8 Books from Smaller Presses (BookExpo 2017: Part 2)

One of the things I look forward to when I plan my annual trip to Book Expo (formally BEA), is getting a chance to learn about books from some of the smaller presses. Although the publishers featured today are hardly obscure, they are independent from the giant houses that seem to get all the buzz.

Instead of featuring the big-name authors and titles you'll hear about everywhere (including here on Beth Fish Reads), today I want to introduce you to a handful of books that may have slipped by your radar. All but one is fiction, and most take us outside the United States and/or to different times, providing a broad perspective on life and humanity.

• Solar Bones by Mike McCormack (Soho, September): Set in rural Ireland, this novel is told by a spirit who returns to his home and recalls his life in all his roles, from son to father and everything in between and beyond. This award-winning novel gives us a feel for a generation of changes and challenges.
• The Widows of Malabar Hill (Soho Crime, January 2018): The protagonist of this first in a new series is loosely based on India's first woman lawyer. Set about 100 years ago in Bombay, this crime novel concerns a case of potential fraud against three traditional, sheltered widows of the same man. The case also involves lost inheritances and the threat of murder.
• The Extra Woman by Joanna Scutts (Liveright, November): For most of history, Western culture has pitied or scorned the woman who chooses to remain single. Yet almost 90 years ago, Marjorie Hillis, who wrote for Vogue magazine, helped make the "Live-Aloners" fashionable. This book explores the rise and fall of the glory days of the independent woman over the course of the twentieth century and into our own times.
• Across the China Sea by Gaute Heivoll (Graywolf Press, September): In the post-World War II years, a Norwegian family opens their home to the lost and broken, forging bonds that hold an unlikely group of adults and children together to face a changing world. The novel is told in retrospect as the son cleans out the house after his parents' deaths.

• Reign the Earth by A. C. Gaughen (Bloomsbury, January 2018): This first in a four-part young adult fantasy series features a young woman who agrees to a marriage in return for the promise of peace between two rival lands. Her sacrifice is made all the harder when she must hide her elemental powers from her husband while trying to stay loyal to her own heritage. The novel promises battles, betrayal, politics, and magic.
• Three Daughters of Eve by Elif Shafak (Bloomsbury, December): This novel takes place in the course of a single evening in modern-day Istanbul. A woman who survives a mugging on her way to an opulent dinner party tries to balance her present circumstances with her college years abroad. Meanwhile the city erupts in violence caused by a series of terrorist attacks. Literary fiction that examines feminism in the context of Islam.
• Leona: The Die Is Cast by Jenny Rogneby (Other Press, August): this gritty Scandinavian crime novel features a flawed female detective who is barely able to hold herself together long enough to solve a bizarre bank robbery, allegedly pulled off by a seven-year-old girl. The author is both a former Stockholm cop and a former pop singer.
• To the Back of Beyond by Peter Stamm (Other Press, October): One night after a women goes inside to check on her child, her husband leaves the back garden and starts walking through the Swiss countryside. This slip of a novel explores the couple's now separate lives--one seemingly aimless, the other tied to home--and how life can change in a single moment.

Next week I'll feature picks from the big publishing houses. In case you missed it, yesterday I featured 5 Book Expo picks, also from small publishers.

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8 Books to Look Forward To (BEA)

One thing I love about BookExpo American (BEA) is the look into my reading future. Publicists are naturally extra-excited about the books coming out over the summer, but they are also already talking about fall and even 2017.

Although I won't likely get to these books until the weather starts to turn again, I thought I share a handful of those that came home with me from Chicago. So what's on my list? A mix of familiar authors and new ones, literary fiction and fantasy, books in translation, and even some art history. Can't wait to hear which ones call to you.

Favorite Authors / New Novels

• Cruel Beautiful World by Caroline Levitt: Set around 1970, this novel captures an era as a young girl heads off to rural Pennsylvania on a journey of independence. A coming-of-age story with themes of first love, sisters, and loss of innocence all with an undercurrent of danger. "Lucy runs away with her high school teacher, William, on a Friday, the last day of school, a June morning shiny with heat." (Algonquin, October) • The Motion of Puppets by Keith Donohue: In Donohue's classic style of mixing reality with fantasy, this is a tale of a woman who is trapped in a magical world and of her husband who must first find her and then figure out how to rescue her. Set in the Old City of Quebec "She fell in love with a puppet." (Picador, October)

Stories about Writers: Translated

• Cabo de Gata by Eugen Ruge: A Berlin writer escapes his past to start over in small coastal Andalusian village, but settling in to a new home in his new country requires more than just trying to learn Spanish. Only after he befriends a ginger cat, does his life begin to truly change. Translated from the German. "I remember stopping short midmovement." (Graywolf Press, November) • Agnes by Peter Stamm: When Agnes asks her lover to write a story about her, he begins with their happy courtship, but he soon realizes he needs some tension or drama to bring life to his tale. Is he writing fiction or making plans? Translated from the German. "Agnes is dead. Killed by a story." (Other Press, October)

Mysterious Doings

• The Inquisitor's Tale by Adam Gidwitz: This story within stories, set in France in 1242, is about a peasant girl, a young monk, and a mysterious boy healer. Travelers at an inn begin to relate what they know about the magical trio, allowing us to piece together a tale of danger, dragons, clashing religions, and kingly courts. Middle grade fantasy with a Chaucer foundation & beautiful illuminated illustrations. "The king is ready for war." (Dutton, September) • The Secrets of Wishtide by Kate Saunders: Laetitia Rodd, a middle-aged widow puts her inquiring mind to work as a private investigator, often helping her barrister brother. When she goes undercover as a governess at a country estate, she unearths much more than the details of the young master's love life. Set in Victorian England and the first of a new series. "It was a bright, windy October morning, and Mrs. Bentley and I were down in the basement kitchen making a rabbit pudding." (Bloomsbury, September)

Artists in History

• A Revolution in Color by Jane Kamensky: John Singleton Copley counted many of the Boston patriots as his clients and patrons in the years before the Revolution. The artist, however, did not share their political views. This well-researched history/biography looks at Copley's life, ambitions, and paintings both in the colonies and in London and sets all in the context of contemporary politics and sociocultural ideas. "John Singleton Copley grew up facing the sea, heaving heart of Britain's growing blue-water empire." (Norton, October) • Mad Enchantment by Ross King: When you hear the name Claude Monet, you're likely to immediately think of his famous water lily paintings, but you might not know story behind how he came to create that series. This thoroughly researched biography looks at Monet's late-in-life work against the bigger picture of his personal losses, World War I, and the rising generation of new artists with their bold, experimental styles. "Where was Georges Clemenceau?" (Bloomsbury, September)

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8 Books to Satisfy the Nonfiction Reader in You

The other day I was chatting with friends on Twitter about reading nonfiction and was encouraged and inspired by them to write about true stories that I've read and/or that have caught my attention. Here then is roundup of eight nonfiction reads picked at random from my shelves. Look for more suggestions in the coming weeks.

Science and Medicine

Margaret Lazarus Dean's Leaving Orbit (Graywolf, 9781555977092, May 2015): This award-wining account of the end of the American Dream in space is both well researched and very personal. If you're too young to remember the first manned space program or weren't yet born when we first stepped foot on the moon, it's hard to convey the collective excitement and interest Americans had for NASA and space travel. Dean brings those feelings alive in Leaving Orbit, detailing a variety aspects of the U.S. space program, from the vehicles to the funding issues to the personalities. I agree with the Kirkus reviewer who predicts that you won't be able to stop reading.

Alexandra Robbins's The Nurses (Workman, 9780761171713, April 2015): This book-length piece of investigative journalism looks at the women and men who become our anchors when we're at our worst. Robbins followed four RNs for a year, shedding light on the truth of what it's like to be a nurse. These important healthcare providers are caught between patients and doctors and between policy and compassion, working long hours under enormous pressure. But The Nurses isn't just a song to the profession, it's an insiders' look at the way hospitals really work. Be prepared to be both shocked and awed.

Manners and Secrets

Henry Hitchings's Sorry! (Picador, 9781250056153, December 2014): One of the many things I learned when I lived (briefly) in the UK was that despite our historical connections, social norms in England are not necessarily the same as they are in the States. I haven't read this one yet, but the publisher's summary caught my attention: "Sorry! presents an amusing, illuminating, and quirky audit of English manners." Hitchings uses a "blend of history, anthropology, and personal journey [to help] us understand the bizarre and contested cultural baggage" of what passes as good manners. Looks good, eh?

Julie Tibbott's Members Only (Zest Books, 9781936976522, February 2015): This is a fun and informative look at all things secret society. Ever want to better understand the Knights Templar, wish you knew what it really means to be a Freemason, curious about cults, or how about getting a peek inside the famous Magic Castle in L.A.? I loved learning the meaning behind various familiar symbols, the requirements to join exclusive clubs, and some of the associated stories and scandals. This was great fun to read.

Spies and the Mafia

Scott C. Johnson's The Wolf and the Watchman (Norton, 9780393349436, May 2014): I'm not at all sure why I haven't read this yet because it sounds amazing. Johnson writes about what it was like to be the son of a real-life CIA spy. Here's what I've learned about Johnson's book: Although being the son of a spy sounds kind of glamorous, the reality is that your father makes his living by hiding the truth and manipulating situations to gain knowledge and data. In reaction, Johnson grew up to be a foreign correspondent, making his living uncovering the truth about wars and other global situations. Johnson writes about the tensions and reconciliations that colored his relationship with his father, especially when their careers were at cross-purposes.

George Anastasia's Gotti's Rules (Dey Street, 9780062346872, January 2015): What is it about the American Mafia that fascinates us? We can't seem to get enough movies, books, and TV shows about the mob. Anastasia takes a look at the Gotti family and the code they lived by to run the infamous Gambino syndicate. Using firsthand accounts, insiders' information, interviews, and FBI files, Anastasia unveils the truth behind the legend. It's probably no surprise that the Mafia code is less about honor and more about power and greed, but the details of the crimes and violence and of the behavior of the bosses are fascinating and startling.

History and Mystery

Andrew Roberts's Napoleon (Viking, 9780670025329, November 2014): Biography is one of my all-time favorite genres, especially when as well-written as is this account of the famous general. Although other biographies exist, Roberts's is the first to have been based not only on historical accounts but also on the tens of thousands of surviving letters from Napoleon himself. This is an amazingly accessible and utterly fascinating story of a man who has often been misrepresented and misunderstood. He was smart and curious, loved art, and ran an army and empire while trying to stay true to his vision and hold off his detractors. From Napoleon's birth to his political rise and fall, you'll be glued to the pages.

Hannah Nordhaus's American Ghost (Harper, 9780062249210, March 2015): True confession: I'm never going to read this book! I'm pretty much a wimp when it comes to ghosts, and this true story is probably a little too creepy for me. My husband, however, is looking forward to American Ghost and will give me the scoop when he finishes reading about the author's great-great-grandmother and the reports of her haunting of a present-day Santa Fe hotel, which used to be her home in the 1800s. To determine the veracity of the stories, Nordhaus studied her family history and the pioneer life as well as twenty-first-century psychics and ghost hunters. Will Nordhaus's investigation prove the existence of the ghost? I'm waiting for somebody to tell me.

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Reading in under an Hour: 3 Shorts from Around the World

Lunchtime is reading time for many of us. I used to spend my midday break with my current print/eBook or my audiobook, but lately I've gotten more pleasure out of shorter pieces.

Each day I pick a story or an article I can start and finish before I turn back to my computer for an afternoon of editing. I've been sampling all kinds of works: short stories, essays, articles, and poems.

Here's a look at three stories I read this week. Can't wait to read more in each collection.

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Per Petterson's novels. Before his longer works made him famous, Petterson published ten stories collected in Ashes in My Mouth, Sand in My Shoes (Graywolf Press) about a young boy living outside of Olso in the early 1960s. These elegantly written shorts view big issues from the perspective of a child's mind. "Like a Tiger in a Cage": After seeing a photograph of his mother from before he was born, Arvid Jansen is startled by the changes in her brought about from the passing of time. He doesn't want to get older, thinking six and a half years are enough, but he can't figure out how to stop time . . . or can he?

He held his hands to his face as if to keep his skin in place and for many nights he lay clutching his body, feeling time sweeping through it like little explosions. . . . But nothing helped, and with every pop he felt himself getting older. (p. 44)

Kevin Barry's Dark Lies the Island is another winning collection from Graywolf Press. Focusing on what the Minneapolis Star Tribune called "marginalized figures," Barry explores his native Ireland with a brilliant combination of humor and darkness. "The Girls and the Dogs": Our unnamed narrator, on the run after selling a bad batch of crack, ends up at the home of an old acquaintance. Evan has two sets of children from two sisters, and all are living under the same roof. Things start off well enough, but when Evan makes our hero an offer he shouldn't have refused, our man finds himself in a tight spot.

Yes it started like that—the trouble—it started as a soft kind of coaxing. Sly comments from Suze and sly comments from Evan the Head. And I got worried when the winter stretched on, the weeks threw down their great length, the weeks were made of sleet and wind, and it became February—a hard month. (p. 138)

Joanna Luloff's The Beach at Galle Road (Algonquin Books) is a collection of interlinked stories that bring the effects of the twenty-five-year-long Sri Lankan civil war down to the individual level. Luloff, a native American, spent almost two years in Sri Lanka as a Peace Corps worker, giving her a firsthand view of the country at war. "Ghost Neighbors": After the war has taken her family and dashed her dreams of becoming a teacher, Nilanthi returns to her childhood home, where people from her past offer unwelcome and questionable help. Overwhelmed with how life must be now, Nilanthi becomes silent, talking only to her ghosts. One of them gives her a way out; will Nilanthi listen?

The lye is still under the bucket by the well. Drink some and we can dance here together in circles until we are dizzy with spinning. (p. 232)

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Review: Ongoingness: The End of a Diary by Sarah Manguso

In just less than a hundred pages Sarah Manguso talks about her intimate relationship with her twenty-five-year-old daily habit of writing about her life. At the beginning of Ongoingness: The End of a Diary, she admits:

I couldn't face the end of a day without a record of everything that had ever happened (p. 3)

She kept a diary both so she wouldn't forget and so she could "stop thinking about what had happened and be done with it."

In more than eight hundred thousand words (she destroyed some of her journals over the years), she wrote to preserve memories, stop time, and maybe find some immortality. But with the birth of her son, Manguso gained a different perspective on those very things: memory, time, and the future.

The beautiful, succinct passages that make up Ongoingness ultimately come around to the realization that the true repository of memories and ultimate marker of time are not in meticulously kept diaries but are in the flash and sparks of new generations, in a "world of light unending."

I've read this slim volume twice now and will likely read it again. Sarah Manguso's thoughts have a sharp, crisp focus, yet her prose is poetic and flowing. I've marked many passages that need my fuller attention, that call to me to sift through the layers. Ongoingness will be with me for a while.

A few quotes:

Today was very full, but the problem isn't today. It's tomorrow. I'd be able to recover from today if it weren't for tomorrow. There should be extra days, buffer days, between the real days. (p. 11)

Marriage isn't a fixed experience. It's a continuous one. It changes form but is still always there, a rivulet under a frozen stream. Now, when I feel a break in the continuity of till death do us part, I think to myself, Get back in the river. (p. 25)

In my experience nursing is waiting. The mother becomes the background against which the baby lives, becomes time. (p. 53)

Published by Graywolf Press, March 3, 2015
ISBN-13: 9781555977030
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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Best in Nonfiction: 2014

I know there are still two weeks left in December and I'm not done reading for the year, but I want to get my best-of lists up before everyone scatters for the holidays.

This year I have only two lists: fiction and nonfiction. I'm not making a separate audiobook list or food writing list.

Here are my top five in nonfiction, in alphabetical order. Links lead to my reviews or features. If there isn't a link, I haven't yet reviewed the book. (Note: books read in 2014, not necessarily published in 2014.)

1. Dane Huckelbridge, Bourbon (William Morrow, 2014): "the history of America as seen through the rise and fall and rise again of an all-American drink."
2. Ben Bradlee Jr., The Kid (Little Brown, 2013): "Bradlee . . . found that magic place where scholarship meets personal passion."
3. Hampton Sides, In the Kingdom of Ice (Doubleday, 2014): "Sides carefully sets the stage and builds the tension, creating an adventure story as exciting and emotional as any novel."

4. Eula Biss, On Immunity (Graywolf Press, 2014): An engaging mix of personal stories and careful research covering a broad range of perspectives on the effects of inoculation
5. Judy Melinek and T. J. Mitchess, Working Stiff (Scribner, 2014): The sometimes horrifying, always fascinating real-life business of being a New York City medical examiner

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Today's Read: Duplex by Kathryn Davis

What would it be like to live a world that was as familiar as 1950s America but was inhabited by both humans and others? Miss Vicks, her neighbors, and her students are navigating through just such a place.

It was a suburban street, one block long, the houses made of brick and built to last like the third little pig's. Sycamore trees had been planted at regular intervals along the curb and the curbs themselves sparkled; I think the concrete was mixed with mica in it. I think when it was new the street couldn't help but draw attention to itself, inviting envy.

—Duplex by Kathryn Davis (Graywolf Press, 2014 [paperback], p. 3)

Quick Facts

• Setting: somewhere between here and there; 1950s to 1960s; suburbia . . . kind of; our world, or maybe not
• Circumstances: life in the future or perhaps the past or maybe in a parallel world; the love story of Mary and Eddie; a snapshot view of a neighborhood
• Characters: Miss Vicks, a fiftyish schoolteacher; her students; her neighbors; her sorcerer ex-lover; Mary and Eddie; robots
• Genre: coming-of-age story, literary science fiction, adult fairy tale, love story, horror, dystopian
• Descriptions from reviews: dreamlike world, dualities and dual planes of existence, blending of real and unreal, breathtaking, surprising, haunting, enchanting
• Why I'm going to give it a try: Although almost every reviewer had a hard time describing the genre and the general story line, almost every one walked away from Duplex totally taken in by Davis's prose and the world she created. Sounds like something unique; I'm not sure why I missed its hardcover release last year. Praised by NPR, most major newspapers and review outlets, and many bloggers

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Imprint Small Press Friday: Graywolf Press

Welcome to a special edition of Imprint Friday which today is actually Small Press Friday. Although I usually celebrate new releases from my favorite imprints in this space, I thought I'd do something a little different and feature great reads from a great independent publisher: Graywolf Press. Take a moment to look through their catalogs and be sure to say congratulations on their 40 years in publishing.

I've been a fan of Graywolf for a long time, and I've always been impressed with their ability to consistently publish smart books that both entertain and make me think. And Graywolf doesn't just find the best in fiction, their poetry and short story collections, their memoirs and essays have grabbed my attention as much as their award-winning novels. Here are five books to put on your list.

I'll start with Vijay Seshadri's 3 Sections, which won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry. I haven't read this collection, but an article about Graywolf would be incomplete without bringing Seshadri to your attention. The poems touch on very contemporary subjects, making the pieces accessible to a wide range of readers. The first section is made up of shorter poems about modern society, life in New York, the perils of aging, and travel. I'm particularly interested in the second section, which is a longer poem about commercial salmon fishing in Alaska. It addresses both the beauty of the environment and the politics of the industry. Making up the bulk of the final section is a poem titled "Personal Essay," which explores, according to Publisher Weekly, "what it could mean to be personal, to be one person and not another, in this crowded age." The hardcover was published a year ago (ISBN: 9781555976620) and the paperback will be available in January.

The troubled characters in Robert Boswell's Tumbledown revolve around ambitious therapist James Candler, the soon to be director of the Onyx Springs Rehabilitation Center. Despite juggling his finances, putting up with a slacker temporary roommate, and second-guessing his upcoming marriage, Candler never forgets the clients who need his support. As we get to know the patients, who suffer from a variety of conditions, we ultimately realize that Candler, haunted by the memory of his older brother and pushed by his need to help others, has forgotten to take care of himself. Although the novel is sometimes funny, Boswell is respectful of mental illness and makes us think about what it takes to be able to function in modern society, what it means to be normal, and what happens when we forget to save ourselves. The hardcover came out last year, but the paperback will be available in September (ISBN: 9781555976866).

Jeffery Renard Allen's Song of the Shank is a novel about the real-life Thomas Green Wiggins, better known as the musical genus Blind Tom. What makes this story so incredible is that Tom, born into slavery, was not only blind but was also autistic. That he learned to play the piano and was allowed to pursue his craft despite his handicaps and color is in itself almost unbelievable. Allen imagines the life of the gifted and troubled pianist, filling in the details where the historical record is missing. We learn of the black child who performed for a president of the United States, the white woman who became his guardian, and the myriad others who either tried to exploit his talents or protect him from the evils of the world. Through Blind Tom's story, Allen takes us from the pre-Civil War South to the early 20th century, exploring the changing climate for American blacks and the particular dependency that was the lot of the talented pianist. Published this summer in paperback (ISBN: 9781555976804).

In Blackboard, Lewis Buzbee explores education in America from a number of perspectives. His treatise is not simply testimony to the negative effects of budget cuts, politics, unions, and technology; instead Buzbee looks deeper into his subject, considering everything from the way our schools are built to the subtle messages students pick up from their teachers. He brings his own experiences as both a student and a teacher to the table supplemented by what he learned from watching his daughter move through the system. He worries about the teacher-student ratio; teachers' salaries; society's respect for education; and the lack of funding for music, art, and libraries. Anyone who is bothered by the educational system's focus on tests and success and wishes that more time were devoted to encouraging the love of learning and to nurturing curiosity will appreciate this short, entertaining, and important book. Out in hardcover this month (ISBN: 9781555976835).

High on my reading list is Ru Freeman's On Sal Mal Lane, which made several top-ten lists when it was published last year. The novel is set in Sri Lanka in the late 1970s, during the period leading up to the country's long civil war. Through the families living on Sal Mal Lane, we see how the children's typical pursuits of love, sports, and friendship are affected and influenced by the building political tensions and cultural attitudes of their parents. Almost every reviewer mentioned how beautiful and moving Freeman's prose is, as she explores the divisions--socioeconomic, religious, and emotional--that are brought into sharp focus as war becomes inevitable. The novel brings these issues down to the personal level as the ripples of a country's larger concerns eventually reach even a quiet street inhabited by ordinary people, whom we have come to know intimately. Out now in paperback (ISBN: 9781555976767).

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Giveaway: Boleto by Alyson Hagy

A couple of weeks ago I shared the opening of Alyson Hagy's newest book, Boleto, and some quick facts about this beautifully written novel.

Set in Wyoming and California, Boleto is complex story about a man and his horse, the conflict between following a passion and being pragmatic, and the unglamorous realities of the modern cowboy. It's also about the world of horses and the divide between the haves and have-nots.

Here's the publisher's summary:

Will Testerman is a young Wyoming horse trainer determined to make something of himself. Money is tight at the family ranch, where he's living again after a disastrous end to his job on the Texas show-horse circuit. He sees his chance with a beautiful quarter horse, a filly that might earn him a reputation, and spends his savings to buy her.

Armed with stories and the confidence of youth, he devotes himself to her training—first, in the familiar barns and corrals of home, then on a guest ranch in the rugged Absaroka mountains, and, in the final trial, on the glittering, treacherous polo fields of southern California.

With Boleto, Alyson Hagy delivers a masterfully told, exquisitely observed novel about our intimate relationships with animals and money, against the backdrop of a new West that is changing forever.

The giveaway: Thanks to Graywolf Press I am happy to be able to offer two of my readers with a U.S. mailing address a copy of Alyson Hagy's Boleto. All you have to do to be entered to win is to fill out the following form. I'll use a random-number generator to pick the two winners on November 15. As soon as the winners are confirmed, I'll delete all personal information from my computer and Graywolf will mail out the books. Good luck!

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Today's Read: Boleto by Alyson Hagy

What if you were the youngest of three sons looking for a way to escape your family's small ranch in central Wyoming? Although there's work for him at home, Will Testerman has a restless, independent spirit; besides, he's just about to fall in love with a two-year-old:

She was a gift, though he did not think of her that way for a long time. He paid twelve hundred dollars for her, money that came straight from his single account at Cabin Valley Bank. She was halter broke, and trailer broke, and she had been wormed for the spring. Someone had taken a rasp to her feet. He had seen her dam, Sally's Quick Ticket, win more than one prize in cutting horse competitions. He had no knowledge of her sire. The man who bred her kept good horses at his ranch outside of Cody, on the South Fork of the Shoshone River. The man did not use his horses much, but he had an experienced manager, someone who knew how to care for foals and weanlings. When the man chose to sell some of his animals, the manager, a careful fellow by the name of Campion, asked around. Campion did not go in for the commotion of stock sales. He had four horses he needed to sell, and the prettiest one was a quarter horse filly that was barley two years old. She was nicely balanced. There was a decent chance she had inherited her mother's speed.

—Boleto by Alyson Hagy (Graywolf Pess, 2012, p. 5 [opening paragraph])

Quick Facts

• Setting: rural western ranches; southern California polo clubs
• Circumstances: Will Testerman, an ex-rodeo competitor, is determined to make his name as a horse trainer; he's been told that trained polo horses can command a good price
• Characters: Will, twenty-three years old; Boleto, two years old; Will's family, friends, and enemies; other trainers and buyers
• Genre: contemporary western; character study; literary fiction
• Major themes: the new West; strong bond between cowboy and horse; social divides (wealth, class, region); changing way of life; hard dose of reality; non-romantic view of today's cowboy
• Writing style: beautiful, poetic, descriptive, unforgettable; many reviewers compare Hagy to Kent Haruf, Cormac McCarthy, and Annie Proulx
• Miscellaneous: Indie Next pick for May 2012; finalist for the Reading West Book Award; now out in paperback
• Novel's origins: story inspired by a chance meeting with a horse trainer

ISBN-13: 9781555976637
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy).

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Review: It's Fine by Me by Per Petterson

These days, when American readers think of Scandinavian writers, Stieg Larsson, Camilla Läckberg, and Jo Nesbø quickly come to mind. Although I'm a huge fan of these authors, I'm also very aware that Scandinavian literature reaches far beyond crime fiction.

Per Petterson, a prize-winning Norwegian author, writes some of the region's finest literary fiction. He homes in on the essence of his characters, revealing at once their inner vulnerabilities and their public bravado.

Per Petterson's It's Fine by Me is a haunting coming-of-age story, stripped down to its essentials. Audun Sletten was only thirteen when his mother relocated her three children from the country to a working-class neighborhood of Oslo. Starting on day one at his new school, Audun set himself apart; a childhood spent with a mean drunk of a father dissolved his trust, and he's just fine on his own, reading books and dreaming of being a writer.

Over the ensuing five years, Audun finds little happiness. Tragedy, money troubles, and a growing distance between him and his family, has left the teen unsure of his direction. When events from his past begin to collide with the present, he finally takes action, hoping for both independence and peace.

In many ways, Audun is a typical teenager, caught in limbo between childhood and adulthood. He's essentially a good kid, but his lingering anger at his father and deeply buried sadness sometimes get the better of him, causing him to act out. Audun is such a realistic character, it's easy to become invested in his story.

I'm not quite sure what I can add to the conversation about Per Petterson. Perhaps my experience with It's Fine by Me can be summed up by Audun's reaction after reading a passage from a friend's book:

. . . I read the page, and the next; it's pure, concise writing about things that you walk around turning over in your mind. I have to have this book, there is something different here, open, bold. (p. 34)

And indeed, Petterson writes about ordinary people in everyday situations. But his perspective makes it new and his strong characterizations makes it personal. Audun Sletten with remain in your thoughts long after you've finished his story. I hope he finds the future he deserves.

Buy It's Fine by Me at an Indie or at a bookstore near you. This link leads to an affiliate program.
Published by Graywolf Press, 2012 (translated by Don Bartlett)
ISBN-13: 9781555976262
Rating: A-
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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