Motherland: A Memoir of Love, Loathing, and Longing by Elissa Altman

Last weekend, my mother, sister and niece drove up from Los Angeles to visit me. My mother brought me quart of fresh split pea soup from Art’s Deli, a half a loaf of thinly sliced rye bread and a brand-new Calvin Klein purse she bought but happened not to like now. I felt extremely grateful for all three things, and the visit from my family. At times we laughed so hard during the weekend that we couldn’t catch our breath, as tears rolled down our eyes. I felt so close to my mom, which was not the case when I was a teenager. When I was younger, we fought so often that my dad was delegated to the role of referee. He told his secretary to accept any screaming phone calls from me that were made to the Paramount lot. Mother-daughter relationships can be complicated. Elissa Altman’s memoir “Motherland” explores the author’s relationship with her own mother Rita, a makeup-loving former television singer. Altman, an award-winning author and food writer, felt she had survived a turbulent childhood in the 1970s with her flamboyant mother, only to be rewarded by a loving, calm relationship in Connecticut with her wife of 20 years. Through time and therapy, Altman distanced herself from her mother and felt independent in the healthiest of ways. However, everything changes for the author when her mother takes a fall and becomes dependent on her daughter. Old wounds are opened as Altman struggles to address her mother’s caregiving and financial issues. One of my favorite writers Dani Shapiro said about this book, “Elissa Altman is a beautiful, big-hearted writer who mines her most central subject: her gorgeous, tempestuous, difficult mother and the terrain of their shared life. The result is a testament to the power of love and family.” The 15-year-old me would never have been able to co-write a book with my mother. Happily, we published “One Way Ticket To L.A.” in 2021, now available on Amazon. To buy Altman’s book on Amazon click here. And to buy my mom’s book on Amazon please click here.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

When I was in high school, living in the San Fernando Valley, my parents bought a beach house in Malibu. As the oldest child of three, I was the first one to raise the red flag. “Why do we need a second home?! Who is this for?! What do we need a vacation house so close to our own home for?!” I was bossy that way, back then. At first, the beach house in Malibu felt strange and unnecessary, but soon it quickly became essential and enlivening. In Malibu, the air felt clean, the people dressed in a breezy manner, the house paint was whiter, and even the stores had an elegant simplicity. There was one supermarket, one movie theatre and one great Italian restaurant where everyone went. As we drove into town every weekend in my parents’ station wagon, we could hear the sound and the smell of the ocean along the Pacific Coast Highway. This is the world of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s new book “Malibu Rising.” Previously Reid wrote “Daisy Jones and the Six,” one of my favorite books of 2019. “Malibu Rising” follows a similar vein, exploring the complexities of blending fame with family. The story centers around the four children of rock star Mick Riva, who are left on their own to raise themselves when their mother and father prove they do not have the skills to do so. Nina, Hud, Jay and Kit manage to stay out of foster care and instead form a family filled with love and surfing. As much as they look toward the future, however, they are constantly reminded of the past and their father’s many infidelities. “Malibu Rising” is a family saga set against the rocky waves of the legendary beach town. The perfect novel to read on the beach, lake or river this summer. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo by Amy Schumer

There are some virtual friends I made during the pandemic, and many of them I have decided to keep. Those friends include Amanda Kloots, Glennon Doyle, and this special woman, Amy Schumer. Early on, I watched all the episodes of “Amy Schumer Learns to Cook,” a series featuring her loving husband, Chris Fischer, shot by their nanny while their son Gene napped. Then I watched the three-party HBO series “Expecting Amy,” which was riveting.  Every minute of that HBO series kept me glued. I then read her memoir: “The Girl with The Lower Back Tattoo,” which was published in 2016. You can follow Amy’s projects in any order, but what is the biggest take away for me is how fascinating she is; so larger-than-life, and yet down-to-earth. This book is a collection of essays about her life as a comedian, writer and actress. Growing up she found herself in a lot of pain, stemming from her parent’s divorce, her mother’s affair with her best friend’s dad, her dad’s diagnosis of MS, and her family’s bankruptcy. As a teenager, she started journaling to help cope, document and make sense of the drama she saw in her family. Later when she became a comedian, she turned some of this pain into humor, which is what makes her work so vulnerable and successful. There is pivotal moment in the HBO series in which she goes on stage, very pregnant and uncomfortable, but continues to give an incredible performance, despite her morning sickness. You know from this moment on she is funny, she is talented, but more than anything else, she is incredibly strong to the core. And good news for us: She is only getting started. This is her first book but not her last book. I suggest you run toward anything with Amy Schumer’s name on it. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Eat A Peach by David Change

I am currently obsessed with the celebrity chef David Chang, which is curious because I have never eaten at one of his restaurants. I first heard him interviewed on my favorite new podcast "Smartless" with Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes. From that, I watched two seasons of Chang's Netflix series "Ugly Delicious," which is wonderful. In the series, he is honest, funny, open, and his passion for food and its origins are infectious. He is the antithesis of “snooty,” and even has appreciation for Domino’s Pizza. I followed up the series by reading Chang’s memoir "Eat a Peach," which was just the perfect complement to the podcast and the series. If you are a foodie, you probably already know that Chang is not only a chef but also a restaurant mogul. In 2004, he opened a noodle restaurant called Momofuku in New York's East Village. By 2018, he owned more than 15 restaurants around the world, including Ko which received two Michelin stars and Milk Bar, Momofuku's bakery. How he became a successful chef is as important as his accomplishments. He grew up in Virginia, the son of Korean immigrants, and his dad wanted him to become a golf pro. When that dream did not pan out, Chang went to college but was plagued by feelings of anxiety, depression, suicide and isolation. After college he convinced his father to loan him money to open a restaurant, which seemed an unlikely venture. His ramen bowls and pork buns soon attracted a cult following, and his interest in food dove tailed into an incredibly successful business. His career was sweetened later by the addition of his wife Grace, and young son Hugo. I loved readying "Eat A Peach," and hope to try one of his ramen bowls on day, too. Chang’s story demonstrates that life can be, at times, very difficult. But finding a passion for something you love, being tenacious and working very hard at that job, sometimes can pay off victoriously. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

Widowish by Melissa Gould

My idea of a beach read is not exactly in line with most people’s idea of a good book to read on vacation. My dream book is one that I can read in one or two days, and one that grips ahold of me, does not let go, and in some way opens my eyes, or changes my life forever. This is not a small job for a book, I understand. But my close friends know what I like, so when Page suggested I stop everything and read “Widowish” by Melissa Gould, I knew immediately that I should take it to our getaway at the Russian River. “Widowish” is the true story of how Melissa, a talented television writer whose credits include “Beverly Hills, 90201,” “Party of Five,” and “Lizzie McGuire,” became a widow in her 40’s. A few years into their marriage, Melissa and her husband Joel had a young daughter, and shortly after he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. At first the diagnosis seemed not to be the end of the world, but just a new situation to manage. Joel, a recreational athlete, often became frustrated with his loss of arm and leg coordination, but again this diagnosis did not seem fatal. They were a family, they loved each other and they both had fulfilling careers. There was hope and positivity until, on a family vacation in Mexico, Joel came home not feeling well and was quickly hospitalized. When his situation grew grave, Melissa had to convince her own parents, and Joel’s parents, to support her decision to take Joel off life support. He was not dying from MS, but rather from a virus he contracted in Mexico or Los Angeles. After, Joel’s death at age 50, Melissa is left to raiser their daughter alone, and figure out how to wear the label of  “young widow” without falling apart. She embarks on a journey of grief, sadness, love and healing that is beautifully written. She does not have all the answers, she is heartbroken over the death of her husband, but she knows she must find a way to uncover joy again, not only for herself but also for their daughter. “Widowish” might not be on every beach chair this summer, but I hope it finds a place under a few umbrellas. It offers a testament to how one can survive loss, rebound and recover at a young age. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Face It by Debbie Harry

I love how books find me. My friend Larry answered a trivia question at his gym, and won this book. He then gave it to me because he knows memoir is my most passionate book genre. What he did not know is that my favorite movie as a teenager was Richard Gere’s “American Gigolo,” in which Blondie performed the movie’s theme song, “Call Me.” So, for many reasons I was thrilled to dive into “Face It,” Harry’s account of her life and rise to fame in one of the most iconic punk rock pop bands of the 1970s. Born Angela Tremble, Harry’s mother gave her up for adoption when she was just three months old, and she was raised by a couple in Hawthorne, New Jersey. She grew up as a tomboy who always felt different and never fit in. She knew if she could only get to New York City that she would have shot at a more exciting life. When she landed in the East Village at just 20 years old, her life began to take off. Watching the Velvet Underground and Janis Joplin perform, she began crafting a musical career of her own. In 1974, she and her boyfriend Chris Stein formed the band, Blondie. Their bohemian life found them barely making ends meet while also schmoozing with the likes of Andy Warhol, Iggy Pop and David Bowie. Her book is full of tales of fires, drugs, drag queens, movie stars and fashion, and through it all she remains ambitious, tough, and steady in the face of all the highs and lows that come with being a rock star. “My Blondie character was an inflatable doll but with a dark, provocative, aggressive side. I was playing it up but yet I was very serious.” Now at age 75, Harry is a music legend and survivor, who was welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. “Face it” includes dozens of fan art pictures that she has collected over the years. Her memoir offers an excellent glimpse into the punk rock pop world, and also a peek into the heart of a little girl who dreamed of starting a band in New York City.   To buy this book on Amazon please click here.

The Searcher by Tana French

Ever since Jeff and I returned from our cross-country road trip I have been bitten by the travel bug. I wake up in the morning and busily type different destinations into Expedia and wait to see what hotels pop up. I then go to bed at night manically trolling Travelocity and Kayak for cheap flights to every destination I can think of. So, when my friend Lilian recently said, “I just read this book and it makes me want to move to Ireland.” I quickly said, “What book?! I want to go to Ireland, too.” It was then that she introduced me to my first Tana French book. “The Searcher” is her latest work and it centers around a retired American detective named Cal Hooper. When his 25 years on the force comes to an end, as does his marriage, he moves to a remote village in Ireland. His goal is to fix up a run-down cottage that he has purchased, and hike the mountains in order to forget the life he left behind. This is a nice idea, but things in this quaint Irish village are not as sleepy as they seem. When a 13-year-old youth named Trey asks Hooper for help finding his beloved missing brother, the retired cop balks at the idea. However, Hooper soon becomes fascinated by the fact that no one else in the small town is concerned about this missing boy, least of all the police. His instincts as a cop, which he thought were dormant, quickly spring back to life again. But the more Hooper investigates the case, the more obstacles he confronts. Finishing this book certainly made me want to read more of French’s work. I was wondering how this book compared with her other novels, and I found my answer in the pages of the New York Times. Critic Janet Maslin said of The Searcher, “It’s an outlier: not her most assessable but not to be missed.” I’m certainly glad I read it and look forward to traveling with a French story in my bag again soon. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Vera by Carol Edgarian

I had lived in San Francisco only two months when the 1989 earthquake hit. I was on the second floor of an office building on the corner of Geary and Grant. As people flooded into the streets following the quake, the air was filled at first with fear, but quickly transformed into an incredible community. The days and months that followed that camaraderie grew even stronger, and that is one of the reasons I have never left this small city. It measures just seven miles by seven miles. In 1989, I would not help but think about the pictures I had seen from San Francisco's 1906 earthquake, and this is the territory of Carol Edgarian's latest novel "Vera." Edgarian, author of "Rise the Euphrates" and "Three Stages of Amazement," is not only a writer but also co-founder, editor and publisher of "Narrative Magazine.” I have known Carol for more than 20 years, and "Vera" is a shining example of what a talented, soulful writer she is. "Vera" is the coming-of-age story of a 15-year-old girl, an illegitimate daughter of Rose, a notorious proprietor of San Francisco's legendary bordello. Vera has grown up skating between her mother's dark yet glamorous world and the quiet domestic life of the family who is raising her. Vera's worlds collide the morning of the tragic 1906 earthquake. With many of the city's building destroyed and a fire threatening the rest of the town, Vera and her sister Pie set out on foot, determined to survive. Like the 1989 emergence that came after it, Vera and Pie begin to bond with a group of rag-tag survivors as they try to put their lives back together again. The work of fiction includes many of San Francisco's real-life colorful characters of the time including tenor Enrico Caruso, indicted mayor Eugene Schmitz, boss Abe Ruef and tabloid celebrity Alma Spreckels. "Vera" demonstrates how a catastrophe can not only make people stronger, but also it can bring them together. I highly recommend this historical novel that so beautifully captures the spirit of Vera and our city by the bay. You can buy this book from your local book shop or on Amazon by clicking here.

One Way Ticket to L.A.: How a Nurse from Ohio Found Love in Hollywood

In honor of Mother’s Day and in celebration of National Nurses Week, we are pleased to announce the publication of “One Way Ticket To L.A.” by our new imprint Sarah Street Press. For those of you who know my mother and for those of you who don’t know her, this will be a fascinating read. We worked hard to capture her life the way it has been lived. She is not a glass-half-empty kind of person, nor is she a glass-half -full kind of person. Every day her glass is overflowing with water and sometimes even champagne. My mom and I were sitting at Nopa one night having dinner with my husband Jeff, and we were trying to find a title. After several near misses, Jeff looked right at us and said “One Way Ticket to L.A.” I smiled because it was the perfect title for our manuscript. From the time Barbara was a little girl she knew she had to get out of Ohio, she just didn’t know how. After a grade-school teacher helped her pinpoint nursing as a solid profession, she scraped together the money to attend. When her wedding to her high school boyfriend was abruptly cancelled, she seized the opportunity to leave Cincinnati and move to Los Angeles with her best friend, Donna. It was in Hollywood that she met a fast-talking comedy writer from the Bronx named Garry Marshall. She knew almost immediately that she had met her husband, found her city, and would become a trailblazing nurse opening the first intensive care unit at Cedar’s Hospital. Together Garry and Barbara built a marriage that lasted 53 years and was one of the most respected unions in Hollywood. The couple went on to travel the world, work with stars like Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks and Julie Andrews, and meet three U.S. Presidents. “One-Way Ticket to L.A.” is a tale of two successful lives, well lived and well played. Barbara’s stories center around the themes of loyalty, hard work, dedication, and, most of all love. For more information, please visit our website at www.Sarahstreetpress.com. This book is now available on Amazon or through your local book seller. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Who is Maud Dixon? by Alexandra Andrews

I am an excellent multi-tasker. On work days, I listen to an audio book on my lunch time walk around Larkspur Landing. I read out loud to Jeff from a book when we drive into the city to my apartment. I listen to a novel on my phone when I do the laundry, and on Monday nights when I take out the recycling. And, I even have a book handy to read when I am going through the car wash. I want no time wasted when I can squeeze in a good book. So, it is rare that I find a book that makes me actually stop what I am doing, sit down and read it without distraction. “Who is Maud Dixon?” by Alexandra Andrews is that rare kind of book that took a hold of me, and would not let me go. I think I read it in two days because it was that thrilling. I hesitate to describe anything too specific about the book because what begins as a work of fiction turns into a thriller. But imagine this scenario: Florence Darrow, 26, dreams of becoming a famous writer while working as an editorial, entry-level-assistant at an East Coast publishing house. While she is waiting for her big break, she is presented with the opportunity to become the personal assistant to Maud Dixon, the pseudonym for an anonymous author with one popular, best-seller under her belt. Think J.D. Salinger. The author’s real name is Helen Wilcox, and she is having trouble writing her latest novel. In order to offer Helen some support, her agent hires Florence and moves her into Helen’s house with the goal to get Helen to complete her new manuscript, which is a top-secret project. When Helen explains to Florence that a trip to Morocco is essential research for the new book, Florence is thrilled. She feels that with Helen as her mentor, she can achieve her dreams of becoming a celebrated author. Florence, having never been out of the country before, sees this as the trip of a lifetime and a golden opportunity. Things seems to be going well until Helen goes missing. Overnight, the fairy tale of Maud Dixon and Florence Darrow heads into dark and dangerous waters. I found “Who is Maud Dixon?” to be a fascinating read, that kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

"Happiness Becomes You: A Guide to Changing Your Life for Good" by Tina Turner

If you have not seen the HBO documentary “Tina” about the life of Tina Turner, it is a must. You might have heard her story before, but this documentary shows her life as a true triumph. With never-before-seen footage, the documentary combs through her early years of trauma and survival, and follows her to the heights of Rock ‘n’ Roll fame. A nice compliment to the documentary is this new book: “Happiness Becomes You: A Guide to Changing Your Life for Good” written by Turner, and published in December 2020. Providing examples from her own life, Turner explains how she has benefited from practicing Buddhism since 1973. She details, specifically, how chanting has helped elevate her from moments of despair, adversity, and poverty, to joy, stability and prosperity. At 81-years-old and still a rock icon, Turner certainly demonstrates the benefits of inner peace and a thoughtful, meditation practice.  She has written two other books “I Tina” (1986) and “My Love Story” (2018), and has been quite open about her abusive marriage to Ike Turner, as well as her suicide attempt, stroke and battle with stomach cancer. One can only imagine how she found the strength to survive such a hard life in which she has said herself, the good did not outweigh the bad. “Happiness Becomes You” seems to reveal that no matter what kind of life you are given, you do the best you can, and prayer is not only comforting but strengthening. You can’t help but smile when you watch Turner sing and dance. That sight is a spiritual experience all by itself. Maybe we can all benefit by adding some chanting and gratitude into our daily routines. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

One To Watch by Kate Stayman-London

So, Colton is gay. I didn’t see that one coming. But then again that is what makes the “Bachelor” and “Bachelorette” shows so interesting to watch. These are not actors but real people who, while looking for love, are also experiencing fame, many for the first time. The franchise is also realizing that they can’t continue to produce the show in the same cookie-cutter formula they have been doing for years. The show needs to grow, mature, expand and become more inclusive across the board. “One To Watch” by Kate Stayman-London is fictional account of a stylish, plus-size, fashion blogger named Bea. When she is not entertaining her legions of Instagram followers, she and her friends watch their favorite show “Main Squeeze,” a reality dating show much like “Bachelor” and “Bachelorette.” Watching all the size O women on the show, however, frustrates Bea and makes her scold the show for its lack of body diversity, and lament her own poor dating card. After her most recent broken heart, Bea has nearly sworn off dating until she gets a call from a producer on “Main Squeeze” wanting her to star in the upcoming season. Bea cannot deny that her appearance on the show will help boost her fame as a blogger. But at the same time, she is fearful of putting her heart on her sleeve. She decides to make a compromise: she will agree to go on the show, but personally not fall in love. She will simply commit to the experience and enjoy the sexy suitors, fancy couture outfits and free hot air balloon rides, without opening her heart. The best laid plans, however, are not often possible. When Bea finds herself falling for more than one of the potential suitors, she must decide if love is worth risking everything after all. Like all good romantic comedies, “One To Watch” has plenty of twists and turns, and was truly a delightful read. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby

How do I even begin to describe the comedian and author Samantha Irby. If David Sedaris is sassy, Irby is sassier. If Anne Lamott’s words are soulful, Irby’s seem to radiate even higher. And if Glennon Doyle runs toward sad, awful days, Irby takes those bad days, looks them in the eye and kicks them right out the door. “Wow, No Thank You” is Irby’s fourth book and a collection of essays about aging, marriage and settling down. Much like her blog, “bitches gotta eat,” she writes personal stories about her struggle with Crohn’s disease, arthritis, depression, eating and sex. At only 41 years old her perspective on life seems wise beyond her years. In 2016, she married her partner Kirsten Jennings and the two now live in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with Irby’s two step-children. After growing up in Evanston, Illinois, and later working as the receptionist in a veterinarian clinic, Irby has now given up that job to write full time following her success. In this collection, she turns her keen eye on her life in Michigan while also going back and forth to Hollywood to take meetings about future projects. She spends weekends in Los Angeles meeting with “skinny, luminous people” while being a “cheese fry-eating slightly damp Midwestern person” with neck pain and no cartilage in her knees. She just twists a phrase like nobody’s business, and she makes me laugh out loud. While she is friends with the writer Roxane Gay, just be sure not to confuse the two. In the review section of Goodreads, Gay wrote a comment praising Irby’s book and how she is baffled when people confuse the two writers. “She’s awesome. I am decent. We look nothing alike! There is more than one big black writer with tattoos,” write Gay. They are both amazing in my eyes, and I can’t wait to read what they publish next. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.

One Life by Megan Rapinoe

In the summer of 2011 when I started dating Jeff, I would drive to his rental house in Fairfax where we would make pesto tortellini, drink Firefly Chardonnay and watch women’s soccer on his new, very large television. He said the big screen TV was a divorce present to himself, and I love people who treat themselves to divorce presents. Mine was a pair of $120 Bed Head leopard pajamas that I thought were just fabulous. So, when Jeff and I would sit on his couch eating the tortellini, in those hot summer days of 2011, he would always turn on women’s soccer. When he asked if I liked women’s soccer, I lied and said, “Of course I do! I’m such a big fan of the sport.” The truth was I had never seen a single women’s soccer match. As we watched the Women’s World Cup that summer, I tried to educate myself on the sport. The woman to watch was the fast and fearless super athlete with dyed pink hair, Megan Rapinoe. “One Life” by Rapinoe is her story about how a young woman from Redding, California, became an Olympic gold medalist, and two-time Women’s World Cup champion. In  2019, she was awarded Sports Illustrated Magazine’s Sportsperson of the Year, and then FIFA Women’s Player of the Year. She grew up in a loving family as the youngest of six kids with her twin Rachel, a mom who was a waitress at the local steak house and a dad who worked construction. When they were just six years old, Megan and Rachel started playing on soccer on teams with boys. Their parents would drive them all over the state to compete. College took them to Portland where their world opened up for the first time. We get to see how soccer catapulted Rapinoe to fame but also held her back financially. She quickly became an advocate and fought for equal pay, and an activist for LGBTQ rights. Her career has had highs and lows, and even controversy. In 2016, when she followed the lead of NFL player Colin Kaepernick and took a knee during the national anthem to protest racial justice and police brutality, she faced alienation from some fans and the media. The criticism only made her fight harder for her beliefs. From her early affair with one of my favorite soccer players Abby Wambach to her long-time relationship with basketball- superstar Sue Bird, this book is a page-turner. I am now a big fan of Rapinoe and admire that she continues to fight for justice and equality every day. To buy this book on Amazon please click here.

The Last Story of Mina Lee by Nancy Jooyoun Kim

Tuesday at 5:40 pm my daughter, Charlotte, called me from Atlanta and said, “The app on my phone just sent me an alert that a man has shot several women at a spa just a few miles from my apartment.” Now this is the daughter who survived a military coup in Ethiopia, so I do not routinely worry about her safety, but this news made me pause. I quickly googled the developing story in Atlanta and discovered the majority of victims shot by the 21-year-old man were, in fact, women of Asian descent. This was not just a white man who had had a “bad day,” but rather this spree had all the markings of a calculated hate crime. In response to the shootings, my friend Broadway director Jerry Mitchell quoted Martin Luther King, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” How do we react to this horrific crime?  Here are some suggestions from The Skimm: Report hate crimes to Stop AAPI Hate, educate yourself on the history of discrimination, support AAPI businesses, get involved at your work, or in your community, to support diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. I would also suggest reading more books by Asian authors. “The Last Story of Mina Lee” is a haunting mother-daughter story. The story begins on the day that 26-year-old Margot Lee finds her mother dead on the floor of her apartment in L.A.’s Koreatown. The death is suspicious, and leaves Margot wanting answers. She must comb through her mother’s early life in America, as a Korean War orphan and undocumented immigrant, who stocked shelves at a local supermarket. Margot discovers that her mother was hiding a secret love story that Mina was never able to share with Margot. The novel weaves together the two stories of the mother and daughter who both fought for hope and love, in the face of great grief and loss. Suspenseful, moving and timely, this book is an important examination of the Korean- American experience. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Nancy Jooyoun Kim is a graduate of UCLA and the University of Washington, Seattle. Her essays and short fiction have appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Guernica, NPR/PRI's Selected Shorts, The Rumpus, Electric Literature, Asian American Writers' Workshop's The Margins, The Offing, and elsewhere. This is her debut novel. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

1st Case by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts

I used to read a lot of mysteries, and then somehow biographies and memoirs pushed their way to the top of the stack of books beside my beds. So,when I saw this new book “1st Case” by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts, I jumped at the chance to read a new mystery. I have known the co-author, Chris, for close to 40 years, as he lived in my dorm at Northwestern freshman year. He is among about 10 people who lived on the first floor of Willard Hall in 1982 with whom I still keep in touch. That was a magical time when all we needed was a twist-top bottle of Soave Bolla from Jarvis, and we called it a party. Chris is an extremely talented and prolific writer who has published more than 17 books, many with Patterson, as part of his Middle School book series. “1st Case” is a thriller that centers around a computer wizard named Angela Hoots who has just gotten kicked out of MIT for hacking into another student’s computer. When her academic career hits a rough patch, her mentor Eve gets her a job with the FBI in their Boston field office. Specifically, Angela joins the team’s Cyber Forensics Unit. Her first case involves a messaging app which surreptitiously tracks the locations of its users. The app’s beta users are all young women, who are only identified when they turn up dead in their bedrooms. Angela joins a force trying to track the killer’s location through the app. When the killer begins to track Angela’s own movements, she is thrust into the center of the investigation. When Angela decides to begin tracking the killer without the support of her team, she not only puts herself, but also her family in danger. Envisioning this thriller through Angela’s eyes was fascinating, and I was on the edge of my page the whole time. I would highly recommend “1st Case” for those seasoned readers looking to get their latest mystery fix, but also high school thrill-seekers who may not yet read detective books. I have a feeling we will be seeing Angela Hoots on a new case in the future. To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Let Me Tell You What I Mean by Joan Didion

The other day my ex-husband texted me and asked, “How tall are you?” Of the many texts I have received from him over the last 25 years this one actually amused me. How tall was I? We were married for 18 years and this was not something he knew? Had he forgotten? He is more than 6 feet-tall, so couldn’t he remember me standing next to him? Instead of posing questions, I quickly responded to him, as I have learned over the years is the most efficient thing to do. I would, however, fathom a guess that if someone asked him who my favorite author is, he would have said, without hesitation, Joan Didion. He would know this because a framed, autographed picture of her used to hang in our Sea Cliff home, along with all of her books, which I still treasure. “Let Me Tell You What I Mean” by Didion was recently published containing a dozen, previously uncollected stories written between 1968-2000. I listened to the book on audio tape, and loved every essay. In this collection, Didion crafts unique profiles on celebrities such as Ernest Hemingway, Nancy Reagan, Tony Richardson, Robert Mapplethorpe and Martha Stewart. In addition, she turns the spotlight on herself in the essay titled, “Why I Write” and describes studying at Berkeley in the 1950’s and discovering her true passion for writing. Thank goodness she did become a writer because we now have her essays and novels to read, and re-read for years to come. She once wore a dirty raincoat to a writing class at Cal because she wanted to feel invisible. She found the other writers more interesting and more experienced. But little did those other writers know that the invisible undergrad in the dirty raincoat was observing all of them, and taking notes for the future. At 86 years old, she keeps on writing because, “I’m totally in control of this tiny, tiny world right there at the typewriter.” To buy this book on Amazon click here.

The Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved my Life by Christie Tate

The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult

Sometimes we find a good book, and other times a good book finds us. “The Book of Two Ways” by Jodi Picoult found me like an arrow heading straight for a bull’s eye. I had heard there was a new Picoult book out. Then my sister-in-law Jen recommended it, and then I even recommended it (sight-unseen, without knowing the plot) to a good friend who used to work at my hospice. Finally, when I started reading it, I discovered the main character is a “death doula” at a hospice helping people transition from life to death. Now I admit, a story about a death doula is not everyone’s cup of team, but for me this was a wonderful read. Dawn Edelstein is on a plane back to Boston, where she lives with her husband and daughter, when the plane crashes, but she survives. After airline officials make sure Dawn is ok, they offer her transportation wherever she wants to go, instead of saying the sane choice of Boston, she impulsively says Egypt. As crazy as this may sound, on the heels of a near death experience, she longs to see Wyatt Armstrong, a colleague she once worked with (and fell in love with) on an archeological dig. Armstrong has spent years researching the ancient “Book of Two Ways,” the first known map of the afterlife. When Dawn shows up back in Egypt, after so many years apart, Wyatt is as confused as she is. Was she meant to be with him from the beginning?  Is he the love of her life instead of her husband?  Is Dawn experiencing something real, or is she just on a metaphysical journey to compare the choices she made versus the roads not taken? I don’t want to give away the details, but the plot is rich in romance, history and mystery. Many of us dream about missed opportunities, but few of us get to take a stab again at what might have been.  To buy this book on Amazon click here.

Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day by Jay Shetty

A few months ago, I had to learn DocuSign for my hospice job. Because of the pandemic, and being in a different part of the building from my colleagues, I had to basically teach myself, and it was frustrating. Each time I sent 5 separate, multi-page consent forms out to a patient’s family, I thought my head might explode with fear. I tortured myself for a few weeks, until I decided to turn my brain around. I decided that instead of being afraid of DocuSign, I should consider It an honor and a privilege to use it. I should remember that I was saving my nurses time in the home of Covid-positive patients, and also saving the family members’ time, so they would not have to wade through the paper consents. With this new attitude in place, DocuSign became easier and I was less afraid. This is all to say, the mind is a very powerful tool when you set it straight. “Think Like a Monk” by Jay Shetty is the true story about how a young man trained for three years to become a monk, only to come to the conclusion he did not want to be a monk. Instead, he would adopt most of the monks’ best practices into his regular life, as a married, successful motivational speaker and Podcast host of “On Purpose.” While training as a monk, Shetty immersed himself in the daily activities of what monks do (meditate) and also what monks avoid (negativity). The book is easy to read, fascinating, and best of all, provides you with ways you can quickly weave his suggestions into your own life. This is a self-help book on how to conquer your fears, and feed your soul. He discusses not only finding your passion, but also, more importantly, finding your purpose. Time and time again, Shetty comes back to what the monks treasure most: being of service to others is the key to finding your own happiness, and a way to live a more vibrant life, too. To purchase this book on Amazon click here.