This one works well as a segue into our next state. Sugar, the main character, is from South Carolina, and so parts of the novel take place there, which gave me a hankering to cover another southern state. But most of the book takes place in New York City, and it’s a great one for […]
This book gave us an interesting look at Grand Central Terminal in New York City during two time periods–1928-1931 in its heyday with an in-depth view of the school of art that operated inside, and 1974 when the building’s integrity was under threat legally and physically. I am reading my way across the USA–5 or […]
I was hesitant about this one because I’d heard there were some concerns over the way Russo handles his female characters and race, but mostly because it’s a long one–a serious investment of time when I’m feeling behind in my goals for the year. But I’m really glad I gave it a chance–this one nails […]
I really enjoyed the music references in this book–and I got a kick out of the main character, Shoe, having an Uncle Albert, given all the Paul McCartney references. Plus, I’m reading it after having watched the movie Yesterday, so I’m getting a double dose of McCartney nostalgia. But the book really shone a light […]
This was a really interesting book that was surprisingly relevant in terms of the bitter vitriol spewed on both sides of the political aisle over communism–much like today’s arguments over socialism and race. I wasn’t aware of the 1949 Peekskill riots, but the apparent flashpoint for the riots was the misrepresentation by the Associated Press […]
As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve encountered a number of urban fantasy books over the years that are firmly set in our world and give a wonderful sense of the cities in which they are located, and I’m pleased to say that Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older is one of these! I am reading my way […]
Wow! This is going to be a difficult one for me. It was fairly plain from the publisher’s blurb that “what happened” to Marianne Mulvaney was some type of sexual assault. But I want to warn potential readers that if you are easily triggered by rape and sexual assault, you will probably want to avoid […]
This was a fun, light read that brought to life a bit of history I was unfamiliar with–the Miss Subway promotional beauty contests that ran from 1941 to 1976. It will probably not go down as the best of our books for New York, but it got us off to a good start. I am […]
I love to see books with unusual main characters–it seems like there has been a lot written recently about the importance of seeing yourself in books, and that goes for kids with special needs too. From that perspective, The Islands at the End of the World seems like a big win, although I have absolutely […]
This was an excellent, thought-provoking look at a little-known historical event which had far-reaching consequences that continue to ripple through today’s headlines. The Ni’ihau Incident was used as a justification for the US government’s policy of imprisoning Japanese-Americans during World War II. Historians today recommend the usage of the phrase “concentration camps” for these places […]