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Monthly Archives: December 2020

The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See

28 Monday Dec 2020

Posted by Weston Public Library Staff in 20th century, Fiction, Historical Fiction

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adoption, Akha (Southeast Asian people)|, California, China, Chinese-American teenagers, intercountry adoption, mothers and daughters, tea, unmarried mothers, Yunnan Sheng (China)|

“With strong female characters, author See deftly confronts the changing role of minority women, majority-minority relations, East-West adoption, and the economy of tea in modern China. Fans of See’s Snow Flower and the Secret Fan will appreciate this novel.”—Library Journal

“The story begins small, plunging us into the immersive detail of a single grueling day picking tea with the young girl, Li-yan, her mother, A-ma, and the rest of their ethnic minority Akha family…What makes life bearable for the Akha is their belief system, which infuses every aspect of their daily lives. The full sweep of their practices is flawlessly embedded in See’s prose…The hardships that confront Li-yan in her life are as compelling as the fog-shrouded secret groves where she and her mother cultivate a special healing tea. I could have hung out here in remote China forever, but See has wider ground to cover, including Chinese adoption, the international fine tea market and modern Chinese migration to the United States… A lush tale infused with clear-eyed compassion, this novel will inspire reflection, discussion and an overwhelming desire to drink rare Chinese tea.”–Helen Simonson, The Washington Post

“One of the fascinating elements of See’s epic novel is the contrast between the isolated lives of the Akha and the globalized world of China’s larger cities — a contrast bridged by tea…Fans of the best-selling Snow Flower and the Secret Fan will find much to admire in The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane, as both books closely illuminate stories of women’s struggles and solidarity in minority-ethnic and rural Chinese cultures…In rendering the complex pain and joy of the mother-daughter bond, Lisa See makes this novel — dedicated to her own mother, author Carolyn See, who died last year — a deeply emotional and satisfying read.”—Emily Gray Tedrowe, USA Today

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A Long Way Home : a Memoir by Saroo Brierley

21 Monday Dec 2020

Posted by Weston Public Library Staff in Biography, memoir

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adopted children, Australia, birthparents, East Indians, India travel, intercountry adoption, Saroo Brierley, Tasmania

This book is recommended by a Weston library patron.  It was made into the 2016 movie, Lion which received six nominations at the Academy Awards.

“I literally could not put this book down..[Saroo’s] return journey will leave you weeping with joy and the strength of the human spirit.”—Manly Daily (Australia)
 
“We urge you to step behind the headlines and have a read of this absorbing account…With clear recollections and good old-fashioned storytelling, Saroo…recalls the fear of being lost and the anguish of separation.”—Weekly Review (Australia)

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Shiner by Amy Jo Burns

14 Monday Dec 2020

Posted by Weston Public Library Staff in Fiction

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Appalachia, family secrets, West Virginia

Wren is a teenage girl living an isolated life with her parents in rural West Virginia, where her father works as a minister and snake tamer. A tragic accident involving her mother’s best friend leads Wren to learn more about her mother’s past and the community where they grew up. The story is often bleak, but it is balanced by the beautiful writing and characters. If you enjoy stories like Winter’s Bone or Educated, you may like this one.

“This gorgeously written, plot-rich novel examines the complex lives of these five beautifully realized characters . . . Being set in Appalachia, it is no surprise that the novel is also about story and its gradual morphing into legend . . . This memorable first novel is exceptional in its power and imagination. It’s clearly a must-read.”— Booklist (Starred Review)

“In spare yet lyrical prose, Amy Jo Burns brings to life a brutal landscape and its dangerous, alluring inhabitants. A haunting glimpse into a strange, mystical world with its own laws and customs, filled with fiercely independent people, this novel combines a memoir-like intimacy with the mythic power of a fable. Burns is a writer to be watched.”—Christina Baker Kline, #1 NYT bestselling author of Orphan Train and A Piece of the World

“Wren’s engaging, convincing voice leads the reader through her strange world. A teenage girl is the strong center of a fever-dream story of hidden pasts.” – Kirkus (Starred Review)

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Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles

07 Monday Dec 2020

Posted by Weston Public Library Staff in Fiction, Historical Fiction

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19th century, Civil War 1861-1865, fiddlers, indentured servants, soldiers, Texas history

Historical writing is Jiles’ specialty (News of the World).  Now through the eyes of a rag tag assortment of musicians, we experience the dicey times just days after the end of the Civil War where law enforcement  is vague, disease runs rampant, and trying to survive is undermined at every juncture.

“Incandescent in its beauty, told in Paulette Jiles’s trademark spare yet lilting style, Simon the Fiddler is a captivating, bittersweet tale of the chances a devoted man will take, and the lengths he will go to fulfill his heart’s yearning.” – Amazon

“Imbued with the dust, grit, and grime of Galveston at the close of the Civil War, Simon the Fiddler immerses readers in the challenges of Reconstruction. Jiles brings her singular voice to the young couple’s travails, her written word as lyrical and musical as Simon’s bow raking over his strings. Loyal Jiles readers and fans of Anthony Doerr’s All the Light We Cannot See and Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge will adore the author’s latest masterpiece.”  (Booklist (starred review))

“Vividly evocative and steeped in American folkways: more great work from a master storyteller.”  (Kirkus Reviews (starred review))

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