David Szalay

Fiction 2025 | 368 pages

This book has a lot of sex in it but not love. 

Flesh follows the life of its protagonist, István, from his difficult adolescence in post-communist Hungary to his rise and fall in the elite circles of London. The story traces István’s journey as he navigates a world where his capacity for violence becomes his primary asset — first as a soldier in Iraq, then as a bodyguard and driver for the super-rich, and finally as a wealthy property developer. A sweeping, decades-spanning novel, István eventually returns to his hometown in Hungary.

80% of the words that come out of his mouth are, quite literally, "okay."  He says "okay" to proposals, to ideas, to suggestions, to sex, and as a constant response to "how are you?"  He has no color, no personality, no insight, no depth, no self-awareness.  He must be the most boring character I have ever encountered.

The story didn't make a lot of sense to me.  István, after his stints in detention and the army, works as a bouncer, a bodyguard, and a driver.  Then, suddenly, a few years pass and he is married, has a son, is somewhat articulate, and has become a successful business property developer.  I do not know how he went from menial, physical jobs to this professional role.  Even after rereading it.

I also cannot wrap my head around why Marian recommended this book for book club. It doesn't seem like something we would like, and, more important, I cannot imagine Marian reading Flesh and liking it.

I don't like the character, the story line is confusing, and nothing has grabbed my attention.  I do not recommend Flesh.

June 2026

Quiara Alegria Hudes

Fiction 2025 | 176 pages

The White Hot is a bizarre, absurd novel (novella?). How did it make its way to my To Be Read list? Did one of you suggest it?

April!, 26. leaves her daughter Noelle on Noelle's 18^th birthday, for ten days.  She takes a bus from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, carrying not a thing with her.  April spends four days and nights in Ohiopyle State Park, and then meets a man named Kamal.  Kamel takes her to his home, which has no furniture, and introduces her to Charles Mangus.   Do you know Mangus?  He died in 1979 and bears the moniker "The angriest jazz musician of all time."  I played some of his music.  It is nothing short of angry, depressing, and defeating.  She spends a few days with him, basically wrecking his few belongings, and soon returns home again.  She had gone in search of the white hot spot .... the part of her that is overflowing with anger, regret, explosiveness, failure, and pain.  I think she heals this spot somewhat.

It is an outrageous, odd, depressing novel. I definitely un-recommend it.

June 2026

Monica Wood

Fiction 2024/ 280 pages

How to Read a Book started out with interesting characters and plot.  We have three major characters. Violet, our narrator, is 22 and was just released from prison, where she served about 1.5 years for driving drunk and killing a woman who was driving in the opposite direction.  Harriet is the volunteer who led a Book Club in the women's prison, two hours a week, for women who were interested in reading together, including Violet.  Violet happens upon Harriet in “the Outs” when she begins to live again in the real world in Portland, Maine.  Frank is a handyman who does odd jobs for Harriet, and is the husband of Lorraine, the woman who was killed by Violet.

While Wood develops each of these characters well, she does not quite take advantage of the relationships they could have together.  Especially, she does not develop Violet and Frank's relationship very well.  This is a missed opportunity, I believe.

Yet, the first two-thirds of the story is engaging, especially when Violet takes a job working with three African grey parrots.

I'm the last third, everyone turns romantic and falls in love with someone or another.  I found this rather irritating ... like a romance novel plopped itself into the novel.

But the end comes around and redeems the novel.

It is a fun, light read, especially given the topic.  You may enjoy it, or you may not. I would not suggest you urgently run out and buy it.

June 2026

Jeanine Cummins

Fiction 2019 | 380 pages

In Chapter one, a Mexican family in Acapulco is celebrating a quinceañera at a backyard barbecue at Sebastian and Lydia's home. In the first five pages of American Dirt, sixteen members of one family are murdered by a drug cartel.  Sebastian, who is managing the barbecue at his home, is a journalist who reports the truth about the drugs cartels that have overrun Acapulco.  Only his wife Lydia and their son Luca survive the bloodbath, as they were in the house.

This dramatic novel proceeds from there as we follow Lydia and eight-year-old Luca attempt to find safety, knowing they are being tracked by el jefe of the cartel.  We are with them as they make the long journey, traveling all the way up Mexico to reach el Norte.  They travel much of the time on the roofs of la bestia, which is a freight train.  They constantly are on the alert for, and numerous times encounter,  police, cartel members, law enforcement agents, ICE agents, border patrol. And yet, they travel as immigrants and find many people along the in small towns who help them with food and water, and occasionally a place to sleep.

This is all complicated by a friend Lydia made before the day of the killings.  Javier met her in the bookstore she owns in Acapulco.  As their friendship deepens, we learn that Javier is a jefe in the largest, most powerful cartel.  He was responsible for the deaths of Lydia's family. He tracks Lydia and Luca as they attempt to find safety, 

The writing is very clean, there is considerable suspense, and we get a view of life through a migrant's eyes,

Many literary reviewers panned the book for its lack of authenticity, arguing it capitalized on the suffering of migrants without demonstrating a genuine, nuanced understanding of Mexican culture or the sociopolitical landscape.  Ms. Cummins is a white woman of Puerto Rican descent.  Not knowing about this criticism, I took American Dirt at face value and found it to be well worth my time.  I did learn a lot about the courage and commitment it takes to arrive at our Southern border. I did also think it bogged down a bit in places, because the (literal) landscape never changes.

Besides our main characters, Lydia and her son Luca, we meet others traveling the same path.  Soledad and Rebeca are teenage sisters.  Their interaction and reaction to the travel is enlightening, often heartwarming.  Lydia takes them under her wing, and these four travel together for many miles and many days.

I recommend American Dirt.  It is an engaging and powerful read.

May 2026