February 25, 2023
My last newsletter, where I talked about how I read books wondering how they will resonate with my book group, definitely struck a chord. Here are some comments from readers.
Editorial Content for The House of Eve
Book
Teaser
From the award-winning author of YELLOW WIFE comes a daring, beautiful and redemptive novel that explores what it means to be a woman and a mother, and how much one is willing to sacrifice to achieve her greatest goal.
Promo
From the award-winning author of YELLOW WIFE comes a daring, beautiful and redemptive novel that explores what it means to be a woman and a mother, and how much one is willing to sacrifice to achieve her greatest goal.
About the Book
From the award-winning author of YELLOW WIFE comes a daring, beautiful and redemptive novel that explores what it means to be a woman and a mother, and how much one is willing to sacrifice to achieve her greatest goal.
1950s Philadelphia: Fifteen-year-old Ruby Pearsall is on track to becoming the first in her family to attend college, in spite of having a mother more interested in keeping a man than raising a daughter. But a taboo love affair threatens to pull her back down into the poverty and desperation that has been passed on to her like a birthright.
Eleanor Quarles arrives in Washington, DC, with ambition and secrets. When she meets the handsome William Pride at Howard University, they fall madly in love. But William hails from one of DC’s elite wealthy Black families, and his parents don’t let just anyone into their fold. Eleanor hopes that a baby will make her finally feel at home in William’s family and grant her the life she’s been searching for. But having a baby --- and fitting in --- is easier said than done.
With their stories colliding in the most unexpected of ways, Ruby and Eleanor will both make decisions that shape the trajectory of their lives.
Editorial Content for Maame
Book
Teaser
Smart, funny and deeply affecting, Jessica George's MAAME deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love and the life-saving power of friendship.
Promo
Smart, funny and deeply affecting, Jessica George's MAAME deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love and the life-saving power of friendship.
About the Book
Maame (ma-meh) has many meanings in Twi but in my case, it means woman.
It’s fair to say that Maddie’s life in London is far from rewarding. With a mother who spends most of her time in Ghana --- yet still somehow manages to be overbearing --- Maddie is the primary caretaker for her father, who suffers from advanced stage Parkinson’s. At work, her boss is a nightmare and Maddie is tired of always being the only Black person in every meeting.
When her mum returns from her latest trip to Ghana, Maddie leaps at the chance to get out of the family home and finally start living. A self-acknowledged late bloomer, she’s ready to experience some important “firsts”: She finds a flat share, says yes to after-work drinks, pushes for more recognition in her career, and throws herself into the bewildering world of internet dating. But it's not long before tragedy strikes, forcing Maddie to face the true nature of her unconventional family, and the perils --- and rewards --- of putting her heart on the line.
Smart, funny and deeply affecting, Jessica George's MAAME deals with the themes of our time with humor and poignancy: from familial duty and racism, to female pleasure, the complexity of love and the life-saving power of friendship. Most important, it explores what it feels like to be torn between two homes and cultures --- and it celebrates finally being able to find where you belong.
Editorial Content for The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post
Teaser
From the New York Times bestselling author of SISI comes an epic reimagining of the remarkable life of Marjorie Merriweather Post, the American heiress and trailblazing leader of the 20th century.
Promo
From the New York Times bestselling author of SISI comes an epic reimagining of the remarkable life of Marjorie Merriweather Post, the American heiress and trailblazing leader of the 20th century.
About the Book
Mrs. Post, the President and First Lady are here to see you.... So begins another average evening for Marjorie Merriweather Post. Presidents have come and gone, but she has hosted them all. Growing up in the modest farmlands of Battle Creek, Michigan, Marjorie was inspired by a few simple rules: always think for yourself, never take success for granted and work hard --- even when deemed American royalty, even while covered in imperial diamonds. Marjorie had an insatiable drive to live and love and to give more than she got. From crawling through Moscow warehouses to rescue the Tsar’s treasures to outrunning the Nazis in London, from serving the homeless of the Great Depression to entertaining Roosevelts, Kennedys and Hollywood’s biggest stars, Marjorie Merriweather Post lived an epic life few could imagine.
Marjorie’s journey began gluing cereal boxes in her father’s barn as a young girl. No one could have predicted that C. W. Post’s Cereal Company would grow into the General Foods empire and reshape the American way of life, with Marjorie as its heiress and leading lady. Not content to stay in her prescribed roles of high-society wife, mother and hostess, Marjorie dared to demand more, making history in the process. Before turning 30, she amassed millions, becoming the wealthiest woman in the United States. But it was her life-force, advocacy, passion and adventurous spirit that led to her stunning legacy.
And yet Marjorie’s story, though full of beauty and grandeur, set in the palatial homes she built such as Mar-a-Lago, was equally marked by challenge and tumult. A wife four times over, Marjorie sought her happily-ever-after with the blue-blooded party boy who could not outrun his demons, the charismatic financier whose charm turned to betrayal, the international diplomat with a dark side, and the bon vivant whose shocking secrets would shake Marjorie and all of society. Marjorie did everything on a grand scale, especially when it came to love.
Bestselling and acclaimed author Allison Pataki has crafted an intimate portrait of a larger-than-life woman, a powerful story of one woman falling in love with her own voice and embracing her own power while shaping history in the process.