Book Review: Jennifer Weiner's The Summer Place

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of Jennifer Weiner’s latest novel, The Summer Place.

Veronica is a widow and retired novelist, living full-time in her Cape Cod summer home. She had hopes that her adult children, twins Sarah and Sam, would choose to spend their summers in Cape Cod with their own children, enjoying nature and lazy days. However, Veronica’s kids have their own problems.

Sarah has two young children of her own and a college-age adult stepdaughter, Ruby. Sarah’s sensing problems in her marriage and struggling to keep her life together. Sam has recently lost his wife and he is a single parent to his young stepson. Sam is having difficulty finding his place in the world, including dating again.

Veronica has made the decision to sell her beloved Cape Cod home and has not told her children. She will tell them after hosting one last big event: Ruby’s wedding. However, an incident involving a seemingly fun and frivolous home DNA kit, threatens to expose family secrets. Several characters panic, unsure how to handle the delicate situation without further damaging fragile relationships.

I’m a fan of Weiner’s books, but a few of her more recent ones have been lacking. The Summer Place gets Weiner back on track with her strong characters and a compelling plot. I felt most connected with Sarah’s story as it had shades of my first marriage and how I was feeling about fifteen years ago, the uncertainty and lack of emotional connection. It took me back to a difficult place, but that said, with distance and perspective, I can relate to Sarah’s troubles, without feeling overwhelmed. Weiner is a master at writing characters with strong emotional arcs.

This story is set during the pandemic. The pandemic plays a crucial role with the relationships, specifically Ruby’s engagement and Sarah feeling overwhelmed by not having her own space. Be sure to read Weiner’s afterward, as she explains the changes that were made while writing The Summer Place, due to both the pandemic and situations in her life. It sounds like The Summer Place ended up being a very different story from the original concept, and I suspect, a much better story.

The ending is perfect. It left me feeling hopeful and with a happy heart. The Summer Place definitely has a summer vibe and is a great pick for the upcoming season. It’s not a light “beach read” as it deals with very challenging relationship topics, but it will make you long for a vacation to Cape Cod.

Book Review- Wajahat Ali's Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on how to Become American

Thank you to LibroFM and Recorded Books Inc for a copy of Wajahat Ali’s memoir, Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful recommendations on How to Become American.

Wajahat Ali grew up in the San Francisco Bay area to parents who immigrated from Pakistan. In Go Back to Where You Came From, Ali writes about being raised in America and the difficulties that his family faced with assimilation in their new country. Ali details that despite being born in the United States, he has always been seen as an outsider, an immigrant.

This impact was most profound when his parents were arrested for financial crimes shortly after September 11th, with elements of their arrest appearing to reflect the distrust that Americans have towards muslims. For a majority of his childhood, Ali lived in upper-middle class comfort, but the arrest of his parents thrust him into financial worry. He was nearly finished with college at the time and suddenly found himself in charge of the family business and caring for elderly grandmothers. I am the same age as Ali and as I was listening to him tell his story, I kept imagining our parallel lives in the years following the fall of the twin towers. I can’t imagine the stress he faced, both from the strain of his parents in prison and from his social position in American society. As a white American, I felt that his perspective was important to hear and to try to understand- to listen.

Ali’s story takes an interesting twist as he struggles to get his life back on track, becoming both a lawyer and a playwright. Boldly producing his play on the anniversary of September 11th, it features a Pakistani- American muslim family in conversations that include the terrorist attacks. Ali got started running his play locally, in the reception rooms at Indian restaurants, building a following that included bigger donations and eventually, an off-broadway run.

I found Ali’s journey in the first part of his life ( hey, we are only middle-aged, lots more to come) to be inspiring and surprising. Ali has a sharp sense of humor and a keen eye for observing human behavior. Go Back to Where You Came From is an important memoir for people, especially those who have white privilege, to read and absorb. I grew up in a very diverse neighborhood in Los Angeles and I feel that Ali helped me better understand the immigrant experience that some of my friends and their parents might have faced living in the United States.

Book Review- David Sedaris' Happy-Go-Lucky

Thank you to LibroFM and Hachette Audio for a copy of David Sedaris’ latest essay collection, Happy- Go-Lucky.

I’m a huge, huge fan of David Sedaris and I was thrilled with the opportunity to listen to his latest collection, Happy-Go-Lucky. This is my first time enjoying an audio book by Sedaris, however, I have seen him speak numerous times. As much as I love reading his books, Sedaris reading his own stories is a true treasure. He’s a master storyteller and hearing him tell his stories adds an extra layer of delight. His pauses and inflections make each story that much more hilarious or profound.

Happy-Go-Lucky is rooted in the pandemic, but lest you think that you’re sick of pandemic related stories, this collection has much more to offer. Many of the essays involve family relationships with Sedaris handling the decline of his elderly father, a man with whom he has had a strained relationship. The seriousness of the situation is tempered by Sedaris’ trademark wry observations and his absolutely hilarious relationship with his beloved sister Amy. The world needs a show with these two, they are just too fabulous.

Sedaris’ brand of humor and his willingness to share candid, sometimes cringy, details of his life, keep me coming back for more. I always finish his books wondering how he will top it, as each seems better than the last. Happy-Go-Lucky is no exception, this is Sedaris at his best.