A visceral novel of the sacrifice that healthcare workers make to preserve human life in times of war and sickness. Set against the backdrop of the 19A visceral novel of the sacrifice that healthcare workers make to preserve human life in times of war and sickness. Set against the backdrop of the 1918 Spanish Flu, this novel is a harrowing account of the people who risk their own lives in order to care for others. Though a historical novel, the Pull of the Stars is an eerily relevant novel in todays age of pandemics, and serves as a reminder to show compassion and gratitude to those who nurture no matter the environment or price it demands. ...more
A look into the women who shaped one of Vienna’s most provocative artists. Blending fact and fiction, The Flames examines Adele and Edith Harms, GertrA look into the women who shaped one of Vienna’s most provocative artists. Blending fact and fiction, The Flames examines Adele and Edith Harms, Gertrude Schiele, and Walburga Neuzil, not just as their likeness on canvas, but as women with desires and tragedies, who all loved and resented Egon Schiele not just as an artist, but as a man. It asks: what does it mean to be a muse? When does art cross a line, or are lines a restriction to artistic expression? Is eternal fame worth personal devastation? A timely and introspective debut that is a tribute to the women who are so often overshadowed and forgotten, though their faces live within galleries. ...more
A gruesome reflection of regret and vengeance against the backdrop of a lesser known aspect of ww1. Violent and filled with the pains of remorse and fA gruesome reflection of regret and vengeance against the backdrop of a lesser known aspect of ww1. Violent and filled with the pains of remorse and fury, this novella expertly navigates the ways that war dehumanizes people, the ways decisions haunt those made to make impossible choices, spiraling quickly into obsession and despair. Though brief, Diop delivers a poetically disturbing view of how often colonialism has destroyed lives, and how often those lives are forgotten in recounting major historical events. ...more
A rich saga of enduring love and artistic pursuit. Lush and all encompassing, this novel is journey into the essence of not only perfume and calligraphy, but the senses as a whole; how our experiences color our perception of art and our surroundings, how our memories and desires take physical shape, how our secrets are laid bare in the art we create, the silent words that exist in a scent, a line, a hand reaching to the night breeze. This is a highly detailed account of the consequences of political division, the pain of separation, and the lives we build after tragedy; it is a testimony to the idea that although things may not happen in the way we want, although we may loose a great love, everything will come together in the most unexpected of ways. A rewarding, heartrending read that pulses with tangible descriptions and emotions....more
A heartrending novel on choices and consequences, love, and redemption in early 1900’s Philadelphia. Against the backdrop of the Spanish Flu outbreak,A heartrending novel on choices and consequences, love, and redemption in early 1900’s Philadelphia. Against the backdrop of the Spanish Flu outbreak, WW1, and into the roaring 20’s, we see the enduring bonds of the Bright family, as they grapple with grief, resentment, desire, and hope. Each character is unique yet united in their struggles, their triumphs, and their aspirations. Beautifully crafted with compelling plot lines, which ring true to this day. ...more
A novel on injustice and identity during a little known part of American history. Against the backdrop of Southern California in the early 1900’s, PasA novel on injustice and identity during a little known part of American history. Against the backdrop of Southern California in the early 1900’s, Passage West examines the immigrant experience of Indian, Japanese, and Mexican farmers, as they grapple with familial tension, disillusionment from the American Dream, and racism from the nation who claimed to welcome them. This is also a novel of being torn between two nations; the nations from which people are born and made, and the nation where they attempt to make themselves anew. Although difficult to read at times, this is an incredibly relevant novel for fans of history, as many of these injustices have been long forgotten. Much of the political commentary remains just as urgent today as well, as so many are drawn to the land of opportunity, only to be left with empty promises. ...more
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