Entertainment Review 2013: Books

I'm a big fan of Goodreads.com for maintaining my ever-growing list of must-read books, which currently stands at 252. What's interesting about this fairly substantial list is that, when it's time to choose a new title, I often have no interest in any of them. Or, if there's something I really want to read, it's unavailable to borrow from the library in e-book format.

Ah, the e-book. Having spent more than a decade in book publishing I thought I'd be forever devoted to holding a physical book in my hands, feeling the cover, turning the pages. Alas, I've strayed. Big time. Mostly it's about the convenience. If I can download a book to my iPad, I don't have to head out to the library to pick it up or worry about returning it on time. And when I'm eating lunch --alone, again-- I can pull out my iPhone and read and I feel a little less pathetic. I can't imagine how book publishing in its paper form is going to survive. There's just no reason to make that purchase. The exception is the book that changes your life, or the one you decide your family and friends must read. And frankly, those books are exceedingly rare.

But enough with my depressing prediction for book printers. Let's review the titles that resonated with me in 2013, none of which was actually published this year. I'm slightly embarrassed to say that I only read 14 books this year, though I at least started 19. I'll confess to those I gave up on after I share this list of my top 10:

1. Peace Like a River. My only five-star read in 2013. I loved every bit of this 2001 book. I don't know if would be categorized as Christian fiction, but even if it is, don't let that scare you. If you can appreciate the element of faith in a story, and believe in miracles, you'll like this one.
2. Tell the Wolves I'm Home. Goodreads doesn't allow you to give 1/2 stars, but this one would have earned 4.5 stars. (I'm stingy with my fives.) Tell the Wolves I'm Home was published as young adult fiction, which I didn't know at the time, but it grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go. It dealt with AIDS and homosexuality, loss, and a young girl's love for the one person in her family who meant the most to her. 
3. 11/22/63. I'm not a Stephen King fan, but my husband read this book about the day Kennedy was shot, and he highly recommended it. (Unlike him, I don't automatically rule out any book that my spouse suggests.) I really liked the time-travel approach to this story, and found myself returning to it in my head during the recent 50th anniversary of the assassination. 
4. The Lakeshore Limited. I found the premise of this one really thought-provoking. If someone you had fallen out of love with, but were still intimately involved with, died during a tragic set of circumstances (i.e. 9/11), how would you react to that loss? Here's a description used on Goodreads: "A powerful love story; a mesmerizing tale of entanglements, connections, and inconsolable losses; a marvelous reflection on the meaning of grace and the uses of sorrow, in life and in art." Definitely worth a read.
5. Cutting for Stone. A popular book club selection, Cutting for Stone is described as "Sweeping, emotionally riveting—an enthralling family saga of Africa and America, doctors and patients, exile and home." Highly recommended if you like literary fiction. 
6. Running Barefoot. I think I got this one as a free BookBub offer. It's the story of an awkward 13-year-old musical prodigy, and her friendship with the new kid, Samuel, an 18-year-old Navajo boy. It can be considered young adult and/or romance, so it's not a deep or difficult read, but it was lovely and sweet.
7. Art of Racing in the Rain. I try to avoid animal-related books; they almost always make me cry. This one was no exception. The dog's voice was compelling, but the human story was rather run-of-the-mill.
8. Where'd You Go, Bernadette. Published in August 2012, this was one of the newest books I read and one that had a good deal of buzz and popularity with book clubs. In my Goodreads review, I described it as, "A fun and easy read that made me feel slightly more sane." Worth a read, but not a "must-read." 
9. The Age of Miracles. Another popular book club selection, The story line in The Age of Miracles is quite unique and offers an interesting premise: The planet's rotation has slowed and all of human life is being irrevocably changed with each passing minute. To be honest, however, I can't remember how it ends, which makes me wonder how good it could have been.
10. Grace, Eventually. It's not really fair to compare non-fiction to fiction, but Anne Lamott's book deserved to make the list. If you're not familiar with her, you should be. If the idea of reading a Christian book freaks you out, don't let it scare you away from reading any of Lamott's books. She herself has taken the long and winding road to faith and shares an honest, often irreverent look at its role in her life. 

Now it's time to fess up. I gave up on Jane Austen's Persuasion. I'm bowing my head in shame. While I could appreciate the humor and intelligence, I found it painfully slow, and the style of writing required me to pay serious attention to what I was reading. No skimming if I wanted to understand what was going on. I guess that's just too much to ask considering I do all of my reading in the few minutes before I fall asleep at night.

I also gave up on Private Life, The Witch of Portabello (a book club selection that was a little too out there on the astral plane for me) and Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan whose other books I've greatly enjoyed (particularly On Chesil Beach). In my Goodreads review of Sweet Tooth, I note that it would have helped tremendously to better know the state of the world in that time period (early 1970s), and being British would have come in handy, too. The story is intimately tied to time and place making it a tough read.

So that's my Year in Books. As always, I look forward to hearing about your favorites from 2013!

Taking a Walk on the Wild Side

I recently finished reading Cheryl Strayed's Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. I'd heard good buzz about this book, which recounts Strayed's 1,100 mile solo hike on the PCT. A few chapters into it, however, I questioned why it made the best seller lists. Here was a woman who suffered the loss of her mother to cancer at the too-young age of 44, whose remaining family drifted away, who sought solace in the company of men despite her marriage to a good man, who gave heroin a try one-too-many times, and who had an abortion just days before she began her hike. If you watch television, you know that this is all fairly typical stuff. The hike itself was full of challenges, the biggest being that Strayed had no real experience that prepared her for such an arduous journey. One could say that she was a dumb ass for considering it. When you look at all the heartbreaking memoirs out there, Strayed's is just another in a long line of stories of redemption. Interestingly, it took a day trip to NYC to help me see Wild in a different light.

Rob and I were in the Big Apple on Black Friday to see Big Fish, a Broadway musical with its own story of redemption. That's not what triggered the connection for me, however. It was the ride home, beginning with the PATH to Journal Square where we'd parked our car. The train was packed, standing room only, and I was bundled up against the cold from our walk. Now inside, I felt like I was melting. I couldn't easily remove my coat and scarf and didn't want the burden of carrying them, so I "suffered" in relative silence. Then, just a couple stops into our route, a very intoxicated and/or mentally ill man boarded the train talking loudly to anyone and everyone. I was relieved that I wasn't the unfortunate individual standing right next to him, and I was quite glad that the train was full and that I wasn't alone, feeling anxious and concerned for my safety.

With the exception of the heat and the somewhat sketchy company, the ride to our station was otherwise uneventful and Rob and I walked to our car, happy to be out in the fresh air, about to head home. Soon, however, I became exceptionally hungry. We'd eaten lunch at noon and it was nearly 6:00 p.m. Anyone who has spent a day with me is well aware that I have to be fed at more frequent intervals. I'm like a zoo animal. My hunger had given me a headache and made me irritable. It doesn't take much to make me irritable. And that's when it hit me. I am a chronic complainer who could never in a million years take on a challenge like Cheryl Strayed's. This past Sunday I got a blister while trudging through the snow to meet my son who'd picked one hell of a day to run away from home. Limping with that blister reminded me that I needed to write this post. Ian running away during a snow storm reminded me that I need to get him boots and gloves and possibly have his head examined.

As I reflect more on Strayed's book, I believe one of the reasons I didn't think it was all that it was cracked up to be was because she didn't tell it right. She didn't make it sound exceptional. She didn't lay it on thick enough. She forgot the gratuitous play-by-play of her drug-fueled liaisons. The gory details of her every misstep on the trail. The book was terribly light on the melodrama, opting instead to communicate in honest and reasonable terms the realities she faced both before and on the trail. The news media is way more salacious in its story telling. But that's a post for another time.

With Strayed's story in mind and my Black Friday + Sunday revelations, I decided to challenge myself. I needed to see if I could survive something that would test me and push me to my limits. I wanted to prove to myself that I am stronger than I think I am. That I can do anything I put my mind to. And so...

I've given up soda for the month of December.

I know you think I've lost my mind. I should have started small, taken baby steps. But it's time to go big or go home. No more gliding through life with nary a care in the world. I am woman, hear me roar!

While it's still early in the month, I'm proud to say I've only broken down in tears of frustration on three occasions and only once have I become verbally abusive with my coworkers (it was during my lunch hour when I used to enjoy my daily Coca-Cola). The good news is that I think the candy bars are helping. I no longer shake uncontrollably or glaze over around 3 p.m. each afternoon. I've gained five pounds in less than two weeks, but at least I'm sticking to my commitment.

Most importantly, I now have confidence in my "wild" side, and the next time I set a challenge for myself, I'm going to go even bigger and braver. I may start making my bed and making dinner. I may stop cleaning up after my children and refuse to take them to school when they're running late. I might go crazy and start following through on all the idle threats that have been dramatically diminishing the effectiveness of my parenting. Perhaps I'll commit to a sport or activity that I've never been good at (which gives me many, many options). Maybe I'll vow to meditate and read the Bible daily. Oh, the choices. I welcome your suggestions as I prepare to face yet another challenge in my already dramatic and remarkable life. Be gentle.

"Laughter is Carbonated Holiness"

One reason I haven't sat down to write a book is that I'm lazy. The way I justify my laziness is by acknowledging that I'm really not a great writer. I know my parents strongly disagree with that statement but 1) they aren't reading really great stuff so they don't have a benchmark from which to judge, and 2) they're my parents.

Last night I attended a book reading with Anne Lamott. Anne is a great writer. Not classic literature great, but turn of phrase, rich and relateable great. If you're not familiar with her, Anne is a Christian writer. Sort of. I think she only "came out" as a Christian about 20 years ago, but she was on the path for quite a while before that. Before that, she was also an alcoholic, drug user, hippy enclave-living, dreadlock-wearing college-dropout in California. She's still wearing the dreads and living in California, but she's clean and sober now and considerably older and wiser.

What I love about Anne's writing is the purity of it. The complete honesty and lack of pretense. And her remarkable sense of humor. What she puts on paper most of us can respond to with "Oh yeah, been there." Well before it was fashionable to do so, she was confessing that sometimes we moms hate being moms. Oh yeah, been there. My friend Andria explained that Anne's book Operating Instructions: A Journal of My Son's First Year helped her tremendously as a new mom. As she put it, "If Anne's child survived all the mistakes she made, I should be fine." Basically, this woman makes you feel better about yourself--all your weaknesses, fears, failings, doubts, etc. When you read her books you realize you're not quite as messed up as you thought you were. Or, if you are, you're not alone. It's probably the same reaction you have when reading my blog. A sense of relief that someone out there is crazier than you.

In her slightly absent-minded, stream-of-consciousness talk last night, Anne endeared herself to a sold-out audience who laughed heartily and nodded their heads in agreement with this woman whom the Christian Right, the Evangelicals, and the Born-Agains would likely find offensive.While Anne calls herself a Christian and believes in God and the resurrected Jesus, she doesn't try to sell it. She doesn't claim an understanding of theology (in fact, some might find hers "loose" at best) or any book smarts when it comes to "religion." She doesn't preach and doesn't appreciate many of those who do, particularly those on a stage with an 800-member chorus. She doesn't care whether you call yourself a Christian or if you pray to Harold, as in "Our Father, who art in heaven, Harold be thy name," or Phil (her personal preference). For Anne it's about recognizing there's someone whose love for us is greater than we can ever imagine. That there's someone for whom we are perfect exactly as we are. That the grace we have been given is what saves us. This quote from her last night really resonated with me: "All we can know is who holds the future, not what the future holds."

Anne spent a good bit of time last evening explaining the blessings of age. She's 58 now and she accepts that her arms will not improve and that her reflection from the iPad screen may actually frighten her from time to time  And she finds amusement in us 40-somethings who still think we can fix ourselves. She explains "The grace of getting older is getting you back." You start savoring time because you realize how vulnerable you are. She confirms that we must indeed "be present to win" in this life, and that everything we need, we already have.

Anne's newest book, Help, Thanks, Wow, does not appear to be a particularly meaty book or one that more "seasoned" Christians may need for their spiritual development, but whether you call yourself a person of faith or not, I highly recommend checking out her earlier titles:

• Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith
• Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith
• Grace Eventually: Thoughts on Faith

I can practically guarantee that within the first five pages she'll have you hooked by her raw honesty, her sense of humor, and her spirit. Give her a read and let me know what you think.

 

 

When Fantasy in Film Goes Awry: An Entertainment Review

In the past couple weeks I’ve consumed a good deal of entertainment in the form of books and movies. I also seem to have consumed a good deal of wine, though the two may not in any way be related.

Given that I have nothing particularly fascinating or disturbing to write about (really, once you cover shaving your nose and dropping socks in the toilet, what else is there?), I thought I’d provide you with one of my official/professional/authoritative movie review posts.  From here you can decide what to see this weekend. Cause really, my opinion means everything to you, right?

A failed experiment

I started off my movie blitz last week with Hope Springs, the troubled marriage flick starring  the incomparable Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones. I invited my boss to see it with me after work. This is rather like watching a movie with your mom, only to have an embarrassing sex scene pop up. Luckily, Laura and I both laugh easily which masked any discomfort we may have felt. But about the movie, it was good if slightly disturbing. Disturbing in that, if you’re married, you can see (relate?) to how easily your relationship can fall apart. It reminds you of just how much work is required to keep a marriage strong, intimate, and rewarding. Still, despite the heaviness of that message, there are plenty of good laughs and the usual happy ending. It’s also fun seeing Steve Carrell play a serious role. I adore him. Just seems like someone you’d want to have a beer with, doesn’t he?

We’ll give "Hope Springs" 2.5 out of 4 stars.

After "Hope Springs" my movie choices became notably less realistic. Perhaps a subconscious decision on my part?

Trippy fun, for a little while

While in Dedham, MA for my brain scan, I decided to take in a movie. (I have no qualms about going to the movies solo. Must be the introvert in me.)  I selected Ruby Sparks, an indie film that I knew I’d have trouble selling to my usual movie partners. As described in the synopsis on IMDb, "Ruby Sparks" is about a young novelist struggling with writer's block who finds romance in a most unusual way: by creating a female character he thinks will love him, then willing her into existence.  Sounds kinda fun and trippy, right?

It had its moments, but actually veered into dark territory. And ultimately it went with the standard happy ending.  I get that people go to the movies to escape reality where endings are all too often unhappy, but sometimes for a movie to really work, the writers should refuse to bow to the pressure and make the ending legitimate. If not unhappy, then at least vague and uncertain. Maybe that’s just me. Anyway, I’d say this one is worth a look for the unique story line, but wait for the video.

"Ruby Sparks" earns 2 out of 4 stars.

Ricky Gervais with his 10 Commandments

On the train ride home from Boston I popped in a video I’d borrowed from a friend: The Invention of Lying. Great title. Great concept. Great cast including Jennifer Garner, Ricky Gervais, Rob Lowe, Tina Fey Jonah Hill, and other fairly big name celebs. So why hadn’t I ever heard of it? Has anyone heard of it?

"The Invention of Lying" is a comedy set in a world where no one has ever lied, until a writer (Gervais) stumbles upon it and seizes the opportunity for personal gain. The blunt honesty of the dialogue makes it wry and cynical, a rather black comedy. 

Especially interesting to Christians with a sense of humor, the movie "explains" the origin of God and His ultimate control as well as the concept of Heaven and Hell. Translation: Christianity is a lie, pure fiction. Not surprising content given that outspoken atheist Ricky Gervais also wrote the movie.

If you’re not easily offended by sacrilegious material, I really recommend this one. It’s definitely funny. I give it 3 stars out of 4.

Timothy Green being, well, odd.

Finally, in the company of Rob and Abby I finished out last weekend with The Odd Life of Timothy Green. Let’s just say they got the title correct. “Odd” it is. I’m usually a sucker for these feel-good flicks, and I’m a big Jennifer Garner fan (I know she’s the only reason my husband was willing to see it), but this one left me flat. As described on IMBd: “A childless couple bury a box in their backyard, containing all of their wishes for an infant. Soon, a child is born, though Timothy Green is not all that he appears.”

SPOILER ALERT: The kid comes out of the ground and he’s got leaves on his legs and when all the leaves fall off… It can be a traumatic ending for young viewers.

I have a problem with the combination of reality and fantasy. I generally want mine straight up, either-or. This particular mix came off as hokie. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood. Maybe the mix of fantasy and reality in "Ruby Sparks" had pushed me over the edge.

NOTE: The exception to this rule is "Field of Dreams." And science fiction doesn’t count cause there really could be aliens like ET.

Timothy Green gets 1.5 stars out of 4.

So there you have it. Four movies, none of which you need to rush out to see this weekend. Which in hindsight makes this post rather pointless in the short term.

In order to end on a more positive note, allow me to whole-heartedly recommend two books I've recently read:

The Irresistible Henry House by Lisa Grunwald, which I gave 4 out of 5 stars on GoodReads.com, and The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey by Walter Mosley. I'm not quite finished with it, but barring an awful ending, it's also on its way to 4 out of 5 stars.

That's all, folks. I'm off to my happy place tomorrow! Enjoy your weekend!

Between the Covers

Well, it's a new year. Technically. However, I refuse to accept 2012 until everyone is healthy and happy around here. Abby's been sick since 12/31/11 so we're just going to pretend the new year hasn't begun because I am determined to start off on the right foot.

Since it's not yet 2012 I can still fit in my final entertainment review for 2011. You've read my thoughts on fall's new television programs* and Hollywood's slim pickins'. Now it's time for the Year in Books. Please note that these titles were not necessarily published in 2011, I just happened to read them in this calendar year.

It was a pretty good book year for me. At the beginning of 2011, Goodreads, the book lover website, asked its members to challenge themselves to read a specific number of books for the year. I aimed for 25 and amazingly hit 24! And if Abby doesn't feel better soon, there's a good chance I'll get #25 in, too. I'm reading Hoot aloud to her.

Without further ado, here is my top 10 list of books read in 2011:

1. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. How is it I never read this beautiful book before? Francie Nolan may be one of the most inspiring female characters ever. I was consistently moved by her ability to acknowledge reality but find the beauty and hope in everything around her and everything that was to come. Loved it!
2. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer. A heartrenching reminder of those left behind on 9/11/01 and those who have survived history's other tragedies. The movie opens soon.
3. Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby. Not a crowd favorite, but something about this book really appealed to me. I think it was the ironic and sarcastic nature of some of the characters. I could relate. I liked it so much I dedicated an entire post to it!
4. The Help by Kathryn Stockett. You've undoubtedly heard enough about this terrific book. I think what I appreciated most was the glimpse into this incredibly ugly period in very recent American history. I still can't believe how cruely human beings are capable of treating each other.
5. The Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. This novel about Japanese Americans during World War II also served as a painful history lesson. Ditto what I said above about my disbelief that humans can be so cruel.
6. Jesus, My Father, the CIA and Me by Ian Morgan Cron. Though considered to be a "Christian book," without hesitation I would recommend it to the heathens among us anyone. The author's honesty, humor, and grace made this book one of the most special I have read in a long time.
7. The Likeness by Tana French. I became a big Tana French fan with her first book, In the Woods. Psychological thrillers are not usually my thing, but I really enjoy her. Or I did until her book Faithful Place disappointed me.
8. The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins. A brilliant and captivating story with fully developed and engaging characters. Just plain old fun reading. Can't wait for the movie!
9. House Rules by Jodi Picoult. I'll be honest. I thought I was too good for Jodi Picoult. I thought she was a little too "light" for an advanced reader book snob like me. But lo and behold, I enjoyed House Rules. A compelling and obviously well-researched story involving a boy with autism.
10. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld. A good, easy read supposedly based on the life of Laura Bush. The only thing that bothered me was that I kept wondering which parts were really based on her life experiences and which were total fiction.

There were a few recently popular books that I just didn't enjoy as much as the rest of reading America. These included:

• The Borrower by Rebecca Makkai
• Maine by Courtney Sullivan
• The Priviliges by Jonathan Dee
• Labor Day by Joyce Maynard

For a complete look at my 2011 (and earlier) reads, join me on Goodreads. It's a great site for keeping in touch with fellow book lovers, reading their reviews, and establishing your own book lists. My "to-read" list is at 152. I set my goal for 2012 at 30, so I'll barely be putting a dent into that ever-growing list of mine.

Can't wait to hear what you've read in the past year, and what you thought of those you've read on my list!

*Missing from my new fall programming television list was "The New Girl" with Zooey D. I didn't plan on watching it because Zooey annoys me. Didn't like her in "500 Days of Summer," didn't figure I'd like her on television either. Turns out, "The New Girl" is probably my favorite television show. Very funny. Check it out!

Read 'Em and Weep?

I work in publishing. I know how difficult it is to get published. I know it's even more difficult to actually sell significant copies of your book if you do get published. With more than 250,000 new titles being released every year (in the U.S. alone), standing out from the crowd is no easy task. That's partly why I have made no real attempt to write my own. That, and my friend Emily never set a time for me to work on it. (You'll recall I require external motivation.)

Right now I find myself in the interesting--and new--position of being asked to review someone's book. Not someone who is publishing with us (Judson Press). Not a friend. Not even a no-name author self-publishing his literary masterpiece. I have been sent an advance reader copy of a Christian fiction book from FaithWords, the Christian imprint of Hachette Book Group USA, a major U.S. publisher. The author is a blogger whose posts I really enjoy. This will be his second book. His first, also Christian fiction, did very well. 

Frankly, I was a little surprised to receive a review copy of his upcoming book. I did offer to participate in his blog tour, but figured with a blog titled "Freakin' Angels" and my let-it-all hang-out content, a Christian writer might stay away from a not-always-appropriate Christian like me. But they're gutsy at those big NYC publishing houses, so I received the book with a letter asking me for a review.

I have now spent a couple weeks reading this book and I'm about one-third of the way into it. And I don't love it. But I don't hate it either. Frankly, I don't care about it, and the opposite of love isn't hate but indifference. When your writing doesn't move readers in some way, they're not going to discuss it with others and word of mouth is the very best way to sell books.

I am frustrated and disappointed in this, my first book review experience. Here's an author whose blog posts never fail to inspire me and engage me emotionally and spiritually. But his book has left me cold. I don't particularly care for the characters. The writing is pretty average. The setting in no way appeals to me. It appears that his blog writing skills don't translate into equally compelling fiction.


Right now I'm sure some kind, considerate, and less critical soul is saying, "Maybe it's just not your style." "Maybe you're not the target audience." "Do you even like Christian fiction as a genre?" "Perhaps you'll like this book by the end so you shouldn't judge it so harshly now." Those are all legitimate points.

So here's my dilemma. Assuming I don't care for the book if/when I finish it. Do I:

• Write an honest and objective review, highlighting the good, noting the weaknesses, acknowledging my biases?
• Write a positive review only focusing on what was good about the book and who it will appeal to?
• Not write a review at all?

No pressure, but I'm eagerly awaiting your advice...

Note: I purposely have not shared the name of the author or the title of the book. I want to first decide if I'm willing to be public about my feelings for it.

Getting Naked and Cheating

Last night I finished reading my first e-book, and I have a confession to make. I really liked reading on my iPad. I didn't want to, honestly. It seems sacrilegious, given my career in publishing and the fact that I practically worship at the alter of my bookcase. There's something about a book--holding it, turning the pages, looking at the pictures, seeing it waiting for me on a a shelf--that makes me all aflutter. But it's undeniable that the e-book thing has its advantages.

Bonus points: Tell me what you see
in this book cover image.

The e-book with which I cheated on all my printed books was Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby. I loved this book. As much as a I read it's still relatively rare that I will wake up thinking about a book I just finished. Today I woke up at 5:00 a.m. (damn cat), and found myself thinking about the joy that was Juliet, Naked. Okay, that didn't come out right, but you know what I mean.

If you've ever seen the movies High Fidelity or About a Boy, you know something of Nick Hornby's style. I'd describe it as a superior combination of bright, witty, ironic, and altogether human. Laugh-out-loud funny at times, while painfully real. He creates amazingly engaging and flawed characters.

In Juliet, Naked we meet Duncan and Annie, two fairly colorless individuals who have been living together without passion or, perhaps even love, for 15 years. Home is the lifeless seaside English town of Gooleness. Perhaps so named because it rhymes with, but is the opposite of, "coolness." For their entire relationship, Annie has played second fiddle to Duncan's adoration and obsession with Tucker Crowe, a reclusive only-moderately-successful rocker described as a combination of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Leonard Cohen. More than 20 years ago, Tucker abruptly disappeared from the music scene, leaving a small cult following behind. The discovery of an unreleased album (Juliet, Naked) which Annie boldly (and negatively) reviews on the Tucker Crowe fan website, starts in motion a chain reaction which brings these three together with life-changing and thought-provoking results.

If you want to be entertained in a smart, thoughtful way, this is the book for your summer reading. Pick up Juliet, Naked. (And stop thinking about picking up Juliet, naked. Do you even know a Juliet? Who's named Juliet these days?)