Homan and Lynnie fall in love; they live at The School for the Incurable and Feebleminded which means they are institutionalized. Lynnie has developmental disabilities and Homan is deaf and unable to communicate verbally. It’s the 1950’s. They run away, Lynnie has a baby, they leave the baby with Martha, a widowed schoolteacher who never had children. Lynnie is discovered and returned to the institution while Homan makes a getaway. Martha has the baby she always wanted. Years pass; an investigative reporter a la Geraldo Rivera uncovers abuses at the Institution and Lynnie moves to a group home. The story follows Lynnie, Homan and Martha for 3 decades. Will these two be reunited? What about Martha and the child? This was a slow read for me.
Dear Life by Alice Munro
Canadian author Munro was 81 when she wrote this collection of short stories and four memoirs. They take place around Lake Huron in the remote Canadian countryside in the mid-1900’s. Her style is spare; her characters are lonely and sometimes isolated. Each story was like a little puzzle - sometimes I had to reread the beginning to figure out who was who. But the best part was every story had a surprising twist or turn. One of my favorites was “Corrie” about a wealthy woman’s years long affair with a married man. My other favorite was “In Sight of the Lake” about a woman who goes to her doctor to have a prescription refilled and what unfolds when the doctor isn’t there. I also liked “Pride” and “Train”. The last 4 stories are memoirs of the author. Highly recommended.
Amy Snow by Tracy Rees
The year is mid-1800s England; 8 year old Aurelia Vennaway discovers a newborn baby abandoned in the snow on their property. Lord and Lady Vennaway are mortified but reluctantly allow the child to stay. Aurelia names her Amy Snow and she is her companion and pet. Now Amy is 17 and Aurelia dead from a weak heart. With a series of letters, Aurelia, from beyond the grave, sends Amy on a treasure hunt. There is a secret that must be discovered. The trail takes Amy from Hatville to Twickenham to London to Bath and finally to York. Along the way, Amy finds friendships, suitors (yes, more than one), and fortune. This book is long, but easy to read. Good for Jane Austen fans.
The Lido by Libby Page
Kate is a 20-something journalist at a local newspaper in south London. She is assigned to cover a story about the Brixton lido, which is to be sold to a developer and cemented over. A lido is what the British call an outdoor swimming pool. Now I know why cruise ships call it the Lido deck. To put a human face to the story, Kate interviews 86-year old Rosemary, who has been swimming at the lido her whole life. An unlikely friendship develops between the two women as they join forces to save the lido. I especially liked how Rosemary got Kate swimming everyday, and how Kate blossoms and grows to love the lido. I read this in two days; it was adorable.
Enjoy!
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| The Lido |
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