Books | May 2020
By Naperville Magazine
May 2020 View more Books
Fiction
The Paris Hours By Alex George (Flatiron Books) Paris between the wars teems with artists, writers, and musicians—but amid the dazzling creativity of the city’s most famous citizens, four regular people are each searching for something they’ve lost. Told over the course of a single day in 1927, The Paris Hours follows four ordinary people whose stories are as extraordinary as the glorious city they inhabit. |
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The Jane Austen Society By Natalie Jenner (St. Martin’s Press) A group of disparate individuals comes together to preserve both Jane Austen’s home and her legacy, united in their love for the works of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society. |
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Girls of Summer By Nancy Thayer (Ballantine Books) One life-changing summer on Nantucket brings about exhilarating revelations for a single mother and her two grown children. As the season unfolds, a storm threatens to shatter the peace of the golden island, forcing Lisa, Juliet, and Theo to decide whether their summer romances are destined for something more profound. |
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The Moment of Tenderness By Madeleine L’Engle (Grand Central Publishing) This collection of short stories traces an emotional arc inspired by Madeleine L’Engle’s early life and career, from her lonely childhood in New York to her life as a mother in small-town Connecticut. In a selection of stories discovered by one of her granddaughters, we see how L’Engle’s abiding faith informed the creation of her many cherished works. |
NonFiction
The Hilarious World of Depression By John Moe (St. Martin’s Press) Part memoir, part investigation, and part treasure trove of LOL stories, this book contains insights drawn from years of interviews with some of the most brilliant minds of our day who struggle with depression. Universal themes come to light, including struggles with identity, self-medication, the tragedy of suicide, and the hereditary aspects of the disease. |
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A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings By Helen Jukes (Pantheon) A reflection about what it means to live alongside creatures whose laws and logic are so different from our own, this memoir delves into the history of beekeeping and the ancient relationship between keeper and bee, showing us how to be alert to the large and small creatures that flit between and among us. |
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You’re Doing Great! By Tom Papa (St. Martin’s Press) Everyone fights an overwhelming feeling that we’re not good enough, which causes us tremendous stress. Relax with comedian and Live From Here writer and performer Tom Papa as he explores his favorite subjects in 75 essays, including: “You Don’t Have to Live Your Best Life,” “Don’t Open the Mail,” “I Love Your Love Handles,” and “Shut Up and Eat.” |
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The Boy Who Followed His Father into Auschwitz By Jeremy Dronfield (HarperCollins) In 1939, Gustav Kleinmann and his teen son Fritz were imprisoned in the Buchenwald concentration. When Gustav is sent to Auschwitz—and certain death—Fritz insists he must go, too. Based on the secret diary that Gustav kept, as well as research and family interviews, this is an extraordinary account of courage, loyalty, survival, and unforgettable love. |