Orbital by Samantha Harvey

As a card-carrying anxious person, I can say as a general rule, anxious people do not read books about outer space. To ruminate on the thought that we are sitting on a spinning sphere covered in water, a few planets away from the sun, is beyond daunting. However, when a friend recently mentioned this book, I was intrigued enough to lower my blood pressure and read it. Winner of the 2024 Booker Prize, "Orbital" by Samantha Harvey is a meditation on what is means to circle the Earth. The story follows six women and men who embark on one of the last space station missions of its kind before the program is dismantled. The astronauts and cosmonauts come from America, Russia, Italy, Britain and Japan. They travel 17,000 miles an hour and witness life on the Earth below. We learn tidbits about their families, what they eat in space, and how they sleep and exercise. We hear about the people they have left on Earth, and hope they make it back to them. With climate change, and the destruction of the Earth below, these participants are able to revel in the poetic beauty of the planet, without worrying about its deterioration during the mission. For me, this slight book was well worth the journey and the brief meditation on life on Earth and beyond it. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Driven by Susie Wolff

If you have watched the Netflix series "Formula 1: Drive To Survive," you know that Susie Wolff is married to Austrian billionaire Toto Wolff. He is the CEO, team principal and co-owner of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. Toto is also a former racing driver who has led teams to eight consecutive World Constructors' Championship titles. He met Susie Stoddart at a race event, when he was dating Miss Austria. However, it was soon clear that the petite race car driver from Oban, Scotland, would win his heart easily over a pageant queen. "Driven" is the story of how Susie became one of only a handful of women to ever get behind the wheel of a F1 race car. Susie was, in fact, the last woman to drive an F1 car during a formal practice weekend for Williams racing in 2015. Like her one time racing colleague Lewis Hamilton, Susie got behind a go-kart when she was just a little girl in Scotland. Her parents not only allowed she and her brother to do risky activities, they encouraged them. Susie and her brother started to compete at the highest level their age group would allow. In the history of the sport, only five woman have entered a Grand Prix weekend. Susie was trying to reach that goal herself, but opted to retire in 2015 because the obstacles were so great. Despite stepping away from the car, she did not leave the race track. She went on to lead and revive a struggling Formula E team, marry Toto, travel the world and have a son, Jack. In a sport that is notoriously dominated by men, Susie built a career based on strength, determination and skill. She is now the managing director of F1 Academy, leading the all-female driver category that encourages young woman to compete. "The F1 Academy" documentary is now available on Netflix as well ad "Drive to Survive." To buy this book on Amazno click here

Mona's Eyes by Thomas Schlesser

I am planning a trip to Paris in September to celebrate my husband's 60th birthday. I have been to Paris before, and he has been to Paris before. However, we have never been to Paris together. At first, planning a trip to the City of Light seems overwhelming. How can we possibly do, see, and eat everything the city has to offer in only five nights? And then, I read this book and gained a new perspective on the trip. The point of going to Paris is not to do everything, because that is impossible. The point is to immerse yourself in the richness of the city one bistro, one cobbled stone street, and one museum at a time. "Mona's Eyes" by Thomas Schlesser is a tribute to the history of the art that Paris has to offer. Ten-year-old Mona is taken to the doctor by her mother because she is losing her eyesight. Her doctor does not see a medical reason for this to be happening. While he continues to do tests, he recommends Mona see a local psychiatrist for emotional support. Her grandfather offers to take her to the psychiatrist, but then he commandeers the plan. Instead of the psychiatrist, he takes her to see 52 works of art in Paris museums over the course of one year. Every Wednesday he picks her up from school and takes her to see a new work of art. The more art they see and discuss, the closer the two become. Under the guidance of her grandfather, Mona learns about art but also about life, love, loss, disappointment, and enchantment. "Mona's Eyes" is a tribute to the bond between a grandfather and his granddaughter as well as a colorful map of the many beautiful paintings housed within the walls of Paris. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Ghost Stories by Siri Hustvedt

I have to be honest, before I read this book I had not heard of American novelist Hustvedt nor her late husband, writer and filmmaker Paul Auster. But now I'm kind of low-key obsessed with them, the way I am with Joan Didion and John Gregory Dunne. Siri and Paul were married for 43 years before he died of lung cancer in 2024. While this is a memoir about her grief in losing Paul, it is also a love letter to the many years they spent in love, raising their family. One of the lightest parts of the book is the birth of their grandchild, Miles, before Paul died. At the time of his death, he was working on a manuscript of letters to Miles, which was full of the history of his parents and grandparents. Siri deftly navigates the narrative from her own diary entries, through Auster's writing, and then to letters she wrote to friends of Paul during his illness. There are highs in the book, including the birth of their daughter Sophie, and lows such as the imprisonment and death of Auster's son, Daniel. But as Hustvedt combs over her 43 years with Auster, I came away with such admiration and thought, "This is a marriage well done!" They found each other. They fell in love. They built a family and a life, and two wonderful careers. I think Hustvedt comes to a similar conclusion while walking through the maze of her grief. She misses him in every room, but she still lives within the walls of the house they built together. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

"Finding Grace" by Loretta Rothschild

n 1994, my then husband and I bought a family package at a local clinic fertility clinic in San Francisco. The package would allow us to try three times to conceive a child through IVF. It seemed like some super expensive carnival game. You give us money, and we might be able to make you a baby, but then again, we might not. You might come away empty handed. I was trying to conceive in the early days of fertility treatments, and thank goodness now, the process is far advanced. Trying to conceive a child through fertility treatments or surrogacy, can for some, be an excruciating process. "Finding Grace" begins with the story of Honor and her husband Tom. They seem to have everything, including an adorable daughter, Chloe. And yet Honor is desperate to conceive a second child. Unable to conceive herself, she has decided to venture into the world of surrogacy. However, the stress of the process puts a strain on her relationship with her husband. And then life takes a tragic turn, and the story changes completely. Many years later Tom comes across some new information about the surrogate that Honor chose and again, life takes another unexpected turn. "Finding Grace" grapples with grief, death, birth and the hope of welcoming a new life into the world. It is a modern book, filled with contemporary problems, as well as the questions surrounding who we choose to love now and forever. It is very different from my own story, but I found a novel centered on surrogacy quite interesting. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Without You, There is No Us by Suki Kim

Recently, I was seated at a lovely outdoor dinner in Stinson Beach next to a delightful new friend named Lucy. I was telling her about our recent trip to South Korea, and how we had been to the DMZ, which separates South and North Korea. Lucy looked right at me, without hesitation, and said, "Then now you must now read the book 'Without You, There is No Us.'" She was not recommending three books or four books, she was telling me to read one single book to give me insight into the divided country. This Lucy is one very wise woman. "Without You, There is No Us" is a fascinating read by Suki Kim. Published in 2014, the memoir details Kim's undercover experience teaching English to the sons of North Korea's ruling elite. Born in  South Korea but later a 13-year-old-transplant to America, Kim posed as a Christian missionary in order to get a job teaching English at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology, otherwise known as PUST, in 2011. At the school in North Korea, she taught two groups of young men (one advanced and one more remedial) who were sheltered from the the world by their prominent parents and their totalitarian regime. A trained journalist, I think Kim began her journey hoping to come away with a hard-hitting expose about life in North Korea. However, her experience turned into a transformational memoir in which she connected with the boys, and they changed her life and perspective. She got to see how they were loyal to their government, but at the same time how they longed to do things like boys in democratic countries., such as reading about Harry Potter. "Without You, There is No Us" is a glimpse inside how life in North Korea is so different, and yet at the same time how teenage boys are teenage boys, no matter where they live. They are so full of hope, intrigue and curiosity despite their circumstances. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe

On Sunday nights, when I was growing up there was always one sound I remember so clearly: The ticking of the beginning of "60 Minutes." My parents would sit in their den, and watch it every Sunday evening without fail, or tape it to watch it later. Sometimes I would join them because I knew the show had fascinating stories, with often surprising endings. In the spirt of hard-hitting journalism, I would like to recommend "London Falling." This non-fiction book is an investigation into the 2019 death of 19-year-old Zac Brettler. In a luxury apartment building over looking the Thames River in London, Brettler plunged to his death on November 29, 2019. Investigators initially suspected his death was a suicide, but soon the story of Brettler's secret life would reveal itself, and shed doubt on that premise. While the police were investigating his death, the Pandemic hit, and some suspect this stalled their progress. However, years later Keefe did a meticulous investigation of his own and discovered that Brettler, the son of an upper middle class couple, was actually pretending to be Zac Ismailov, the make-believe son of a Russian Oligarch. The story of his deception then leads the reader on a deep dive into London's criminal underbelly, featuring mobsters and cryptocurrency traders. Thanks to Keefe's skill as a journalist, and patience as a person, this book is at page turned from beginning to end. If everything solved at the end of the book? No. The point of the book is not to solve all the mysteries but to expose the fact that many people had a hand in that fatal fall from the luxury apartment on the Thames. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke

For over six years, I have kept to my original pledge of only looking at Tik Tok from 6:20 am until around 6:35 am, in order to waste the minimal amount of time on the app. The bulk of my early morning is dedicated to learning Spanish and French on Duolingo, of which I am a steady Diamond League member for 741 days. Despite limiting myself on Tik Tok, it does not mean the content is not riveting. There are thousands of fascinating influencers, chief among them is a category called the "tradwife." Otherwise known as a "traditional wife," she is a woman who embraces our grandparents traditional view of marriage and gender roles, such as, the wife is a homemaker, and the husband is the breadwinner. "Yesteryear" is a novel about a tradwife named Natalie, who has amassed more than 8 million followers. Her content centers around her six children and handsome, cowboy husband, Caleb. She has nannies for the children, and team of producers who help her create daily content. Things seem to be going swimmingly for Natalie until one day she wakes up and the year appears not to be present day, but rather 1855. Her state-of-the-art refrigerators are gone and she is left with a small wood burning fire place and no electricity. The nannies and producers have vanished, too. Things get even more confusing when her husband and children have been replaced by another set of husband and children, not her own. Has Natalie been transported to another time as some sort of punishment for her wealth and fame? Or is she rather a prisoner trapped in some kind of reality television show from which she cannot escape? A psychological thriller from beginning to end, "Yesteryear" follows the life of a tradwife that has gone terribly wrong. The question remains how can she get out of the life she has so carefully planned and crafter for herself? And, by the way, Anne Hathaway is rumored to play Natalie in the film version. To buy this book on Amazon click on this link.

Whistler by Ann Patchett

I read at least 52 books a year because I write a review of one book per week, and have been doing so since 2016. All of my past reviews are on my website http://www.lorislibraryparty.com. However, in any given year there are another 52 or more books I don't read. These are the ones I pick up from the library, read 5 pages and do not like. Or, these are the ones I get on audio from the library, I listen for 15 minutes and then return. I don't waste my time. Some books, and some narrators, just do not captivate. me "Whistler" by Ann Patchett had me from the first scene of the book. I was all in for the entire ride. A woman and her husband are in a museum and another man is following them. Her husband approaches the man, and reports back to his wife Daphne, "The man following us says he is your step-father." And Daphne clips back, without hesitation, "Which one?" And so begins the wonderful story of Daphne and her one of many stepfathers, Eddie Triplett. The book is so delightfully poignant and nostalgic that I hated that it ever had to end. But like so many people we meet, sometimes they must leave as well. They bring joy into our lives, make them so much better, and on their way they go. Daphne and Eddie's story is small but, at the same time, a big and impactful one. So rare in life to find someone who adores you and understands you completely. Themes of childhood, loss, love, and disappointment are woven into a meaninful exploration of parenthood and friendship. "Whistler" is one of my favorites books of this year. Ann Patchett never disappoints, but this time she really circled my heart to the moon and back. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer

Italy hits differently during the summer. It almost has a magical effect on people who visit. It flexes its beauty and all the gifts it has to offer. Women eat gelato when they would never dare eat ice cream at home. People gravitate to meats like Prosciutto Di Parma and Prosciutto Di Daniele, when at home they feign being pescatarian or  vegan. And when in Italy during the summer, people drink red wine like it is the juice of the gods, and indeed, cheaper than bottled water. So when Andrew Sean Greer released this delicious summer read "Villa Coco," I was transported. This is the story of 21-year-old gay, American young man fresh out of college who takes the job as an archivist in Italy, after swearing off men. He is broke and burned out, and is hired to archive and catalogue the contents of a villa owned by a 92-year-old Baronessa named Coco. Did I mention the villa has a Picasso? Of course, like any trip to the hills of Tuscany, the visit is far from ordinary. The young man gets caught up in the web of the Baronessa, which includes a colorful cast of characters who not only entertain the student, but also bring him alive, and perhaps open his heart again, too. "Villa Coco" proves that a coming of age story in Tuscany can happen to anyone. You just have to make the pilgrimage to Italy to experience the magic yourself. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Saving Grace by Aimee Eberle

The word honest is used a lot when it comes to memoir writing. But I think, so often, it is mis-used. Honest is not perfect. Honest is not pretty. Honest is not tied up with a pretty satin bow. Honest is messy. Honest is raw and uncomfortable. In my opinion "Saving Grace" is one of the most honest books I have ever read about an eating disorder. In this book, Aimee Eberle weaves together her own diary entries along with those of her daughter, Grace. Together these accounts and other memories form the picture of a family struggling. It is not only Grace and Aimee's struggle, but also the path that their entire family must navigate including a father, two brothers, and an older sister. Anorexia can be sneaky and secretive. There is a scene when the family goes out for a frozen dessert after dinner, and one of the brothers says, "Grace threw hers under a car," in order to stop herself from eating it. Heartbreaking, the family must navigate Grace's struggles together, while trying desperately to support her, heal her, and keep her alive. Through doctors, hospitals, and inpatient treatment programs, together they build an army of care. "Saving Grace" is a beautiful, and yes honest book, that explores, from the inside, how a family wages a battle, and ultimately, victoriously wins. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

The Land and Its People by David Sedaris

David Sedaris has perfect timing. Whenever I am struggling to find a new book, or in the middle of one that is failing to entertain me, he releases a new book. And then, like magic, all is right with the world again. I just need to listen to him on audio to smile, widely. His humor and his wit are exactly the kind that make me laugh out loud. Whether he is talking about his husband Hugh's hip surgery, his passion for learning German on Duolingo, or a visit with a group of comedians to meet the Pope, his essays are spot on. His quirky penchant for wearing a priest's robe is new, and his love of getting steps and picking up road-side trash remains a long-standing passion. This is not to say that his essays are not sometimes dark. When he talks about his sister Gretchen's lung cancer, or his sister Tiffany's death from mental illness, the pain he feels about both of their struggles is heartbreaking. But he carries on, making sense of the world through his own writing. There is always a part in nearly every book I have read of his, in which he turns his pen back on his parents. While they are both now deceased, his ability to find humor in them, is nothing short of impressive. It was as if he began writing as a baby, the moment he first saw who his parents were. They inspired him with their absurdity. They can be kind but they can also be mean, and yet time and time again he makes them funny. Sedaris is a literary treasure, and I just hope he keeps writing about our land and its people again and again. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

The Monocle Travel Guide Series: Seoul

Several years ago when we went to Tokyo, my friend Page recommended a travel book series on Japan called Monocle. I was able to buy a used copy on Amazon. So as we looked forward to our Korea trip, I again found a used copy of a Monocle book on Amazon, this time about Seoul. Thanks to the internet, there are now so many apps and websites, that you don't need to buy a physical book when traveling. But there is something I find so comforting on relying on a book to enhance my travel experience, and Monocle does an excellent job. Whether talking about chic boutique hotels or hip coffee spots, the book is especially curated to be colorful and avuncular, but not overwhelming in any way. They are doing the research for you in selecting the best of the best in terms of creativity and style. The thin and small volume is easy to carry and takes the reader on a tour of the city's food, design and retail spots, where one can buy shoes from a niche Korean brand, or go to a music store to hear the latest K-Pop band. Monocle has not disappointed me yet, and I have already ordered their Paris edition for later this year.  To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Splinters by Leslie Jamison

Lena Dunham is definitely having a renaissance following the release of her new memoir "Famesick." My social media feed has been filled with Dunham interviews, including her recommendations for favorite books. I loved all of her recommendations and the way she summarized them with her witty summaries. She recently highlighted this book "Splinters" by Leslie Jamison. If you have read Dunham's book you know she has struggled with relationships as well as her uterine health. "Splinters" does a deep-dive into similar territory, when Jamison finds herself with a newborn child, and a looming divorce. As a connoisseur of messy divorce books, I think this one stands out as a winner. The author is forced to juggle the ups and downs of new motherhood simultaneously with the end of her marriage to the child's father. Rather than attacking her husband, who she refers only as "C," she instead turns the story inward upon herself. She describes the pain of having to manage her hats as an artist, mother and wife, balancing the sobriety that she is worked so hard to achieve. Parenthood is challenging under any circumstances, but for Jamison it is lonely road that she is desperate to survive. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

We are going to South Korea soon, and I wanted to read a book set in Korea to get me in the mood for the trip. I realized that "Pachinko" by Min Jin Lee is not only a best seller, but also a classic book that I had never read. The novel follows four generations of a Korean family who move to Japan in the middle of colonization and political warfare. The saga begins in the 1900s with a young woman named Sunja, the daughter of a poor but respected fisherman. She has an affair with a businessman, and gets pregnant. She soon finds out he is wealthy and unfortunately married to another woman. To avoid shame on the family name, she opts to marry a sickly-but-kind minister who promises her a new life in Japan. He will take care of her and the baby, and claim the baby as his own. The story follows Sunja to Japan, and we see her give birth to her baby, and future generations follow. As Korean immigrants in a new country, they are faced with poverty, adversity, and sacrifice, as well as love, ambition and loyalty. From the kimchi and pachinko parlors, to the Japanese universities and criminal underworld, "Pachinko" is a sweeping family saga that seeks to examine how the burdens of one's ancestors weigh heavily on the future generations to come. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Night People by Mark Ronson

I volunteer at Farming Hope, a culinary job training and food justice non-profit in San Francisco. I chop vegetables and help support the students who are training to become chefs. As volunteer jobs go, this one is a winner. One of the things I like best is talking to the other volunteers, specifically this woman named Christine. Recently she recommended this book "Night People" by Mark Ronson. Most people know him as a music producer and song writer on such movies as "A Star is Born" and "Barbie" as well as his collaborations with Adele, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. But before he became famous, he was a DJ in the 1990s in New York City. He started spinning songs while still in high school, and became part of a tight community of music-minded people who lived for the nights. Working from gig to gig, they made connections, drank, did drugs, made friends and created music. If a DJ couldn't make a gig, he would recommend one of his friends. The DJs were surrounded by actors, artists and other fashionistas who created the golden club era of New York City. Ronson's memoir takes us behind the scenes and you can hear and feel not only the beat of the music, but also see the people dancing. The fact that Ronson went on to become such a legendary music producer is the cherry on top. He was a man who knew what people wanted to listen to, and he still does. "Night People" is an excellent memoir and fast-paced read. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Famesick by Lena Dunham

This book is just a riveting triumph. I loved every minute of it. It reminded me how much I loved the television show "Girls," but also how smart, funny, bright, witty and clever Dunham is. But this memoir is not a comedy, but rather a tragedy with a happy ending. It chronicles her tumultuous time on the set of her "Girls" television series, and also her six-year relationship with musician Jack Antonoff. Both her lovely parents and Antonoff do their very best to support her, but nothing seems to solve her pain. She is starved for love even when she is surrounded by it. Coupled with her insecurity, her own body fights against her as well. During the filming of "Girls" they had to close down production due to her abdominal pain and endometriosis. She struggles to balance the physical pain with her rising star, which has her flying to The White House, The Golden Globes, and even the Met Gala. Even when she gets into see the best doctors, they fail her. The producers scold her like a child for having physical problems. She wrote, "I have loved being a woman but hated operating the equipment." The pain ultimately turns into an addiction to medication. The television show ends, her relationship with Antonoff comes unglued, and she lands in rehab. Incredibly honest and illuminating, the book makes you want to follow Dunham anywhere just to hear her narration on any situation at hand. At the book's conclusion, you have traveled with her back to a point of true wellness, and you just find yourself cheering for her. She finally seems comfortable in her own skin, and ready to pursue her passions as an actress, writer and wife. The book is one of the best books about fame I have ever read, and Dunham nails the whole genre. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Paula by Isabel Allende

I have not read a lot of books by Isabel Allende, but I remember liking the movie "The House of Spirits" based on her novel. So when I saw her book "Paula" was available on audio, I decided to listen to it. This is a memoir about her daughter Paula, who became gravely ill and slipped into a coma. Paula has porphyria, a rare hereditary metabolic disorder. Allende decides to spend the time while Paula is in the coma, telling her unconscious daughter about her family's rich history. This is the way she chose to spend the time day after day in the hospital, trying to make sense of her daughter's illness and her own grief. This is a mother's story and tribute to her daughter, but it is also a recollection about a family and the memories they shared together. There are childhood memories, spiritual questions, magic, and even secrets. Allende uses her beautiful skills as a writer to manage her frustration and worry over Paula's condition. Allende is one of the most widely read authors in the world, having sold more then seventy-seven million books. Born in Peru, and raised in Chile, she won world-wide acclaim with the publication of her first novel "The House of Spirits" in 1982. "Paula" is a heartbreaking memoir designed to help the author navigate through a tunnel of darkness in search, somehow, of light. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

The Ten Year Affair by Erin Somers

Robert Frost wrote, "Two roads diverge in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both, And be one traveler, long I stook, And Looked down one as far as I could, To where it bent into the undergrowth." I thought of this poem as I read "The Ten Year Affair" by Erin Somers. In the novel, Cora and Sam meet in a baby group, while married to other people. They became fast friends, and as the novel develops they either begin and affair or never take action on their mutual attraction. They reader sees both possibilities played out. The reader is then left to decide is we want Sam and Cora to be together, or if we want them to stay loyal to their husband and wife. The book explores the pros and cons of both choices but more than anything else explores themes of marriage, family and raising children. The stress of parenting in a two-income earning house hold is brought to life as Sam and Cora struggle with their jobs, their spouses and they children. Is the fantasy of their affair strong enough to make them act on it, or is the fantasy keeping them content enough with their spouses to stay committed? "The Ten Year Affair" is a provocative read that makes modern marriage look downright complicated. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole

For those of us who still read and appreciate Young Adult fiction, here is a gift for you. My friend Teresa told me about this book on a recent hike in our Dominican neighborhood. Originally published in 2016, I listened to "A Thousand Boy Kisses" on audio, and I loved every minute of it. As far as YA fiction goes, this falls solidly into the tear-jerker category. Think "A Fault in Our Stars," or "Five Feet Apart." In this book, we meet Rune Kristiansen when, as a young boy, his family moves from their native Norway to Blossom Grove, Georgia. It is there he meets a precocious little girl named Poppy Litchfield. The two become fast friends, and as the years go by, their friendship turns into adolescent love. When his father announces they have to urgently return to Norway for his job, Rune is devastated. He can't stand the thought of not being with Poppy, and not seeing her every day. However, when she pledges to stay in touch, despite the distance, his hopes remain high. Yet, suddenly, as if from no where, Poppy cuts off all communication with him. When his family returns to Blossom Grove, he is a changed and broken young man, while Poppy remains quiet and aloof. They are desperate to find their way back to each other, but full of anger and fear, too. I was thrilled to discover that Netflix is now developing this into a movie. You are never too old to read YA fiction, especially when it is a book written as beautifully as this one. To buy this book on Amazon click here.