the birth of Christ and creationism that I missed at first glance, but they reminded me why I enjoyed Comparative Literature in college with guidance.
Goodreads categorized the novel as “literary fiction,” which the casual reader cannot differentiate from “fiction.” Williams greatly prioritizes a message over plot and events, which requires some patience in reading. The last act, the contents of which I will not reveal, covers many themes, including single motherhood, societal norms, and nature vs. nurture in families.
Full disclosure: I went for long periods without knowing what was going on and feared that the author would lose me. If you love children and recognize that bond between parent and child, however, the ending will move you. Daughter Ronnie is a well-developed character, and you will root for her, as you do all the great protagonists in literature,, and it will make sense.
Angel Down: A Novel
by Daniel Kraus
A Visceral, Non-Stop Experience (4/7/2026)
“Angel Down” by Daniel Kraus has a quirky style that may distract some. It technically consists of one continuous sentence, engaging some and leaving others struggling to take a break, but the action of World War I did not slow down for anyone, so I assume the whirlwind stream of consciousness is by design. Imagine “Saving Private Ryan” years ago.
Since the crew has to euthanize someone instead of saving them, it comes as more of a shock that the being is a heavenly creature, blurring the realistic/fantasy lines in most war literature. We descend into the surreal, as many tales of war violence do. The characters, days, and conflicts start to run together, making it unclear whether you'll enjoy the story.
The process is long, as they locate a spirit, suffer from in-fighting, and learn about themselves. War is hell, and authors have to come up with new ways to show us that. We experience death, wounds, and the overall bewilderment usually associated with the Great War. Adding the mystical only adds to the soldiers’ confusion about their roles.
Books with a late climax require the utmost patience, and Kraus rewards those who stick with him. You have to buy into the fantastical setting and go along for the ride. Is there really a resolution when we discover an entire world we didn’t acknowledge? If our goal is to illuminate the horrors of war, do we reveal anything new?
If you like a more visceral experience, give “Angel Down” a try. I spent long periods wondering what was going on, but the ending tied things together significantly. In a world where “Saving Private Ryan” has been remembered more than “The Thin Red Line,” we have to remember 1998, when the latter had significant supporters. This is why that happened.
The Invention of Charlotte Brontë: A New Life
by Graham Watson
Quite the Slice of Literary Life (3/29/2026)
“The Invention of Charlotte Brontë” is about true information. That makes it a biography, but it reads like fiction. Author Graham Watson takes on the tricky job of telling a story that so many already know. The 1830s were a fabulous time for art, and those of literary and theatre arts had a special relationship, and the Brontë family was at the forefront.
Brontë’s life had many “players” who appreciated her talent and brought their own skills to the table. They were intrigued by her and her disinclination toward romance. When she finally married, she came out of her shell and relished having someone care about her and take care of her. Arthur was not perfect, but perfect for her.
I feel guilty that the novel did not pick up for me until our heroine died. Everyone struggled to summarize her life and separate the gifted writer from the person. She was troubled and imperfect, and only the most unreasonable fans expected otherwise. Scholars and relatives alike tried to hide her skeletons from public consumption, unnecessary scrutiny, and unwanted attention.
Author Graham Watson faces quite a challenge in establishing a universe in which the Brontë family lived and died and in convincing readers to accept the results of Charlotte’s biography as an irrefutable fact. He paints some brilliant imagery along the way that makes me recommend this book, but only a true Brontë fan or history buff will appreciate it.
If biographies are your thing, read it. If “Jane Eyre” or “Wuthering Heights” rank among your favorites, put this on your TBR list. Watson has a knack for the English language and provides enough details about the literature to understand why this book is necessary. It is a quick read when you add up the notes and timelines from non-fiction.
Raising Hare: A Memoir
by Chloe Dalton
Why I Love Exotic Animals (3/20/2026)
The opening scenes in “Raising Hare” involve political advisor Chloe Dalton creating a habitat for a leveret, a one-year-old hare without a mother. The odds appeared stacked against her, and we root for success. I read critics that said there was “too much hare” in this book, but if you have ever connected with a baby animal, as we did with our hedgehogs, you will relate.
If you struggled to know that hares and rabbits were different (like me), their tendencies will be new to you, like their ability to conceive while already pregnant. They can also be flighty, but always return to the same spot eventually. This made Chloe’s life challenging as she plotted a return to the city. Could she abandon this lovely creature, and would it notice?
The attention to detail here, both in writing and in description of the animal, will impress you. Dalton obviously paid attention to the animal. The adventure begins when Dalton discovers the animal’s sex and realizes that more problems associated with caring for the animal are afoot, leading her to question her importance in the hare’s life.
Dalton achieves the most when describing the animal kingdom with the drama it deserves. When you develop an attachment, it seems unfair that one being serves as prey. The short lifespans of hares in the wild make this all the more dramatic, while scores of hares begin to appear around Dalton with varied results.
Considering that this is Dalton’s first novel, you have to tip your cap to her on her imagery here. You were right there in the fields in the English countryside. If you did not appreciate hares for their idiosyncrasies and role in the ecosystem, you will after reading “Raising Hare.” Those who have embraced exotic pets will remember their motivation.
All the Blues in the Sky
by Renée Watson
Grief is Good. (3/11/2026)
“But nothing can be as hard as referring to someone you love in the past tense.” Expressing grief is tough, but processing it through the eyes of a child is a slippery slope. As adults, we can only relate our shared experiences and hope to serve as the best mental health guides possible, even as we suffer on our own.
“All the Blues in the Sky” by Renee Watson thinks through things like a kid and reminds us that they are capable of more than we expect, especially as teachers. We teach children and provide support, such as grief groups, and know that they can do more harm than good in the short term, despite huge benefits in the future.
The author specialized in drama therapy at college and knows how to heal with her words, both for characters and readers alike; for this reason, she allows the main character, Sage, to have imperfect, messy answers. Sage flips out on people and has unrealistic expectations, constantly asking for her best friend back. If you know, you know what is happening.
Middle-grade novels are a tough sell for adults, but I find empathy easy when I have lived some of it before, although no one close to me died so young. Sage has to go through Angel’s stuff and recognize that she is not coming back. Even if you cannot relate to the experience directly, you will feel her acute pain.
I often debate when to stop reading, and here the author’s note helped me, since I thought Sage endured too much pain narratively. Watson explained those choices well and left me with hope. As a father, I have spent a lot of time explaining death to my kids, and the book gave me more ideas on how to do so.
Heart the Lover
by Lily King
It Will Have You Reminiscing (3/2/2026)
Lily King’s bizarre “Heart the Lover” paints the kind of social arrangement (the terms“relationship” and “friendship” do not necessarily cover what they have) that none of us knew in college. If you were in Honors, you may relate to their relentless pursuit of academia. Perhaps I just saw it as a means to an end, while the protagonists think deeply.
When modern literature describes a “love triangle” in the short blurb, you expect something very literal. Sam, Yash, and Jordan have something more intellectually incompatible, leading to deep, meaningful conversations. The friends reunite over the span of three timelines, some hopeful and others tragic, when they share their banter even in the face of suffering and the recognition of mortality.
If you are in your forties and have had past loves in college that you thought were the one, your mind will wander to those “off-ramps” immediately and understand Jordan’s plight. King tries the tricky second-person narrative in the middle without revealing to whom she is speaking, although we have an inkling. She is at the right age for reminiscing.
“Heart the Lover” refers to the Queen of Hearts in a game called “Sir Hincomb Funnibuster,” and how the main character, Sam, signs his letters. You learn the rest slowly. All of this drama and hardship lead to an incredibly sad but predictable ending that packs enough emotion and significance to let you forgive yourself for seeing it coming early.
Most well-known critics point out that the ending is sad, and they are not wrong, but I found peace in their acceptance of life. The philosophy that the present is the only reality holds true, as the past confounds the characters here, and they struggle, despite their advanced education, to accept that they cannot change what has already occurred there.
Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection
by John Green
I Had No Idea (2/11/2026)
“Everything is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of our Deadliest Infection” by John Green discusses an illness we have forgotten, as it has become less common in the fortunate United States. The U.S. has 3 cases per every 100,000 people, whereas Sierra Leone has 372. It is debilitating but we have forgotten it after COVID and HIV took over the news.
The disease's history is long, as people romanticized it as an artist’s ailment that heightened creativity. Green quickly points out how this can be as detrimental as absolute condemnation. Tuberculosis has a long history, and like in the case of the common cold, cancer, and AIDS, we recognize that learning about an illness and finding a cure are challenging.
Green tells a lot about history, but also through the development of a boy named Henry afflicted with the malady. He has so many meds and lives in a facility, leading to a discussion about how medical conditions affect some ethnic and socioeconomic groups more than others; unfortunately, assumptions about self-care and responsibility exist among factors beyond their immediate control.
The cost of illness vs. wellness plays a key role in the non-medical author's analysis of the inability to access appropriate treatment. Most are required to use the cheapest method. Americans tend to call Africa a country, and that advances in, say, Lesotho, mean affluence in Sierra Leone. You cannot read this type of literature without feeling for the poor.
Novels like this require hope, or they come off as manipulative and sensational. One has reasons for positivity and fear. Green manages to engage the reader while exploring the problem area. Fun fact: Green thanks a guy from Penguin Random House who lived down the hall from me freshman year at PSU and majored in English for publishing his book!
One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This
by Omar El Akkad
It Will Make You Angry and Uncomfortable (2/2/2026)
“One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This” by Omar El Akkad explores how we dehumanize people to justify their destruction. Many will deny its premise and dismiss it. One cannot point out the hypocrisy of one side without cueing “whataboutism” from another groupthink. When focusing on Ukraine and Hamas, emotions will force the argumentative side out of us.
Some claim to call out both political parties while carefully favoring one or the other. El Akkad has no interest in such excuses and is tired of them in discourse, providing examples when the United States, China, and Israel make sects of people that you did not know existed find themselves wiped out, as influential people rationalize their genocidal actions.
Nonviolence has interesting roots in America. We tell countries that end warfare when one side is clearly the oppressed, to make it go away. Don’t tread on us, though. The act of condemning an entire culture out of fear wins elections on either side of the political aisle, mentioning Mexico, Russia, China, or Venezuela, and responding with dismissive stereotypes.
Over the years, people have framed my thinking on violence and conflict resolution. They pay people a lot of money to combat terrorism by killing more, but it never ends. In the West, we become hypersensitive to what we deem as threats to our way of life, which is how we trick people into condoning endless bloodshed and international interference.
A government movement exists to whitewash challenging history that portrays America negatively, so you really have to appreciate how El Akkad takes a novel about horror and ends with a glimmer of hope. One of my eighth-graders saw my book, said she read it, and feared a story with so much pathos. I could not have said it better myself.
Skipping Christmas: A Fable
by John Grisham
Christmas for the non-Christmassy (1/24/2026)
Did any author have a better start to their career than John Grisham? “The Firm,” “The Pelican Brief,” “The Client,” “The Chamber,” and “The Rainmaker” broke an extended reading drought. I DNFed a few of his middle works and did not return. “Skipping Christmas” is a cute piece of writing that reminds you of his skill and gifts.
“Skipping Christmas” became the critically panned movie “Christmas with the Kranks,” starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, but the book was fairly popular in 2001. It made a nice Christmas gift. Protagonist Luther questions the forced Christmas Spirit and calculates that a cruise will cost less. Even though we anticipate a change by story’s end, we question the process as well.
The usual hijinks ensue, and you wonder how the novel would be different now as opposed to 2001. With housing authorities, you anticipate snide, indirect punishment for pure, unbridled nonconformity. When the Kranks’ plans inevitably unravel, you do not know what to root for. Is this a “true meaning of Christmas” piece or a thought-provoking alternative to the commercialized norm?
In the spoiler alert department, a famous critic came up with a solution to their predicament that would have made most of the story unnecessary, but I enjoyed the ride. We expect syrupy lessons in a holiday movie and appreciate the resolution if it allows us to yearn for Christmas. Grisham isn’t reinventing the wheel here, but he knows that.
The only knock on this I can say is that I didn’t really laugh out loud, as the jacket said I would in its promotional statements. It was a nice Holiday story without going overboard in delivering a Yuletide message. Storytelling is Grisham’s gift, and here he does not disappoint. It holds up well 25 years later and satisfies me.
New and Selected Poems
by Marie Howe
A Wordsmith that You Will Envy (1/15/2026)
“New and Selected Poems” by Marie Howe contains some brilliant pieces you will love, and others that will have you doubting your aptitude. She sure summarizes 2020 pretty well. “What the Angels Left” uses a pair of scissors as a vehicle for exploring loss, uncertainty, and power. What does a random sighting mean, and do we need material items?
Out of about 100 pieces, I had a strong reaction to about 6. Poetry is not really my thing, but it is magic when it works. “Sixth Grade” tells about bullying like an adult would remember childlike emotions. “The Cold Outside” represents a recurring theme of mortality and the shame of being a burden.
“Buddy” explores the mundane aspects of the owner and dog, but it will place you right there and remind you of interactions with your best friend. She cherishes these relationships while feeling loss from others. “Before the Fire” makes poetry out of staring at a fireplace and wondering what everything means. It took several re-reads before I grasped what the short poem was truly saying.
“The Affliction” does not cover any new ground, the act of seeing yourself as if you were someone else, but it does it in a new way that makes you relate and visualize. Overall, the work has a lot of poems that, as a white male, do not relate to me specifically about motherhood, sexual desire, and childbirth, but they taught me a lot.
I only read poetry once a year when the Pulitzer Prizes come out, but I am glad I do. The line between poetry and prose is narrow, and anyone who loves the English language will admire Howe’s way with words. Even though it is a collection, the overall theme resonates as a true literary experience that you will enjoy.
The Correspondent: A Novel
by Virginia Evans
Pretty Emotional and Effective (1/7/2026)
“The Correspondent” by Virginia Evans has received some fair comparisons to the Olive Kitteridge series, thanks to its retired, misanthropic heroine. As a quirky epistolary, the obvious similarities end there. I haven’t read many collections of letters, and I didn't see the appeal. Evans does and develops a great character and story about a life well-lived with regrets and what-ifs.
Cynicism will say that you cannot fall in love with a character if all of the action takes place off the page, but Evans ends those fears quite efficiently. It will inspire you to write to friends via snail mail and maintain communication. Even the customer service at a DNA testing organization inspires a back-and-forth that shows Sybil’s enviable persistence.
Maintaining correspondence is a lost art that many of us have not mastered or implemented since the ‘90s. Sybil has enough introverted extroversion for us to meet her this way. Evans embodies this through the inclusion of “unsent” messages, showing the self-editing necessary and the uncanny power of unspoken thoughts. You relate to this quirky 77-year-old woman more and more.
All the communication builds to something I will not reveal, and the late climax makes it a surprise. You do not get the point until it hits you hard. We, as humans, tend to underestimate the written word as opposed to the spoken, even though many of us do not appreciate the tact that comes with writing before speaking foolishly.
The best novels do not tell what they are about, but rather allow you to experience the life of the protagonist and empathize. Sybil will make you apprehensive about getting older and allowing regret to fester. In a society where letter writing died in the 1990s, you will envy Sybil for saying (in sent and unsent mail) what many cannot.
G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century
by Beverly Gage
77 Years of Timeless American Tales (12/29/2025)
Beverly Gage wrote a biography of J. Edgar Hoover and states in the introduction that she does not necessarily count herself among his admirers. Her book, “G-Man,” explains why his story is important. Hoover’s long career, from Woodrow Wilson to Richard Nixon, includes many key moments in American history. The man remained an enigma socially and professionally despite key roles in the American government.
Hoover’s blind obsession with fighting Communism interested me the most, since the man managed to remain popular among Republicans and Democrats for the majority of his career. FDR’s programs challenged him in this unique way. For people my age, you will see a perspective on life after Pearl Harbor, and the lead-up to the Million Man March offers a view we clearly did not have before reading.
People of my generation tend to remember teachings as “one-way.” A Southerner like Hoover supported segregation because he thought that it protected his way of life. For this reason, you do not know right away (unless you already had an opinion on him) if you are reading about a hero or an antihero until the middle.
I am an amateur historian and have a working knowledge of most events in American history, but Hoover’s tenure is an excellent vehicle for telling many stories. The change of our country’s support of war, among many, includes assassinations encouraged by violent rhetoric, and motivating Americans through fear seems like a new idea until you research it.
According to Beverly Gage's book, G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century, this biography presents a thoroughly researched account of Hoover's life that is as compelling as fiction and offers readers a new appreciation for this period in American history. It is a perfect tool to explain 77 years of sheer unpredictability.
COMBEE: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War
by Edda L. Fields-Black
Great Story, Too Much Detail (12/14/2025)
"Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom during the Civil War" by Edda L. Fields-Black tells a story that I am confident you have never heard before. We need a ton of background on Tubman on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and the enslaved near the Combahee River to set the deep stage for a historic revolt.
Fields-Black makes a classy move by stressing to readers that the book is not a Tubman biography and recommending two great biographies for those seeking one. I prefer reading those. This book had so much setup that I felt guilty waiting for someone to die. I think that the raid did not start until page 325, and my patience did not.
To turn a negative into a positive, I will read other Tubman topics. The story could be amazing in different hands. Usually, I avoid responsibility by reading, but I found myself putting this one off. It picks up, surprisingly, after the raid, when Tubman works her magic and rallies the troops. Then, it inspires, but it takes a long time to get there.
It culminates in a celebration of language and individual liberty once all the introductions end, to the point that you feel bad about not enjoying the first part. Once you read the afterword, you will hear about the aftermath and triumphs that do not have the same effect in the main text. It is an odd feeling.
Fields-Black is a Professor of History at Carnegie Mellon and a good one, given the amount of research and detail included. It did not add up to a very entertaining novel for me. She did, however, remind me of how many amazing stories exist from this dark time in your history. I wanted to like it much more.
The Covenant of Water
by Abraham Verghese
A Long Book for People Who Don't Like Long Books (11/28/2025)
"The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Vergese sat on my bedside table for two years, as its intimidating size and depth made me nervous. It was worth it for me. There is enough going on to justify the length. A true sign of a great writer is when they make the story engaging before everything comes together and jells.
The plot, which you could find anywhere, deals with a family with a mysterious death by drowning every generation, resulting in 77 years of love, suffering, dramatic events, and severed family ties. Multiple story lines will make you miss characters when they are gone for too long. Even Digby, technically an adulteress, will arouse your empathy as he experiences unspeakable tragedy.
Philipose is another character who will make you sad as he struggles with deafness and the family's water curse. His knowledge of how to manage his abilities reflects how people who are hard of hearing persevere and behave differently from the rest of us. He becomes a parent and makes mistakes as a husband and parent that most may recognize.
Reading reviews written by others shows an unnatural focus on length. People consistently drudged through the 715 pages. That aspect did not bother me, given the many timelines to finish, though it is a fair point to consider when accounting for taste. My thumb stays up because Vergese does not linger too long on any one topic and thoroughly explains his premise.
When I read works by the greats, I often say, "I could never write like this." Vergese also finds a way to assure you that you could not be a doctor either, based on his character's health struggles. The levels here are beyond any book that you would randomly pick up, and, yes, you should pick it up.
Native Nations: A Millennium in North America
by Kathleen DuVal
Wide in Scope, Rich in Knowledge (11/18/2025)
We call people savages so that we do not feel bad treating them like subhumans. Countries often refer to their governing style as "advanced" to draw attention away from the originators. The first millennium of civilization requires an extensive review to do justice to each group. For a writer, 1,000 years is pretty ambitious, but Kathleen DuVal does it justice.
"Native Nations: A Millennium in North America" by Kathleen DuVal will teach you about people. You may not realize that history books generally do not cover this period. I started to recall my 5th-grade history class and the names of Marquette and Joliet, but I had no long-standing knowledge of the Quapaws, Natchez, or Yazoo. Diplomacy had its humble beginnings during this time.
Since Native American history is part of American history, you will likely find both pride and embarrassment in what you learn. The short answer is that in-fighting among tribes made the Natives an easy target. They were marginalized, but also had enslaved Africans, once cotton and textiles took off as the next wave of prosperity and wealth.
I learned a great deal from reading this work and received a gentle reminder that history can be incredibly complex. We want to think that we live in a world where we would not force anyone from our land again, but the rhetoric may make you cringe. More importantly, you recognize that you cannot define these Nations by their tragedies.
This book may not be to everyone's taste due to its staggering length and ambitious scope. If you give it a chance, you will be glad you did and learn something. I have only known two people who identified as Native American well, but I now have many questions for them. The backstory has so many hidden layers and levels.
King: A Life
by Jonathan Eig
Strength in the Face of Mayhem (11/6/2025)
In discussing the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, the average American could take a quiz and earn a solid D-plus. Any glimpse into his life before the 1960s educates. Only knowing one aspect of his life and demeanor, I could not read any dialogue from him without envisioning him bellowing a platitude. Author Jonathan Eig seeks his true humanity.
"King: A Life" offers behind-the-scenes details that reveal character flaws while demonstrating, without question, how King's booming, articulate voice motivated many into nonviolent action during the Montgomery bus boycotts. His presence was also a pivotal vote-getter in the Kennedy-Nixon election when JFK freed MLK from an unlawful prison stint.
A famous quote attributed to King is that he never responded to his critics because his goals required too much time and effort. The protests involved time in jail and a high level of organization. Progress came slowly, and all of the big names of the 1960s politics tried to help and appease the white majority simultaneously. King's supporters knew he was not a perfect man, but they believed he was "perfect for the job" of enacting change.
The interactions between President Johnson and J. Edgar Hoover are the most interesting, as the leaders were both brash and active in the civil rights movement. Our modern leaders get one of those points right. It paints a different picture of a different type: a controversial war, accusations of Communism, and human rights violations. I knew so little about King's role in these.
An excellent biography makes you think and reads like a work of fiction. Protagonist King teaches us patience and pacifism, showing that few others had the patience or the wherewithal to implement change. Sure, you could watch a riot and say "Be more like King", but recognize how hard that is.
Power Reviewer
