**Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld is a modern retelling
of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and
Prejudice from the author of Prep
and American Wife. The Cincinnati Bennet’s have fallen on hard
times, thanks to exorbitant medical bills, reckless spending, and the perpetual
underemployment of four of the five Bennet daughters. Liz is the novel’s
central character, voice of reason, and the only one holding down a regular
job. Yes, after much travail, she does ‘get’ her Darcy. “Eligible sparkles with Austen-esque wit and
intelligence and is a pure pleasure to read.”
**A Doubter’s Almanac by Ethan Canin
is “a compelling family saga that follows troubled math genius Milo Andret from
birth to death”. Milo goes from inauspicious beginnings in rural Michigan to
solving a decades-old mathematical problem and teaching at Princeton. He
destroys a promising career because of his alcoholism and womanizing. The
second half of the novel is told by his son, who inherits many of the same skills
and problems. In addition to the engaging prose, “the novel is a subtle
meditation on creativity, happiness, and fate, and Canin's ability to explain
complex mathematics is nothing short of miraculous.”
**Nutshell by Ian McEwan is
essentially “a womb with a view” account by a precocious fetus who narrates the
tale about the diabolical murder of his father - by his mother and uncle. What might have been just a clever literary
gimmick becomes a “devilishly clever and darkly humorous” in the hands of a world
class talent who deserves the awards and accolades he has received.
**All Things Cease
to Appear by Elizabeth Brundage is a “lyrically written, frequently
shocking and immensely moving . . .literary thriller.” At its heart of
this gothic insightful story about two families entwined in their own
unhappiness, is a gruesome and unsolved murder. “A rich and complex
portrait of a psychopath, marriage and community.” “Superb…think a more
literary, and feminist, Gone Girl.” (Vogue)
*A Man Call Ove by Fredrik Backman
is a Swedish first novel that won raves in 25 countries as “the most charming
book of the year.” Ove was a
curmudgeon when he was young and has always seen the world in black and
white. Without his Sonja, Ove decides to
join her in the next world. But a young couple, their children and a bedraggled
cat move in next door and upset his plans and world view. Curmudgeons of all ages and their partners
will find much hilarity and heartbreak to enjoy in this engaging story.
** Seven Brief Lesson on Physics by
Carlo Rovelli is a lucid, insightful, almost poetic review of the scientists,
from Einstein and Niels Bohr through Werner Heisenberg and Stephen Hawking who
have shaped the science of Physics. The “concise and comprehensible writing makes
sense of intricate notions such as general relativity, quantum mechanics,
cosmology and thermodynamics” (The
Scientific American) and “artfully hints at meanings beyond its immediate
scope.” (NYTimes).
**The Lucky Years: How to Thrive in the Brave New World of
Health by bestselling physician David Agus
presents numerous fascinating scientific morsels—such as parabiosis
(anatomically connecting two living creatures) and CRISPR (a tool for editing
the genome). Agus recommends a daily
aspirin and statin drug, envisions the smartphone as both a health diary and a
"virtual personal therapist," and even suggests that individuals
consider banking their plasma. He argues
for a scientific and Zen-like approach to wellness that emphasizes listening to
your body's signals, measuring and tracking important numbers (blood pressure,
activity, weight, sleep), trusting your intuition, and keeping active.
*Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and
Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance “is a passionate and personal analysis of
a culture in crisis that of white working-class Americans.” Vance writes like
an insider who escaped Appalachia and understands the panic that comes from
deprivation and fear, but sees his past through the lens of a law degree from
Yale. “An unusually timely and deeply affecting view of a social class whose
health and economic problems are making headlines in this election year.”
*The Industries of the Future by Alec Ross,
former Senior Advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, identifies
immerging innovations while making strategic recommendations for taking
advantage of opportunities in such fields as robotics, cybersecurity, genomics
and digital technology. Google’s Erick
Schmidt says Ross “can see
patterns in the chaos and guidance for the road forward.” He has an unusual
diversity of expertise that allows him to apply multiple lenses to the world's
challenges. Despite good writing and excellent mastery of complex subjects, the
book is heavy going at times.
