Brooklyn - Colm Tobin

 A young Irish woman immigrates to America for a better life and evolves as a person as she struggles to understand her new environment and yearns for home.  I was intrigued and frustrated by this story at the same time.  Eilis is thoughtful and ponders her actions and those of others and too often choses non-action, non-response.  A coming of age in America story that eventually fell flat for me.

Published: 2009  Read: December 2021  Genre: Fiction

Money, A Memoir - Liz Perle

Sub-title: Women, Emotions, and Cash

Liz got divorced suddenly, becoming a single Mom without an income overnight.  The shock forced her to re-examine her relationship with money.  She realized that she'd been in denial about being financially responsible for herself, hoping to let someone else take care of her and her finances.

She worked in publishing and began interviewing women about the relationship with finances and discovered that many baby boomers had the same expectations and had cobbled their emotional needs together with the financial responsibilities.  Over time she was able to separate the two, and let money just be money, finding her fulfillment in family and friends.

I was saddened to learn that the author died of breast cancer at only 59 years old in 2015.  It was a good read for the interviews with other women and a flashback 12 years to just prior to the 2008 crash.

Published:  2006  Read: July 2018  Genre: non-fiction

The Bookstore - Deborah Meyler

Oh, this was a good read!  A young English woman comes to NYC to study art history on a scholarship to Columbia and takes a job in a bookstore.  She falls in love with Michael, a suave, rich, intoxicating man who loves her, leaves her, loves her and leaves her again and pregnant.

She learns some life lessons through it all, finding true friends through the bookstore.  A feel good book that was like having a very good fresh bagel and coffee.  I liked her dedication: "To my father..who taught me how to be happy".  Well said.

Published: 2013  Read: June 2016  Genre: Fiction