The General Fiction Shelf

Into the Desert
Xuemo, author
Howard Goldblatt, translator
Sylvia Li-Chun Lin, translator
Long River Press
c/o China Books & Periodicals, Inc.
www.chinabooks.com
9781592652549, $18.95, PB, 274pp

https://www.amazon.com/Into-Desert-Xuemo/dp/1592652549

Synopsis: "Into the Desert" is the story of two women in Western China in t=
he 1990s, and takes place on the edge of the Gobi Desert, near the site of = the ancient Silk Road. Bound together by both poverty and tradition, they e= mbark upon a perilous journey to change their lives.

With the publication of "Into the Desert" by Long River Press, acclaimed Ch= inese author Xuemo has recreated a bygone village in Gansu province in West= ern China, a place where camels are as common as automobiles and potatoes r= eplace rice. With his discerning eye for desert landscape, a fine ear for c= olorful local expressions, and an acute sensitivity to the inner world of h=
is characters, the reader is led on a fantastic journey where hope and trag= edy go hand in hand, and where centuries of tradition both suppress and com= pel the forces of change.

Critique: An inherently fascinating read from first page to last, and ably = translated from the Chinese in English by the team of Howard Goldblatt and = Sylvia Li-chun Lin (whose previous work includes numerous works of fiction =
by popular Chinese writers), "Into the Desert" is certain to ignite interes=
t in Xuemo's other works in the English language and is unreservedly recomm= ended for personal, community, college, and university library Internationa=
l Literary Fiction collections.

Editorial Note: XueMo, (https://bytethebook.com/listing/xuemo) formerly kno=
wn as Chen Kaihong, is a renowned cultural scholar and a leading contempora=
ry Chinese writer, He is also the founder of BeiJingRuXue MediaCo.,Ltd, Dea=
n of The Guangzhou Research Institute for Xiangba Culture, and Humanities T= utor at Fudan University.

Black Girls Must Have It All
Jayne Allen
Harper Perennial
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9780063296640, $30.00, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Girls-Must-Have-All/dp/0063296640

Synopsis: After a whirlwind year, Tabitha Walker's carefully organized plan=
to achieve the life she wanted (perfect job, dream husband, and stylish ho= me) has gone off the rails. Her checklist now consists of diapers changed (= infinite), showers taken (zero), tears cried (buckets), and hours of sleep = (what's that?).

Don't get her wrong, Tabby loves her new bundle of joy and motherhood is pe= rhaps the only thing that's consistent for her these days. When the news st= ation announces that they will be hiring outside competitors for the new an= chor position, Tabby throws herself into her work. But it's not just mainta= ining her position as the station's weekend anchor that has her worried. Al=
l of her relationships seem to be shifting out of their regular orbits!

Best friend Alexis can't manage to strike the right balance in her "refurbi= shed" marriage with Rob, and Laila's gone from being a consistent ride-or-d=
ie to a newly minted entrepreneur trying to raise capital for her growing b= usiness. And when Marc presents her with an ultimatum about their relations= hip, coupled with an extended "visit" from his mother, Tabby is forced to t= ake stock of her life and make a new plan for the future.

Consumed by work, motherhood, and love, Tabby finds herself isolated from h=
er friends and family just when she needs them most. But help is always the=
re when you ask for it, and Tabby's village will once again rally around he=
r as she comes to terms with her new life and faces her biggest challenge y=
et -- choosing herself.

Critique: A deftly crafted novel by author Jayne Allen, "Black Girls Must H= ave It All" will hold a very special appeal to readers with an interest in = African-American Fiction, Women's Domestic Life Fiction, and Domestic Ficti= on. Entertaining, original, compelling, and memorable, "Black Girls Muse Ha=
ve It All" is a highly recommended pick for community library Contemporary = General Fiction collections and is also readily available for personal read= ing lists in a paperback edition (9780063137943, $18.99), in a digital book=
format (Kindle, $11.99), and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blac= kstone Audio, 9798212214230, $41.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Jayne Allen is the pen name of Jaunique Sealey (https://www= ..jaunique.com), a graduate of Duke University and Harvard Law School. An av= id traveler, she speaks three languages and has visited five continents. Dr= awing from her unique experiences as an attorney and entrepreneur, she craf=
ts transcultural stories that touch upon contemporary women's issues such a=
s workplace and career dynamics, race, fertility, modern relationships and = mental health awareness. Her writing echoes her desire to bring both multic= ulturalism and multidimensionality to a rich and colorful cast of character=
s inspired by the magic uncovered in everyday life.

The Womanpriest
Stafford Betty
Roundfire Books
c/o John Hunt Publishing
www.johnhuntpublishing.com
9781803411248, $18.95, PB, 272pp

https://www.amazon.com/Womanpriest-Novel-Stafford-Betty/dp/1803411244

Synopsis; Macrina McGrath is a young Catholic woman, 22-year-old ex-Marine = and unwed mother, begins to see cracks in the Church she grew up loving. Ba=
d priests preying on children, harsh treatment of the divorced, a deep-seat=
ed and toxic sexism toward the LGBTQ., and archaic dogmas force her to choo=
se between leaving the Church or trying to make it better.

Graduate school in theology at Georgetown and a trip to India help form her=
resolve: She will stop at nothing to take the Church out of the Middle Age=
s and deliver women from their abject status. She joins and soon heads the = excommunicated Womanpriest movement and with help from the Archbishop of Bo= ston becomes the leader of disaffected Catholics who want change.

The world notices the indomitable American willing to take on the Vatican, = and she achieves a spiritual stardom the equal of the pope. Where will all = this lead? Meanwhile she contacts the daughter she gave up to adoption; and=
Ezra, the man she has long loved since their teaching days together at Amh= erst, reaches out to her one last time.

Now she must choose between family life with him and the new Catholicism sh=
e helped create, where women and men minister on an equal basis. Her choice=
will affect world history.

Critique: Simply stated, "The Womanpriest" by novelist Stafford Betty is a = riveting read that will have special and particular appeal to readers with =
an interest in Christian/Religious mysteries in general, and the tensions w= ithin the contemporary Catholic Church in particular. An original, entertai= ning, thought-provoking, and iconoclastic work of fiction, "The Womanpriest=
" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $6.99) and is a highl=
y recommended pick for community and academic library Contemporary Fiction = collections and personal reading lists.

Editorial Note: Stafford Betty is an author of fiction and non-fiction. Pro= fessor of religion at California State University, Stafford earned his PhD =
in theology from Fordham University. (https://www.johnhuntpublishing.com/ro= undfire-books/authors/stafford-betty)

The Marriage Box
Corie Adjmi
https://corieadjmi.com
She Writes Press
www.shewritespress.com
9781647420796, $17.95, PB, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Marriage-Box-Novel-Corie-Adjmi/dp/1647420792

Synopsis: Casey Cohen, a Middle Eastern Jew, is a sixteen-year-old in New O= rleans in the 1970s when she starts hanging out with the wrong crowd. Then = she gets in trouble and her parents turn her whole world upside down by dec= iding to return to their roots, the Orthodox Syrian Jewish community in Bro= oklyn.

In this both new and foreign world, families gather weekly for Shabbat dinn= er; parties are extravagant events at the Museum of Natural History; and th=
e Marriage Box is a real place, a pool deck designated for teenage girls to=
put themselves on display for potential husbands.

Casey is at first shocked by this unfamiliar culture, but after she meets M= ichael, she's enticed by it. Looking for love and a place to belong, she ma= rries him at eighteen, believing she can adjust to Syrian ways. But she beg= ins to question her decision when she discovers that Michael doesn't want h=
er to go to college; he wants her to have a baby instead.

Can Casey integrate these two opposing worlds, or will she have to leave on=
e behind in order to find her way?

Critique: Original, entertaining, thought-provoking, and showing author Cor=
ie Adjmi's impressive and genuine flair for the kind of narrative driven an=
d descriptive storytelling style that fully engages the reader's attention = from first page to last, "The Marriage Box" is all the more impressive when=
considering that it is Corie Adjmi's debut as a novelist. A compelling rea=
d for those interested in Jewish culture, family life, and women's issues a=
nd also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kind= le, $8.49), "The Marriage Box" is a very highly recommended acquisition cho= ice for community library General Fiction collections.

Editorial Note: Corie Adjmi is the author of the short story collection Lif=
e and Other Shortcomings, which won an International Book Award, an IBPA Be= njamin Franklin award, and an American Fiction Award. Her essays and short = stories have appeared in dozens of journals and magazines, including HuffPo= st, North American Review, Indiana Review, Medium, Motherwell, Kveller, and=
others.

The Summer Place
Jennifer Weiner
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
www.simonandschuster.com
9781501133572, $28.99, HC, 432pp

https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Place-Novel-Jennifer-Weiner/dp/1501133578

Synopsis: When her twenty-two-year-old stepdaughter announces her engagemen=
t to her pandemic boyfriend, Sarah Danhauser is shocked. But the wheels are=
in motion. Headstrong Ruby has already set a date (just three months away!=
) and spoken to her beloved safta, Sarah's mother Veronica, about having th=
e wedding at the family's beach house in Cape Cod. Sarah might be worried, = but Veronica is thrilled to be bringing the family together one last time b= efore putting the big house on the market.

But the road to a wedding day usually comes with a few bumps. Ruby has alwa=
ys known exactly what she wants, but as the wedding date approaches, she fi= nds herself grappling with the wounds left by the mother who walked out whe=
n she was a baby. Veronica ends up facing unexpected news, thanks to her me= ddling sister, and must revisit the choices she made long ago, when she was=
a bestselling novelist with a different life.

Sarah's twin brother, Sam, is recovering from a terrible loss, and confront= ing big questions about who he is - questions he hopes to resolve during hi=
s stay on the Cape. Sarah's husband, Eli, who's been inexplicably distant d= uring the pandemic, confronts the consequences of a long ago lapse from his=
typical good-guy behavior. And Sarah, frustrated by her husband, concerned=
about her stepdaughter, and worn out by challenges of life during quaranti= ne, faces the alluring reappearance of someone from her past and a life tha=
t could have been.

When the wedding day arrives, lovers are revealed as their true selves, mis= understandings take on a life of their own, and secrets come to light. Ther=
e are confrontations and revelations that will touch each member of the ext= ended family, ensuring that nothing will ever be the same.

Critique: A deftly crafted and fully entertaining novel with a special appe=
al to readers with an interest in Family/Domestic Life issues and stories f= rom a woman's perspective, "The Summer Place" is a 'must' for the legions o=
f JenniferWeiner fans. While especially and unreservedly recommended for co= mmunity library Literary Fiction collections, it should be noted for person=
al reading lists that "The Summer Place" is also available in a paperback e= dition (9781501133589, $18.99), in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99), = and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Simon & Schuster Audio, 978179= 7138381, $39.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Jennifer Weiner (JenniferWeiner.com) is the author of twent= y-one books, including The Summer Place, That Summer, Big Summer, Mrs. Ever= ything, In Her Shoes, Good in Bed, and a memoir in essays, Hungry Heart. Sh=
e has appeared on many national television programs, including Today and Go=
od Morning America, and her work has been published in The Wall Street Jour= nal and The New York Times, among other newspapers and magazines.

Back to the Dirt
Frank Bill
FSG Originals
c/o Farrar, Straus & Giroux
www.fsgbooks.com
9780374534431, $18.00, PB, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Back-Dirt-Novel-Frank-Bill/dp/0374534438

Synopsis: Miles is a Vietnam veteran who's worried he's going to lose his j=
ob (and with it his tenuous grasp on a stable life) over a fight with a cow= orker. His PTSD and struggles to control his steroid-fueled violent tendenc= ies also complicate his relationship with his girlfriend, Shelby, a strippe=
r who only occasionally displays the proverbial heart of gold.

But she is certainly kinder and more generous than her brother, Wylie, who = has been implicated in the deaths of two local Oxy dealers and is currently=
on the run. When Wylie kidnaps Shelby and holes up in Miles's country lair=
, it all threatens to become a bit too much for Miles.

As the layers of Miles's personal history are peeled away, going deep into = his memories of the Vietnam War, "Back to the Dir"t gets to the root of the=
traumas that have caused Miles and his community so much adversity.

Critique: "Back to the Dirt" is blistering and original story of trying to = abide by core values (living close to the land, working with your hands) th=
at all to often been obscured by neglect, drug abuse, and desperation. What=
remains is a profound and important novel of an America that is only now b= eginning to get its due attention -- and author/novelist Frank Bill is its = most visceral, essential chronicler. While "Back to the Dirt" is a riveting=
and recommended addition to community library Literary Fiction collections=
, it should be noted for the personal reading lists of anyone with an inter= est in action/adventure with a critically important underlying message show= casing a dark underbelly of American life for so many PTSD veterans today, = that "Back to the Dirt" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle,=
$11.99).

Editorial Note: Frank Bill (https://us.macmillan.com/author/frankbill) is t=
he author of "The Ravaged", with co-author Norman Reedus; the novels The Sa= vage and Donnybrook, the latter of which was turned into a film in 2018; an=
d the story collection Crimes in Southern Indiana, one of GQ's favorite boo=
ks of 2011 and a Daily Beast best debut of 2011.

The Bird Hotel
Joyce Maynard
Arcade Publishing
www.arcadepub.com
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
www.skyhorsepublishing.com
9781956763737, $29.99, HC, 432pp

https://www.amazon.com/Bird-Hotel-Novel-Joyce-Maynard/dp/1956763732

Synopsis: After a childhood filled with heartbreak, Irene, a talented artis=
t, finds herself in a small Central American village where she checks into =
a beautiful but decaying lakefront hotel called La Llorona at the base of a=
volcano.

"The Bird Hotel" by novelist Joyce Maynard tells the story of this young Am= erican who, after suffering tragedy, restores and runs La Llorona. Along th=
e way we meet a rich assortment of characters who live in the village or co=
me to stay at the hotel. With a mystery at its center and filled with warmt=
h, drama, romance, humor, pop culture, and a little magical realism,

Critique: A truly 'must read' pick for the legions of Joyce Maynard fanst, = "The Bird Hotel" is a sweeping saga of a novel spanning four decades, and o= ffering lyricism, whimsy, and local color drawn from the author's more than=
twenty years in which she has spent a significant amount of her time in a = small Mayan indigenous village in Guatemala. As original as it is a fun rea=
d from cover to cover, "The Bird Hotel" is an particularly recommended addi= tion for community library collections. It should be noted for the personal=
reading lists of those who are interested in 'magical realism' fiction, Hi= spanic American fiction, and Rural/Small Town fiction, that "The Bird Hotel=
" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $19.99).

Editorial Note: Joyce Maynard (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joyce_Maynard)=
has published hundreds of essays as well as eighteen books, both fiction a=
nd non-fiction, including the memoir At Home in the World and the novels To=
Die For and Labor Day, both adapted for film. Her novel, Count the Ways, w=
as recently awarded the Grand Prix Literaire in France. Every winter for ov=
er two decades, Maynard has led the Lake Atitlan Memoir workshop, Write by = the Lake, in Guatemala.

The Walk-On
Richard Podkowski
Acorn Publising
https://www.facebook.com/AcornPublishingLLC
9798885280341, $27.00, HC, 316pp

https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Richard-Podkowski/dp/B0BTZNFV2R

Synopsis: In the twilight of his NFL career as a middle linebacker for the = Chicago Storm, Mike "the Steelman" Stalowski masks his physical pain and me= ntal anguish with alcohol and painkillers. The fan favorite has a rebel ima=
ge and a notorious reputation, and he plays a violent gridiron game fueled =
by inner rage.

While estranged from his wife and living in the fishbowl environment of pro= fessional sports, he unexpectedly meets the fresh-out-of-college Kim Richar= dson. She sees through Mike's star persona to who he really is-a kind guy f= rom the Southeast Side of Chicago who has never forgotten his humble blue-c= ollar roots. The lives of the star-crossed, seemingly mismatched couple col= lide during a whirlwind romance that culminates in a tragic series of event=
s.

Critique: Original, deftly crafted, memorable, inspired by professional ath= letes who have lived in a media fishbowl under constant tabloid scrutiny sh= owcasing any life-altering mistakes, and of special appeal to readers with =
an interest in sports fiction, "The Walk-On" by novelist Richard Podkowski =
is a timeless and engaging story of love and loss, the consequences of pers= onal decisions, and the rewards of faith, redemption, and hope. While parti= cularly recommended for community library Contemporary Fiction collections,=
it should be noted for personal reading lists that "The Walk-On" is also r= eadily available in a paperback edition (9798885280334, $17.00), and in a d= igital book format (Kindle, $9.99).

Editorial Note: Richard Podkowski (https://richardpodkowski.com) began writ= ing fiction while studying criminal justice at Loyola University Chicago. A=
s a United States Secret Service special agent, Richard protected U.S. Pres= idents and foreign dignitaries and investigated major domestic and internat= ional financial crimes. After retiring from the Secret Service in 2003 as a=
supervisory special agent, he became a management member of a Fortune 100 = company's global security group. For the last several years, Richard has be=
en a private sector strategic security consultant. Inspired by professional=
athletes who lived in a fishbowl under constant media scrutiny and made li= fe-altering mistakes, Richard wrote The Walk-On. Other projects include a C= hristmas romantic comedy screenplay and a crime story.

At the Seams
Pamela Gwyn Kripke
Open Books
https://open-bks.com
9781948598644, $17.95

https://open-bks.com/library/moderns/at-the-seams/about-book.html

At the Seams is a novel of family loss that contains elements of pain and r= ecovery that could prove triggers to readers who have experienced similar t= ragedy in their lives. This warning aside, At the Seams cultivates a winnin=
g sense of discovery and revival. It's presented from the perspective of a = precocious eight-year-old who discovers that a baby brother of her mother d= ied in the hospital before she could begin to know or remember him. Kate's = discovery leads to a series of investigations and revelations that follow h=
er into adulthood as she navigates her own life and a generational loss tha=
t returns to haunt her decisions and perceptions.

How does a newborn, healthy baby suddenly die in the hospital? It's a myste=
ry that emerges out of the blue when a conversation with her mother reveals=
part of the truth. The tale is narrated by Kate, a grandchild whose legacy=
is presented in a more forthright manner by her mother, but which still co= mes shrouded in a mystery that requires further explanation. As her investi= gation unravels family secrets, motivations for keeping them, and reveals t=
he truth, readers become immersed in a vivid saga spiced with the intergene= rational experiences of a family motivated to resist reality.

Pamela Gwyn Kripke does a fine job of exploring the evolving circumstances = from the perspectives of a child who grows into the ability to pursue answe=
rs to these questions. The strength of this story lies not so much in the o= riginal loss, but the long-term impact it has on the entire family structur=
e as secrets are agreed to, kept, and passed down between generations. Kate=
's pursuit strengthens when, as a single mother, she finds these patterns u= nexpectedly repeating in her own life and choices. The impulse to hide, dis= guise, and modify reality is one that has been handed down quite inadverten= tly on some levels and more purposely on others, and it prompts Kate to gro=
w and pursue where other family members have settled into quiet complacence=
..

Her revelations aren't always welcomed by her family. In fact, they think s= he's gone overboard in her focus: "Was it possible that Grandma Lilly wasn'=
t just homesick? Had she forced the baby's death into oblivion in order to = survive all these years, only to have it destroy her now? Or was I too obse= ssed to see straight? Everyone said I was obsessed." Is there such a thing =
as too much information? Not to Kate's mind. Readers who follow her pursuit=
will find much food for thought in her story, between her sparking of fami=
ly resistance and reactions and the links between her own patterns and thos=
e mirrored in her grandparents' choices. Libraries and book clubs looking f=
or vivid stories of loss and its resounding impact on generational connecti= ons and life patterns will find much food for thought and discussion in At = the Seams, a novel which unravels not just the truth, but the hidden costs =
of accepting or rejecting it.

Dessert with Buddha
Roland Merullo
https://rolandmerullo.com
PFP Publishing
http://pfppublishing.com
9798986626635, $17.85 Paper/$9.85 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Dessert-Buddha-Roland-Merullo/dp/B0BX5LYD7D

Dessert with Buddha blends spirituality with self-actualization growth in a=
novel that follows Dinner with Buddha's spiritual road trip and completes = the fourth and final book in the series. Its special flavor of spiritual an=
d social examination will leave readers hungry for more, yet sated by consi= derations which pique the mind with new flavors of inspection and realizati= on. The introductory paragraphs explore the fine art of letting go in 2022;=
from a long-held, beloved family house to a sense of power and control ove=
r self and world affairs alike. Buffeted by the winds of chance, the protag= onist embarks on a journey filled with insights and explorations. As eccent= ric monk Volya Rinpoche and his brother-in-law Otto enter into new paths an=
d conversations about spirituality, readers are invited into a milieu in wh= ich the narrator explores his expectations and underlying convictions about=
life. Inevitably, this leads a thinking reader to consider similar perspec= tives about life's meaning as the road trip results in confrontations with = uncomfortable truths and new realizations about life.

Roland Merullo is especially adept at exploring the intersections between b= elief systems, contrasting Rinpoche's unshakable encounters with Christians=
and others, with the psyches of believers who act and react in different w= ays. The contrasts are often delightfully revealing and thought-provoking. = Ideally, readers of Dessert with Buddha will already have a basic knowledge=
of Buddhism and a questioning mind. Those ready to embark on an armchair r= oad trip with two characters whose journey and encounters offer enlightenme=
nt and revelations will find much food for thought here, which book clubs, =
in particular, can use in discussions of novels that incorporate powerful s= piritual and growth components. Libraries and readers looking for a lively = series of dialogues and encounters between belief systems and those holding=
them close will find Dessert with Buddha a deliciously attractive story.

Dreams of Arcadia
Brian Porter
Legacy Book Press LLC
https://legacybookpress.com
9798986787480, $15.99

https://legacybookpress.com/dreams_arcadia

Readers who want to get closer to the psyche, history, and currents of the = American family should take a hard look at the novel Dreams of Arcadia. It = embraces these facets and more as it follows the life of city veterinarian = Nate Holub, who moves to his dead father's Texas home town to become a rura=
l vet and learn more about his father's life. What he uncovers both proves = and tests his ability to adapt, adjust what he's been raised with, face a d= ifferent truth, and reinforce his ties with both nature and family.

Nate's quest comes with a heavy price tag, but it also brings newfound reve= lations about his family ties and his own legacy as he uncovers local and f= amily secrets and begins to understand the undercurrents influencing his ow=
n life choices. His encounters with locals, the dialogues between them, and=
Brian Porter's well spent time in building Texas culture and atmosphere br= ings readers right into this milieu, however foreign it might first seem. T= his is an achievement, considering that use of the third person tends to ac= company an inherent observational distance that first-person descriptions c= ultivate, in contrast.

The novel's opening lines describe limited veterinary services and why Nate=
's pursuit will make him valuable to the community, while descriptions of t=
he places he visits builds the all-important backdrops and people supportin=
g his pursuits. Porter's descriptions connect a sense of place and purpose = with bigger-picture reflections on Nate's role and efforts. This entwining =
of place, purpose, and discovery makes Dreams of Arcadia a compelling read.=
Readers walk alongside Nate in all of his efforts, understand their motiva= tions and ramifications, and find these descriptions of secluded lives and = worlds juxtaposes vet work. These are the experiences which make characters=
and readers feel "totally alive" as haunting truths emerge to inform Nate = about deeper levels of living and thinking, which will often surprise his f= ollowers, as well.

Dreams of Arcadia's compelling portrait of lives in flux and tangible conne= ctions to the past bring this Texas world to life. Libraries and readers se= eking fiction rooted in a sense of community and growth will find that Drea=
ms of Arcadia examines and captures the values that bring families together=
, making difficult secrets and their logic and choices easier to understand=
and handle for present and future generations.

Growing Down
Michael J. Tuberdyke
Five Senses Publishing
9798218155278, $15.00

https://www.amazon.com/Growing-Down-Michael-J-Tuberdyke/dp/B0BWH2BMMQ

Growing Down is subtitled "A Comedy of Life." It lives up to its promise wi=
th a series of revelations about life as experienced by two male buddies wh=
o embark on a romp around town after attending their friend's wedding. The = novella represents a study and contrast between maturity and immaturity as = Sam and Kevin lose control, revisit the past, and reconsider present-day op= portunities and losses shifted by the changing lives of their friends. Mich= ael J. Tuberdyke perfectly captures the perceptions of those changed by the=
evolution of their peers while they remain in a milieu that is both famili=
ar and stagnant.

There is an existential flavor to the ironic inspection and comedy that evo= lves as the two spend a day together and enter the evening both carousing a=
nd contemplating. The duo's explorations of new possibilities are equally f=
un and thought-provoking. What are individuals newly changed by another's w= edding supposed to do in life when they "don't care about anything?" Michae=
l J. Tuberdyke's succinct novella juxtaposes comedy with bigger-picture thi= nking in a manner that portends both fun and deeper life inspection. Librar= ies and readers looking for novels about aging and the revelations of life = choices will find Sam and Kevin's explorations to be thought-provoking as t= hey reflect on society and their place in it. It's a read that redefines 'c= omedy', contrasting it with a contemplative atmosphere that can only take p= lace in the bars and kitchens of life.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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