How desperate would a situation have to be for you to send your four year old daughter away? Anticipated bombing in London in 1939 would probably be reason enough. Viv Byrne Levinson, as did many parents of the time, sent her daughter Maggie to the countryside to live with a childless couple. She was told it would be safer there. As fate would have it, that wouldn't be the case. Viv had gotten pregnant at 18, after only two dates with Joshua Levinson. Her Catholic parents were not happy about his religion. After much discussion, they decided to marry at the registry office. Her parents paid Joshua off soon after the ceremony. He took off for New York with his saxophone to follow his dream.

Joshua's conscience wouldn't let him rest, being safe in New York. He returned to London and enlisted in the Royal Air Force, where he was very successful. Viv returned to her old place of employment and became a 'postie', delivering mail twice a day. On her route, she discovered her estranged in-law's neighborhood. After a few less than pleasant exchanges and conversations, they eventually became the family she so desired. Viv was only able to visit Maggie once a month, due to constrained finances and being dependent on her parents. Then tragedy struck; the house in which Maggie was living was bombed. When Viv went to see it, there was nothing left but rubble. Several years passed and the war finally ended. Viv's relationship with Joshua improved over time due to their mutual love for Maggie. After five years, Viv's sister thinks she sees Maggie in a nearby town. Is it her? Read the book and find out!

I very much enjoyed this new book by Julia Kelly. It would be ideal for discussion.

I reacted at first with the thought that I didn't want to read a book about the Crisis, a time of disruptions, people out of work, factories idle, shortages of everything. It was not unlike our COVID. I was quickly drawn in by the excellent characters and writing. He was Bird until his mother left when he was nine; then his Dad began to call him Noah. His Dad was a linguist at a college library, likening his job to Sisyphus. His mother, Margaret Miu, was Chinese American, a some time poet of little fame, until a young Black college student is killed. She was wearing a sweatshirt with a phrase from one of Margaret's book of poems 'All our Missing Hearts'. Indirectly, the phrase was a catalyst for a hate campaign against Asians and Margaret eventually disappeared for her safety and her beloved family. Margaret's leaving affected Bird in a myriad of ways. Love, especially a mother's love, can move mountains, but Bird was pretty tenacious in his search for Margaret. This is a great book for discussion. If you can put this book down after meeting Bird Gardner, good luck! I felt privileged to have the opportunity to read and review this amazing book.

This is a charming, interesting book about the origins of a famous bookshop in Paris, Shakespeare and Company and how it came to be in 1918. Sylvia Beach is a young American, visiting Paris with her family and falls in love with the City of Lights. So begins her journey to create a new English speaking bookshop and lending library and her long time relationship with Adrienne Monnier. After it was established, many famous authors frequented the bookshop, such as Ezra Pound, Ernest Hemingway and his wives, and Gertrude Stein. Sylvia became good friends with James Joyce, who was a large presence in the novel. Sylvia Beach is a delightful character, especially knowing that she existed.

Anyone who loves books and reading will enjoy the book. It was well researched and the Author's Notes at the end were most informative. I feel the book would lend itself to a great discussion. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

The beginning of this novel was somewhat misleading and I was not sure I wanted to continue. To my total and pleasant surprise, it was a very enjoyable read. It presented a very clear picture of early 1900 Japanese occupied Korea in the time of courtesans. The people were very poor and struggled to exist. The story moved along quickly and the characters were well defined and not all likable, which made it more interesting. I was able to visualize a good part of the book. I will definitely read more of this author.

Belle da Costa Greene was born in Washington, D.C. 1879, as Belle Marion Greener to a prominent African-American family. They moved to New York City to escape increasing racism. They changed their names and passed for white. Her father soon left the family in total disagreement with that decision. Belle's first job was in the Princeton University Library. After making the acquaintance of Junius Morgan, nephew of J.P. Morgan, he recommended her for the job of personal librarian in the newly built Morgan library on Fifth Avenue. She was hired after an impressive interview with J.P. himself.

Belle learned much during her career about rare books, manuscripts and fine art. She developed a great working relationship with Mr. Morgan; they respected each other. Over the years, he relied on her good judgment. She traveled to Europe, which was unusual for a young woman at that time. She would retrieve works of art or ancient books that Mr. Morgan had bought and was also given authority to purchase items at auction. She was an expert in illuminated manuscripts and developed incredible bargaining prowess with dealers, at times being the only woman at an event.

Belle never married, but she had a long and stormy relationship with Bernard Berenson, a Renaissance Italian art expert. .In 1939, she Medieval Academy of America in 1939, she was elected a Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America, only the second woman, and first known person of color, to be so honored.

I highly recommend this informative and interesting book. Well researched and written.

Come with me on a journey back in time to a day in 1927 Paris. This historical fiction is unique in that The Paris Hours by Alex George, takes place over 24 hours. Four somewhat ordinary people are all looking for something.

Souren Balakian, a tailor and puppeteer, is a transplant from Armenia. His younger brother was killed during the war there and Souren cannot get him out of his thoughts. Guillaume Blanc, a penniless and somewhat talented painter, is looking to escape ruthless moneylenders. He cannot repay them as he hasn't sold any paintings. Jean-Paul Maillard is a journalist, obsessed with the U.S. as were many people of the time. He was haunted by the same soulful music that his neighbor downstairs, Maurice Ravel, played every day on his piano. Camille Clermont is a married woman with a daughter, Marie. She becomes the housekeeper for Marcel Proust and grows very fond of him over the years.

Several other famous people make appearances throughout the story. Josephine Baker, Sidney Bechet, Sylvia Beach, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas.

I liked the author's style of writing. Each chapter is about one of the characters. He does give you a good history of who the character is and how they arrived at their particular situations. The end ties it up quite nicely. This was a very enjoyable book and I would recommend it for book groups.

I thoroughly enjoyed Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict. At their wedding in 1908, the bishop described Clementine's future as "an unwritten chapter" (page 22) along with "influence...exercised for good upon their husband's lives." She was 23 to his 34. She wanted to write her own chapter and prayed that Winston would hand her the pen. So began an incredible journey together. Winston called her Clemmie or Cat and later on his secret weapon. She called him Pug. They loved each other deeply. Clemmie was a dynamic and intelligent helpmate to him from the very beginning and especially when he became Prime Minister. While they maintained separate bedrooms because he often worked so late, Clemmie left him 'invitations'.

He relied on her, for her invaluable and honest advice and later her input on his speech writing. She was a natural at it. It was so refreshing to read about a woman who stood beside and not behind a great man. They had their share of sorrow. While Clementine loved her children, she felt guilty that she wasn't the most loving of mothers but she needed to be her own woman too. They had several excellent governesses while the children were growing up.

Winston was not always popular but Clementine was always there to build him up. During the beginning of the Nazi reign, she charmed Roosevelt's emissary into interceding for their help in joining the war effort. When the bombing began, Clementine was instrumental in having decent bomb shelters built, knowing that their citizens spent many hours in them. They both felt strongly about visiting them as well. They did not suffer that terrible war lightly.

I think this is an excellent book for discussion.

This book is a vivid picture of a totally unfamiliar culture to me, that of a Muslim American family, loving and close. It allows not only glimpses of a way of life many may not be aware of, but a clear vision of the thoughts, hopes and dreams of the family. Layla, the mother is particularly close to Amar, the youngest and only son. Hadia is the oldest daughter and Huda the middle child. The girls are close but Amar always got in the way growing up.

Rafiq, the father, is a strict, proud and religious disciplinarian but somewhat in the background. It was either right or wrong with him, no in between. He and Amar frequently disagreed. Amar is not a model student, as are his sisters. As he ages, Amar's problems worsen; he drinks and eventually gets into drugs and violent clashes with his father. He finally leaves home, breaking his mother's heart.

I really enjoyed this book. If any criticism, the shifts in time frames were a little confusing.

You are in for a treat when you start this book by Shoba Narayan. Ms. Narayan, after much soul searching decides to leave Manhattan and return to India with her husband and two children. Mainly so her children will grow up with their grandparents nearby. The book is full of interesting facts, as well as humorous and engaging ones. For instance, I did not know that cows are sensitive to their owner's feelings. And they are sacred to Hindus. Through her friendship with the milk lady, Sarala, many comical events occur. Sarala is paid to have her cow 'christen' a new apartment by making a 'deposit' on the floor. It's quite a trick getting her into the elevator.
Shoba and Sarala spend much time bartering for things they each want from the other. It took Shoba much deliberation and convincing from Sarala to agree to try buying fresh cow's milk. But she does and everyone is happy. This was a thoroughly enjoyable book, learning about the lives of two very diverse women.

I think the title aptly fits the story. It refers to a sentence "My hands would never again turn the pages of a book, nor be stained with the sweet, grave weight of ink, a thing I have loved since first memory." This sentence gives readers just a hint of the depth of despair felt by one of the main characters, a Rabbi, blinded during the Inquisition. That love for reading is also shared by his female scribe Ester, who is given the rare opportunity to learn to read. Readers of historical fiction will devour this book. While I wouldn't call this a page turner, it is fascinating in its portrayal of the two time frames, especially that of London in the 1600's. As a lover of reading and books I could feel the excitement as ancient pages written in Hebrew were revealed when renovations began in a historic home in the outskirts of London. I think this would be a good book for book groups. My only complaint is that the book might have been shorter.

The Tea Planter's Wife by Dinah Jefferies is a journey into Ceylon, a lush country, taking place early in 1900. Gwendolyn Hooper is a very likable character, if very young and naive. There is at least one lesson to be learned from this story and that is keeping secrets leads to misconceptions, misunderstandings and often unhappiness. I think it would appeal to book clubs, given the variety of characters and their personalities. I enjoyed the book but found the author much too descriptive, using far too many adjectives.